Emily and James are having a rare night out, leaving their baby daughter Daisy with Emily’s little sister Jess. But they arrive home to find Jess unconscious on the floor after a medical episode and Daisy has vanished…
Little Sister is a psychological thriller set on the Isle of Wight about the abduction of a baby.
Emily and Jess have had a fraught relationship in the past and were estranged until they were reunited at their mother’s funeral. Now Jess is living with Emily and her husband, acting as childcare so both can work. The household is completed with James’ 15 year old daughter Chloe from his first marriage. One night Daisy goes missing and relationships are stretched to breaking point.
The book is written from the alternating perspectives of Jess and Emily in the first and third person respectively. This allows us to feel closer to Jess as we see her emotions more personally even though Emily has more trauma as it is her child missing.
It soon becomes clear that there have been major issues between the sisters in the past which led to the estrangement. We as readers are drip-fed incidents as they reflect on the past, and there is a growing tension and unease which develops. There are other secrets and lies revealed as the plot progresses and it is enjoyable to surmise how these might be connected to the disappearance of Daisy.
Little Sister is an emotionally charged and tense psychological thriller.
Book blurb
After sixteen years apart sisters Jessica and Emily are reunited. With the past now behind them, the warmth they once shared quickly returns and before long Jess has moved into Emily’s comfortable island home. Life couldn’t be better. But when baby Daisy disappears while in Jess’s care, the perfect life Emily has so carefully built starts to fall apart.
Was Emily right to trust her sister after everything that happened before?
1916, Hannah travels to her sister’s home of Midwinter Manor with Aunt Violet to spend Christmas. But it isn’t the relaxing family Christmas they were expecting as one guest dies and a priceless ruby goes missing…
Murder at Midwinter Manor is the 3rd book to feature bookshop owners Hannah and Violet as they act as amateur sleuths during WW1.
As well as the usual stresses caused by a family gathering, Hannah is anxious to save her sister’s Christmas by finding the killer and the ruby. She is ably assisted as usual by her beau Darius, delightfully obtuse aunt Violet, and of course Bartleby the cat. The snowed in country house means that there is a limited number of suspects, motives and opportunities. Hannah needs to investigate to uncover links between the two crimes in order to solve them.
The family dynamic was enjoyable, however I was a little overwhelmed by the number of guests and their relationships, and felt that this could have been reduced slightly. The historical elements had been well researched and I liked the references to the war, suffragettes and fashion which all added an authenticity to the plot and characters. There is also commentary on social, class and gender norms of the era, adding depth to the narrative. I enjoyed the romantic threads for both Hannah and Violet, possibly because they are such fantastic characters that I want them to be happy!
Murder at Midwinter Manor is an enjoyable cosy historical murder mystery.
Murder at Midwinter Manor
Escaping the city doesn’t mean escaping the criminals…
1916, Midwinter Manor: Desperate for a Christmas weekend break from war-torn London, Hannah Merrill and her Aunt Violet take Bartleby the cat and themselves off to visit Hannah’s sister, in her beautiful country estate, deep in the English countryside.
The huge house is full of relatives, friends and merrymakers, and everyone’s excited to have a Christmas to remember.
But then, when a fellow-guest’s body is found in the library – apparently bludgeoned to death – and a precious ruby is stolen from another guest, it appears that it’s going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.
With the house snowed in, and the rural police force completely incapable of finding a single credible suspect, Hannah and Aunt Violet realise that once again it’s going to be down to them to get to the bottom of it.
Because whoever’s behind the crimes must be at Midwinter Manor… And if they’re not found, who knows what their next ‘gift’ will be?
A totally unforgettable Golden Age, country house, cozy crime novel, perfect for fans of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, and Agatha Christie.
Author Bio –
Anita Davison is the author of the successful Flora Maguire historical mystery series.
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This was February’s book club choice and it’s a classic I have read many (20+) years ago! This is the first time that I have listened to one of James Patterson’s books as an audiobook and I was not disappointed.
Two children go missing, abducted by a member of school staff. Detective Alex Cross is put on the case…
Along Came A Spider is the first book in the prolific Alex Cross series.
Alex is investigating multiple murders when he is called upon to consult on a high profile case. Two children with prominent parents have been abducted from their prestigious school. The pressure is on to find the children safe and sound but Alex and the FBI are up against an exceedingly clever killer.
I first read this book about 20 years ago so was happy to revisit it. I listened to the audiobook this time and found the experience very different. The racial elements still felt strong but the swearing jarred slightly. There is a huge twist which I had completely forgotten. The chapters are short so the plot rattles along speedily, and the audio narration was a good match. Perhaps some aspects are a little dated as it was published in 1993, but the plot and characters were still vividly portrayed.
Along Came a Spider is a gripping thriller and now I want to reread the whole series.
Book blurb
What have we got? A missing little girl named Maggie Rose . . . a family of three brutally murdered in the projects of Washington, D.C. . . . the thrill-killing of a beautiful elementary school teacher . . . a psychopathic serial kidnapper/murderer who is so terrifying that the FBI, the Secret Service, and the police cannot outsmart him – even after he’s been captured.
Gary Soneji wants to commit the crime of the century. Alex Cross is the brilliant homicide detective pitted against him. Jezzie Flanagan is the first female supervisor of the Secret Service. They complete one of the most unusual suspense triangles in any thriller you have ever read.
