Sealed Off (A Maine Clambake Mystery Book 8) by Barbara Ross

This is an intriguing little mystery by Barbara Ross.The characters are a tight- knit family, running a business, called Snowden Family Clambake which caters to Tourists. They are provided a day away which includes a clambake and a tour on the Jacquie II. The clambake this year has a lot of tension due to Emmy, a worker, who is attractive to two men or so it seems.  Julia Snowden, is the main voice and through her we meet a lot of the locals and her family. The food sounds first rate too... lobsters, soft-shelled clams...some of Maine's finest.  But murder has its own way of settling a score and when a body is found near the wood pile of Windsholme, the family mansion on Morrow Island... a lot of things from the past are stirred up.

Part of the heart of this mystery is a Journal by Lilly Smythe, a Governess sent to the Island in 1898, to tutor two brothers. Her sealed room, unknown and hidden is discovered by the family during a remodel. Spooky- though because her clothes are still there and her wire-framed spectacles. The family shows Margarete, who is in her 90's, around the Mansion. Finally, we are treated to remnants of the Journal pages and the last remaining days of Lilly. What happened to her?

I enjoy books set in Maine. The scenery is on the coast and set with long days of sailing and lots of historical settings. The extra ingredient is a good "whodunit" set among these families and neighbors. The hard work the fishermen endure and the descriptions of local haunts and people are vivid. The pace picks up in the last chapters, when we discover that all is not as it seems. But will the murders stop at one and who is doing them?

Barbara Ross has given us another well- paced mystery with a cast of characters you want to know. I am giving it five stars.


Blurb:

Early October is “winding down” time in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, but there’s nothing relaxing about it for Julia Snowden. Between busloads of weekend leaf peepers at the Snowden Family Clambake and a gut renovation of the old mansion on Morrow Island, she’s keeping it all together with a potentially volatile skeleton crew—until one of them turns up dead under the firewood.

When the Russian demo team clearing out the mansion discovers a room that’s been sealed off for decades, Julia’s baffled as to its purpose and what secrets it might have held. Tensions are already simmering with the crew, but when one of the workers is found murdered, things come to a boil. With the discovery of another body—and a mysterious diary with Cyrillic text in the hidden room—the pressure’s on Julia to dig up a real killer fast. But she’ll have to sort through a pile of suspects, including ex-spouses, a spurned lover, and a recently released prisoner, to fish out one clammed-up killer.

Left-Handed Death by Richard Hull

I hadn't read anything by Richard Hull, so this was a first try. This is a compressed story, compared to the other titles by the Author, and built around a psychology, that I found confusing at times and interesting at others. I spent the first part of the book trying to figure out where the Author was going with the plot. Although, most Readers will see Guy as the star of the book, the time spent with Mr. Pennington, and with Cynthia Trent is much more interesting. She would normally be the love interest and it would have added more in my opinion, if it had gone that way.

I think this book would have worked better for me, if it had been longer. It would still have relied on much of the back and forth and irascible characters, but at times it felt a little flat. Hull is still worth reading and 1946 was a great Era for British Authors. I love the Golden Age Authors and their writing, so, I am going to read another Hull to compare.


Blurb:

His pen scratched the paper slowly, “I murd – I say, how do you spell ‘murdered’?”

Shergold Engineering Company has come into a bit of financial trouble. And it seems the Ministry-sent Barry Foster might just have something to do with it.

The company directors, Arthur Shergold and Guy Reeves, decide Foster must be stopped, and when Reeves confesses to the murder, it’s surely an open-and-shut case.

But as Detective Hardwick looks closer at the confession, he’s not so sure Reeves is their man.

Filled with comic wit and an ingenious plot, Left-Handed Death is a classic Richard Hull crime not to be missed.

Death in Room Five by George Bellairs

George Bellairs writes a tense mystery set in France with twists and turns back to the War Years. An Englishman named Alderman Dawson was stabbed, while Inspector Little John is on vacation with his wife. That leaves a group of English Tourists stranded and clamoring for Scotland Yard. Inspector Littlejohn is assigned to work with the French Police and unravel the facts.

Each of the characters have a background with things to hide and do a good job of it, until- the Inspector decides to visit their hometown in England on a day trip. Within the course of the investigation the murder becomes increasingly confusing but worse...will more murders occur? Littlejohn must race the clock to try and prevent more happening.

