November 2024 Wrap Up

Books Read:

Killing with Confetti by Peter Lovesey (2019)  4/5 stars (my review here)

Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark by Jane Fletcher Geniesse (1999)  4/5 stars

Freya Stark (31 January 1893 – 9 May 1993) was a self-taught explorer and adventurer, who became a respected Arabist and a renowned author and letter writer. Geniesse tells Freya's story in entertaining, interesting, and accessible prose, showing the many facets of her life, including her formative years, her motives, and her dreams.  Freya Stark was a fascinating, if flawed, woman, and I learned a good deal both about her, and about the world around her during her long life.

The Finisher by Peter Lovesey (2020)  4/5 stars (my review here)

Singapore Sapphire by  A.M. Stuart (2019)  4/5 stars

Harriet Gordon series, Book 1

This was an interesting, well-written, and mostly satisfying mystery taking place among the Europeans living in Singapore in 1910.  I cared for the characters and look forward to the rest of the series. 

Behold, Here's Poison by Georgette Heyer (1936)  4/5 stars

This is a solidly good Golden Age mystery with some nice twists.  While it lacks Heyer's signature witty banter, it was still quite enjoyable and satisfying.

Diamond and the Eye  by Peter Lovesey (2021)  3/5 stars (my review here)

Showstopper  by Peter Lovesey (2022)  4/5 stars (my review here)

The Letter from Briarton Park by Sarah E. Ladd (2022)  3/5 stars

This was a very light Regency romantic suspense novel.  The blurbs describe it as Charlotte Bronte meets Jane Austen, but the only similarities were superficial.  I didn't dislike it, but I feel it could have been much better with more substance, as the idea of the plot was intriguing. 

Her Fae Secret by Eliza Prokopovits (2023)  4/5 stars (my review here)

The Beast's Magician by Eliza Prokopovits (2023)  4/5 stars (my review here)

  

Her Forgotten Sea by Eliza Prokopovits (2023)  4/5 stars (my review here)

    

Her Cursed Apple by Eliza Prokopovits (2024)  4/5 stars (my review here)

Her Enchanted Tower  by Eliza Prokopovits (2024)  4/5 stars (my review here)

Her Accidental Frog  by Eliza Prokopovits (2024)  4/5 stars (my review here)

Audiobooks Completed:

Toward Zero by Agatha Christie (1944)  5/5 stars

This was a reread of this twisty, layered, excellent example of Christie's craft.  Definitely worth five stars.

Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie (1958)  4/5 stars

This was a reread; here is my review from 2018:

In this stand-alone mystery, Jack Argyle is found guilty of the murder of his mother, but two years later his alibi is verified. Now the rest of his family are under suspicion, and the true killer will not hesitate to kill again to remain unidentified. This is one of my favorite Christie mysteries: it is intelligent, well-written, and believable. I highly recommend it.

The Hollow by Agatha Christie (1946)  5/5 stars

Poirot comes to a country house for a Sunday luncheon, only to find a woman, holding a gun, standing over a dying man.  That she is the killer seems so obvious, until the evidence comes to light.

Poirot is only a minor part of this mystery; the main focus of the plot is the inter-relations between the house party members and how those relationships led to murder.  This is one of my favorites by Christie, despite the fact that I dislike most of the characters, because the study of the personalities is so well-done.  It's a slow, leisurely story, which may be a drawback for some readers, but I was completely immersed in this intriguing and gripping tale.  

After the Funeral by Agatha Christie (1953)  4/5 stars

A most intriguing, entertaining, and engrossing mystery.  The solution was surprising and satisfying.

The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham (1952)  5/5 stars  (my review here)

Regency Magic Faerie Tales Series by Eliza Prokopovits

Eliza Prokopovits

Her Fae Secret by Eliza Prokopovits (2023)  4/5 stars 
Regency Magic Faerie Tales, Book 1 

Eleanor and her two sisters, Anne and Sophie, have been secretly going to Faerie for years, dancing weekly at the Faerie Queen's ball.  Now, they are being introduced to Society, and the difficulty of visiting Faerie while in London attending other social events is adding stress to Eleanor -- most particularly when it forces her to deceive former Naval magician James Weston, the man who is quickly becoming important to her.

