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Cait Morgan #7
The Corpse with the Garnet Face
The seventh book in the Cait Morgan series finds the eccentric Welsh criminologist–sleuth accompanying her husband Bud to Amsterdam to try to unravel a puzzling situation.
To Bud’s surprise, he discovers he has a long-lost uncle, Jonas, who’s met an untimely death. Bud's mother assures him Jonas was a bad child, but, from beyond the grave, Uncle Jonas begs his nephew to visit the city he adopted as his home to delve into the life he built for himself there, founded on his passion for art.
With an old iron key as their only clue, Cait and Bud travel to Amsterdam to solve the cryptic message left by Jonas—and to honor the final wishes of a long-lost relative.
To Bud’s surprise, he discovers he has a long-lost uncle, Jonas, who’s met an untimely death. Bud's mother assures him Jonas was a bad child, but, from beyond the grave, Uncle Jonas begs his nephew to visit the city he adopted as his home to delve into the life he built for himself there, founded on his passion for art.
With an old iron key as their only clue, Cait and Bud travel to Amsterdam to solve the cryptic message left by Jonas—and to honor the final wishes of a long-lost relative.
272 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2016
21 people are currently reading
430 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Ace
43 books387 followersCathy Ace migrated from her native Wales to Canada at the age of 40. She is the award-winning author of the traditional Cait Morgan Mysteries featuring her Welsh Canadian criminology professor sleuth who travels the world tripping over corpses, which have now been optioned for TV. She also writes the cozier WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries featuring a quartet of female PIs who run their business out of a Welsh stately home. Both series have been well-reviewed. Her award-winning standalone, THE WRONG BOY, is a gripping novel of psychological suspense, set in Wales, and has also been optioned for TV.
"Ace is, well, an ace when it comes to plot and description.” The Globe and Mail
Cathy's work has won the prestigious Bony Blithe Award for best Canadian light mystery, an IPPY and an IBA Award, and has been shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for Best Short Story.
Her short story "Dear George" appeared on the UK's O Level English Language syllabus and, together with another story, "Domestic Violence", has been produced for BBC Radio 4. You can find out more about Cathy, her books, and events she'll be attending, at www.cathyace.com
"Ace is, well, an ace when it comes to plot and description.” The Globe and Mail
Cathy's work has won the prestigious Bony Blithe Award for best Canadian light mystery, an IPPY and an IBA Award, and has been shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for Best Short Story.
Her short story "Dear George" appeared on the UK's O Level English Language syllabus and, together with another story, "Domestic Violence", has been produced for BBC Radio 4. You can find out more about Cathy, her books, and events she'll be attending, at www.cathyace.com
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 30, 2016
This is my introduction to Cathy Ace and her Cait Morgan series. It worked great as a stand alone. There are hints to previous adventures, enough to make me want to catch up on the series, but the story on its own was quite enjoyable.
In the story, Cait and her husband Bud travel to Amsterdam to deal with the estate of his late uncle, Jonas. Believing his mother to have been an only child, finding out that his uncle had left everything to him was a bit of a surprise. Waiting for them is a missive from the uncle to disperse with several gifts to close friends and along the way Bud should learn about his uncle from the people who knew him best, and take that information to home to Bud’s mom so that she may finally get to know the brother she hasn’t seen since she was a child.
It seems at first a straightforward task, but it doesn’t take long for couple to begin to get suspicious. Jonas’ friends are a odd group who aren’t entirely forthcoming about themselves or Uncle Jonas. Soon they begin to suspect that his death wasn’t an accident and that there is more to this group of friends than meets the eye.
I loved reading this book. I felt like I was visiting Amsterdam. Descriptions of the architecture, the sights and sounds, but mostly the food (OMG this book made me hungry) were captivating. The city was a fabulous canvas for this Cozy. The main ingredient of any mystery is the characters and this story had some fabulous characters. They range from the delightfully quaint to actively distasteful. They all have secrets to come in to play.
I loved how the mystery laid itself out. It starts off simply and before long the reader is caught, first in Cait’s misgivings and then in the unfolding clues. The big finish at the end was as neat a wrap-up as I ever read and clearly reminiscent of those great early 20th mystery writers and makes great use of Cait’s talent as a criminal profiler.
I suppose my favorite part, aside from the food, was the titles of the chapters and art references. I learned a great deal about art in this book and it was loads of fun.
5 stars
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In the story, Cait and her husband Bud travel to Amsterdam to deal with the estate of his late uncle, Jonas. Believing his mother to have been an only child, finding out that his uncle had left everything to him was a bit of a surprise. Waiting for them is a missive from the uncle to disperse with several gifts to close friends and along the way Bud should learn about his uncle from the people who knew him best, and take that information to home to Bud’s mom so that she may finally get to know the brother she hasn’t seen since she was a child.
