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Coffin, Scarcely Used (A Flaxborough Mystery Book 1) by Colin Watson Farrago Humor , Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 22 Feb 2018 Review Coffin Slightly Used is an enjoyable British police procedural, light on tension but pleasantly paced and delightfully witty. There is a great deal of humor but it is subtle rather than laugh out loud. It is a great mystery to enjoy while drinking a pot of tea on a lazy afternoon. Harold Carobleat, respected councilor and do-gooder is dea

Lament for a Maker An Inspector Appleby Mystery by Michael Innes Ipso Books Horror, Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 23 Aug 2017 Review Lament for a Maker is a novel that will not appeal to a wide audience. The first half is written in the local Scottish dialect. This gives flavor and helps build the setting, but it also is hard going for readers. As in the other novels that I’ve read by Michael Innes, Lament for a Maker takes its sweet time to reach the heart of the plot. I

Hamlet, Revenge! An Inspector Appleby Mystery by Michael Innes Ipso Books General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 17 Jul 2017 Review Literate and well researched, Hamlet, Revenge is both entertaining and intellectually stimulating. The large cast of characters is well developed, as is necessary for a character driven mystery. It isn’t your average manor house mystery by any means. At the vast Seamnum Court, an amateur performance of Hamlet with a cast of

The Dead Shall be Raised and The Murder of a Quack A British Library Crime Classic by George Bellairs Poisoned Pen Press Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 03 Oct 2017 Review George Bellairs is often forgotten, but his career as a mystery writer was long and moderately successful. Like his lead, Detective Inspector Littlejohn, Bellairs was a man content with his craft with a skill founded on observation of human nature. Detective Inspector Littlejohn does not have the Herculea

Malice in Wonderland A Nigel Strangeways Mystery by Nicholas Blake Ipso Books General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 14 Jul 2017 Review Malice in Wonderland is an odd but enjoyable mystery that has the flavor of classic mysteries from the 40s. Wonderland is a holiday camp, an all inclusive resort where budget minded travelers can relax in comfort and enjoy group games and activities. The novel initially focuses on the experiences of Paul, an observationa

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

Serpents in Eden Ed by Martin Edwards Poisoned Pen Press Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date: March 1, 2016 Review The quaint, remote British village where crime rears its ugly head has long been a setting loved by writers of classic mystery. Somehow cities with their abundance of people promote a sense of safety. While the village, with its remote environs and its sparse population makes suspense and danger easy to create. Serpents in Eden is an anthology that every lover

Murder at the Manor Ed. by Martin Edwards Poisoned Pen Press Mystery & Thrillers; A British Library Crime Classic Pub Date: February 2, 2016 Review As a lover of classic mysteries, I’ve been extremely impressed by Poisoned Pen Press’s recent releases of volumes from the British Library Crime Collection. It is always a pleasure to discover gems that have long been out of print. Murder at the Manor is a fantastic anthology which will thrill anyone who enjoys classic British m

Heirs and Assigns by Marjorie Eccles Pub Date: November 1, 2015 Description Introducing Detective Inspector Herbert Reardon in a new mystery series, set in the Downtown Abbey period. November, 1928. Family and friends have gathered at the Shropshire country home of Penrose Llewellyn to celebrate the retired wealthy businessman’s 60th birthday. But the morning after what should have been a convivial supper party, their host is found dead in his bed – and the circumstances look