Tag: murdermystery

The Honjin Murders Review

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In the winter of 1937, the village of Okamura is abuzz with excitement over the forthcoming wedding of a son of the grand Ichiyanagi family. But amid the gossip over the approaching festivities, there is also a worrying rumour – it seems a sinister masked man has been asking questions about the Ichiyanagis around the village. Then, on the night of the wedding, the Ichiyanagi family are woken by a terrible scream, followed by the sound of eerie music – death has come to Okamura, leaving no trace but a bloody samurai sword, thrust into the pristine snow outside the house. The murder seems impossible, but amateur detective Kosuke Kindaichi is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Closed Casket Review

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Lady Athelinda Playford has planned a house party at her mansion in Clonakilty, Co Cork, but it is no ordinary gathering. As guests arrive, Lady Playford summons her lawyer to make an urgent change to her will – one she intends to announce at dinner that night. She has decided to cut off her two children without a penny and leave her fortune to someone who only has weeks to live, and she refuses to explain why…
Among Lady Playford’s guests are two men she has never met – the famous Belgian dectective, Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited…until Poirot starts to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murderer to strike. But why does she seem so determined to provoke, in the the presence of a possible killer? And why, when the crime is committed in spite of Poirot’s best efforts to stop it, does the identity of the victim make no sense at all?

Rules for Perfect Murders Review

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A series of unsolved murders with one thing in common: each of the deaths bears an eerie resemblance to the crimes depicted in classic mystery novels. The deaths lead FBI Agent Gwen Mulvey to mystery bookshop Old Devils. Owner Malcolm Kershaw had once posted online an article titled ‘My Eight Favourite Murders,’ and there seems to be a deadly link between the deaths and his list – which includes Agatha Christie’s The ABC Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train and Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. Can the killer be stopped before all eight of these perfect murders have been re-enacted?

I had mixed feelings about this book, click the title to read more.

February Wrap Up 2020

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February was an interesting month for me. I am trying a new format with my wrap ups. If you would like to read my reviews in more detail please click the title of the book.

  • I had my first DNF of the year!
  • I continued with my challenges and read a 2nd chance book, 2 books for my ONTD challenge and I read a sequel!
  • I read 7 books, 2 of which were DNFs.
  • In terms of genre I read an two urban fantasies, a short story collection, two thrillers and three murder mysteries.
  • I read three ARCs, one library book, two were re-reads and one was a backlist book I owned.

The Last Smile in Sunder City – Luke Arnold (4 stars)

This was an ARC that I was super excited to pick up. In my opinion, it was a brilliant debut. I really enjoyed the world and loved exploring the idea of magical creatures having to survive in a world without magic. The plot was really interesting but I did at times struggle with writing style. At times it did make me cringe.

The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm – Brothers Grimm (DNF)

This was a re-read for me as well as a book for my second chance challenge. Sadly, like last time, I couldn’t get through it. Quite a lot of the stories I read I already knew so I got quite bored reading through it and I felt myself called to other books so I DNFed it.

My Sister, the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite (3 stars)

I had mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the short chapters, I was intrigued about Ayoola as well as the bond between the two sisters. But I felt the story could have been deeper, I felt we only really scraped the surface. It needed more depth.

I read this book for my ONTD challenge, the theme was “Read a book set in Nigeria or a book written by a Nigerian author.”

In the Crypt with a Candlestick – Daisy Waugh (DNF)

I don’t have much to say regarding this story apart from I struggled to connect with the story or characters.

Tears of the Giraffe – Alexander McCall Smith (3 stars)

I really enjoyed the multiple narratives that weaved its way through this book. It really kept pace up and the novel engaging. I enjoyed Mma Ramotswe, she is such a strong character but my criticisms fell under the lack of actual detective work and a lot of important themes that were raised but never really explored.

Murder at Enderley Hall – Helena Dixon (3 stars)

This was another ARC that I read. This was another solid book in the Miss Underhay series, I think it held up really well against the first novel which was equally just as good. I felt the pacing of this story was done really well, the “romance” in this story has me really invested which rarely happens and I felt a strong sense of Dixon maintaining a solid series-arcing plot.

The Sea of Monsters – Rick Riordan (4 stars)

Another solid sequel, while in my opinion, not as good as the first story. This one was too short and a lot of convenient things happened to push the plot forward. But it was super fun, action-packed, we were introduced to some amazing characters. But what Riordan did, that was my favourite, was building up the series-arcing plot really well which makes you want to read the next book.

Murder at Enderley Hall Review

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Summer 1933. Fresh from the discovery that she has family living nearby, Kitty Underhay has packed her carpet bag, commandeered a chambermaid and set off on a visit to stately Enderley Hall. She’s looking forward to getting to know her relatives, as well as the assembled group of house guests. But when elderly Nanny Thoms is found dead at the bottom of the stairs after papers of national importance are stolen, Kitty quickly learns that Muffy the dog’s muddy paws on her hemline are the least of her problems. Calling on ex-army captain Matthew Bryant for assistance, Kitty begins to puzzle out the mystery. And when more shocking murders follow, the stakes are raised for the daring duo as never before. Which of the guests stand to gain from the theft of the documents? And which, as the week progresses, stand to lose their lives?

Click the title to read my thoughts.

In the Crypt with a Candlestick Review

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Sir Ecgbert Tode of Tode Hall has survived to a grand old age – much to the despair of his younger wife, Emma. But at ninety-three he has, at last, shuffled off the mortal coil. Emma, Lady Tode, thoroughly fed up with being a dutiful Lady of the Manor, wants to leave the country to spend her remaining years in Capri. Unfortunately her three tiresome children are either unwilling or unable (too mad, too lefty or too happy in Australia) to take on management of their large and important home, so the mantle passes to a distant relative and his glamorous wife. Not long after the new owners take over, Lady Tode is found dead in the mausoleum. Accident? Or is there more going on behind the scenes of Tode Hall than an outsider would ever guess….?

Sadly, this did not work for me at all! Click the title to read why I DNFed this book.

December Wrap Up 2019

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So, this is my final wrap up for 2019 and I didn’t read as many books this month as I had hoped but I did read one massive book!

Murder at the Dolphin Hotel – Helena Dixon (3 stars)

This was an ARC I received from Bookouture and I was worried that maybe I had over-saturated myself with murder mysteries by the time I got to this book but thankfully this wasn’t the case. This book kept me wanting and with each chapter ending it drew me into the story more and more. That being said I don’t really think the main female protagonist was really framed as the main character and that author spent more time on our secondary male protagonist which was a bit disappointing.

The Eye of the World – Robert Jordan (5 stars)

This was a book that I put down to focus on the ARCs that I had been approved to read. Going into it I was worried that it was too out of my comfort zone, I had heard it compared to The Lord of the Rings which was not my favourite series so I was worried I would feel the same way which to be frank was boredom! But thankfully, that was not the case at all. What I found was an intricate world, layered characters and exciting plot that made me start theorising everything.

Spinning Silver – Naomi Novik (3 stars)

A loose re-telling of Rumpelstiltskin that drew me in with it’s beautiful imagery and varied female characters. While it drew me in from the beginning I can’t say that it remained that way, the writing was beautiful yet slow paced and the momentum I had gained at the beginning just fell away about 3/4 in. But I can’t deny that the female characters were amazing!

Hills Like White Elephants – Ernest Hemingway (3 stars)

I went for an average rating here as I have to be honest. I had no idea what this story was about. It was 4 pages of confusion! A weird way to end the year!