strange and random happenstance

Ivy and Intrigue: A Very Selwick Christmas by Lauren Willig
Publication Date: August 28th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 112
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

It's been nine months since Richard Selwick was unmasked as the Purple Gentian and he fled France in the arms of his lady love Amy Balcourt. Nine months away from the action and rusticating with the new missus. Nine months in which the newlywed sheen has dulled just a little under the stresses of the everyday, not to mention the pressures of family and the holidays. Amy and Richard are celebrating their first Christmas together at Uppington Hall with both their families and surprisingly Richard's ex Deirdre. The Deirdre who had sonnets written to her and who was Richard's first love. The Deirdre that resulted in Tony's death due to her unscrupulous lady's maid. Of course her presence is more for Lady Uppington's benefit, to knock Deirdre's nose out of joint and show off her new daughter-in-law Amy, but still, she is one more stress. Especially once the snow strands her at Uppington Hall. Deirdre is the embodiment of all that Richard left behind, all that he was forced to give up because of Amy. If it wasn't for her Richard would still be a romantic hero. While standing nearby Richard's thoughts are veering along the same lines, that it was he who cut short Amy's potential as a super spy, the potential that Jane took and made a reputation of as the Pink Carnation. If he let Amy go back to France could she be happy? He knows he wouldn't be but at least they both wouldn't be miserable. Can these two sort through their holiday misunderstandings and do what they do best, work as a couple? Or will French spies once more try to thwart their chance at happily ever after?

In this cute little Christmas novella full of Yuletide charm we get to catch up with those Selwicks we know and love. As Lauren has said, this is her A Very Brady Christmas without anybody being trapped in the debris of a building. Yes, for some reason the building collapse is all I really remember from the TV movie. But what this novella does so wonderfully is give of a sweet story, sweet revenge that is, while also doing a "where are they now" roll call. Because there were loose ends that needed tying up as the series moved away from the set cast of characters we know and love and moved on to deeper and darker plot developments. Plus, Amy and Richard, more than any other couple in this series, really are just thrown into their happily ever after and sail off into the sunset, while at the same time ignoring that they both kind of ruined what they were best at for the other, spying. So yes, they run the spy school, but they haven't really felt it's importance until Jane mentions the need for Miss Grey. What's more, when one of their working weekends ruined Henrietta's reputation and Richard and Miles's friendship... Well, those are loose ends that need to be mended. And I loved that Richard and Miles are slowly bridging the gap back to how they were before Miles and Hen's precipitous marriage. Also seeing Uppington Hall, first through the eyes of Eloise, and then through her Regency heroes', made for a lovely Christmas treat, not to mention, Richard swinging from the chandelier in his best Errol Flynn imitation a hundred years before Errol Flynn, a move that Eloise would love to have seen. Ah, what's Christmas without a little chandelier swinging and an ex in custody?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Very Brady Christmas, A Very Selwick Christmas, Amy Balcourt, Christmas, Errol Flynn, Ivy and Intrigue, Lauren Willig, Novella, Regency Romp, Richard Selwick, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: December 5th, 2000
Format: Kindle, 1053 Pages
Rating: ★
To Buy

Sophie Beckett's life was never going to be a fairy tale. She was born illegitimate and unwanted. Yes, her father touted her as his "ward" in order to give her a semblance of respectability, but when he married, his new wife did everything in her power to grind Sophie down. After his death Sophie became nothing more than a servant to those who should have loved and cared for her. Her only joy in life is reading Whistledown and dreaming of the world right outside her door. The parties in ballrooms throughout London where it seems anything could happen. A life she will never be a part of, until the other servants concoct a scheme for Sophie to attend Lady Bridgerton's masked ball. In spangles and silver she enchants all those who see her. But she instantly captures the heart of Benedict Bridgerton, as he does hers. At midnight she flees, never to see that ballroom or Benedict again, or so she thinks. Her life will have to be bearable with the memory of this one perfect night. But then her stepmother discovers her deceit and throws her out onto the street. With nowhere to go she flees to the country and eventually ends up working as a maid in a country house. It's not ideal. She sells her hair for money and loses too much weight, she's unrecognizable to even herself, but she is making do until her master's son and his friends attempt to assault her and she flees right into the arms of Benedict. Benedict has been looking for the mysterious lady from the ball for years. She is the only one he wants to marry and yet she is elusive. The girl he rescues from some louts at a house party is sweet, but not the woman of his dreams. Or is she? As Sophie nurses Benedict back to health after he takes ill after a long ride in the rain, he starts to wonder if perhaps a real flesh and blood girl is better than a figment of his imagination that he has been embellishing for years. The only problem is her station in life. Can they overcome society and a scheming stepmama to get a chance at a happy ending?

