Review: Mrs Hudson & The Capricorn Incident by Martin Davies

Synopsis: It is spring in Baker Street, and London is preparing itself for the wedding of the season - an international spectacular in which the young and popular Duke of Krasnow, a political exile from his native land, is due to take the hand of the beautiful and accomplished Princess of Rovenia - a union that will heal the divisions between her family and the duke's. But the stakes are high.

When the princess disappears in dramatic circumstances, other members of the British establishment are quick to call on Mr Sherlock Holmes and he, in turn, looks to his redoubtable housekeeper Mrs Hudson, and housemaid Flotsam, to assist in this puzzling case.

~ ~ ~

What if Baker Street’s most gifted resident wasn’t called Sherlock Holmes?

This is the premise for a mystery series based around Sherlock Holmes' housekeeper / landlady, Mrs Hudson, as the primary investigator. This particular tome is number seven in the series, which I wasn't fully cognisant of at the time of reading, so my comments are based solely on this tome.

Not a fan - Mrs Hudson was not to my mind, central to the storyline at all, it more based around the housemaid, Flotsam, who is also our narrator. Maybe I should I read the first books, as I was certainly not invested in this one.

For those who are interested, the  books in the series are:

• Mrs Hudson & the Spirits’ Curse
• Mrs Hudson and the Malabar Rose
• Mrs Hudson and the Lazarus Testament
• Mrs Hudson and the Samarkand Conspiracy
• Mrs Hudson and the Blue Daisy Affair
• Mrs Hudson and The Christmas Canary

Review: Bury The Lead by Hilton & Renzetti

Synopsis: A big-city journalist joins the staff of a small-town paper in cottage country and finds a community full of secrets … and murder.

Cat Conway has recently returned to Port Ellis to work as a reporter at the Quill & Packet . She’s fled the tattered remains of her high-profile career and bad divorce for the holiday town of her childhood, famous for its butter tarts, theatre, and a century-old feud. One of Cat’s first assignments is to interview legendary actor Eliot Fraser, the lead in the theatre’s season opener of Inherit the Wind . When Eliot ends up dead onstage on opening night, the curtain rises on the sleepy town’s secrets. The suspects include the actor whose career Eliot ruined, the ex-wife he betrayed, the women he abused, and even the baker he wronged.

With the attention of the world on Port Ellis, this story could be Cat’s chance to restore her reputation. But the police think she’s a suspect, and the murderer wants to kill the story―and her too. Can Cat solve the mystery before she loses her job or becomes the next victim of a killer with a theatrical bent for vengeance?

~ ~ ~

"The whole town was like a giant murder mystery game, 

except with real weapons, and real blood."

The murder of the lead actor in a local production sets local tongues wagging as the past intrudes on the present - much to the chagrin of those involved.  And for one, murder is seen as the best way to keep the past (dead and) buried. 

After a slow start, things finally start to pick up once the investigation into the murder, by Cat and the rest of the local paper's editorial team, gets under way.

There is the proverbial cast of characters - from the local towns' people to the actors themselves - all with links to the dead man.  The narrative is nicely paced with character development established enough with the potential for further exploration in future books.

All in all an enjoyable read and the potential start of a new series ...

Review: A Sip before Dying by Gemma Halliday

Synopsis: The Oak Valley Vineyard has been in Emmy Oak's family for generations. So when the small Sonoma winery is suddenly in financial trouble and in danger of being gobbled up by the corporate giants, Emmy moves home to try to save her legacy with her modern culinary know-how. First step—she throws a party showcasing her latest vintage and signature tasty treats to a group of wine country's most elite enthusiasts. Only when one of her VIP guests sips a glass of poisoned wine and dies in her cellar, Emmy's name is on everyone lips for all the wrong reasons.

The victim was the young, boy-toy husband of one of Silicon Valley's most successful female CEOs... and his playboy ways and suspicious spending habits have almost no one mourning his death. Enter Detective Christopher Grant, recent SFPD transplant, who is assigned to the case and immediately homes in on Oak Valley. But Emmy is determined to clear her winery's name—even if Grant's dark eyes, sexy smile, and mysterious past threaten to distract her. After calling in the big guns to help her—a.k.a. her jewelry designer best friend and copious amounts of cookie dough ice cream—Emmy finds herself digging through a slew of suspects to uncover crimes, grudges, and secret affairs that could put a soap opera to shame. Can Emmy find out just which of the upper crust poisoned the victim's vintage...or will Emmy's next sip be her last?

~~~

I felt as if I had read this before - but can find no record of me having done so - so thus a sense of deja vu with this little cosy mystery.

The synopsis says it all really and the story line follows the usually plotline of a cosy mystery.  Gemma and bestie Ava set out to solve the murder of a guest at the winery, whilst making herself a target of both the killer and the investigating detective.

Nice quick read and introduction of characters for the rest of the series.  

Review: A Novel Crime by ACF Bookens

Synopsis: When Harvey Beckett discovers a body in a neighborhood garage, she has no idea how much that moment will shift everything in her world.

Not everyone can be grateful for a murder, but Harvey Beckett almost can. With the help of her friends and her own gumption to make some changes in her life, Harvey sleuths out the killer . . . and her own adventure.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, inspiring woman sleuths, and the city of San Francisco, you'll love A Novel Crime. A prequel for the forthcoming St. Marin's Cozy Mystery series set in a waterside town in Maryland.

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A quick read with a not overly complicated plot that introduces us to the main character - Harvey Beckett - of the St Marin's series.

Having not read any in the series, I came to this with no expectations and found that time passed quickly as I delved into this mystery. 

Read this one first before the rest if you have the opportunity to do so as it will provide a little background into the main characters current set up for the rest of the series following.

Review: A Pint of Problems by Chris Lowry

Synopsis: How could he tell her no……even after she broke his heart.

When a woman from Jake’s past finds him passed out on his front porch, she makes him breakfast and an offer he can’t refuse.

Help her get the money owed to her and he gets a percentage.

And her.

He’s dead broke and needs a drink so the walking around money has appeal. Plus the promise of another night with her to sweeten the pot?

What’s supposed to be a short visit turns into an accidental murder charge and his ingénue is nowhere to be found.

Jake’s going to need all the help he can find if he hopes to get out of the mess she dropped him in the middle of.

Fans of disgraced lawyers and southern noir are going to love the Jake Burbank series because if you can’t root for the underdog, at least you can buy him a drink.

~~~

Short story featuring a drunken lawyer framed for not one but two murders when an ex-girlfriend seeks him out to get some money left to her by one lover but denied her by another lover. The momentum of the story is continual, as lawyer Jake and cop Maggie find out the truth behind the obvious frame-up.

A short cosy crime (as opposed to noir fiction) in the Jake Burbank series. One for the fans.