This was a delightful fantasy taking place during the Regency period in an alternate reality in which magic is practiced, and even acceptable as an accomplishment for young ladies alongside music and drawing. The romance is light and gentle, the world intriguing, and the Regency feel generally well done. Prokopovits has blended strains of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" and the Regency romance genre into her original plot and made an enjoyable and charming story.  I look forward to reading more in the series. 

The Beast's Magician by Eliza Prokopovits (2023)  4/5 stars 

Regency Magic Faerie Tales, Book 2

Eight years ago, the Duke of Harborough was magically transformed into a beast and has lived as a recluse ever since.  Isabelle, a young woman with skill in magic, is planning for her future by looking for work as a governess, though she's not keen on children.  Harborough hires Isabelle to perform household magic to help his staff and to catalog his library.  They become friends and despite his frightening appearance, Isabelle finds herself falling in love with the man inside the fur.

In this alternate Regency England, magic is a skill that is acceptable for young women, and I love how Prokopovits explains it and utilizes it in her plot.  The characters were delightful and the plot charming.  I wasn't fully satisfied with how Isabelle was hired, it felt rushed and not fully explained, but once past that small hiccup, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the book.

  

Her Forgotten Sea by Eliza Prokopovits (2023)  4/5 stars 

Regency Magic Faerie Tales, Book 3

Arielle is a mermaid who has become fascinated by land and humans.  She is given a chance to become a human, at a sacrifice, for a year and a day -- permanently if she marries her true love before that time.  Arielle is found and "adopted" by the elderly Lady Priscilla Farley and her niece, who proceed to introduce her to Brighton society, where she hopes to find true love.

This sweet retelling of "The Little Mermaid" happens in an alternate Regency England where fairies and mermaids exist, though unbeknownst to most of the humans, and where magic is practiced in the drawing rooms and universities.  Arielle is a likable character and I enjoyed her history as a mermaid, her life as a human, and her gentle romance.  I did feel her acceptance by the Farleys happened unreasonably quickly; I would have liked to see them grow to love and accept her, instead of the instant way it happened. There is very little magic in this one, which I missed, but Arielle's love of books in general and Jane Austen in particular was such fun that it almost made up for it.  Overall, though, I definitely enjoying novel and look forward to reading more of the series.  

    

Her Cursed Apple by Eliza Prokopovits (2024)  4/5 stars 

Regency Magic Faerie Tales, Book 4

Bianca and Winston live on adjoining estates and have been friends since childhood.  As their friendship grows into more, Bianca's life becomes endangered and she must disappear from the world she knows before she falls victim to a fatal curse.

This is an engaging retelling of "Snow White", taking place in a magical Regency England.  I love the alternate universe that Prokipovits has created, and enjoyed the characters and plot of this story immensely.  Like the previous books of the series, it's fun, sweet, and entertaining.  Bianca's story is a bit more complex that the others, and as such, is my favorite so far.

Her Enchanted Tower  by Eliza Prokopovits (2024)  4/5 stars 

Regency Magic Faerie Tales, Book 5

Kate has spent her life in a Norman tower, living with Mama and, since the age of twelve, seeing no others people at all, living magically sealed within the confines of her home and garden.  When Henry stumbles upon her, he becomes intrigued, then attracted, then deeply in love.  Kate reciprocates his feelings, but when Mama discovers what she views as Kate's betrayal, Kate is magically kept captive.  Henry and his sister are determined to rescue Kate, but at a loss as to how to do so.

This is a retelling of "Rapunzel", taking place in an alternate Regency England where magic, curses, and Faeries are as real as the Season in London.  It's not as deep as some of the other books in this series, but is is sweet, fun, and still enjoyable.  Prokopovits has created an engaging and interesting magical world which makes a strong backdrop for retold fairy tales.  I am finding this series delightful.

