Historical Mystery Lovers discussion

Happy New Year, everyone!

It is a new year and so we have a new thread for tracking our reading of historical mysteries in 2022.

Come and tell us what you are reading or have read and what you think.

A Curious Beginning is a lightning-fast romp through a costume-party version of Victorian England with a spectacularly quirky heroine. Forget about learning anything (except the occasional factoid about butterflies) and let it happen; you'll have a great, silly time. I'll certainly come back for another visit after I've had enough of historical mysteries that take themselves too seriously. Four belts of aguardiente.

Read the full review here.

The Rose Code is a moving, well-crafted exploration of the relationship between three very different young women during the chaos of WWII and under the pressures of the most celebrated codebreaking operation in history...interwoven with a spy caper that doesn't live up to what came before it. The heroines' stories are done so well that I forgot I don't usually read relationship dramas, enabling me to dismiss the spy-vs.-spy stuff that enticed me into the book in the first place. I'll probably read another Kate Quinn novel soon -- but next time, I'll know what I'm getting into. Four decrypts and a fragment.

Read the full review here.

Black Out is an example of masterful scene-setting undone by plate-of-spaghetti plotting and uneven characterization. Until I steel myself to read the second installment in the series, I'll keep the author's skill with atmosphere in mind while I forget the mess that surrounds it. 2.8 pairs of black-market silk stockings rounded up to three.

Read the full review here.

Maisie Dobbs is a promising series debut hobbled by skin-deep characterization, a lead character who's far too good for this world, and a catastrophic plotting failure that leaches most of the suspense from the already suspense-deficient main plot. If you don't mind this, there are sixteen more of these waiting for you. 3.1 cups of tea, rounded down to three.

Read the full review here

Mr. Churchill's Secretary is an entertaining read with some debut jitters, featuring a main character who's decent company. With ten installments in this, the Maggie Hope series, the author seems to be giving enough readers what they want. I enjoyed the time I spent with Maggie rather more than I did my fling with Maisie Dobbs. 3.6 stars.

Read the full review here.

Under Occupation is at best a minor entry in Alan Furst's now long-running Night Soldiers saga. All series authors are entitled to an off day; maybe that's what happened this time. I hope so. It would be too sad to contemplate that the author has tired of his own raison d'etre and has started phoning in his books. 2.4 Gauloises Brunes, rounded down.

Read the full review here.

The last of 2021 was Murder in an English Glade

A Counterfeit Suitor is on the way.

Recently joined, and I've been enjoying this series. (Six books. First two are linked below.)
Just a nice romp through the 1890s, with one big mystery (what lies within a puzzle Box that was set adrift by a sailor?) and some ongoing mysteries related to what will happen to some of the characters.

Wreck of the GossamerThe Lost, The Found and the Hidden: The Puzzle Box Chronicles Book 2

TheOther wrote: "Recently joined, and I've been enjoying this series. (Six books. First two are linked below.)
Just a nice romp through the 1890s, with one big mystery (what lies within a puzzle Box that was set ad..."

Welcome to the group!

I just finished Murder for Christ's Mass, by Maureen Ash, from the Templar Knight Mystery series. This is another series I am really enjoying.

I read Murder Under Her Skin, the second in a new series. It is set after WW II, with a pair of interesting women detectives: one smart and experienced who has MS, and her young hothead sidekick with skill in knife throwing. It is a bit like a Nero Wolfe / Archie Goodwin arrangement except this detective is a lot more mobile than Wolfe.

I recommend them.

I finished listening to Murder at Half Moon Gate, the second in the Wrexford and Sloane series. Better than the first one, I thought. I still had a hard time with the narration by Stewart, but I didn't mind as much.

The Body in the Garden, I started the New Year with this and really liked it so went right on to book two. I thought book 2 was even better so I rated it a 5 star read. Next book due this summer.

A Counterfeit Suitor
I went to an online author talk and I think she let something slip that helped me put the pieces together-some of them anyway. I don't know who the murderer is yet or if (view spoiler)[it was a case of mistaken identity and Fullerton was the real intended victim? (hide spoiler)]
There's a little too much info dump at times but on the plus side, the slow burn romance is making a miniscule amount of progress. (view spoiler)[Rosalind suggests she and Adam see more of each other when this is done! (hide spoiler)]

QNPoohBear wrote: "A Counterfeit Suitor
I went to an online author talk and I think she let something slip that helped me put the pieces together-some of them ..."

I have read it already so will only comment that I hope you enjoy the book. I did, and envy your author talk.