It seems at first a straightforward task, but it doesn’t take long for couple to begin to get suspicious. Jonas’ friends are a odd group who aren’t entirely forthcoming about themselves or Uncle Jonas. Soon they begin to suspect that his death wasn’t an accident and that there is more to this group of friends than meets the eye.
I loved reading this book. I felt like I was visiting Amsterdam. Descriptions of the architecture, the sights and sounds, but mostly the food (OMG this book made me hungry) were captivating. The city was a fabulous canvas for this Cozy. The main ingredient of any mystery is the characters and this story had some fabulous characters. They range from the delightfully quaint to actively distasteful. They all have secrets to come in to play.
I loved how the mystery laid itself out. It starts off simply and before long the reader is caught, first in Cait’s misgivings and then in the unfolding clues. The big finish at the end was as neat a wrap-up as I ever read and clearly reminiscent of those great early 20th mystery writers and makes great use of Cait’s talent as a criminal profiler.
I suppose my favorite part, aside from the food, was the titles of the chapters and art references. I learned a great deal about art in this book and it was loads of fun.
5 stars
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2017
The Corpse with the Garnet Face by Cathy Ace is written along the lines of Agatha Christie, and has Cait, Bud and other quirky characters with long buried secrets searching for answers in this fun cozy, with lots of suspects to muddy the waters and keep the mystery alive.
July 25, 2025
The Corpse with the Garnet Face by Cathy Ace is # 7 in the Cait Morgan Mystery series. A delightful read, as were the earlier ones in the series.
The central characters are Cait Morgan and Bud Anderson: she, a criminology professor, specializing in victim profiling and a consultant on police investigations; he, head of homicide in earlier novels and retired in later ones. Each of the novels deals with their professional and personal relationship and their interaction with other characters, as they are called on to solve various puzzling cases.
The ones in the series I have read so far -- in order sequentially -- I have found both interesting and refreshing. That is because each is set in a different location and revolves around a different central theme or issue. In each, the author includes allusions to local customs and culture and shows a thorough familiarity around a central theme or issue.
The Corpse with the Garnet Face, for instance, is set in Amsterdam and revolves around the art scene there: painters and paintings, originals and copies, thefts and forgeries -- all interestingly and impressively interwoven around a long-lost family member.
I am intrigued to see where the author has taken Cait and Bub and which issue they have been drawn into.
April 8, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This was a little bit different than the previous stories in this series. Bud and Cait do not go to Amsterdam in search of a murderer. They go there because of a letter Bud receives from his uncle, a man he never even knew existed. While there he wants to find out about the man so he can tell his mother about the brother that she hasn’t seen or heard from in years. Uncle Jonas has laid out a complex journey that takes Cait and Bud about the town and countryside meeting his “friends”. Cait’s curiosity is peaked early on, she believes there is much more to Jonas’ story and she starts to think the man may have murdered. Bud thinks her imagination is running away with her after solving so many murder cases.
Uncle Jonas’ complex requests mean the Cathy Ace has written a complex mystery in a way that only she can. While the entire area in and around Amsterdam is the setting for this story, the suspects become limited to a certain group of people setting up a variation of the locked room mystery that this author does so well. I will admit I was a good way into the book before I realized murder had not really been mentioned. I was so caught up in all the places Bud and Cait were going, the people they were meeting and the unique house where Jonas lived, that when foul play started to be discussed I was thinking like Bud. Cait, using her photographic memory realized things both Bud and I had missed. With just a little more investigating more was revealed. When she confronted the group with her findings the complex became crystal clear.
Cathy Ace has a unique writing style. and the characters she creates have depth. Uncle Jonas had a large birthmark on his face. I grew up knowing someone that had a similar birthmark. While Bud’s mother thought this made Jonas “bad”, we do know our outside appearance can affect us in immeasurable ways. The man I knew personally wasn’t a “bad” man, but he grew up with a great group of friends that could see beyond the mark on his face. Jonas wasn’t fortunate to have the same. Starting with his father and on through life, people could not look at him, shied away, and even thought him to be “bad”. The basic question of nature vs. nurture plays out in this story. Jonas was a very interesting man with a great talent.
This author always takes us on a adventure. She always make us think. She always brings the setting to life. For those reasons this is one of my favorite series.
This was a little bit different than the previous stories in this series. Bud and Cait do not go to Amsterdam in search of a murderer. They go there because of a letter Bud receives from his uncle, a man he never even knew existed. While there he wants to find out about the man so he can tell his mother about the brother that she hasn’t seen or heard from in years. Uncle Jonas has laid out a complex journey that takes Cait and Bud about the town and countryside meeting his “friends”. Cait’s curiosity is peaked early on, she believes there is much more to Jonas’ story and she starts to think the man may have murdered. Bud thinks her imagination is running away with her after solving so many murder cases.