Benedict Bridgerton is the apotheosis of white male privilege. He is toxic masculinity hiding behind a veneer of savior complex. Oh, look, he has a rock from the day his dad died, boo hoo, does that humanize him as he tries to defile a woman of a lower station? NO! I just couldn't with Benedict. He is not a romantic hero, he is an ass who is totally incapable of empathy. He can not see that by forcing Sophie to take him as her lover he is destroying her heart and soul. She is incapable of saying no because she is deluded enough to think that she loves him. A delusion born of a time when he thought her his equal and therefore treated her as such. Now that she is "below" him he thinks nothing of taking her to bed despite the very real consequences that could happen. He doesn't get how having a child out of wedlock would destroy her. He just doesn't get it because he is a white man and everything has always gone his way. Consequences are for other people, not him. Oh, how I hated him. I wanted to claw out his eyes. Every interaction he had with Sophie made my skin crawl. And she just takes it. She puts up with his bullshit because, sadly, his bullshit is less horrific than the other bullshit she had to deal with in this very inadequate reimaging of Cinderella. Here's the thing, I think everyone out there, if they know one fairy tale, they know Cinderella. It's like genetically coded into humankind of something. Therefore when it is reinterpreted it really has to get it right because every single one of us has expectations born of genetic knowledge. In my mind there are literally only two that work, the film Ever After, and the book Cinder by Marissa Meyer. That is it. There are no others. The Viscount Who Loved Me doesn't even chart. There is no depth, no truths brought forward by seeing the story in another light, there is just an asshole "prince" who forces himself on his "true love" and I guess they have a happily ever after. Personally if I had to be in a room with Benedict for more than a minute I would not be a happy camper. Lucky for Benedict that Sophie isn't that picky.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: An Offer From a Gentleman, Benedict Bridgerton, Bridgerton, Cinder, Cinderella, Ever After, Fairy Tale Retelling, Julia Quinn, Lady Whistledown, Marissa Meyer, Regency England, Regency Romp, Toxic Masculinity

My Life Solving America's Cold Cases by Paul Holes
Published by: Celadon Books
Publication Date: April 26th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the detective who found the Golden State Killer, a memoir of investigating America’s toughest cold cases and the rewards - and toll - of a life solving crime.

I order another bourbon, neat. This is the drink that will flip the switch. I don’t even know how I got here, to this place, to this point. Something is happening to me lately. I’m drinking too much. My sheets are soaking wet when I wake up from nightmares of decaying corpses. I order another drink and swig it, trying to forget about the latest case I can’t shake.

Crime solving for me is more complex than the challenge of the hunt, or the process of piecing together a scientific puzzle. The thought of good people suffering drives me, for better or worse, to the point of obsession. People always ask how I am able to detach from the horrors of my work. Part of it is an innate capacity to compartmentalize; the rest is experience and exposure, and I’ve had plenty of both. But I have always taken pride in the fact that I can keep my feelings locked up to get the job done. It’s only been recently that it feels like all that suppressed darkness is beginning to seep out.

When I look back at my long career, there is a lot I am proud of. I have caught some of the most notorious killers of the twenty-first century and brought justice and closure for their victims and families. I want to tell you about a lifetime solving these cold cases, from Laci Peterson to Jaycee Dugard to the Pittsburg homicides to, yes, my twenty-year-long hunt for the Golden State Killer.

But a deeper question eats at me as I ask myself, at what cost? I have sacrificed relationships, joy - even fatherhood - because the pursuit of evil always came first. Did I make the right choice? It’s something I grapple with every day. Yet as I stand in the spot where a young girl took her last breath, as I look into the eyes of her family, I know that, for me, there has never been a choice. "I don’t know if I can solve your case," I whisper. "But I promise I will do my best."

It is a promise I know I can keep."

