Murder in Moscow by Kelly Oliver (A Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery Book Five)

 

Publication Date:

March 19, 2024

Genre: 

Cozy Mysteries, Historical Mysteries

Length:  

242 pages

Series:

Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mysteries

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

1918 Moscow

Will following her heart mean losing her head? It could mean losing her job.

Fiona Figg trails her nemesis Fredrick Fredricks to Moscow. But when she arrives at the grand Metropol Hotel, the bounder has vanished.

After Fiona doesn’t show up for work at the War Office, Kitty Lane raises a red flag and tracks her to Russia. Seeking haven at the British Embassy, Kitty and Fiona become embroiled in a plot to overthrow the Bolshevik government.

But the plot turns deadly when Fiona goes undercover as a governess in the household of Iron Viktor, the Bolsheviks’ Head of Secret Police. And when Viktor turns up dead in his study, Fiona finds herself wanted for murder and on the lam.

Can Fiona and Kitty find the real killer and escape the Kremlin before it’s too late? Or will this dangerous game of Russian roulette be their last?

My Thoughts:

I was looking forward to this book in the series because I enjoy those set in World War I Russia. The story of the Imperial family and the revolution has always fascinated me. If someone knew nothing about it this would be a fun way to learn a few main points and players. Within the mystery we find Fiona, Kitty, Archie, and Clifford once again battling Fredrick Fredricks, the German spy, sometimes savior, and a host of Russian characters who might be killers. 

Fiona becomes mixed up in the politics of the time and it lands her in hot water with the Russian government. Counting on the charity of the women she is imprisoned with, Fiona tries to escape her situation only to find herself in another perilous one. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Castle in the Glen by Rhys Bowen

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Castle in the Glen, by Rhys Bowen. This is a stand alone novel in which a writer travels to Scotland's Isle of Skye to solve a decades old mystery. Emma Callander agrees to help finish a novel for an older writer who is unable to complete it, but when Emma begins to dig for the book's research she finds the dark crime to actually be true. The setting description sounds beautiful and the mystery's story haunting and intriguing. It should be a good one!

Historical Mysteries, Historical Fiction

August 4, 2026

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

Australian writer Emma Callander has been recruited to complete the final historical mystery in a series by celebrated author Iris Blackburn. It’s 1964, and Iris’s memory is fading. She’s certain that only Emma can do justice to her novel about a murder on the Isle of Skye. When Emma ventures to Scotland for research, she discovers it isn’t fiction at all, but rather a true crime unsolved for more than fifty years.

It was 1904 when a couple’s suspicious drowning led to the disappearance of a mysterious young woman the locals called the Wild Girl. To this day the mystery is unforgettable, especially among the descendants of an aristocratic family who’ll do anything to keep their secrets buried. From the misty Highlands to a medieval castle, Emma and Tony Gordon, Iris’s handsome lawyer, work ever more closely to uncover them.

But while Iris may be known for her fiendishly clever twists, there’s one not even Emma could have seen coming.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want to Read by New to Me Authors

 

This week's theme for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is Books I Want to Read by New to Me Authors. This is one topic I definitely won't have trouble with. I am finding it hard to narrow it down because although I love series books by tried and true authors, that is often my problem! There are some really great books I feature on my blog that I don't always get around to because I keep going back to my "comfort" authors. 

So here is my list of books that I need to put in front of the others on my TBR pile.

Happy reading y'all!

Click on the book title to go to Goodreads. 

1. The Falcon of Palermo by Maria R. Bordihn- As far as I can tell this is the author's only novel. It is unique and I keep saying I'm going to read it. It is about the life of the Holy Roman Emporer, Frederick II and there aren't many books on that subject. 

2. A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman (Countess of Harleigh Book One) - I love the covers of these books and a mystery set in upper society London is always fun. Set in 1899 in Belgravia, the American Countess of Harleigh must navigate the social scene, her visiting sister, dashing gentlemen, and solving murder. 

3. Hue and Cry by Shirley McKay (A Hue Cullan Mystery Book One)- I just mentioned book two on my Sunday post because I bought it for a great price on Kindle. I need to read these because they are mysteries set in 1500's academia Scotland and that sounds like a fun read.

4. The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason- This novel about Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I is unique and this author has written several other historical fiction novels that center on obscure people and events. I love finding authors who take on less common subjects. 

5.  The Iron King by Maurice Druon (The Accursed Kings Book One)- This famous novel about France's King Phillip the Fair is one I have had on my TBR pile for a long time. I don't know why I never seem to get around to this author because his works are now considered classics. It is just another I need to get to!

