2019 Historical Mystery Challenge

This historical mystery challenge is very simple read books in as many categories as you can. If there is a category that you really, read as many books as you like in that category (ies). It is nice to share what we are reading and introduce all of us to new authors and books. This Challenge will start Jan 1, 2019

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Historical Mystery List Page

1. Shiny New – Read a historical mystery released for the first time in 2019
2. Nice to Meet You- Read a historical mystery by a new to you author
3. WWII  -Read a historical mystery set during WWII  1939-1945
4. Paranormal- Read a historical mystery that has some type of paranormal aspect to it (ghost, witch, pyschic, steampunk)
5. Knights in Shining Armor - Read a historical mystery that features a knight as a main character or supporting character
6. Poison- Read a historical mystery that poison is used in the plot
7. British Empire Read a historical mysery set somewhere in the former British Empire (USA, Australia, India, Canada etc)
8. Yes I Am Real- Read a historical mystery that features a historical person (president, suffergette, royalty, general etc)
9. Inventions - Read a historical mystery  that has something that was invented in the last two hundred years that aid the plot (airplane, cars, medicine )
10. Love and Marriage - Read a historical mystery that someone gets married or engaged.
11. Party -Hardy-   Read a historical mystery where there is a big celebration (ball, party, Christmas party etc)
12. Make up your own Category—Make up your own category 

For the Over Achievers

Bonus- Read  as many historical mysteries set in the 1800s that you can. 

We are all set let me know if you have any questions

Wow! There's some hard ones in there, Alice. Will be another good challenge next year.

They are not actually that hard they break down easily

Of a book has that someone is flying somewhere or drving somewhere so you can  use that for the invention category.  Many HF mysteries have real historical characters in them.   We will see how we do this year.

I haven't done this before but I'm betting I could get at least one in each category! (Especially if I double list between here and the paranormal thread... shh.) I'll join and see how it goes.

books in the Jane Austen crime/mystery series by Stephanie Barron can easily meet # 10 or 11.

I'm two or three behind on both the Maggie Hope books and the Maisie Dobbs series, so I can probably use Maggie for the historical figure and Maisie for WWII. And I have a bunch of Barbara Cleverlys to get to from her series set in India, for the British Empire; or I could try to find the last couple of Victoria Hamilton's Vintage Kitchen books, which are set in Canada. I'll have to think about the others!

This looks great Alice!

Alice, you've made another great challenge!  I'm looking forward to trying to read at least one in each category!

I hope you enjoy LecClier

Category #8- yes I am real

For this entry I selected The Cardinal's Court by Cora Harrison and it features many actual historical figures with some of the main ones being Cardinal Wolsey, Anne Boleyn and Katharine of Aragon.  Unfortunately, the writing and storyline are actually pretty lame and it left me feeling meh at the end of the book. Probably won't be trying another book by this author; 2 1/2 out of 5 stars rating.

Category #4 Paranormal

For this entry I read The Deepest Grave by Jeri Westerson, the latest in the adventures of the "Tracker" Crsipin Guest and his apprentice, Jack Turner.  My main complaint was that it was too short, but there are several interesting reveals in this book for fans of the series!

For the Party Hardy category, I am going to use Why Kill the Innocent, the 13th book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series. This series never gets old. The author does a great job of advancing the relationships of our main characters, mainly Devlin & Hero, and the plot lines are always interesting and well-done.

This book is set in 1814 London, and one of our key settings for the book is the frozen Thames River and site of the last true Frost Fair of London. The Frost Fair was in fact, quite the party; an impromptu festival and free-for-all set up on the frozen river. 

As always with these books there were several things to learn and I greatly appreciated the author's notes at the end of the book.

~Kelly

I am reading The Hangman's Secret by Laura Joh Rowland. Book 3 in the series. Very well written. Lots of historical details pop out. Best of the series so far.

