TRIGGER WARNING: racism
1942, Suffolk. Irene is desperate to earn enough money to leave her small village and is determined that she will not marry local farmer Norman. She falls in love with a black American GI but the pair face opposition from everyone. 2022, Ruby returns to Suffolk to sort through her late grandmother Irene’s house and discovers a set of diaries from the war years.
The Locket is a dual timeline book set during WW2 and the present day.
I was instantly swept up in the lives of Irene and Ruby. It is immediately clear that Irene didn’t get her happy ending with Theo as she ended up married to Norman who is Ruby’s grandfather. Ruby’s journey of discovery is therefore ours as well as we wait to find out what happened to the love story of Irene and Theo.
Ruby has her own emotional issues and healing to do as she has split from her boyfriend and also lost her job. She has huge guilt that she wasn’t able to see her grandmother at the end of her life due to covid and I liked this modern reference.
I had mixed feelings about Norman’s sister Philippa in both the past and present: in some ways I was so sad for her as she is always unwanted and seen as a burden. However, her behaviour is spoilt and selfish with a mean streak.
The racism that Theo faces is awful. The author does not use the worst derogatory words but they are implied. It seems incredible that segregation still existed yet it was fine for ethnic minorities to risk their lives for the war effort. Theo endures hardship from every angle and it is relentless. I think the author has researched the era well and addresses the stigma that used to be associated with mixed race relationships.
The Locket is a warm and emotional historical novel.
Book blurb:
England, 1942. ‘It has to stay secret,’ he whispers, placing the locket around her neck. ‘If they find it, they’ll send me away.’ As she holds the locket, glinting in the moonlight, she can’t hold back the tears. ‘I just wish we didn’t have to hide…’
When farmer’s daughter Irene meets Theodore at a village dance, sparks fly instantly. The war has brought him all the way from Louisiana to build a US airbase just across her father’s fields, but as they sway together, there is nothing else in the world. Only his gentle touch and his deep brown eyes.
But being together comes at a price. As Theodore is Black, the might of the US Air Force is against them, and all the members of the little village community disapprove of their relationship. And they will all go to terrible lengths to tear the two young lovers apart…
Decades later, heartbroken Ruby is back at her family’s crumbling farmhouse for the first time in years, after the loss of her beloved grandmother Irene. The roof has fallen in, family photographs are damaged – and her grandmother’s jewellery is nowhere to be found.
When Ruby uncovers her grandmother’s waterlogged diaries, she discovers that Irene treasured one piece of lost jewellery above all. A locket from a man called Theodore. And the missing locket holds the key to unravelling a heartbreaking secret that changed her grandmother’s life…
Is someone in the village hiding the locket to keep the truth about Irene and Theodore buried? And can Ruby find a way to honour her grandmother’s memory – or in digging up the pain of the war, will she tear her family apart?
An absolutely breathtaking World War Two story about the power of love in the face of adversity, and how the tragic consequences of war can echo through generations. Fans of Fiona Valpy, The Nightingale and All the Light We Cannot See will be addicted to this incredible read.
Author Bio:
Natalie is a RITA nominated, USA Today Bestselling author of six novels: The Dress Thief, The Milliner’s Secret (re-titled “The Girl who Dreamed of Paris”), The Wardrobe Mistress, Summer in the Vineyards, The Secret Vow and The Paris Girl that feature sisters, Katya and Tatiana. Since then, Natalie has released Into the Burning Dawn and The Italian Girl’s Secret, books set in the lucious Bay of Naples during the second world war. Now, the latest novel is available and it is called The Girl with the Yellow Star. The story takes place in Cornwall on the glorious north coast, and is a heart-wrenching story of loss, love and challenging choices.
Lady Eleanor Swift is involved in the planning of a community celebration for King George V’s birthday. But the plans go awry when the chair of the committee is found strangled to death by bunting…
Murder by Invitation is the 15th book in the Lady Swift series of cosy historical murder mysteries. Each book has a standalone case but the personal relationships have developed over the course of the preceding books.
Eleanor and her wonderful butler Clifford are working hard on a village event when they receive news that Mr Prestwick-Peterson has been killed. Along with Ellie’s new fiance Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon, the trio begin to investigate the death. Fans of the series will be delighted by the village’s excitement at their engagement and this provides light relief from the topic of murder.
As usual in this series, there are plenty of suspects and motives for Eleanor and Clifford to expose and unpick. She throws herself into situations while he provides the steadying support. I enjoyed being back at Henley Hall with the other staff as well, and seeing Eleanor and Clifford’s relationships with the other villagers.
There is little detail about the body or any violence, as you would expect from the genre of cosy murder mystery. I liked the historical aspects to the book and the atmosphere of village life that is created.
Murder by Invitation is an enjoyable addition to this entertaining series.
Book Description:
Lady Swift has been cordially invited to a huge royal celebration in Little Buckford to toast the King’s birthday… but wait, is that a body in the village hall?
Lady Eleanor Swift and her loyal butler Clifford are busy lending a hand with preparations for the big day. The grand dining room at Henley Hall is overflowing with home-sewn flags, paint and royal rosettes. Even Gladstone the bulldog and his new friend Tomkins the ginger cat are invited!
But just days before the event Mr Prestwick-Peterson, the chairman of the celebrations committee, is found dead in the village hall: strangled with handmade red, white and royal blue bunting.
With the village hall in total disarray and a key part of the decorations missing, Eleanor wonders if someone dastardly is sabotaging the King’s birthday celebrations?Teaming up with her handsome beau Detective Hugh Seldon to question the local butcher, baker, and pub landlord it becomes clear that the meddlesome busybody Mr Prestwick-Peterson was not universally liked in charming Little Buckford. Indeed, the only mystery is why he wasn’t murdered before…
Searching Mr Prestwick-Peterson’s pristinely organised rooms, Eleanor is surprised to find a faded photograph of a beautiful young woman hidden within the pages of a novel. Could this be the key to untangling this very village murder? And can Eleanor catch the killer before the party is over for her, too?
A totally charming, unputdownable Golden Age murder mystery with characters readers will adore. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.
Author Bio:
Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.
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Daisy and Hazel set up a detective agency at their boarding school but cases are few and far between. Until the two school girls discover a body and begin to investigate the murder of one of their teachers…
Murder Most Unladylike is a children’s book aimed at ages 9-12. It is a murder mystery but there is no graphic detail; even so, I would advise the content is more appropriate for the upper end of the age range.
A boarding school for girls, two wannabe sleuths, teenage angst, MURDER! This book has so many layers and I enjoyed it as an adult but would also like to share this with my kids. Murder mysteries are one of my favourite genres and this is a fab introduction for younger readers.
I found it difficult to work out when the book is set. The girls seem quite modern in their thinking and outlook on life but there are mentions of deportment and gymslips which made me realise it has an historical setting in the 1930s.
The book is written from the first person perspective of Hazel. She does experience some racism as she comes from Hong Kong. I enjoyed the narration of this audiobook by Gemma Chan. Her delivery evoked the teen characterisation of Hazel and I felt easily drawn into the plot. Daisy has a much more forthright personality and is clearly the dominant force in the pairing.
Murder Most Unladylike is an interesting and intriguing murder mystery aimed at older children.
Book blurb
When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own deadly secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t, really.)
But then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. She thinks it must all have been a terrible accident — but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now the girls know a murder must have taken place… and there’s more than one person at Deepdean with a motive.
Now Hazel and Daisy not only have a murder to solve: they have to prove a murder happened in the first place. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime before the killer strikes again (and before the police can get there first, naturally), Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects and use all the cunning, scheming and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test?
1940, Edie is keen to rise through the ranks at her newspaper but, even during a war, being a woman holds her up. She is promoted to obituarist but it is the crime reporter role she really wants. Helping out a colleague, she witnesses a death but was it suicide or murder?
Murder in the Blitz is a cosy historical murder mystery set during WW2 in Manchester, UK.
Edie is hideously frustrated and finds her career prospects to be stunted by being a woman. She is desperate to get be a crime reporter and become a serious journalist. Obituarist doesn’t have the same kudos but it is a good opportunity so she readily accepts. A colleague asks her to cover a home guard training session and one of the men is shot. Some believe it was suicide but others think it was murder. Edie tries to investigate while maintaining her compassion and journalistic integrity.
The book is written in the first person from Edie’s perspective. There is an almost chatty tone and Edie’s voice and viewpoint seems very modern. I really liked her character: she is feisty and wants to make a difference whilst also forging a career for herself in a male dominated profession. The war provides opportunities while also causing restrictions.
Being the first book, the author takes time to introduce us to Edie as well as the historical and geograohical setting. This does slow the pace down a little, especially at the start of the book, but then Edie launches into her investigation and the plot developments speed up.
Murder in the Blitz is an entertaining historical murder mystery with a strong lead female character.
Murder in the Blitz: A completely addictive historical cozy mystery (An Edie York Mystery Book 1)
England, 1940. Newspaper secretary Edie York wants nothing more than to be a real wartime reporter. But when she stumbles upon the death of a Home Guard soldier she must turn her investigative skills to sleuthing…
Rookie reporter Edie York dreams of being out in the field, instead of being stuck writing up the wartime headlines, transcribing Churchill’s rousing speeches on her cranky typewriter. So when her first real assignment one misty morning ends with the crack of a pistol shot and the sudden death of a Home Guard soldier, she’s determined to take her chance and investigate.
With the local police force, under the utterly irritating but outrageously handsome DCI Louis Brennan, stretched to the limit as bombs rain down, Edie strikes out alone. And she quickly discovers more than she’d ever hoped – or feared. From undercover spies to priceless stolen artwork, Edie is plunged headlong into a mystery that stretches from Manchester to Berlin.
But when she finds another body in the blackout, Edie realises she’s bitten off more than she can chew. With an exasperated Louis finally lending a hand, can Edie unveil the murderer and make headline news, her name in print at last? Or will she be next…?
A brilliantly addictive and totally twist-packed cozy historical mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Agatha Christie. This is the first book in the Edie York Mystery series.
About the author
Flic Everett is a Mancunian writer who now lives in a cottage in the beautiful West Highlands with her patient husband and two deranged cocker spaniels. She still misses Manchester, and returns like a homing pigeon every month to see family and friends. She spends a lot of time writing on trains.
Flic has owned an award-winning vintage shop, guest-presented Woman’s Hour and was once a part-time tarot reader. She has a grown up son who makes her laugh more than anyone on earth, and she likes reading, painting, cooking, clothes, animals, Art Deco and rummaging in charity shops for bargains. Her greatest fear is being stranded without a book. She has spent many years as a freelance journalist and editor for national newspapers and magazines and can’t believe she’s finally allowed to make up stories from the comfort of her own home.
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The Merritt family welcome foreign exchange student Tanya into their home and family. But while mum Natalie sees her as their lost daughter, Paige instantly dislikes her and disbelieves her story about her background. Who is Tanya really?
The Family Guest is a psychological thriller and family/domestic drama set in LA.
The Merritts lost their eldest daughter two years ago but now offer her room to an exchange student from the UK. Paige and Will are instantly suspicious of Tanya but their parents are completely enamoured by her. Tanya is throughly unpleasant to Paige and I was desperate for her to be unmasked: who is she and why is she there? I felt that Natalie uses the trauma of losing her daughter to excuse her terrible parenting of the younger two.
The book is written from the first person perspectives of mum Natalie and daughter Paige. Both women have experienced tragedy in the form of Anabel’s death. Natalie has been keeping secrets for her entire marriage, even her age is a lie. Paige is experiencing typical teen angst about spots, first boyfriends and college applications. I liked the way that her viewpoint is written in a much younger voice which felt authentic.
I was immersed in this story and felt so sad for Paige as she deals with the usual teen issues but also the death of her sister and the arrival of the exceedingly bitchy Tanya. My sympathy for Natalie was counteracted by her abysmal parenting and I wanted to yell at her to put her kids first and stop being selfish! Tanya was a great character to love to hate whilst Will is delightful and steals every scene he’s in. Secrets and lies are gradually revealed and I couldn’t guess the twists.
The Family Guest is a tense thriller with two strong narrators, one you’ll like and one you won’t!
The Family Guest by Nelle Lamarr
I’ve never met her before, but I know who she is. Because our new guest is the spitting image of the daughter I lost. Long blonde hair. Sparkling dark eyes. Perfect pearly-white teeth. And that’s exactly why I invited her into our home.
From the moment our exchange student Tanya arrives, I feel like my daughter has come back to life. With her brown eyes and slender frame, she looks so much like Anabel that sometimes I can almost pretend she didn’t die in that tragic accident.
Tanya really is the perfect guest – kind, polite, and always happy to help me in the kitchen. At last, a member of the family who compliments my beautiful house and enjoys my homemade dinners. And when she asks questions about my life, I feel I’ve finally found someone I can confide in.
My younger teenage daughter, Paige, isn’t so happy about our guest. She thinks it’s strange that Tanya looks like Anabel, and she hates it when she wears her sister’s old clothes. And now she’s convinced herself that Tanya isn’t who she says she is.
But I learnt a long time ago that it’s best not to ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to.
And while I’m growing suspicious that our new guest has a secret, I’m certain that it’s nothing in comparison to mine…
The absolutely unputdownable, page-turning and twisty psychological thriller that will have you guessing until the very last page. Perfect for readers who love gripping suspense and fans of Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid, The Girl on the Train and Colleen Hoover’s Verity.
About the author
Nelle Lamarr is the pen name for Nelle L’Amour, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, who has sold over 350,000 books worldwide. Her books feature flawed, complex characters and nail-biting twists you won’t see coming. A former executive in the entertainment industry, she lives in Los Angeles with her Prince Charming-ish husband, beautiful twin princesses, and a bevy of royal pain-in-the-butt pets. When she isn’t writing, you can find her reading gripping thrillers by her favorite authors with a cup of coffee or glass of wine.
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