What To Read This Winter

 

What to Read This Winter

Murder On the Cornish Cliffs by Verity Bright-- 1920s Cozy Mystery

Thank you Bookoture, Verity Bright and NetGalley for an e-ARC. All opinions in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.

It's Christmas and Lady Eleanor Swift is looking forward to a merry celebration with her friend/butler/bodyguard Clifford and the staff but most especially, she's excited to FINALLY spend Christmas with Detective Hugh Seldon, her fiancé. When a letter from one of Uncle Byron's old friends arrives asking Clifford to help figuring out who is trying to kill him and why, Ellie feels she has no choice but to head to Cornwall, reassure Mr. Godfrey Cunliffe all is well and back home again in time for Christmas. They're greeted by a police inspector with the shocking news someone has died! It's seems they were too late to save Mr. Cunliffe. Not so fast. Mr. Cunliffe turns up alive and well but it was his gardener, the suspected would-be murderer, who fell to his death at the bottom of the cliffs. Mr. Cunliffe is convinced Mr. St. Clair's death was a matter of mistaken identity and someone is still trying to kill him. Can Ellie and Clifford (plus Gladstone and Tompkins) figure it out before Christmas? 

This story was a little bit different from the others. The Cornish setting was fun. I love the accents (Poldark, Hagrid from Harry Potter) and could hear the characters speaking in my head. The Christmas customs are quirky and zany and it sounds like a fun celebration in the pub. There were several twists to this mystery I did not see coming and I never once suspected the murderer or the motive. The whole thing took me by surprise! I was a bit confused at first. I missed all the clues Ellie later points out. I didn't think anything of them at the time and neither did she. I was convinced it was someone else entirely. The surprise was actually kind of nice. It was a shock but a good one. I can nitpick little details like it's not a family's choice who to leave the estate to. Most families do leave it to the eldest son. Ellie has two titles from her parents because she's the last of the line not because she's the oldest child. She's the ONLY child and Uncle Byron never had children of his own. Clifford would know this but he chooses when to spar with Ellie.

Ellie and Clifford's relationship is so delightful. I think he loves her like a daughter and I don't think a Clifford's heart was ever stolen by a woman but by Uncle Byron and therefore, Ellie is the daughter of Clifford's heart. They bicker like children though, sometimes on purpose. The dynamic is cute and never goes too far for me. Clifford may be a know-it-all and oh so properly correct but he knows how to relax. He teases Ellie about her stubbornness and her love of food but it's all in good fun. She knows it and he knows she knows it so it doesn't bother her. Ellie is too kind to race off to see Mr. Cunliffe at Christmas, especially when it is supposed to be her first Christmas with Hugh when he's not working. Their relationship is special. Hugh is a good man and he loves Ellie but he knows he can't forbid her from investigating or poking around asking questions. He just wants her to be safe and if he has to help with the investigation, then he'll help, as her assistant, but not as the lead. It could cost him his job if he's found investigating a crime outside his jurisdiction. The solution to that problem is funny and charming. I love the romance between them. 

The animal companions are funny and adorable as always. I was excited to have Gladstone discover something that may be a clue, or not. Tompkins also gets involved in the sleuthing, as well as eating. Clifford's solution for taking Tompkins along on their adventures is ingenious. Poor Gladstone is just too heavy. 

Mr. Cunliffe is a weird person. He's older and therefore old-fashioned in his outlook on social issues. He feels women and servants are inferior but a male servant is preferable to contact for help than a mere female. He's proud of his family passing their estate down through the male line. His attitude offends Ellie but Clifford, being older and wiser, understands. Clifford doesn't let it bother him. Ellie is offended enough for them both. At that point if I were her, I would have walked away. He asked for her help! Then he claims someone is trying to kill him and his gardener was into the occult. Umm ok... Mr. Cunliffe spied on his gardener and even searched St. Clair's office when St. Clair was out. That's waaaayy uncalled for. This man is paranoid and delusional. Again, if I were Ellie, I would have left. Clifford blames it on Mr. Cunliffe's nervous temperament. Mr. Cunliffe is an anxious man, always worrying and only wishes he had the bravery of Uncle Byron. Uncle Byron wished he was more cautious like his old friend. It's only for Uncle Byron's sake Ellie is helping Mr. Cunliffe. 

