The Adventures of the Murdered Midwife, Requiem for Innocence, The Girl fro Silent Lake and Other Stuff

Garden chores have been taking some of my time.  The temperatures have been warm, and I've been digging up cannas that are threatening to overtake an entire area, moving shrubs, and other chores.  This morning is much colder and rain is expected this afternoon, so I'm busy with some laundry and other household repeat performances.

In addition to my little "pocket" sketchbook, I purchased a larger one that mostly stays on my desk.  Sketching real and imaginary items has become addictive.  I'm not participating in the 100 Day Project, but it was what inspired me.  I'm sketching lots of ideas for my postcards, envelopes, and letters.  It doesn't have to be accurate, if the item is recognizable, I'm happy.   :)

Lots of reading.  :)

After reading The Adventures of the Murdered Gypsy, I got a copy of the first book, The Adventures of the Murdered Midwife.  Although I prefer reading a series in order, it doesn't always work that way.  Now, however, I've read both books in the young Sherlock series and eagerly await a third.

From description:  "Before Sherlock Holmes became the world’s greatest consulting detective...
Scandal rocked the Holmes family.

A cache of documents has been recently discovered detailing, in Sherlock's own hand, his early forays into criminal investigation. With The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife, the game begins as Sherlock faces his first case."

Thirteen-year-old Sherlock is summoned home from Eton because his mother has been accused of murder!  Sherlock, who has not been enjoying Eton, is eager to help determine the real culprit;  Mycroft, on the other hand, can't wait to return to Oxford.

I thoroughly enjoyed another visit with the Holmes family.  The young Sherlock is a interesting character, as he struggles with the culture of the times, his own curiosity and coming of age, and his love and fear for his mother.  He also gets some insight into his parents' marriage--Sherlock is surprised at the nuances of relationships. 

Recommended:  both books, but read this one first if you can.

Purchased.

Historical Mystery/Sherlock Holmes.  2020.  Print length:  346 pages.  

Requiem for Innocence, the second book in the Scott Drayco series, was as good as the first.  

Drayco, former piano prodigy until an accident put an end to his concert career, joined the FBI like his father.  At present he works as a crime consultant.   

From description:  "Crime consultant Scott Drayco is in the middle of a thorny case in Washington, D.C., involving murder victims who were all wheelchair-bound. Then, out of the blue, he gets a worried call from a friend on Virginia's Eastern Shore about an attack on an innocent disabled girl. Working once again with Sheriff Sailor and Deputy Nelia Tyler, Drayco discovers almost everyone believes the girl's attack was an accident."

Requiem for Innocence takes Drayco back to the small Eastern Shore town of Cape Unity, where he renews his friendships with the characters in the small town as he investigates the attack on twelve-year-old Virginia and looks for connections to his D.C. case. 

Character-driven, good plotting, interesting element with synesthesia--I'm really enjoying this series.  I like the way the characters are developing and new ones are added.

Purchased.

Mystery/Crime.  2015.  Print length: 292 pages.

The Girl from Silent Lake is one of those books that make the most of violence toward women.  The kind of thriller that likes shocking torture and abuse.  Of women.  

I'm tired of reading this kind of thriller, especially when the author is capable of writing a good mystery/thriller without concentrating on the torture and abuse.  It isn't that I don't enjoy some books in this category, but they must make the investigation more important than the details of psychopathic behavior.

I read this one last month and debated about reviewing it.  Most reviews are positive, but it annoyed me more than entertained me.

NetGalley/Bookouture

Thriller.  2021.  Print length:  373 pages. 

The Outcast Girls by Alys Clare

I really enjoyed the first book in the World's End Investigation Bureau, a Victorian mystery series.  This one, for some reason, was less intriguing.

from description: "London, 1881. Lily Raynor, owner of the World's End Investigation Bureau, is growing increasingly worried. Work is drying up, finances are tight and she cannot find enough for Felix Wibraham, her sole employee, to do. When schoolteacher Georgiana Long arrives with a worrying tale of runaway pupils, it seems like the answer to her prayers. The case is an interesting one, and what could be less perilous than a trip to a girls' boarding school, out in the Fens?"

