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Markham Sisters #5-8
A Markham Sisters Collection - EFGH
Markham Sisters Novellas five, six, seven, and eight together in one bargain priced collection.The Ellsworth The bed and breakfast is now up and running and Janet and Joan are looking forward to welcoming their last guests before they take a break for Christmas. The news that someone is passing counterfeit currency around Doveby Dale is worrying. Both couples that arrive at Doveby House seem odd to the sisters, and so does William Chalmer's new friend, Karen Holmes. The library keeps turning up surprises, including a beautiful oak tantalus, while the police keep turning up more counterfeit twenty pounds notes. Is it possible that some of their guests are counterfeiters? Why is Karen Holmes interested in the much older William Chalmers? And what other secrets will the library reveal?The Fenton With Christmas out of the way, the sisters are ready to reopen the bed and breakfast, but it seems as if guests are few and far between in cold and wet January. Joan and Janet are happy to welcome a young couple for a weekend stay, although Janet has mixed emotions about their other visitor, Margaret Burns, an older woman sent to Doveby House by the mysterious Edward Bennett. A series of break-ins around the village of Doveby Dale worries all of the small business owners in the area, including the sisters and their friend William Chalmers. When the burglar strikes at one of the homes right across the street from Doveby House, Janet and Joan are even more concerned. Can the sisters help their local constable, Robert Parsons, find out who has been breaking and entering? Is it possible the young couple staying at Doveby House is involved? And can Janet resist asking Margaret Burns far too many nosy questions?The Green Joan and Janet are starting to feel at home in Doveby Dale. Janet has even joined the Doveby Dale Ladies’ Club, a group of women who meet for dinner on a monthly basis. But when one of the other members suggests adding men to the club, the ladies find they can’t agree. An arranged gathering with the ladies and a few potential male members worries Janet. Gerald Butler-Smythe is a retired investment banker who seems far too interested in everyone else’s finances. Janet doesn’t really care one way or other about letting men into the club, but she doesn’t want to stand by and see her new friends being cheated out of their hard-earned money. With a long-term guest staying at the bed and breakfast and other guests coming and going, can Janet find time to investigate the sophisticated Gerald? What else will the sisters find in their carriage house? And should Janet invite William Chalmers to join the club as well, if men are welcome?The Hampton Janet Markham is excited that Edward Bennett is coming to stay at Doveby House, the bed and breakfast that she owns with her sister, Joan. Edward may or may not be a secret government agent, but he is definitely attractive and interesting, at least as far as Janet is concerned. When a fire in Doveby Dale turns out to have been arson, both Janet and Edward want to learn more. Joan doesn’t approve of their getting involved, but Janet can’t resist a bit of snooping, especially when Edward is as eager as she is to investigate. Can Janet and Edward work out who started the fire? Is Edward really interested in Janet or does he have some other motive for visiting? And what will Aggie, Janet’s kitten, think of the visitor?
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2017
37 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Diana Xarissa
260 books269 followersDiana started self-publishing in 2013 and over a decade later she now has over a hundred books available for readers. Writing remains her passion and she has no plans to stop writing in the foreseeable future.
Diana grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, and earned a history degree from Allegheny College. She met her husband, an Englishman, while living and working in Washington, DC. Following their marriage, she moved to Derbyshire. A short while later, the happy couple moved to the Isle of Man.
During their years on the island, Diana and her husband welcomed two children, and Diana completed a master’s degree in the history of the island. In 2008, the family made the decision to move to the US. Now empty-nesters, Diana and her husband are living in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, and contemplating moving somewhere that doesn’t get snow.
Diana also writes mystery/thrillers set in the not-too-distant future as Diana X. Dunn and Young Adult fiction as D.X. Dunn.
Diana grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, and earned a history degree from Allegheny College. She met her husband, an Englishman, while living and working in Washington, DC. Following their marriage, she moved to Derbyshire. A short while later, the happy couple moved to the Isle of Man.
