Book Brief: Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Her Royal Spyness: A Royal Spyness Mystery
Royal Spyness, Book 1
by Rhys Bowen
narrated by Katherine Kellgren
Audible Studios, 2010
8 hours and 9 minutes

Publisher's summary:
Georgie, aka Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, cousin of King George V of England, is penniless and trying to survive on her own as an ordinary person in London in 1932.

So far she has managed to light a fire and boil an egg... She's gate-crashed a wedding... She's making money by secretly cleaning houses... And she's been asked to spy for Her Majesty the Queen.

Everything seems to be going swimmingly until she finds a body in her bathtub... and someone is definitely trying to kill her.

My thoughts:

A lot of bloggers enjoy Rhys Bowen's novels and now I understand why. After a couple of nonfiction audiobooks, I was in the mood for something completely different - "Georgie" to the rescue! Bowen takes full advantage of her heroine's position (34th in line to the throne and flat broke) to create an endearing character while delivering some unexpectedly comical scenes.

Katherine Kellgren's British accent added to my enjoyment. Her pacing and delivery were pitch perfect. I will certainly continue listening to this series.

Overall, Her Royal Spyness reminded me of a light-hearted Maisie Dobbs.  In fact, I'll likely reach for the next book in this series before catching up with Maisie.

My rating:

Clouds in My Coffee by Julie Mulhern

Clouds in My Coffee
The Country Club Murders #3
by Julie Mulhern
Henery Press, May 2016
256 pages
source: publisher, via NetGalley

Summary (from goodreads):
When Ellison Russell is nearly killed at a benefactors’ party, she brushes the incident aside as an unhappy accident. But when her house is fire-bombed, she’s shot at, and the person sitting next to her at a gala is poisoned, she must face facts. Someone wants her dead. But why? And can Ellison find the killer before he strikes again?

Add in an estranged sister, a visiting aunt with a shocking secret, and a handsome detective staying in her guesthouse, and Ellison might need more than cream in her coffee…

My thoughts:

It's here! Clouds in My Coffee, the third book in The Country Club Murders series, is finally out and it's every bit as good as the first two. Set among St. Louis's country club set in the 1970s, my favorite characters have returned for another round of charity galas, dinners at the club, and, of course, a few gentle murders. We are introduced to Ellison's estranged sister, Marjorie, her eccentric Aunt Sis, and long-hidden family secrets are unearthed. Romantic tension between Ellison and her would-be suitors detective Anarchy Jones and thrice-divorced lawyer Hunter Tafft heats to a  slow simmer.

As a relative newcomer to cozy mysteries, Mulhern's books have become my gold standard for the genre. They are perfect escapist reading - fun, breezy, and entertaining, yet never too silly or fluffy. And the characters grow more three-dimensional with each installment. I can't wait for Book 4!

My thoughts on:
The Deep End, Book 1
Guaranteed to Bleed,  Book 2

My rating:

Death With An Ocean View by Noreen Wald

Death With An Ocean View
(A Kate Kennedy Mystery Book 1)
by Noreen Wald
Henery Press, 2016
224 pages

source: ebook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher's summary:

Nestled between fast track Ft. Lauderdale and nouveau riche Boca Raton, the once sleepy beach town of Palmetto is plagued by progress. The latest news has Ocean Vista condo board president Stella Sajak and other residents in an uproar. Developers plan to raze the property and put up a glitzy resort. But when Stella says she’ll go to City Hall and fight this to the death, no one thinks to take her statement literally.

And when Kate begins to investigate the murder, she discovers that this little corner of the sunshine state is cursed with corruption, unsavory characters, and a very dark cloud overhead.

My thoughts:

It's always a treat when a book's setting coincides with my current location, and reading Death with an Ocean View while in Florida certainly added to my enjoyment. Perfect for a sunny afternoon at the beach, this novel provided plenty of entertainment, zero mental strain (unlike the Henry James novel I am reading), and an intriguing murder mystery... which I never did manage to figure out.

Our sleuth, Kate Kennedy, is a likable widow whose late husband was a NYC homicide detective. Her Westie, Ballou, adds quite a bit of cozy to this cozy mystery. The cast is rounded out by the colorful residents of Ocean Vista condominiums, a possibly unethical real estate developer, plus a few questionable characters lurking around City Hall.