The Outcast Girls was OK, but I did not find it as interesting as I hoped. The title World's End Investigation Bureau and the Victorian setting appeals to me, and since I liked the first book, I'll give the next one a try.

Read in August.  Blog review scheduled for Nov. 11.

NetGalley/Severn House

Historical Mystery.  Dec. 1, 2020.  Print length:  256 pages. 

Death and the Maiden by Ariana Franklin/ Samantha Norman

The final novel in the Mistress of the Art of Death series featuring Adelia Aguilar is soon to be released.  Death and the Maiden by Samantha Norman completes the series begun by her mother Diana Norman (writing as Ariana Franklin).

The first books are set during the reign of Henry II, and the main character, Adelia Aguilar is a medical doctor trained in Salerno, Italy.  In the first books, her friend Mansur takes the role as doctor with Adelia as his assistant.  Because she is a woman, Adelia must rely on this subterfuge in order to practice her skills:  investigative, medical, and logical.  

In Death and the Maiden, Adelia is older and Henry II has died, but Adelia has been training her daughter Allie to succeed her in her medical (and investigative) capacity, and it is Allie who becomes the main protagonist in this book.  Adelia and Rowley make welcome appearances, but the story revolves around Allie.

When Adelia injures her ankle, Allie is allowed to go to Ely without her to care for their friend Gyltha, who is ill.  As Gyltha recovers, Allie enjoys the sense of independence, but she but she is also concerned about the disappearances of several young women in the area.  A handsome young lord from a neighboring estate adds a hint possible romance (which would greatly appease Rowley, who is eager to see his daughter married).  But then Hawise, a young woman who has been a friend during Allie's stay, disappears and the suspense mounts.   

Hopefully, Samantha Norman will take the opportunity to write further of the adventures of Allie, even if Adelia and Rowley stay a bit in the background.

Read in May.  Blog review scheduled for Oct. 1, 2020.

NetGalley/Harper Collins/William Morrow
Historical Mystery.  Oct. 20, 2020.  Print length:  416 pages.

Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas

Murder on Cold Street (Lady Sherlock #5)

Inspector Treadles accused of murder?  Two dead bodies and Treadles in a locked room.   The two men are connected to his wife's business, and the inspector won't defend himself.  Things aren't looking good.  

Treadles, a traditional man, has had problems with his wife's inheritance of a large manufacturing concern.  Not only is she now the chief source of income, but she has insisted in actually managing the company.  The Victorian mindset of the man being the breadwinner and protector has caused some strife between husband and wife.

The Victorian tradition of patriarchy and male authority is the reason Charlotte has to operate as a factotum of Sherlock Holmes.  It is only as a personal assistant to the fictitious Sherlock that Charlotte and Mrs. Watson are able to succeed in their investigations.   Never doubt, however, that these two women are as capable as any man.  

There is such fun in Charlotte's odd (and autistic?) personality, her love of cake, and her rather fantastic taste in clothing (her Christmas dress almost puts Lord Ingram's eye out).  The truly feminine combined with Charlotte's ability to defy tradition and succeed in a paternalistic society by subterfuge lends even more whimsy to the books.

Each book builds on the other, so start with the first one, A Study in Scarlet Women, to get the full pleasure of how Charlotte becomes Lady Sherlock.

Read in June; blog review scheduled for Sept. 14.

NetGalley/
Historical Mystery.  Oct. 6.  Print length:  362 pages.  
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I love these stamps, but imagine Charlotte and Mrs. Watson in feminine attire, although Charlotte does, on occasion, assume a male disguise. :)

A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier and Spiteful Bones Jeri Westerson

A Dance with Fate , book 2 in the Warrior Bards series, was a success for me.  

From description:  The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau's family for the accident, she agrees to go to Dau's home as a bond servant for the span of one year.