Uncle Jonas’ complex requests mean the Cathy Ace has written a complex mystery in a way that only she can. While the entire area in and around Amsterdam is the setting for this story, the suspects become limited to a certain group of people setting up a variation of the locked room mystery that this author does so well. I will admit I was a good way into the book before I realized murder had not really been mentioned. I was so caught up in all the places Bud and Cait were going, the people they were meeting and the unique house where Jonas lived, that when foul play started to be discussed I was thinking like Bud. Cait, using her photographic memory realized things both Bud and I had missed. With just a little more investigating more was revealed. When she confronted the group with her findings the complex became crystal clear.
Cathy Ace has a unique writing style. and the characters she creates have depth. Uncle Jonas had a large birthmark on his face. I grew up knowing someone that had a similar birthmark. While Bud’s mother thought this made Jonas “bad”, we do know our outside appearance can affect us in immeasurable ways. The man I knew personally wasn’t a “bad” man, but he grew up with a great group of friends that could see beyond the mark on his face. Jonas wasn’t fortunate to have the same. Starting with his father and on through life, people could not look at him, shied away, and even thought him to be “bad”. The basic question of nature vs. nurture plays out in this story. Jonas was a very interesting man with a great talent.
This author always takes us on a adventure. She always make us think. She always brings the setting to life. For those reasons this is one of my favorite series.
October 10, 2016
See this and more reviews at Mystereity Reviews
Cait Morgan is a psychologist who specializes in victim profiling. Newly married to retired cop, Bud, they are surprised one day when Bud's mother calls to say her long-lost brother, Jonas, has died. His final message to Bud was to ask him to come to Amsterdam and fulfill his final wishes; to distribute some painting to a few surviving friends. When they arrive, Cait and Bud find things aren't what they seem, and it's up to them to unravel the secrets Jonas has hidden for decades.
This is the first book I've read in this series, and now I'm going to go back and read the others! It's been on my To-Be-Read list for months and if I'd known how good it was, I'd have gotten to it sooner! This can easily be read as a standalone, references to prior books were few and didn't distract from the story. I really enjoyed the writing style; the plot unwound steadily as the book progressed, with just enough suspense to keep me turning pages, yet relaxed enough that I felt like I was in Amsterdam soaking up the sights right along with Cait and Bud. While I figured out the "why" pretty early on, it was no less enjoyable and the conclusion was excellent. You know how on Murder, She Wrote, Jessica would take you through, step by step, the whole rotten plot right to the end? That's how this one was done. It was a great way to end the book.
The locale was a big draw, the old world city of Amsterdam with its art museums and bicycles and cafes and I really liked the description of Jonas's house, one of those tall, skinny buildings skirting the canal, complete with a pulley on top to move furniture in and out. I would've loved to see those steep, narrow staircases and that beautiful studio on the top floor.
The characters really make the book. Cait is smart and astute; with a photographic memory and a knack for reading people, she was the first to realize something was a bit off after arriving in Amsterdam. Jonas sounded like an interesting character, it's a shame he wasn't in the story. I really liked the solution of who was in the photos that Jonas had in his bedside table. What a great, memorable plot thread. I'll remember that one for a long time.
Overall, an excellent cozy mystery with a riveting plot, great characters and a beautiful locale, and I definitely recommend it for cozy mystery readers.
Cait Morgan is a psychologist who specializes in victim profiling. Newly married to retired cop, Bud, they are surprised one day when Bud's mother calls to say her long-lost brother, Jonas, has died. His final message to Bud was to ask him to come to Amsterdam and fulfill his final wishes; to distribute some painting to a few surviving friends. When they arrive, Cait and Bud find things aren't what they seem, and it's up to them to unravel the secrets Jonas has hidden for decades.
This is the first book I've read in this series, and now I'm going to go back and read the others! It's been on my To-Be-Read list for months and if I'd known how good it was, I'd have gotten to it sooner! This can easily be read as a standalone, references to prior books were few and didn't distract from the story. I really enjoyed the writing style; the plot unwound steadily as the book progressed, with just enough suspense to keep me turning pages, yet relaxed enough that I felt like I was in Amsterdam soaking up the sights right along with Cait and Bud. While I figured out the "why" pretty early on, it was no less enjoyable and the conclusion was excellent. You know how on Murder, She Wrote, Jessica would take you through, step by step, the whole rotten plot right to the end? That's how this one was done. It was a great way to end the book.
The locale was a big draw, the old world city of Amsterdam with its art museums and bicycles and cafes and I really liked the description of Jonas's house, one of those tall, skinny buildings skirting the canal, complete with a pulley on top to move furniture in and out. I would've loved to see those steep, narrow staircases and that beautiful studio on the top floor.
The characters really make the book. Cait is smart and astute; with a photographic memory and a knack for reading people, she was the first to realize something was a bit off after arriving in Amsterdam. Jonas sounded like an interesting character, it's a shame he wasn't in the story. I really liked the solution of who was in the photos that Jonas had in his bedside table. What a great, memorable plot thread. I'll remember that one for a long time.
