I love a good gothic, historical murder mystery any day. The House on Vesper Sands definitely delivered.
A seamstress jumps to her death from the top sI love a good gothic, historical murder mystery any day. The House on Vesper Sands definitely delivered.
A seamstress jumps to her death from the top story of a lord's townhouse in London. Her death is suspicious and Inspector Cutter (very Sherlock Holmes-like) is on the case, as well as a related case of missing girls. Cutter is assisted by Sergeant Gideon Bliss - who is just masquerading as a police officer so he can find out what happened to his missing uncle and girlfriend. The case of missing girls is also being followed by the young reporter Octavia Hillingdon. The story revolves around these three seekers of justice, who each find different pathways to the mysterious solution of missing girls and the deaths surrounding them.
The story is a bit of a slow one. Lots of setting and character development rooted in historical accuracy. I am a sucker for that but I know not everyone would be. Inspector Cutter is an interesting one. He talks a great deal, even though he doesn't like how much Bliss talks. Sometimes the dialogue can drag a bit because no one seems to say what they want to say quickly. It isn't great for keeping the suspense high since it can either bore or annoy less stalwart readers. The beginning is so strong! The story of the seamstress - Eleanor Tull - enraptured me immediately. Learning more about her and what happened to her kept me intrigued. As the mystery surrounding the events of her suicide weave into the events of missing girls in London, the mystery takes an odd turn that I didn't expect. I really thought this would be more realistic but the novel does lean towards the supernatural. Victorians were obsessed with the supernatural and the afterlife so I wasn't surprised that the story would have elements of spiritualism. I just thought that the mystery would be more realistic and less supernatural. I don't think it was bad, per se, just unexpected.
Most of the story earned the four stars easily, but the rushed ending where we are told a lot of the mystery and not shown a phenomenal climax kept this from being a 5 star read....more
Seriously, it had some potential - a smidge. I once read a sample of this book on iBooks but I was annoyed at the elementary writing style that felt uSeriously, it had some potential - a smidge. I once read a sample of this book on iBooks but I was annoyed at the elementary writing style that felt unreal and annoying. Fast forward and I find that I’ve accidentally bought the book without realizing I had already dnf’d it. The cover is gorgeous and it tempted me like the little devil it is. I started reading it and quickly realized my mistake. Gorgeous cover doesn’t always lead to a gorgeous story. I only read the whole thing because I felt guilty about paying good money for the hard cover. The mystery has a kernel of something interesting but is mishandled, especially with the resolution. The characters are pretty flat and have very little chemistry. In fact, the main character doesn’t act in line with her history at all. The relationship she has with her professor is not good and I don’t see how this leads to the relationship they have in the epilogue. The story mostly moves from one underdeveloped plot point to an overdeveloped sex scene and back and forth until I was speed reading to the stupid ending....more
I won this book in an auction and I am thrilled! It’s published by the Arizona Opera where I actually saw Carmen for the first time. I loved the authoI won this book in an auction and I am thrilled! It’s published by the Arizona Opera where I actually saw Carmen for the first time. I loved the author’s blending of the novella and the opera into a single piece. Very interesting take on Carmen and the themes of the original works. I am drawn to the horrible characters who hurt each other, instead of truly loving and caring for one another. I’m fascinated by the tragedy and the obsession. It is beautiful and terrible. ...more
After reading the first three in the series (the third one for a second time), I enjoyed spending time with Winterbourne who really is so sarcasticallAfter reading the first three in the series (the third one for a second time), I enjoyed spending time with Winterbourne who really is so sarcastically funny. I enjoyed him so much in the other books and he didn’t disappoint in his own story. The story resolves some spy secrets and missions from the earlier books. The romance is good and I did enjoy the easy, fun read. ...more
I have read Windsor’s books before. This one seemed familiar and I later realized it was because I read one from later in the series so I knew of thesI have read Windsor’s books before. This one seemed familiar and I later realized it was because I read one from later in the series so I knew of these characters already. It was nice to read their story and see how their second-chance romance came about. It’s a fun and entertaining read for a weekend. ...more
Mechanika’s early days in the Ministry of Hell are revealed. We see how she was tortured/saved. We see the cast of characters who made up her history Mechanika’s early days in the Ministry of Hell are revealed. We see how she was tortured/saved. We see the cast of characters who made up her history and helped shape her into the formidable woman she is in the earlier volumes. She learns much about evil, friends, foes, trust, and loyalty. Her first days of being reborn as a mechanical young woman are filled with terror and confusion, but also fleeting moments of true friendship that help her become a survivor.