Her Accidental Frog  by Eliza Prokopovits (2024)  4/5 stars 

Regency Magic Faerie Tales, Book 6

Hannah finds a frog who tells her he's a cursed human.  The magic prevents him from telling her who he is, so little does she know that he's her brother's best friend, Nathaniel -- the man she's loved since she was a child.  

Like the others in this series, it is set in an alternate Regency England where magic is practiced and acceptable.  The main characters are so likable and their friendship so sweet, that I found this book an absolute delight.  Prokopovits writes well, and the plot is fun and enjoyable, if light.  I enjoyed it -- and the rest -- a good deal and look forward to the publication of another of these Regency fairy tales.

The Tiger in the Smoke

The Tiger in the Smoke 

Albert Campion series, book 14 

Margery Allingham 

1952 

5/5 stars

Meg Elginbrodde is a war widow, recently engaged to be remarried.  She begins receiving recent snapshots of a man that looks the husband that was presumed dead so turns to her cousin, Albert Campion, for help.

Jack Havoc has escaped from prison and is leaving a trail of death in his wake, narrowly escaping the pursuing police, as he tries to locate a treasure he learned about during the War.

Their paths begin to crisscross, with Meg and her family becoming more and more at risk as Jack's desperation increases.  

This is not a mystery story -- most of the Campion novels are not -- but is rather a crime novel/psychological thriller.  Allingham expertly explores Havoc's mind and motives, leaving the reader on seat-edge waiting for what will happen next.  Meg's father, Canon Averill, is nearly as major a character as Havoc, and Allingham's treatment of him and his reasons for his actions is masterly and moving.  

Campion is only a minor character, so while I usually advise reading this series in order, I think this one could be safely read with no prior knowledge of the established characters; there will be a bit of confusion here and there, but the meat of the story will be unaffected.

This was a reread for me, and remains firmly my favorite of Allingham's work.  It is intelligent and well-written, completely engrossing, at times heart-rending, with an absolutely perfect ending.

Four by Lovesey

Peter Lovesey

Killing with Confetti by Peter Lovesey (2019)  4/5 stars

Peter Diamond series, Book 18

Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond, Bath CID, is given an unappealing assignment - - to watch the back of Joe Irving, newly released from prison as he enjoys the wedding of his only daughter.  The reason for the urgency being that Irving, one of Bath's prominent career criminals, is about to marry his daughter to the son of the Deputy Chief Constable -- and the DCC doesn't want his new in-law to be bumped off before the wedding is through.

I'm a huge fan of this series, even if I am a few books behind, so I pushed my way through the first few disconcerting chapters.  It was worth it.  Lovesey spends most of the book building characters and setting the scene, with the mystery taking only a small part of the book, but he pulled off a well-written impossible crime with a striking solution.  I'd not recommend this as one's first Peter Diamond book (I advise reading them in order, anyway), but it was still a solid entry in this great series.

The Finisher by Peter Lovesey (2020)  4/5 stars

Peter Diamond series, Book 19

This is a police procedure mystery that follows Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond as he follows his gut and tries to prove the existence of a crime.  Lovesey is one of my favorite crime writers, and this twisty, layered plot is a fine example of why.

Diamond and the Eye  by Peter Lovesey (2021)  3/5 stars

Peter Diamond series, Book 20

A private investigator, Johnny Getz, locks on to Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond as his in to an investigation of robbery and a missing person.  Totally against his will, Diamond becomes involved with Getz on the case after it turns to murder.  With this one, Lovesey moves away from his normal format and alternates Diamond's third person account with a first person narrative from Getz.  It's a love letter to classic gumshoe stories, with Getz trying to be a hardboiled sleuth in word and deed, but not always succeeding.  I enjoyed the actual plot, but the jarring switches between points-of-view lessened the novel as a whole.

Showstopper  by Peter Lovesey (2022)  4/5 stars

Peter Diamond series, Book 21

When a missing man case leads Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond to investigate a supposedly jinxed television show, he finds that there may be more going on than just bad luck.  This is a fun, twisty, and intelligent mystery.  Lovesey does a great job with the characters and their motives, and the slow reveal of information is believable and equally well-done.  I enjoyed this one from start to finish.