Overall, an excellent cozy mystery with a riveting plot, great characters and a beautiful locale, and I definitely recommend it for cozy mystery readers.
June 14, 2016
I have had the pleasure of reading three of the previous six Cait Morgan mysteries. Each of these prior outings has put Cait in a “locked room” type mystery. A death occurs, and the suspects are limited to those on hand at the time of the crime. This seventh outing, The Corpse with the Garnet Face, provides Cait with a different challenge.
The book begins with newlyweds Cait and Bud happily facing the challenges of landscaping their new home. Things quickly change when Bud discovers that his uncle has died (an uncle he never even knew existed), and left Bud in charge of carrying out his last wishes. Cait and Bud set off to Amsterdam to try and discover who Uncle Jonas really was and more importantly the message he is trying to send to them from the grave.
All-in-all, this book is a delight to read. For those new to the series, you will be able to jump right in. And those of us who have read previous installments will enjoy joining Cait again for another adventure.
For my full review, please visitmy blog Hidden Staircase.
Many thanks to Touchwood Editions for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book begins with newlyweds Cait and Bud happily facing the challenges of landscaping their new home. Things quickly change when Bud discovers that his uncle has died (an uncle he never even knew existed), and left Bud in charge of carrying out his last wishes. Cait and Bud set off to Amsterdam to try and discover who Uncle Jonas really was and more importantly the message he is trying to send to them from the grave.
All-in-all, this book is a delight to read. For those new to the series, you will be able to jump right in. And those of us who have read previous installments will enjoy joining Cait again for another adventure.
For my full review, please visitmy blog Hidden Staircase.
Many thanks to Touchwood Editions for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2016
Always an enjoyable caper and excuse for sightseeing and eating with Cait Morgan and her husband.
February 16, 2020
3.5 stars out of 4 but I'm rounding to a 4 because I really did enjoy the story. Cait and Bud are back but this time a long lost mystery uncle of Bud's has died in Amsterdam leaving behind a series of tasks for Bud to carry out, along with his entire estate. Quirky characters, the intriguing art world, beautiful Amsterdam scenery turn the trip from a fairly straight forward fact finding mission into an increasingly intriguing mystery with far reaching implications.
The story was a lot of fun - it was a great mystery but... and here's where it loses 1.5 stars... the final reveal relied on something happening that didn't fit with the character in question and made me a little annoyed. I'm still not entirely on board with Cait - her whole wakeful dreaming thing grates on me a bit and honestly, for a woman in her late 40s, she comes across as somebody 20 years older. The stories are great - reminiscent of Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes but I'm not sold on the detective!
The story was a lot of fun - it was a great mystery but... and here's where it loses 1.5 stars... the final reveal relied on something happening that didn't fit with the character in question and made me a little annoyed. I'm still not entirely on board with Cait - her whole wakeful dreaming thing grates on me a bit and honestly, for a woman in her late 40s, she comes across as somebody 20 years older. The stories are great - reminiscent of Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes but I'm not sold on the detective!
August 12, 2017
Bud Anderson is astounded to learn that his mother had had an older brother. Jonas left his home in Sweden when he was sixteen, and the family never spoke about him again. Now a letter has arrived from the Netherlands &mdah; Jonas is dead, and Bud is his heir. So Bud and Cait set off for Amsterdam to meet with Jonas's lawyer and fulfill his requests. Bud also hopes to learn just who his uncle was, and provide some peace of mind for his mother. As they meet Jonas's friends, and distribute his gifts to them, they find themselves in the midst of a mystery — was Jonas's fall really an accident or could it have been deliberate? And just what really held his coterie together? Another fascinating story in this excellent series. Good characterization, an exotic setting, along with a compelling plot create a very enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
October 23, 2022
I think I've read all previous books in this series although I was surprised to find this was #7. Cait Morgan, criminal psychologist and her newly wed husband Bud are surprised to learn he had an uncle who'd been estranged from the family since he'd left the farm as a teen in the 1940's. Uncle Jonas has requested that Bud, whom he knew to be a detective, come to Amsterdam to settle Jonas' estate. A key is included with the request. Upon arriving in Amsterdam they discover Jonas was an incredibly talented artist although he'd never tried to make a living for himself that way. The lawyer in charge of the estate gives them some letters and a CD of instructions from Jonas but Cait is certain he hasn't given them the whole story. While carrying out Jonas' last wishes of giving his paintings to friends Bud and Cait decide there's something fishy going on. A great mystery and read.
June 26, 2017
Cathy Ace's latest mystery novel was an enjoyable journey into Cait's husband Bud's past and a feet on the ground tour of contemporary Amsterdam. Ace marshalled all the ingredients, sympathetic protagonists, murky deaths in the past and annunconventional legacy inviting the sleuths to delve into just what was going on in Bud's unknown uncle's life. Jonas was a talented artist so why did he work as a miseum guard? And Where did his money come from? Fans of the Cait Morgan series will love this new addition to her oeuvre for newcomers it is a great introduction.
