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The Mystery of the Three Orchids By Augusto de Angelis Pushkin Vertigo Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date: 9 August 2016 Review I always enjoy classic mysteries, especially ones that are unusual. The Mystery of the Three Orchids has the feel of a 1940s film complete with gangsters, a femme fatale and an eccentric but brilliant detective. Everything begins when Cristiana O'Brian discovers a body in her bed, strangled, an orchid placed nearby. Downstairs, her new fashion collection

The Strivers' Row Spy by Jason Overstreet Kensington Books Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction (Adult) Pub Date 30 Aug 2016 Review The Strivers’ Row Spy is an incredible debut novel. Jason Overstreet skillfully exposes readers to a frequently forgotten part of African American history - the 1920s Harlem Renaissance and the push for civil rights by two very different charismatic leaders W.E.B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey. The Strivers’ Row Spy is fiction, but its setting, env

FOR HER SINS A gripping detective mystery by MAYNARD SIMS Joffe Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 02 Aug 2016 Review The newest DCI Jack Callum mystery easily meets the high standards set by Maynard Sims’s previous novels. Once again, Sims offers readers a complex mystery where surprises abound set within a vibrantly depicted 1950s Britain. Sims’s attention to detail brings the era and its issues to life making it easy to immerse oneself in the mystery. In For Her Sins, DC

KILLER ON THE FENS a crime thriller full of twists by JOY ELLIS Joffe Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 05 Aug 2016 Review Wow, simply wow. Joy Ellis knows how to keep her readers glued to the page. Killer on the Fens has a little bit of everything - a mysterious woman from DI Galena's father's past, an RAF base shrouded in mystery, catacombs, haunted marshes, crooked businessmen, and a serial killer with a knack for making bodies look their best. A bevy of long hidden sec

In Guilty Night by Alison Taylor Endeavour Press Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction (Adult) Pub Date: 5 August 2016 Review While I applaud Alison Taylor's courage in tackling such an important subject (the abuse of at-risk children at the hands of those employed to protect them), I was not particularly impressed by In Guilty Night. Despite being rich in detail, the novel did not have a clear structure. Rather than progressing in a forward direction, In Guilty Night meander

Crowned and Dangerous A Royal Spyness Mystery by Rhys Bowen Berkley Publishing Group Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 02 Aug 2016 Review As historical mysteries go, Rhys Bowen’s Royal Spyness novels are always a pleasure to read. They combine the comfortable feel of a cozy with enough suspense to prevent the books from becoming trite. In Crowned and Dangerous, Georgie is on the cusp of eloping. The happy event is foiled by a combination of weather and misfortune. Darcy’s estr

The Female Detective A British Library Crime Classic by Andrew Forrester Poisoned Pen Press Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 02 Aug 2016 Review The Female Detective stands out because it is literally the first novel published that features a woman who is a professional detective, as opposed to an amateur. Her identity is obscured, as are the reasons she chose her profession. All readers are given is one of her aliases, Miss Gladden or “G”. Despite being written by a man, The F

The Cat The Collector and The Killer Leann Sweeney Berkley Publishing Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date: 2 August 2016 Review If you love cats and murder mysteries, look no further. Leann Sweeney’s novel is purrfect, with its spot on depiction of cat adoration (Petcube anyone?) and an intriguing and complex mystery where felines play a major role. In The Cat The Collector and The Killer, the body of the local animal control officer is found in the home an elderly cat collector am

A Scream in Soho A British Library Crime Classic by John G Brandon Poisoned Pen Press Pub Date 02 Aug 2016 Review It is always interesting to read mysteries that have been long out of print. The British Library Crime Classics showcase the work of authors once popular who have long faded from public view. These hidden gems are delightful treats, not always substantial, but definitely fun to read. A Scream in Soho is an entertaining pulp thriller as opposed to a whodunit, set

Cat With a Clue A Bookmobile Cats Mystery by Laurie Cass Berkley Publishing Group NAL Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 02 Aug 2016 Review Murder, mysterious break-ins, and a gregarious and clever cat (Eddie) make Cat With a Clue a thrilling addition to Laurie Cass’s feline friendly mystery series. I have enjoyed all of the Bookmobile Cat Mysteries, and Cat With a Clue is no exception. The recurring characters are well developed and Chilson possesses its own unique charm. Eddie