The Man in Lower Ten - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads:  The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Purchased

Description:  A happy bachelor in Washington, DC, Lawrence “Lollie” Blakeley is just the right age to dance with the grown-up little sisters of the girls he used to know. He is without sentiment—so he claims—but is ruled and frequently routed by his elderly housekeeper. All he really wants is to relax with a round of golf and a trip out on the yacht.

But when his law partner asks him to deliver important legal documents to a client in Pittsburgh, Lollie finds his cheerful life tremendously disturbed. In the course of one overnight trip, he ends up in the wrong berth, falls in love, and is accused of murder.

The Man in Lower Ten was the first detective novel to appear on national bestseller lists and is just as deliciously thrilling today as when it was published more than a century ago.

Genre: Mystery - Classic 

Why I Picked This Book:  I'm trying to read more classic mysteries and I have been really enjoying Rinehart's books.

My Impression:  I really enjoy this author's books and this was a fun one!  There's a murder on a train with all kinds of mistaken identities, confusion, and accusations.  The story is told completely in Lollie's point of view and there is a lot of time spent in his head.  

Rinehart's tone is completely unique with a bit of a noir feel but a touch of cozy and a little bit of humor.  There is some datedness to her descriptions of people and her language but at least in this story it was fairly minor.  I love the vintage feel ofthe train journey, wreck, and investigation as Lollie tries to figure out what's going on to keep himself out of jail.  

My main issue with this is the issue I have with pretty much every Mary Roberts Rinehart book I've read - the ending.  While the solution always makes sense and is explained it somehow always comes off as a bit anti-climatic.  This was no different but with the added issue that there are a lot of characters and I found it a bit difficult to keep everyone straight sometimes.  I think part of that problem was I went with the audio versus the print version of this one and I think print just works better for her books.  

If you're looking for a middle ground in classic mystery between Christie and Hammett but with a bit of a fun twist than Roberts is a great choice.  I don't think this was my favorite but it was a lot of fun!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I've enjoyed all her books and am looking forward to reading more by her.

Would I Recommend this Book? I would definitely recommend this author but maybe start with The Circular Staircase or The Bat before this book.

Friday Fives - Five Short Reviews for Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random fve lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White - I've read and enjoyed books by all of these authors and this is the second collab book I've read.  I enjoyed this one.  It's hard to beat a Lusitania setting with a modern day timeline involving an author who is trying to solve a family mystery and revive her career.   All the characters were interesting and I enjoyed getting to know them.  The start was a bit slow but the second half really hooked me.  I did want more from Tess's timeline as the other two were fleshed out a bit more and I felt like there were a number of aspects of Tess's story that were left unexplained.  I went with the audio of this book and enjoyed all three narrators.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

2.  Lost on Planet China by J. Maarten Troost - This is the story of a guy who because of his wife's job got used to living in out of the way places and writing about them.  When they move to California he now has to go out on his own and so he decides to go wander around China for a bit.  And he does and then he writes a book about it.  He doesn't speak Mandarin or any other language spoken in China and definitely can't read it so he's pretty much just winging it which leads to some interesting situations.  He does have some awareness of the culture and history and brings context to his experiences while still pretty much flying blind.  It was an interesting read that had me laughing a time or two and explored regions of China that I knew very little to nothing about.  His tone is not for everyone so if you haven't read anything from this author I recommed going the library route to make sure you can tolerate his writing style.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

3.  Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy - Well this was lovely!  The day of a tragedy in a small coastal village in Greece, four strangers (plus a hanger on) from different countries find themselves in a cafe on a hill watching things unfold from afar.  The four become immersed in the life of the village as they try to figure out their own personal battles.   Vonni and Andreas become involved in helping the four foreigners - Elsa, Fiona, David, and Thomas - come to terms with their struggles and what they are running from.  At times the actions or decisions of the characters made me want to shake them but I never got frustrated with the book.  Despite the serious topics dealt with Binchy's writing style has a soothing quality to it that made it a peaceful feeling read.  I'm so glad I picked this one up and am looking forward to reading more from her.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

4.  Old World Murder by Kathleen Ernst - This mystery takes place in a living history village in Wisconsin that sounds absolutely amazing.  The setting of the book takes place in the early 1980s and Chloe Ellefson is just starting her new job as collections curator.  Honestly, Chloe drove me crazy.  She's struggling a bit with her mental health but she comes off as so incompetent I had a hard time taking her seriously.  The book had a bit of a slow start and the murder isn't the typical murder but I did get interested in the story after about a third of the way through and it was interesting to see how everything played out.  I have a later book iin the series on my review shelf and I will read that but I don't see myself reading all the books in the series.  My Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)