I am a total fangirl of Paul Holes because of the Golden State Killer, therefore this book isn't just on my to buy list, I'm getting a signed first edition!

The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 26th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An exciting novel based on the fearless reporter Nellie Bly, who would stop at nothing to expose injustices against women in early 19th century New York, even at the risk of her own life and freedom.

In 1887 New York City, Nellie Bly has ambitions beyond writing for the ladies pages, but all the editors on Newspaper Row think women are too emotional, respectable and delicate to do the job. But then the New York World challenges her to an assignment she'd be mad to accept and mad to refuse: go undercover as a patient at Blackwell's Island Insane Asylum for Women.

For months, rumors have been swirling about deplorable conditions at Blackwell’s, but no reporter can get in - that is, until Nellie feigns insanity, gets committed and attempts to survive ten days in the madhouse. Inside, she discovers horrors beyond comprehension. It's an investigation that could make her career - if she can get out to tell it before two rival reporters scoop her story.

From USA Today bestselling author Maya Rodale comes a rollicking historical adventure series about the outrageous intrigues and bold flirtations of the most famous female reporter - and a groundbreaking rebel - of New York City’s Gilded Age."

As I have been saying, Nellie Bly is the It Girl of the moment!

The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon
Published by: Gallery/Scout Press
Publication Date: April 26th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Drowning Kind comes a genre-defying new novel, inspired by Mary Shelley’s masterpiece Frankenstein, that brilliantly explores the eerie mysteries of childhood and the evils perpetrated by the monsters among us.

1978: At her renowned treatment center in picturesque Vermont, the brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Hildreth, is acclaimed for her compassionate work with the mentally ill. But when she’s home with her cherished grandchildren, Vi and Eric, she’s just Gran - teaching them how to take care of their pets, preparing them home-cooked meals, providing them with care and attention and love.

Then one day Gran brings home a child to stay with the family. Iris - silent, hollow-eyed, skittish, and feral - does not behave like a normal girl.

Still, Violet is thrilled to have a new playmate. She and Eric invite Iris to join their Monster Club, where they catalogue all kinds of monsters and dream up ways to defeat them. Before long, Iris begins to come out of her shell. She and Vi and Eric do everything together: ride their bicycles, go to the drive-in, meet at their clubhouse in secret to hunt monsters. Because, as Vi explains, monsters are everywhere.

2019: Lizzy Shelley, the host of the popular podcast Monsters Among Us, is traveling to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted, and a monster sighting has the town in an uproar. She’s determined to hunt it down, because Lizzy knows better than anyone that monsters are real - and one of them is her very own sister.

A haunting, vividly suspenseful page-turner from the “literary descendant of Shirley Jackson” (Chris Bohjalian, author of The Flight Attendant), The Children on the Hill takes us on a breathless journey to face the primal fears that lurk within us all."

If I hadn't already been sold with the Frankenstein vibe, name checking Shirley Jackson put the nail in the coffin.

In the Face of the Sun by Denny S. Bryce
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: April 26th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"At the height of the Civil Rights Movement amidst an America convulsed by the 1960s, a pregnant young woman and her brash, profane aunt embark upon an audacious road trip from Chicago to Los Angeles to confront a decades-old mystery from 1920’s Black Hollywood in this haunting novel of historical fiction from the author of Wild Women and the Blues.

A lime-gold Ford Mustang is parked outside my building. Unmistakable. My Aunt Daisy, the driver, is an audacious woman that no one in our family actually speaks to. They only speak about her - and not glowingly. Still, she is part of my escape plan...

1928, Los Angeles: The newly-built Hotel Somerville is the hotspot for the city's glittering African-American elite. It embodies prosperity and dreams of equality for all - especially Daisy Washington. An up-and-coming journalist, Daisy anonymously chronicles fierce activism and behind-the-scenes Hollywood scandals in order to save her family from poverty. But power in the City of Angels is also fueled by racism, greed, and betrayal. And even the most determined young woman can play too many secrets too far...

1968, Chicago: For Frankie Saunders, fleeing across America is her only escape from an abusive husband. But her rescuer is her reckless, profane Aunt Daisy, still reeling from her own shattered past. Frankie doesn't want to know what her aunt is up to so long as Daisy can get her to LA—and safety. But Frankie finds there’s no hiding from long-held secrets—or her own surprising strength.