During their years on the island, Diana and her husband welcomed two children, and Diana completed a master’s degree in the history of the island. In 2008, the family made the decision to move to the US. Now empty-nesters, Diana and her husband are living in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, and contemplating moving somewhere that doesn’t get snow.
Diana also writes mystery/thrillers set in the not-too-distant future as Diana X. Dunn and Young Adult fiction as D.X. Dunn.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 3, 2020
The rating given is an average of the four books. Two of the four were actually quite good.
The Ellsworth Case 3 stars
ENTERTAINING. Scant on mystery and even sparser on the significance of counterfeit money. Major emphasis of this story is instead on social exchanges and personal relationships.
The Fenton Case 1 star
FARCICAL. Even from the first part of Janet’s letter to Bessie, the reader gets only a faint hint of what the theme of the story is, which does not become significant until almost halfway through the book. Even so, the entire book is predominantly a lengthy dialogue of character introductions and descriptions as well as reflections of past events over endless supplies of biscuits and tea.
A really substandard story amidst a series that showed so much promise at the beginning.
The Green Case 1 star
GAP FILLING. It would appear that the author has reached the limits of her imagination and storytelling and is now more intent on writing at least twenty more books, all sharing the same story with minor variations. Not even content to keep up a repetitive dialogue for this series, giving the saying “you read one, you have read them all” considerable meaning, this particular story has ill disguised parallels with stories from another series.
Another book that again majorly focuses upon repeating the character descriptions of those living Doveby Dale, their histories, their daily activities, and adventures (such as they are) of the past. All of this affords no new material but does provide considerable content fill entire chapters while at the same time providing insignificant progress for the story itself. An altogether incredibly slow-moving story.
The Hampton Case 4 stars
HOORAY. Every now and again the author breaks from the repetition template and delivers a great cozy mystery. Happily, such is the case for the Hampton Case.
A well-paced story that maintains the readers interest and attention, that retains reality. Laced with intrigue and romance. A good read.
The Ellsworth Case 3 stars
ENTERTAINING. Scant on mystery and even sparser on the significance of counterfeit money. Major emphasis of this story is instead on social exchanges and personal relationships.
The Fenton Case 1 star
FARCICAL. Even from the first part of Janet’s letter to Bessie, the reader gets only a faint hint of what the theme of the story is, which does not become significant until almost halfway through the book. Even so, the entire book is predominantly a lengthy dialogue of character introductions and descriptions as well as reflections of past events over endless supplies of biscuits and tea.
A really substandard story amidst a series that showed so much promise at the beginning.
The Green Case 1 star
GAP FILLING. It would appear that the author has reached the limits of her imagination and storytelling and is now more intent on writing at least twenty more books, all sharing the same story with minor variations. Not even content to keep up a repetitive dialogue for this series, giving the saying “you read one, you have read them all” considerable meaning, this particular story has ill disguised parallels with stories from another series.
Another book that again majorly focuses upon repeating the character descriptions of those living Doveby Dale, their histories, their daily activities, and adventures (such as they are) of the past. All of this affords no new material but does provide considerable content fill entire chapters while at the same time providing insignificant progress for the story itself. An altogether incredibly slow-moving story.
The Hampton Case 4 stars
HOORAY. Every now and again the author breaks from the repetition template and delivers a great cozy mystery. Happily, such is the case for the Hampton Case.
A well-paced story that maintains the readers interest and attention, that retains reality. Laced with intrigue and romance. A good read.
April 5, 2019
4 more novellas in the Markham Sisters series
If you like Diana Xarissa’s writing and stories about Joan and Janet Markham, you will enjoy the next set of four novellas set in the north of England. I only wish that Xarissa wrote more details, and her novellas were the length of books.
If you like Diana Xarissa’s writing and stories about Joan and Janet Markham, you will enjoy the next set of four novellas set in the north of England. I only wish that Xarissa wrote more details, and her novellas were the length of books.
February 19, 2020
Diana Carissa is a fantastic author. Her books are really hard to put down.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews