Tag Archives: murder mysteries

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I met Tessa Wegert at the Severn dinner during Thrillerfest. I usually try to read the books of fellow writers I meet.

I read Death in the Family. And it was creepy.

Shana Merchant is a cop who recently relocated to upstate New York. Shas only recently returned to work after a traumatic experience in New York. With her partner Tim, she is called to a private island to investigate the disappearance/murder of a young man.

This was truly creepy. I plan to read the next in the series.

After that dark and creepy book, I wanted to read something lighter. I chose one of my favorite authors: Marcia Talley,

The crime is always late in the book but the reader remains captivated nonetheless.

Hannah and her sister plan to take a sister cruise. Georgina’s 14 year old daughter Julie is added. Everyone is having a good time when Hannah learns of the disappearance of a counselor on a previous cruise. As she looks into it, Julie is abducted. Although they find her unharmed, Hannah is now sure a predator sails these cruises in search of young victims. Although these seem like cozies, Talley is skilled at revealing the dark underbelly without getting too noir.

I read a true cozy last: Cookin’ the Books, by Amy Patricia Meade,

Tish Tarragon is setting up a cafe (with all things literary themed) in a small town. She is asked to cater a library event for 300 people. At this event. the Director Binnie Broderick dies – poisoned. Worried about the success of her business, Tish sets about donating home baked goodies to all and sundry, picking up clues as she goes along. Tish unmasks the murderer, natch.

This is very well written and cute, but a little too light for my taste.

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The Game of Fear, by Charles Todd, is the 24th in the Ian Rutledge series. The Inspector is sent to Essex to investigate reports of a ghost. Rutledge’s good friend recalls there was an airfield there during the war (WWI) and a mysterious death.

Rutledge at first wonders if Lady Benton is seeing things but when he meets her, he changes his mind. Now he wonders if it is a prank. But he soon finds there are many unanswered questions about Captain Nelson’s death. Then Rutledge himself sees something mysterious.

As he investigates, he realizes this case connects to events during the war (an omnipresent theme) and to a fugitive accused of killing his family.

Another winner from the duo of Charles Todd and his mother. Now that she has died, the continuance of this series is in doubt and that is a shame. A wonderful series.Game of

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My schedule for blogging is out of whack because my husband and I were on vacation in Alaska. (More about that later).

I finished the Dark Queen by Faith Hunter.

Jane Yellowrock is promoted to Dark Queen by Leo Pellisier just as the European vamps arrive. Naturally, there are betrayals and wheels within wheels. During the epic battle, that the last few books have been heading for, it looks as though the New Orleans contingent will lose and the Europeans will win the United States.

Jane also meets a long lost brother, and she is not sure how she feels about that. More about her past is revealed.

This episode in the long running series ends on a cliff hanger so I now am looking forward to the next one in the series.

I also read the first in a new series for me: Secret Agency, by G. T. Bellamy.

Sophie Burgoyne is the daughter of a poor vicar. Knowing that she has to make her own way in the world, she starts an agency for hiring domestic servants. At first, the fledgling business is so slow Sophie is afraid she won’t be able to pay her bills. But a meeting with an old friend offers her another pathway. This new business quickly spirals into an investigation into an attempted murder, several successful murders, and espionage.

This was absolutely charming. I have already ordered the second in the series.

The third book I read was Marcia Talley’s The Last Refuge.

When the main female lead in a reality show withdraws because of illness, Hannah jumps in. The reality show is supposedly set in 1774 and while Hannah enjoys the clothing, she, and all the cast, struggled with the lack of modern amenities. They are supposed to be living as they would in 1774.

The murder occurs late in the book and the murder and the mystery are not the focus here. Nonetheless, a captivating story. Talley never disappoints

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The first book I read this past week was The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths. I have read everything she has written and really enjoy her work. I read something that indicates this is the final Ruth Galloway and I am sorry to hear it. What a great series.

The body of a young woman is found behind a wall in a cafe. Nelson is called in to investigate and is horrified to learn this case involves his old friend Cathbad.

Ruth, besides her connection to Cathbad, also knows another suspect, a fellow researcher/lecturer. At the same time, her beloved archaeology department is under threat of being dissolved.

Another winner from Griffiths. And the on again, off again relationship with Nelson is finally resolved satisfactorily.

Cold Reign is number 11 in 15 Jane Yellowrock books. The European vamps are still slated to come to New Orleans, threatening Jane’s boss Leo Pellissier’s governance. But Clan Yellowrock (which includes besides Eli and Alex Younger, Edmund the primo vamp, Brute the werewolf, Bruiser) has a new scary threat. Vampires who’ve already died and been beheaded and buried are returning to life as revenants. Besides being superfast and difficult to kill, they have bottom fangs as well as top.

At the same time, magical lightning storms are plaguing the city. And Ricky-Bo, the were leopard who broke Jane’s heart, is back on the scene.

Another winner in this great urban fantasy series.

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I finished The Secrets of Hartwood Hall.

This reminded me of the romantic suspense that was popular a number of years ago. With that said, the ending was quite different than it would have been in one of those books. I did not guess the mystery at all. It was fun, although I thought it was longer than it needed to be.

I also read Murder under a Red Moon by Harini Nagenra.

This is her second book (after the Bangalore Detectives Club ) and I really hope she continues with this series. Kaveri is a great character and this mystery is even better than the last. The setting (India in the 1920s) is very well drawn and she adds a dose of social commentary. In this one, she includes a few recipes, and not a common curry either. Truly excellent.

Labyrinths, part 2

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Is there a kernel of truth to the legend of the Minotaur? We already know there are many theories regarding the location of a labyrinth as described in the Greek myth. One theory mentioned previously is the complicated floor plan of the Knossos palace complex. Many of the Achaeans, the early mainland Greeks, would have come from halls with much fewer rooms so it is possible they saw the complicated and many roomed palace and were overwhelmed.

. A fragment of a floor with a labyrinth has been found during the excavation at Knossos. Was it decoration? Or something more? No one knows.

Or perhaps the maze as described in the myth hasn’t been found. Pieces of tablets from Knossos, talk about a place with a labyrinth. So far, no one knows where that might be. Or even if it was a different location.

What about the minotaur, a bull-headed man? Considering the number of ancient cultures who used masks to represent animals and/or Gods, it doesn’t take much imagination to guess a man wearing a mask played the part of the Minotaur in religious rites. Bulls were very important; sacred in fact in this Bronze Age culture.

Finally, we come to the core of the Theseus and Minotaur myth. The tribute of young men and women were chased through the labyrinth and consumed. The Minoans have the reputation for being a peaceful society. It is probably true that, because they were an island with an excellent Navy, they were well defended from outside invaders. But certain finds have suggested this society was not as peaceful as it appears to us now. Bones of children mixed in with the bones of bovines and sheep, and bearing the same cut marks, suggest they were eaten as the animals were. Were these ancient Cretans cannibals? Was eating human flesh part of their religious rites?

Another finding suggests human sacrifice. Three bodies, crushed by falling debris during an earthquake, seem to indicate the sacrifice of a young man by a priest. Many cultures sacrificed to appease the Gods. However, if they were sacrificing this young man to prevent an earthquake, they left it to late.

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This past week I read Shadow Rites, Number ten in the Jane Yellowrock series and The Fourth Enemy by Anne Perry.

Shadow Rites opens with a bang. Jane wakes to a magical green fog sweeping through the house and her hand hurting. She awakens her partner Eli Younger and they go out. Jane senses two witches bespelling her house.

Not long after, she is summoned to Vamp HQ, where she is attacked by Gee, the Mercy Blade. Jane is almost killed. Seeing Gee’s eyes are green, and a similar green eye in the palm of her left hand, alerts her to a magic spell.

It is particularly important nothing interrupt the conference between the witches and the vampires in preparation for the arrival of the European vamps.

Another winner.

I also read The Fourth Enemy by Anne Perry.

Daniel Pitt’s friend Ian Frobisher confides in Daniel that the police are investigating Malcolm Vayne, a wealthy philanthropist who Frobisher believes is engaged in an elaborate pyramid scheme. They do not have enough evidence to arrest him – and they they do a few days later.

At the same time, Miriam becomes deeply involved in the suffrage movement and sees up close the efforts of those who would keep women in their place.

At its core, this book is about courage; the courage to confront the wealthy and powerful or the courage to fight the status quo.

Another enjoyable read. But a bittersweet one since Perry recently passed away (at the age of 84) and there will be no more mysteries from her.

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I read one book this week; Courting Dragons by Jeri Westerson.

I was a huge fan of Jeri’s Crispin Guest mysteries so I was curious about this new series. In this one, historical personages are more than cameos. Henry VIII, his wife, Anne Boleyn, Cromwell and quite a few others prance through these pages. The historical backdrop is Henry’s effort to divorce Catherine so he can marry Anne Boleyn.

Will Somers, the King’s jester, is a supporter of Catherine.

The first murder is that of a Spanish courtier who is charged with protecting Catherine.

But another murder occurs, by crossbow, and the bolt comes perilously close to Will Somers love. Already investigating, Will now has a personal reason to find the murderer.

An interesting mystery set in a fascinating time period.

The Bull

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The date for the release of In the Shadow of the Bull is now July 4 for the UK. No word on the release date in the US yet.

In an attempt to reveal what we know of this ancient culture, I thought I would begin with the bull. Bulls were sacred. I’ve read varying explanations. Is it because the Bull represented the male principle, even in a society with a Supreme Goddess? Is it because of the connection with Poseidon. also a God in this culture. (I have mentioned previously how much the Classical Greeks borrowed from the Minoans).

Whatever the reason, the mosaics, the statuary, the rites practiced were all centered around the Bull.

One of the practices was bull dancing or bull leaping. This is a feature of the Theseus myth. Since it was written by the occupying Greeks, it has a negative spin. In the myth, Minos, the ruler of Knossos, requires tribute from the mainland: 7 young women and 7 young men, to face the fearsome Minotaur in the labyrinth. (The creation of the Minotaur is another myth, a rather creepy one.) Theseus volunteers to be one of the tributes. Minos’ daughter Ariadne gives Theseus a ball of string and he is able to kill the Minotaur and lead the other tributes to safety.

Frescoes from Knossos show young men and women (probably teenagers) leaping over a charging bull. The bull dancer grasped the horns and flipped over the bull’s back. Another member of the team caught and steadied him as he landed. There seems to be no doubt that these performances occurred.

Remnants of mazes pictured in mosaics have also been found. But labyrinth, a synonym for a maze, is actually from the word labyrs, a sacred two headed axe used in religious rituals.

A stylized version of the bull’s horns, called the Horns of Consecration, were used everywhere. Examples have survived in Knossos.

In the Shadow of the Bull Cover

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So excited to show the cover for the first book of the new series of mysteries .

It really conveys the ancient era I think. And the bull, which was sacred to this culture, is as important as the people.