I would happily read Kate's next adventure when the cozy mood strikes again. You can sample the first paragraph in my Tuesday Intro post here.

Today, Henery Press is reissuing the first book in the Kate Kennedy series with a gorgeous new cover and the author's alternate pen name. (Nora Charles is the author of the original 2004 edition.)

Recommended for cozy mystery fans, or anyone in need of a dose of Florida sunshine.

My rating:

Tuesday Intro: Death With an Ocean View

"Charlie, what the hell am I doing in paradise?" Kate glanced up at a cotton ball cloud bouncing along in a cornflower blue sky, not expecting an answer. Charlie Kennedy, her husband, had dropped dead six months ago, still clutching the pen he'd used to close on their beachfront condo. 

Ballou tugged on his leash. Knowing the Westie missed Charlie, too, she picked up speed, splashing surf over her bare feet and sending sand flying. 

Another perfect day in South Florida. A cliche Kate considered pure propaganda, perpetuated by snow birds and retirees who'd left behind change of seasons, grandchildren, and decent public transportation, and now felt obliged to rave about the weather on a daily basis.

Death With an Ocean View
A Kate Kennedy Mystery, #1
by Noreen Wald

Although not clearly noted on the NetGalley page, this book appears to be an upcoming (March 8) reissue of the 2004 book by Nora Charles, another pen name used by the author. After my long haul with City on Fire and my current Henry James reading, this cozy mystery is a welcome change of pace... especially in the evenings when my brain is too tired for Henry's prose. The south Florida setting and pretty cover are very appealing, too.

NetGalley description:

Nestled between fast track Ft. Lauderdale and nouveau riche Boca Raton, the once sleepy beach town of Palmetto is plagued by progress. The latest news has Ocean Vista condo board president Stella Sajak and other residents in an uproar. Developers plan to raze the property and put up a glitzy resort. But when Stella says she’ll go to City Hall and fight this to the death, no one thinks to take her statement literally. 

And when Kate begins to investigate the murder, she discovers that this little corner of the sunshine state is cursed with corruption, unsavory characters, and a very dark cloud overhead.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening. Feel free to grab the banner and play along.

Book Brief: Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern

Guaranteed to Bleed 
(The Country Club Murders #2)
by Julie Mulhern
Henery Press, 2015
254 pages
source: purchased e-book

My thoughts:
The murders and mayhem continue... and there's another dead body in Ellison Russell's hostas. I could not have asked for more entertaining, comfortable, and light reading fun over the recent Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The Country Club Murders  are all about plot. The 1970s setting adds a nostalgic angle (though not as prominent here as in the first novel) and the backdrop of the country club gives it that "wealthy people behaving badly" theme I always enjoy.

Ellison Russell is a totally likable main character, her mother is surely a "force of nature", and her two potential love interests provide just the right dose of cozy romantic tension.  Will she fall for Detective Anarchy Jone or lawyer Hunter Tafft? Perhaps we'll find out next time...

I was never a big cozy mystery fan before discovering this series. Now, after just two novels, they have become my escapist reading of choice. I can hardly wait for book three!

My rating:

The Deep End by Julie Mulhern

ONE

June, 1974

Kansas City, Missouri

My morning swim doesn't usually involve corpses. If it did, I'd give up swimming for something less stressful, like coaxing cobras out of baskets or my mother out of bed before ten. 

Watching the sun rise over the seventh green is often the best part of my day. I dive into the pool while the water is still inky. When the light has changed from deepest indigo to lavender, I break my stroke, tread water and admire the day as it bleeds from gold to yellow to pink. It's a ritual, a metaphorical cleansing, a moment of stolen peace.

The Deep End (The Country Club Murders Book 1)
by Julie Mulhern
Henry Press, 2015
276 pages
source: purchased
goodreads summary

My thoughts:

It's been a long time since I last read a cozy mystery and, to tell you the truth, I'd forgotten how much fun they can be! Last Tuesday, within five minutes of each other,  I read reviews of Guaranteed to Bleed, Country Club Murders #2 from Katherine and Greg and knew I had to give this series a try.  If the 1970s setting wasn't enough to convince me, the Country Club aspect was. Stories about "rich people behaving badly", a genre coined by Sarah, are a particular weakness of mine.