July 27, 2017
This was interesting to read, a few books ahead of the others read in the series. Bud’s mother finds out that a brother who had disappeared as a teen has died - and left a letter for Bud, asking him to travel to Amsterdam to visit his former home and give bequests to his friends.
Cait and Bud fly there, expecting a relatively simple task: distribute what they've been asked, and learn more about the uncle Bud never knew he had. But things are far from simple, as the pair try to uncover the secrets being kept from them by his former friends.
Cait and Bud fly there, expecting a relatively simple task: distribute what they've been asked, and learn more about the uncle Bud never knew he had. But things are far from simple, as the pair try to uncover the secrets being kept from them by his former friends.
July 26, 2020
Bud Anderson did not even know that he had an uncle. His mother’s brother left home as a teenager and was never heard of again. Now, Uncle Jonas has left his house in Amsterdam to Bud, along with a few clues pointing to some unsolved mystery. This gives Bud and his wife, psychologist Cait Morgan, an excuse to spend some time in the city that is home to so much spectacular art. The mystery plot and characters become satisfyingly complex. However, the mystery for me was why Cait and Bud would want to buy prints of works by long-dead painters rather than original work from living artists.
July 2, 2021
Book Seven complete
I haven’t been able to read any other authors since I began reading Book 1 of the Cait Morgan Mysteries.
I am engrossed by the way Ms Ace transports me to country after country then out to cruise the Hawaiian Islands.
I especially enjoy the wakeful dreaming sequences.
Try reading one and I’m sure you’ll be hooked.
I’ve also listened to the audible version of books 1 & 2 which are read by Ms. Ace and found them thoroughly enjoyable..I wish more were available on audible.
I haven’t been able to read any other authors since I began reading Book 1 of the Cait Morgan Mysteries.
I am engrossed by the way Ms Ace transports me to country after country then out to cruise the Hawaiian Islands.
I especially enjoy the wakeful dreaming sequences.
Try reading one and I’m sure you’ll be hooked.
I’ve also listened to the audible version of books 1 & 2 which are read by Ms. Ace and found them thoroughly enjoyable..I wish more were available on audible.
March 26, 2024
another beautifully written book by Cathy ace. Cait and bud are at it again when Bud finds out he has a long lost uncle who wants them to do him a favor after his death. He (the uncle) has been estranged from the family for a long time but buds mother wants him to go and find out about her brother. What is it that buds uncle wants and what will they find out? You will have to read the book to find out.
July 20, 2020
Always fun to travel with a favorite sleuth to a country you’ve been and watch her and her amazing memory crack a puzzle with only a single clue. Agatha Christie and mystery fans should enjoy this one as it unravels!
December 31, 2024
An especially good reax
This book stands out in the series Ms. Ace created. Its so clever. Compelling at every new bit of the tale.
This book stands out in the series Ms. Ace created. Its so clever. Compelling at every new bit of the tale.
March 21, 2017
A quick easy read that was interesting. I really liked the descriptions of the art and they way that the mystery came together.
July 26, 2016
A continuation of the Cait Morgan Mysteries, The Corpse with the Garnet Face by Cathy Ace is a different kind of mystery. The first chapter opens with two bombshells for psychologist Cait and her new – and newly-retired cop – husband Bud Anderson, who learns from his mother, Ebba, that he had an uncle and that that uncle was now dead.
Cathy Ace expertly weaves in comic relief also from the first few pages to relieve the tension she built on the first page of the novel.
The uncle, Jonas, leaves a letter for Bud and gives him a task to uncover a long-dead mystery that took place early in Jonas' life. In his letter, Jonas tells Bud: "I cannot tell you who I am. No man can do that of himself. He is only the person he is because of how people know him, and what he has done. It is time for what I have done to be understood."
When we first meet Ebba, she describes her brother, saying "Jonas was a bad boy," whereas when we begin to meet Jonas' friends in the Netherlands, some say "He was a good man." The contrast puts the reader in the middle, awaiting to find out which of them is right about the estranged uncle.
Cait and Bud travel to Amsterdam to fulfil Jonas' will and uncover a mystery if there is one. There, they learn about who Jonas was through his friends.
"His facial muscles gave away almost nothing; the throbbing vein in his neck told a different tale."
Soon enough they begin to feel that the accounts given to them of Jonas are contradictory and that some of the friends seem to be hiding something.
One of the fun things about the Cait Morgan Series, is how Cait observes people, pointing out tiny hints about their facial expressions or tones. "The only problem was that, although he was saying all the right words, his tone wasn't utterly convincing."
The Corpse with the Garnet Face tackles art, lots of it, since Jonas and his friends were artists and painters. However, there were some parts that I felt were too detailed in the art world that a normal reader – like me – would feel lost. These parts, I felt, would be more appreciated by someone who majors in art.
I liked the chapter where Bud and Cait create a timeline of the events they've learned. I felt it was a bit like a nicely-written history book.
