Hi folks - 

You all have probably read it, (and I haven't yet), but apparently this one is worth reading.

A Murder in Time A Novel :: Julie McElwain  I had to read it for a swap and got busy at work so I ordered it, but meanwhile my daughter read it.  She liked it alot.  She said it was very well written, and she's toying with reading it again.  Just thought I'd mention.

I am enjoying another historical mystery for the challenge

Excellent book for the 1900's category.

 A Cup of Dust: A Novel of the Dust Bowl:Susie Finkbeiner

I felt like I was right there in the story, grit and all.

Another choice for next time around:  Oldie but goodie.  Just read two older books that were so well done I can't help but recommend them here:  The Hell with Elaine by Hilda Van Siller or Van Siller (she used her last name in earlier volumes) and The Secret Room of Morgate House by Ellissa Grandower.  Both rated four stars for me.  I seldom give five stars to mysteries because they are often predictable.

I finished Ashes to Ashes by Mel Starr for my "Healers" category in this challenge.  I hadn't read any new books in this series for a while; so it was nice to meet up with Hugh Singleton, medieval surgeon and amateur sleuth once again.

I like that series very much Cheryl. Glad you enjoyed it too.

My "add-on" category is A Fresh Approach, taking a new look at an old crime. And for this category, I read Anatomy of Evil by Will Thomas.

This is book 7 in the Barker & Llewelyn mystery series set in Victorian England. I love this series and this book does not disappoint. Just as a small teaser - we get a little more background on Cyrus Barker and learn why he wears the dark spectacles all the time. :)

In Anatomy of Evil, Barker & Llewelyn are temporarily hired by Scotland Yard to lend their expertise and talents to finding Jack the Ripper before the scandal destroys Scotland Yard and embarrasses the monarchy. There have been other books (countless other books) about the Ripper, but this is the first one to bring Barker & Llewelyn into the investigation!

This book also gives us a realistic glimpse of the gritty horor of living in Whitechapel during this time. We also see the stress placed on the Yard and the problems that naturally come with a high profile, seemingly unsolveable serial murder investigation.

To say anything more would reveal too much. As always, Will Thomas has done his research and how an Oklahoma author can write so well about Victorian London is a testament to his writing skill, character development, plotlines, etc. Highest recommendations for this series!

 I'll close by saying one more thing: this book is vintage Cyrus Barker - focused, intelligent and generally one step ahead of everyone else. And, it is also what we love about young Thomas Llewelyn - dedicated, loyal, and with just the right amount of sass & cynicism.

Kelly

Excellent review Kelly!

Good Morning

Yesterday I picked up a series I haven't read in about 10 years Last Act in Palmyra (Marcus Didius Falco, Bk 6) :: Lindsey Davis

I fell back in love with it. I enjoy the wit that Lindsey Davis writes with, and knowledge of 1st century Rome and its provinces. I do recommend you start at the begining of this series though.

I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

Now I have to figure out where to put it in the challenge, probably have to go in read a book in different country. Most of it takes place in Decapolis which is mostly modern day Jordan.

I recently finished The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley and used it for the 1900s category.  This is the 6th Flavia de Luce novel and at first I wasn't too sure what to think of it.  Suffice it to say that by the end I had changed my opinion.  Without giving anything away; it has one of the most touching funeral services.  I actually shed a few tears reading it.

For anyone who needs a BC book for the challenge I have an extra copy of City of the Horizon :: Anton Gill that I will send out for free. Just pm me. I ordered two from thrift books by mistake.

Alice

I am reading The Queen's Accomplice (Maggie Hope, Bk 6) :: Susan Elia MacNeal

Love this series. Set in 1942 London

I'm reading A Most Inconvenient Death / Donna Fletcher Crow.  It's a Victorian true-crime novel. The Stanfield Hall Murders were the sensation they are portrayed to be, the elaborate coming of age celebrations and the ensuing dramatic trial are all recorded history.  

That sounds like a good one Geri.  Might have to look into reading it.

I'll let you know Becky and can pass it to you when I'm finished.  Based on a true story and the first of a series of Lord Danvers investigating. 

Ah, sadly it's not a bad book.  It just isn't holding my interest.  I am posting it.  It takes place in Victorian England.  Though I haven't gotten that far into it I think it might have been a rush to judgement.  But, perhaps Lord Danvers does decide the man is guilty.  I did read 80 pages, TPB size but I've put it down more than once.

Just finished this and LOVED IT...

Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal

I finished The Yankee Club / Michael Murphy.  It's the first in a series that's listed as a historical cozy.  I enjoyed it very much and book two is now on my Kindle.  As Jake says at the end, giving nothing away, I've been shot, shot at and handcuffed more times than I can count.  Jumped off a boat, escaped from execution (phew) and saved the love of his life, Laura! 

This could be used in the mystery challenge because Jake and Laura are a novelist and actress.  They know many famous people like Cole Porter, Ethel Merman, Dashiel Hammett and Lillian Hellman.  Granted these people take walk on roles but they are a part of the story.  Small apperance by Babe Ruth and the Kennedy's, Joe, Sr, Joe, Jr, Jack and Bobby at age seven.

On Good reads there is a historical mystery group that has some good challenges and every month there is a feature author. Always fun to try to read one of those books

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/8102-historical-mystery-lovers

Just wanted to share.

Thanks Alice for the suggestion.  I'd forgotten I was a member of that group and haven't been there in a long, long time.  

For my first entry in the #3 Travel to a Different Country category,  I have read As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley. In this 7th novel of the Flavia de Luce series, she is sent to Canada to attend the same boarding school her mother, Harriet attended years ago.  While this is not one of my favorites of the series, it is enjoyable to watch Flavia mature as the circumstances around her change.  I would give this one 3 out of 5 stars.

For my second entry in the #3 Travel to a Different Country category, I am using The Poisoned Pilgrim by Oliver Potzsch.  This 4th installment of the "Hangman's Daughter" series takes place in Germany.  I have been picking away at this one on my kindle for months now at my various chemo and doctor appointments.  I feel like this is my least favorite book of the bunch, it just seemed to take forever to get moving.

Just finished reading The Jazz Files (Poppy Denby Investigates) and thoroughly enjoyed it!  It's set in 1920 London, and our MC Poppy Denby has just gotten a job working at The Globe newspaper.  She gets involved in investigating the suspicious death of a sufragette ten years earlier....great mystery,  Also, loved the dawn of the Jazz Age feel to the story!

I used this book for my first entry in Category #6...the 1900s.

Sounds good LecClier! Thanks for the review.

I read Blood-Dimmed Tide by by Rennie Airth for my English mystery (#3 of the challenge). Like the first one, this one is very tightly written with layers upon layers of intrigue. There is a time gap of several years between this one and first one in this series (River of Darkness). During these intervening years, Madden has settled into the life of gentleman farmer; and he and Helen have two children they adore, bringing an additional dimension to the book.

Setting is pre-War II England. I enjoy this time period for mysteries set in England, ala Maisie Dobbs, that scary time between healing from one war and fearing the beginnings of another one.

Kelly

For my third entry in #3 Travel to a Different Country, I have chosen Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mewed by Alan Bradley (England).  I would have to agree with other reviewers on this forum; the book is not up to the author's usual standards of writing and storytelling.  There is a death at the end and I could see it coming from the beginning of the book!  Also the "crime" was pretty obvious from the outset of the story as well.  Lovers of Flavia will still enjoy it but I hope the next offering is up to the usual high standards.