My first Peter Robinson book was his first, Gallows View. From this beginning, through a total of twenty-eight titles, I have happily followed Inspector Banks wherever he had led me. The cases have always been intriguing and I loved getting to know Banks, his (ex) wife, parents, brother, children, colleagues and friends. Readers can also learn a lot about music in the series. Those who haven’t read any of the novels have a real treat in store.
Most sadly, Standing in the Shadows, is Robinson’s final book as he died earlier this year. His last book is one to be proud of; it earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly and a high recommendation from me.
The novel unspools in a dual time line. In the earlier period, a young woman has been murdered. Was she killed by the notorious Yorkshire Ripper or was something else in play? How will her ex cope when he has struggled with the end of the relationship?
In the present, Banks has a corpse to deal with. It was discovered on the site of an historical dig but the bones are not ancient Roman ones.
Watching a master like Robinson pull the story together is a real treat. I was so sorry when I turned the last page. I think that I will need to go back to the beginning and reread the series as I am not ready to bid Banks farewell.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are my own.
Last year I read and reviewed The Hollywood Spy, one of the Maggie Hope stories by this author. It set the stage for this new novel as it opened my eyes to what was happening among the pro German U.S. groups in the lead up to WWII. What I learned was appalling.
In many ways, Mother, Daughter, Traitor, Spy picks up where The Hollywood Spy left me. The difference is that this title is based on the lives of a real mother and daughter. Many other characters are also based upon real people. Here is a story about good and evil.
Readers get to know Vi and her daughter, Veronica. Veronica was set to have a very bright future as a journalist after she graduated from Hunter College. One mistake derailed her. Vi and Veronica subsequently leave New York and move to California at a relative’s urging. This puts the reader right back into a story about anti-Semitism, pro German sentiment and the world of spies. There are many shocking events over the course of the novel.
I highly recommend this title. I even think that it would be a wonderful one for high school students who are studying American history to read. It is, after all, important to know what happened right here in the U.S. In addition, some of the parallels to today’s political landscape are also here-just think about that.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 20 September 2022
From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A suspenseful page-turner, vivid historical account, and inspiring story of female empowerment all in one . . . Riveting!”—Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star
“A timely, fascinating story about a little-known chapter in American history, one that resonates especially strongly today.”—Jennifer Chiaverini, New York Times bestselling author of Resistance Women
“A fascinating, thought-provoking thrill ride through the fascist underbelly of 1940s Los Angeles, Mother Daughter Traitor Spy will have you glancing over your shoulder and wondering just what you’d dare—and whether you’d make it out alive.”—Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Daughter
“Gut-wrenching . . . This is historical fiction at its best.”—Lauren Belfer, New York Times bestselling author of And After the Fire
“Susan Elia MacNeal is at the height of her powers in this riveting suspense novel.”—Sujata Massey, Agatha Award–winning author of The Widows of Malabar Hill
“Susan Elia MacNeal is outstanding! Her ability to convey a spellbinding story that is realistically rooted in this time period puts her among the best!”—Charles Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the Ian Rutledge series and the Bess Crawford series
Right now, many are absorbed in watching the latest season of The Crown. There is a lot of back and forth about what is true and what is fictional drama. Well, as far as I know, The Windsor Knot is totally fiction about the monarch as detective.
This is an absolutely delightful and enjoyable title and one that I recommend highly for an escapist break. Give it a try.
In The Windsor Knot, there are murder, mysterious Russians, ballet dancers, Chinese speakers, a very likeable Nigerian aide to the Queen called Rosie, various government and palace workers, family members of the Queen, visiting dignitaries, including Obama and more. All are engagingly portrayed.
The character of the queen feels pitch perfect. She is portrayed as a woman well aware of her role and importance but also as someone with an interior life, likes and dislikes. She is a detective who uses her access to information and her Poirot like gray cells to solve the case.
The narrator of the audio book is just splendid. She captures the characters and accents with aplomb and individual voices. I was only sorry when I had to part with her at the end of this title.
Put this one on your TBR or TBL (to be listened to) pile. Enjoy! It is part of a series so there is more to come.
Ann Cleeves is one of the best mystery authors writing today. She has three current series including the Vera Stanhope mysteries, those featuring Jimmy Perez on Shetland and last year’s novel, The Long Call which featured a new protagonist. I have read them all and recommend that mystery lovers do so as well. Truly dedicated readers should note that Ms. Cleeves also has two earlier series of books worth searching out with one featuring birders and the other with Inspector Ramsay.
The Darkest Evening is a Vera Stanhope mystery with all of the trademarks including the irascible Vera herself, her team (especially Joe and Holly), vivid settings, well developed characters and good plotting. Readers will be swept up.