There, she soon learns that Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The vicious Crow Folk still threaten both worlds. And Dau, battling the demon of despair, is not an easy man to help.

Darker than the first novel as Liobhan is treated ill as a bond servant and Dau is denied adequate care.  Dau's older brother Seanan is a nasty piece of work.

Now waiting for the third book!

Read in June;  blog review scheduled for Aug. 16.

NetGalley/Berkley Publishing
Fantasy.  Sept. 1, 2020.   

Perhaps the penultimate novel in this series about Crispin Guest, the London Tracker.  :(

An odd couple, a body interred in a wall, a precious relic, a murder and further threats all woven in together as Crispin attempts to discover the guilty party.  His own life has both satisfactions and potential problems.

I've enjoyed this series since the first book, and I'm sorry that the author is planning to end it.  I do understand her reasons, but I will miss the intriguing mysteries and the well-developed and evolving characters.   Westerson plans to end the series with the next book.

Read in June;  blog review scheduled for Aug. 16.

NetGalley/Severn House

Medieval Mystery.  Sept. 1, 2020.   
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I'm not sure what his deal is, but Edgrr is becoming a computer problem.  OK...he takes up half or more of the chair--I can deal with that.  But his desk browsing truly annoys me, and he's fast and persistent. 

Murder in the East End by Jennifer Ashley

Another Kat Holloway historical mystery!  Historical mysteries are some of my favorites, and this Victorian series featuring Kat Holloway is fun (and if you are interested in cooking, there is extra spice in the below stairs efforts to keep the upstairs fed).

Daniel McAdams seeks Kat's help in finding some children missing from the Foundling Hospital.  A new character is introduced--Daniel's foster brother, a man who escaped the streets when a wealthy man takes him in and provides him with an education at Oxford.  Daniel is distrustful, but agrees to help him.  Kat, as usual, observes and withholds her opinion until she knows more.

The always eccentric and likable Cynthia and her friends also provide aid for Kat as she attempts to discover what has happened to the missing children.

One of the pleasures of this series is the way Ashley develops and uses her secondary characters and there are several in this latest book.  A little more about Daniel's past, his ability as a chameleon who can adapt to whichever level of society is required, and the reasons for his secrets.  I can't wait for the next one!

Read in May.  Blog review scheduled for July 13.

NetGalley/Berkley Publishing
Historical Mystery.  Aug. 4, 2020.  Print length:  320 pages.  

The Patient Man by Joy Ellis and Passing Fancies by Marlowe Benn

Another compelling installment in Joy Ellis' DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans series.  The Patient Man has the very patient killer Alistair Ashcroft back to finish his deadly game.

There are letters, texts, a bizarre wreathe and other taunts from Ashcroft.  Strange thefts; the involvement of a sniper whose targets seem random...except that the same witness is chosen each time, causing the man psychological trauma; the unusual Lorimer family; and the general stress for all members of the team.

Ellis has the ability to bring her characters to life.  From Jackman and Marie, to the members of the team, to the Lorimer family--each has the human, believable touch.  

The exception is Alistair Ashcroft, who doesn't have that humanity.  He is interesting, but as a psychopath, he remains out of that truly human realm.  Ashcroft's background was in a previous novel--and while the circumstances of his childhood are horrific, the reality is that he is unable to genuinely connect with others, while his intelligence enables him to come across as charming when he chooses and to manipulate others in pursuance of his aims.  A patient and very dangerous man.

Not my favorite in my series, but still a suspenseful and entertaining read because Joy Ellis can grab and keep my attention.  

NetGalley/Joffe Books
Mystery/Thriller.  June 18, 2020.   


Passing Fancies at first seemed destined for an excellent review because the setting and characters are so reminiscent of Yuval Taylor's nonfiction Zora and Langston which  detailed much of the Harlem Renaissance as well as the lives of Langston Huges and Zora Neal Hurston.  

