Murder: Month by Month

DI Evan Glover #0.4, 0.5, 0.6 - original version

by Cathy Ace

Twelve tales of murder - each linked to one month on the calendar! From her prize-winning story "Dear George", which begins her murderous year, to the hatred that drives a guilt-ridden woman's Christmastide memories, Ace never lets up. A sociopath plots in an English teashop, a Florentine vendetta threatens a hapless Scottish tourist and a Shakespearian scholar protects his reputation in a most unusual manner! Add a Vancouver criminology Professor with a dark background and a Detective Inspector who finds his wife's insights invaluable, and you've got a book that will keep the reader turning the pages from month to murderous month! "Dear George" was broadcast on BBC's Radio 4 in 2007 (read by Alex Kingston - Dr Corday in TV's hit "ER") and joins eleven other stories crafted by Ace. Ace's style is easy to read - she engages the reader right away...you might never look at a cup of tea or a Yuletide Wreath the same way, but you're going to enjoy reading this book!

CONTENTS
Forward
January - Dear George - DI Evan Glover story
February - The Corpses Hanging Over Paris - Cait Morgan story
March - Domestic Violence
April - Negroni
May - A Woman's Touch - DI Evan Glover story
June - The Corpse With The Fake Purse - Cait Morgan story
July - Tea for Two
August - Black Eyed Susans - DI Evan Glover story
September - The Corpse that Died Twice - Cait Morgan story
October - A Sensible Killing
November - Miss Parker Pokes Her Nose In - WISE Enquiries Agency story
December - The Wreath

312 pages, Paperback

Published November 5, 2007

About the author

Cathy 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

Reviews

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read her debut novel, The Corpse with the Silver Tongue, and enjoyed it, so found this collection of short stories and gave it a go. It's good. Phew. Not really a short story fan, so I was surprised I enjoyed it. There are three Cait Morgan stories (she's the criminologist in the novel, and these stories are her introduction): they're all different, and all enjoyable. There are three stories with a Welsh Detective Inspector, so they're more police procedural, and they were a good change of pace (I read these three one after the other - I think he'd make a good subject for his own series)then there are six other stories that each stand alone. I enjoyed them all, but for different reasons: there's one featuring a Scottish guy on holiday in Florence that's a bit of a "thriller", then there's one about four mis-matched women who solve a weird case as a team. The story set in an English country-town tea shop was very different, and, by the time I got to the end, I could see the place, and the people, very clearly. Creepy! If you enjoyed her novel, you'll enjoy this, and if you enjoy this, you'll enjoy her novel. What was most interesting was the fact that there were different voices for each of the different stories (or sets of stories) and I think that's what made the book so readable.

[Lou Columbus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of little mysteries! A few recurring characters, one being criminologist and profiler Cait Morgan, who recently premiered in her first full length novel "The Corpse With The Silver Tongue". Cathy does her research and it shows in her writing. Vivid details for characters and locations, really bring her stories to life. While this is not a genre I typically visit often, I was pleasantly surprised by this collection. Good writing is always enjoyable and appreciated, especially in today's age of over abundance and mediocrity. If you're an avid lover of comfy style mysteries (ala Agatha Christie), you should try one of Cathy Ace's books.