One of the best parts of the Littlejohn Series by Bellairs are the characters after the War years.  Blustery, desperate and coy Women, mixed with unhappily, browbeaten, or bullying men. I think the Author excels in a temperamental mix of old and young English. At times I can almost feel I know these people. The Landscape is rich in detail and has a voluminous appeal with vacationing French and the middle-class English. The English are touring in a scenery that has turned into a nightmare for them. Bellairs never disappoints me...although I favor some of his more English background works, this is a good mystery. I recommend this one for its description of the inner working of the police force in 1955 and for those of us who love this age of Mysteries.

Blurb:

The British bulldog does not let go until the murderer is brought to justice. But this is not Scotland Yard, Inspector. This is France…

This trip to the French Riviera isn’t what anyone signed up for: while Littlejohn loses his vacation, another man loses his life.
When Alderman Dawson, the victim of a deathly stabbing, calls Littlejohn to his deathbed, the inspector is left with no choice but to investigate.

With twelve suspects in play and motives dating back to WWII, this might be one of his toughest cases yet.

More bodies are turning up and the French police are unwilling to investigate… could this be the case that even Littlejohn can’t solve?

Death Has Deep Roots by Michael Gilbert

Michael Gilbert was an unknown Author to me. He published his first book in 1949 and this one in 1951, but had a long career in writing. This Story had its background in France during WWII... which led to a Murder several years after the War had ended. The odd circumstances are presented through the eyes of a great cast of characters. Several people are working to save Martine, part of the French Resistance, who they believe to be innocent.

The way Gilbert tells this story holds your interest all the way to the last page. There is a strong sense of urgency to save a young Woman's life, and find the guilty party. But is she innocent and if so how could the murder possibly have been committed? In some ways the setup is similar to a locked room but not quite. You have a tense, fast-moving plot, murder, attempted murder, and an ensemble of people all connected with the French Resistance.

I had never heard of this Author, but, simply found the Cover and blurb interesting. I have always had a love of World War II mysteries and this one does not disappoint. It may be set a few years after... but the heartbreak, courage and greed...the best and the worst of people, go hand- in-hand with this mystery. It is also a tribute to the Women they left behind in its own fashion, but mostly, it is just a good old heart-thumping mystery and I will be hunting for more of Gilbert's work.

Blurb:
An eager London crowd awaits the trial of Victoria Lamartine, hotel worker, ex-French Resistance fighter, and the only logical suspect for the murder of her supposed lover, Major Eric Thoseby. Lamartine—who once escaped from the clutches of the Gestapo—is set to meet her end at the gallows.
One final opportunity remains: the defendant calls on solicitor Nap Rumbold to replace the defense counsel,and grants an eight-day reprieve from the proceedings. Without any time to spare, Rumbold boards a ferry across the Channel, tracing the roots of the brutal murder back into the war-torn past.
Expertly combining authentic courtroom drama at the Old Bailey with a perilous quest for evidence across France, Death Has Deep Roots is an unorthodox marvel of the mystery genre.

The Allingham Minibus by Margery Allingham

Margery Allingham's series of short stories has a tribute by Agatha Christie  who praises her as a "shining light". One of the characteristics of her writing is that often a story or book has an element of eerie, memorable, scenes as the first story in our Book.But then Allingham's second story has a bitterly sweet, cynical element to it. Each story helps you realize what a consummate Writer she is and how in a few pages she will set an atmosphere... so remarkable... as to leave you within it for a day or two.

This book is a series of stories from a Golden Age Writer at the top of her ability. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Five Stars...



Blurb:

Margery Allingham is perhaps the greatest master of detective fiction in the world. Voted one of the best mystery writers of all time. She weaves spine-tingling complex puzzles that challenge even veteran fans. Her hero, Albert Campion, that ironic understated detective--like Holmes and Poirot--can take a bit of evidence and unravel an entire, sinister plot. The Allingham Minibus is an exotic, often bizarre collection of her best stories, each guaranteed to delight those who love suspense.

Lowcountry Boomerang (A Liz Talbot Mystery Book 8)

Susan M. Boyer does a rip-roaring, mystery with this one. It has lots of action, plenty of interesting characters, and the sweet romance between our Protagonists. This time the murder of Trina Lynn Causby has Liz Talbot and her Husband Nate working overtime. They are defending Darius Baker, the retired star of Mainstreet U.S.A. With such lush characters as Moon Unit and other varied, southern characters this book is a page turner in the true sense. I sat and read the whole thing at one go.

Not only is the charm of the story the ripe setting of Stella Maris, but parts of it were so funny I laughed out loud.  The varied food makes you want to visit and if I ever find Chef's better than Charleston or this particular Island they will never get rid of me. Additionally, the fact that Liz and her Husband are Private Investigators is a plus. If Magnum P.I. had been married with this setting...well you get the picture. Treat yourself and read this one. I enjoyed it. 

Blurb:

Private investigators Liz Talbot and Nate Andrews are all set to enjoy some quality time on the beach. That’s until they get the news about Darius. Darius DeAndre Baker, star of the hit TV show, Main Street USA, has had enough of the Hollywood highlife. After ten years of visiting everyone else’s hometown, he returns to his own—Stella Maris, South Carolina.

But the moving trucks have barely unloaded when Trina Lynn Causby, Darius’s high school girlfriend, turns up dead, and the entire town reels as Darius is arrested.

Despite the mounting evidence against him, Liz and Nate believe Darius is innocent. They dig through a scandalously long list of suspects, including Darius’s three ex-wives—who have all arrived in Stella Maris—and his love child with Trina Lynn.

But Trina Lynn led a complicated life. She had at least one stalker and two suitors—one with a jealous wife who recently made a deliciously outrageous scene when Trina Lynn turned up at a charity ball.

As the danger mounts, Liz and Nate race to find a killer and clear Darius’s name—and keep him alive.

The Christmas Card CrimeAnd Other Stories Edited by Martin Edwards

The Christmas Card Crime is a British Library Crime Classic loaded with short stories from some of the best Authors of the Golden Age of Writing. Each story is a gem of a mystery written by such famous names as Carter Dickson, better known as John Dickson Carr, Cyril Hare, John Bingham and many others. Bingham, 7th Baron of Clanmorris was recruited into MI5 and was the inspiration for John LeCarre's famous Spy Smiley. Each of these stories introduce you to an Author, which may be unfamiliar in this day and age, but are fascinating for further reading. 

The stories are a mix of everything. They include past murders- unsolved, puzzling, not quite locked- door mysteries and even a Gothic tone tucked into one. I found the Christmas theme so cozy, with snow and little tucked- away English Homes or Hotels- a treat to sit and read. It is hard to talk about a particular style when you have such a variety of Authors but this was the heyday of English Mysteries and each one is a work of Art.

I happen to love this Era of writing, particularly in mysteries, and I found several new Authors that I will further pursue and read full-length novels- after enjoying their short story. I hope you will do the same. Get your cup of hot tea and prepare to enjoy. Five Stars and I am highly recommending.

Blurb:

Mystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder
A Christmas party is punctuated by a gunshot under a policeman's watchful eye. A jewel heist is planned amidst the glitz and glamour of Oxford Street's Christmas shopping. Lost in a snowstorm, a man finds a motive for murder.

This collection of mysteries explores the darker side of the festive season—from unexplained disturbances in the fresh snow, to the darkness that lurks beneath the sparkling decorations.
With neglected stories by John Bude and E.C.R. Lorac, as well as tales by little-known writers of crime fiction, Martin Edwards blends the cosy atmosphere of the fireside story with a chill to match the temperature outside. This is a gripping seasonal collection sure to delight mystery fans.

Manor of Dying (A Hampton Home and Garden Mystery Book 4) by Kathleen Bridge

Meg Barrett and her friend Elle are headed for Nightingale Manor, the site of a former mental asylum, complete with the history of a grisly murder. They are to pick out historical props for an upcoming series set in the 1930's. But when they arrive there is friction between factions and the house itself is cold and forbidding. The inventory is in the attic but the tension everywhere else has Meg curious, listening- for Murder is in the air...

I really loved the plot. The type of work Meg does and her friend Elle, that is exactly what I would like to do, particularly in set research for film. The additional plus of cataloging inventory and Thirties decor, between the two, was a major plus. The whole book read like my dream life with a dream job. I suspect many Readers will feel this way. This is Book 4 so there is quite a bit to take in.. especially the first few chapters. The pace is fast though and before I knew it I was halfway through the Book.