5.  Secrets of the Greek Revival by Eva Pohler - Three friends decide to give themselves a project to put all the HGTV watching skills to the test and give themselves a bit of a distraction as they deal with aging parents and marriages that haven't always turned out how they want them to go.  So they buy a house - a house that might be haunted and has a tumoltuous history.  What's really going on in the spooky abandoned house in San Antonio and does the rumored gold really exist.  This was an entertaining read with a bit of mystery and ghostly atmosphere.  The writing was a bit clunky and I had some issues with aspects of the story but overall it was an entertaining distraction.  My Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)

What have you read recently?

Books from the Backlog - Mountains Wild

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  The Mountains Wild by Sarah Stewart Taylor

Blurb:  Twenty-three years ago, Maggie D'arcy's family received a call from the Dublin police. Her cousin Erin has been missing for several days. Maggie herself spent weeks in Ireland, trying to track Erin's movements, working beside the police. But it was to no avail: no trace of her was ever found.

The experience inspired Maggie to become a cop. Now, back on Long Island, more than 20 years have passed. Maggie is a detective and a divorced mother of a teenager. When the Gardaí call to say that Erin's scarf has been found and another young woman has gone missing, Maggie returns to Ireland, awakening all the complicated feelings from the first trip. The despair and frustration of not knowing what happened to Erin. Her attraction to Erin's coworker, now a professor, who never fully explained their relationship. And her determination to solve the case, once and for all.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I've been wanting to read this series since this first book came out and just haven't managed to pick it up yet!

Pinned 4 Murder - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Pinned 4 Murder (A Sophie Kimball Mystery) by J.C. Eaton

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  With a killer in their midst and a high-tech developer threatening to overhaul their beloved bowling alley, the seniors of Sun City West turn to amateur sleuth Sophie “Phee” Kimball to strike back at both culprits. She’s been recruited by her mother’s friendThis s before, but this time Phee finds herself pulled in two directions when one of the book club ladies gets tangled in the clutches of a dangerous cyber-scammer who pretends to be the love of her life.

Phee’s investigation grows even more complicated when the bowling alley is sabotaged and a flimflammer is found dead in the nearby bushes. With the league tournament in limbo and one of the seniors pegged as the likely murder suspect, Phee will have to cut the cord on the cyber-criminal and pin the killer—before they can strike again . . .

Genre: Mystery- Cozy 

Why I Picked This Book:  I love this series and have been reading it since the first book.

My Impression:  When I start a book in this series I'm looking forward to chaos and quirky characters getting into trouble all while a long suffering Phee tries to keep order and calm.  This didn't let me down!  There was cyber scamming, affairs, rumors of a serial killer, lizards loose in a bowling alley, and just general chaos - all with stops for bagels and coffee in between.  

There were two mysteries going on here.  The first involves the murder victim and the second involves who is romance scamming one on the Book Club ladies and why.  The murder definitely kept me guessing.  The victims had multiple people who wanted to remove them from the equation so it kept me (and Phee, the rest of Williams Investigations and of course the Book Club ladies) guessing!  The scamming isn't so much a whodunnit but a how is it going to get unraveled and we saw quite a bit of Rolo which always makes me happy.

The conclusion was a fun one and a bit of a surprise!  I'm also oh so glad I don't have a dog like Streetman in my life but it is always fun to read about his misadventures!  If you're looking for a light quirky cozy with a good portion of humor and likable characters this series is a great pick and this mystery was a fun one!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely! I've been reading this series since the beginning and I'm always on the lookout for new books.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you like humorous cozies this is a fantastic series!

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

10 Beachy Covers on My TBR

 I was going to do the Top Ten Tuesday topic today but it turns out I don't read very many debut books!  We had an amazing beach vacation a few weeks back and are planning on going back in the next month or so but at the moment I'm missing the sand and the water a bit.  Here are 10 books on my TBR with beachy covers so I can take some virtual vacations until the next real one happens!

1.  Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis 

2.  The Seafront Tea Room by Vanessa Green  

3.  The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax

4.  Slightly South of Simple by Kristy Woodson Harvey

5.  A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

6.  Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker

7.  Honeymoon by Tina Seskis

8.  Forever Beach by Shelley Noble

9.  From Beer to Eternity by Sherry Harris

10. Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum

What beachy reads are on your TBR?