Mr. Cunliffe's estate, Gwen an Mor, is kind of a weird place too. Inside it's a time capsule of Victorian hideousness, complete with dotty aunts. Outside the gardens are overgrown and wild, with the grounds in the process of being redesigned. The estate is along the cliffs of Cornwall and there's a lighthouse just barely within view. The estate is a character in and of itself. 

Mr. St. Clair was engaged as a landscape architect. His job was to redesign the old gardens and make them modern and new. He seems to have been quite talented and passionate about landscape design. I don't see evidence he was a Satanist or whatever Mr. Cunliffe assumes. That's weird and there has to be a plausible explanation for the symbols in his notebook. I can't think of a good reason anyone would want to murder St. Clair. Could be it be possible his slight build was mistaken for Mr. Cunliffe who has a similar build? It wasn't suicide. The young man had a lot to live for. 

There are few servants on the estate now. The maid is away nursing a sick family member. There's just the housekeeper/cook, Mrs. Liddicoat, her husband and two under gardeners. Mrs. Liddicoat is creepy. She is superstitious, suspicious, cranky and lazy. She and her husband came with the house and can't be evicted. If anyone is trying to poison Mr. Cunliffe, it is Mrs. Liddicoat. She's creepy. Her husband is even creepier. He's more suspicious and has a nasty temper. He's abusive to his wife and verbally abusive towards strangers, even Ellie, who is supposed to be his "better." I think he's mixed up in the murder somehow. 

Mr. St. Clair had two under gardeners working for him. Tristan Brae and Dewi Odgers. They seem suspicious to me. They have a story ready about how Mr. St. Clair was "disturbing the spirits of the garden." Sounds fishy to me. What spirits? Cornish pixies? It could be Cornish superstition so they may not be lying. There's also a suspicious story about Mr. St. Clair and Mrs. Liddicoat. Ew! Creepy! Brae seems to be the smarter of the pair. He's the leader while Odgers is the follower. They seem suspicious to me. I think they're probably smuggling and possibly killed Mr. St. Clair because he was poking about and came across their illegal activities. 

Mr. Cunliffe's elderly aunts, Aunt Flora and Aunt Clara live there too, also coming with the house. They're delightfully eccentric. Perhaps in their dotage, playing nursery games with each other. Only Clifford understands them and can keep up. I adore them and their quirky literary game. I didn't catch on but that's my kind of game. I like the way they speak and trying to make sense of what they're saying. I think they know more that they're admitting especially given their prejudices against the police and their "nasty" dirty boots. I also think everyone dismisses them because they're elderly and believed to be senile. Their youngest nephew, a great-nephew, Edwin Marsh, lives there too. He's a piece of work. A lazy, no good young man, he seems to be happy to mooch off his uncle. If his uncle were suddenly to fall off a cliff, Edwin would inherit. He already has his uncle's snootiness and sexist nature. Edwin is a toad and probably up to no good. 

Inspector Tevilick is a decent policeman. He hasn't investigated many (any?) murders before but he doesn't seem too in over his head. He's suspicious of newcomers and especially newcomers who turn up whenever there's a dead body. Inspector T is just doing his job. However, he does need Ellie to point him in the right direction sometimes and he's quick to make assumptions and accuse someone without hard evidence. Hugh would never do that! Inspector Tevilick is also quick to share with Ellie once he learns to trust her. I think he's decent and not the usual arrogant or buffonish policeman usually seen in cozy mysteries. 

Ellie's friend, Lord Wickhamshaw, is so much fun. He is mad for sport and believes everyone should be, even women. He's all for women competing with men. It makes things more interesting. Would that everyone felt the same way! He provides a key character for reference for Mr. St. Clair, having employed the chap previously. Mr. Penrose, the fisherman, is a delightful minor character. He's old Cornish for sure, a man of the sea and full of old tales and old traditions. I think Ellie would enjoy his company even if she weren't investigating. Woon, a lighthouse keeper, is rather mysterious and sullen. He seems a bit superstitious and hesitant to talk to strangers. Woon, just Woon, is another eccentric Cornishman. I love these bit players who give the story local color.

I enjoyed this mystery very much but it's not my favorite. I missed the ladies and I prefer the stories set at home the best.

This has been part of the Murder on the Cornish Cliffs book tour. Check out the other reviews for more opinions. You don't have to take my word for it!

What to Read This Fall

 

What to Read This Fall

A Murderous Twist: A Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mystery by Lynn Messina-- Regency Cozy Mystery/Regency Romance

I recieved a free e-ARC from NetGalley. All opinions in this review are my own and not affected by the giveway.

