Can't Wait Wednesday: To Kill a King by David Field (Book Five: The Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring, To Kill a King by David Field. I have read many of his historical fiction books about the period from 1066 to the reign of King John. They are wonderfully researched and simple to understand if you don't have all the background knowledge of English history. These books are part of his fictional historical mysteries. I am slowly collecting them and want to read them in order. This is his latest one in the series debuting this Friday.  Hope you've found something you can't wait for this week. Happy Reading ya'll!

October 18, 2024

Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon

Not everyone is ready to welcome the new king of England…

Nottingham, England, 1603

Queen Elizabeth’s long reign has finally come to an end and the Tudor era is over. Scottish King James has been handed the crown of England, but not everyone is happy about that, and there are several plots being hatched to replace him with an alternative.

Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel already has his hands full with an increase in destitute vagrants flooding the county, who seem to be victims of a human trafficker. But before he can find the man responsible, he is tasked by an official with royal authority to infiltrate a local group, who it is rumoured are plotting to assassinate the new king.

Edward enlists the help of fellow bailiff, Francis Barton to find the group, who are hiding out in Sherwood Forest.

But the only way to discover the plot is to place themselves right in the heart of the danger. And there’s a good chance they will be killed before they can save the king…

Who is leading the band of rebels? Can he be stopped?

And is there a connection between the treasonous plot and the desperate vagrants Edward is trying to assist…?

To Kill A King is the fifth historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

Stacking the Shelves #39

 

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. Enjoy your reading this week!

On sale this week for Kindle: $1.99 

Vail has written numerous historical fiction books, especially mysteries and a few epic novels too. I had never heard of him. This book came across as a suggestion on my Kindle store and was on sale for $1.99. Fantastic Fiction's website listed his works and they take place mostly during the 1100's and 1200's with historical and fictional characters thrown together. The reigns of Henry II and Henry III as well as some of Edward I are part of the backdrop. This book has sixteen sequel mysteries. It is part of the Stephen Attebrook Mysteries. I am thrilled to have discovered these as I love mysteries set during this time period. 

Sample: Trying it out first to see if I want to buy it:  Free Sample

This book was another suggested one for me on Amazon and it takes place in Bombay, India beginning on New Year's Eve 1949. It features a fictional female police inspector who has to solve the murder of an English diplomat with little to no support from her male dominated department. She teams up with a Scotland Yard detective which should make it even more interesting. I am hoping it will have some good history and suspense along with a unique setting and time period. It has won or been listed for more than one book award and is part of the Malabar House mystery series with a new book coming out in November. I just downloaded the sample first to check it out.

On sale for Kindle: $1.99

I have been slowly collecting Chadwick's books as they go on sale. They are expensive even on Kindle and sometimes hard to get in the states. This is book two of her first series, The Wild Hunt, and although it might not be the first one I'd read, I know how much her books are valued and so when I see them on sale I buy them! This book takes place during the reign of Henry I and features the daughter of a Welsh marcher baron. I love books featuring Welsh characters so it looks interesting. I have book three and just need the first one to complete my collection. 

Betrayal at Ravenswick by Kelly Oliver (Fiona Figg Mystery Book One)

Publication Date:

March 10, 2020

Length:

 208 pages

Summary:

I jumped into this series out of order because I wanted to read the one set in Cairo. It was book three so when I finished it, I wanted to go back to see how the original plot and character development unfolded. This book one is part of a series with just the main character, Fiona Figg and later she is joined in the second series by her sidekick, Kitty. Covert in Cairo was the one I read as part of series two. 