TBR Tarot - Murder at Half Moon Gate

At the end of 2022 Wendy over at Literary Feline posted about these fantastic TBR Tarot Cards she had picked up on Etsy and that sounded too good to resist so I immediately ordered my own set.  So when I'm not feeling strongly about what to read next I pull out my cards and pick a book based on the prompt.  Here is a book the fates chose for me recently.

Prompt:  Choose a book with a 5 word title

Goodreads: Murder at Half Moon Gate (Wrexford & Sloan #2) by Andrea Penrose

Blurb:  When Lord Wrexford discovers the body of a gifted inventor in a dark London alley, he promptly alerts the watchman and lets the authorities handle the matter. But Wrexford soon finds himself drawn into the murder investigation when the inventor’s widow begs for his assistance, claiming the crime was not a random robbery. It seems her husband’s designs for a revolutionary steam-powered engine went missing the night of his death. The plans could be worth a fortune . . . and very dangerous in the wrong hands.

Joining Wrexford in his investigation is Charlotte Sloane, who uses the pseudonym A. J. Quill to publish her scathing political cartoons. Her extensive network of informants is critical for her work, but she doesn’t mind tapping that same web of spies to track down an elusive killer. Each suspect—from ambitious assistants to rich investors, and even the inventor’s widow—is entwined in a maze of secrets and lies that leads Wrexford and Sloane down London’s most perilous stews and darkest alleyways.

With danger lurking at every turn, the potent combination of Wrexford’s analytical mind and Sloane’s exacting intuition begins to unravel the twisted motivations behind the inventor’s death. But they are up against a cunning and deadly foe—a killer ready to strike again before they can recover the inventor’s priceless designs . . .

My Thoughts:  I had enjoyed the first book in this historical mystery series but it wasn't a stand out for me so I'm so glad that I this prompt pushed me into picking up book 2.  I so enjoyed this book and really enjoyed getting to see more of Rex and Charlotte - and of course Raven and Hawk.  The mystery involves the seedy side of industrial invention and conflict between those who want to improve society and those that want money at all costs.  I really wasn't sure just who the bad guy was and how it would all unravel until the very end and what an ending it was!  I'm so glad I picked up book 2 and won't be nearly as long until I pick up book 3.  If you're a fan of historical mysteries this is a great series!  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

Nothing Venture - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Nothing Venture by Patricia Wentworth

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   Purchased

Description:  Jervis Weare is in a predicament. According to Ambrose Weare’s will, his grandson must marry within three months or the vast estate goes to his Jervis’s fiancée Rosamund Carew. But the deceiving society beauty has just dumped Jervis, which leaves him scrambling to find another bride.   Nan Forsyth has secretly loved Jervis for ten years. He has no inkling that Nan once saved his life and is now about to come to his rescue again. She knows that with her working-class background and the emotionally fragile sister she’s raising on her own, she’s hardly the proper wife for Jervis. Yet marry him she does; though to Jervis, it’s strictly a business arrangement. They’re barely wed before the past comes back to haunt them—a past Jervis can’t remember, but someone else does. Now Nan must save Jervis one last time before a murderous plot a decade in the making comes full circle.  Nothing Venture is a classic British mystery from the acclaimed author of the Miss Silver Mysteries.  

Genre:  Mystery - Classic 

Why I Picked This Book:   I'm trying to read more of Wentworth's non-Miss Silver books.

My Impression:  This is a classic Patricia Wentworth mystery.  Nan is plucky and intelligent and just a nice person.  Jervis is honestly a bit of a jerk (that part isn't classic Wentworth - her heroes are usually fairly nice) who is a bit angry at the world and not the most trusting.  He does have a friend - FF - that truly saves him as FF is nice and funny and sees who Nan truly is from the first.  He also has some common sense and is able to get through to Jervis occasionally.

The villains are apporpriately villiany with lovely aristorcratic haughtiness and nefarious intent.  There are lots of fancy dinners and English estates and a fun bit of adventure.   This was a fun book to read with lots of adventure and just enough action.  I loved the characters (even Jervis grew on me) and loved the ending.  If you're looking for a fun classic mystery this is an entertaining light read.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course!  Wentworth is a favorite even though the non-Miss Silver books aren't the most consistent.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you're in the mood for a light fun mystery this is a good choice.