Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie

Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie ISBN-13: 9780425174739 Mass Market Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: May 1, 2000

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
A garden party on the picturesque estate of Nasse House is interrupted by tragedy - a young Girl Guide, who was supposed to be playing the victim in a murder hunt designed by crime novelist Ariadne Oliver, is found really, truly dead. Then the hostess, the simple-minded Lady Hattie Stubbs, vanishes without a trace. Could there be a connection between the two events? Luckily the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is on hand to investigate, but there is far more to these occurrences than meets the eye.


My Review:
Dead Man's Folly is a historical mystery set in 1956 in England (though it was a contemporary mystery when it was written). This mystery was so complicated that even Hercule Poirot couldn't sort out all the clues into their proper places until the end.

It was a clue-based puzzle mystery. I did identify which bits of information were important and I had some ideas about what each clue could mean, but none of my guesses were exactly right. Still, it's possible that someone with a creative imagination could guess it. The characters were interesting, and it was kind of fun to see Poirot unable to see how things fit together even if it meant that I had that trouble, too.

There was no sex or bad language. I'd recommend this mystery to fans of Agatha Christie's novels.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Foundling by Georgette Heyer

The Foundling by Georgette Heyer ISBN-13: 9781402219481 Trade Paperback: 439 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Released: 1948; September 1, 2009

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The shy, young Duke of Sale has never known his parents, but he's been well cared for. Gilly has endured twenty-four years of rigorous mollycoddling from his uncle and valet. He doesn't want to hurt the feelings of those who care so deeply for his welfare, but he'd like to know if he has the strength of character and skill to make it on his own.

When Gilly hears of Belinda, the beautiful foundling who appears to be blackmailing his cousin, he absconds with glee. But he has no sooner entered this new and dangerous world than he is plunged into a frenzy of intrigue, kidnapping, adventure, and surprises at every turn.


My Review:
The Foundling is a Regency romance, though it was really more of a coming-of-age adventure. While the beginning had some funny moments, the story didn't really get interesting (and funny) until Gilly "escaped" his protective servants and relatives and started his adventure.

The story had an interesting mix of characters. While some of the characters initially seem similar to those in her other novels, their reactions to events and their adventures were very different. I was never sure of exactly how a situation would work out.

There were no sex scenes. There was some bad language (most of it the swearing using "God"). Overall, I'd recommend this book to Heyer fans.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star by Susan Wittig Albert

The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star by Susan Wittig Albert ISBN-13: 9780425260593 Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: September 3, 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
The ladies of the Darling Dahlias garden club are anything but shrinking violets when it comes to rooting out criminals…

The Texas Star herself—Miss Lily Dare, the “fastest woman in the world”—is bringing her Dare Devils Flying Circus to Darling. She’s also bringing a whole lot of trouble. Dahlias president Liz Lacy learns that Miss Dare has been threatened and her plane sabotaged. Apparently the bold and beautiful barnstormer has made plenty of enemies. And is it possible she may be involved with the husband of one of Darling’s local ladies?


My Review:
The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star is a historical mystery set in the summer of 1932 in Alabama. It's the fourth book in the series, but you don't have to read the previous novels to understand this one. This novel did not spoil the whodunits of the previous novels.

The historical details were woven into the story without slowing the pacing. The interesting and enjoyable characters and the historical details brought the story alive in my imagination. The mystery was a clue-based puzzle mystery. It's about sabotage, not murder, which was a refreshing change from most mysteries. Whodunit was pretty easy for me to guess, but the other details of the story kept me reading.

There were no sex scenes. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Beneath a Navajo Moon by Lisa Carter

As a member of Amazon Vine, I'm able to review books through them, but--as I understand the terms--I'm only allowed to post my review on Amazon. Because I liked this book, I'm posting a description of the book here with a direct link to my review on Amazon.

Beneath a Navajo Moon by Lisa Carter ISBN-13: 9781426757990 Trade Paperback: 334 pages Publisher: Abingdon Press Released: March 4, 2014

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
The search for a woman who disappeared in 1906 has lead cultural anthropologist Erin Dawson to Cedar Canyon, where the iconic terrain of red rock walls and mesas keep Navajo traditions and maybe criminal evidence well hidden.

Erin's search leads her into the path of tribal policeman Adam Silverhorn. The two fight their feelings for each other even as they become entangled in a dangerous battle. An insidious drug cartel has spawned the recent rise in gang violence on the reservation, and Adam's working to find the meth lab hidden somewhere on the Rez. The gangs are willing to kill anyone who gets in the way of their goals...

My Review: Link to my review on Amazon.

Close-Up On Murder by Donald Bain

Murder, She Wrote: Close-Up On Murder by Donald Bain ISBN-13: 9780451465252 Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Signet Released: September 2, 2014

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Cabot Cove is being invaded—by Hollywood. One of Jessica’s older novels is being adapted into a big-budget movie. The producer has decided to shoot on location, since the book was loosely based on a murder that shocked Cabot Cove several years earlier.

Unfortunately, everyone on the set seems to have a hidden agenda. A novice director wants his shot at the big time. The lead actress has many unreasonable demands. Her astrologer sees trouble in the stars. And a stranger on the movie lot is stalking Jessica.

When a body is found on the set, a strip of celluloid film wrapped around its neck, there’s a cast and crew of possible suspects. With tensions between locals and the Hollywood horde mounting, Jessica must find the killer before anyone else is left on the cutting room floor.


My Review:
Close-Up On Murder is a cozy mystery. It's the 40th book in the series. You don't have to read the previous novels to understand this one, but it'll be more fun if you have some familiarity with the "Murder, She Wrote" TV show.

If you've watched the TV show, you have a fair idea of what the book is like. The characters were enjoyable and realistic. The mystery was a clue-based puzzle mystery. I had a fair idea of whodunit by the end, but I wasn't certain until about the same time Jessica was, so the pacing of the clues was good.

There was no sex. There was one use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable mystery.

Blooper: In the novel, Jessica picks up a gun at the scene of a crime. I don't know why she didn't give it to the cop; it just disappears.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.