The artwork is back to looking like volumes 1-5. While Goodreads lists the artist as Beth Sotelo, I didn’t really notice while reading the graphic novel. It definitely looked like Benitez’s work. Gorgeous as always! Interesting movement and development of plot and characters in the panels. Everything works so well together.
I was hoping that we would get more info about Mechanika’s early life - before her tragedy. Sadly, no. We do get to see her relive her earliest memories and get more backstory that has only been hinted at before now. Lots going on and I still have so many questions but I did really enjoy it. ...more
Oh how I love the Veronica Speedwell books! I will always want to read a Victorian murder mystery. A Grave Robbery is a worthy installment in a fantasOh how I love the Veronica Speedwell books! I will always want to read a Victorian murder mystery. A Grave Robbery is a worthy installment in a fantastic series.
Lord Rosemorran has made yet another purchase of antiquities and oddities to fill his museum. One particular purchase is a wax figure of a woman. He hopes that Stoker will be able to outfit it with a mechanism to make the figure look as though she is breathing - similar to the Sleeping Beauty in Madame Tussaud's wax museum. His youngest daughter is especially interested in that particular wax work and this seems like a simple thing to do to keep her occupied. Stoker is fascinated by the wax figure - much to the chagrin of Veronica - and embraces the challenge. Upon opening up the figure, Stoker and Veronica find that the wax figure is actually a dead woman, presenting them with a new mystery to solve.
The mystery gets going pretty quickly with this one. Veronica and Stoker feel it is imperative to give this woman her dignity and solve the mystery of her death. She was clearly not treated well in and after death and righting that wrong is always important to our two heroes. The mystery definitely has twists and turns that keep a reader guessing about who has committed the crime. I really appreciated the historical elements that were draped over the murder mystery since they brought a great deal of depth along with them. I'm also a huge fan of Frankenstein so the idea of scientific experiments where man perceives himself to be God is always fascinating.
Veronica and Stoker are lovely as always - I love their relationship and dedication to one another. There are beautifully romantic moments in this novel that make me swoon, for sure. Their romance and partnership help to give life to the plot, the mystery, and the historical elements. Raybourn does everything so beautifully. I tried to pace myself and enjoy this as long as I could, but it is hard not to try to finish it in one sitting. ...more
Mechanika travels to Spain to help an Englishwoman whose son is possessed. Either that or he’s being preyed upon by a monster. The woman’s husband is Mechanika travels to Spain to help an Englishwoman whose son is possessed. Either that or he’s being preyed upon by a monster. The woman’s husband is very religious and a nobleman, so his treatments for his son cross the line into abuse. Mechanika goes on the hunt to discover what truly ails the young man. Is he sick in body or mind? Is he prey of a monster or is the predator really protecting him from a true monster?
Sangre surprised me quite a bit! I hadn’t realized that there was a guest artist on this one. Brian Ching is a wonderful artist but it isn’t the same flavor as Joe Benitez. And I love Benitez! I definitely was nostalgic for Benitez’s artwork and panel formatting. I tried to get over the differences and enjoy the story, which was really good.
The story is an interesting take on the world of monsters according to Benitez. I enjoyed hearing the history and seeing the connection to previous volumes. I don’t want to give the details or connections away because they are lovely to experience firsthand. This world is developing further and creating more layers that add to the overall mythos. I really do adore these stories and hope his next volumes appear sooner rather than later....more
Midnight Climax is a clandestine CIA operation turned murderer manhunt thriller by Peter Kageyama.
I normally don't read a great deal of CIA/governmentMidnight Climax is a clandestine CIA operation turned murderer manhunt thriller by Peter Kageyama.
I normally don't read a great deal of CIA/government cover-up style thrillers. However, I have enjoyed books like The Hunt for Red October or The Andromeda Strain, so I can lean towards a thriller like that. I do love reading detective mysteries, especially Agatha Christie's books. When I was offered an ARC to review (please note that I did receive a book from the publisher for a fair and honest review), what initially drew me to this book was the interesting mix of the San Francisco setting, murderer manhunt, detective thriller genre and covert CIA operation. It sounded like a lot to do all in one book, but I was super intrigued!
Kats Takemoto, a Japanese-American private detective, finds himself embroiled in a murder mystery that quickly unfolds into government cover-ups and gang warfare. Lin Tai Lo, the second-in-command of a Tong gang and Kats' college friend, asks Kats is help solve the murder of his cousin, a young woman working as a prostitute. The Tong are out for blood and vengeance and they need Kats to help them find the murderer. While investigating, Kats finds a connection between the girl's murder and a super secret CIA operation, MKUltra. With the US government testing various chemical concoctions on people to find a super-soldier serum, things will get mighty tricky for Kats and his crew as they work to keep peace in the powder-keg of 1959 San Francisco.
