To The Dark ( A Simon Westow Mystery #3) ~ Masterful and Suspenseful!!

 #ToTheDark #NetGalley Severn House and Chris Nickson, storyteller superb of Leeds, many thanks for this very exciting historical mystery.

"Winter is about to take a chilling twist...Leeds, 1822.Thief-taker Simon Westow is drawn into a deadly puzzle when the melting snow reveals a dark secret-" As always, Chris Nickson tells a story of historical Leeds as it was in that particular period of time. It was a time of desperation for many people and almost, but not quite, lawless.

Westow and his wife Rosie and his sometime assistant Jane, are involved in a many layered mystery involving the Constable of Leeds, as well as at least one unsolved death. These events resulted in the death of the constable and serious injury of Jane and another younger girl.

The storyline took some extreme turns and I was surprised at some of the events! I am expecting Simon to have increased involvement in Leeds government as he seems to be increasingly feared, as well as respected.( but who really knows until next time)

Again Chris Nickson pens a masterful, suspenseful tale of a dark period in Leeds history. Get yours March 2, 2021!

#AChangingLight #NetGalley- A Quaker Midwife Mystery - Edith Maxwell- Pre-order Now!

 #AChangingLight #NetGalley 4.5 stars rounded to 5."Edith Maxwell is an Agatha-Award winning and national bestselling mystery author.She writes the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries",which was nominated once and won the Agatha Award once.

I definitely will try one of those two books,(one is a a short story) as this seems to be the end of this series. Rose Carroll, now married and expecting a child is drawn into a murder investigation that occurred at an annual event in her town Amesbury. Apparently as usual, she throws herself into helping the police solve this crime and has her own life threatened.

The well done epilogue shows Rose and her newborn daughter and her husband discussing how the crime was solved and agreeing that there would be no more "detective" work. Very easy to read and enjoyable book. 

The Ravens of Blackwater - Edward Marston ~ Terrific Read- 5 Stars~

 Thanks to Lesley@allisonandbusby for Book 2 of the Domesday Series which I very much enjoyed. I am going to reread this whole series ( read 1-3 in the past).Book #2 had much more vibrant characterization than the first, often the case for series!

Continuing to follow Gervase Bret,chancery legal expert and half Saxon,and Ralph Delchaird Norman soldier and their clerical assistants, as they continue to follow problems in the Domesday Book. The foursome and it's escorts are much more comfortable with each other than in the pilot book of the series.

There continue to be tensions between Saxons, Normans, and occasionally Danes in the recently conquered land, and the mix of this group of "fixers" seem to work well. Post Norman Conquest 11th Century England is quite fascinating in it's customs laws and mores and I am on to the next volume.

Long Bright River- Liz Moore~ Amazingly both gripping and graphic~ 5 Stars!

 

Amazingly both gripping and graphic, Long Bright River was one book I could not put down. Initially I was drawn into it because it was situated in Kensington, where my mother's family came from, Mom was born and her mother died tragically. Author Liz Moore is truly talented and gifted and I will read all her books.

It's about two sisters Mickey and Kacey and their childhood, adolescence and the differences between them in adulthood. Mickel( Michaela) is a police officer and Kacey is an addict who works the streets.

A string of murders in Mickey's district of addicts and prostitutes impels her to throw caution to the winds and try to find her sister.

It is described as being "an intense family thriller" and looks at family systems in an in depth way.

Recommended as top book of the year by many top book reviewers and this reader!

The Anchoress of Chesterfield: John the Carpenter (Book 4) - 5 Stars~ A Must Read Medieval Thriller~

 A fine series by a favorite,extremely talented writer, who loves the history of this area of England. John the Carpenter was orphaned at nine by the Black Death.He lost his father who taught him to love and "listen to" wood, how to be resilient and left him his tools.

Our story opens with John being fairly prosperous, in very perilous times, following plague and famine. He is asked by the coroner to investigate the death of a young anchoress, who is revered by all, and is the youngest daughter of an important man with ties to the crown.

John can barely refuse, although his wife is angry and distraught, as his previous role with a prior coroner had almost cost his life. Now six years later he very much needs the reward he is promised, which will make his family secure. Will it put his family and himself in danger? Will he solve it in the short time he is allowed?

This one was a serious nail biter through the end to the story. Highly recommended! Chris Nickson is a master at historical mysteries, especially of this epoch.

Death Comes to the Rectory - Catherine Lloyd- Book #8 - 5 Stars!

 #DeathComestotheRectory #NetGalley Thanks to Kensington Books and the author. A fine job and I am really hoping that the series goes on, having read and reviewed all eight of them now!

"In Catherine Lloyd's eighth Regency-set Kurland St. Mary Mystery, murder casts a dark shadow over the christening of Major Sir Robert Kurland and Lady Lucy's daughter Elizabeth--even more so when Lucy's own father, the rector, falls under suspicion for the crime..." Publisher's blog-

The list of suspects ebbed and flowed about who killed Lord Northam, a man that many felt they would LIKE to have done that deed. In fact suspicion fell on several members of Lucy and Robert's combined families. It was a surprising turn of events and a fun ending.

The Mitford Trial - Jessica Fellowes- A Mitford Mystery~ Pre-Order NOW!!

I very much enjoy Jessica Fellowes Mitford mysteries, featuring Louisa Cannon, who began her working career as nursemaid,then lady's maid to the famous Mitford family's daughters.Louisa's wedding to Guy Sullivan DS, of London's Metropolitan occurs as the story opens- with the entire Mitford family in attendance a happy day!

As war clouds hover over the UK, Louisa is induced to report to British authorities anything that transpires on a cruise that Lady Redesdale and her daughters Diana Guinness and Unity are taking. Diana's relationship with Sir Oswald Mosley and both sister's fascist leanings are of concern to UK authorities.

Guy turns up on the cruise as he is worried about Louisa and a murder happens that he as a police officer handles. The plot is long and complicated and involves British secret intelligence, double agent spies etc. The murder itself is based on a real crime but in real life the Mitfords are not involved in this.

It was a bit too complicated and long but I do enjoy the characters and hope for a sequel ( pretty sure there will be one)