Book Review: The Tupelo Grove Series

Colleen Coble and Rick Acker begin their Tupelo Grove series with What We Hide. Other readers in the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge suggested these books really need to be read in order. Thus, I took their advice. Thankfully, the pages flew by and I couldn't stop reading. Plus, the authors kept me guessing until the end. I love that!

Teacher Savannah Webster finds a dead body at Tupelo Grove University. Even though she is currently separated from her lawyer husband Hez, she calls him in to try to clear her name. He wants to convince her he has changed, but she is hesitant to trust again after tragedy ripped their relationship apart. Someone is selling off artifacts from the university's collection. Who is trustworthy?

Every page uncovers a new secret or an unexpected wrinkle. If Savannah is cleared, will her sister Jess be arrested for embezzlement and two murders? How much does Jess really know? Savannah's feelings for Hez simmer and her faith in him is restored by his drive to find the truth. But, the stakes are high and the criminals will pull out all stops to keep their crimes hidden.

Where Secrets Lie offers another adrenaline-rush story. Savannah and Hez continue to try to unravel the artifact smuggling scheme. Danger intensifies. Savannah's job is at risk. Hez's health is compromised. The plot thickens. Their relationship, and the survival of the university, is in danger.

The final installment of the Tupelo Grove series is When Justice Comes. But, will justice flow like a river? Both Savannah and Hez are desperate to win custody of their nephew, but his criminal grandfather holds great power and allure over the boy and the courts. The book holds plenty of moments where characters can only rely on prayer for God's intervention.

I enjoyed this Christian thriller/romantic suspense series. Each book has a compelling plot. The characters interact in believable ways. Savannah and Hez face plenty of tension and realistic conflict. Clearly, both played a role in the dissolution and restoration of their relationship. While things move at a frantic pace, the reader roots for the triumph of good and the defeat of evil.

Book Review: The English Masterpiece

This was February's read for the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge I joined. At one time, I picked up Katherine Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley. It wasn't the right timing for me, and I set it aside. This time, however, I was enthralled by Reay's well-woven story of an alleged forgery. I listened to The English Masterpiece on Hoopla and loved the distinct, alternating narration of the two main characters, Lily and Diana. It made my morning exercise and chores slip by unnoticed.

When I lived in London, I visited the Tate Gallery (purchased a lovely card game of painting sets). How fun to return to that setting, albeit in an earlier timeframe! Lily eagerly anticipates the 1973 opening of a Picasso exhibit she helped prepare. Her boss, the art curator, Diana Gilden, hopes to advance in her job as a result of their work. Instead, with one uncontrolled whisper of "forgery," Lily has put everything in jeopardy. Lily's own asperations of showing a painting in an upcoming Emerging Artists Exhibition may be foiled, as well. But, as we all sadly learn, once words slip out, you cannot undo them.

What follows is a carefully plotted chase to determine the truth behind the painting and its provenance. The insurance company calls up an American detective, Conor Walsh. When he finds a student studio full of Lily's copies of the masters, suspicion shifts to Lily. Walsh and Lily feel pulled toward each other, but the mystery remains the focus. She is closed off to others, but will she open up to Conor?

I loved the pacing, and the characters were well-drawn. Lily's back-story was interesting. I was thrilled to explore the world of early-70s London. The writing was such that I forgot there was a puppet-master pulling the strings. My mind was gripped with the unfolding mystery. I'm so glad I read this book, and I cannot wait to seek another Katherine Reay novel.

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My favorite passage of all came toward the end of the book, when Lily is ruminating on the assessment of talent. Her words, about painting, could equally apply to writing. "Next week, I'll find out how far I'm willing to stretch, how vulnerable I can make myself, and how much of myself I'm willing to splay onto a canvas. Whether the art world chooses to laud my efforts or eviscerate them is beyond my control... As Picasso taught me, the act of painting is the vivisection of one's soul, splayed out before the world in a two dimensional format. And in art, as in life, success lies in holding nothing back. The world can hate it, but I can still have a marvelous time." 