Alex and Jezzie are about to have a forbidden love affair—at the worst possible time for both of them. Because Gary Soneji is playing at the top of his game. The latest of the unspeakable crimes happens in Alex Cross’s precinct and it happens under the nose of Jezzie and her men.
Alex faces the ultimate test: how do you outmaneuver a brilliant psychopath?
Cressida Fawcett is enjoying a Christmas Eve party, hoping her best friend will get engaged. But the evening takes a shocking turn when she finds an acquaintance’s body in the fountain. The hotel is locked down and Cressy hunts the killer…
Death in the Mayfair Hotel is the 6th book in the amateur sleuth cosy historical murder mysteries (set in 1925).
Cressida and DCI Andrews only have a few hours to find the killer before the Christmas party ends and all the guests leave for their homes. Lady Victoria Beaumont is the victim and she was attending the party with her much older husband. Her former lover, disgruntled debutantes and her gynaecologist are also in attendance and Cressy unearths a myriad of motives.
I liked the limited setting and timing of the hotel party. It really intensified the investigation for me as midnight approaches. The glorious Ruby the pug is invaluable throughout the book and I loved her escapades. As well as her hopes for her best friend’s romanctic future, Cressy also has her own heart to consider as she begins to accept her feelings for Alfred.
Death in the Mayfair Hotel is a very enjoyable cosy historical murder mystery.
Book Description:
In a candlelit ballroom, London’s most fashionable amateur sleuth, Cressida Fawcett, is dancing the night away in her sparkling silk dress. It’s a night Cressida will never forget. Because outside the window, there’s a body under the falling snow…
Christmas Eve, 1925. The Honourable Cressida Fawcett is delighted to attend an exclusive ball at London’s glamorous Mayfair Hotel. When she steps out into the moonlit courtyard with her little pug Ruby wrapped in her furs, she is thrilled to see a dashing man propose to her best pal under the swirling snowflakes. But instead of squealing ‘yes’, Dotty lets out a terrified scream…
Because floating in the fountain, with her long blonde hair rippling in the ice-cold water, is the body of their dear friend Lady Victoria Beaumont.
It’s clear the wealthy young beauty was murdered, whacked over the head with a bottle of champagne. Would Victoria’s elderly husband Lord Beaumont kill his wife over rumours of her younger beau? Or did someone clobber Victoria to prevent her producing an heir for the Beaumont fortune?
A snowstorm prevents the authorities from arriving, and just as Cressida searches for clues, she finds herself locked inside a large wicker hamper. Why does the scent of the hamper’s smoky luxury tea remind her of the crime scene? And will a suspiciously rotund Ruby follow her snuffly nose and find Cressida in the nick of time?
Trapped in the hotel with a killer lurking among the guests, will Cressida lose someone dear to her heart? And when she finds a clue among the Christmas crackers, can Cressida solve her most mysterious case yet?
The perfect cozy whodunnit for a cold winter’s night. Fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss won’t be able to put this down!
Author Bio:
Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter.
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1918, Fiona Figg is all set to marry her beau Archie but she still doesn’t fully trust him. Her suspicions are further raised when her ‘niece’ Kitty is attacked and Archie could be responsible…
Poison in Piccadilly is the 6th book to feature secret agents Fiona and Kitty as they strive to support the war effort but become embroiled in murders as well.
The mistrust that Fiona feels towards Archie and Kitty is exacerbated in this book. Kitty is attacked early on and suffers from amnesia. In her confusion she reveals some secrets which prove she has previously been economic with the truth. Archie is photographed with another woman and is never where he claims to be. The wedding seems like a big mistake…
There is also a murder to investigate although the police are baffled. Ellen dies at a dinner party, apparently from a heart attack but with Fiona’s hatpin stabbed in her. I was waiting to see where the poison in the title comes from and it doesn’t feature until the second half of the book.
As usual for this series of books, there is great attention to the historical and geographical detail which underpins the plot. This book features suffragettes and characters based on real life people from the era.
I liked seeing a more vulnerable side to Kitty as well as more information about her hidden past. Added to wedding woes, worries about Kitty’s memory and the murder investigation, Fiona is also reunited with the notorious German spy Fredrick Fredricks. I love their ‘will they, won’t they’ relationship and the ending was a real cliffhanger so I can’t wait for the next book.
Poison in Piccadilly is a very enjoyable cosy historical murder mystery.
Poison in Piccadilly
London 1918: Is Fiona Figg ready to exchange her sleuthing cap for a bridal veil?
Fiona is set to tie the knot with her dashing captain, Archie Somersby. But, while Fiona is busy planning her happily ever after, side-kick Kitty Lane and a group of judo-chopping suffragettes are kicking up trouble at the Piccadilly Jujitsu Club.
When Kitty is found unconscious in the locker room during a high-stakes competition, Fiona must forsake her bouquets and bridal gown to investigate. Her sleuthing leads to a posh lady’s luncheon where a mysterious death crashes Fiona’s wedding plans.
To make matters worse, the arch-nemesis of all things matrimonial Fredrick Fredricks is up to his old tricks, attempting to put the brakes on Fiona’s journey down the aisle. Will he succeed in tripping up Fiona’s wedding vows? Or will she finally say “I don’t” to the charming devil?
Author Bio –
Kelly Oliver is the award-winning, bestselling author of three mysteries series: The Jessica James Mysteries, The Pet Detective Mysteries, and the historical cozies The Fiona Figg Mysteries, set in WW1. She is also the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University and lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
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