Mutt Cafe

A Shot in the Dark A Constable Twitten Mystery by Lynne Truss Bloomsbury USA Bloomsbury Publishing Humor , Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 06 Nov 2018 Review A Shot in the Dark is a delightfully funny mystery in the classic vein. Lynne Truss skillfully captures the feel of 1950s Brighton in her newest comic novel. The captain of police likes to think all crime ended with the shootout between two gangs that not just made the news - a movie followed idolizing him. Littl

Whisper the Dead A Cotsworld village mystery by Cameron, Stella Severn House Publishers Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 01 Apr 2018 Review Stella Cameron’s Cotswold village mysteries are excellent, non-formulaic cozies with more depth than the average cozy mystery. The characters, both central and supporting are complex, with their histories, feelings, and goals driving the plot. When Alex’s curiosity leads her to view the new housing development, she ends up rescuing the devel

The Magic Chair Murder A 1920s English mystery by Diane Janes Severn House Historical Fiction Pub Date 01 Mar 2018 Review The Magic Chair Murder is a thrilling and well plotted mystery set at the end of the 1920s. Women were beginning to play a greater role in commerce and academia. Frances Black is a capable woman long separated from her husband. As part of the board for the Robert Barnaby society, she recommended Linda Dexter as a speaker. Surprisingly Linda Dexter doesn’

A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn Berkley Publishing Group Historical Fiction , Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 16 Jan 2018 Review What is more thrilling than an Egyptian archaeological expedition cursed by an ancient mummy? Veronica Speedwell, adventuress and investigator extraordinaire and her partner Stoker are drawn into investigating the disappearance of one of the expedition’s members - the man who stole Stoker’s wife and left him for dead. Stoker’s enmity is well

Mr. Campion's Abdication by Mike Ripley Severn House Historical Fiction Pub Date 01 Nov 2017 Review Never underestimate Albert Campion or Mike Ripley who has done an admirable job of continuing where Margery Allingham left off. Admittedly following in her footsteps is a challenge - Albert Campion is one of the most popular figures of the Golden Age of Mystery. Campion and Lugg may be older, but as seen in Mr Campion’s Abdication, they are still formidable opponents to th

Death Scene A 1920s mystery by Jane A. Adams Severn House General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 01 Jul 2017 Review Death Scene’s biggest flaw is that it lacks the feel of the 1920’s. While technically correct, it doesn't capture the romance and mystery of the silent film industry as I had hoped. Instead, Death Scene is pretty much a standard police procedural that could be set anytime pre-1970. It isn’t a bad mystery but from the description and the co

Lies that Bind A Cotswold murder mystery By Stella Cameron Severn House General Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers Pub date 01 June 2017 Review You can count on Stella Cameron for a British village mystery that isn’t formulaic. Her mysteries are well composed and immensely satisfying. They are cozies, but they are not designed for humor. If you like Midsommer Murders or Rosemary & Thyme, you will definitely enjoy Cameron’s novels. The residents of Folly-on-Weir feel real, as op

The Really Quite Good British Cookbook The Food We Love from 100 of Our Best Chefs, Cooks, Bakers and Local Heroes by William Sitwell (Editor) Nourish Cooking, Food & Wine Pub Date 21 March 2017 Review The Really Quite Good British Cookbook is filled with complex and exotic dishes inspired by the variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs and seafood available in the British Isles. While there are a number of simpler dishes including keftides (meatballs), beef ragu, and toad in th

Other Countries A British police procedural by Jo Bannister Severn House Publishers General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 01 June 2017 Review When it comes to couples in abusive relationships, people often ask how they got involved and why did they stay. The answers are never straightforward, as can be clearly seen in Other Countries. The newest Gabriel Ash mystery is not a traditional murder case. Instead, it focuses on his friend, DC Hazel Best’s whirlwind

The Case of the Curious Cook Cathy Ace Severn House Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 01 March 2017 Review The women of WISE enquiries return with another unusual case. As always, Cathy Ace’s cozy mysteries are a delightful departure from the formulaic murder mysteries frequently served to readers. These are character driven stories, with unexpected but completely believable plots. In this case, the puzzle of books being left at a bookstore leads to the discovery of miniatures