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Book reviews featuring history, historical fiction, and mysteries, as well as my thoughts on all things bookish.
Monday, April 29, 2024
The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (Miss Marple Mysteries Book One) Read Christie 2024 April Selection
Monday, April 15, 2024
Dark Clouds Over Nuala by Harriet Steel (The Inspector de Silva Mysteries) Book Two
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Saturday, February 24, 2024
The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (Book One Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries) Read Christie February 2024 Selection
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Sunday, February 18, 2024
The Leper of Saint Giles by Ellis Peters (Cadfael Chronicles Book 5)
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Tuesday, February 6, 2024
The Wintringham Mystery (Cicely Disappears) by Anthony Berkeley
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Death On Board by Anita Davison (The Flora Maguire Mysteries Book One)
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Friday, January 26, 2024
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (Book One: Hercule Poirot Mysteries) Read Christie January 2024 Selection
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Saturday, January 6, 2024
Secret of the Scarab by Isabella Bassett (Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries Book 5)
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Sunday, December 31, 2023
Death On a Winter's Day by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 8)
Length: 286 pages
Summary:
Lady Eleanor and the gang go to Scotland! I have enjoyed this series so much and love that I'm ending the year with this review.
I had intended to do so much more on my blog in December but man it has been a heck of a month! Between teaching at an elementary school (where Christmas is intense!), to being sick twice with colds and sinus infections, to all the family obligations and celebrations I just haven't had much time to blog or read. But that's okay. I read when I could and read what I loved. And that's the point, right? So I'm happy to share my thoughts on this delightful cozy mystery.
Lady Eleanor and her butler Clifford travel to Castle Ranburgh in the Scottish highlands to celebrate Christmas with friends, Baron and Baroness Ashley. And when extra staff is needed, the whole group gets to tag along: Mrs. Trotman, the cook, Mrs. Butters, the housekeeper, and Polly, the kitchen maid. Even Gladstone the bulldog gets to go as another guest of honor. Though the castle is a bit primitive and the festivities a bit hampered by infighting among the guests, Eleanor is determined to enjoy herself. When an obnoxious American, Eugene Randall ends up murdered during a party game, she realizes she is smack in the middle of another crime to solve. Everyone has motive, including the footman and the hosts.
When Baron Ashley is arrested for the murder, Eleanor knows she must try to help clear his name. But is she absolutely sure he's innocent? His wife seems to be adamant that he is and just for good measure she enlists her love interest, Inspector Hugh Seldon to help her with some of the evidence. She will have to work fast to find the real killer and all while trying not to be too distracted by her feelings for Seldon and her desire to honor his request that she stay safe and quit putting herself in harm's way.
My Thoughts:
Being partial to all things Scottish this was one of my favorites of the series so far. I loved everything about it. From the location, to the colorful characters, to the incorporation of Christmas traditions, and the new hints into Eleanor's background and her mysterious absent parents.
The murder mystery was well done too and I only figured out half of the answer. The last couple of chapters with an intense chase scene were fun and exciting and I learned some things about sailing and the topography of the area they are in.
The next in the series looks fun as it centers around the murder of a visiting member of the royal family. Looking forward to more adventures in 2024 with Eleanor, Clifford, and Gladstone.
Saturday, December 16, 2023
Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie (Miss Marple Book Twelve) Read Christie 2023 December Selection
Publication Date: October 1976
Length: 224 pages
Well I can hardly believe it but this is my last review for Read Christie 2023. I am feeling quite accomplished as it was my goal to participate and blog about at least one Agatha Christie book each month, preferably the one for the challenge, and I did this. I only had two books that I didn't get to and for those I read alternates.
