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carolsnotebook's reviews
1636 reviews
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.5
I honestly expected to thoroughly enjoy The Marlow Murder Club. It features three very different women who form a friendship and solve murders. We have Judith, in her 70s, who lives on her own in a mansion on the edge of town, drinks too much, and sets crossword puzzles. Becks is the vicar’s wife, who usually spends her time taking care of her family and house. Suzy is a dog-walker who is estranged from her adult daughter. I like the friendship the women form and how they push each other outside of their comfort zones.
The plot is where the story really let me down. Judith very early on has a couple of suspicions and then they spend the rest of the book trying to prove her theories. A few of the clues were unbelievable. The twist wasn’t surprising, although it did make the mystery overly convoluted. Even the suspenseful ending was over the top and borderline silly.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator actually did a great job. She captured the characters’ personalities well and everyone had a distinct voice. While the characters didn’t save this one for me, I might give the next a shot. There were
The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
The Secret Detective Agency has a good set up. We’re in London in 1941, right in the middle of WW2. Jane Treen, a mid level spymaster working in Whitehall, is concerned because several of her agents who were connected with Operation Exodus have been murdered. There seems to be a mole in their midst. Most recently, Kate Trevellian was murdered in a small village outside of Exeter, at Half Moon Manor, the home of Arthur Cilento. Arthur, conveniently, is a mathematician and codebreaker who also works for the government. Arthur had been renting the house out to Kate, and he has just returned home, so is not a suspect. Jane’s boss sends her to Half Moon Manor to work with Arthur to figure out who murdered Kate and uncover the plot to kill off the remaining Operation Exodus spies.
Jane and Arthur are total contrasts to each other. Jane is intuitive, on the move, and a chain-smoker (as we are told often). Arthur is an introvert, logic-oriented and has severe asthma. For Arthur, having Jane and her cat in the house is almost a nightmare. For Jane, having to put up with his glares and dragging him around with her is annoying. They do work together well though but their interactions can be frustrating for the reader. Maybe they’re supposed to give Holmes and Watson vibes, one cerebral, one more action-oriented, but it fails. And Arthur’s man servant, Benson, seems to be the most competent of all of them.
The plot is fine. Each clue points the pair to the next. There is a bit of danger and a couple of twists.
Overall, the book was good enough that I will consider picking up the sequel but not so good that it’s a must-read. And although it’s being marketed as a “totally gripping historical English cozy murder mystery,” I don’t think it was totally gripping and espionage intrigue and spy masters don’t really fit the “cozy” description.
A House for Miss Pauline by Diana McCaulay
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I listened to A House for Miss Pauline on audio, which I think was a different experience for me than it would have been in print. A lot of the dialogue and inner thoughts are written in Patois, and the narrator’s convincing Jamaican accent made it flow better and gave it much more of a sense of place than reading in print would have. I wouldn’t have taken the time with the language that the audio forces me too. It’s too easy for me to skim over bits when I’m reading an ebook or hardback, but I always listen to audios at 1.0X, never sped up.
And this is a good book to take time with. Pauline Sinclair is 99 years old and has spent her whole life in the rural Jamaican village of Mason Hall. When the stones of her house start moving and speaking to her during the night, she knows it’s time to take stock of her life and maybe make some things right before she dies.
Miss Pauline is a fabulous character. She’s tough and loyal and has fought for everything she has. She’s lost people she’s loved and made difficult decisions. But she is also still open to meeting and caring about new people. Her relationships with family, both biological and found, are rich and sometimes complicated.
As a book, it can feel meandering, but I mean that in a good way. Miss Pauline has lived a long life and as she looks back over it, certain times and incidents stand out, some dramatic and some sweet. Through her stories, we also see Jamaica’s history – slavery, colonialism, natural disasters, labor disputes. It’s definitely more character based than plot focused.
This one was a little outside of what I typically read, but I loved Miss Pauline and thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Murder in an Irish Garden by Carlene O'Connor
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I listened to Murder in an Irish Garden on audio and I loved the narrator’s accent. She helped place the book solidly in Ireland. And I love hearing names and places pronounced correctly.
The story starts off with Siobhan studying for her detective sergeant exam with help from her husband, Macdara. This somehow leads to a fight that has them bickering through the first half of the book, which I found annoying, especially since I couldn’t see what the big deal was to begin with. Maybe they always argue? I’ve only read one other in this series.