Fiona Figg's cheating husband has forced her to strike out on her own. Set during World War I, she and her spouse have been apart and when she realizes he has taken up with another woman she decides to throw herself into the war effort as a spy for British Intelligence. She is asked to go undercover, posing as a male doctor, to Ravenswick Abbey estate, with the hopes of exposing a suspected traitor, one Fredrick Fredricks. When she finally meets the notorious South African hunter, she is not impressed and thinks he is full of himself and a first rate snob. Not sure whether he is an actual traitor on the side of the Germans though, she treads lightly, trying to keep up her disguise while befriending one of the ladies there, Mary, who takes a bit too much interest in Fiona, thinking of course, she is a man.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Last Dance in Salzburg by Vivian Conroy (Miss Ashford Investigates Book Four)

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring, Last Dance in Salzburg, by Vivian Conroy. I am reading book one of this series right now and loving it. This is her new one coming out in November. So far it is a series I am interested in continuing with so I'm sure this one will be good too. Hope you've found something you can't wait for this week. Happy Reading ya'll!

November 8, 2024

Cozy Mysteries/Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon

November 1930.

After accepting an invitation to attend the ballet in snowy Salzburg, Miss Atalanta Ashford is shocked when a convicted jewel thief is found dead in the concert hall where the theft occurred a decade ago.

Did he return to the scene of the crime because he wanted to prove his innocence? Is the real culprit among the high-society guests? In her quest for the truth, Atalanta uncovers dangerous secrets about the European elite that put her own life in mortal danger…

The smell of Glühwein and spiced Lebkuchen from the Austrian winter markets fill the air, but for Atalanta there’s an intriguing puzzle to be solved in this cosy historical mystery for 2024.

Valley of the Kings: A Novel of Tutankhamun by Cecelia Holland

 

Publication Date:

January 1, 1978

Length:

231 pages

Summary:

I have heard about Holland's books for years and finally have read one. I love all things Egypt, pyramids, etc. so this was the place to start. Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon's unearthing of King Tut's tomb in 1922 is a fascinating story and I have read Holland stays true to history when writing her historical fiction. That is a must for me as I read these kinds of novels.

I know there are already many reviews for this book over the years. It is interesting that you don't know going in the book is divided into two parts: Howard Carter's story and King Tut's time period story. The first half details Carter's search for the tomb. Carter is an experienced archaeologist drawn to Egypt and its history and the search for the elusive tomb of King Tut. His frustration with the Egyptian government's slow pace and bureaucracy in allowing for the digs he wishes to conduct, not to mention the lack of funding leads to constant frustration. He teams up with a British aristocrat, Lord Carnarvon who shares an interest, although he is not obsessed to the degree Carter is. But willing to finance Carter's dream and work alongside him is enough to make the reality come true. Carter accepts the assistance and dodging local government regulations and resistance he doggedly pursues the tomb. 

Stacking the Shelves #38

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. Enjoy your reading this week!

On sale this week for Kindle: $1.99 

I ran across this in my Early Bird Books daily email I get listing on sale books I might like. The premise looked unique and it won the Edgar Award in 1965. A Rabbi from Boston is the actual author so he will definitely know his background for this story. The main character lives in a small New England town and although he wants nothing more than to lay low and minister to his flock, he is often involved in helping with the typical cozy mystery small town murders that seem to just pop up everywhere in these books! It says it's a lot like Father Brown, one of my favorites. 

Kindle price: $2.99

I have already started this novella and am loving it! I started to read Death Below Stairs by this author, the first mystery novel in the Below Stairs Mysteries. Then I discovered this book is the prequel to the series so I bought it and decided to stop and read it first. It definitely was the right choice....much more is making sense in Book 1 of the actual series. I am loving this author's historical knowledge of the time period. It is set in a Downton Abbey type house and the characters are well drawn. Looking forward to more from these books. 

Kindle audiobook:  Waiting on it to arrive in Libby (second in line!)

This is the October Read Christie book. I put it in for audiobook on Libby over a month ago and am still waiting. I have found I really enjoy listening to the Christie books in the car. It is so relaxing to do this on my way to work. But I may have to cave and actually get this book somewhere because apparently it is very popular right now! I'm hoping to get it this week and be able to finish in October right on time. And it's Miss Marple, I have grown fond of her :) 

The Pyramid Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith (The Miss Clara Vale Mysteries Book Three)

 

Publication Date:

June 13, 2024

Length:

293 pages

Summary:

This was the first book in the series that I have read. I skipped to book three because I liked the premise and location. It worked as a stand alone just fine, although starting at the beginning is usually better I agree. 

