Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan

Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan ISBN-13: 9781492651703 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark Released: Oct. 1, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When Mordecai Tremaine arrives at the country retreat of one Benedict Grame on Christmas Eve, he discovers that the revelries are in full swing in the sleepy village of Sherbroome--but so too are tensions amongst the assortment of guests.

When midnight strikes, the partygoers discover that presents aren't the only things nestled under the tree...there's a dead body too. Someone wearing a Father Christmas outfit. With the snow falling and suspicions flying, it's up to Mordecai to sniff out the culprit--and prevent anyone else from getting murder for Christmas.


My Review:
Murder for Christmas is a mystery that was originally published in 1949 and is set in England. Mordecai, an amateur sleuth with a reputation for solving murders, has been invited to a Christmas Eve party. The host is known for putting on a Father Christmas costume and placing a present for each guest on the tree after everyone has gone to bed. The party is hardly a happy one, so it's not too surprising that they find a dead body under the tree.

Mordecai observed behavior, asked good questions, and looked harmless enough that he got clues from guests even though they're wary of him. It wasn't too difficult to figure out what was going on and why the guests might have a motive to kill--but not why they'd kill the dead man. While I did suspect whodunit, I couldn't figure out why whodunit would murder anyone so I didn't feel very certain about whodunit. I still don't quite follow whodunit's motive, though it's clear whodunit spent more time thinking out the perfect crime than about the possible results.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano

Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano ISBN-13: 9780800728755 Paperback: 411 pages Publisher: Revell Released: Oct. 3, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
When Aurelie Harcourt's father dies in debtor's prison, all he leaves her is his famous pen name, Nathaniel Droll. His wealthy sister gives her a home the moment she learns about her existence, but her daughter greets her with resentment. Only the quiet houseguest, Silas Rotherham, and her aunt's granddaughter welcomes her company.

Aurelie decides to complete her father's unfinished serial novel while searching for the truth about the disappearance of Lady Jayne, her mother. She deals with her anger at how the family treats her by writing the family into the story as unflattering characters. But this soon makes it difficult to keep her identity as Nathaniel Droll hidden.


My Review:
Lady Jayne Disappears is Christian romance set in 1861 in England. The book was mostly about Aurelie learning to write stories. She did little investigation into her mother's disappearance, generally content with her own explanations. The moment she met a person, she'd write a fictional story for them, not bothering to learn the truth until reality forced her to change her opinion.

I liked Silas, who was kind and thoughtful. Aurelie seemed an unintentional contradiction, though. She grew up among prisoners, which allows her to write realistic characters. Yet she usually acted like she grew up completely sheltered from the real world. She's very trusting, idealistic, and sweet. She easily overlooked sin in practically everyone but was very judgmental of her own relatives.

Unfortunately, the story wasn't very realistic or historically accurate. Some errors were little details, like the description of the whist game didn't sound like how whist was actually played. Or inconsistencies, like how Silas was surprised that the jail-keeper didn't fed the prisoners free meat each day. Silas was poor once and should have known that the poor could rarely afford meat. He also wouldn't have expected the jail-keeper to spend his own money to provide it. Many details about debtor's prison were portrayed in a misleading or inaccurate way. For example, Aurelie stated that the debtors weren't allowed to work (except her father). In real life, debtors could work within the prison to earn money, some debtor's were allowed to leave during the day to work, and family members could work. The author also gave the heroine and hero modern views and sometimes characters used modern phrases.

Aurelie was a strong Christian who meditated on verses and frequently prayed for people. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I enjoyed the characters, but many holes in the story were never explained and errors and inconsistencies kept jerking me out of the story.


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 Dishonorable Miss Delancey by Carolyn Miller

The Dishonorable Miss Delancey by Carolyn Miller ISBN-13: 9780825444524 Paperback: 296 pages Publisher: Kregel Released: Oct. 24, 2017

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Will a damaged reputation and desire for society's approval thwart the legacy of grace?