The descriptive details are amazing... a  ferry with its rough waves and a gray, forbidding ocean...a small cottage tucked into Montauk with views of a lighthouse.   But all through the Book these charming details are sprinkled and they add to the story along with- the warm friendship between Elle and Meg. Some of these characters I have not met yet, such as a boyfriend who delivers yachts to buyers and has invited Meg to Cornwall. But I can't wait to do so...

The shivery aspect of the Manor House, complete with Tombstones next to the gate house or tickets tucked into an armless doll, will enthrall everyone. Added to that, the forbidding, coldness of the Rooms and the basement which still houses the Asylum gurneys, will guarantee this will be a story you want to read. I could not stop until I had devoured the last page. Five stars

Blurb:

In a new Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery, Meg Barrett will have to uncover the truth about a long-ago murder before a killer decides she’s history . . .

When decorator Meg Barrett travels to a remote mansion to help select period pieces for a new 1930s-style television mystery series, she’s chilled to learn that the manor was once a mental asylum and the site of a mysterious decades-old murder. And when a fierce blizzard knocks out the power and strands Meg and her cohorts in the home’s rickety old elevator, they emerge to discover that another person has been murdered—in the same macabre manner as the original victim.

With a suspect list limited to those who were also stranded at the manor, Meg begins digging through their backgrounds for clues to both the old and new murder, trying to discover a connection that will lead her to the culprit’s identity. But the more she learns, the more clear it becomes that someone wants to keep the secrets of the past buried, and Meg knows she’ll have to watch her back before a ruthless killer decides to commit her to a grisly fate . . .

Includes scrumptious recipes and vintage decorating tips!

The Case of the Famished Parson by George Bellairs

I found George Bellairs through the recommendation of a Golden Age Mystery site. He is one of the English Writers from a time period of the 1940's that produced small Village Murders often set around a manor house or Hotel and intricately woven plots and characters. I will say up- front that I am a huge fan of these type of mysteries and relish them when I find them. So I jumped at the chance to read one of his.

Inspector Littlejohn is on vacation and run down. He is looking forward to his time at Cape Mervin Hotel, when a Bishop is coshed over the head, and he is asked to investigate. The body of the religious leader is emaciated from lack of food, which on the surface is a very odd thing, until you find out he is trying to follow psychology through the Eastern Religions, which recommends fasting. But as the Inspector interviews and tracks... through a bewildering amount of interviews, it becomes apparent this won't be the only murder.

Bellairs has a way with words and from the first page I was in my chair until I finished the book. He throws a lot of red herrings at the reader- but they are worth pursuing. I especially like his gift for story telling. The Characters are well- developed and I particularly enjoyed the eccentricities of the Macintosh family. So I highly recommend George Bellairs, as a new Author, to people who love the golden age of Mysteries and who read Nagio Marsh and Dorothy Sayers. Five stars

Blurb:
A corpse belonging to a gentle bishop is found at the base of a cliff on the Isle of Man in an ingenious mystery by the master of the “pure British detective story” (The New York Times).

Dr. James Macintosh, the Bishop of Greyle, was a mysterious man. For a long time, nobody even knew his last name… until his body is found emaciated and battered having been pushed face-first off the edge of a cliff.

Inspector Littlejohn faces an incredibly peculiar case. How to explain the savage murder of a gentle Bishop? Did he know too much about the secretive citizens of Cape Marvin? Or did it have something to do with the strange family he left behind in Medhope?

Above all, why was the Bishop’s body so undernourished that death by violence won out by only a few days over death by starvation?

 

A Knife for Harry Dodd by George Bellairs

I haven't read George Bellairs until now but I certainly will again. This story moves with a really well- written cast of characters. Inspector Littlejohn is a regular in a long line of books and he puzzles things out by chasing the clues wherever they lead. There is a long, twisted, path of possible people with enough red-herrings to make it very enjoyable. I like the rural England shown in these descriptions written in 1953 and the Pub life in particular. The characters that hang out there...which Bellairs had a talent for developing-give life to this book.

George Bellairs wrote over 50 books in a long career. The writing is reminiscent of the top-notch English mystery writers of the day with plenty of puzzles and not a lot of gore.  I am fond of this type of writing and rejoice I have found another of these authors.