"First of all, I know we've established that everyone has lied to us, and they've also tried to muddy the waters."
I did, however, feel that the conclusion to The Corpse with the Garnet Face was rather confusing, even as Cait laid out all their findings, I still felt lost.
Still, I liked how Cait and Bud were able to uncover not only the mystery they were sent to Holland for, but several others pertaining to Jonas' group.
The Corpse with the Garnet Face is certainly a different cozy mystery read. A mystery that produces more mysteries and keeps the reader's mind working.
"All I wanted to do was fulfill my uncle's wishes, and be able to go back to Mom with some knowledge she could cherish about the guy. Instead, there's all of this…I don't know, this atmosphere of things not being what they appear to be. I don't like it."
Overall rating: 4 stars
Note: I received a free copy of The Corpse with the Garnet Face in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my book review of The Corpse with the Diamond Hand here.
http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com....
Cathy Ace expertly weaves in comic relief also from the first few pages to relieve the tension she built on the first page of the novel.
The uncle, Jonas, leaves a letter for Bud and gives him a task to uncover a long-dead mystery that took place early in Jonas' life. In his letter, Jonas tells Bud: "I cannot tell you who I am. No man can do that of himself. He is only the person he is because of how people know him, and what he has done. It is time for what I have done to be understood."
When we first meet Ebba, she describes her brother, saying "Jonas was a bad boy," whereas when we begin to meet Jonas' friends in the Netherlands, some say "He was a good man." The contrast puts the reader in the middle, awaiting to find out which of them is right about the estranged uncle.
Cait and Bud travel to Amsterdam to fulfil Jonas' will and uncover a mystery if there is one. There, they learn about who Jonas was through his friends.
"His facial muscles gave away almost nothing; the throbbing vein in his neck told a different tale."
Soon enough they begin to feel that the accounts given to them of Jonas are contradictory and that some of the friends seem to be hiding something.
One of the fun things about the Cait Morgan Series, is how Cait observes people, pointing out tiny hints about their facial expressions or tones. "The only problem was that, although he was saying all the right words, his tone wasn't utterly convincing."
The Corpse with the Garnet Face tackles art, lots of it, since Jonas and his friends were artists and painters. However, there were some parts that I felt were too detailed in the art world that a normal reader – like me – would feel lost. These parts, I felt, would be more appreciated by someone who majors in art.
I liked the chapter where Bud and Cait create a timeline of the events they've learned. I felt it was a bit like a nicely-written history book.
"First of all, I know we've established that everyone has lied to us, and they've also tried to muddy the waters."
I did, however, feel that the conclusion to The Corpse with the Garnet Face was rather confusing, even as Cait laid out all their findings, I still felt lost.
Still, I liked how Cait and Bud were able to uncover not only the mystery they were sent to Holland for, but several others pertaining to Jonas' group.
The Corpse with the Garnet Face is certainly a different cozy mystery read. A mystery that produces more mysteries and keeps the reader's mind working.
"All I wanted to do was fulfill my uncle's wishes, and be able to go back to Mom with some knowledge she could cherish about the guy. Instead, there's all of this…I don't know, this atmosphere of things not being what they appear to be. I don't like it."
Overall rating: 4 stars
Note: I received a free copy of The Corpse with the Garnet Face in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my book review of The Corpse with the Diamond Hand here.
http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com....
April 11, 2016
I’ve been fascinated with the world of Old Masters, art theft and art forgery since reading Aaron Elkins’ “Christopher Norgren” mysteries about 20 years ago, so I was delighted to discover that Cathy Ace’s newest Cait Morgan novel deals with an amateur artist with an unusual talent for mimicry, and the “Group” of friends and fellow artists he gathers around him.
Bud is taken aback when he learns his uncle has died — mostly because he never knew he had an uncle. But faced with a distraught mother and a letter from the dead man, asking Bud to dispose of Jonas’s effects, to meet his friends, and to discover who he was. . . well, what can Bud do but say yes? And so he and Cait take off for Amsterdam to dig into Jonas’s past — and present.
Cathy Ace’s Cait Morgan books always remind me of Agatha Christie — not so much in the setting or time period, but in how well-crafted they are, and in how the mystery is presented. Like Christie, she plays fair with almost all the evidence, but hides some of the important clues among the details. Like Christie’s Poirot, Cait is brilliant, observant, and creative, with a similar penchant for presenting the case to the entire cast toward the end of the book. Unlike Poirot, though, Cait has an eidetic (photographic) memory, and instead of just using her “little grey cells” in a logical fashion, she also employs a waking-dream technique to help her gain insight into what she has seen and heard. She’s not a detective in the professional sense, though Bud is a former cop. No, Cait is a both a professor of psychology, and a victim profiler: she works with police to build a character portrait of the victim, to help them figure out just why the victim became a victim. Except that she usually ends up solving the crime for them.