Tainted by scandal and forced to leave London for the quieter Brighton countryside, the Honorable Miss Clara DeLancey is a shadow of her former society self. She's lost the man she loved to another and, in a culture that has no patience for self-pity, is struggling with depression. A chance encounter brings her a healing friendship with the sisters of an injured naval captain. But Clara's society mama is appalled at the new company she's keeping.

Captain Benjamin Kemsley is not looking for a wife. But his gallant spirit won't let him ignore the penniless viscount's daughter--not when she so obviously needs assistance to keep moving forward from day to day. Can he protect his heart and still keep her safe?

When they're pushed into the highest echelons of society at the Prince Regent's Brighton Pavilion, this mismatched couple must decide if family honor is more important than their hopes. Can they right the wrongs of the past and find future happiness together?


My Review:
The Dishonorable Miss Delancey is a Christian historical novel set in 1815 in England. It's the third book in the series. While the book can be read as a stand-alone, Miss DeLancey has had a notable role in the previous two novels. This story referred back to those events but did not provide much detail. The reader might understand Clara's behavior better if they've read the previous stories.

Clara can't understand what's so wrong with her that the man she loved (and she thought liked her) so thoroughly rejected her. Now that her dowry money has gone to pay off her scandalous brother's gambling debts, no man seems interested in offering for her hand. Gossip says she's desperate and misconstrues everything she does as dishonorable. Her parents still intend for her to marry someone of rank, so the kind brother of her new female friends may enjoy her company but doesn't have a chance.

While Clara and Ben seem well-suited to each other, the focus wasn't really on them falling in love. Rather, the story was about Clara changing as she learned to forgive and bless the people she resented. The characters developed and grew as events unfold. Ben rescued Clara from danger (ranging from kidnapping to assault) several times, and Clara attempted to help Ben by using her remaining influence. The author wove details about the period and the places into the story.

Part of Clara's transformation included growing closer to God and praying blessings on others. There was no bad language or sex. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable story.


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.

Snowdrift and Other Stories by Georgette Heyer

Snowdrift and Other Stories by Georgette Heyer ISBN-13: 9781492650461 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Released: Oct. 3, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
The Queen of Regency Romance, Georgette Heyer, shines in this sparkling collection of fourteen short stories brimming with romance, intrigue, villainy, gallant heroes, compelling heroines, and, of course, the dazzling world of the Regency period.

Additional content in this re-issue of the Pistols for Two collection includes three of Heyer's earliest short stories, rarely seen since their original publication in the 1930s, as well as a Foreword by Heyer's official biographer, Jennifer Kloester.


My Review:
Snowdrift and Other Stories is a collection of 14 short stories by Georgette Heyer. Since the stories were so short, they were usually "love at first sight" romances with the focus on the humorous events surrounding their meeting. The hero and heroine rarely had time to actually get to know the other, and it wasn't always clear what attracted the man to the woman. In several of these short stories, you can see the core idea that was expanded into a novel. Many of the stories involved a couple racing after an eloping couple to stop them. There were also several stories involving humorous duels.

There was no sex. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this collection to Heyer fans.

The stories included in the collection:
Snowdrift
Full Moon
Pistols for Two
A Clandestine Affair
Bath Miss
Pink Domino
A Husband for Fanny
To Have the Honour
Night at the Inn
The Duel
Hazard
Pursuit
Runaway Match
Incident on the Bath Road


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.

Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey

Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey ISBN-13: 9780764212963 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Released: Oct. 3, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
FBI agent Declan Grey is in the chase of his life--but isn't sure exactly what he's chasing after. Threatened by a terrorist that "the wrath is coming," Grey fears something horrible is about to be unleashed on American soil. When his investigation leads him to a closed immigrant community, he turns to Tanner Shaw to help him. She's sought justice for refugees and the hurting around the world, and if there's anyone who can help him, it's Tanner.