Both the black artists of the time and the white promoters of the black authors seem to have found places in the novel-- if drastically altered.  The character of Paul/Pablo Duveen stands in for  Carl Van Vechten and there is a mention of a character who is obviously based on Charlotte Osgood Mason, the wealthy patron of Hughes and Hurston, who wanted to be called "The Godmother."  Neither come out well in historical perspective in spite of their patronage of the artists they supported.

There is obviously ample research on the part of the author and the novel has timely observations.   The parts that deal with the plight of blacks and of the black artists who were responsible for the Harlem Renaissance is a palpable reminder of the failure of society to give equal consideration in law and culture to all races.  The author weaves in plenty of facts although with different names of persons and places.  One example is the venue of Wallace's club with a cross-dressing star and the real Clam Shell and cross-dressing blues singer Gladys Bentley.  

The book is worth reading for its look at the time period which is fascinating with its inspirational artists.  Even the title gives a heads-up about some of the content.  However, the rest of the book and the main protagonist Julia Kydd provided little of interest for me.  

Kindle Unlimited
Historical Mystery.  2020.  Print length:  327 pages.  

Jeri Westerson, Louisa Morgan, and C.S. Harris--Historical Fiction

In Sword of Shadows by Jeri Westerson, Crispin Guest is again on the hunt of a fabulous artifact, this one more related to myth than religion.

from description:  London, 1396. A trip to the swordsmith shop for Crispin Guest, Tracker of London, and his apprentice Jack Tucker takes an unexpected turn when Crispin crosses paths with Carantok Teague, a Cornish treasure hunter. Carantok has a map he is convinced will lead him to the sword of Excalibur - a magnificent relic dating back to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - and he wants Crispin to help him find it.

Tintagel, a hidden village, some murders, jilted lovers, and the return of Kat.  Another fun adventure with Crispin and Jack.

Read in December.  Blog review scheduled for March 16, 2020.

NetGalley/Severn House
Historical Mystery.  April 7, 2020.  Print length:  224 pages.

The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan features a family of witches with historical roots, some benevolent magic vs manipulative magic for self-interest, a social climbing stepmother, a young woman fighting for independence, a little romance.  

Like with ghost stories, witch stories always appeal to me, but rarely satisfy me.  Although I didn't want to abandon it, The Age of Witches didn't make me want to seek out the author again.  For me, it promised more than it delivered.

Read in December.  Blog review scheduled for March 16, 2020.

NetGalley/Redhook Books
Historical Fiction/Paranormal.  April 7, 2020.  Print length:  448 pages.  

Whenever a new Sebastian St. Cyr book is released, I'm eager to begin!  Who Speaks for the Damned by C.S. Harris pits Sebastian (Viscount Devlin) against Jarvis and a political cover-up.  That damned Jarvis, he is the epitome of the influential politician.  Of course, he is also Hero's father, which puts Sebastian in many an awkward situation.

Nicholas Hayes was transported to Botany Bay for life and reportedly died there.  Why has he returned to London?  Who killed him and why?  

Sebastian's valet knew Nicholas Hayes and his opinion of the man differs greatly from those who name him as a murderer.  Hayes was accompanied by a young boy who has since disappeared, and Sebastian and Hero search for him.  Someone else is also searching, but the intent is vastly different.  

As always, I enjoyed the history, the mystery, and the characters in C.S. Harris' enthralling series set in Regency England.

Read in November.  Review scheduled for March 16, 2020.

NetGalley/ Berkley Pub.
Historica Mystery.  April 7, 2020.  Print length:  336 pages.

The Canary Keeper, The Killing Fog, and No Quiet Among the Shadows

The Canary Keeper by Clare Carson is a historical mystery set in the mid-1800s, full of atmospheric descriptions and historic detail.  I was particularly interested in the connections to the Franklin Expedition because I had a reading itinerary several years ago that focused on books connected directly and indirectly to the Franklin Expedition and Arctic exploration.   There was also a look at the fur trade, the abuses and prejudices against indigenous peoples.  