Like that -- "slow burn romance." Quite a few HMs like that! But I certainly don't like the "will she or won't she," that gets tedious. There's a couple of 'em guilty of that, too.

Sandy wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "A Counterfeit Suitor
I went to an online author talk and I think she let something slip that helped me put the pieces tog..."

The talk is on YouTube for anyone to watch. Murder By the Book's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND7hI...

I enjoyed parts of the novel. It was rather complicated and I wish there was more resolution as to what happened to the rest of the characters involved in the drama. I was worried it was going to end of a cliffhanger and glad it didn't. I loved the progression of the romance. Rosalind and Adam are so cute and sweet. I'm not sure about Alice though. She still sounds 20th century to me.

I am reading Edinburgh Twilight by Carol Lawrence. Set in 1880 Scotland. Historical police procedural.. Great historical description

Just finished Smallbone Deceased, set in postwar London. Technically part of a series featuring Inspector Hazlerigg, but I found it to be more of a decent stand-alone.

John wrote: "Just finished Smallbone Deceased, set in postwar London. Technically part of a series featuring Inspector Hazlerigg, but I found it to be more of a decent stand-alone."

I liked Smallbone a lot. My review: Four stars because this was such a pleasant surprise. I loved the dry humor, asides to the reader, the office snipping, an engaging lead character (not the detective!) and there was an interesting mystery.

The only other Gilbert book I've read is Death in Captivity which is excellent. It is a mystery but that is secondary to life in a WWII prison camp, which the author experienced (if I remember correctly).

His daughter has a book podcast from The Guardian.

I read the latest in Anne Perry's Monk series, Dark Tide Rising. I always enjoy my visit with Monk, Hester and all the other characters I have come to know so well. I hope this is not the last in the series. It was published in 2018 and Perry has started a couple of other series recently.

Alice wrote: "I am reading Edinburgh Twilight by Carol Lawrence. Set in 1880 Scotland. Historical police procedural.. Great historical description"

This is a good series. I have read each book and am looking forward to the next installment.

My 1st book of the year was "A Dark Reality" by Anne Perry. It is another book in her Elena Standish series.

A Secret Never Told
I can't put it down! I don't know enough of the history of psychology to figure it out entirely but I think I have figured out some of the clues. I love the depiction of Coney Island and the hot, sultry, summer smelly New York City descriptions. Horse droppings really make this a period piece but the overall stories seem more roaring 20s/between the World Wars to me than 1908.

I just finished Oh, No, Octavius! by Michael Gallagher. I did not enjoy this book as much as previous books in the series. I'm not sure why. Maybe Octavius is developing too high an opinion of himself.

I’ve just finished Clark and Division, a fascinating look at an American Japanese family’s resettlement during the WWII, while solving the mystery of a family member’s death.

I finally decided to tackle The Anatomist's Apprentice, and wow... it's not for the faint of heart. Lots of blood and guts, as you might expect. I'll stick it out and see how it goes.

Jan wrote: "I finally decided to tackle The Anatomist's Apprentice, and wow... it's not for the faint of heart. Lots of blood a guts, as you might expect. I'll stick it out and see how it goes."

I enjoyed it though. Some good plot

I am enjoy a light historical cozy. A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman. Fun, quick read picks up the feel and society of 1899 England. Good series when you are looking for something light.

Just finished Poison at Pemberton Hall: the first Vita Carew historical mystery by Fran Smith, starting story in this Edwardian series, where Vita struck me vaguely as a sort of forerunner to Flavia de Luce. Bought the first three titles at once, so looking forward to the next two.

Alice wrote: "I am enjoy a light historical cozy. A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman. Fun, quick read p..."

I love that series! Fran is delightful and George is swoony. The story behind the story to this latest one is on Dianne Freeman's blog and has to be read to be believed! It's one of those too bizarre to be true stories. I always enjoy reading her notes on how she was inspired to write. The next one is on the way for summer and she's writing one more after that.

A Secret Never Told was really good but maybe not all that interesting. It still feels 1920s/in between the World Wars to me. It works fine as a standalone if you haven't read the first two.

John wrote: "Just finished Poison at Pemberton Hall: the first Vita Carew historical mystery by Fran Smith, starting story in this Edwardian series, where Vita struck me vaguely..."

Speaking of Flavia, I "tested" the first chapter of an audio book, Premeditated Myrtle, that reminded me of Flavia and sounded interesting. It is set in Victorian the era. I'm not sure when I will get around to reading the book and be able to give an actual review, but I am looking forward to it. It is categorized as juvenile.

Sandy wrote: I "tested" the first chapter of an audio book, Premeditated Myrtle, that reminded me of Flavia and sounded interesting."

