Historical Mystery Lovers discussion
2024 Wheel of Historical Mystery
>
Phair’s Wheel
My first spin: Historical cozy mysteries (#15)Looks like I own 4 books on these lists so I will choose The Woman in the Water
because I have already read the first book in the series and my complaint was that there were references to previous cases and I felt "left out". Maybe this prequel will clear that up a bit.
Completed first spin ,wedge 15: The Woman in the Water 1/10/24I had listened to the audio of bk#1 and didn’t care for it. Read bk#3 for a library group and thought it felt like three separate stories mashed together. Have to say that this prequel (setting is 1850, London) was actually not bad although the ending felt abrupt and left an important event hanging. Can’t recall if first book in the series provided closure to that event.
Second spin: BONUS!Rats, I hate to “waste” a book that later might be perfect for another wedge.
Phair wrote: "Second spin: BONUS!Rats, I hate to “waste” a book that later might be perfect for another wedge."
I feel your pain! Read Last Act in Palmyra for a bonus then got the ancient Rome wedge. Grrr.
I pulled the first Mamur Zapt book, The Mamur Zapt and the Return of the Carpet,off my shelf for this bonus read ( because it’s relatively short) but after about 50pp I decided it’s more a political thriller than a mystery so scratch that. Instead I chose a Manor House Mystery, Wedding Rows, a cozy mystery set in an English village during WWII. Let’s see how this one goes.
Sandy wrote: "I feel your pain! Read Last Act in Palmyra for a bonus then got the ..."Last Act was one of my favorite Falco books (I’ve read them all but most were before I kept reading journals so I didn’t include them on GR) I was pleased to see bk 10 of Davis’ Flavia Albia series Desperate Undertaking, reference the Palmyra events as part of her current investigation. It turned out to be a bit gruesome but still good.
Second spin: BonusWedding Rows - a cozy mystery set in an English village during WWII.
Finished reading on 1/17/24.
My second successful spin read taken from my physical stash.
This was a pleasant cozy. While reading it I kept “seeing” it as a Masterpiece production. Very atmospheric. As it comes late in the series I was a little lost as to the regular characters but not enough to be off-putting.
Third spin: Wedge #4- Historical ghost fictionWill have to survey my shelves at home to find something that fits.
Update: the only book on my shelves that fit the bill is The Ghost and Mrs. Jeffries so to stay true to my plan to only read what I own Mrs Jeffries it will be.
Third spin, wedge #4: Historical ghost fictionThe Ghost and Mrs. Jeffries
Finished 1/22/24
Well, that was a disappointment. Despite the title there was no sign of a ghost, just a little bit of seance action which we knew was faked anyway. Since this was the only potential hist myst “ghost fiction” on my home shelves I am counting it. Can’t say Mrs J was great. Maybe if I’d read from bk 1 it would have been more involving. Did like her little group that all went out picking up clues and info to solve the murders for her employer, the relatively clueless Inspector.
Fourth spin, wedge 19: Medieval mysteryI know I have tons on my home shelves that are medieval so will peruse and decide as soon as I finish a book for next week’s library bk group (not a mystery).
Update: I have over 40 medieval mysteries on my home shelves and have randomly selected The Book of Shadows by Celia L. Grace for this wedge.
Fourth spin- Medieval Mystery, wedge 19Finished The Book of Shadows 1/30/24
I enjoyed this 4th Kathryn Swinbrooke story set in 1471 Canterbury. (My first)
Excellent period color and an intriguing search for both a murderer and a missing Book of Shadows containing damaging secrets of the rich and powerful. Much happier with this one by Doherty (as C L Grace) than I was with his The Mask of Ra.
Fifth spin- YA Hist Mystery, wedge 9Don’t have a lot of YA on my home shelves although I do enjoy YA and have read many through the library but don’t buy a lot.
May be a stretch to find something that fits.
5th spin, wedge #9: YA hist mystI had three choices at home:
An original publication of Nancy Drew (‘43): The Clue in the Jewel Box- in the earlier books Nancy seemed more mature than in the 60s versions I grew up on so more YA than j
The Black Stallion Mystery- skews more toward juvenile level and might stretch the “mystery” defenition.
I’m going to settle on Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival which was on the wedge list and appeals to my quirky side It involves mysterious kidnappings. Her uncle eats bugs.
5th spin, wedge 9, YA Hist mystPetronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival
Finished 2/3/24
Actually quite fun! The style sort of reminded me of Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest with the humor and language used.
An adventurous romp set in 1903 London and environs. The kidnappings are solved and Uncle is still happily eating bugs.