I had Bellairs recommended to me on one of the Golden Age Mystery sites and I highly recommend him to you. Harry Dodd has secrets in his life and they may have just gotten him murdered. Five Stars...

Blurb:

At first, the women hadn’t believed Dodd was dead. They had put him in his pyjamas, fixed up his wound with plaster and lint, and put him to bed. Then, they’d realised he had died quietly whilst in their hands.

When Harry Dodd calls Dorothy Nicholls for a ride home from the pub, she and her mother think he’s just had too much to drink. Little do they know that he’s dying of a stab wound to the back. By the time they get him home, he’s dead.

Who would want to kill Harry Dodd? When Inspector Littlejohn is called in to investigate this murder, he uncovers the dark side of the power-hungry Dodd family. Perhaps Dodd’s life was not as simple as it seemed…

Bogged down with jealousy, greed, and spurned lovers, Littlejohn has more suspects than he can handle. And as the body count rises, it seems there might be more than one murderer in his midst…

Murder, She Uncovered (Murder, She Reported Series Book 2) by Peg Cochran

Peg Cochran's smooth, touch is still apparent in the second book of the series. The Plot is good with strong characters, and I love the touches of 1930's vocabulary and clothes. Beverly Gray, Reporter has nothing on Biz (Elizabeth) Adams as she follows her hunches and helps the Reporter Kaminski...track down a Murderer before he kills again. The bodies are piling up and they are running out of time.

I am so glad I found this series and have been enjoying it immensely. It is a current day 1930's version of some of the best that became movies and books out of that Era. What a setting to go with... a storm has washed away buildings and bodies are stacked in chairs at the Country Club. That has to get your attention. But watch out... one of those bodies has a stab wound and not the bloated look of drowning.

Lots of interesting characters and a plot that is worthy of The Thin Man -makes Peg Cochran's Book Two of the Murder She Reported Series a sure-fire Winner. I am giving this five stars.

Blurb:

An intrepid 1930s Manhattan socialite uncovers deadly secrets during an assignment to the Hamptons in this riveting historical cozy mystery for readers of Victoria Thompson, Anne Perry, and Rhys Bowen.

Westhampton, 1938. To the dismay of her well-to-do family, Elizabeth “Biz” Adams is quickly establishing herself as a seasoned photographer over at the Daily Trumpet. Growing more confident in her decision to pursue a career, Elizabeth is thrilled when she and her reporter sidekick, Ralph Kaminsky, are sent to Long Island to cover the story of a young maid found dead in one of the glamourous summer homes in the devastating aftermath of the Great New England Hurricane—also known as the Long Island Express.

At first it’s assumed that the young woman was caught in the terrible storm, but when a suspicious wound is found on the side of her head, the police suspect murder. The maid’s death becomes even more tragic when it’s discovered she was pregnant, and with Elizabeth and Kaminsky at the scene of the crime, the Daily Trumpet scoops all the other papers in town.

The young woman’s boyfriend emerges as the likeliest suspect. But as Elizabeth follows the story, she begins to wonder whether someone in the household of the maid’s employers might be responsible—someone who’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth about the baby’s paternity hidden. . . .

Spirited Away (A Bay Island Psychic Mystery Book 4) by Lena Gregory

Lena Gregory has a good, little-psychic series going with Spirited Away. Cass is having a party in which a reading occurs but everything is going wrong and culminates with a death later that night.The book starts out slow but picks up- steam around Chapter four...her friend is accused of a murder. The Series has a strong character in Bee, who always has our main character's back and I really grew to like him.

The lifestyle and the cast of characters interacting with Cass are strong. I felt that the book had a lot of cleaning, wiping, and no-sleep descriptions, but the psychic moments were fun and I found myself wishing to know a lot more about crystals, moonstones, and readings. This is a new Author to me and I will be reading more of her work. A fun book... you will enjoy reading on those long, summer nights.

Blurb:
In the new Bay Island Psychic Mystery, psychic Cass Donovan is thrown into the middle of a macabre murder she never saw coming . . .

With the summer tourist season on Bay Island in full swing, shop owner Cass Donovan barely has a minute to breathe, and things at Mystical Musings become even more hectic when a fight breaks out at one of her psychic readings. Shaken by the fracas and discouraged that her sixth sense seems to be on the blink, Cass is even more dispirited to learn that one of the men involved in the altercation was later found dead—and that a close friend of hers is the main suspect.