Book Review: The First Time I Saw Him

The First Time I Saw Him is the riveting sequel to Laura Dave's best-selling book, The Last Thing He Told Me. This book sits at #61 in Suspense Thrillers on Amazon. It is, again, a page-turner. I cruised through in a few days. It was a fairly clean read. No unnecessary blood, guts, and gore and only mild cursing (for emphasis in the crisis moment).

The book picks up where the first installment left off, with the missing husband making a momentary appearance in Hannah Hall's life. Within pages, she receives an anonymous warning to flee because her and her daughter's lives are both in danger. I do wish I had taken time to re-read the first book, to remember more of the elements leading up to this mystery. Still, it could be read as a stand-alone, I'm guessing. The author sums up enough to get the reader up to speed.

Thankfully, these books provide good talking points. They are likely popular with a younger audience because of Reese Witherspoon's endorsements. The first book is now a series on Apple TV. As an older reader, it is always beneficial to keep in touch with what young people are reading. I wonder if my daughter-in-law has read these two books. Maybe I should ask. 

Book Review: The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams

I had never heard of this author, and now I cannot remember where I picked up the recommendation. Was The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams offered on Book Bub? I may have been a less-than-motivated reader, so I don't count this against the book, but it didn't enthrall me. With "bookshop" in the title, you assume it will focus a lot on books. Book mentions were minimal. It takes place in a bookshop in the small town of Dove Pond.

Tay Dove is one of seven sisters. Supposedly, whenever seven sisters are born in the Dove family, those women are endowed with magical powers. Tay possesses the unique power (helpful, as she is a historian) to see the scene of writing when she places her hands on handwritten notes and letters. Of course, this comes in handy when you're trying to solve a mystery from the past with primary source documents. When the sisters uncover a tin of love letters, they beg Tay to pick up the trail and solve the mystery of their relative, Sarafina Dove, and her suitor, an alleged train robber, William Day. Rose Day, owner of the town bookshop, offers her grandson's assistance, in hopes that romance may blossom.

You have all the standard details of a mystery: suspicious characters, lost money or treasure, secret codes, and families hoping to learn more about distant relatives. It was an easy read. I just wish it had sucked me in more. Again, my indifference might have stemmed from a reading malaise. When life's circumstances heat up, my mind is more on current issues than on pages passing. I appreciated it as a clean read though (especially as I've turned aside 3 others for content I couldn't get behind). Plus, it receives many 4 and 5 star ratings on Amazon, so others are clearly enticed.

Mid-month Mention: Another Scavenger Hunt

Lately, I've been encountering new Christian authors through promotional activities. Last month I shared an opportunity for a Christian author scavenger hunt including almost 30 authors. I subscribed to a handful of author newsletters, including one for Jaime Jo Wright. Wright has joined another new-to-me author to create their own small scavenger hunt as introduction to their newest books.

Jaime Jo Wright's newest release is The Bookshop of 99 Doors. It is a Christian dual-timeline mystery set in a Pennsylvania mansion with Civil War secrets. Like Wright's other books, it is atmospheric and suspenseful. Melanie Dobson's The Lost Story of Via Belle is also a dual-timeline historical mystery. It, too, takes place in Pennsylvania. A present-day screenwriter investigates the 1940s disappearance of a romance novelist. I am eager to read both of these novels and then pass on recommendations to my cousin, Karin, who lives in Pennsylvania.

If you want to participate in this smaller scavenger hunt visit this Storydoors website. You will find two portals into photos associated with the novels. Each book showcases four rooms to explore. Some of the images, when clicked on, will send you to informational sites tied to these stories. In each room, there is a hidden clue to copy down. Once you find the 8 hidden clues, you can enter the completed sentences to enter the giveaway (15 Christian fiction titles), which ends on April 29, 2026. There is also an invitation to join a Zoom call with the authors, held on April 30th, to learn more about these stories. The winner will be announced during that Zoom call.

I joined in the fun. A few of the sites held information about author Grace Livingston Hill. My paternal grandmother had numerous Grace Livingston Hill books on her shelves in her upstairs rooms (where my sister and I stayed during visits). I can remember passing time in those novels, although I did not recognize any titles I may have read, since it was years ago (almost half a century). Even if I don't win the scavenger hunt, it was interesting to visit these sites and learn more about these books.