Daisy will do whatever it takes to settle old scores and resolve the past - no matter the damage. And Frankie will come up against hard choices in the face of unexpected passion. Both must come to grips with what they need, what they’ve left behind - and all that lies ahead..."

An old Hollywood mystery? Yes please!

A Queen for All Seasons by Joanna Lumley
Published by: Hodder and Stoughton
Publication Date: April 26th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A sparkling celebration of our much-loved Queen Elizabeth II for her Platinum Jubilee including special writings and illuminating insights around key moments in her 70-year reign, introduced and edited by her biggest fan Joanna Lumley.

In 2022 Queen Elizabeth II celebrates seventy years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. She is Britain's longest reigning monarch and the very first to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.

A Queen For All Seasons, edited and introduced by Joanna Lumley, is a perceptive, touching and engaging tribute to this unique woman. A treasure chest of first-hand writings, insights and snapshots of the Queen during key moments of her reign to form a vibrant portrait of the woman herself and the extraordinary role she plays.

Joanna Lumley guides us as we meet Princess Elizabeth in 1952, aged just twenty-five, and about to become Queen, and brings us through to the present day when, as our matriarch, the Queen keeps the national ship steady, including in moments of crisis and suffering. Here are unique perspectives into some of the most fascinating aspects of the Queen's life - her role as head of state at home and abroad, her private passions and public interests and a bird's-eye look at key events that have held the nation together and the Queen in our affection throughout Britain and beyond.

This book is a special and unique portrait of our constant Queen in an ever-changing world."

The obligatory anglophile Platinum Jubilee book post. With 100% more Joanna Lumley!

One Foot in the Fade by Luke Arnold
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: April 26th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Welcome back to the streets of Sunder City, a darkly imagined world perfect for readers of Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher.

In a city that lost its magic, an angel falls in a downtown street. His wings are feathered, whole - undeniably magical - the man clearly flew, because he left one hell of a mess when he plummeted into the sidewalk.

But what sent him up? What brought him down? And will the answers help Fetch bring the magic back for good?

Working alongside necromancers, genies, and shadowy secret societies, through the wildest forests and dingiest dive bars, this case will leave its mark on Fetch's body, his soul, and the fate of the world."

Luke Arnold should be gleeful for the Aaronovitch comparison, and not just in cover design.

Veil by Dylan Farrow
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: April 26th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Dylan Farrow's Veil is the thrilling sequel to Hush, one of the most talked about YA fantasies of 2020.

Shae’s entire world has been turned upside down, and everything she’s ever believed is a lie. More determined than ever, she sets out to the mysterious land of Gondal - a place forbidden to mention and resigned to myth - in search of a dangerous magical book that could alter the fabric of the world.

Following the trail of Ravod, the boy she thought she knew and trusted, Shae discovers there is far more to the young man who stole the Book of Days than she ever realized. Together, with her friends, Mads and Fiona, and a newfound ally in her fierce former trainer, Kennan, Shae crosses the borders of the only home she’s ever had and into a world ruled not by magic, but technology and industry - one fraught with perils of its own.

In a world shrouded in lies, Shae is desperate for answers and to restore peace, but who will lift the veil?"

Most talked about for a good reason!

Locke and Key: The Golden Age by Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Jay Fotos
Published by: IDW Publishing
Publication Date: April 26th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 264 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The beloved graphic novel series turned Netflix hit continues!

Take a trip through the past and unlock moments from Keyhouse's long history that expand the saga of the Locke family in this collection of stories including the crossover with Neil Gaiman's Sandman Universe!

Contains three prequel short stories, "Small World," "Open the Moon," and, collected for the first time, "Face the Music," leading into the gut-wrenching tour de force that begins with ...In Pale Battalions Go... and culminates with the Sandman Universe crossover Hell and Gone.

Each of these individual stories takes a glimpse into the lives of the Locke family ancestors from the early 20th century as they use the keys to fight battles big and small. From the killing fields of Europe during WWI to the depths of Hell, the Lockes struggle desperately to keep the dark forces of their world at bay."