Spin 6: wedge 18, Historical Mystery 2023/2024.A bit bummed because I have almost no 23/24 books in my home collection as I only buy used at book sales,etc.. So I reluctantly forego my rule to only read from home shelves and picked The Poisoner's Ring by Kelley Armstrong from the library. I recently read bk 1 for a library group and loved it. Good excuse to get bk 2 pub in 2023. It’s a time travel mystery with the modern day mc trapped in 1869.
Spin 6, wedge 18- Hist Myst 23/24Finished The Poisoner's Ring- 2/7/23
Enjoyed this almost as much as bk 1 in the series. Excellent period color, nicely complicated mystery. Interesting characters you care for. Look forward to the next book in the series.
Spin 7- Wedge 15 (again!): Historical cozyBack to the shelves to decide. . .
Update: several choices on shelf but decided to read Murder at Chateau Sur Mer by Alyssa Maxwell
Spin 7, wedge 15- historical cozy mysteryFinished: Murder at Chateau Sur Mer 2/9/24
Set in Gilded Age Newport.
Have read bks 1-3 of the series but only own bk 5 so read that. Will have to go back to #4 one day but this read was fine as a stand-alone even if Maxwell does tend to end each book on a bit of a cliffhanger. As a Rhode Islander I appreciate the setting but have yet to visit Chateau sur Mer. This was nicely complex with lots of twists and turns. And polo!
Spin 8: Nooooooo! Wedge 9 again- YA Hist MystOnly mad because I have so few options at home.
Update: Unearthed a few more original Nancy Drew’s from my childhood so picked The Clue in the Jewel Box even though these days it would not be truly YA. It is a 1943 edition.
Spin 8, wedge 9: YA hist mystCompleted The Clue in the Jewel Box
- 2/13/24I picked this one from my meager YA possibilities because it’s from the books I have kept from childhood rather than one of the Applewood facsimile editions I bought as an adult.
The book is a Grosset and Dunlap Ed, c1943 and still has the price sticker from the store where I bought it back in the early 60s for 73 cents!
Wish I could say I was impressed by this bk #20 of the series but it was just so simplistic and derivative that it was almost painful. The main mystery about locating a missing grandson for an elderly woman who happens to be living in River Heights was loosely based on the Romanov story right down to the old lady (the Queen Mother of the lost royal family) still owning a jeweled egg fashioned by a famed artisan (Faberge style). Oh, the son of that artisan also runs an antique store in River Heights- go figure) A secondary story has Nancy helping take down a pickpocket/theft ring plaguing River Heights.
So many coincidences and lucky events! Great for nostalgia but no way was this a well constructed mystery.
Spin #9- the dreaded Lose a TurnSince I want to remain with books that I physically own I guess the best way is to come up with a short list of possibilities for someone to pick one for me. Stay tuned . . .
Update: posted my list on Lose a Turn topic and accepted the suggestion of The Serpent's Daughter
Spin 9 Lose a turnPosted my list on the Lose a Turn thread and Peggyzbooksnmusic chose that I should read The Serpent's Daughter
Spin 9, wedge- Lose a turnBook read - The Serpent's Daughter,
finished 2/18/24More an adventure than a mystery although there were dead bodies, a kidnapping, a smuggling operation to thwart and a stolen item to recover so. . .
Interesting and colorful setting (Tangier, Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains ) with lots of history and folklore.
Spin 10, wedge #14 - hist myst 2019/2020From my physical collection I choose:
Murder at the Mena House
- published 2020, 1926 Egypt setting.
I am loving this challenge! So far in 2 months, I have read 8 books that I physically own for the Wheel challenge because I decided to use only books on my physical shelves whenever possible. In 2023 I only read 9 owned books for the entire year. The lure of new books from the library was too strong. The Wheel of Historical Mystery was just the incentive I needed to change my ways. And it’s fun...
Spin 10, wedge #14- hist myst 2019/20202/24/24: Finished Murder at the Mena House
published in 2020. Found this to be a bit overly descriptive for my tastes. I thought the density bogged down the action. I did enjoy the setting of 1926 Cairo, Egypt under British occupation. Quite a complicated mystery that involved murders, blackmailing, smuggling, gambling schemes and more! The last few chapters were exciting.
Spin #11- wedge #4 Ghost hist myst again! How does it know my least favorite categories.Since my shelves came up pretty dry last time I thought outside the box a bit and rummaged through a bunch of old gothic paperbacks I had to find one featuring a ghostly haunting. It does have the heroine investigating her new husband’s supposed demise so I’m going with: Bride of Lenore
by Cynthia Kavanaugh.
Spin 11, wedge 4- Ghost myst (again)completed 2/26: Bride of Lenore
Setting was 1896 on a ship from Europe then to a mansion in Virginia. As for ghostliness, it was hard to find. The bride goes to her missing husband's home which was said to be haunted by the ghost of the bride who died on her way to the newly built house years ago. It now bears her name: Lenore. Our bride is told that her husband died 3 years ago- who did she marry, where is he?