The Deep End  brings back the seventies with Dr. Scholls, caftans, references to Watergate, popular music, and television series. The period details were just enough to provide context and interest, but not at all overdone.

The main character, Ellison Russell, is sympathetic and likable. I also developed a soft spot for "heroes" Detective Anarchy Jones and lawyer/friend/possible love interest Hunter Tafft. As usual, I wasn't able to figure out who the murderer actually was and should probably give up even trying.

The story reads like women's fiction, the murders are gentle, and I enjoyed every moment of this book - pure escapism! Did I mention how much I love the cover?

The ebook is only $2.99 right now, so it was on my kindle within minutes of reading the reviews. And talk about perfect timing... I took my mother to a doctor's appointment which involved several hours of testing later that day. The Deep End  was ideal reading material. It held my attention without requiring a great deal of concentration and was so entertaining. I can't wait to read the second book in this series.

My rating:

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening. Feel free to grab the banner and play along.

Because Sometimes You Just Want to be Entertained

You know how much I love literary fiction and classics. And it seems like I'm reading a lot of nonfiction lately, too. But there are times when I just want to get lost in a good story.... maybe a psychological thriller or family story full of deep, dark secrets. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough with these two recent reads.

The Girl on the Train
by Paula Hawkins
source: borrowed from the library

The Girl on the Train is attracting a lot of readers right now. It's touted as the next Gone Girl, but since I never read that one, I have no idea if it's an apt comparison. An intriguing plot summary and unreliable narrator drew me to the novel. I thought it was well-executed, plus it kept me guessing until close to the end. But then again, I rarely figure these things out!

Bottom line: An entertaining psychological thriller.... nothing mind-blowing or earth-shattering, but good for a couple of afternoons at the pool, a bus or train commute, or a long plane flight.

My rating:

Bittersweet: A Novel
by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
source: purchased

"Suspenseful and cinematic, Bittersweet exposes the gothic underbelly of an idyllic world of privilege and an outsider’s hunger to belong."

This is my kind of beach read and it would make a great summer movie, too. As far as I'm concerned, Bittersweet  has it all - a wealthy family with secrets, love, friendship, manipulation, a murder (maybe two) and a summer compound on a lake in northern Vermont. This novel didn't get much buzz when it was released last spring, but maybe the upcoming paperback release will lead to renewed interest.

My rating:

Tuesday Intro: A Murder is Announced

Between 7:30 and 8:30 every morning except Sundays, Johnnie Butt made the round of the village of Chipping Cleghorn on his bicycle, whistling vociferously through his teeth, and alighting at each hours or cottage to shove through the letterbox such morning papers as had been ordered by the occupants of the house in question from Mr. Totman, stationer, of the High Street. Thus, at Colonel and Mrs. Easterbrook's he delivered The Times and the Daily Graphic; at Mrs. Swettenham's he left The Times and the Daily Worker; at Miss Hinchcliffe and Miss Murgatroyd's he left the Daily Telegraph and the New Chronicle; at Miss Blacklock's he left the Telegraph, The Times and the Daily Mail. 

At all these houses, and indeed at practically every house in Chipping Cleghorn, he delivered every Friday a copy of the North Benham News and Chipping Cleghorn Gazette, known locally simply as "the Gazette."

A Murder is Announced
by Agatha Christie

This opening doesn't give much of a plot hint, but I appreciate how Agatha Christie sets the scene and lists the players. As the opening continues, we get more of a sense of the tiny village and its quirky inhabitants.

I started A Murder is Announced over the weekend to kick off Carl's R.I.P. IX event. Christie is also on my Classics Club list, and Katherine can be very persuasive, too. Here's the goodreads summary:

The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn, including Jane Marple, are agog with curiosity over an advertisement in the local gazette which read: 'A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6:30 p.m.' Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, a crowd begins to gather at Little Paddocks at the ppointed time when, without warning, the lights go out ...

Would you keep reading? Are you an Agatha Christie fan?

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening. Feel free to grab the banner and play along.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

Defending Jacob
by William Landay
Random House, 2012
431 pages
source: purchased ebook


Summary (from goodreads):
Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.

Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.

Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis—a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

My thoughts:

Uneasy, disquieted, anxious, and more than a little depressed. That's how I felt most of the time I was reading Defending Jacob, yet I could not put the book down. These feelings surely attest to the skill of the author, yet they also remind me why I don't read more psychological thrillers.