A murder, a false accusation, and an escape to Stromness in the Orkney Islands of Scotland.  

Kindle Unlimited

Historic Mystery.  2019.  Print length:  416 pages.

The Killing Fog (#1 in the Grave Kingdom series) by Jeff Wheeler.  

I loved Wheeler's Kingfountain series and enjoyed his Harbinger series, as well.  This new series, however, didn't engage me in the same way.  

A lot of possibility and a strong beginning, but the characters lack the depth and interest of those in his previous series.  The rush into the plot left no time to appreciate either the characters or the world situation.

Disappointed, but will give the next book in the series a try.

Kindle Unlimited

Fantasy.  March 1, 2020.  Print length:  212 pages.

No Quiet Among the Shadows by Nancy Herriman is a historical mystery set in San Francisco.  

A glimpse of the husband Celia Davies thought was dead, the murder of an investigator, seances, and women and wives who are troublesome committed to asylums.  Some intriguing avenues for a mystery.

This is the third in this series, but I haven't read the first two books.  Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had.

NetGalley/Beyond the Page Publishing
Historical Mystery.  March 3, 2020.  Print length:  264 pages.

 Blind date with a book

January Favorites

 

The Indomitable Florence Finch:  The Untold Story of a War Widow Turned Resistance Fighter and Savior of American POWs by Robert J. Mrazek. I have not scheduled my review, but I'm still in awe of background of the War in the Pacific and the courage of Florence Finch.  

An absolutely engrossing story that reveals the failure of MacArthur in defending the Philippines (and his monumental ego), Florence Finch and her determination to risk her life despite the consequences, and many other real people who defied the odds against them.  

A wealth of primary sources, books, and other material  enabled Mrazek to reveal both personal and historical elements of the War in the Pacific--the battles, loss of lives, and conditions of the Philippines including the last ditch effort on Corregidor, the Battaan Death March, and the occupation of Manila.  I've just started a review, but it will be scheduled for closer to the book's June 16th publication date.  Nonfiction.  Highly Recommended!  

Why Writing Matters by Nicholas Delbanco.  Another one that I read this month, but publication will be in March, so I'll schedule the review closer to publication. Nonfiction.

I also really liked The Hollows, with its strong female cast and historical relevance which I reviewed here.

I finished Hidden on the Fens by Joy Ellis yesterday, and it made the list.  Ellis is one of my very favorites in the police procedural genre, and her latest Nikki Galena/Joseph Easter is one of her best.

A copse of trees, so dense and entangled that getting in is almost impossible, hides a derelict cottage from the early 1900's.  Richard Howard wants to clear the copse and plant local trees--leading to the discovery of the ramshackle cottage and evidence that someone has been squatting there. They find a tent and a satchel with photos of a girl who went missing 15 years ago.  And eventually, a body.

At the same time, Richard's mother has been receiving some disturbing messages, including an athame, a witch's knife.

Nikki's team is working two cases and there is a staff shortage that is keeping everyone busy.  Ellis always writes excellent police procedurals, and this time, she had a number of surprises to keep me off balance as to the identity of the villain.   

I love the characters and the complex, skillfully woven narratives in this series.  I was also intrigued by a couple of mentions of Nikki's mother and friend Wendy undertaking some historical research in Scotland in an attempt to find out more about an artist mentioned in the last book.  The references to this research indicate more of Eve and Wendy in the next book.  :)  

NetGalley/Joffe Books
Police Procedural.  Feb. 14, 2020.  Print length:  302 pages.

A good month that ended on a high note!

The Irish Inheritance by M.J. Lee and Anne Belinda by Patricia Wentworth

I first read about this series on Cathy's blog and decided to give it a try as the premise of a genealogist "detective" appeals to my love of historical mysteries.  I tried one other genealogical series that didn't work for me, but this one was a pleasure.  