Apart from a few creaky footsteps and fleeting figures no real ghosts. She does solve the mystery of hubby's disappearance and supposed death by the end of this brief gothic romance. Eh!
Glad to be done with ghosts.
Phair wrote: "Spin 11, wedge 4- Ghost myst (again)completed 2/26: Bride of Lenore
Setting was 1896 on a ship from Europe then to a mansion in Virginia. As for ghostliness, it was hard to find. ..."
Phair; Honest review! Also not a fan of the Ghost Wedge :)
Spin 12: wedge 2- first in seriesFrom the List I chose No Comfort for the Lost
which was on my shelf.
Spin 12, wedge 2- First in seriesNo Comfort for the Lost
Finished 3/14/24
Set in 1867 in Barbary Coast area of San Francisco. A nurse runs a clinic for the poor and Chinese women. One of her patients, a former prostitute, is murdered and she resolves to solve the case with help of a friendly police inspector despite rising anti-Chinese fervor.
I enjoyed the setting but this read more like historical fiction with a side of murder; it was too densely descriptive and brought in so many issues that the mystery felt like it took a bit of a back seat. Took me a while to get through this one.
Spin 13: wedge #19- medieval mysteries (again...how does it know!)Lots that fit on my shelves.
Picked an author I’ve never read Maureen Ash, Death of a Squire
.It’s #2 but I don’t own #1.
Spin 13, wedge 19- medievalFinished Death of a Squire 3/17/24
Really liked this. The medieval feel was rich and immersive and covered all levels of society from nobles to peasants to the forest outlaws. This is a long series I would definitely enjoy revisiting.
Spin 14, wedge 13- Sherlock HolmesAt last, a new wedge and I have a book loaned to me by a friend maybe 2 years ago that I can finally read and return to him:
The Return of the Pharaoh: From the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D.
Spin 14: wedge 13- Sherlock HolmesRead The Return of the Pharaoh: From the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D.- finished 3/25/24
Managed to squeeze this in between books for two of my real life discussion groups.
1911, Holmes accepts a case looking into the disappearance of a Duke who had taken up Egyptology and was trying to find a lost tomb (for the gold to solve his money woes). Holmes and Watson journey to Egypt on his trail.
As a Holmes mystery it was just OK. There was far too much about Egyptian history and archaeology of the period. Some heroic doings by our principals but a not terribly satisfying ending.
There seemed to be a factual error on the part of Meyer, not re the Egyptian part but re English law that I will speculate on in a spoiler when I get around to posting my full review .
Spin 15: wedge 17- Best historical crime fictionSeveral possibilities in my collection.
Spin 15, wedge 17: Best Hist MysteriesFrom one of the lists I chose The Midwife's Tale
from my home shelves.Finished 4/17
Better weather and a ton of yard/garden work sidelined my reading but I finally finished the book. It was fairly dense and a little slow moving but certainly gave a detailed look at the life of a midwife in York in the early days of the English Civil War. I really liked Martha, the new servant to our midwife, who has a past that has given her “skills” not common to most women of the period. The solution to the mystery was certainly not what I had expected. The edition I owned had a good author note and discussion questions. Although I am not overly fond of this period I do own the next book in the series so I may return to 1644 York one of these days.
Spin 16, wedge #1- historical mysteryBasically a freebie spin. We’ll see what strikes my fancy once I get two f2f book group reads out of the way (a cozy and a contemporary mystery).
Spin 16, wedge #1- historical mysteryI keep a card file of my physical books and decided to close my eyes and randomly pick a card from the Historical mystery section.
I got Dandy Gilver and an Unsuitable Day for a Murder
which is sixth in the series by Catriona McPherson but the only one on my home shelves. Will begin it later today.
Spin 16, wedge #1- historical mysteryBook:Dandy Gilver and an Unsuitable Day for a Murder
finished 4/24/24A few years ago I read #9 of the series. This book #6 set in 1927 Scotland elicited a similar response- a little slow to start with a lot of description but once the real sleuthing began I was really invested in figuring out the hows and whys. The solution involved a complex tangle of relationships re the two “feuding” families. The family trees provided in the hardcover were a help but I still had a difficult time keeping all the characters (several generations!) straight. I don’t advise trying to do this one in audio unless you are adept at recalling names.
My 17th spin was another Lose a Turn. From a list I posted on that thread Ruhani chose Murder in the Pleasure Gardens
, bk 4 in the Beau Brummell Mystery series for me to read.Finished 5/3/2024. Once again I found the adventure with the Beau enchanting. I had read the first in the series and enjoyed it. Both had lots of period detail, an interesting array of potential perps. Pleasure Gardens had a great sense of urgency about it as Brummell tries to find the true murderer in time to save a young soldier from facing the noose when the Bow Street Runners are convinced he is guilty and his conviction is imminent. There are only four books in the series so I hope to get to bks 2 and 3 one day.