Clara Vale is an independent woman for 1930. She studied chemistry but began working as a detective of sorts which is unusual for women in her time. She attends a party at the Hancock Museum's opening exhibit of Egyptian artifacts and her good friend Daphne is counting on her support as it is her job to display and present the show. When the mummy inside the grand display sarcophagus turns out to be a fake, obviously replaced and the real mummy stolen, everyone is shocked and wonders where the real mummy might be. Clara wants to help, knowing her friend's reputation is on the line as well as wanting to catch the person who committed this theft. 

As she begins to investigate further, Clara finds that the mummy in the case is a person who has not been dead long. And she starts to suspect this is connected with a secret society and artifact smuggling ring. Traveling many miles across England and eventually led to Cairo in her search, Clara plays detective and walks a line between trying to find out the identify of the corpse without alerting the murderer and thieves. She is joined in her search by dashing men and her sidekick Bella who keeps her secrets well and is always there for her support and sleuthing. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Measure of Menace by Jennifer Ashley (A Kat Holloway Mystery)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring, A Measure of Menace by Jennifer Ashley. It is a continuation novella of her popular series Below Stairs Mysteries. Set in 1883 with a Downton Abbey vibe it is a murder mystery involving Lords and Ladies and their loyal staff. This author also writes as Allyson James and Ashley Gardiner. Her list of published works is impressive: fantasy, historical fiction, mysteries. She does it all! This is due out end of the month and looks like a great historical mystery. I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week :) 

September 30, 2024

Historical Mysteries/Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of Amazon

October 1883

When cook Kat Holloway and the kitchen staff maintain the empty Mayfair house while the family resides in the country, Lord Clifford, Lady Cynthia’s confidence-trickster father, arrives in London and asks Kat and Daniel McAdam for help. Lord Clifford has might be accused of murder but won't go to the police because his involvement with the victim will implicate him in another crime.

Kat and Daniel must pool their resources and unravel this tricky situation before Lord Clifford is arrested. Kat will do anything to spare her friend Lady Cynthia disgrace and ruin, even when the investigation leads her into grave peril.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Plan To Read This Fall 2024

 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl is books on your to be read pile this fall. I chose to title it "books I plan to read this fall." Call me obsessive but the word "plan" lets me off the hook if I don't get to them! And ten books by December 21st is a tall order for me right now. But here is what I'd read if I had all day to do it! No links as I didn't have time but at least I got a list out. Happy Fall ya'll :) 

1. The Virgin in the Ice by Ellis Peters- I am working my way through the Cadfael Chronicles over the years and this is the next in line. I am excited to to catch up and see what is going on with the monks of Shrewsbury.

2. The Agincourt King by Mercedes Rochelle- This is a new to me author I just discovered and I'm enjoying her topics. This one is of course about Henry V.

3. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side by Agatha Christie- This is the October Read Christie choice. I am waiting for the Libby copy to arrive!

4. Valley of the Kings by Cecilia Holland- This one is started already and I am loving it. It is the story of Howard Carter's discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922. Holland is an author I've been meaning to read for a long time now. So far I'm loving her style of writing.

5. The Castle Abductions by David Field- This is the first book in his Tudor era mystery series. I've reviewed several of his historical fiction books on my blog. He is always informative and entertaining.

6. Henry V by Dan Jones- This seems to be very popular now even though it has yet to be released in the U.S. It will be out October 1st.  I love Jones' narrative style and have read many of his books. Looking forward to this one.

7. Death Down the Aisle by Verity Bright- I read these each season they are set in. This is one for fall. My favorite cozy mystery series.

8. Betrayal at Ravenswick by Kelly Oliver - I read and reviewed this author's mystery Covert in Cairo recently and enjoyed it. Having jumped into the series without knowing the beginning backstory made me want to go back and get the very first book with these characters in it. I am trying not to do this again but it's hard when I like a certain setting and the covers suck me in too.

