Tag: book review

Book Review: The Case of the Body on the Orient Express

Book Review: The Case of the Body on the Orient Express

TG Wolff

The Case of the Body on the Orient Express is an amateur detective mystery.

Paris 1928. Eliza Baker, the secretary to the secretary of the Detection Club, finds herself on the fabulous Orient Express en route to Istabul and a writer’s conference. With her is her boss, Dorothy L. Sayers, and fellow Detection Club founding member Agatha Christie. Fellow passengers include acquaintances of Dorothy’s, one of whom dies in the elegant dining car. Reunited with Theo Sharp, Eliza investigates the case that threatens to embroil her employer in accusations, scandal, and charges of murder.

Bottom line: The Case of the Body on the Orient Express is for you if you like the style of the golden-age of mysteries with your favorite authors as featured characters.

One of the many strengths of THE CASE OF THE BODY ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is the way in which Oliver crafts full, multi-dimensional characters of Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie. History often simplifies the complexity of real personalities, boiling people down to one or two trait—he was gruff, she was talkative. Oliver did not take short cuts, going far beyond simple paper cut-outs to delight us with warm, intelligent, and flawed characters. From heartache to shame, from amusement to joy, Christie’s and Sayers’ far from perfect lives make them eminently relatable.

In the Author’s Note, Oliver gives us a peak into her research at the Wade Center at Wheaton College where Dorothy L. Sayer’s archives are held. Beyond the obvious effort Oliver put into her research, her real achievement is how she was able to digest the information and, like silk, weave it into a fabric that is strong and yet delicate.

While I obviously do love the characters of Sayer and Christie, Eliza is the star of this show. At 29, she is unfashionably single and under employed. She has extra ordinary skills from her work during the war and a brief stint with Scotland Yard. She is smart and courageous, which are sometimes at odds as she will charge into situations less than fully prepared. Eliza is a fun detective to watch—while you may not know what she’ll do next, you can be sure it will not be what’s expected of her.

Theo Sharp is the son of an earl, trying to decide what his life will be. In this book, he and his friend Eric Blair, who will become the famed writer George Orwell, are working odd jobs through France, experiencing the life of the working poor, when they take positions are stewards on the Orient Express. Theo, already besotted with Eliza, becomes her side kick and confident. With his position, he gives Eliza easier access to the various cars and cabins than she would otherwise have. There is an attraction between the two that has the otherwise sharp and capable characters fumbling in the dark without a clue.

The portrayal of travel on the train is worth the read alone. The description of the décor and the dress are a step back in time. I found the peaks into the working sections of the train, such as the kitchen and dining cars, particularly interesting for their novelty.

Without giving spoilers, the logic of the mysteries … was complicated. Some elements were fully resolved and stood the test of “looking for the back.” Other elements were not fully contained within the book, hopefully setting up for a satisfying Book 3, but leaving me wanting a bit more.

This is the second book in the Detection Club Mystery. While the mystery itself is independent, in my opinion, it is best to start with Book 1 “The Case of the Christie Conspiracy” for Eliza and the Detection Club’s origin.

Book Review: The Rodeo Cowboy’s Redemption

TG Wolff

The Rodeo Cowboy’s Redemption is a sweet romance. Rhett Foster has been a rodeo cowboy most of his life. His recent retirement, prompted by needing to care of his recovering father, isn’t a comfortable glove to wear. Especially when he is pining for the untouchable—his best friend’s sister. Nora Miles wants something more out of life than a career on her family’s ranch. Now that a certain cowboy’s come back to town, she can get out of it fast enough. Because the more she’s around him, the more tempted she is to give him another chance … and her heart just might not survive that.

Bottom line: The Rodeo Cowboy’s Redemption is for you if you like sweet romances with heroes you can cheer for.

This is the third story in Jacobs’ Miles of Montana series. Nora Miles, the middle child, has watched her older and younger brothers pair off but has no illusions Fate will be as kind to her. She hadn’t always thought so. Just last year, her life long friendship with Rhett Foster sparked—which he squelched by ghosting her. Focusing now on her career, she wants to move to Boseman and get back into the design work that was were passion in college. All she has to do is win a magazine contest for her lodge renovation project. How hard could that be?

Jacobs excels at creating warm, welcoming spaces and inviting the reader in. In this series, it’s the Flying J ranch in Marietta, Montana and four generations of Miles’s. Grandparents Eli and Sunnike, parents Teddy and Daisy, children Sam, Nora, and Jaxon, and grandchild Madison are the perfectly nosy, messy, and loving family we all want to be a part of.

In Nora and Rhett, we have two capable and successful people who are adorably incompetent at connecting with the one person that matters most—the other person. Rhett is trapped behind the 10-ft thick wall of “best friend’s sister”, not realizing there’s a door in the wall. Nora is wrapped in the heartache of being ghosted, she doesn’t tug the conversation string that could free her. This friends-to-lovers story is funny and charming.

