I finished one more book this morning and have started one other. That is the third book in my 12 + 4 Neglected Series challenge. I'll update those books, add a new one that came in the mail today and then continue with my ongoing look at the mystery genre, featuring mysteries with English detectives.
New Books
"An ever-expanding sub-genre of sf is devoted to "alternate worlds" or "alternate histories": fiction in which a crucial event goes differently than in the world we know, & history is changed. Keith Roberts's Pavane ('68) is set in a backward 20th century molded by the assassination of Queen Elizabeth I & the triumph of a militantly antiscience Catholic Church."
Just Finished
"Dekok and the Dead Harlequin is the 3rd book I've read in the Dutch series by crime writer A.C. Baantjer featuring Amsterdam police inspector, Dekok, and his partner, Dick Vledder. This story started off with an interesting premise.
Dekok and Vledder receive a letter from accountant Pierre Brassel indicating he will shortly murder someone and asking for a meeting. At the meeting, discusses how he could commit the perfect murder and while he is there, tells them to call a local hotel and ask for Jan Brets. Surprisingly, they discover that this person has just returned to his room and has been murdered; it seems Brassel now has the perfect alibi.
DeKok and his able partner now begin an investigation into this murder. What is the connection between Brassel and Brets? What was Brets doing at the hotel in Amsterdam when he lived in Utrecht? Brets is a known criminal and slowly it becomes apparent that he was planning a robbery and murder in Amsterdam.
Things don't add up for the two investigators but slowly clues begin to fit together. It's interesting how Dekok works, like many fictional detectives, using his intuition more than forensic information. There are some leaps in intuition and sometimes the facts come without explanation. But it's still an interesting story with a unique premise. The characters are interesting and the story moves along nicely. The locale, Amsterdam, is also interesting to visit. I've enjoyed the books in the series so far and will continue to explore the series. Worth trying. (4 stars)"
Currently Reading
"Vampire detective Jack Fleming's latest venture - the Lady Crymsyn nightclub - has become the favorite haunt for Chicago's elite. But amongst his patrons lurk a smarmy blackmailer and a dangerous up-and-coming mobster from New York - both unaware how deadly Jack can be when blood is spilled..."
My Ongoing Look at the Mystery Genre - English Detectives Part 9
In my last entry I highlighted the books of Dick Francis, Frances Fyfield (Sarah Fortune) and Robert Galbraith (Cormoran Strike). Who do we have in the mixer today?
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| Jonathan Gash (AKA John Grant) |
"The Judas Pair by Jonathan Gash is the first book in the Lovejoy mystery series and my first attempt at reading them as well. I had enjoyed the British TV series featuring Ian McShane as antique dealer, Lovejoy. McShane played Lovejoy as a bit of a rogue and having read the story now, I think he probably portrayed him reasonably accurately. Lovejoy is a shady character and you get the impression that the majority of these dealers are all a bit shady. They love the trade and it is a part of their lives.
This initial story involves the Judas Pair, a pair of hand guns supposedly made by a famous gun smith. This fabled 13th pair of guns has never been found, except by the man who hires Lovejoy to find them as they were used to kill his brother. It's a bit of a convoluted story that results as Lovejoy begins to explore who might have wanted the guns and who killed the man. At the same time we find out a bit about the antique business, some of the tricks of the trade, which make the story more interesting. We also learn more about Lovejoy and also about his relationships.
The story is a bit gritty, in part to Lovejoy's personality. The book is interesting and moves along nicely and as you get used to Lovejoy and his personality, you find yourself being drawn in more and more. I'm glad I finally started this series and I will be looking to continue it. (4 stars)"
"Gold from Gemini is the second Lovejoy antique mystery by Jonathan Gash. Many, many years ago I'd enjoyed the TV series based on the books. It starred Ian McShane as Lovejoy and he was quite excellent in the role. He played him as a lady-killing rogue and in the books he is that, although not quite so lovable.
In Gold for Gemini, Lovejoy gets involved in a mystery that takes him to the Isle of Man in search of ancient Roman coins. He gets interested in this by chance; finding a painting by a deceased man, an excellent forgery that piques his interest in the man. Discovering that Roman coins had been stolen from the local museum and that they had been donated by the man, Lovejoy feels that there are more hidden someplace. He acquires diaries that the man had written and hopes these might provide clues to the location of the coins. He is threatened by one of the nieces of the man and her 'fixer' to turn over the diaries to them. A death of a fellow antique hunter adds to the mystery and a personal tragedy to Lovejoy adds to the tension.
Along with Janie, his rich mistress (one of many), and Algernon, a young protege, the journey finds them on the Isle of Man searching for the coins. The story takes great leaps which I sometimes find frustrating, but this is tempered with the interesting information on antiques and creating forgeries and both Janie and Algernon are interesting characters. The story moves along almost too quickly but I found the overall story and mystery interesting and a page turner. I'll obviously continue with the series and see how Lovejoy's character develops. (3.5 stars)"
"In the world of antiques the Holy Grail is a holy terror - for almost every month someone claims to possess the original. So when an inebriated ex-clergyman confided to Lovejoy that he did indeed possess the cup, the resourceful antiques dealer knew just what to make of such a statement.The trouble was that someone else thought this version of the Grail was worth stealing - and now the owner was dead amid considerable carnage."