9. We Three Queens by Rhys Bowen- I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley. I plan to read and review it soon as it is being published in November. 

10. A Christmas Vanishing by Anne Perry- This is the last Perry Christmas novel. I am planning to read and review it early in November. It will be sad to see them end as she passed away recently. I just love these books each year at the holidays.

Stacking the Shelves #37

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. Enjoy your reading this week!

Kindle sample I'm going to buy with upcoming points: $1.99 

I have this sample and am going to start reading it soon. I really need to get more of O'Brien's books. This one is about Alice Perrers who was the mistress of Edward III. She lived a colorful life at court trying to walk a fine line between the King and Queen and all those who wished her downfall. I know little about her except that she had an interesting window into the time period and O'Brien is a highly respected historical fiction author. It should be a good one!

Kindle sale:  $1.99

This is the story of Queen Victoria's granddaughter, Duchess Victoria Melita "Ducky" and her marriage to Russian Grand Duke Kyrill. She is caught up in the Russian revolution and all the danger that it brings to her family. Laurie Graham, the author has written several historical fiction novels about a range of topics in different eras. It is hard to pin down one "type" of novel from her website. I know a lot about Victoria's daughters and some of ther grandchildren but not much about Ducky so I'm looking forward to it.

Kindle sale:  $3.99 (free with my points!)

I must be on a queen/royalty kick again this week. My Mom says I'm always in one and always have been, lol. Facts. This book is also about relatively obscure sisters....Joanna and Maria of Naples. As sisters and heirs to the throne of Naples, they must work hard to maintain their rule over their 14th century kingdom dominated by ambitious male relatives who feel they should be King. I know nothing about them or this story and Amazon states the author is an award winning historical novelist of other figures. I'm always happy when I find new authors. 

The French For Murder by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 10)

 

Publication Date: 

May 30, 2022

Length:

302 pages

Summary:

Lady Eleanor, her butler Clifford, and her beloved bulldog Gladstone are all set to enjoy their villa in the south of France. As usual, Clifford sets out to make it as comfortable as their English estate, Henley Hall. As he is working in the wine cellar, he discovers the body of Rex Armstrong, an American movie star shooting a film in the nearby area. He has been stabbed and inexplicably left in the villa. The police are sure Clifford is guilty. After all, he "found" the body and he isn't French, so they are naturally suspicious of him as an outsider. When he is arrested, Eleanor is frantic to clear his name. But since Clifford is always the one helping her out of sticky situations, she is hard pressed to know just wnat to do this time. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: To Kill a King: (The Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries Book Five)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring, To Kill a King: The Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries Book Five) by David Field. I love his historical fiction books and have reviewed several. This is one of three historical mystery series he's written. His books are always entertaining and informative of the time period. His research is solid and on point and I always learn something new. I hope you have found something you can't wait to read this week!

October 18, 2024

Historical Mysteries

Not everyone is ready to welcome the new king of England…

Nottingham, England, 1603

Queen Elizabeth’s long reign has finally come to an end and the Tudor era is over. Scottish King James has been handed the crown of England, but not everyone is happy about that, and there are several plots being hatched to replace him with an alternative.

Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel already has his hands full with an increase in destitute vagrants flooding the county, who seem to be victims of a human trafficker. But before he can find the man responsible, he is tasked by an official with royal authority to infiltrate a local group, who it is rumoured are plotting to assassinate the new king.

Edward enlists the help of fellow bailiff, Francis Barton to find the group, who are hiding out in Sherwood Forest.

But the only way to discover the plot is to place themselves right in the heart of the danger. And there’s a good chance they will be killed before they can save the king…

Who is leading the band of rebels? Can he be stopped?

And is there a connection between the treasonous plot and the desperate vagrants Edward is trying to assist…?