Book Review: The Life She Forgot

Almost a year ago, I discovered and joined a Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt. It was not only fun, but also introduced me to a host of new-to-me authors. I signed on for several author newsletters and that is how I first came to know about Joanna Davidson Politano's books. I borrowed The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House from my library. Sadly, my stack of current reads kept me from it and other readers in the hold line were eager for their turn. When she mentioned a launch team for The Life She Forgot in her newsletter, I jumped at the chance.

The Life She Forgot is an Edwardian dual-timeline historical mystery set on the Cornish coast. It is the first book in Politano's House on the Edge of the Cliff series. You can pre-order the Kindle version and it will be auto-delivered on April 21, 2026.

It is 1913 and Merryn cannot remember who she is or where she is from. Three years ago, Lady St. Laurent took her in, grateful that Merryn saved her 7-year-old grandson Cecil from being hit by a car (the act that brought on her amnesia). At Lady St. Laurent's death, her will stipulates that Merryn will receive a small fortune and guardianship of the boy. However, Lady St. Laurent's daughter Sabine will receive the house. Sabine feels cheated and is determined to have Merryn declared unfit and sent to an asylum.

Merryn's only hope seems to be in proposing marriage to the young man she met at the park three weeks ago, A.J. Winthrop. She doesn't know herself, let alone anything about this young man, but she is desperate to retrieve her memory and prove her ability to care for Cecil. Can she trust A.J.? Will he help her restore her memories? Then, memories of another man and another wedding begin to surface. She hopes a trip to Cornwall will bring clarity, but she is being followed and time is running out.

In 1947, William Thatcher is plagued by memories of the war. He leaves his wife behind (thinking it is in her best interest) when he inherits Dunn Cottage on the Cornish coast. He doesn't even know Anwen Dunn. Why would she leave him the cottage? He is drawn to a painting of a woman and determined to find out the story and value of the portrait. Can he prove its provenance and secure enough funds to send back to his wife? Why does he think she'd be better off without him?

Although there are several storylines and characters to keep track of, the two timelines interweave, even to the point of sharing ending and beginning lines in chapters. I enjoyed so many things about this novel. On the one hand, memories can plague a person. On the other hand, losing memory is like losing the essence of yourself. Multiple questions lure the reader and ramp up the plot repeatedly. Merryn is in a race against time to retrieve her memory so she can save herself and Cecil.

This book considers identity, parenting, greed, and marriage. Both William and Merryn have made mistakes in the past that haunt them in the present. Both struggle with their marriages. I loved the line, "Marriage is the Russian Roulette of humanity--deposit yourself firmly in the arms of another and hope they deign to catch you every day of your life." We all enter marriages unaware of what the future holds. Sometimes we wound one another. Sometimes we save one another. If you're looking for a Christian historical novel full of intrigue in a beautiful coastal setting, The Life She Forgot, will woo you and win you.

Book Review: Every Hour Until Then

Every Hour Until Then had a lengthy hold list at my library. How amusing that it came available just after I read about Michael J. Fox's forays into time travel. This is my first Gabrielle Meyer book. I've been noting recommendations. It takes a clever author to weave a time-travel book well.

Every Hour Until Then is billed as an inspirational Victorian and WWII-era time-travel romance. I wasn't aware it is the fifth in her Timeless series. I decided to plunge ahead anyway because I've always been interested in Victorian England. Meyer poses a fascinating premise. Characters in her time-travel series live in two separate eras (alternating between the two with each sleep) and must finally decide which path they wish to remain in permanently. For this novel, Kathryn uses what she learns in 1938 London to foil Jack the Ripper's deadly intentions for her 1888 sister, Mary Jane.

I'm intrigued by the idea that the Ripper was undetected because he was protected by the brotherhood of Freemasons. This sounds like a plausible theory. While the book didn't suck me in as much as I'd hoped, the two time periods were interesting when paired together. In 1888, Kathryn is the daughter of an eminent doctor with Freemason ties. In 1938, she is in London on assignment to help put together a display on Jack the Ripper's reign of terror. The rules of time travel in the novel add danger to Kathryn's desires to intervene to save her sister from becoming the fifth and final victim.