The remaining books in the series can be found here.
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| Tessa Harris |
"The Anatomist's Apprentice is author Tessa Harris's first book in her historical mystery series featuring anatomist, Dr. Thomas Silkstone. Silkstone is a doctor from Philadelphia who moves to England to study under famed anatomist, Dr. Carruthers. Since Dr. Carruthers is now blind, Silkstone continues to teach at college and support Dr. Carruthers.
Silkstone becomes involved in investigating the death of Sir Edward Crick of Oxfordshire. His sister, Lydia comes to London to gain Silkstone's assistance in determining whether the death might have been murder.
This begins a sometimes convoluted investigation and tentative romance with Silkstone searching for clues to Edward's death and also to determine, if it was a murder, who might have perpetuated it. There are no shortage of subjects, Lydia's husband, possibly abusive and a womanizer; his friend, Lavington, who sticks his nose into so many parts of the investigation; maybe Hannah Lovelock, the maid whose daughter died recently?
It's not a perfect story; at times Silkstone seems helpless to do anything with actions taking part at will about him. His developing feelings for Lydia seem kind of incongruous. But those are minor things. All in all, it's entertaining and a fine start to a four books series (so far anyway). I won't hesitate to check out the other books. (3 stars)"
"The brilliant anatomist Dr. Thomas Silkstone returns in Tessa Harris's vivid and compelling mystery series set in 1780s London. . .
It is not just the living who are prey to London's criminals and cutpurses. Corpses, too, are fair game--dug up from fresh graves and sold to unscrupulous men of science. Dr. Thomas Silkstone abhors such methods, but his leading rival, Dr. John Hunter, has learned of the imminent death of eight-foot-tall Charles Byrne, known as the "Irish Giant," and will go to any lengths to obtain the body for his research.
Thomas intends to see that Byrne is allowed to rest in peace. Yet his efforts are complicated by concern for his betrothed, Lady Lydia Farrell, who breaks off their engagement without explanation. When Dr. Hunter is implicated in the horrific murder of a young castrato, Thomas must determine how far the increasingly erratic surgeon will go in the name of knowledge. For as Thomas knows too well, the blackest hearts sometimes go undetected--and even an unblemished façade can hide terrifying secrets. . ."
The remaining books in the series are -
- The Devil's Breath (2013)
- The Lazarus Curse (2014)
- Shadow of the Raven (2015)
- Secrets in the Stones (2106)
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| John Harvey |
"Flesh and Blood by John Harvey is the first book in the Frank Elder mystery series. I have previously read the first book in his Charles Resnick series; Lonely Hearts and enjoyed it. This was so much better. As a matter of continuity, Resnick makes a brief appearance in this story.
Elder is an ex-cop who retired and moved to Cornwall; partly to get away from a broken marriage. The book starts with his daughter Katherine's visit and Elder's attempt to keep a relationship with his teenage daughter. Soon his life is turned upside down when an ex partner, Maggie, advises him that Shane Donald has been released from prison. Donald was involved with a big case of Elder's; he and his mentor had kidnapped and abused and murdered a young girl. They were also assumed to have been involved in the disappearance of another young girl, whose body had never been discovered.
Elder begins to dig into his old investigation, visiting the mother of the girl, Susan Blakelock, and rehashing the evidence. We also follow Donald, now in a half way house and being monitored by a female probation officer.
Events take a quick turn for the worse; Donald runs away from the half way house, a young lady disappears. The question is whether Donald was involved. Things really start to take off; besides the old investigation, the police are desperate to find Emma, the young girl, to find Donald, etc. (I won't get into that story any more as there has to be some surprises for you). It's a tense, well-crafted and described story. It moves along at an excellent pace and keeps your interest at all times. I found the ending both realistic and satisfying. Great story! I was given this as a Xmas present and I'm so glad that I was. (5 stars)"
"When the take-down of a violent criminal goes badly wrong, something doesn't feel right to Detective Sergeant Maddy Birch. And her uneasiness is compounded by her belief that someone is following her home.
Retired Detective Inspector Frank Elder's daughter, Katherine, is running wild. Elder's fears for his daughter are underscored by guilt - it was his involvement in a case that led directly to the abduction and rape which has so unbalanced Katherine's life.
Persuaded out of retirement, Elder reopens a cold case which could have devastating repercussions for the crime squad itself. Elder's investigations take place against the backdrop of his increasing concern for his daughter. He must battle his own demons before he can uncover the truth."
The remaining books in the series are -
- Darkness and Light (2006)
- Body and Soul (2018)
So there you go pilgrims. See anything you like? Weekend shortly upon us. Have a great one!
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