Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Read Christie 2023 January Selection)

Publication Date: March 1939

Length:  256 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was the January book for this year's Read Christie 2023 challenge and one I'd never heard of. My immediate reaction upon seeing it was that I loved the cover and the title. Sometimes that alone is enough to make me happy to read something. Silly I know, but since there are whole Instagram pages dedicated to pretty book covers, I know I'm in good company! It is short and I was able to read it within a couple of days and considering I'm a teacher who just went back this week after two lazy weeks off for Christmas, I'm pretty proud of myself to have finished it already.  The challenge is a lot of fun and I'm excited to see the upcoming books with their methods and motives theme this year. As you can see from my rating.....I absolutely loved it.

Elinor Carlisle has been accused of murdering her romantic rival, Mary Gerrard. Upon the death of Elinor's Aunt Laura, she had expected to receive a sizeable fortune and share it with the object of her desire, Roddy Welman. When Roddy becomes infatuated with Mary, Elinor sees her life plan going up in smoke. Wishing her dead, Elinor is nonetheless in shock to find Mary actually deceased from an overdose of what appears to be morphine. The nurse caring for her sickly aunt believes it is the vial she misplaced and as events unfold, Elinor is accused of deliberately lacing sandwiches Mary ate with the lethal dose. Because so many could also have had access to the vial there are many theories as to who could have done it and why, but Elinor seems to be the most likely culprit.

Hercule Poirot is called in to investigate the case by Aunt Laura's physician who is in love with Elinor. He is unsure of her guilt but doesn't care as long as Poirot can find some means of assuring her acquittal. Poirot agrees to consult but only to find out the truth, whether it exonerates Elinor or otherwise. He begins by questioning all involved including Elinor, Roddy, the Nurse, and Peter Lord, the physician. As he continues to uncover the clues to the real murderer, Poirot begins to wonder if one of the players is not actually who they claim to be. And if that may be the motive behind the crime itself. 

This story is the first Christie novel in which there is a reveal through courtroom drama. It had a different feel to it because of that and it reminded me more of today's crime novels. There are three parts to the book: the crime, the interrogation of the suspects by Poirot, and the courtroom testimony. I liked how this was organized as it gave a clear picture of each person's involvement, culminating with an air of excitement "down to the wire" for Elinor's fate. 

Poirot does not come into the book until the middle part and so the first is slow building with character development of the suspects and their thoughts. I liked how we enter Elinor's head quite often and could really sense her bewilderment at what she'd been conspiring with what actually happened. For the reader it created a sense of sympathy for her and made me root for the truth to be exposed. 

This was a really good mystery plot and had an interesting conclusion. There were some medical elements that made it hard to figure out and kept me guessing for sure. I enjoyed it immensely and am now looking forward to February's Christie book.

 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Cabinet of Dr. Leng by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday I've chosen the new thriller mystery The Cabinet of Dr. Leng by Preston and Child. I have not read their books in a long, long time and I saw that this new one is coming out January 17th. I remember reading several of the novels years ago featuring Special Agent Pendergast and Constance Greene and thinking they were amazing. So much detail in the setting, characters, and mystery. 

Technically you might not call these history or historical mysteries, but since I am not someone who really enjoys contemporary stories much, you can rest assured there is some history involved in these books. I can't say exactly how without giving away some of the surprises but let's just say they involve enough historical intrigue to make me want to read them. I might have to get this one and jump back into their world!

January 17, 2023

Mysteries/Thrillers

368 pages

Book description courtesy of NetGalley

Preston & Child continue their #1 bestselling series featuring FBI Special Agent Pendergast and Constance Greene, as they cross paths with New York’s deadliest serial killer: Pendergast’s own ancestor…and now his greatest foe.

AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

Astoundingly, Constance has found a way back to the place of her origins, New York City in the late 1800s, leaping at the chance, although it means leaving the present forever.

A DESPERATE OPPORTUNITY

Constance sets off on a quest to prevent the events that lead to the deaths of her sister and brother. But along the road to redemption, Manhattan’s most infamous serial killer, Dr. Enoch Leng, lies in wait, ready to strike at the slightest provocation.

UNIMAGINABLE ODDS

Meanwhile, in contemporary New York, Pendergast feverishly searches for a way to reunite with Constance—but will he discover a way back to her before it’s too late?
 

Happy 1st Blogiversary!

I waited until today to discuss upcoming goals for my blog and for reading because today is the one year anniversary of my blog! It is exciting to think I started with the intention of making it two months and here we are 12 months later. 

I just wanted to share my thoughts on the books I read and I have....but I've gained so much too. A new world of blogging friends, writing skills, reading new kinds of books, and perseverance with something personal and creative. I am so excited to see where year 2 takes me. And thank you to anyone who has read or commented on my posts. It has been a lot of fun interacting with the bookish world. 