I'm not sure I will backtrack and begin at the start of this series. I'm quite interested in Victorian London, but not as interested in other time periods and places. The time-travel element sometimes felt clunky. Plus, the inspirational elements were stroked more than seemed necessary. Still, it is currently ranked 18 in Christian Historical Fiction books. It was an interesting story, if you're a big fan of time-travel novels. Moreover, the subject of the Ripper might make for lively discussion in a book club setting.

Book Review: Mother-Daughter Murder Night

My book club selected this Reese's Book Club pick for one of their two May selections. Since the other book didn't appeal to me at all, I read Nina Simon's debut mystery, Mother-Daughter Murder Night. I loved reading the origins of this story. Nina's mother received a cancer diagnosis. As the two spent a lot of time together, they set out to write a mother-daughter murder mystery. It's quite an achievement to make Reese Witherspoon's list with a debut novel.

Lana Rubicon is used to wheeling and dealing in the real estate market of Los Angeles. Now she is side-lined, recuperating from lung cancer in the small coastal town of her daughter and granddaughter. The three of them have never been in such confined quarters and sparks fly. But, when Jack, the granddaughter, becomes a suspect in a local murder, Lana pushes herself to tackle the case with the help of Jack and her estranged daughter, Beth.

I enjoyed the dynamics of the mother-daughter-granddaughter relationships. The writing flowed well. It was also a clean read (always a plus in my book). Although I was in a hard patch (concentration-wise), the book held my interest. Here's a photo of the writing duo (with granddaughter, no doubt) from the book's website:

Book Review: The Last Thing He Told Me

A friend read The Last Thing He Told Me, by Laura Dave, because her daughter-in-law was reading it. The book provided a way of connection between the two of them. Thus, I selected it as an audio book for my car rides. I've only known of one book my daughter-in-law and I have both read, but this sounded like one she might pick up. It was a riveting story. There may have been minimal cursing, but it was a clean read. Amazon bills it as an editor's pick for Best Mystery, Thriller and Suspense. Here's Amazon's teaser:

"Before Owen Michaels disappears, he smuggles a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers—Owen's sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

"As Hannah's increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, as the FBI arrests Owen's boss, as a US marshal and federal agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn't who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen's true identity—and why he really disappeared.

"Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen's past, they soon realize they're also building a new future—one neither of them could have anticipated."

I appreciated the engrossing tale. The pacing was excellent as Hannah and Bailey pursue clue after clue. This is a tale of hard-forged trust and fractured families. I waited with anticipation to see whether Bailey would warm to her stepmother. Teens are difficult to sway (for that matter, even adult children are difficult to sway) when their parent bestows love upon someone other than their mother. I wasn't sure the ending would satisfy, but I think it played out in a way that was best for each character. If you love domestic mysteries, this popular book is worth a look.

 

Book Review: Cold Light of Day

The person seated next to me at the Sara Brunsvold author talk mentioned a flyer on the back table for a Christian book club. I've never taken part in a Christian book club. While I don't attend the church that held the author talk, I relished the idea of reading Christian books (as so many books these days veer into territory I just don't wish to explore). So, I contacted the number on the flyer and attended my first meeting. They were discussing two books because they had devoted the previous meeting to making centerpieces for the tables at the author talk. I knew I'd never complete 2 books, so I picked the one that sounded interesting to me, Cold Light of Day, by Elizabeth Goddard. It is the first book in the Missing in Alaska series. (The other was a fantasy re-telling of the Biblical story of Joseph.)

I've never read a Goddard book before. Turns out she's a prolific award-winning writer and has 60 books to her credit. Sometimes that's a good thing. Sometimes it leads to formula-following. I'm guessing, not having read any before, that this one followed her standard structure. Publishers love to stick with authors they know can lure in masses of readers. Christian publishers seem driven by profit just as much as secular publishers.