As a former DA in the Boston area, Landay is well versed in all aspects of the criminal justice system. He presents an almost too real account of a teenager murdered in a suburban Boston park, and the DA's son is charged with the crime. The ultimate moral dilemma ensues.

The book begs the reader to ask, "What would I have done?" or "How would I react given those circumstances?"

And the ending? Don't even get me started. This is one book I won't forget for a good long time.

Defending Jacob was the latest selection for my book club. They always seem to pull me out of my comfort zone. Unfortunately I was not able to attend the meeting, but this was a popular choice and lead to a pretty lively discussion.

Now it's time for me to get back to literary fiction and classics...

Bottom line:
If you're reading for relaxation, choose a different title.

My rating:

In the Woods by Tana French

In the Woods
by Tana French
Narrated by Steven Crossley
Dublin Murder Squad, Book 1
Penguin Audiobooks, 2007
20 hours and 23 minutes
source: purchased






Publisher's Summary:
As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children. He is gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a 12-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox (his partner and closest friend) find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.


My thoughts:
I am Tana French's newest fan. She has been on my 'authors to read' list forever, and our recent trip to Florida seemed like the perfect time to follow multiple recommendations (Staci's, most recently) and get started. Mystery is not usually my genre of choice, but with two under my belt by mid-February, I've now equaled last year's final tally. Perhaps a new reading trend is developing.

As for the novel itself, the plot is riveting, the writing solid, and I especially enjoyed the strong psychological component. Some of these characters have serious issues! The twists kept me guessing right up until the end. Yet even then, the case is not wrapped up neatly and filed away.

I will be reading all of French's novels.

A note on the audio production:
Steven Crossley, narrating from Rob Ryan's point of view, was pitch perfect - slow, deliberate, and at times, almost wistful. Although he has nearly one hundred credits to his name, including many of Ian McEwan's novels (which seems like a perfect match to me), this was my first time listening to him. I was disappointed to learn that he does not narrate French's other books.

My rating:

The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman

The Girl in the Green Raincoat: A Tess Monaghan Novel
by Laura Lippman
William Morrow Paperbacks, 2011

Publisher's summary:

In the third trimester of her pregnancy, Baltimore private investigator Tess Monaghan is under doctor's orders to remain immobile. Bored and restless, reduced to watching the world go by outside her window, she takes small comfort in the mundane events she observes... like the young woman in a green raincoat who walks her dog at the same time every day. Then one day the dog is running free and its owner is nowhere to be seen.

Certain that something is terribly wrong, and incapable of leaving well enough alone, Tess is determined to get to the bottom of the dog walker's abrupt disappearance, even if she must do so from her own bedroom. But her inquisitiveness is about to fling open a dangerous Pandora's box of past crimes and troubling deaths . . . and she's not only putting her own life in jeopardy but also her unborn child's.

My thoughts:

After reading What the Dead Know  in 2011, Laura Lippman became one of my favorite mystery writers. Her latest book, The Girl in the Green Raincoat, was previously serialized in the New York Times and has been called a "masterful Hitchcockian thriller from one of the very best in the business".

I'm usually pretty compulsive when it comes to reading series in order, but had heard this novella can stand on its own. While that is certainly true, I would have appreciated it even more if I'd already 'known' Tess and understood her history.

Still, this was a very well-written mystery that makes me want to go back and start at the beginning (Baltimore Blues).

My rating:

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

"One of us... One of us... One of us

Three words, endlessly repeated, dinning themselves hour after hour into receptive brains.

Five people - five frightened people. Five people who watched each other, who now hardly troubled to hide their state of nervous tension.

There was little pretense now  - no formal veneer of conversation. They were five enemies linked together by a mutual instinct of self-preservation."

Why have I waited so long to read Agatha Christie? And Then There Were None, first published as Ten Little Indians in 1939, is a fabulous classic mystery that kept me in suspense until the final page.