This year I'd like to continue my commitment to blog a minimum of twice a week and to participate in the following challenges and weekly discussions:

-Read Christie 2023

-Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2023

-Classics Club

-Can't Wait Wednesday

-Top Ten Tuesday

I also want to branch out with my reading and try new authors, more NetGalley requests (although not too many!) and not worry so much about reading all the sequels in order. And above all else have fun! Here are my current reads for January 2023:

-Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie

- Island of a Thousand Springs by Sarah Lark

- The Fourth Enemy by Anne Perry

-The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

-Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (this will be my third re-read of this book....I always have an Outlander re-read going. I just can't give these books up!)

Happy January reading everyone!

 

Murder in the Snow by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery) Book Four

Publication Date: November 16, 2020

Length: 274 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Just in time for New Year's Eve and the last day of December 2022 I have completed a full season of these delightful mysteries!  When I discovered they were written with the setting for each season I thought that was pretty neat and am now looking forward to reading four per year during the matching time period until I've eventually caught up with all of them. This story takes place, of course, in winter and was just perfect in that I started reading it Christmas Eve and ended it New Year's Eve, roughly coinciding with the same days as the story itself. It was a great end to a great year of reading!

In this adventure, Eleanor and Clifford are hot on the trail of a murderer who has seemingly killed a local villager who has come to Henley Hall to partake in the Christmas Eve festivities along with those residents of Little Buckford. At the time of his death everyone assumed he had died during the fun run in the snow, seemingly from a heart attack. But as Eleanor and Clifford find clues revealing otherwise they begin to suspect that not only was he murdered, it was in a similar manner as the murder of Eleanor's Uncle, a case which was never fully proven nor solved. Eleanor feels particularly responsible as the crime occurred at her home during her party in which she was trying to show the townspeople how much they mean to her. When two more people are taken ill and have to be hospitalized with the same symptoms as the murder victim, Clifford and Eleanor have to work fast to make sure no one else is targeted. Along with the dashing Detective Seldon and the loyal staff of Henley Hall, they have plenty of willing help in their quest. 

Maybe it was because I was on Christmas vacation and totally relaxed, or maybe it was because I've grown attached to these characters, but I found myself smiling at how much I enjoyed this book as I finished it today. It had everything I love in a cozy mystery: a charming country setting, recurring characters with distinct personalities, a clever, unique murder method impossible to guess at, and two love interests vying for Ellie's affection. It is nice how the author sees fit to occasionally list the suspects and their motives so one doesn't get confused (as I sometimes do in other murder mysteries) and the short chapters make it easy to read even in the busiest of times. It's really the perfect type of story during the craziness that is the holiday season. 

When I reviewed the first book, A Very English Murder, I stated that the book was formulaic and that is true. But as I've continued with the series I've realized each one is very unique and that the author has taken a lot of effort to create a new setting and twists and turns in the story. So that formula works here. There are some cozy mysteries that become tedious in this area and I think it is because the characters and plot don't change a whole lot from book to book. These have just enough differences to make them fresh and enjoyable in their own way. I am already excited to read the next one, Mystery By the Sea, in March on my spring break. 

Now I'm off to celebrate New Year's Eve with my family and ring in 2023! Wishing you a safe and happy evening from Texas.

All That is Hidden (A Molly Murphy Mystery: Book 19) by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles

 

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Length: 320 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Thank you to NetGalley for loaning me this book for review.

This was my first book by Rhys Bowen to have read but I had heard of her before and knew she was very popular. Even though this is a series book I decided to just jump in and read the one being published this spring. I plan to eventually read the latest book in her other series, Royal Spyness. This is the continuing story of Molly Murphy, a housewife and mother who has come a long way from her days as a single gal newly arrived from Ireland. 

Molly is slowly adjusting to her quiet domestic life with her policeman husband, Daniel, and their son and foster daughter. She is retired from her former life of sleuthing and is Molly Sullivan now, living in Greenwich Village in a home she loves, albeit a simple one. When her husband tells her they are moving to a new home in the swanky area of Fifth Avenue with servants and plush surroundings she is bewildered. He also informs her he is running for the office of sheriff and will be closely aligned with Tammany Hall, a shady political organization. Molly eventually discovers it is all a cover for Daniel's real work, investigating corruption within the group.

When Big Bill McCormick, an important associate of Tammany, is murdered during his daughter's birthday party at his own mansion, Molly and Daniel along with their ward Bridie set out to discover why and who is involved. As they get to know the dysfunctional family and their many secrets, the mystery only deepens. Drawing on information obtained by Bridie's new friendship with the daughter, Blanche, and Molly's compassion for Bill's widow, they begin to form a picture of how Big Bill came to be at his desk, stabbed in the back. Strange happenings start to put them in harm's way and Daniel begins to wonder if this undercover scenario has been taken on at unnecessary risk to his family.

The book has a solid mystery that has a lot of twists and turns. I originally guessed at part of the storyline which turned out to be partially true with more added to it and was glad as I hate it when mysteries are too obvious. The author does a good job with an authentic setting and I learned a bit about the politics of the day and Tammany Hall. The behaviors of the servants in Molly's new home as well as the proper behaviors a lady of the manor should adopt were well done and served as an interesting backdrop to the murder plot. 