Gwenda Reed, newly married and looking for a place to settle down with her husband Giles, is thrilled to have found a house on the coast of England that seems to fit their life. It is called Hillside and as they settle in, Gwenda oddly discovers that she has lived there as a child. The strange coincidence is even more bizarre when she realizes she may have witnessed a murder committed in front of her as a small child. Because both her parents are dead, she has precious few people to consult as to where these memories come from and why. Giles, loving husband that he is, agrees to help her unravel the mystery, along with Miss Marple, who has been drawn into the story after meeting the couple earlier and is now visiting nearby and staying with friends.
The murder centers around a woman named Helen. At first, Gwenda doesn't know exactly who she is. But she has a violent memory of a "Helen" being strangled and her witnessing it. The more they dig, Gwenda and Giles find out that Helen was Gwenda's stepmother and they begin to fear it was Gwenda's father who murdered her. Giles puts out an ad seeking knowledge from anyone who might know Helen's whereabouts and it is answered by her brother, a Dr. Kennedy who lives nearby. After meeting with him and others they find involved in Helen's life story, Gwenda and Giles are more confused than ever. They and Miss Marple have a lot of detective work to do to find out if Helen was indeed murdered at all or whether it was just the overactive imagination of a young Gwenda.
I really enjoyed this one. Normally I haven't been a big fan of the Miss Marple stories as I find they are a little slower paced and sometimes the detailed storyline just isn't there as much. But this one really had me guessing and I definitely did not figure out the resolution ahead of time. Even at the last second before the big reveal I was sure I knew and was completely wrong. That made for a great ending. Miss Marple had quite a bit of involvement here and she has some great discussions about her thoughts and the why behind the crime. There were some psychological elements that made it interesting also, and family dynamics that were meant to be disturbing and shocking. It is the last novel for Christie, published after her death, and I think so far it is my favorite of the Miss Marple series.
It was a great way to end my year of reading Agatha Christie for 2023!
Thursday, November 30, 2023
Endless Night by Agatha Christie (Read Christie 2023 November Selection)
Publication Date: October 30, 1967
Length: 224 pages
Since Agatha Christie said this was one of her favorites I was anxious to read it and see why. It is unique, without Poirot or Marple or any stand out detective at all. And I consider this one to be more psychological than some of her others since finishing and reflecting on it. The 1960's seem to have been a time when the field of psychology and the "why" behind murder was a big interest and I can recall movies and books I've seen or read during this era really tackling the topic from a mental perspective. So this book, with its focus, being published in that time period makes sense.
Michael Rogers seems to be an idealistic twenty-two year old who wants to have the perfect life. He would like to live in a charming house, with a beautiful wife, and lots of disposable income. He hasn't made much of himself up to this point, wandering aimlessly though life, doing odd jobs, and meeting interesting people. He clearly wants the "easy" way out when it comes to providing for himself. When he stumbles upon a property called Gipsy's Acre, he thinks he has found the home of his dreams. The girl he meets there, Ellie Guteman, seems to be the girl of his dreams as well. She is an American born heiress, with plenty of money to spare, so much that Michael will not need to work if married to her. He can also have his architect friend, Rudolf Santonix, create the perfect house for them on the property. There is only one problem: Gipsy's Acre is said to be cursed, and it doesn't help that the old gipsy lady living nearby, Mrs. Lee, creepily suggests they leave and never return lest something horrible befall them.
Michael and Ellie refuse to listen to her advice, and after a whirlwind courtship and wedding, build their dream house and try to settle in. Almost immediately strange things occur. A rock is thrown threw a window with a sinister note, Ellie is injured and has to have a former helpmate, Greta come and stay with them. There is a general feeling of uneasiness both in the house and on the property and Mrs. Lee is still menacing them with what will happen if they don't leave.
Local villagers, Major Phillpot and Claudia Hardcastle are bright spots in their days and befriend the couple, Michael and Ellie having strained relationships with their families and no one else to spend time with. It seems most of the other people in their lives are either out for a piece of Ellie's money or in Michael's case with his mother, are disapproving of their life choices. Just when it feels like things are looking up for them a bit, tragedy strikes and all the dark, ominous warnings appear to be coming true. Michael must decide if he is able to continue with the life he has chosen or cut his losses and leave Gipsy's Acre for good.
This story was slow to get started but when it did it was really intriguing. I did start to figure out who the villain was as things progressed only because this time I really tried hard to think outside the box. As I'm reading more of Christie I try to see if I can put things together in the most unexpected way and this book was a lot of fun in that regard. I wasn't totally correct about everything but wasn't completely taken off guard when the ending was revealed. Without giving away any spoilers, about halfway through it reminded me of an old movie from the 1940's I've watched many times that had the same vibe and turns out I was on the right path there!
The dark atmosphere created at the beginning was done well and I started off wanting to know more about the curse and Mrs. Lee, why she was so insistent that Michael and Ellie leave and not return. The secondary characters of Greta, Major Phillpot, and Claudia Hardcastle were great additions to the story as well.
I felt like this was one of her better stories and it was a nice addition to the collection that doesn't feature Poirot and Marple. Sometimes those haven't been my favorites but it worked well with this one.
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Black Coffee by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot Book Seven)
Publication Date: December 8, 1930
Length: 193 pages
I had already read and reviewed October's Read Christie book, Murder On the Orient Express, and so I went looking for a new one to tackle. This cover and title looked interesting and I read that it was orginally a play that Christie struggled to finish writing. So I thought I'd give it a try and see exactly what "black coffee" meant. It was definitely not one of her books that I'd seen anywhere else. I also thought it was fitting to post a murder mystery review on Halloween. And I am wanting to read every Poirot mystery at some point too.
Our story begins with the scientist Sir Claud Amory realizing a secret formula he has been working on has been stolen from his safe. It is top secret and has the potential to be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands as it is the formula for an atomic explosive. Turning to Poirot for help, he summons the members of his household together and tells them that when the lights go out in the room they are gathered in, there will be a one minute time limit in which the thief can return the stolen documents. If they are returned, nothing will be done to the person who stole them. If they are not returned and Sir Claud finds out who has stolen them, they will be prosecuted.
Gathered in the room are Claud's sister Caroline, his niece Barbara, his son Richard and his wife Lucia, his secretary Edward Raynor, and one Dr. Carelli, a friend of Lucia's. All proclaim their innocence and shock at Sir Claud's accusations and insist they don't know anything about the stolen documents. The lights go out and when they come back on, Sir Claud himself is dead and the envelope he left beside him for the thief to put the documents in is empty. Richard remembers Sir Claud commenting on the bitter taste of his coffee and when Poirot arrives and investigates, he discovers the drink was indeed poisoned.
Poirot begins his careful, trademark interviewing of the members present, sparing no one from suspicion. As he learns more about the family, especially Lucia, he begins to unravel secrets that involve blackmail, spies, and hidden identities. Everyone has motive to want Sir Claud dead and Poirot himself will eventually become the target of the thief, putting his life in jeopardy.
I enjoyed Black Coffee and in fact did guess correctly as to who the murderer and thief were. I did not see the twist concerning Poirot's welfare so that was a fun little side scene in the story. This wasn't a terribly long or complicated case but it did involve a unique backstory for one of the characters and showcased Poirot's compassionate side as he works to clear the name of one he feels strongly to be innocent despite the person's insistence of guilt in some of their life choices.
If you are looking for a quick, engaging mystery to brighten your week this is a good one. Nothing too heavy here, but there is the usual Christie charm and clues to piece together. Happy Halloween everyone!
Friday, October 13, 2023
Murder, I Spy: A Dora and Rex Mystery by Lynn Morrison (Dora and Rex 1920's Mystery Book One)
Publication Date: April 26, 2023
Length: 230 pages
Well, the addition of the cat on the cover was the final straw to make me want to read this book....but...really, I spotted this series a couple of times being promoted on my Facebook feed as a "cross between Downton Abbey and Miss Fisher Mysteries." So I had to see for myself if that were true. There are three books out this year and a fourth due this fall that is now available for pre-order that I featured on this week's Can't Wait Wednesday.
