Goodreads: The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan
Blurb: From the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir comes a thrilling new WWII story about a village busybody—the mighty Mrs. Braithwaite—who resolves to find, and then rescue, her missing daughter
Mrs. Braithwaite, self-appointed queen of her English village, finds herself dethroned, despised, and dismissed following her husband’s selfish divorce petition. Never deterred, the threat of a family secret being revealed sets her hot-foot to London to find the only person she has left—her clever daughter Betty, who took work there at the first rumbles of war. But when she arrives, Betty’s landlord, the timid Mr. Norris, informs her that Betty hasn’t been home in days--with the chaos of the bombs, there’s no telling what might have befallen her. Aghast, Mrs. Braithwaite sets her bullish determination to the task of finding her only daughter. Storming into the London Blitz, Mrs. Braithwaite drags the reluctant Mr. Norris along as an unwitting sidekick as they piece together Betty’s unexpectedly chaotic life. As she is thrown into the midst of danger and death, Mrs. Braithwaite is forced to rethink her old-fashioned notions of status, class, and reputation, and to reconsider the question that’s been puzzling her since her world How do you measure the success of your life? Readers will be charmed by the unforgettable Mrs. Braithwaite and her plucky, ruthless optimism, and find in The Spies of Shilling Lane a novel with surprising twists and turns, quiet humor, and a poignant examination of mothers and daughters and the secrets we keep.
My Thoughts: I loved the previous book by this author but had heard mixed reviews for this book so I was a bit hesitant. I really enjoyed all the day to day life in wartime London. It was interesting and heartbreaking to follow Mrs. Braithwaite and Mr. Norris and all the people around them as they navigated bombings and shortages and so much loss but also increasing awareness of what they really wanted out of life. Mrs. Braithwaite and Mr. Norris were a good pair and while of similar age couldn't have been more different. The women's club life and the attitudes around Mrs. Braithwaite's divorce were also really interesting. What fell a bit flat for me was the espionage elements. It felt a bit farce-y compared to the more serious elements of the rest of the book and I had a hard time believing a few of the characters were really as well respected as they were. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author and am hoping they next books are more like the first book I read by her. My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
Goodreads: Manor of Dying by Kathleen Bridge
Blurbs: When decorator Meg Barrett travels to a remote mansion to help select period pieces for a new 1930s-style television mystery series, she's chilled to learn that the manor was once a mental asylum and the site of a mysterious decades-old murder. And when a fierce blizzard knocks out the power and strands Meg and her cohorts in the home's rickety old elevator, they emerge to discover that another person has been murdered--in the same macabre manner as the original victim. With a suspect list limited to those who were also stranded at the manor, Meg begins digging through their backgrounds for clues to both the old and new murder, trying to discover a connection that will lead her to the culprit's identity. But the more she learns, the more clear it becomes that someone wants to keep the secrets of the past buried, and Meg knows she'll have to watch her back before a ruthless killer decides to commit her to a grisly fate . . .
My Thoughts: This was a cute cozy. Meg is a likable main character and she has a quirky world of characters around her. The murder happens in an old mansion which not only used to be an insane asylum that seems to have specialized in lobotomies but also a murder - and now a modern day murder. The dialogue is on the clunky over-explaining side and the mystery isn't one that will stick with me. However, this is a fun one to pick up if you need a bit of a palette cleanser from heavier books. My Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)
I'd liked The Chilbury Ladies Choir more than this one too. Braithwaite was indeed an overbearing character. That said, I like the author and she spins some great stories.
ReplyDeleteLove that cover for Manor of Dying.
I have to admit, Manor of Dying is the one that appeals to me, mostly for that setting and the fact they get stranded by a blizzard. That's one of my favorite tropes. :D
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