This romance is in the sweet range, at two chili peppers. All of the fun happens behind closed doors or under covers, but there’s plenty of romance and heave petting to spark the imagination.

This is the 3rd book of the series. While the story is stand-alone, the characters are not. To maximize your reading pleasure, I recommend you start with Book 1: Choosing the Montana Cowboy (Sam’s story), and then Book 2: The Cowboy’s Christmas Truce (Jaxon’s story).

I read an ARC. This cowboy is releasing Feb 24 and is available on pre-order. Books 1 and 2 are currently available.

Happy reading, sweethearts.

Book Review: Maximum Pressure

TG Wolff

Maximum Pressureis an amateur sleuth mystery. Handwriting expert Claudia Rose is headed to her 25-year high school reunion and a cold case. Lucy Valentine was a junior when she walked out of the high school and was never seen again … but she did leave a note. Now, her ex-boyfriend and current filmmaker Matt Macedo is making a documentary and enlisting Claudia’s help. As they start interviewing people, the reluctant witnesses reveal there was much more going on than a girl unhappy at school.

Bottom line: Maximum Pressure is for you if you like cold case mysteries where there is more than meets the eye.

Hear me read the first 3 chapters on Mysteries to Die For podcast to sample the pressure and decide if this one is for you!

M2D4 Podcast Toe Tag

The note Lucy Valentine left has always been a point of confusion for Lucy’s mother and now for Claudia. After examining the original, Claudia doubts everything about the note—from the message to the hand that wrote it. Twisted with Lucy Valentine’s cold case is the very fresh case of the death of Josh Dickson. Claudia finds the body of the former teacher and driver’s ed instructor at the bottom of the high school swimming pool. What is first chocked up to the sad result of too much alcohol is determined to be murder. Claudia decides to quietly ask questions to figure out exactly who was where that evening.

Claudia is our storyteller and our detective. She straddles a line between an amateur detective and an expert detective. She isn’t a cop, though she is married to one, but she is an expert in handwriting and is frequently consulted and testifies in civil and criminal court cases. Claudia knows the rules of policing and generally follows them; she is not a renegade type of character. But she has friends and isn’t afraid to use them, which makes her a resourceful detective.

As a mystery, MAXIMUM PRESSURE falls into the “ride along” category. Perhaps because this is a cold case, the clues and suspects evolve as Claudia discovers them. One of my favorite things about the book is that we do generally know everything Claudia knows. This is a pet peeve of mine, when narrators withhold information, and so I was very happy that Claudia was not that kind of narrator. Overall the pace is deliberate, taking the time to interview the witnesses in a way mystery lovers will be accustomed to.

Standing at the end and looking to the front, overall, the logic holds up. For Claudia, this was a straightforward, Point A to Point Z investigation, but then she was looking at it 26 years after the fact. Going back to the original events, I do have some questions related to timing and sequence, but what happened, why, and what happened after are solid.

MAXIMUM PRESSURE is the 9th book in the Claudia Rose series. It is the first I have read. This does work as a stand alone or a good place to jump into the series because the case largely takes place away from Claudia’s normal turf. The scenes with her husband are brief and point to their current relationship, backstory not required.

Overall, MAXIMUM PRESSURE and Claudia Rose was an enjoyable read. It kept my attention and read quickly in just a few sittings. Definitely recommended for ride-along and cold case mystery lovers and anyone looking for a new series to sink their teeth into.

M2D4 Toe Tag: On The Horns of Death by Eleanor Kuhns

TG Wolff

On the Horns of Death is historical mystery. Sixteen-year-old Martis volunteers as a bull dancer in Knossos on the isle of Crete. An ordinary day of practice turns dark when she discovers the body of another dancer inside a bullpen. But why would he climb into the pen? Answer: murder.

Bottom line: On the Horns of Death is for you if you like amateur sleuths and the rich sights, scents, and sounds of Ancient Greece.

Listen to the first chapter and full review here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcasts

The On the Horns of Death was released from Severn House and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON and other book retailers.

About Eleanor Kuhns
www.eleanor-kuhns.com

Eleanor Kuhns is a previous winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel competition for A Simple Murder. The author of eleven Will Rees mysteries, she is now a full-time writer after a successful career as the Assistant Director at the Goshen Public Library in Orange County, New York.

Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com

Book Review: Fistful of Rain by Baron Birtcher

TG Wolff

Fistful of Rain is a historical, western mystery. Summer 1975 and a culture clash is reaching a boiling point. On one side is an old school sheep rancher. On the other side is a hippie commune. In the middle are a slick lawyer, a high school teacher, hired muscle, and cattle rancher / sheriff Ty Dawson.

Bottom line: Fistful of Rain is for you if you like mystery steeped in period Americana. 