This time, the mystery centers around a garden competition. One of the competitors is found murdered and everyone’s gardens have been ruined. Multiple crime scenes and plenty of suspects make it a complicated case. Everyone seems innocent and and everyone seems guilty.
While the plot was good, I also enjoyed all the garden and flower talk. Maybe I’m just dreaming of summer and spending time outside without having to bundle up. And thinking maybe I should plant a garden – I shouldn’t, unless it’s very small. Our dogs already have the back yard a muddy mess.
The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
The Chow Maniac is the 11th in the Noodle Shop series, but I think it could be read as a stand alone. There is no over-arching plotline to the series and although we have lots of returning characters, I think they're introduced well.
This time around, Lana, our amateur sleuth, is approached by Lydia, a private detective we've met previously, with a case that involves the Asian community. Lydia has been hired to look into a century-old Asian organization known as the Eight Immortals. Three members have already died under seemingly natural circumstances, but the client believes they were actually murdered and that he may be next.
Lana is a great character. She manages her family's restaurant, but has solved enough murders for people to notice her. She's funny and sassy and does not know how to keep a secret. Per usual cozy rules, she has an adorable dog and is dating a police detective, although neither play a huge part in this one. She's often helped in her investigations by her best friend/ roommate/ bar tender Megan. She also has Kimmy around, who always finagles her way into the investigations. I really wish Lana and she got along a little better. She's a fun character.
The plot moves along at a good pace. We have several clues and suspects. It turns out there are a few secrets in Asia Village that Lana has not uncovered yet. As usual, she makes a couple questionable decisions, but it always works out for her in the end.
I should really start matching my dinners to my reading choices. This one made me want Chinese take-out.
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I can’t tell you why I picked up Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng. I don’t read a lot of horror, I avoid serial killers, and I haven’t been reading many pandemic books. But it was fabulous, in a gory, violent, haunting way.
It’s Summer, 2020 in New York City. In the opening scene, 24-year-old Cora Zeng and her sister Delilah are waiting for the subway when a man appears just as the train approaches. He calls Delilah a “bat eater” and pushes her onto the tracks. She is killed by the train and the man is never caught. resulting in her brutal death before Cora’s eyes. Unfortunately, the man escapes. The second chapter picks up a few months later. Cora is now working as a crime scene cleaner, a job that fits Cora and her need for cleanliness well, but a disturbing number of the jobs have been cleaning the apartments of murdered Asian women. It’s also Ghost Month, which Cora dismisses – until her sister’s ghost shows up at her apartment.
Cora is an amazing character. Life has handed her a lot and she keeps going as best she can. Her friendship with the other two members of the cleaning crew feels realistic even if they are an odd bunch. I love that they accept her despite her quirks and believe her. They make quite a team.
Bat Eater is clearly horror and a serial killer book, so avoid it if blood and guts bother you. But it also touches on so many societal issues – fetishization of Asian women, systemic racism, hate crimes, police brutality, and media manipulation. It does an amazing job of getting its points across without preaching. It’s terrifying and thought-provoking and a reminder that the true monsters are almost always people. We need to do better.
I listened to the audio and the narrator did an amazing job. She brought the story and characters to life, getting across the fear and the moments of humor without being melodramatic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Blood
Minor: Police brutality, Car accident
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Serpent Under by Bonnie MacBird
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
I guess we need to look at The Serpent Under in a few different ways. First, Victorian London. MacBird does a fabulous job of bringing the foggy, damp, crowded city to life. We see the people, issues, and prejudices of the time.
Second, our main characters. Holmes and Watson feel like the originals, if that makes sense. They have the mannerisms and partnership they always have. Yes, Holmes’ attitudes towards women, Roma, etc. are more modern, but he was never conventional. And here it particularly works well since it doesn’t allow him to just go along with the easy solution. We only get brief glances of Lestrade and Mycroft, which is appropriate. Heffie, a former irregular who now works with the police, is a good addition. She’s tough and reliable and very good at working undercover. The dead woman’s family and friends are all a bit odd and she seems to have been the only truly likeable one of the bunch.
Plot – We have three different mysteries that are clearly all going to be connected, that’s how MacBird’s stories often work. We have several twists and turns and the palace is almost working against Holmes, even though they called him in. The clues were woven in well and the plot moved along at a good pace. There were several suspects – or at least people acting suspiciously. The reveal was nicely dramatic.
The title is appropriate. We have a lot of snakes in this book – painted, tattooed, and live. My husband would probably not like it for that reason alone.