Lord Reginald "Rex" Bankes-Fernsby is still trying to get his life together after his years in World War I and is haunted by all he witnessed. He feels adrift in life and unable to settle down. With money and his good name he knows he should have the world at his fingertips but can't figure out what he wants to do. When his seemingly confident, fellow soldier friend Freddie is murdered he is shocked and determined to figure out what happened.
His first stop is to visit Freddie's latest love interest, Theodora Laurent. He is unaware that she is a notorious spy and that they have met before. A back story for another time, "Dora" knows well who Rex is but he has no idea about her identity. He is immediately smitten by her charm and perfume, having a hard time staying focused on why he has sought her out: information about Freddie. Just when he begins to make some progress in questioning her last contact with the victim, someone takes a shot at them and they are on the run together.
For safety's sake and the investigation, Rex and Dora end up under the same roof together. As their search takes them to night clubs and warehouse docks, the two dance around their growing feelings and suspicions of each other, all the while united in their desire to catch Freddie's killer and keep his reputation intact. Will Rex find out he's met Dora before? Will Dora admit she wants him in her life after this case is solved?
I enjoyed this mystery and appreciated the way the author had us a little confused and guessing about Dora's identity and how she knows Rex already. One of my peeves with modern writers is how they spell out way too much, repeat themselves, and just generally write what I'd call more YA than adult. This book had me re-reading some paragraphs especially in the beginning to make sure I was getting the subtle hints about the two and their prior interactions. We are left hanging throughout the book as to the killer's identity and while the ending isn't a giant cliffhanger, it comes together nicely.
Rex and Dora have nice chemistry which I can see will continue into book two and at the end it is made clear that they will be working together again (I won't spoil it by giving away more!) Their banter reminds me of an old movie and it's nice to see no bad language or inappropriate contact between the characters, making this a great cozy mystery. Looking forward to reading the next one soon.
Friday, September 29, 2023
Appointment With Death (A Hercule Poirot Mystery) by Agatha Christie
Publication Date: May 2, 1938
Length: 256 pages
This was the Read Christie choice for September and I am getting it read and reviewed in the nick of time. It features Hercule Poirot as the lead investigator and as he is my favorite of Christie's characters, I was glad to dive into this book.
The story caught my attention from the first as Poirot, on vacation in Jerusalem, overhears a man and a woman talking. The man says to her, "You do see, don't you, that she's got to be killed?" Raymond Boynton and his sister Carol are at their wits end with their domineering, evil stepmother, Mrs. Boynton, a former prison warden, who delights in making everyone in the family miserable. She is controlling and nasty and seems to take real pleasure in the misery of others. For years she has orchestrated her own little fiefdom in which she dictates all the decisions of her deceased husband's children and her own child, Ginny Boynton, and attempts to do the same with her stepson Lennox's wife Nadine, who resists her. When Mrs. Boynton is found dead later in the story on a family outing to the ruins of Petra, Poirot believes he can solve the case in 24 hours and sets out to follow the clues.
Sarah King, a female doctor and Dr. Gerard, a psychologist staying at the same hotel as the other characters play an important role in the story. They are fascinated with the obvious dysfunction on display in the Boynton family. From the start of the book they are found discussing what they perceive to be the hold Mrs. Boynton has over the family. Sarah seems to be romantically interested in Raymond as well and feels almost a duty to save him from his stepmother's influence. When she confronts Mrs. Boynton at one point and bravely tells her what she thinks of her, she is met with a chilling response: "I've never forgotten anything- not an action, not a name, not a face." Later, these words will have great significance in the resolution of the crime and the identity of the murderer.
Also factoring into the story is Jefferson Cope, a friend of the family who is in love with Carol, Colonel Carbury, a local official who spends time with Poirot on the case, and Lady Westholme, a member of Parliament and important figure in society.