Wait, they didn't say that "Open the Moon" will also have you balling your eyes out!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Denny S. Bryce, Dylan Farrow, Golden State Killer, I'll Be Gone in the Dark, Jennifer McMahon, Joanna Lumley, Joe Hill, Locke and Key, Luke Arnold, Maya Rodale, Nellie Bly, Paul Holes, Queen Elizabeth

Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: February 28th, 2006
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Evie Jenner keeps the true horrors of her life hidden from her friends. She can not hide the stutter she has developed from being broken by her mother's family, but she would never tell her friends about the abuse, both physical and mental, because she knows there's nothing they could do about it. All she wants to do is get away from her family and see her father before he dies. But Ivo Jenner runs a gaming hell and it wouldn't be "proper" for Evie to visit him. What's more, her family have their eyes on Ivo's fortune. Evie will be married to her cousin Eustace and then, well, she has a feeling they might do away with her. When the Viscount St. Vincent attempted to marry her friend Lillian Bowman by kidnapping her and running off to Gretna Green Evie realized how desperate the rake was. Desperate enough to swap one heiress for another? Showing up on his doorstep one night Evie tells him of her plan. They are to immediately set out for Gretna Green where they will be married. They will consummate their marriage to make sure it is legally binding in case her relatives have any ideas. They will return to London where Evie will take care of her father until he passes. At which time St. Vincent will get his money and they will live a marriage in name only. He will have his money and she will have her freedom, both getting exactly what they want. The only problem with this plan is that on their long trip to Scotland St. Vincent starts to be intrigued by his future wife. After they consummate their marriage he is shocked to realize how much he still wants Evie. This has never happened to him. Women chase him he will be damned if he will chase after his own wife! But his protective nature that he never knew he had is brought to the fore by Evie. He worries about the long hours she spends at her father's bedside. He has started to worry about the club. In fact he's rather taken with Jenner's and is taking over the business. For someone who has spent their entire life broke, idle, and a womanizer, the arrival of Evie Jenner in his life has changed everything. The question is, will he be able to hold onto it?

Going into Devil in Winter I had two questions that needed to be answered. One was how were they going to make Viscount St. Vincent palatable after he kidnapped and threatened to rape his best friend's fiance? The other was how would the book be structured after the first two books were basically the exact same premise with different wrapping paper? Both were rather quickly answered. The book has a structure all it's own and St. Vincent was desperate but would have never really raped Lillian and would have not even kidnapped her had he realized the depth of his friend's feelings. Yes, this is a bit of backtracking to make St. Vincent that most common of tropes in romance, the domesticated rake, but given as he's the hero it was to be expected. But what's interesting is that Lisa Kleypas doesn't fully reign him in. His reputation with women stands and it's by making Evie's life the worst nightmare that Charles Dickens could ever have dreamed up that St. Vincent is the only option for her. I actually really liked the darkness of Evie's life. With fellow Wallflower Annabelle's story we got a hint of the seedy underbelly that existed in this time period, but it was at a remove. The degradation was happening offstage in another room to her mother. Here Evie is being tormented and tortured by her own family. She literally would probably be better off dead than stay in her current situation so sure, a possible rapist really isn't that bad when she'd be holding the purse strings. By moving beyond St. Vincent and into the gambling den that is Jenner's we stay within this lower echelon while being shown that just because you live in the demimonde you don't need to be the evil that is embodied by Evie's family. You can be good and prosperous, just not of the higher ranks. Though once St. Vincent is done with Jenner's anything is possible. I just loved this story because it had more depth, more of a Deadwood vibe, and just wasn't at all what I expected. Now the question is, can Scandal in Spring surprise me as well?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Abuse, Charles Dickens, Deadwood, Demimonde, Devil in Winter, Evie Jenner, Gambling Hell, Gretna Green, Lisa Kleypas, Rake, Rape, Regency Romp, Romance, Scandal in Spring, The Wallflowers, Viscount St. Vincent