Cold Light of Day takes place in Alaska - thus the "cold." Not sure what the "light of day" in the title indicated, although the whole book was driving to truths coming into the light of day. So maybe that was the intent of the title. Because this is an action/thriller novel, the story begins with a helicopter happening upon a rescue scene of a woman drowning in a frigid Alaskan lake. The man swimming to help is a mysterious new resident in the town of Shadow Gap, Grier Brenner.

Much of the story focuses on the tension of attraction between Grier and the police chief, Autumn Long. Autumn wonders why Grier moved to their isolated Alaskan town and why his skills have prepared him so well for helping her battle a new string of crimes. It is true the tension (both in action and romance) keeps the reader turning pages. Goddard certainly knows how to up the ante. The writing is smooth and enticing.

I guess I struggled with the whole genre mash-up. It is billed as a "Contemporary Christian Romantic Suspense Thriller Set in Alaska." I'm good for a contemporary book and one set in Alaska (loved reading about Alaska in Kristin Hannah's The Great Alone). What felt uncomfortable was the insertion of Christian sentiments into the thriller story line. I've complained before about Christian fiction, because so often authors seek to insert a Christian message and that insertion feels intrusive. For me, this was the case in this novel. Tensions are rising and the character immediately stops and contemplates some Christian tenet or idea. It's not that I quibble with difficulties driving us to God, it is just that the references to scripture passages felt unnatural in the midst of life-threatening scenarios. It was like saying, "We interrupt this dramatic scene to share with you a Biblical principle."

In the end, I decided not to join the book club. They focus on Christy award winners and nominees. Doing so ensures well-written and popular books, but my book selection is more broad. Plus, in learning the upcoming titles, many were ones I had no interest in reading (just not into Amish speculative or even Biblical historical fiction and I feared another two might prove difficult as they focused on dementia and hospice). They were very kind and inviting. However, I fear I overshared in my introduction, telling them more than they wanted to know. I may reach out again at the end of the year to learn their titles for 2025. I am certain I would be welcome in the group. Plus, knowing Christian fiction is safe from the equally intrusive agendas in most secular fiction always puts my mind at ease.

Book Review: The Consequences of Fear

I dashed into the library, landed on this audio book, The Consequences of Fear, and within minutes was driving away with the first CD playing in my car. It never even dawned on me, until attempting to write this review, that this is the 16th book in The Maisie Dobbs Series. I'm only bummed that this seems to be the only physical audio book in the series that my library has on offer. It was a pleasant, wholesome, and entertaining adventure.

It is 1941 and young Freddie Hackett, a delivery boy in London, has witnessed a murder. Since he cannot get the police to believe him (where is the body?), he seeks the talented Maisie Dobbs. Maisie believes the boy, but can she prove his story? The clues showing it was an installment in a series should have been obvious. All the backstory swept past me. I was oblivious, delighting in London descriptions, deciphering Freddie's state of mind, and discovering Maisie Dobbs' identity. But does her character lure me in enough to seek them out in paper form, from the beginning of a lengthy series? Have I foiled it by learning things already late in the game? If I were solely interested in clean historical fiction, I might. But, I'm betting I pass.

Book Review: 12 Days at Bleakly Manor

For a very long time, Charles Dickens was my favorite author. I seldom read Dickens anymore, but still have a fascination with Victorian novels and non-fiction. 12 Days at Bleakly Manor is the 1st book in the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series by Michelle Griep. The plot is a standard manor house mechanism. A hodge-podge of people receive invitations to come to Bleakly Manor to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas. Each hopes to be the sole visitor remaining on Twelfth Night, January 5th, so they will receive their promised prize.

In December 1851, Clara Chapman receives a bizarre invitation to stay at an English manor house called Bleakly Manor. Normally, she wouldn't even consider leaving her ill aunt behind. But the 500 pound prize offered if she endures the full 12 days of Christmas may provide her only way out of impending poverty. Clara wonders what God is up to. She had wondered something similar when she stood at the altar awaiting her wedding, only to be jilted by her betrothed, Benjamin Lane. Someone stole her family estate and left her dependent upon her aunt. Was it Benjamin Lane?

She arrives at Bleakly Manor and meets several of the other individuals promised a prize. But who is the host and what is this odd game? Why are the rations so limited? And, finally, why is Benjamin Lane included in the invitation list? Can she ever forgive him? Moreover, who holds ill-intent against the assembled guests?

