Books Read:
Foreboding Foretelling at Ficklehouse Felling by P.J. Fitzsimmons (2023) 4/5 stars
Anty makes friends with a duck, revels in Epicureanism, and solves yet another locked-room mystery in this fun, well-written, and highly entertaining seventh volume of the series.
Mystery and Malice aboard RMS Ballast by P.J. Fitzsimmons (2024) 4/5 stars
In this eighth addition to the Anty Boisjoly series, Anty joins friends for a yachting pleasure cruise, only to find his plans interrupted by piracy, smuggling, treasure-hunting, mistaken romance, and a grammatically correct macaw. Oh, and murder. It's another fun, locked-room mystery bringing together familiar characters and introducing an important new one. Overall, I've enjoyed this series immensely and am eagerly looking forward to the next volume, to be published in a few weeks.
A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianne Freeman (2022) 3/5 stars
While the murder was easy to solve, the main character is appealing and the writing engaging, making this another enjoyable (if not exceptional) cozy mystery.
Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin (2018) 3/5 stars
This is an interesting and generally well-written cozy mystery taking place in a county house at Christmas. The culprit was rather obvious, but some of the evidence didn't stack up. Nonetheless, I enjoyed Major Lennox's voice and will definitely try the second book of the series.
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| Queen Joanna I |
Audiobooks Completed:
The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily by Nancy Goldstone (2009) 3/5 stars
This was full of interesting information about Queen Joanna and the current affairs going on around her, but was not as lively, engaging, or entertaining as the other two I've read by Ms. Goldstone, and was at times both dry and overly involved. I most certainly learned a good deal, but not as easily or pleasantly as I expected from my previous experience with this author.
A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari (2022)
I decided to give this debut novel a try because of the decent reviews, despite the fact that the botanist heroine's twee name is Saffron. When, on page one, her dress was "the precise color of her eyes", I rolled my eyes but pushed on. I didn't make it through the first chapter. (On a side note, the story is supposed to take place in 1920's London, but the American author didn't trouble to use any English spelling.)
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan (2015)
What a disappointment. It started out interesting and informative, but then, after eight chapters, it was obvious that the author had no intention of discussing the actual Silk Roads, the trade routes, the systems, the goods, or the peoples involved. His focus, this "new history of the world", was the rising conflicts of the Christian, Jews, and Muslims, with a Western based focus on historical context. (On a side note, the author would benefit immensely from reading the fascinating Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford.)
Chaucer's People: Everyday Lives in Medieval England by Liza Picard (2017)
Picard's disdain for the beliefs of the times and her overall attitude of condescension made it impossible for me to read.
A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder by Dianne Freeman (2023)
It felt like it was heading toward elder abuse, a triggery subject for me. I could have been wrong, but decided not to finish.
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