Baron Birtcher’s writing style is one of the stand-out features of this Ty Dawson mystery. Narrated by our hero, you pick up the cadence of his speech and, if you’re like me, you can “hear” him speak. It’s like listening to an old friend tell you a story from back in the day. Dawson is a man you can like and respect. He lives by a code of honor, treating the people he serves equally, equitably, no matter his personal opinion. A veteran of the Korean war, a cattle rancher, a cowboy, a husband, and a father. He is not a hippy. But he recognizes the young people not only aren’t breaking any laws, but they are contributing to the economy of Meridian with their businesses. When certain people in town want Ty to run them out, he digs in and stands his ground.

The plot is on the complex end of the spectrum. There is something going on between the Rainbow Ranch and Harper Emory’s neighboring farm. Harper’s taken a beating and he says it’s at the hands of the men at the ranch. Only he can’t identify his attackers. Ty investigates but with no evidence, no charges can be filed. So Emory freelances and things devolve first to arson and then to murder. Investigating isn’t easy between people lying or plain not talking. His gut says there’s something more to it and his gut is rarely wrong.

Fistful of Rain is the second in the Ty Dawson series. I had read Book 3 (Reckoning), Book 4 (Knife River), and Book 1 (California Purples), in that order. It is rare that I come back to the start of a series when I’ve joined mid-stream, but I am very glad I did. Having gotten to know Dawson, his family, and his ranch hands, going back to the beginning has been a treat. The mysteries between the stories are stand-alone. It’s the supporting characters and Double Diamond ranch that matures with each story.

There wasn’t much not to like. As I think about the story in the days since I finished it, I have a question or two about who did exactly what in the end. Ty is true to his character, from beginning to end. The motivation of the bad guy was crystal clear. Exactly how they accomplished it is something I’ll be thinking about for days to come.

With this story, I really came to appreciate the research Birtcher had to do into the cultural and political climate of 1975. It’s one thing for a writer to reference history-book making events like Watergate. It’s another for an author to weave individual threads of pride, distaste, faith, hope, fear, and more to the point where you can see the points of view of each of the characters. Therein lies the complexity Ty Dawson has to navigate.

Overall, this is an excellent series and is a must read for fans of western mysteries and historical/vintage mysteries.

Book Review: Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton

TG Wolff

Talking to Strangers is a women’s mystery. Karen Simmons lives the life of a vibrant, sexually healthy woman in her 40s. Her murder on Valentine’s Day draws together three unlikely allies. Detective Elise King and her sergeant conduct a police investigation. Small town reporter Kiki had featured Karen in a story. A grieving mother, Annie’s 8-yr old son died in the same forest 16-years prior. It will take all of them to find the solution to Karen’s murder.

Bottom line: Talking to Strangers is for you if you like mysteries woven into the real-life drama of the modern middle-aged woman.

The strength of Talking To Strangers is the storytelling style. This is a book in three-parts, with no part more or less important than the others. A well-balanced story, the narrators are distinct and individualistic. Karen’s death is the mechanism used to explore different but real-life challenges common in the lives of women in their 40s and beyond.

Elise is the police detective who is facing the one-year anniversary of her breast cancer diagnosis. Still recovering mentally and physically from a mastectomy and chemo, she’s working to get back to the person she was. Life suddenly looks up when a sexy new neighbor moves in.

Kiki is the journalist who gave up the big city job when she became a single mom. Now with her daughter turning 13, Kiki longs for stories bigger than the small town paper she works for. Her current feature is on the dating scene for women in their 40s and her star is Karen Simmons. Karen’s death spurs her to dig deeper, unearthing a group of twisted men who treat dating as a dirty sport.

Annie is a wife and a mother. Sixteen years ago, her two boys were playing in the forest. Only one came home. A man was arrested for his murder, but he suicided in police custody and Annie never got the answers she needed. When Karen’s murder makes the news, Annie recognizes her as the woman who cut the family’s hair in their old town. Feelings buried, memories recessed boil to the surface, driving Annie to act for Karen, for her lost son, for herself.

In the same age group, the three women have different lifestyles. Themes of loneliness and surviving mental and/or physical trauma are part of each story.

The mystery is a challenge to review. There is little evidence for Elise and Kiki to work with. The suspects are derived from Karen’s dating life and one by one, explored and eliminated until there is only one remaining. I did not think the same level of detail was given to exploring background and alibi of the last person standing as was given to the others. At the end of the book, I was left with a number of questions, which were answered in the epilogue. While this made for a feeling of closure, it highlighted that the story was not really finished when the book ended.

TALKING TO STRANGERS was very well written and the stories of the three narrating women were engaging. This was listed on Amazon as Women’s Crime Fiction, Women’s Psychological Fiction, and Psychological Thriller. The common theme is this book was written for women and their experiences in their 40s and beyond. This is stronger as a women’s fiction story than a mystery, but all around enjoyable.