The former Beatrice Hyde-Clare, now Duchess of Kesgrave, is worried sick and perturbed when she learns her husband lied to her about his whereabouts and didn't come home to her bed. The next morning, when she learns her beloved husband has returned home, she rushes to his side to confront him, only to discover the duke hugging another woman! Not just any woman, but the ravishing courtesan, Mrs. Penelope Taylor, his former mistress! Bea knows all about this woman, yes she does, and would dearly love to send this woman away so Bea can have it out with her husband. But wait! Bea is not your average duchess and Penelope needs Bea's help! Penelope's greatest frenemy, a fellow courtesan, has been stabbed to death with Penelope's hat pin and Penelope's dearest friend and neighbor, Sir John Piddlehinton, a retired magistrate, has accused Penelope of the crime! Penelope asserts she is innocent of murder and believes she was the intended victim. How can she prove her innocence when not even her friend believes her? Enter the Lady Runner, Beatrice, Duchess of Kesgrave! Will Bea REALLY want to prove this woman's innocence? Well, yes, to see justice done. This case proves to be quite confounding! With very few clues to go on and the suspect list dwindling, Penny's chances of being hanged for a crime she claims she didn't commit are becoming greater and greater. Can Bea save the day?

EEEEE!!! SO excited to be back investigating with Bea! As usual this story is funny and sweet at the same time. The investigation kept me guessing and I never once considered the murderer to be THAT person! I missed the clues Bea eventually remembered. Very clever! It was fabulously fun to have Kesgrave's former mistress along for the ride. It added some extra humor to the story and the planning and catch the killer scenes are so farcical they belong to a screwball comedy film of the Great Depression. As always, the dialogue shines brightly, far more than the narration. Some of the language sounds a little too modern and I would prefer it if Bea kept using euphemisms. "The cherub" is cute but then she should also use increasing or the more vulgar breeding and not pregnant.

This one takes place just as A Lark's Flight is ending. Be sure you read Verity's story first because there are spoilers. It was great to read Damien's reaction to learning about Verity and his feelings about the matter. He hasn't had time to consider why he likes her and why he was attracted to Bea in the first place. I do believe he is attracted to intelligent, tenacious women because they embody the best qualities his mother had (and used for her own selfish purposes). While the former Duchess was a horrible person, Verity has used her intellectual prowess for good, just as Bea has. I hope the two women team up to investigate a murder together soon!

I appreciate the complex layers to the story, incorporating the characters' back stories and ruminating on the plight of women in the early 19th-century. While Bea's mother had enough social status to write about women's rights, not all women enjoy that privilege or are treated like human beings. At first glance, being a courtesan sounds more fun and glam than being a wife ("The purpose of a wife is for procreation.") Then, once the story gets going and Bea and Kesgrave dig deeper, it shows that all that glitters is not gold. The life of a courtesan like Penny is not a good one. Even though she seems to have wealth and status, she is little more than a commodity to be bought and sold. Her word is not to be believed and the men she once entertained would turn their backs on her if they thought she was a murderer. (murderess?) Because this is fiction, that doesn't quite happen, but the darker undercurrents are there in the story if you read the narration carefully.

As always, the Duke and Duchess are the cutest couple! They're so sweet. At first I was a bit worried because there was trouble in paradise but because Damien knows Bea so well, he knows what she's thinking and knows how to calm down her racing mind. Like mature married couples should, they talk about their problems and work it out. They're so cute together! He worries about her safety and doesn't LIKE her investigating. He WANTS to forbid her but knows he shouldn't and can't so he won't. He tags along to help keep her safe but I think the self-defense lessons are coming along nicely. He truly loves Bea so much and now his own past is coming back to haunt him and he's in HIS head about it. He tries to protect Bea even though he knows she's strong and tough, she's still a little insecure. Bea should know and would know if she had more self-esteem, that he would NEVER NEVER do anything to hurt her. The past is in the past where it belongs.

Poor Bea! She's still reeling from the visit to the orphanage and is still psychologically damaged from the emotional abuse she suffered from her relatives. She's only recently married and can't see herself the way her husband sees her just yet. Her past as an insignificant nobody comes back to haunt her and she's in her head about it, as always. She's trying to move past it and when she's investigating, she exudes confidence and doesn't take no for an answer. That is the real Bea. I hope she can move on from her past trauma and come to value herself for who she is now. Her family's attempts to make it up to her are too funny, especially Flora. Flora's silly at times but she does love Bea like a sister and truly wants to be useful herself. While Flora was treated better than Bea, she was still subjected to her mother's teachings! Aunt Vera really needs to learn to be confident and strong herself. Bea's mother would be so proud of how far Bea - and Flora- have come in terms of being equal partners to men who love them for their intelligence.