The story takes place partly at a country house that belonged to a branch of Vera’s family, and its environs. Long term readers will enjoy the glimpse of Stanhope family history while new readers will not be unduly hampered even if this is the first Vera book that they read.
Characters include some of Vera’s relatives, including her cousin,Juliet, who longs for a child and her husband Mark; who is in the theater; Harriet, Juliet’s mother; Dorothy who is a close friend of Juliet, and two murder victims. There are, in addition, a number of other characters who live in the community and have relationships with the victims. What are these connections? Who has killed and why? Readers will be turning the pages as they wait to see how all of the story’s threads come together. I highly recommend The Darkest Evening (readers will learn the context of the title as they make their way in the novel).
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.
Vera Stanhope is a character known to many crime fiction aficionados. She has been the protagonist of ten novels and has also been made popular by actress Brenda Blethyn in a TV series.
Vera is untidy in both her dress and in her environments. She has a troubled back story with her father Hector. Vera also has a loyal team, a few friends and a mind that should never be underestimated. Spending time with Vera is a joy. Readers who love mysteries should definitely get to know the books. Old readers will be delighted to see Vera again.
This was one of the very best of the novels in my opinion. At times, there was a slightly elegiac quality to the read that added to its enjoyment. Vera is getting older (although she does not want to retire) and many of the main characters in this title are in their sixties. Much of the book is set on a place called Holy Island, a place that asks for some introspection from those who visit.
A group meets when they are teens in school and are taken to Holy Island to participate in a program called Only Connect. Indeed connections are made and many in the group attend the regularly scheduled five year reunions. This time it is different as there are murders. Are they related to the present? the past? both? I choose not to say more as it is so much more fun to read without spoilers.
The characters including, Annie, Lou, Ken, Rick, Phil and Judith, are unique individuals. All have back stories and relationships with one another. Life has challenged them as have the events of the book. Each reacts in their own way.
This story is well told although it took just a tiny bit of reading before I got fully involved. Once I was immersed, I very much enjoyed this novel and was sad to see it end. I recommend this one highly.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
A Death in Diamonds is the fourth entry in this most enjoyable series that offers readers Queen Elizabeth the sleuth, and what a talented detective she is. This title can be read on its own but readers will, I think, enjoy every one of the earlier books as well.
This time, a Bishop’s bolthole is the site of the murders of a couple seemingly having an assignation. The woman is wearing a valuable tiara that, it turns out, Princess Margaret had wanted to possess.
Who are these two? Why were they killed? Are their murders related to a series of subtle threats and annoyances that Queen Elizabeth has been facing? Is someone in the Queen’s most inner circle, in fact, unworthy of her trust?
As the Queen cannot do everything (after all, she has many other duties), she looks to help from her newest employee, the formidable Joan, to assist. The two communicate in varied ways, including by sending messages through what others will see as the frivolity of the Queen’s fashion.
What I most enjoy in this series is the reasonably plausible way in which the Queen’s life is portrayed. There are interactions between her and Philip and with Charles and Anne, the two children who are alive at the time that the story is set. The mysteries themselves also offer a fun read.
It is easy to recommend this title to Anglophiles and lovers of traditional mysteries. I look forward to the next in this series.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 21 January 2025
The audio book:
How fortunate listeners are to have actress Samantha Bond read this story. She carries the story along and is a delightful companion throughout the audio. I feel that her British intonation adds a sense of verisimilitude to the novel.
Many thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this excellent audio title.
All opinions are my own.
Look for reviews of these others in the series on my blog:
In my opinion, Anna Quindlen is one of the premiere practitioners of the art of deeply felt domestic fiction. In After Annie, she once again goes deep into the heart and soul of a family, one that is facing loss and all that entails.
Annie was a mother to four children, all of whom counted on her, taking her for granted in the ways that children do. Her sudden, seemingly unpreventable death from an aneurysm at a young age, is the catalyst that deeply affects these children, her husband and her best friend.
Readers find out more about Annie as they spend time with those around her. Her daughter, Ali, is forced to grow up, her husband falters, and her best friend faces a renaissance of old issues. Will these folks who were left behind be able to move forward? Will they be okay? How will Annie continue to be a presence in their lives? Find out in this work of literary fiction that is as good as anything the author has written (and that is high praise).
Note: Anyone who has experienced a recent loss may find this book both difficult and worth reading
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
I love holding a new book, looking at the cover, wondering what is inside and whether I will be able to fully enter its world. It doesn’t always happen but, when it does, it always feels like magic. That feeling is what keeps me reading for pleasure I think.
In this novel Bauermeister shows just how deeply she understands the power of books. I think that the title No Two Persons signifies how we all see a given book through our own lens.