My favorite part of this book was the first half when Christie spent time focusing on the psychology of the Boyntons. I found it very insightful and relevant to today when thinking of those who seem to have a natural inclination toward dictating to others and controlling others simply because they can. Christie was writing this during the 1930's when psychological studies were still relatively novel and so I thought she did an amazing job of describing the reasons behind the victim's personality. The way she was able to control her family without lifting a finger to physically harm them was disturbing and creepy and made you glad to see her go.
As is usual for me, I love Christie until the sequence of chapters where each clue is given the once over. I realize that a lot of her readers love this part of the book but I think it can drag and get tedious when Poirot starts painstakingly going through them all. I now know it's just part of the style though and so I accept it and use it as a time to reflect and see if I can sift through them and guess who the culprit is. I confess I didn't win this round! It was clever and hidden and unexpected, at least for me. But believable and I thought the ending was a great one. This was one of my favorites so far and I look forward to the November Read Christie book. I have already read and reviewed the October selection, Murder On the Orient Express, so I'll be skipping that month. It's funny that I read it and didn't even realize it was the October choice!
Friday, September 15, 2023
A Lesson in Murder by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 7)
Publication Date: September 14, 2021
Length: 325 pages
I have to admit, I get excited when it's time to review another Lady Eleanor book. They are by far my favorite cozy mystery series right now. The husband and wife team publish four per year and so I read them in season. I am already looking forward to book 8 that I plan to read over the Christmas holidays. This one is the fall book, coinciding with the start of school, so as a teacher it was a bit of extra fun.
Lady Eleanor is going back to school. Her old boarding school that is. Asked to make a speech at St. Mary's she is honored and excited. Ellie enjoys walking the halls of her alma mater and remembering good times and bad. She was always the rebel student and while she is happy to see the more modern, progressive changes that have been made since she left, she is also acutely aware of the still prevalent manners and customs of the old guard there.
Before she can make her speech though, her beloved former teacher, Mrs. Wadsworth is murdered in the school library. As everyone dashes off to see what has happened, Ellie finds herself caught in another investigation with dashing Detective Hugh Seldon and her butler Clifford who decides to stay and help her. In order to be present on campus and help the search for the killer, Ellie takes over as guardian of one of the houses of students who grow to appreciate her. Clifford and Gladstone occupy a house nearby which Clifford of course furnishes in his customary impeccable style. When the art teacher is also found dead, Ellie and Hugh know they are running out of time. Who is knocking off innocent teachers? And why? Ellie also finds a link to her long lost Mother in a former diary, adding a personal element to the case she didn't expect.
Being the seventh book in the series I thought I would grow tired of the formulaic aspect of the stories. And yes, they are predictable in some ways: Ellie's internal dialogue, Hugh's resistance to their romance, Clifford's perfection, and the way everything wraps up in a nice neat package at the end. But that is why it is a cozy mystery after all. This one was not as exciting as some of the others for me in that the location wasn't very exotic and I thought the secondary characters were not as interesting. But it is still a notch above many of the cozy series I have read this year. The authors have created main characters that I love and have distinct, quirky personal traits that make me want to see what they are doing lately. Some of the cozies I read could take place anywhere, at any time and there is very little effort made to drop me into the era they claim to be set in. These books do a great job of making reference to the time period and I feel like the 1920's are threaded throughout.
If you are looking to start with a cozy series I highly recommend these books. From the gorgeous covers to the people to the intricate cases (which are usually pretty hard to figure out) to the unique settings, they are a lot of fun. I certainly have no other series I've read seven straight books from in recent memory, so there must be something that makes them stand out.