Desperate to help her friend prove his innocence and consumed by haunting visions, Cass follows the clues from one possible culprit to the next, including some very mysterious tourists and not a few questionable locals. And when the police turn to Cass to help them find out who committed the ghoulish deed, she knows she’ll have to tread carefully, because her next grim premonition may be her last . . .

The Return of Mr. Campion by Margery Allingham

The Return of Mr. Campion is a series of short stories with the Margery Allingham style. She was one of the best writers of her day and many Author's have listed her as a favorite. Not all of the stories contain Albert Campion and in fact they are a mixed bag but I enjoyed each and every one. The insight into her writing life is especially interesting and with short stories you can go at your own pace.

I recommend this and really enjoyed reading it. Readers of the Golden Era of writing should take note of these.

Blurb:
In this fantastic collection of thirteen short stories, Margery Allingham explores both the Mystery and the other genres it has allowed her to write.

From a portrait of her leading man to classic capers, and from traditional British mysteries to wonderful literary short stories, Allingham displays her wit, her humour, and her prowess not just as a Mystery writer but as a storyteller.

Published thirty years after it’s first publication, The Return of Mr Campion proves that both The Mystery and Allingham, are still everywhere.

A Blunt Instrument by Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer, has added another witty, solid mystery to her Collection. Although, this Book was written in the Golden Era of Mystery the characters are still fun for today. Nigel has languid charm, Sally writes mysteries but wears a monocle, Helen, her sister is one of the suspects. There are all the usual interactions and red herrings to make this a new favorite of mine.

Heyer, famous for her Regencies turned out just as good a mystery. PC Glass whose every word is a quote from the bible made me laugh several times. The cast is strong in this one. An old -favorite, Superintendent Hannasyde, is on the trail through lies, bad alibis and murky comings and goings. Somehow it all makes for delicious reading.
Five Stars... 

Blurb:

Who would kill the perfect gentleman?

When Ernest Fletcher is found bludgeoned to death in his study, everyone is shocked and mystified: Ernest was well liked and respected, so who would have a motive for killing him?
Superintendent Hannasyde, with consummate skill, uncovers one dirty little secret after another, and with them, a host of people who all have reasons for wanting Fletcher dead. Then, a second murder is committed, giving a grotesque twist to a very unusual case, and Hannasyde realizes he's up against a killer on a mission...

"Ranks alongside such incomparable whodunnit authors as Christie, Marsh, Tey, and Allingham."—San Francisco Chronicle

"Given the chance I could happily devour a stack of her novels one after the other."—A Work In Progress

"A few things that you are guaranteed when you pick up a Georgette Heyer novel of any kind are unique characters and a fast-paced plot."—We Be Reading

Broken Bone China by Laura Childs

This is the twentieth Laura Child Tea mystery and it starts off with a bang- literally...Theodore Browning and Drayton, her tea connoisseur, are up in a hot air balloon and witness the attack and explosion of another hot air balloon near them.When one of the victims has a Navy Jack flag, from the Revolutionary War Days disappear- then millions are at stake and a determined killer is on the loose. Theodosia and Drayton, witnessed the attack together- but she is the one hot in pursuit building up clues. Drayton, is a reluctant partner in all this, but it makes for a warm friendship between the two of them.

Laura Childs, provides a charming, cozy, atmosphere with this one and between clues we are fed with Hayley's wonderful food and Drayton's choices of Tea. I love the thought of all those colorful, rich, teas served in Spode teacups. The names Chinese Gunpowder Green, Chai Masala or Tippi Yunnan China black Tea, sound exotic and elegant. Customers are left to gaze out the window of  the Tea Shop, located in the historic district, with all its atmosphere. Charleston is very charming and the location makes the series even better.

Broken Bone China, provides us with a wonderful array of characters-any of whom could be wearing a false face. If you read cozy mysteries for the clues, food and the details- then you will love this one. Five stars for a bang-up story.

Blurb:

It is Sunday afternoon, and Theodosia and Drayton are catering a formal tea at a hot-air balloon rally. The view aloft is not only stunning, they are also surrounded by a dozen other colorful hot-air balloons. But as the sky turns gray and the clouds start to boil up, a strange object zooms out of nowhere. It is a drone, and it appears to be buzzing around the balloons, checking them out.