This time, though, the investigation is personal rather than professional, especially for Bud. And it doesn’t involve a mystery in the police sense of the term. . . at least not initially. But the responses of the oddly-assorted group of friends and fellow art-lovers seem just slightly off, and it’s not long before Cait, Bud, and the reader are convinced there’s more going on than is visible on the surface.
I read most of the book in a single sitting. Ms. Ace’s steady pacing and skillful construction kept me as interested in putting together the pieces as Cait is herself, and the Amsterdam setting and art-world milieu made it a thoroughly satisfying read. If I have any complaint (and it’s a minor one), it’s that there’s a little too much emphasis on food and drink — but then, Cait is a foodie. It’s a little tough for those of us trying to eat healthy, though!
The Corpse with the Garnet Face is a puzzle mystery more than a crime story — a cozy in the Golden Age style. I highly recommend it, and the Cait Morgan series generally, to lovers of deftly-plotted and well-executed mysteries.
Review originally published on The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.
Bud is taken aback when he learns his uncle has died — mostly because he never knew he had an uncle. But faced with a distraught mother and a letter from the dead man, asking Bud to dispose of Jonas’s effects, to meet his friends, and to discover who he was. . . well, what can Bud do but say yes? And so he and Cait take off for Amsterdam to dig into Jonas’s past — and present.
Cathy Ace’s Cait Morgan books always remind me of Agatha Christie — not so much in the setting or time period, but in how well-crafted they are, and in how the mystery is presented. Like Christie, she plays fair with almost all the evidence, but hides some of the important clues among the details. Like Christie’s Poirot, Cait is brilliant, observant, and creative, with a similar penchant for presenting the case to the entire cast toward the end of the book. Unlike Poirot, though, Cait has an eidetic (photographic) memory, and instead of just using her “little grey cells” in a logical fashion, she also employs a waking-dream technique to help her gain insight into what she has seen and heard. She’s not a detective in the professional sense, though Bud is a former cop. No, Cait is a both a professor of psychology, and a victim profiler: she works with police to build a character portrait of the victim, to help them figure out just why the victim became a victim. Except that she usually ends up solving the crime for them.
This time, though, the investigation is personal rather than professional, especially for Bud. And it doesn’t involve a mystery in the police sense of the term. . . at least not initially. But the responses of the oddly-assorted group of friends and fellow art-lovers seem just slightly off, and it’s not long before Cait, Bud, and the reader are convinced there’s more going on than is visible on the surface.
I read most of the book in a single sitting. Ms. Ace’s steady pacing and skillful construction kept me as interested in putting together the pieces as Cait is herself, and the Amsterdam setting and art-world milieu made it a thoroughly satisfying read. If I have any complaint (and it’s a minor one), it’s that there’s a little too much emphasis on food and drink — but then, Cait is a foodie. It’s a little tough for those of us trying to eat healthy, though!
The Corpse with the Garnet Face is a puzzle mystery more than a crime story — a cozy in the Golden Age style. I highly recommend it, and the Cait Morgan series generally, to lovers of deftly-plotted and well-executed mysteries.
Review originally published on The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.
March 8, 2017
The latest of Cathy Ace's mysteries. Well done again, and I hope there is another one soon to be published.
February 16, 2017
This was better than I expected when I saw it described as a "cozy" (I generally don't like them.) it was quite an intelligent puzzle -and the quest in Amsterdam was interesting. I did find the Hercule-Poirier-type of elucidation at the end, with all the suspects in the room, was a bit over the top. However, well done. I see there are many more in the series.
April 25, 2016
This cozy mystery was a very enjoyable reading, really intriguing, a compelling "treasure hunt" in the wonderful city of Amsterdam.
Bud has never known to have an uncle until the day he received the news of his death. His mother claims that he was a bad boy and had fled from her house stealing a precious object. His uncle has left a letter to Bud in which he begs him to go to Amsterdam and follow the instructions that he has left. He hopes so to be known by his nephew and to redeem his negative image. Bud and his wife Cait leave for Amsterdam at his uncle's research and soon discover they will also investigate his mysterious death.
Cait is a great character and I loved all the time spent with her. I also loved how Bud and Cait work together. Their relationship is truly enviable, are in love, accomplices.
Although it is the seventh book in the series can be read as a standalone, I can't wait to have time to read the first books in the series.
The plot was well written and it was just nice to solve the mystery along with Cait. It reminded me very much of Agatha Christie novels. The descriptions of the landscapes and the food are so well-made, realistic, vivid that really seems to be there, to stroll along the charming canals eating crepes stuffed with ham.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a riveting story.
Bud has never known to have an uncle until the day he received the news of his death. His mother claims that he was a bad boy and had fled from her house stealing a precious object. His uncle has left a letter to Bud in which he begs him to go to Amsterdam and follow the instructions that he has left. He hopes so to be known by his nephew and to redeem his negative image. Bud and his wife Cait leave for Amsterdam at his uncle's research and soon discover they will also investigate his mysterious death.