I enjoy Myrtle's stories a lot. She's funny, unintentionally. I really like the way the author shows the diversity of Victorian England. Myrtle's governess is mixed race from the West Indies and the local doctor and his family (Myrtle's best friend) are Indian. I don't know anything about Flavia but I like Myrtle. I enjoy Aggie Morton The Body Under the Piano more though. She's easier for me to relate to on a personal level and of course being based on Agatha Christie makes the stories more fun.

Traitor in the Ice is a very solid historical mystery set in Jacobean England. Really captures the politics of the era. My **** review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I’ve just finished The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne
A really interesting mystery set at the beginning of the 18th Century in London. I have a house containing a collection such as this in Holburn, but who knew it was such a cut throat world!

I'm partway through an ARC of A Royal Murder. The history is a bit iffy with the victim being a first cousin once removed of the King and thereby a royal. That makes 0 sense whatsoever. I think I know whodunit. It seems a little obvious to me but I could be wrong. I think I want it to be this person because I don't like them. If you have no patience for Bright Young People then you may not want to read this book.

Sarah-Hope wrote: "Traitor in the Ice is a very solid historical mystery set in Jacobean England. Really captures the politics of the era. My **** review: https:..."

Great review, Sarah-Hope.

A Royal Murder
proved to be much better in the second half than the first. The first half was a bit dull but the second half was very dramatic. I really liked Ellie and Hugh teaming up together to solve the murder. I did figure out who the murderer was pretty easily but getting there was more complicated than I expected and entertaining.

I just finished A Play of Lords by Margaret Frazer. The politics was kind of hard to follow, probably because it didn't interest me that much. But I still really liked following Joliffe as he worked out the clues to figure out how everything fit together.

I am reading a new to my historical mystery author
Death at Greenway by Lori Radar-Day. Set in WWII England. Very good so far.

I read by Boris Akunin - first in a series set in 1870s Russia. I had read this one about 10 years ago but didn't continue with the series. Reading it now, I liked it much better and already have the next book ordered from the library.

Downed the first of the Jane Pemberton series set in Regency England in two gulps: An Inelegant Death. Partway through the sequel - there are five total, really one long story broken up into parts.

Meghan wrote: "I read by Boris Akunin - first in a series set in 1870s Russia..."

Oh, that ending! I'll never forget it.

I finished The Dead Shall Not Rest by Tessa Harris, the second Dr. Silkstone mystery set in 1780s England. As with the first, lots of blood and guts, and I didn't like this mystery as much as the first; three stars from me. Not sure I'll keep going with this one.

I've started Death of My Aunt, published in 1930, which is holding my interest well.

A Deadly Endowment

I enjoyed the mystery but it seemed a little implausable. I also thought some of the speech was too modern American. The mystery kept my attention the whole way through. I picked up on the clues but didn't put all the pieces together. I thought the same thing as Phoebe at first until the big clue was mentioned. I have enjoyed following these characters and appreciated the follow-up to the previous mystery. I didn't appreciate having a character's name mentioned without explanation. I thought (view spoiler)[Julia was going to have her baby on page! He was just randomly mentioned and then it was explained Little Charles was born on January 8. (hide spoiler)] This series may be coming to an end soon. One or two storylines are wrapped up by the end. We have to see what happens next!

Posted three reviews on GR today, but these are the only two I recommend:

The Blood Covenant My 4* review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Note that this book does have a LOT of violence in it, including a pig slaughtering scene. It's not for everybody.

Next one is a lot less graphic: The Chapel in the Woods My 3.5 star review, rounded up to 4: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Another great addition to my favorite historical mystery series.
Fierce Poison

My **** review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I just finished Dead Dead Girls (Harlem Renaissance) a debut novel by Nekesa Afia.


I was drawn in by the Fabulous cover and hoping for a dark, edgy mystery in the exciting and daring setting of 1920's Harlem. This is a good story and does have its dark and edgy moments, however, the writing was choppy and the pacing a bit off. But, the characters were believable and interesting and the mystery solid, so not ready to give up on this series, yet! 3 stars.

I just finished Mrs. Jeffries and the Feast of St. Stephen. I am really enjoying this series.

Katy wrote: "I just finished Mrs. Jeffries and the Feast of St. Stephen. I am really enjoying this series."

That's a good one. I found the series has improved a lot as it goes along. It's still cozy but the historical setting is better and the issues of the day included are stronger. Lots about the role of women in Victorian society. Does anyone know if there are ghostwriters for this series? I'm continually impressed with how each murder is different!