As Theodosia and Drayton watch, the drone, hovering like some angry, mechanized insect, deliberately crashes into the balloon next to them. An enormous, fiery explosion erupts, and everyone watches in horror as the balloon plummets to the earth, killing all three of its passengers.

Sirens scream, first responders arrive, and Theodosia is interviewed by the police. During the interview she learns that one of the downed occupants was Don Kingsley, the CEO of a local software company, SyncSoft. Not only do the police suspect Kingsley as the primary target, they learn that he possessed a rare Revolutionary War Union Jack flag that several people were rabidly bidding on.

Intrigued, Theodosia begins her own investigation. Was it the CEO's soon-to-be ex-wife, who is restoring an enormous mansion at no expense? The CEO's personal assistant, who also functioned as curator of his prized collection of Americana? Two rival antiques' dealers known for dirty dealing? Or was the killer the fiancée of one of Theodosia's dear friends, who turns out to be an employee—and whistle-blower—at SyncSoft?

They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer, famous for her Regencies, should not have her crime series overlooked. The mysteries are charming, with fully developed characters and a Country House background. They are tightly woven and entertaining and I had more than one chuckle out of a character named,"Terrible Timothy."

This is a time frame when the language was full of words like "corkers." I have always liked the Golden Era of writing mysteries for their colorful language and descriptions of evenings spent with cocktails and playing games after everyone dressed for dinner. The sophisticated atmosphere included mists and walks after dinner... filled with ways to bump off a character. The English Manor house style is just a narrative I really like. When you read these books you are getting a bit of history too on the side. I had a good laugh at the fast cars of 40 miles per hour.

Silas Kane is celebrating his sixtieth birthday among family and business partners. The celebration is rife with atmosphere between Rosemary Kane and her Husband, Clement, as well as the Mansell's... Partners to the Kanes and very much interested in a business proposition, which Kane would need to put up twenty thousand pounds in - if he agreed. A business proposal that he meant to turn down ...when he is found dead one morning.

A very delightful mystery and one that was extremely entertaining  I quite admit I love these British 1930's and 1940's set mysteries and if you do -read this one. Five stars...

Blurb:

Silas Kane's sixtieth birthday party is marred by argument and dissension amongst his family, and then the next morning, Kane is found dead. The coroner's verdict of death by misadventure would seem to confirm that Silas accidentally lost his way in the fog. But then his heir is shot, and threats are made against the next in line to inherit his fortune.The redoubtable Superintendent Hannasyde is called in to investigate. All clues point to an apparently innocuous eighty-year-old woman, but as the Inspector delves further into the case, he discovers that nothing is quite as it seems?

Duplicate Death (Inspector Hemingway Book 3) by Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer, famous for her Regencies, wrote quite a few mysteries that have stood the test of time. The Characters are quite charming-very posh and have hidden secrets. The time-frame warrants both "bounders" and debutantes with hard as nails Mama's not to mention our likeable Kane's who featured in a previous book. What more could you ask of a teaser of a mystery?


Mr. Timothy Kane has taken a decided interest in Miss Beulah Birtley, secretary to Mrs. Haddington. She is dark, and has some sort of mystery as well as a large chip on her shoulder. Mr. Kane's Mama has sent his big Brother down to check everything out- only to wander into a murder. The mystery has a lot of interesting characters...very English and clues are thrown out with increasing regularity as Inspector Hemingway has to dig into each story. His faithful sidekick, Inspector Grant, has an endearing way of sprinkling his sentences with Gaelic.

But will this be the only murder Hemingway has to deal with? I fund this Mystery quite wonderful in its period expressions and details to clothes, drawing-rooms and even a nod to the wild and frivolous lifestyle of the rich. Published in 1951 it has all the background of the 1930's which is when many of the other mysteries were published. If you like this Golden Age Period or Heyer's writing you will certainly want to read this. I gave it five stars.

Blurb:


An elegant card party turns deadly...

Inspector Hemingway has his work cut out for him when a seemingly civilized game of Duplicate Bridge leads to a double murder. The crimes seem identical, but were they carried out by the same hand? Things become even more complicated when the fiancée of the inspector's young friend Timothy Kane becomes Hemingway's prime suspect. Kane is determined to prove the lady's innocence-but when he begins digging into her past, he finds it's more than a little bit shady...