Ten strangers receive vague letters summoning them to Soldier Island off the coast of Devon. The host and owner of the island, reportedly an eccentric millionaire, is mysteriously absent upon their arrival and the ten find themselves quite alone. Ten soldier statues, along with copies of the children's rhyme "Ten Little Soldiers", are prominently displayed in the dining room. We learn almost immediately that each visitor has had a nebulous connection with a death at some point in their lives but, with no solid evidence, charges never followed. As the visitors begin to die one by one and according to the rhyme, the soldier figurines also disappear. Eventually, as the title suggests, there are none. Ten dead bodies are discovered on the island. 

This story will keep you turning pages, but Christie's skillful writing imparts a gradual, palpable increase in tension. The survivors, certain the murderer is one of them, become more suspicious and afraid as the hours pass. 

One piece of advice: allow yourself time to read this novel in just a few sittings. I started it last month as my 'bedtime book' and only read a few pages each night - not a good way to become immersed in a mystery with so many characters. Once it became my primary read, I reached the very satisfying conclusion (which I did not come close to figuring out ahead of time) in just a couple of days. I will reread this novel at some point and look for the clues I missed. 

There will definitely be more Agatha Christie in my future. Do you have a favorite to recommend?

source: borrowed

 rating: 

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman (Audio)

What the Dead Know
by Laura Lippman
narrated by Linda Emond
Harper Audio, 2007
10 hours and 30 min
source: purchased

Summary:
Thirty years ago two sisters, 11 and 15 years old, disappeared without a trace from a shopping mall and are presumed dead. Now a disoriented woman involved in a hit-and-run accident claims to be one of the missing Bethany sisters. The case takes on a new intensity as the mystery deepens. What the Dead Know moves back and forth in time before arriving at a stunning conclusion.

My thoughts:
Laura Lippman's books are regularly featured on several blogs I visit. But it was Jill's reviews, along with the beginning of fall and the RIP Challenge, that finally prompted me to begin What the Dead Know. I got in my car, popped in the first few disks and before I knew it, almost four hours has elapsed! For the next several days, I could only manage to listen in 20 or 30 minute intervals and it drove me crazy. I HAD TO KNOW what happened! That night, I stayed up listening until 2AM. Thankfully it was a Friday, and the alarm didn't ring at the crack of dawn the next morning.

This was a fantastic story! I won't go into more plot detail, but the inclusion of a colorful police detective, a bookish social worker, and a high profile attorney were all big pluses for me. I don't read many mysteries and may not be as discerning or sophisticated as other readers, but the resolution of this one took me totally be surprise. I loved this book.

A note on the audio production:
Musical interludes in an audiobook always seem to annoy me and this was no exception. Linda Emond's narration, however, was wonderful. Her voice was crisp and utterly engaging, but never melodramatic. I would jump at the chance to listen to her again.

My rating:

Bottom line:
I loved this intro to Lippman's work and welcome any suggestions of what to read/listen to next.

Jen at Devourer of Books is collecting audiobook reviews every Friday for her Sound Bytes feature. Stop by and read her review, then click over to see what others have posted. Feel free to link up your own audiobook review, too.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (audio)

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A Novel
by Tom Franklin
Narrated by Kevin Kenerly
Blackstone Audio, 2010
9 hours 30 minutes

Synopsis (from the publisher):

In a small Mississippi town, two men are torn apart by circumstance and reunited by tragedy in this resonant new novel from the award-winning author of the critically-acclaimed Hell at the Breech.
Larry Ott and Silas “32” Jones were unlikely boyhood friends. Larry was the child of lower middle-class white parents, Silas the son of a poor, single, black mother - their worlds as different as night and day. Yet a special bond developed between them in Chabot, Mississippi. But within a few years, tragedy struck. In high school, a girl who lived up the road from Larry had gone to the drive-in movie with him and nobody had seen her again. Her stepfather tried to have Larry arrested, but no body was found and Larry never confessed. The incident shook up the town, including Silas, and the bond the boys shared was irrevocably broken.
Almost 30 years have passed. Larry, a mechanic, lives a solitary existence in Chabot, never able to rise above the whispers of suspicion, the looks of blame that have shadowed him. Silas left home to play college baseball, but now he’s Chabot’s constable. The men have few reasons to cross paths, and they rarely do - until fate intervenes again.
Another teenaged girl has disappeared, causing rumors to swirl once again. Now, two men who once called each other friend are finally forced to confront the painful past they’ve buried for too many years.