To Kill A King is the fifth historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes Book One)

 

Publication Date: 

1888

Length:

176 pages

Summary:

Since I wondered myself...the title of this book comes from the words of Holmes himself in a speech to Watson. He says, "There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colorless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it." This is the first story of Holmes and Watson. Through a series of events they become roommates and are seemingly compatible. Watson is intrigued by Holmes and his work, clients being those with criminal cases to solve. And Holmes likes schooling Watson on his methods, holding back his most coveted "tricks" for solving his cases. Watson, a veteran of the Second Afghan War is used to a serious side of life, but he still retains a bit of innocence and guile as he marvels at Holmes's uncanny detective skills. 

When a telegram arrives requesting Holmes's help in solving a new case, the two men travel to the crime scene, finding a victim, a strange German word written on the wall, RACHE, and a lady's gold wedding ring. After using a newspaper ad to try to find the ring's owner, Holmes later becomes convinced the owner is in on the murder. When another murder occurs with more identical clues, Holmes is convinced all is related and begins his deduction skills to solve the crimes and piece everything together. 

Can’t Wait Wednesday: Henry V The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King by Dan Jones

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring, Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King by   Dan Jones. Not only do I not find many books devoted entirely to this King, Dan  Jones is one of the best with biographies and history events. I am excited to see this  one coming in October! I hope you have found something you can't wait to read this week!

October 1, 2024

History/ History of U.K.

Henry V reigned over England for only nine years and four months and died at the age of just thirty-five, but he looms over the landscape of the late Middle Ages and beyond. The victor of Agincourt, he is remembered as the acme of kingship, a model to be closely imitated by his successors. William Shakespeare deployed Henry V as a study in youthful folly redirected to sober statesmanship. For one modern medievalist, Henry was, quite simply, “the greatest man who ever ruled England.”
 
For Dan Jones, Henry V is one of the most intriguing characters in all medieval history, but one of the hardest to pin down. He was a hardened, sometimes brutal warrior, yet he was also creative and artistic, with a bookish temperament. He was a leader who made many mistakes, who misjudged his friends and family, but he always seemed to triumph when it mattered. As king, he saved a shattered country from economic ruin, put down rebellions, and secured England’s borders; in foreign diplomacy, he made England a serious player once more. Yet through his conquests in northern France, he sowed the seeds for three generations of calamity at home, in the form of the Wars of the Roses.
 
Henry V is a historical titan whose legacy has become a complicated one. To understand the man behind the legend, Jones first examines Henry’s years of apprenticeship, when he saw the downfall of one king and the turbulent reign of another. Upon his accession in 1413, he had already been politically and militarily active for years, and his extraordinary achievements as king would come shortly after, earning him an unparalleled historical reputation. Writing with his characteristic wit and style, Jones delivers a thrilling and unmissable life of England’s greatest king.

Stacking the Shelves #36

 

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. Enjoy your reading this week!

Kindle purchase with digital points: $1.99

This is the first in the Lady Darby mystery series. I just reviewed the latest book by Anna Lee Huber, The Cold Light of Day, and want to try out her series set in a time and place I find a bit more interesting.....19th century Scotland. So this is the first one for this set. It is a very unique premise. Lady Darby will use her knowledge of human anatomy to help in a murder case. Should be a good read as I found Huber's other book very well written and complicated. This was because I'd started at the end. But it was a good book still so I'm hoping this one will be even better!

Library Borrow:

I really enjoy non-fiction books that are structured like this one. When they take several people in history that relate to a topic and give a short synopsis of each one. I can see a snapshot of a timeline or historical persons and then if one really appeals to me I can get a biography of just that person or time period. But I don't have to wade through lots and lots details I might not be interested in. This one includes Kings from Charlemagne to Robert the Bruce and are personalities that don't necessarily get a lot of attention. I will probably read it slowly and even skip around to the ones that are most appealing. 

Kindle Purchase with digital points: $1.99

I honestly was drawn to this book for its unique cover and title. I also love these reissued British Mystery Classics. This is a new to me author which is always good and I love trying out new mysteries anytime. The Amazon synopsis says it is an "exploration of morality, justice, and human nature." I like that added layer of depth and the classic authors really know how to write about those topics well. Hoping it's a good one!