Maybe I'd have been more invested in Molly and her character if I'd read this series in order. It felt like I was missing a lot of her personal story and didn't have a real connection to her children either. Sometimes the writing was a bit simplistic and redundant but this was minor and didn't take away from the story too much. I'm thinking I want to go back and read the first book, Murphy's Law, to get a clearer picture of Molly's life before she meets her husband, Daniel. That may make me see this story in a new light. Overall I thought it was a fun, cozy mystery and would recommend it positively.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Dark Queen Wary by Paul Doherty

This is book 4 in the Margaret Beaufort mystery series. I had not come across the other books before so was excited to know there are more. I have precious little time to read all of an entire series, but if I really enjoy a book I want to go back to the beginning. Hopefully this one does not disappoint. 

Margaret Beaufort is a fascinating figure and I always associate her with the dark side of things in the Wars of the Roses. Perhaps this is unfair and perpetuated by the STARZ series, The White Queen and The White Princess, nevertheless I can realistically see her caught up in a mystery like this one.

March 7, 2023

Historical Fiction/Mystery, Thrillers

224 pages

Book description courtesy of NetGalley

1472. Edward IV reigns triumphant over England and his rivals, the Lancastrians. But he is uneasy, for one true claimant remains: the young Henry Tudor, son of Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond. Henry's continued existence worries Edward, so he hatches a plan to bring a cuckoo into the nest – an imposter prince is presented to Margaret Beaufort as her son.

Margaret is no fool and knows she must play this game of kings carefully . . . When she is invited to George Neville’s beautiful home ‘The Moor’ to help investigate some mysterious and gruesome murders she knows dark forces are at play. Whispers of a shadowy figure called Achitophel hang over the house's occupants, like the impenetrable mist that descended on the battle of Barnet the previous year and secured the crown for Edward. And as the body count increases, Margaret suspects there is a link to that fateful battle and the murderer who seems relentless in his thirst for blood . . .

Can Margaret protect her life as well as her true son’s claim to the throne?

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Recent Additions To My Book Collection (or books I plan to buy)

 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is  "what books did Santa bring you for Christmas?" Or, alternatively, what books are you planning to buy with all those gift cards and money Santa brought you? Well not only did Santa bring me money for books, I got a brand new Kindle Paperwhite to read them on. So Merry Christmas to me! Of course I bought it and wrapped it without looking inside the Amazon box and then told my husband what he'd bought me. He was very surprised when I opened it on Christmas morning, ha! But I wanted to make sure I got the one I really wanted. Now I have the same dilemma I always have....I want ALL the books. 

Here are the ones I either received from someone in paperback form or plan to buy. Some are so new they are expensive so if I can get them through my online library app I will go there first. Happy Reading in 2023 everyone!

1. The Sun in Splendour by Jean Plaidy- The story of Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses comes to life in this novel which bears the same title as the Sharon Kay Penman book. I have read hers and want to see how Plaidy handles the story. This one is not available on Kindle so I'm excited to have bought a new paperback copy.

2. Peril in Paris by Rhys Bowen- Book number 16 in this cozy mystery series, Royal Spyness. I requested this on NetGalley but was declined, (oh well) so I just got my own copy. It looks like a lot of fun. Who doesn't love an international mystery set in Paris?

3. Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs- This story is a retelling of the story of Ruth from the Bible but set in Scotland during the 1745 Rising. I am definitely intrigued and excited to have discovered it. 

4. The Maid by Nita Prose- I read this is to be made into a movie and so I'd like to buy it and read it before I go see it.  Amazon says it is "a Clue-like locked room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit." 

5. The Drowned City by K.J. Maitland- Book 1 of the Daniel Pursglove Mystery series set in the 17th century. The main character goes "underground to infiltrate a Catholic network and discovers a Jesuit conspiracy."

6. Mystery By the Sea: (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery- Book 5) by Verity Bright- I still have to finish Book 4 but I love this series so much there is no doubt I'll want the next one in line. In this book Eleanor travels to a resort in Brighton to enjoy some rest and relaxation, only to find herself embroiled in a mystery involving her former husband, who is supposed to be dead.

7. Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic Story of America's Most Notorious Pirates by Eric Jay Dolin- I love all things pirate and high seas. I started this book awhile ago and had to return it to the library, so I'd like to finish it. It is a great read covering the Golden Age of Piracy. 

8. The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz- I mentioned this one last week for Can't Wait Wednesday.  This one is set during the 1715 Jacobite Rising and looks like a bit of a romance, which I'm normally not big on, but there seems to be enough mystery and history to make me want to buy it and read it. 

9. The Innkeeper and the Fugitive: Tales From the Highlands Book 3 by Martha Keyes- I have been meaning to get back to these books for a long time. There are four books in this series and I've read the first one. I already own book 2 but will probably go ahead and get book 3 just because I want to have it. Set in the Highlands of the 18th century they are more romance than mystery. The author does a great job with authenticity of the time and place so I really have enjoyed them so far. 

10. Secrets of the Nile by Tasha Alexander- I'm not sure about this one but will probably go ahead and get it. I love books set in Egypt so the cover and title alone were enough to hook me. It is a mystery involving murder, a Nile cruise, and ancient relics. Seems like an Agatha Christie or Elizabeth Peters type book and I love those!