I received a review copy of this book from the author via BookTasters for which my thanks. A mediaeval whodunit, The Fenland Spell (2023) captures the political and religious turbulence of the times while giving readers a mystery with plenty of twists and turns, where Father Eadred, a young priest who has a knack for…
Book Review: The Meiji Guillotine Murders (1979/2024) by Futaro Yamada and translated by Bryan Karetnyk
I received a review copy of this book from Pushkin Press via Edelweiss for which my thanks. Set in the Meiji era (1868–1912), the period commencing from the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, The Meiji Guillotine Murders by Futaro Yamada, originally published in 1979 and in this translation by Brayan Karetnyk by Pushkin in 2024…
Book Review: Murder at Abbeymead Farm (2023) by Merryn Allingham
My thanks to Bookouture for a review copy of this book via NetGalley. Author Merryn Allingham certainly writes these faster than I can keep up; it was only recently that I seemed to be reading Murder at St Saviour’s, the fifth of the Flora Steele series of mysteries set in 1950s England, and before I…
Book Review: Green for Danger (1944/2022) by Christianna Brand
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for a review copy of this book via NetGalley! A military hospital amidst the blitz; a closed group of doctors, nurses and VADs working together, an unexplained but unsuspicious death on the operating table—a tense situation but nothing exceptional. But add to it one more incident (this time clearly…
Book Review: The French Spy (2018) by Mark Ellis
My thanks to the author Mark Ellis for a review copy of this book via Booktasters. The French Spy (2018) also published under the title Merlin at War is the third in a series of historical mysteries/police procedurals featuring Inspector Frank Merlin and set in World War II London. Besides the mystery threads, this series…
Book Review: Punishment of a Hunter by Yulia Yakovleva and translated by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp
My thanks to Pushkin Press for a review copy of this book via Edelweiss. Punishment of a Hunter is a dark, gritty and gripping historical mystery which gives the reader an excellent sense of time and place as well as a very satisfying mystery. Written by author, theatre and ballet critic Yulia Yakovleva, the book…
Book Review: Chaos at Carnegie Hall by Kelly Oliver
My thanks to Boldwood Books for a widget of this book via NetGalley. Chaos at Carnegie Hall is a comic, cosy historical mystery–thriller which (something I hadn’t realised when I chose to read the book) either continues from author Kelly Oliver’s series featuring Fiona Figg or is perhaps an additional set introducing a new character.…
Book Review: Dead in the Water by Mark Ellis
My thanks to the author Mark Ellis for a review copy of the book via Booktasters. Dead in the Water is the fifth in the Frank Merlin series of police procedurals/mysteries set in World-War-II London. I have previously read and reviewed the first in this series but haven’t yet had chance to catch up with…
Book Review: The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khan
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for a review copy of this book. The Lost Man of Bombay is book 3 in the Malabar House historical mystery series by Vaseem Khan set in 1950s Bombay around Persis Wadia, India’s first (fictional) female inspector. Persis who as the only female inspector in the police…
Book Review: A Taste for Killing by Sarah Hawkswood
My thanks to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for a review copy of this book. A Taste for Killing is Book 10 in the Bradecote and Catchpoll series of medieval mysteries by Sarah Hawkswood, and the second book that I read in this series, having come across it and enjoyed book 9 very much last…
Literary Potpourri 