Characters mean everything to me. I love a well-developed character, even in a thriller. I don't care who is chasing whom and why unless I care about the person. I really came to know and care about these characters. Kats is an intriguing person. His personal history is deep and there's a world of hurt in there from his time in WWII in the 442nd. War is unkind and leaves our soldiers with so much hurt that many can't come back from it. Hearing about Kats' background gives a reader a stronger understanding of who he is and who he wants to be. Molly and Shig, Kats' girlfriend and best friend respectively, are also great additions. They help to highlight Kats and society in San Francisco in the late 50s/early 60s. This fun trio works well together, supporting and relying on each other. The host of other characters illustrate a great deal of other aspects of society and history: Tong gangs and gang violence in Chinatown, CIA operations on our own soil, SFPD and laws, etc. I was happily surprised by the new information I was learning. Kageyama builds real, layered characters while weaving real history into his thrilling plot points. Without these characters, the story would do very little for a reader. With them, Kageyama creates a thriller with a message and a heart - not an easy task.
I was really impressed with the level of research Kageyama must have done for this novel. He has to weave so many different story ideas together while also providing necessary historical information. All of that could come off super boring or have sections of data dumps, but not so with Midnight Climax. There's a lot going on but it's all done as a part of the action or as a part of the characterization. Everything is beautifully blended together. Initially, I thought it was going to be a murder mystery - and it is for Kats - but Kageyama's style of narration allows the reader to know all the information up front. Writing with an omniscient point of view can be tricky - it takes a lot of the surprise away for the reader. However, Kageyama's novel doesn't suffer because he uses it. In fact, it tends to heighten the suspenseful and thrilling action. His action scenes are also well-developed and I could see every part of the fight scenes like it was a movie. Every detail was described so I could feel what was going on, but the pacing never slowed to a halt. The action is really consistent and the short sections that pop back and forth between different groups of characters helps to set that quick pace.
Great characters, interesting history, thrilling pace - this book really has a lot to offer!
Midnight Climax is a perfectly paced detective thriller with history and heart that will engage fans of Tom Clancy and Lee Child....more
I really enjoyed this Marvel comic! The different team ups were interesting as a range of characters populated this comic. The mystery is interesting.I really enjoyed this Marvel comic! The different team ups were interesting as a range of characters populated this comic. The mystery is interesting. Someone has killed The Watcher who lives on the moon. His eyes, which have unsurpassed power, are missing. The Avengers must locate the missing eyes, solve the murder mystery, and stop the madmen who wield the eyes. The comic is beautifully drawn and the story is interesting. I was truly shocked with the final events. A very good read!...more
I do love this series and these brothers bring me joy every time I read one of these.
Dez and Sully are spending the holidays at a resort with their fI do love this series and these brothers bring me joy every time I read one of these.
Dez and Sully are spending the holidays at a resort with their family. It’s terrible weather and they barely make it up the mountain and twisty, snowy turns before Sully sees a ghost. This is definitely going to ruin their Christmas fun. After being snowed in, Dez and Sully dig in to investigate the possibility of someone having run off the road in the storm. They do end up finding a vehicle and surmise that there may be a survivor. Can they find the missing person in time before he/she freezes to death? And why does the ghost still keep showing up - what is Sully missing?
I love the Braddock family. They are adorable. Dez and Sully are great as always. You get to see how their investigations are weighing on the rest of the family, especially Dez’s daughter. Sully and Sarah have a sweet relationship and it’s nice to see him feel good about that in his life. The characters always bring me back to this series.
The mystery on this one felt a bit forced and coincidental. I still thought it was interesting but I did take a star off because so many things were too convenient. I was able to figure it out pretty quickly, which isn’t always bad. Everything just lined up so perfectly for them to solve the mystery. Perhaps it had to be that way because they were snowed in and all, but I guess I was hoping for a little more. I still really enjoyed the book because of the characters and their relationships. ...more
Veil of Doubt, An Engrossing Courtroom Drama Thriller by Sharon Virts.
I love murder mysteries, courtroom dramas and psychological thrillers. Virts adVeil of Doubt, An Engrossing Courtroom Drama Thriller by Sharon Virts.
