mystery

Book Review: Aunt Dimity Down Under

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Aunt Dimity Down Under
Aunt Dimity Down Under by Nancy Atherton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another delightful and lovely book in this series! This time Lori is on her way to New Zealand to find the long-lost brother of the Pym sisters, and naturally she is taking her stuffed bunny, Reginald, along with her, in addition to the journal through which her deceased Aunt Dimity communicates with Lori from the beyond.

Be sure to read this book with a map and Google nearby, because you will want to look up photos and maps of all the beautiful places that Lori visits in New Zealand! The way the writer describes the natural beauties of the mountains, oceans, and sweet little towns, makes you want to look it up. And it’s all real and true-to-life, right down to the massive carrot Continue reading →

Book Review: Death at Glamis Castle

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Death at Glamis Castle
Death at Glamis Castle by Robin Paige

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kate and her husband, Charles, are called up to the mysterious Glamis Castle to covertly search for the missing Prince Eddy, who has been in hiding after his staged death 10 years before. The murder of a local servant-woman, in addition to the disappearance of Prince Eddy, has Kate and Charles scrambling to find out the truth amongst local gossip, rumors, and lying townsfolk.

I enjoyed this mystery, mostly because of the human interest, the little romance woven into it, and the continuing backstory of Charles’ bachelor days before he met Kate. Every character we meet has their own little part to play in the mystery, and their own hopes and motivations that propel them into the adventure or keep them out of it. Continue reading →

Book Review: Death at Epsom Downs

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Death at Epsom Downs
Death at Epsom Downs by Robin Paige

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this mystery and it kept my attention, but it wasn’t anything super special. A great book to read on a wintery night curled up in bed, but not amazing literature.

Kathryn and Charles are solving mysteries again, this time at the Epsom horse races. A conspiracy to dope the horses has resulted in a bookie being murdered, and of course, Charles is called in to investigate with Kate making her own inquiries in the background.

As always, I love the perfect understanding and love between Charles and Kate. Those two are a delight to read about!
The mystery itself kept me interested, but there were too many supporting characters for me to really feel invested in them all.

I enjoyed reading this book, and of course, I will be reading the rest of the series!

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Book Review: Nooks & Crannies

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Nooks & Crannies
Nooks & Crannies by Jessica Lawson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Tabitha receives a mysterious invitation to visit the reclusive Countess of Windermere, Tabitha leaves her life of isolation behind, and hopes to find new friends among the other five children who have also been summoned. Since her only friend is her pet mouse, Pemberley, Tabitha has difficulty at first keeping up a conversation with other children, but learns to relax and trust her companions as they begin to unravel the mystery of the Countess and her intentions.

Drawing on her literary experiences reading mystery novels, Tabitha leads the children’s investigation into the rumors of ghosts at Windermere, the ailing maid who has suffered a stroke, and the odd Countess herself who has many secrets. When things don’t add up, Tabitha is the one who discovers the truth that will change all their lives forever.

An exciting plot, wonderful writing style, and a whole cast of interesting characters! I love the humor and little aside comments in the writing. So funny! Continue reading →

Book Review: Murder Is Bad Manners

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Murder Is Bad Manners
Murder Is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Hazel Wong stumbles across the corpse of a murdered teacher, no one believes her except her faithful friend, Daisy Wells, and it’s up to the two girls to investigate the murder in between classes and still get their homework done. This 1930s British boarding school is the perfect setting for a murder mystery!

I love stories about boarding schools, and the little everyday goings-on of this school make for a hilarious story!
The plot has a lot of red herrings, so I never saw the solution until the very end. I puzzling and puzzling through the whole thing, and completely surprised at the end. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Tightrope Walker

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The Tightrope Walker
The Tightrope Walker by Dorothy Gilman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When quiet Amelia finds an old note from a woman about to be murdered, Amelia finds herself compelled to follow the mystery and find out what happened to the woman. Along the way, she is launched into life, meeting new people, falling in love, and gaining confidence in her own abilities. As she uncovers the murderous secrets of the past, Amelia’s own past rises up to haunt her, and she has to choose to cover up her own neurosis, or free herself to live life to the full.

The mystery plot is really good! I was kept guessing and in suspense to the very end, and I was amazed how every little puzzle piece, that made no sense in the beginning, fell right into place at the end. I loved it! Continue reading →

Book Review: Great Stories of Suspense

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Great Stories of Suspense
Great Stories of Suspense by Ross Macdonald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I only read three of the stories out of this book. One by Agatha Christie, a Miss Marple story I had read before, “What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw”. It’s longer than I remembered, and I think I liked the TV version better. I do love that very iconic scene of the old lady witnessing a murder through the windows of a train into another passing train car.

I read one by Dashiell Hammett, “Fly Paper”, that was the very “shoot ’em up, Joe” type of stuff I have come to expect from the author of The Thin Man. Nobody writes about private detectives like this author! His style is very clipped and to the point, which is perfect for a short story.

Then I read “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl, which was extremely short, rather obvious, but written in his inimitable style. I love how he never actually comes out and says what is happening in the story, but leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions. He really is a master at telling a whole story with half an actual story.

All in all, a great collection of stories!

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Book Review: Aunt Dimity Beats The Devil

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Aunt Dimity Beats The Devil
Aunt Dimity Beats The Devil by Nancy Atherton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

With rain crashing down, as her range rover climbs a steep embankment on the Northumberland moors, Lori Shepherd is beginning to doubt the wisdom of her decision to evaluate a book collection at Wyrdhurst Hall. The grim, neo-gothic hall that greets her is full of surprises: including a charming, secretive stranger and tales of haunted love. It will take all of Lori’s paranormal experience to solve the puzzle and restore peace to a family haunted by its past. – Good Reads

This is the perfect fluffy book for a chilly autumn evening! Curling up with a cup of tea and a hilarious ghost mystery just before Halloween- it doesn’t get any better than that! I like ghost stories when the spirits are friendly, like Aunt Dimity and her ghostly cohorts. Continue reading →

Book Review: Las memorias de Sherlock Holmes

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Las memorias de Sherlock Holmes
Las memorias de Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Of course I love, love and adore, any story with Sherlock Holmes, but this translation is not the best. First of all, it uses some archaic words, weird sentence structure, and it also has typos and misspellings. It was a little difficult to read at times, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
It’s so sad rereading “The Final Problem” (“El Problema Final”), and it’s just as pathetic and distressing a story in any language.
I adore this book, and will be rereading it many times in the future, in English and in Spanish!
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Por supuesto que me encanta, con mucho amor y adoracion, cualquier historia con Sherlock Holmes, pero esta traducción no es el mejor. En primer lugar, utiliza algunas palabras arcaicas, estructura de la oración raro, y también tiene erratas y faltas de ortografía. Fue un poco difícil de leer a veces, pero lo disfruté, de todos modos.
Es tan triste releyendo “El problema final”, y es igual de patético y angustiante una historia en cualquier idioma.
Adoro este libro, y estaré releyendo muchas veces en el futuro, en Inglés y en Español!

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