My thoughts:

When it comes to atmospheric appeal, you just can't beat southern fiction and, believe me, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter offers plenty. But atmosphere is only the beginning here. The characters are extremely well-drawn, the plot had my emotions rising and falling like a roller coaster, and, best of all, the writing is superb. As an added bonus, the novel also raises larger social issues that beg to be discussed. This is literary mystery at it's finest!

I began listening to Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter on my iPod, sometimes before falling asleep. It became obvious early on that bedtime was not the optimal listening time for this particular title, so I burned CD's and started listening in the car. I couldn't get enough and found myself looking for excuses to drive around.

 My only regret is that I don't have quotes to include here. I stopped the audio many times to savor an especially beautiful or insightful passage... it would have been hard to select just one or two to share.

A note on the audio:
Kevin Kenerly, a narrator I was unfamiliar with, is excellent. His southern drawl was perfect (to my northern ears), with just the right edge in suspenseful sections, yet never melodramatic. Kenerly's reading added so much to the overall feeling and atmosphere - I could practically feel the humidity in his voice.

source: purchased

My rating:

Bottom line:
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is one of my favorite audios of the year - truly a must-listen!

Jen at Devourer of Books is collecting audiobook reviews every Friday for her Sound Bytes feature. Stop by and read her review, then click over to see what others have posted. Feel free to link up your own audiobook review, too.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear (audio)

Maisie Dobbs

by Jacqueline Winspear

Narrated by Rita Barrington

BBC Audiobooks America, 2008

(originally published 2003)

10 hours

Publishers summary:

The debut of one of literature's favorite sleuths! Maisie Dobbs isn't just any young housemaid. Through her own natural intelligence - and the patronage of her benevolent employers - she works her way into college at Cambridge. After the War I and her service as a nurse, Maisie hangs out her shingle back at home: M. DOBBS, TRADE AND PERSONAL INVESTIGATIONS.

But her very first assignment, seemingly an ordinary infidelity case, soon reveals a much deeper, darker web of secrets, which will force Maisie to revisit the horrors of the Great War and the love she left behind.

My thoughts:

Maisie Dobbs has quite a following among book bloggers. After listening to the first of these literary mysteries, I certainly understand why.

It's very well written, features a smart female character, a wonderful historic setting, and just the right amount of suspense. We learn of Masie's experiences growing up, as a nurse in WWI , and how she came to be an investigator. In addition to cracking her first case, the book lays the foundation for the series by providing valuable insight into Maisie's character. Much of it will, no doubt, be built upon in future books.

The audio version of Maisie Dobbs is very well done. The reader's wonderful British accent enhanced my perception of Maisie's intelligence and manners. I was also impressed when her voice took on a detached, almost dream-like, quality as wartime events were recalled.

I will definitely continue with Birds of a Feather, the second title in the series. The only decision to make is whether to read or to listen!

The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton

The Quiche of Death

by M.C. Beaton

St. Martin's Press

originally published 1992

272 pages

'Tis the season... for a cozy mystery and, thanks to Book Psmith, I have discovered Agatha Raisin. Have you met her? At 53, Agatha has retired early from her public relations firm in London to move to the small village of Carsely.

"She had come a long way from her working-class background in Birmingham. She had survived an unfortunate marriage and had come out of it, divorced and battered in spirit, but determined to succeed in life. All her business efforts were to one end, the realization of a dream - a cottage in the Cotswolds." (page 1)

To Agatha, the Cotswolds "represented everything she wanted in life: beauty, tranquility and security... Even as a child, she had become determined that one day she would live in one of those pretty cottages in a quiet peaceful village, far from the noise and smells of the city."

By the end of the first page, I already like Agatha, I love the setting and, although cozy mysteries are a departure from my usual reading fare, I'm ready to settle in for some fun.

Agatha finds herself slightly bored and lonely despite the idyllic setting. In an effort to meet people and make friends, she enters a local baking contest. The small problem of not being a baker is solved by purchasing a quiche from a London bakery. The quiche doesn't win, and things begin to get complicated when the judge dies after eating a second slice. Of course, Agatha lends the local police agency an unsolicited hand in solving the mystery - risking her own life along the way.

The Quiche of Death has me thinking of adding the occasional cozy mystery to my literary diet . The village characters are delightful and, with twenty titles in the series, there will be plenty of further escapades for this "lovelorn middle-aged detective".