Time to Murder and Create by Lawrence Block

Time to Murder and Create
Lawrence Block
4/5 stars

A blackmailer, Spinner, asks Scudder to keep his files and find his killer if he gets bumped off.  When Spinner is murdered, Scudder investigates the three people being blackmailed to find which one was responsible.

Scudder is a hard-boiled character, an alcoholic ex-cop who does detective work "as a favor for friends" instead of as a licensed P.I.  This second in the series moves quickly, follows up red herrings, and is, in general, an interesting read. It's hard not to like Scudder, despite his near anti-hero characteristics.  While the novel isn't intellectual or deep, it's an engaging mystery up until the very end.

The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing by Tarquin Hall

The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing
Tarquin Hall
4/5 stars

A prominent rationalist, Dr. Jha, is murdered before his friends when a goddess rises from the ground and stabs him to death.  Vish Puri knows that it is an illusion, and must unveil both the mystery of the occurrence and the guilty party behind it.  

In the meantime, Mummy and Puri's wife Rumpy, are robbed during a kitty party.  Mummy enlists Rumpy's aid and they set out to find which of their friends could be responsible for such an act.

This novel takes the reader into the fascinating world of India's magicians and religious cults as Puri investigates the most obvious suspect, the Maharaj Swami.  The social aspect of Mummy's investigation is also interesting.  Both mysteries are engrossing, the characters engaging, and Hall's writing solid.  This second volume lacks some of the charm of the first (see here), but is still well worth a read both for the puzzle and the atmosphere.

The Black Goatee by the Little Sisters

The Black Goatee
Constance and Gwenyth Little
4/5 stars

During the post-war (WWII) housing shortage, Aloysius Graham installs himself and a few others in the unused left wing of his cousins' house--unbeknownst to said cousins.  When he finds a corpse one night, it starts an investigation that includes missing bodies, insurance fraud, disappearing money, and one black goatee.

This is a typical Little sisters screwball comedy with a serious mystery at the heart.  The Little sisters had a great ability to seamlessly change character point-of-view that makes the story flow well.  The mystery was a surprisingly complex one which kept me guessing until the reveal.  The comedy, as always, was laugh-out-loud fun.  As is generally the case when I read one of their novels, I closed the book with a satisfied smile.

Night and Day by Virginia Woolf (Classic's Club)

(about the Classics Club)

Night and Day
Virginia Woolf
3/5 stars

Katherine Hilbury, well-to-do daughter of an intellectual and artistic family, becomes engaged to William Rodney, a budding poet/dramatist.  A young lawyer, Ralph Denham, is introduced to the family through Mr. Hilbury, falls in love with Katherine, and they begin an unusual courtship.

On the surface, this 1927 novel is a simple and straight-forward story of Katherine and her two very different suitors.  Underneath, however, it is a discussion of love, marriage, independence, and even the rights of women.  It's, unfortunately, not a gripping drama, and at times it is hard to remain interested in the plot.

This is Woolf's second novel, and she hasn't yet developed her stream-of-consciousness style that I like so much.  She does, however, have her characters do nearly as much thinking as acting.  Despite not being enthralling, the story generally flows well, and there were many passages worth noting.

The downside was it's length.  Woolf, herself, called it "interminable" and said "I can't believe any human being can get through Night and Day."  At nearly 450 pages of dense content, I agree that it is quite the task, and frankly, had it been another author, I would have quit well before the half-way point.

Bottom line is that it's a good novel, but not a great one, and I'd only recommend it to Woolf fans trying to read all that she wrote.

Inspector Queen's Own Case by Ellery Queen

Inspector Queen's Own Case
Ellery Queen
4/5 stars

Inspector Queen (Ellery's father) has retired and is not happy about it.  While visiting friends, he becomes involved in the possible murder of an infant.  The baby's nurse, Jessie, appeals to him for help and they form a partnership to investigate the case.

This is my favorite Ellery Queen mystery, despite Ellery not appearing in it at all.  Richard Queen has a wonderful personality, and Jessie was a delight as well.  The mystery was engaging and the writing good.  Overall, it's an excellent book and just barely falls short of 5 stars.

The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall

The Case of the Missing Servant
Tarquin Hall 
5/5 stars

Prominent lawyer Ajay Kasliwal is being accused of murdering his missing servant, Mary, and hires Vish Puri to prove his innocence.   Punjabi Puri, affectionately known as "Chubby", is the owner of  Most Private Investigators Ltd. in Delhi, a highly successful private detective firm where "discretion is my watchword".  With his operatives, Puri sets out to solve Kasliwal's case, while also investigating both a prospective bridegroom, and the latest attempt on his life.

Puri is well-drawn: personable and clever, with an amusing streak of pomposity.  The supporting characters, especially Mummy, are as fun and nearly as fleshed-out.  The solution of the case rests on some information that the reader doesn't have available, but it doesn't lessen the enjoyment of the experience.  However, it's the details about India in general, and Delhi in particular that make this novel rise about the average mystery.   I highly recommend this book, especially to those with interest in modern India.

(On a personal note: this was my second time reading it and I think I liked it even better this second time.)

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir
Jennifer Ryan
5/5 stars

It's the spring of 1940, and as most all of the men in the village of Chilbury are off fighting the war. As a result, the women are learning to shoulder tasks they wouldn't normally do, including singing in a choir exclusively for women.  The story, through journals and letters, follows several ladies from this choir over the course of a few months, observing how they are affected by the war, the choir, and each other.

This novel is simply splendid.  Ryan's writing is lovely, the characters are fully-fleshed and believable, and the story is, by turns, moving and funny.  I truly hated to see this delightful book come to an end.

The Rise of the Automated Aristocrats by Mark Hodder

The Rise of the Automated Aristocrats
Mark Hodder
4/5 stars

Burton

In this sixth and final volume of the Burton and Swinburne series, Burton is retrieved from his death bed in our line of history, and taken to the alternate steampunk universe to help his friends find the missing inventor, Babbage.  The very history that Burton risked his life to change is now becoming a reality as he must fight against technologically-enhanced aristocrats,  sadistic enemies, and an artificial intelligence gone rogue.

Hodder has an amazing talent for creating a realistic alternate universe with believable crises.  This novel, while at times too philosophical, wraps up the series nicely with an exciting, complex plot and wonderful, multidimensional characters.  Overall, this steampunk fantasy series is a winner and comes highly recommended.



(previous reviews are here, here, here, here and here.)