I finished in the wee hours this morning just couldn’t put it down.  The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlian 

I had not realized it was more than just a romance.  It was very interesting it deals with the crossing of racial lines and high society and with the Polio epidemic and the amazing accomplishment made to assist with those problems, with some real historical facts.  Don’t want to say to much and spoil the story.  

I give it a high recommendation.

I just finished The Black Ascot by Charles Todd (Inspector Ian Rutledge #21). The mystery is pretty good but the book centers more on the character's growth, his shell shock, and the need to solve the case or lose everything. It has it's weak spots, but I enjoyed it.

For the #6 Poison I'm using In a Gilded Cage by Rhys Bowen.  This was a very good book and kept me guessing until right up to the end.

Just finished  A Rustle of Silk: A new forensic mystery series set in Stuart England (A Gabriel Taverner Mystery) by Alys Clare

I struggled at first getting into the time period but once I set my mind there it was an interesting read.  I thought I guessed the outcome early on but then the twists and turns made me doubt myself.  The additional unexpected murders made me raise my eyebrows and contemplate how I felt about it.

Feeling relieved. I just checked Fantastic Fiction and there are only three Brendan Prescott mysteries by C.W. Gortner. I reread The Tudor Conspiracy (I had read it before, but remember very, very little about it) and The Tudor Vendetta for the 'poison' category.

Here's the thing. I like the characters - love Brendan & particularly love Archie Shelton - and, in my opinion, Gortner does a good job developing an interesting and well-conceived plot. He is simply (again - my opinion) not a good writer. Or, maybe he needs a better editor. His writing is sloppy, a little contrived, a little forced ... and he doesn't believe in the intelligence of his readers. One example I made note of was of our main character and a dog who was with him climbing a tower - in the dark, of course, on a cold and stormy night. Brendan has to open a door to advance, but he can hear the dog on the next level, so he knows all is safe to proceed. Guess the dog opened the door, then closed it behind him.

Oh. And the reason we are climbing the tower? There is a boy hidden there that Brendan wants to find. The only entrance to the tower is through an old, rusted cover that drops into a cellar of some sorts. He struggles - oh, how he struggles - to get the door open. (Wondering how the boy gets in and out of the top of the tower? I did; and I also wondered why Brendan wasn't wondering the very same thing.) He finds the boy, happy reunion and then the boy leads them to a small, door at ground level. Yep. Sigh.

Ugh. If there was a 4th book to the series, I would probably get around to reading it eventually. But, yes, relieved there are only 3. The books get a 3.5 rating out of 5.0 for me, and I would not recommend them. There are far better books out there.

~Kelly

I totally agree with you Kelly, he's just not that good of a writer!  On the other hand, a very GOOD writer is Ms. Jacqueline Winspear. I just finished her new Maisie Dobbs book, The American Agent.  This is yet another excellent addition to the series!  I'm using it for the World War II entry for the challenge.

I am behind in the Maisie Dobbs series, but I agree, completely, Cheryl - Jacqueline Winspear is an excellent wirter and I enjoy her Maisie Dobbs' books very much!

I recently finished A Spectacle of Corruption by David Liss! I LOVE his books! I LOVE Benjamin Weaver! I put this book in the 'historical figure' category. The book strongly features the very colorful criminal mastermind of early 18th century London, one Jonathan Wild. The plot of the book is murder, and a man (Benjamin Weaver) falsely accused and desperately trying to clear his name. All this against the backdrop of Parliamentary political elections (& accompanying intrigue) and labor organizing as it was in early 1700's London.

A wonderful book, great characters, great pacing, plot development, etc., with themes that reach across the centuries. 4.5/5, strong recommendation!

That sounds like a good one Kelly!

I liked the American Agent a lot I thought it was one of better more recent ones in the series.

I just finished Murder, She Uncovered by Peg Cochran. I enjoy this 1930's historical cozy featuring socialite "Biz" Adams who is a photographer for the Daily Trumpet.

I just finished A Death at the Crystal Palace (Euphemia Martins Mystery #11) by Caroline Dunford. I like this series which is well written and always has an interesting cast of characters.