Friday, September 8, 2023
Murder On the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (A Hercule Poirot Mystery)
Publication Date: January 1, 1934
Length: 256 pages
This is an exciting review for me. I have wanted to read this book for a very long time and the August choice for Read Christie just didn't interest me. I had originally wanted to read and review this in August but just didn't quite finish it in time. I consider this story to be the quintessential Agatha Christie mystery and I can hardly say I've "read Christie" without it. So it's a personal achievement and has taken way too long to accomplish.
Detective Hercule Poirot has had to return to London from Instanbul and books passage on the Orient Express. His friend, Monsieur Bouc finds him a second class car but good friend that he is, decides to give Poirot his first class cabin instead. Traveling with them are several passengers who all appear to have different backgrounds and reasons for travel, as any train would contain. There is the English woman Mary Debenham, American businessman Samuel Ratchett, Princess Dragonmiroff, Count Andrenyi and his wife and many others.
Early the next morning, Poirot hears noise from the compartment next door where Samuel Ratchett is bunking. Later, when the train becomes stranded in a snow drift, Ratchett is found dead and it is obvious the murderer must be on board. Several clues including a handkerchief with the letter "H" and a piece of paper with the words "member little Daisy Armstrong" are found which serve to ignite interest in a long ago forgotten case of child abduction and murder. Poirot has little time to investigate each passenger, each clue, and put them together before they are moving again and the suspect has a chance to get away. Along with Monsieur Bouc and one Dr. Constantine, another passenger, he sets out to solve the case.
I don't want to reveal too much of the story as it would spoil things. I also realize the vast number of people who have read this book already or watched the movie already know everything. But just in case someone is reading this and doesn't know the story I'll stop there. I found that even though I'd seen the 2017 movie with Kenneth Branagh and knew how it ended I still enjoyed reading the book version. It is, after all, the original and a movie is just not the same. I found the ending in the book heartbreaking in a way I didn't with the onscreen version. The ending was a little more abrupt and having to picture the characters more in my mind, I think I grew more attached to them than I did in the movie.
While this was definitely not my favorite Christie book (I actually found it got a little tedious in some parts) I know it is very popular and is a staple in the mystery genre. It's one of those books you just "have to read." And having done so, I can now call myself a real Christie connoisseur. Well, I like to think so anyway!
Friday, August 18, 2023
The Malabar Hotel Mystery: An Ellie Blaine 1920's Mystery (Book Six) by E.M. Bolton
Publication Date: March 27, 2023
Length: 181 pages
I am always looking for mysteries or historical fiction set in India, preferably prior to WW II. I find the setting exotic and fascinating and I love to see differences in British and Indian culture depicted. So this cover, title, location was one mystery I wanted to try. I knew going in it was short and probably wouldn't have time to delve deeply into more than a cute mystery but since I've joined the cozy mystery reading challenge it fit the bill. I'm having a very busy week starting school so short books are very welcome right now! This is book six and I haven't read anything else in this series but it's the only one set in India so I tried it first.
Ellie Blaine is worried about her friend and love interest Dr. Richard Lindley. He is missing in Cochin, India and she has left England to go and search for him. She knows it is not like him to have quit writing her and is sure he has met with foul play. When she arrives, her suspicions are confirmed by what she finds in his hotel room. His watch, a gift from Ellie is found among his belongings, and as he promised her he'd never remove it, she feels certain this, along with mysteriously unfinished letters detailing a supposed crime he was involved in, are odd clues that point to something sinister befalling him.
As she talks with hotel staff and his hospital colleagues, Ellie is unsure who is being candid and who is possibly withholding information. Her friend Georgie arrives, and having worked on previous cases with her before, begins to search with Ellie. The two women encounter some perilous situations which are designed to throw them off the trail, but stick to their intuition and continue. Is Richard guilty? Did he leave on his own? Or is there more to the story?