You will enjoy this book if you love any of the following things: Victorian England or Dickens, mysteries with a touch of romantic intrigue or stories that illustrate truths about religious experience, cozy holiday tales or atmospheric whodunits. Since I adore Victorian stories, I enjoyed this romp of a tale. It put me in the holiday spirit. The well-timed plot and structure kept me listening while attempting to whittle away the pounds on the treadmill.

Book Review: The Sacrificial Lamb

In September, my library ran a Fall into Reading reading challenge. I have complained before about requirements specifying WHAT to read. Pardon me, but I want to read what I want to read, not some dictated category. However, this time around, they toned it down. Many of the bingo squares allowed you to clock 60 minutes of reading (something regular for me). Some were generic, like: "Read a book with a brown or orange cover." I went back and forth on whether The Fountains of Silence had a cover that was brown/tan or more yellow-hued. I didn't count it in the end and it didn't matter because I didn't win any prizes.

The only thing holding me back from one bingo angle was a cozy mystery. I searched for a Christian cozy mystery and settled on this novella, The Sacrificial Lamb, by S. E. Biglow. Reading about supposed murders of adult characters is far easier to swallow than young characters. This book felt more morbid than "cozy" because it dealt with the murders of several young boys.

I laugh at its billing as "Christian." Taking the theme of "the sacrificial lamb" and the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac, it spun a tale of a murderer who believes God told him to sacrifice a young boy. The main character, and sleuth, is a minister. She comments that her God is only a God of love. Hmm. This reminds me of my last read, The Unsaved Christian. Isn't that what the world wants now, a God of only love and not holiness? A God of only grace and not truth. Many embrace the idea of God, as long as not complicated by Christ, the true sacrificial lamb who takes away the sin of the world. While the book provided a clean read, I still wish I could get my two hours back!

Book Review: Down the Hatch

I snatched up this quick Agatha Raisin mystery by M. C. Beaton when I had only moments to peruse in the library. If I had something of greater interest, I might have set this aside. However, I had already started and vetoed two biography audio books, and so I stuck it out for this one. Not my favorite M. C. Beaton mystery, but entertaining enough. 

I found the main character, Agatha, abrasive. It was hard to like her or care about her well-being, even when pursued by criminals. In a final scene, on the white cliffs of Dover, you wonder whether she is done for and will plunge to her death. While the sleuthing was passable, it wasn't noteworthy. I'm sure there are people who adore the Agatha Raisin books. I liked the location and the accent of the narrator in this audio book. Sadly, not enough to seek another Agatha Raisin book.

Book Review: From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

I know I read this book when I was younger. Perhaps I liked it better the first time around. It wasn't regrettable, yet I expected so much more (both from its reputation and my memory). I'm guessing it was a read-aloud in one of my elementary classrooms. Fitting.

Claudia Kincaid is running away. She selects her younger brother Jamie to come along (he's thrifty with his money and has amassed enough to finance her venture). They execute her plans, from hiding in the Metropolitan Museum of Art to bathing in the fountain (and making off with the coins in the fountain). She seeks to change somehow, yet finds the little adventure not as fulfilling as hoped. They stumble upon a mysterious statue. Is it truly a famous work of art purchased by the museum for a pittance, or is it just an ordinary statue of an angel?

I enjoyed the sections on sneaking in and living in the museum. The parts about bathing and washing their clothes entertained. Sadly, when they came to the climax of the story (the mysterious statue), it fell flat for me. Thus, I'd say the beginning and middle were strong, but the end felt contrived and dissatisfying. I loved the glorious name of the elderly woman (and the title of the book). The interesting idea of children hiding out in a museum will still appeal to elementary students.

Book Review: All by Myself, Alone

It has been a while since I've read a Mary Higgins Clark novel. I couldn't remember if I should expect a clean read or not. Thankfully, it was a clean read. This little mystery filled my exercise time and made the miles on the recumbent bike and treadmill slip past quickly. I didn't solve the crime myself, but had to wait for the story's resolution.