Penelope is hilarious. On the surface anyway. She's over-the-top but not vulgar, showy and supremely confident. Everyone claims she's trying to get the duke back but is she really? Her rivalry with Millie sounds more like they were frenemies than enemies. I think Penelope would have found a way to bump off the other woman discreetly or accidentally kill her frenemy in the heat of the moment. This crime was planned. Both women were greedy and tried to sleep their way to the top. Penny, being more voluptuous and having a better start to her career, has money. She's a wealthy courtesan who can choose her next "protector." She's not showy in a vulgar way but she likes to show off. It helps her image and keeps her on the tip of every man's brain. She has to stand out in a crowded field. was jealous and wanted to have what Penny had. Her life is sad and pathetic. She started in a brothel so it's no wonder she wants Penny's life. I don't blame her. Is it true what they say- imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? I'm not sure. It sounds very annoying for Penny to constantly have someone else copying her and trying to steal her lovers. However, in this instance, I believe is right to be upset. Penny deliberately set out to get Waltham once he came into the inheritance. She had rejected him previously so he went to instead. That was a low blow, Penny. Really.

Millie came over to Penny's early one morning, drunk on brandy and making a scene. Being drunk, especially that early, was unusual for Millie. It was mentioned several times that Millie's breath smelled of brandy and Pomfret Cakes (a licorice lozenge used both as a candy and cough drop). I'm wondering if someone poisoned Millie's candy and it made her act drunk or more unhinged than she would normally be drunk? It has to be a clue.

While Penny doesn't seem too broken up about Millie's death, she's brash and confident enough to believe it will work out in her favor. There's a discussion about how Penny has had to hide her emotions and compartmentalize because of her chosen profession and because of societal expectations. She's maybe a little too confident. She firmly believes she was the intended victim and not Millie. Someone killed Millie by mistake. Several ex-lovers and would-be lovers have reason to want to get rid of Penny. Which one killed Millie?

The Marquess of Waltham is new to his title and Society. He was the cause of Millie's disturbing the peace early in the morning. He's a cad and not too bright either. He seems genuinely shocked and broken up by the murder even if he did use Millie badly. Waltham really, really wants to be with Penny and settled for Millie as second best. Millie should have kicked him to the curb instead of taking him to her bed. And really, he behaved badly and if he ended up dead, I'd suspect Millie did it.

Baron Debenham keeps sending Penny threatening letters because she jilted him. He's the possessive, jealous type and it's no wonder she ditched him. Julian Barlow hates Penny because he believes she corrupted his brother, causing his brother to be killed in a duel. The dude was 22, old enough to be responsible for his own behavior and make his own choices. I don't trust Barlow at all. He's a sexist pig and teaming up with ultra Conservative MP, Lord Liverpool to enact a law to punish "scheming" women, like Penny, for "corrupting" "helpless" youth. (Sure let's blame the woman why don't we.) Debenham is truly vindictive and he wants to see Penny publicly humiliated, held up as an example of all that is corrupt and evil in the world and expose her "crimes" in the papers. Yikes! I guess that leaves him off the list of suspects? Or maybe he did target Millie as a clone of Penny. Maybe he thought it was easier to get rid of Millie because she wasn't well known enough to bother with a public trial? This guy is an arrogant arse and I hope he is the murderer!

The Earl of Audenshaw owes Penny money, or so she says. He gave her a bad parting gift and she is planning to get a hit out on him if he doesn't cough up the jewels. Yikes! That makes Audenshaw a prime suspect for murderer. The investigation at his house is too funny. He's another one who is sexist yet married to a formidable, intelligent woman. I suspect LADY Audenshaw was the murderer. After all, a woman could plan a discreet murder and would be familiar with hat pins and how to use them to protect herself.