Cait is a great character and I loved all the time spent with her. I also loved how Bud and Cait work together. Their relationship is truly enviable, are in love, accomplices.
Although it is the seventh book in the series can be read as a standalone, I can't wait to have time to read the first books in the series.
The plot was well written and it was just nice to solve the mystery along with Cait. It reminded me very much of Agatha Christie novels. The descriptions of the landscapes and the food are so well-made, realistic, vivid that really seems to be there, to stroll along the charming canals eating crepes stuffed with ham.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a riveting story.
April 7, 2016
I love the cover! Beautiful!
The Corpse with the Garnet Face by author Cathy Ace is the seventh book in the Cait Morgan series. I have read several books in this series and I think each book is better than the last.
The Corpse with the Garnet Face is set in Amsterdam which is always a fascinating city. It is a story that focuses on art and the art of the Dutch masters particularly Vincent Van Gogh. I found this part of the book to be very fascinating. I also enjoyed the beginning of the book that is set in the Vancouver area. I love reading about the local references.
In the beginning of the novel, The Corpse with the Garnet Face, Bud, Cait's husband, discovers his mother had an older brother he knew nothing about. And that he is the sole heir. So Bud and Cait are off to Amsterdam and quickly discover that everything is not as it seems and they have quite a mystery on their hands.
I deduced pretty quickly what Bud's uncle Jonas and his cronies were probably up to but that did not lessen my enjoyment of the story at all. I found that Ace's story flowed beautifully at a fairly brisk rate. It is very well written.
Highly recommend The Corpse with the Garnet Face. Great read.
The Corpse with the Garnet Face by author Cathy Ace is the seventh book in the Cait Morgan series. I have read several books in this series and I think each book is better than the last.
The Corpse with the Garnet Face is set in Amsterdam which is always a fascinating city. It is a story that focuses on art and the art of the Dutch masters particularly Vincent Van Gogh. I found this part of the book to be very fascinating. I also enjoyed the beginning of the book that is set in the Vancouver area. I love reading about the local references.
In the beginning of the novel, The Corpse with the Garnet Face, Bud, Cait's husband, discovers his mother had an older brother he knew nothing about. And that he is the sole heir. So Bud and Cait are off to Amsterdam and quickly discover that everything is not as it seems and they have quite a mystery on their hands.
I deduced pretty quickly what Bud's uncle Jonas and his cronies were probably up to but that did not lessen my enjoyment of the story at all. I found that Ace's story flowed beautifully at a fairly brisk rate. It is very well written.
Highly recommend The Corpse with the Garnet Face. Great read.
May 18, 2016
I absolutely loved the ending of this book, but it did take me time to get into the story. Bud's mother discovers that her brother that disappeared soon after the WWII and was never heard from again has just recently died. So Cait and Bud are off to Holland to settle the affairs of an uncle Bud never knew he had.
One of the things they are to do is to distribute gifts to Bud's uncle's friends. A strange and unlikable group of people. The only likable character in the book besides Cait and Bud, is Hannah, a tenant of Bud's uncle.
The trip and the fulfilling of Bud's uncle's request is disquieting for both Bud and Cait. It also leaves the reader feeling a bit edgy until Cait and Bud begin to put the pieces together.
Once those pieces fall into place, the edginess and tension begin to leave as Cait and Bud bring everyone together to reveal what they have uncovered. Cathy Ace is a master at crafting a closed group mystery. Well worth the read.
One of the things they are to do is to distribute gifts to Bud's uncle's friends. A strange and unlikable group of people. The only likable character in the book besides Cait and Bud, is Hannah, a tenant of Bud's uncle.
The trip and the fulfilling of Bud's uncle's request is disquieting for both Bud and Cait. It also leaves the reader feeling a bit edgy until Cait and Bud begin to put the pieces together.
Once those pieces fall into place, the edginess and tension begin to leave as Cait and Bud bring everyone together to reveal what they have uncovered. Cathy Ace is a master at crafting a closed group mystery. Well worth the read.
May 5, 2016
I received this book for free through Lori Casswell, in return for a honest review. I enjoyed this mystery as they walked their way through a large community of tourists and locals. I liked that the author gave little clues as to who was doing what but left more questions as she did so. As I finished this early this morning, I saw many things being wrapped up and questions answered. Very interesting details of the area helped keep this moving along nicely. I've given this a 4.5* rating.
June 2, 2016
Loved this book. It is the best of the Cait Morgan series. As I read, I found myself reliving my own adventures when I walked the streets of Amsterdam and wondering what would happen when Cait and Bud turned around the next corner or met the next character. Very interesting story line and kept me guessing to the very end. Don't miss this chapter in Cait and Bud's lives!
April 27, 2016
This was an easy to read mystery. It follows Bud Anderson's discovery of what his uncle was like in life and the reasons his uncle wanted him to discover all the truth's behind his life.
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