Passengers on the Queen Charlotte cruise ship's maiden voyage have high hopes for a pleasant crossing. Celia Kilbride, a gem and jewelry expert, is happy to travel and provide guest lectures to get her away from the buzz back home surrounding a financial investment scandal. Professor Longworth is also onboard to give lectures on Shakespeare. Willy and Alvirah Meehan have booked passage to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. But mostly, eyes are on the elderly Lady Emily Haywood, who intends to wear her famous emerald necklace. The stage is set. The characters in place. Then, the tragedy takes hold of the ship. Who is responsible for these attacks on the passengers? Where has the necklace gone? Will amateur sleuth Alvirah solve the crime before they reach their destination? This author pulls off yet another mystery for the books.

Book Review: The Hollow

I enjoyed this Hercule Poirot mystery more than the last one. Again, I was fairly sure Agatha Christie would provide a clean audio book to consume. This time around, a murder occurs at a country estate and Hercule Poirot is invited to tea for a neighborly visit. He arrives just in time to find Gerda Christow, a guest at the home, holding a gun in front of the dying body of her husband, John. Dr. John Christow is beloved by many, yet some may wish to kill him. Was he murdered out of jealousy? Was he murdered by a lover? By his wife, the most obvious culprit? Or was it someone from outside the Angkatell estate? All leads seem to head toward dead ends (no pun intended). But, with Poirot, we know we'll discover the truth at last.

Book Review: Cat Among the Pigeons

Another spate of bad luck with audio books! Two went by the wayside after investing several discs into the story. It makes me sad, but I don't have time for literature that cannot stay out of the gutter. Thus, I picked up Agatha Christie's book, Cat Among the Pigeons. This clean read held my interest.

All is not well at Meadowbank School for Girls. Teachers keep turning up murdered. In  this mystery, the reader knows from the outset what the perpetrator is after, but doesn't know the identity of the perpetrator. Is it a teacher from within the school or is it an outsider intent upon finding hidden treasure? Hercule Poirot took quite a while to appear on the scene. Nonetheless, he wraps things up, and the mystery comes to a satisfactory conclusion.

I may look into Christie's autobiography. I'm encouraged to learn she experienced the same self-doubt all writers encounter. At her website, I found this quote: "You start into it, inflamed by an idea, full of hope, full indeed of confidence (about the only times in my life when I have been full of confidence).... You then get into difficulties, don't see your way out, and finally manage to accomplish more or less what you first meant to accomplish, though losing confidence all the time. Having finished it, you know that it is absolutely rotten. A couple of months later you wonder whether it may not be all right after all."

Book Review: They Do It With Mirrors

Finally, a clean audio book! I waded two discs into another one - groan - before giving up and returning to the library to find this decent Agatha Christie novel. In this mystery, Miss Marple is invited to a childhood friend's estate. She must piece together the clues to solve the mystery of the murder of another visitor. Was it the unhinged schizophrenic patient? Who is trying to poison Miss Marple's friend? Where were the various individuals when the lights went out? My only complaint for this audio book was that the reader was very difficult to understand (an older woman whose voice and inflections hindered the clarity of the experience so I couldn't listen while walking on the treadmill and had to reserve listening sessions for my trips back and forth with the boys to school and work). Still, so grateful for a clean read!

Book Review: The Golden Tresses of the Dead

I love Allan Bradley's allusive titles for his Flavia DeLuce detective series. Moreover, nothing can beat listening to a Flavia story narrated with a British accent. What a fun audio experience! In this tenth installment, The Golden Tresses of the Dead, twelve-year-old super-sleuth Flavia investigates the appearance of a severed finger in her sister Ophelia's wedding cake. Together with her partner, Dogger, Flavia cracks her first detective case in an official capacity. They are hired by a Mrs. Prill to uncover the whereabouts of some missing letters. Sadly, Mrs. Prill turns up dead, and the plot thickens. Although it was a rather roundabout journey to connect the letters and the digit, I enjoyed the tale. I might even suggest the series to my own twelve-year-old (who aspires to become a chemical engineer like his older brother), now that he must read 5 books for every nine-week term of middle school. He's not doing too badly (read four of the Percy Jackson books before the end of August).