Dudley St. Ives, another former lover, is young, only 23. He's whiny and throws a tantrum when he doesn't get his own way. Not even his father can control him but not for lack of trying. This kid behaved badly towards his family and towards Penny but he still seems to want her back. Another callow youth is Nettleby, a boy of 20, He is Penny's most stalwart defender. He wants to be with her so badly, he believes she's innocent. He's sweet but kind of annoying. Nettleby is not wise in the ways of the world yet, his frontal lobe hasn't developed to give him common sense and he's a typical young man lusting after the most famous courtesan. He believes he has a chance with Penny, as long as he courts her. Nettleby is a fool and oh so funny. There's no way he's the killer. He couldn't figure it out even if he tried. I don't even know if he would know what to do if he did have a woman like Penny! He's trying desperately hard to be a man though and escape his uncle's strict behavior.

Sylvester Nettleby is the nephew of Lord Hartlepool, one of Kesgrave's oldest friends. I don't see how they can be friends. Hartlepool is sexist, misogynistic and snobby - the exact opposite of Kesgrave. A ha! I think Kesgrave is wrong, totally wrong, to tread lightly in dealing with his friend's nephew. I think his friend is the killer! How far would Lord Hartlepool go to protect his family name and reputation? He's supposed to be looking out for his cawker of a nephew. How much "looking out" is necessary? How much is too much? I believe, given his opinions about women, he would totally murder a courtesan without a second thought and feel no remorse. He would probably say something like "taking out the trash" (or "binning the rubbish")!

The dark horse candidate is Mrs. Marshall, Penny's neighbor, who is always complaining about Penny bringing down the character of the neighborhood. Mrs. Marshall is fussy about appearances and about noise. She sounds like a stuffy prude to me and probably did slip in unnoticed and murdered Millie for making a scene and framed Penny, thus "killing two ladybirds with one stone." Yuck.

I can't get enough of this series and I am sure I need to read this again, along with all the others and Verity's stories. Names and fragments of information kept coming back to me but there was so much going on and so many books, I forget all the details. Read this if you like swoony Regency romances, funny romances and cozy mysteries.
Penny's relationship with Sir John Piddlehinton is hilarious. He's the only man who doesn't want to bed her. She's comfortable enough with him to entrust him with her finances and they exchange a lot of witty banter. When push comes to shove, however, he's not a loyal friend. He's not very bright or imaginative. Sir John acts officious and pompous, like he's just humoring Penny but believes she is responsible for the murder of her frenemy. That's low. He's sexist and thinks all women are incapable of being rational and are ruled by our emotions. He thinks of Penny as nothing more than a prostitute, a thing, not worthy of consideration due to a fellow human being. That's not right. I was beginning to think HE was the murderer, especially at the end.

Louisa May Alcott Summer Reading Challenge : Week 2

Louisa May Alcott Summer Reading Challenge Week 2

 

Jo's Story 

by Susan Beth Pfeffer  

Oops I missed a week! I'll catch up soon.

Ten-year-old Jo March, an aspiring writer, chafes against her elderly great-aunt's strict rules for ladies, but when she overhears Aunt March offering to adopt one of the March girls, Jo knows she has to be the one. She's the only one her family can live without and so she must break from her sisters and spend more time with Aunt March learning to be ladylike.

Right off the bat we know Aunt March doesn't adopt Jo so I was totally uninterested in the plot. Jo behaves very badly and it was cringy to read. I'm not sure the author fully read the original novel before embarking on this series because I noted a few inaccuracies. The Marches are recently poor because Father gave money to friends and made some bad investments. Amy wears hand-me-downs from her cousins and not her sisters. Also, the novel never mentions where they live. Everyone assumes Concord but I'm not sure it is.

On the plus side, the story introduces young readers to the March family and their values. Marmee's wise counsel is always there when needed. We learn about each girl's personality and interests. Meg is ladylike already and Amy aspires to be ladylike, is beautiful and artistic. Sweet Beth loves dolls and her sisters. Aunt March is strict but she isn't unfair. She agrees to reconsider allowing Jo to read Oliver Twist IF Marmee and Father agree she can read it.

The book contains excerpts from the other sisters' stories which sound a little better and include events leading up to Father going off to join in the Civil War.

I remember when these stories came out and I probably read them but this one didn't appeal to inner 10-year-old me or grown-up me that much. I might try the others at some point.

Louisa May Alcott Summer Reading Challenge

 

It's that time of year again! Thank you Tarissa for hosting this fun challenge. I didn't buy any new books in Concord this year but I did see Little Women: The Broadway Musical. I did not enjoy it but the program is worth a review. 

1. Jo's Story by Susan Beth Pfeffer
2. Little Women : The Broadway Musical in Concord program by The Concord Players
3. Meg & Jo by Virginia Kanta