The first half of the book was the best. Descriptions of the city and its surroundings looked promising and I liked the way the characters spoke to each other, the dialogue sounding a lot like an old movie. Hoping the culture and atmosphere would continue throughout the book I kept going and I also thought the mystery would intensify and become more involved. Unfortunately, I found that about a third of the way through things started to fade out. It began to feel like a book that could have taken place almost anywhere at anytime. It was as if the author forgot it is supposed to be a historical mystery set in another country during another time. The mystery part was just okay, but not terribly exciting.
This book felt somewhat amateurish and being so short at less than 200 pages, it rambled more than it should have. By the time the resolution happened I'd already figured out the gist of it so the excitement just wasn't there. Some cozy mysteries have that extra thing that makes them cute and also contain a little depth. This one just didn't have enough there to make me care about Ellie and Georgie. It had a good premise but didn't deliver. Maybe the other books are better and they take place back in England. I'm not sure if I'll read another one but I am always willing to try an author twice just to be sure.
Friday, August 4, 2023
Blood On the Tiber by B. M. Howard (The Gracchus and Vanderville Mysteries Book Two)
Publication Date: August 10, 2023
Length: 401 pages
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
This book takes place during the era after the French Revolution and before the pinnacle of the Napoleonic Wars. It is not a time period covered as commonly in historical fiction and the setting being Italy it is even more obscure. I had not read book one in the series yet but you don't have to as the author gives enough background on the characters to understand the story.
Felix Gracchus has been suffering from malaria and has awakened in the French embassy realizing how ill he has been and frustrated at his slow recovery. He is grateful to the nurse who has treated him throughout his condition and wants to find her to thank her. She has been difficult to locate and unbeknownst to Gracchus, this will resurface later as he becomes involved in a mysterious case involving a family inheritance.
Gracchus is glad to find out his friend and younger former colleague, Lieutenant Vanderville has been assigned to the Embassy and will be infiltrating the group of rebels who are deemed Patriots to the revolutionary cause running underground in Rome and keeping an eye on their often violent activities. The two men are as different as night and day but have an underlying respect for each other due to prior involvement in a case.
As Gracchus continues to recover and get out more, he and Vanderville are often in the company of Joseph Bonaparte, the brother of Napoleon and ambassador of the French Republic to Rome. They get to know Joseph's wife, mother-in-law, sister Caroline, and sister-in-law, Desiree and accompany them in certain settings. Also often present at dinner or events is Cardinal Cesarini, an ambitious man in charge of the Pope's police unit, who will use every advantage to get ahead in the political, religious world of Rome.
When Gracchus is mysteriously attacked and works to find out who is behind it he is drawn to the home of a strange, reclusive widow, living in squalor in a home on her stepson's property, who also happens to be the Cardinal himself. The woman tells him the story of how she came to be at the mercy of him and that she wants Gracchus to help her retrieve a painting which will reveal clues to an inheritance she says rightfully belongs to her own biological children and herself. Initially, Gracchus believes he can help the woman and that the case is intriguing, but not especially dangerous. As things progress, he realizes it goes much deeper and darker than he ever imagined. He will need his friend Vanderville and a lot of skills to unravel the detailed story and to get to the bottom of the twisted truth.
The level of historical detail and vocabulary is impressive in this novel. I found myself having to slow down a bit and concentrate the way I might in a classic book. Having read a lot of quick, cozy mysteries lately, it is challenging to pick up a story such as this and find I'm needing to even re-read parts and look at the cast of characters to keep everything straight. This is not light reading for sure. The descriptions of Rome and the underground revolutionary movement are well done and informative in a way I'd never seen in another book, making this one of the most unique historical mysteries I've read yet.
While I admire the author's research and writing, I wasn't thrilled with the ending. It was a bit macabre for my taste. I guess I like my mysteries to end on a more pleasant note. Again, maybe that comes from reading too many cozy mysteries, but readers should know that this isn't for the faint of heart! It is gritty and dark and shocking when you get to the conclusion.
Overall I'd say this book was well researched, articulate, and interesting but I probably won't be reading another in this series due to the graphic nature of it. It just wasn’t my style.