A Hodge Podge of Reviews - What I've Been Reading 2020 #1

Goodreads:  Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar (A Laetitia Rodd Mystery #2) by Kate Saunders

Blurb: It is 1851 and Mrs Rodd has received an unusual commission: wealthy businessman Jacob Welland is dying of consumption and implores our redoubtable detective to find his beloved brother, whom he has not seen for fifteen years.

Mrs Rodd uses her search as an opportunity to reconnect with a couple from her past, but then a violent murder is committed and Scotland Yard are called to investigate. Mrs Rodd's old friend Inspector Blackbeard doesn't want to hear any nonsense about gypsies or secrets, but Mrs Rodd is convinced that something very sinister is lurking in this peaceful landscape.

My Thoughts:  I absolutely loved the first Laetitia Rodd book and waited anxiously for the 2nd book.  And it was good but did not exactly live up to the first book for me.  The story was a bit convoluted and meandering and at times slow paced.  That said I did enjoy this.  Mrs. Rodd is a wonderful lead, I adored her irreverent brother Fred and the redemption of Inspector Blackbeard.  I was not surprised to hear who the bad guy was but the motives and unraveling of it all were a surprise.  If you enjoy classic style mysteries (and don't mind some religious overtones) this is a good read but just be prepared for a slower read.  My Rating:  Liked It

Goodreads:  Deadly Fate (Krewe of Hunters #19) by Heather Graham

Blurb:  When Clara Avery, an entertainer working on the Fate, an Alaskan cruise ship, goes to nearby Bear Island, she comes across a scene of bloody mayhem. She also comes across Thor Erikson, who will soon be a member of the FBI's elite paranormal unit, the Krewe of Hunters.

Thor's been sent from the Alaska field office to investigate several grotesque killings, with the dead posed to resemble the victims of notorious murderers. The prime suspect is a serial killer Thor once put behind bars. The man escaped from a prison in the Midwest, and all the evidence says he was headed to Alaska…

My Thoughts:  Oh this was a fun distraction!  There are serial killers, ghosts, a moose or two and an isolated island.  Throw in a really dreadful reality TV show it was just a lot of fun.  There are some repeat characters - Clara was in the previous book and Jackson and Angela are series regulars and the main characters in the first book - but you don't really need to have read any of the earlier books before diving into this one.  The investigation definitely kept me turning pages and this was one of those books that kept me up way too late and I didn't even mind.  In terms of quality this is just okay.  The romance is a little to instant (though better done then some) and the mystery was pretty easy to figure out.  However, the enjoyment was really high and this was just a fun book to pick up just now.  Creepy but not scary and no connection to current events!  My Rating:  Liked It!