The Irish Inheritance by M.J. Lee engaged my interest with the Easter Rising and the subsequent Irish problems over the years.  Jayne Sinclair, former police detective and current genealogical researcher, agrees to help an adopted American billionaire by discovering who his father was. 


 Jayne "has only three clues to help her: a photocopied birth certificate, a stolen book and an old photograph. And it soon becomes apparent somebody else is on the trail of the mystery. A killer who will stop at nothing to prevent Jayne discovering the secret hidden in the past."  (from description)


With little time and little to go on, Jayne puts all her efforts into discovering the answers, to both the past and present questions.

I'm glad I began with the first book, and I'm happy to know that there are plenty more in this series for me to discover.  :)

Kindle Unlimited
Mystery.   2016.  Print length:  332 pages.

Patricia Wentworth is the Golden Age of Detective Fiction author of the Miss Silver series.  I saw this stand alone offered free on Kindle Unlimited, and since I wanted to read more from the Golden Age period, this one sounded like a good beginning.

Anne Belinda is as much an old-fashioned romance as it is old-fashioned mystery. 

In 1917, after he’s released from the hospital, John Waveney is headed back to the trenches in France when he decides to visit the land of his ancestors dating back to the Crusades. There, he meets a young girl who, upon learning he’s all alone in the world, tells him she’d be sorry if anything happened to him at the front.

Nine years later, John inherits the estate and returns.  His first thought is to meet Anne Belinda again, but he can't get any relevant answers.  Where is Anne and why is everyone giving him the run-around?

The novel is definitely old-fashioned and frequently frustrating.  I didn't hate it, but it doesn't compare to the best of the period.  

Open Road Media
Golden Age Crime.  1927; 2016.  Print length: 208 pages.  
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My third panel for 25 Million Stitches is finished and ready to mail.  I've spent countless hours on these three panels and enjoyed some binge-watching of Netflix, a number of good podcasts, and some silent meditative stitches.  As soon as I finished, I had to begin another stitching project with no purpose other than to have the peaceful process of "needle pulling thread."

This is encouraging!

In 2019, more Americans went to the library than to the movies. Yes, really.

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

Jess Kidd loves words.  The words seem to spill out of her--whirling around, creating vivid images and wonderful prose with unexpected juxtapositions and all kinds of figurative language.  They don't feel like deliberate choices as much as thoughts emerging from someone whose use of language is so imaginative, fresh, and creative that she can't contain it.

I loved Himself for those reasons and more, but liked Mr. Flood's Last Resort (also titled The Hoarder) less.  Kidd's characters, however, are wonderful even when the plot is a little iffy.

Her latest book, Things in Jars--especially with Kidd's amazing prose--is a mystery, a fairy tale, a nightmare, magical realism, a ghost story, social commentary, a mysterious amalgamation of genres that does not fit any one category.

Set in 1863, Bridie Devine, private investigator with a connection to the police, smokes her pipe on her way to inspect a crypt with the skeleton remains of a mother and child...and finds the transparent figure of former boxer Ruby Doyle lounging on his grave.  She doesn't believe in ghosts, yet the marvelously tattooed Ruby Doyle (The Decorated Doyle), definitely dead and transparent, seems to know her.  And so the story begins.

Ruby Doyle, the decorated pugilist whose tattoos move and react to situations, becomes Bridie's (initially) unwanted partner.  Doyle knows Bridie, but Bridie cannot remember ever knowing Doyle.  He accompanies her home and on her adventures, waiting for Bridie to remember him and their connection, and Bridie's feelings for Ruby Doyle confuse her as she begins to appreciate  his company.

The main story line begins when Bridie is engaged to find the kidnapped daughter of a baronet.  Christabel Berwick, a strange six-year-old with unusual powers and strange needle-like teeth, is a mystery in and of herself.  Is Christabel the embodiment of the Irish myth of the merrow?  Bridie suspects a possible reason for the little girl's kidnapping...and she doesn't like it at all.