Alice is the first character whom readers meet. Her home life is not easy. She has escaped into books for many years and wants nothing more than to write. Through grief and hardship, she writes a novel titled Theo.
We all know that once a book is published it belongs to more than just the author. Here, Bauermeister shows how this one book impacts each character in the subsequent (somewhat interlinked) chapters. For example, meet the reader who finds the novel in a slush pile, meet an actor with a setback who discovers Alice’s book and finds that his career opens in a new way. Keep meeting new readers in all of the pages that follow.
I love the way that this novel reminds all of us of the power of imagination, reading and connection.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own
I have read a number of titles by this author including last year’s Big Lies in a Small Town, a book that I very much enjoyed. (See review on my site). I think that, with The Last House on the Street, Ms. Chamberlain has written her best and bravest novel. I highly recommend it.
As is popular in current fiction, this is a dual time line story. In the 1960s, readers meet Ellie Hockley, a white student at UNC and the daughter of her town’s pharmacist. She seems to have everything with friends, a good college experience and a loving and attentive boyfriend, Reed, who works in the bank. But, Ellie wants more. She has learned about the voter’s rights act that LBJ will be signing into law and, although those around her don’t understand it, she wants to help to register voters. The experiences that she has while doing so will change the course of her life.
Fifty years later, readers meet Kayla and her daughter, Rainie. Kayla, an architect and recent widow, has built a house close to where the Hockley’s home is. Kayla both has her own story and a life that intersects with the Hockleys. No spoilers so readers will need to pick up the book to find out more.
Each of these characters is surrounded by many others. Relationships, beliefs and attitudes of all of these people are well described.
The author writes about a difficult time in U.S. history and does so very well. Along with many other reviewers, I rate this book five stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BUT BE WARNED…LOTS OF SPOILERS SO MAYBE BEST READ AFTER READING THE BOOK:
“Chamberlain (Big Lies in a Small Town) delivers the goods with this affecting and spellbinding account of a community’s buried secrets. In 2010, North Carolina architect Kayla Carter reluctantly prepares to move into her dream home with her three-year-old daughter, Rainie, after her husband, Jackson, died in a freak accident while building the house. Kayla is approached at her office by a woman named Ann Smith, who claims to be a potential client but unnerves Kayla by talking about Jackson’s death, and by telling her she is thinking about killing someone. After moving into the new house, Kayla and Rainie meet neighbor Ellie Hockley, who recently returned to the area to care for her aging mother and ill brother. In a parallel narrative set in 1965, Ellie joins a student group to help register Black voters. She faces danger from the KKK while working alongside other students from Northern colleges and the members of her local Black community in N.C., all of which is exacerbated by her attraction to a Black civil rights activist. As Kayla learns Ellie was once in a romantic relationship with Kayla’s father, she uncovers a series of terrible events that occurred in the woods surrounding Kayla’s property. Chamberlain ratchets up the tension with the everpresent mystery of what Ann might be up to, and the dual narratives merge beautifully before an explosive conclusion. This will keep readers enthralled.” –Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review)
Nita Prose’s first novel, The Maid, introduced the interesting hotel maid Molly. She will make readers appreciate the folks who do this work for their comfort. Molly was around murder in that book and history repeats itself here.
The murder takes place in the hotel’s newly refurbished and elegant tea room. The victim is a wildly popular mystery writer with a fan club. He was at the hotel to share an important announcement. Of course, he died before the speech and all of his cue cards are missing.
It turns out that Molly had a connection to this victim. She brings her unique intelligence and set of skills to figuring out what happened. Along the way, readers are treated to many of her aphorisms and get to enjoy her relationship with her grandmother among others.
I was lucky enough to hear the author speak at a mystery conference last year. She acknowledged the difficulties of writing a second book when the first was well received. In my opinion, Ms. Prose did a find job here.
Those who like a traditional mystery with an untraditional protagonist will enjoy The Mystery Guest. This book can be read on its own but readers who like Molly will probably want to read that first book as well.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this title. All opinions are my own.
This book was published in November 2023
From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Heartwarming . . . Like Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, who’s rendered invisible because she’s an old woman, Molly and her grandmother are not seen because of the kind of work they do. In this affecting and socially-pointed mystery series, however, invisibility becomes the superpower of the pink-collar proletariat.”—NPR
“[Molly] returns in The Mystery Guest, which builds upon The Maid’s many charms. Prose peppers the mystery with sly jokes about the vagaries of crime writing, but Molly’s voice remains central and moving.”—The New York Times
“Molly is a singular character—she’s intelligent, unfailingly honest and the epitome of a professional maid—and readers will enjoy checking into the Regency Grand to follow her and her exploits.”—BookPage
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 