6.  Daughter of York by Anne Easter Smith- Margaret of York, the sister of Edward IV is the subject of this novel. It is hard to get Smith's books in the U.S. without paying full price so she has remained lower on my list. So many people love her books so she is one that I would like to read eventually.

7.  The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough (Masters of Rome Book One)- I am not super interested in Roman history....I don't know why it just hasn't ever caught my excitement like I think it should. But this historical fiction series is one I need to try from a well known author. It remains high on my TBR list.

8. The Doctor's Wife by Myra Hargrave McIlvain (Joseph Stein Book One)- This book is written by an author from Texas, as am I, and so it caught my attention immediately. I love people who take stories about their hometown or state and write to entertain and inform about history. 

9. The Queen's Cousin by Raymond Wemmlinger- This author came onto the scene fairly recently with some very interesting historical novels. This one is about Queen Anne of Scotland (Anne of Denmark), wife of James VI (also James I of England). She is often overlooked in this genre. 

10. Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman by Tessa Arlen (Lady Montfort Mystery Book One)- These covers are so pretty and the setting feels like Downton Abbey with a mystery thrown in. I'd like to try book one soon. 

Stacking the Shelves #96

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Happy reading y'all!

Queens at War by Alison Weir (England's Medieval Queens Book Four)

Kindle Purchase: $1.99 on sale this week

I featured this book for a Can't Wait Wednesday post awhile back but now I was able to buy the Kindle version for a great price this week. It will have to go in my to be read pile but I'm glad I could get it. Weir's series on medieval queens is unique and I have enjoyed what I've read from it so far. 

Fate and Fortune: A Hew Cullan Mystery Book Two

Kindle Purchase: $1.99

This series is intriguing to me because of its Scottish setting in the 1500's. I have book one already and this was on sale for a steal. The main character is a young law student who, while trying to complete his education in Edinburgh, becomes involved in solving the murder of a young girl found on a beach. He becomes involved personally when events from his life overlap with the murder inquiry. I love anything set in medieval Scotland but especially a mystery. 

The Belle of Chatham by Laura Frantz

Hoopla Digital borrow

I featured this book in January for Can't Wait Wednesday and it is now available on Hoopla. I am not reading much American history or historical fiction lately but this book caught my eye. It is a little like the Sunfire books I loved as a young girl but written for adults. Two sisters are caught up in love and war in their New Jersey home during the American Revolution and must decided where their loyalties lie. 

Hammer of the Scots by Jean Plaidy (Plantagenet Saga Book Seven)

 

Publication Date:

January 1, 1978

Genre: 

Historical Fiction, Medieval Historical Fiction

Length:  

326 pages

Series:

Plantagenet Saga

Book description courtesy of Goodreads:

The news of Henry III's death reached his son Edward on the long road home from the Holy Land. Now he was England's King and a man fit for his destiny.

Through all the years of his reign, through stark personal tragedy and chill forebodings as his son grew into a weak, corrupted prince, Edward I strove to weld a nation united from England and Scotland and Wales.

When the mighty Wallace raised the Scots in arms and the Welsh Llewellyn strove for power, Edward stood firm to his resolve, still knowing in his heart how much would be lost when his crown passed down to his dissolute son.

My Thoughts:

As anyone who reads my blog knows I'm a huge Jean Plaidy fan. And there aren't that many books about Edward I so I have wanted to read this one for a while. It is really hard to find and I had to buy a used copy online. You can't even get it on Kindle.The cover is funny to me because it was written in 1978 and has that romance novel vibe which this book is anything but. It makes me curious if this actually made some women buy it and be disappointed that it is really historical fiction. It is such a different time now and I guess this is what she had to do to sell her novels back then. 

I seem to be in an Edward phase right now as I have a non-fiction book about him going and plan to read another book that just came out. This book starts with the death of his father, Henry III and finishes with Edward's death so we see the entire scope of his reign. She doesn't spend much time on his early years, just some flashbacks by his mother remembering how things used to be. I have read quite a bit lately about Henry III's reign and so it picked up in a good spot for me to understand what was happening at the time.

The most interesting and unique parts of the book were surprisingly not his clashes with Wales and Scotland (although those parts were great too!) but rather his relationships with his children, especially his daughters Eleanor and Joan. I had read that both he and his father were very devoted to their children and almost indulgent which I don't picture much for medieval Kings. And Joan's story was almost a book in itself with scandals and secret romance, I had no idea!