Interspersing chapters reveal more of Bridie's past and diverge to examine the activities of other characters.  Each character is the delightful result of descriptions amplified in the style of Dickens as in this description of Cridge, the curate:

"He is a young man with an unfavorable look about him.  Slight of stature and large of head, with light-brown hair that cleaves thinly to an ample cranium with bumps and contours enough to astound even a practiced phrenologist.  His complexion is wan and floury as an overcooked potato and his mouth was made for sneering."

Moving from past to present and back again, threads that are begun in the past are gradually woven into the present.  Aside from such wonderful characters as Bridie herself, we meet Ruby Doyle, Cora (Bridie's seven foot tall housemaid), Bad Dorcas, the Prudhoes, Valentine Rose, and wicked Gideon Eames.  London becomes both setting and character in this fantastical adventure.

It is difficult not to become enchanted by Kidd's prose, although it occasionally interrupts the plot. :)

Read in November; blog review scheduled for Jan. 19, 2020.

NetGalley/Atria Books
?Historical Mystery/Fantasy?  Feb. 4, 2020.  Print length:  384 pages.

The Hollows by Jess Montgomery

The Hollows by Jess Montgomery is the second in her Kinship series.  Lily Ross is the sheriff of  Kinship, a small town in Bronwyn County.  In 1926, a female sheriff could be controversial.   Actually, there still aren't many women in the role of sheriff: "Of the 3,084 sheriffs in the United States, only 42 are women, says Fred Wilson, director of operations for the National Sheriffs’ Assn. And that number is nearly twice what it was just seven years ago, he says. "(Source)

In addition to the fact that Lily Ross is still grieving her husband's death, she has children, a demanding job, and an upcoming election to deal with as well.  Called out in the middle of the night about an elderly woman who was hit by a train.  Accident, suicide, or murder?

Determined to find out who the woman was and where she came from leads to a number of secrets past and present, events and connections that a number of people would prefer to ignore.  Politics, racism, and sexism all play a role in the 1926 small town.  

I had not read the first novel The Widows, but my interest and appreciation grew as I continued reading.  Character-driven, yes.  Good mystery, yes.  Setting that feels genuine, yes.  The Widows now on my list, yes.  

It wasn't until I finished reading the novel, that it dawned on me that all of the important characters were women, which made me curious about the number of female sheriffs and made me think of the Bechtel test.   

The Bechdel test (/ˈbɛkdəl/ BEK-dəl),^[1] also known as the Bechdel–Wallace test,^[2] is a measure of the representation of women in fiction. It asks whether a work features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. The requirement that the two women must be named is sometimes added.^[3]About half of all films meet these criteria, according to user-edited databases and the media industry press. Passing or failing the test is not necessarily indicative of how well women are represented in any specific work. Rather, the test is used as an indicator for the active presence of women in the entire field of film and other fiction, and to call attention to gender inequality in fiction. Media industry studies indicate that films that pass the test financially outperform those that do not.^{[citation needed]}

The test is named after the American cartoonist Alison Bechdel in whose comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For the test first appeared in 1985. Bechdel credited the idea to her friend Liz Wallace and the writings of Virginia Woolf. After the test became more widely discussed in the 2000s, a number of variants and tests inspired by it emerged. (Source)

and this quote from Virginia Woolf  in "A Room of One's Own":

All these relationships between women, I thought, rapidly recalling the splendid gallery of fictitious women, are too simple. ... And I tried to remember any case in the course of my reading where two women are represented as friends. ... They are now and then mothers and daughters. But almost without exception they are shown in their relation to men. It was strange to think that all the great women of fiction were, until Jane Austen's day, not only seen by the other sex, but seen only in relation to the other sex. And how small a part of a woman's life is that ...^{[5]     Source   (high light mine)}

Two women inspired the author's characters.  Maude Collins (the inspiration for Lily Ross) and Mary Harris Jones (although Marvena's character is less educated than "Mother Jones") --two women who broke barriers in law enforcement and activism. 