Tanner Shaw has joined the FBI as a crisis counselor . . . meaning she now has more opportunity to butt heads with Declan about his over-protectiveness. But before anything can develop between them, they discover evidence of a terror cell--and soon are in a race against the clock to stop the coming "wrath" that could cost thousands their lives.


My Review:
Blind Spot is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the third book in a series. It's not really a stand-alone novel as main characters from the previous novels have point-of-view roles in this one and there are two ongoing cases being investigated throughout the series.

The characters made some progress on the ongoing cases, including uncovering a terrorist plot. They also had to solve a murder. The suspense came from trying to uncover and stop the terrorist plot before the bad guys pull it off or manage to kill Declan or Tanner (as they're on a hit list). With so much going on, the romance was mostly the two working together and feeling like they're a good influence on each other. Tanner revealed a secret about her past which actually helped resolve a source of conflict between the two.

The characters prayed to God to help them with the case and keep them safe. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting novel.


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.

Dangerous Illusions by Irene Hannon

Dangerous Illusions by Irene Hannon ISBN-13: 9780800727673 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Revell Released: Oct. 3, 2017

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Gooderads:
Trish Bailey is on overload trying to deal with a demanding job, an ailing mother, and a healing heart. When a series of unsettling memory lapses leads to a tragic death--and puts Trish under police scrutiny--her world is once again thrown into turmoil.

Detective Colin Flynn isn't certain what to think of the facts he uncovers during his investigation. Did Trish simply make a terrible mistake or is there more to the case than meets the eye? As he searches for answers, disturbing information begins to emerge--and if the forces at work are as evil as he suspects, the situation isn't just dangerous . . . it's deadly.


My Review:
Dangerous Illusions is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the first book in a new series, but it's also a stand-alone novel. It's one of my favorite by this author.

Trish has been through a lot of loss and heartbreak. She's used to taking care of herself (and others), so she initially had a hard time "bothering" Colin to ask for help. But even though she's independent, she was sensible and wasn't stubborn about having her own way.

We know who the cruel bad guy is and his goals, so we can see the danger even when Trish has every reason to think there is none. Still, Trish did start putting the pieces together pretty quickly, told her idea to Colin, and he promptly investigated the angle she suggested. I liked that he was supportive, caring, and respected her. While I strongly suspected how the end suspense was going to play out, I still had a pounding heart as I read it, partly because she was afraid and I cared about what she was going through.

The main characters were Christians, though Colin started out feeling like praying was pointless. We mainly saw their faith through how they treated people and what they cared about. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful, intriguing novel.


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 Dead Shall be Raised and The Murder of a Quack by George Bellairs

The Dead Shall be Raised and The Murder of a Quack by George Bellairs ISBN-13: 9781464207341 Paperback: 364 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: Oct. 3, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Two classic cases featuring Detective Inspector Littlejohn.

In the winter of 1940, the Home Guard unearth a skeleton on the moor above the busy town of Hatterworth. Twenty-three years earlier, the body of a young engineer was found in the same spot, and the prime suspect was never found—but the second body is now identified as his. It's now clear that the true murderer is still at large.

* * *

Nathaniel Wall, the local quack doctor, is found hanging in his consulting room in the Norfolk village of Stalden—but this was not a suicide. Against the backdrop of a close-knit country village, an intriguing story of ambition, blackmail, fraud, false alibis and botanical trickery unravels.


My Review:
The Dead Shall be Raised and The Murder of a Quack are two mysteries that were originally published in the early 1940s. The first was set in 1940 at Christmas time and set in England. The second was set in 1942 in England.

The characters were described with a humorous touch, and the villagers and village life was described with more detail than most mysteries from this time period. The focus almost seemed more on the interesting characters than on creating a difficult mystery. The mysteries were clue-based and were interesting, but they weren't difficult for a reader to solve. In both cases, one person seemed a strong suspect from the start with a second character as a possibility. Inspector Littlejohn and the local police followed up on obvious leads and questioned people until he uncovered what happened.

There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.