I love murder mysteries, courtroom dramas and psychological thrillers. Virts adds all these elements together in a very engrossing tale about a woman who is charged with murdering her husband and four children. Based on a real story, Veil of Doubt shines a light on a case that rocked a little town in post-Civil War Virginia in 1872. Emily Lloyd’s youngest child and only surviving family member has taken ill. The sheriff and many others feel that the earlier deaths of Emily’s husband and three children are extremely suspicious. Rumors have floated all over town that she has poisoned them all. After Maud, the youngest child, finally succumbs to her illness, the district attorney, the sheriff and doctors descend on the grieving woman and demand to do an autopsy on the child. Once they find evidence that Maud had arsenic in her system, they exhume the other daughter for further evidence and then charge Emily with the murders of her family.
Powell Harrison, a phenomenally gifted lawyer who has moved back to his hometown, is called to join the defense team. At first, his family is against him defending an accused child murderer. It’s a controversial case and Powell doesn’t want his family to bear the brunt of his decisions if the town turns against them. However, he has a strong sense of duty and believes that everyone deserves good representation. After meeting Emily, he finds she resembles his sister who died in an insane asylum - something in her mannerisms, something that causes him to feel overwhelming empathy for a woman who has been made to suffer at the hands of others. Against what everyone around him advises, he decides to lead her defense team. As Powell tries to piece the case together and dig into the history of Emily’s life, he begins to discover facts that will cast huge shadows of doubt about Emily’s guilt. However, he also finds hints of information that have him questioning who Emily really is.
Veil of Doubt moves at a really good pace while also adding details about the time period, the characters’ backstories, and the forensic science available in the 1870s. It reminded me of courtroom dramas like A Few Good Men, Primal Fear, and Suspect (each for different reasons that I won’t go into for fear of giving things away). I love Caleb Carr’s The Alienist and The Angel of Darkness and Virts has elements of that in developing her own historical fiction drama. While this book is based on a real event, she has made some changes in terms of creating some backstory, characters and a plot twist. However, her additions are pretty seamless and necessary to bring the story to life. Powell is definitely a hero in this story and if I ever needed a lawyer, I would want him to represent me. He’s brilliant and caring. Emily is a victim in so many ways and as Powell discovers all of the wrongs she has lived through, I felt more and more empathy for her and many women like her who were treated so poorly at that time.
I have always been fascinated by court cases and forensic science so I was intrigued by the many details that Virts included in the trial. Her level of research is impressive and I’m really glad she found a real case like this to focus on. I really had no idea how much forensics existed at this time. I also loved Virts approach to the plot twist element she added based on newspaper accounts that stood out to her during her research. Her blend of real events and creative license was really superb. I enjoyed reading this novel and would gladly try any of her others if this is what I will find each time.
Veil of Doubt is a perfectly paced courtroom thriller with flourishes of forensics that will excite fans of Caleb Carr’s Angel of Darkness or the TV series Law and Order....more
I used to sneak into my older brother’s room to read his TMNT comics. I loved them. I mostly focused on the grittier ones. I’m sure I read some of theI used to sneak into my older brother’s room to read his TMNT comics. I loved them. I mostly focused on the grittier ones. I’m sure I read some of these early ones as well but they didn’t stay with me. I was excited to find this collection in the bookstore so I could return to the beginning of the Turtles. Getting to see the original origin story is great. I loved meeting April and Casey again. The last few comics are more science fiction and out of this world. The alien story is funny. Doesn’t seem like it fits in their world but Eastman and Laird made it work. I loved returning to this world and seeing the beginnings of the world-building. It’s fun and brings a sense of childhood back. ...more
I was looking for a mystery/romance. Crimson River was pretty entertaining and a quick read. Lyla belongs to a large family but she’s still a bit loneI was looking for a mystery/romance. Crimson River was pretty entertaining and a quick read. Lyla belongs to a large family but she’s still a bit lonely. She works constantly at her coffee house/cafe and doesn’t really take time for herself. After her sister challenges her to take a day, Lyla goes for a fun little hike that turns into an escape from a murderer. A man attacks her for no reason, but she is able to escape and make a report. Her report is noticed by an officer who is tracking an escaped murderer. Vance believes this is the lead he’s been waiting for. He and Lyla team up to investigate and track down the attacker and bring him to justice for his crimes.
There is a deeper history and background to perpetrator and it is slowly revealed, which was a good element of the mystery. I was able to guess it because the foreshadowing was a bit much but that’s ok. The connection between Vance and Lyla is too much insta-love and her family is a bit too perfect to be real. It’s fine but not realistic but I wasn’t expecting anything else. ...more
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