I was working on this review when I saw Cathy's review yesterday, so I will skip the plot and point you to Cathy's blog.  :)

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Historical Mystery.  Jan. 14, 2020.  Print length:  352 pages.

The Last Passenger, Origami Man, A Conspiracy of Bones, and the Demon Door series

 

The Last Passenger is the third in the prequels for Finch's Charles Lenox series.  It has been interesting to read these books about the young Lennox, who wants to establish himself as a detective since I've liked the plots and characters in the original books with the mature Lenox.  

The series is one of my favorite historical mystery/detective series, and I enjoyed the latest book as well.  Young Charles Lenox is encouraged by his mother to marry, and Charles is a desirable husband--except for the fact that he continues to pursue a career as a detective, which is not highly thought of in his social class.  

Inspector Hemstock seeks Charles' help when the unidentified body of a young man is discovered at Paddington Station, and Charles is eager to be involved with the Scotland Yard investigation.

As usual, there are many historical details that add to the plot, the characters are well-developed, the writing is excellent, and the mystery intriguing.  

Read in Oct.  

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Historical Mystery.  Feb. 18, 2020.  Print length:  304 pages.

Gibson Vaugh, legendary hacker and former marine, returns in a fifth installment of this series by Matthew Fitzsimmons.  He is also a wanted fugitive living in the Caymans when Tinsley, assassin and the man who killed Vaughn's father, draws him into a dangerous new situation.

The threat is ominous, and Tinsley needs Vaughn's help, but as important as the terrorist threat is--can Tinsley be trusted in a truce to prevent the disaster?  

Dan, Jenn, and George join Gibson in the hunt for the details that would help them prevent the deaths of millions.

The first book (The Short Drop) is my favorite, but I've enjoyed all of the books and the team of characters involved.  

Read in Oct.

NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer
Thriller.  Feb. 18, 2020.  Print length:  316 pages.

A Conspiracy of Bones in the latest Kathy Reichs book featuring Tempe Brennan.  Although I've been reading this series for years, this isn't the best, which doesn't mean that it won't hold your attention.  

Temperance is recovering from neurosurgery for an aneurysm, her new boss holds a grudge, someone may be stalking her, and in general, life had been difficult for Tempe.

She gets mysterious pictures of a body with most of  his face and his hands missing and no identification.  Who sent it?  
Her new boss is determined to push her out, but Tempe gets into the morgue and views the body.  She disagrees with the new coroner about several things and begins investigating on her own.  (The savaging of the body is the result of feral hogs, and just recently a woman in Texas was killed by hogs.  They truly are fearsome creatures.)    

Teaming up with the cantankerous and acerbic Slidell,  Tempe sets out to identify the body, and then to look into the Dark Web at conspiracy theories spouted by the repulsive Nick Body, and into a possible connection to missing children.

There is an interesting afterword about how Reichs came up with elements of her plot, but I had no trouble believing in the feral hogs detail as they are prevalent everywhere in the South and have been moving north as well.

NetGalley/Scribner
Mystery.  March 17, 2020.  Print length:  352 pages.


The Sand Prince was nothing to write home about, but...in spite of being unsatisfied with much of it,  I continued with the second book, The Heron Prince, and I liked it much better.  So--moving on to books 3 and 4, The Glass Girl and The River King was easy.  After making my way through the first half or so of The Sand Prince,  I enjoyed the rest of entire series.  

I've been busy with so many things lately--Christmas stuff (such a long list of Christmas stuff--from gifts and wrapping, to recipes and grocery shopping), stitching, reading, everyday chores, feeding the birds, making tentative friendship with a raccoon who has been visiting at night. 

Even in our subdivision, we have occasional night visits from raccoons and possums.  I think our visitor is young, more curious than frightened, he approaches me with such a quizzical look on his face.  Much better than the wild creatures like bears and mountain lions that visit other areas!   And at least we have had no feral hogs in our neighborhood, although there are plenty down at the camp in the country.   They make a mess of fields and crops, which is bad, but they are dangerous as well.  And ugly!