Spin 18: BONUS! At least after this I will only have defined wedges to complete since I’ll have done two of each of the “extra” categories. There are 10 wedges left that I have not yet hit.We’ll see what strikes my fancy from my home collection for the Bonus book.
Spin 18 Bonus-A blind grab from my hist myst bookcase pulled A Death by Any Other Name
. By Tessa ArlenFinished 4/9/24
This was bk 3 in the Lady Montfort series set in England just prior to WWI breaking out. She and her housekeeper (acting as her Companion) set out for a neighboring estate to discover if a guest there had died by eating spoiled fish or if it was really murder. Have not read others in the series (there are 4). This one was fairly slow going. Far too much about the breeding of tea roses, garden design and the the societal differences between the titled and the new wealth through trade. There were a host of potential perps among the assembled members of a small Rose Society - several couples- plus various servants. And the estate’s conservatory and grounds contained a good assortment of toxic flora. Some interesting bits and I love this period setting but not a series I’d seek to read more of.
Spin 19: wedge 16 -hist myst 2021/2022At last a new wedge! Might be a while before I pick something. I have 3 Library bk group selections to read for this month plus a new ILL arrival to read quickly as others are on the wait list for it.
Update: I chose The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden
published in 2021.
Just checked my first wheel message stats and it looks like I could finish the challenge in 9 to 15 more spins depending on how many “new” wedges I hit and how many “second time around” wedges. Gosh this has been fun.
Phair wrote: "Spin 19: wedge 16 -hist myst 2021/2022At last a new wedge! Might be a while before I pick something. I have 3 Library bk group selections to read for this month plus a new ILL arrival to read qui..."
I liked the Sorrowful Maiden series. Unfortunately, the author died last year so there will be no more.
Hope you are lucky with your spins!
Spin 19, wedge 16 (2021/2022 hist myst)Book readThe Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden
(2021Completed 6/3/24
Life got in the way for a bit but finally finished the book. I had previously read bk 1 in the series. This one is set in the theatre world of 1853 when actors were still mainly seen as morally suspect.
A bit confusing with all manner of feuds, deceptions and secrets. I pretty much suspected a big reveal long before it was spelled out in the last few pages. I do like the relationship between Mrs Rodd and Inspector Blackbeard.
Spin 20: another New wedge! #20: Great War detectivesI know I have several possibilities on my shelves.......
Wedge #20- Great War detective:I settled on a Rutledge book: Legacy of the Dead
. I've only read #1 and #20 of the series and have not been entranced by them. I like the Bess Crawford series better. We'll see how this #4 strikes me.
Historical Mystery Lovers
Books mentioned in this topic
The Fox Wife (other topics)The Fox Wife (other topics)
City of Secrets (other topics)
City of Darkness and Light (other topics)
City of Darkness and Light (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Yangsze Choo (other topics)Peter Lovesey (other topics)
Rosemary Rowe (other topics)
Tessa Arlen (other topics)
Catriona McPherson (other topics)
More...
1. ✅Historical Mysteries - List #1 / List #2 / Shelf #1
2. ✅First in Series - Historical Mysteries List #1
3. Regency and Victorian Mysteries - List #1 / List #2 / Shelf #1 / Shelf #2
4. ✅ ✅Historical Ghost Fiction - List #1
5. ✅Historical Mysteries 2014 - List 2014
6. ✅Sleuths in Silks (Female Detectives) - List #1 / List #2 / List #3
7. Historical Mysteries 2015/2016 - List 2015 / List 2016
8. ✅✅ Historical Mysteries in Ancient Times (Greece & Rome) - List #1 / List #2 / Shelf #1
9. ✅ ✅ YA Historical Mysteries - List #1
10. ✅ Historical Mysteries 2017/2018 - List 2017 / List 2018
11. Dual Time Mysteries - List #1
12. ✅Mysteries with Literary Authors - List #1
13. ✅Sherlock Holmes - List #1 / List #2 / List #3 / Shelf #1
14. ✅Historical Mysteries 2019/2020 - List 2019 / List 2020
15. ✅ ✅Historical Cozy Mysteries - List #1 / Shelf #1
16. ✅ ✅Historical Mystery 2021/2022- List 2021 / List 2022
17. ✅✅Best Historical Crime Fiction - List #1 / List #2 / Shelf #1
18. ✅✅Historical Mystery 2023/2024 - List 2023 / List 2024
19. ✅ ✅Medieval Mysteries - List #1 / Shelf #1
20. ✅✅Great War Veterans as Detectives - List #1
Bonus: ✅✅
Lose a turn: ✅✅