The Seduction of the Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig
Published by: NAL
Publication Date: January 31st, 2008
Format: Paperback, 480 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Things aren't going very well for Mary Alsworthy. Her midnight elopement ended with a married younger sister and herself still on the shelf. Not that she really loved Geoff or anything, but the title and the houses were just the thing. Now she's stuck rusticating with the new couple who are sickeningly in love and oversolicitous of her. She might just be able to stomach it if they weren't so apologetic about the whole situation. But when she hears that they are going to pay for her next London season she can't take their kindness anymore. Lord Vaughn, at the urging of the Pink Carnation, has made Mary an offer. With her coloring and her bearing she appears to be just the type of girl a certain Black Tulip might hire as one of his assassins. After his recent foray in Ireland he is short a few petals. Mary agrees to play the game in exchange for one last chance at a suitable match. With Vaughn as her escort and entree to some of the more radical groups, she tries to establish herself as just the type of girl a famous French spy might seek out. From Vauxhall to Vaughn's House, she tries to find her way in the world, all while trading barbs with the king of cynicism and insult, Lord Sebastian Vaughn himself. Mary does meet one eligible prospect, a Mr. St. George. But an earnest lord who spends so much time rusticating in the country with his widowed sister looks less and less appealing next to the unattainable Vaughn. Mary would rather trade insults with Vaughn than words of endearment with St. George. Could it be that the ice maiden, who has always viewed her marriage as a commodity where the best bank balance wins, be falling for a man who turns out to be unattainable after the reappearance of his long dead wife? But matters of the heart might not signify if one of the hearts is no longer beating, because the Black Tulip doesn't hesitate to spill blood and he really wants to spill Vaughn's. Someone will die and a happy ending might not be in the cards. And while Eloise looks into Vaughn's past, could her present collide with Serena Selwick's heartbreaker?

Lord Vaughn has been a scene-stealer since his inception. Once he showed up in The Masque of the Black Tulip he has been unwilling to cede his title until he met his match. Surprisingly that match showed up in Mary Alsworthy. She who is conniving and cold-hearted and only looking out for herself. But she is also wickedly smart. Therefore Mary and Vaughn are the perfect sparring partners. They duel with words in a way that is sheer entertainment and hasn't been seen since Elizabeth and Darcy, though with far more innuendo on Vaughn's part. No saccharine sweetness, we have barbed and witty repartee that just keeps the pages flying long through the night. They are what this series needed more than ever, a balance. Not all heroes are virtuous and good, not all are in it for the good of the country. Some heroes are just in it for themselves. And the fact is that Vaughn looks down on the Pink Carnation and her ilk because, while yes, they have saved the country time and time again, they haven't really paid the price. They haven't been subjected to the darker side because in the end their love for each other and king and country have put blinders on them and their can-do attitude. It can be sickening. Too much sugar isn't good for you, everyone needs a bit of Vaughn once in awhile. If this book has one flaw, it's that once they start to fall for each other their bark is worse than their bite. Their claws retract a little and it's never more enjoyable than when they are at each other full force. There are also no misunderstandings between the two. They have their obstacles, that's for sure, but they always know where the other one stands. They are a perfectly matched set. I just hope that married life doesn't sweeten them one bit. But aside from the titular hero and heroine, we finally get a satisfactory conclusion to the identity of the Black Tulip, who is far more deranged, deluded, and demented than we thought. With motivations that work for and against France, he was a nice surprise and not a simplistic ending to a plot device that has been going strong for three books. A satisfactory ending all around, even if just the tiniest bit of sweetness sneaks in at the end, but who can fault a happy ending?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Elizabeth Bennet, Eloise Kelly, French Spies, Lauren Willig, Lord Vaughn, Mary Alsworthy, Mr. Darcy, Regency Romp, Repartee, The Black Tulip, The Pink Carnation, The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, Vauxhall

Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
Published by: Gallery / Saga Press
Publication Date: April 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Return to The Meridian with New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse’s sequel to the most critically hailed epic fantasy of 2020 Black Sun - finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Lambda, and Locus awards.

There are no tides more treacherous than those of the heart. -Teek saying

The great city of Tova is shattered. The sun is held within the smothering grip of the Crow God’s eclipse, but a comet that marks the death of a ruler and heralds the rise of a new order is imminent.

The Meridian: a land where magic has been codified and the worship of gods suppressed. How do you live when legends come to life, and the faith you had is rewarded?

As sea captain Xiala is swept up in the chaos and currents of change, she finds an unexpected ally in the former Priest of Knives. For the Clan Matriarchs of Tova, tense alliances form as far-flung enemies gather and the war in the heavens is reflected upon the earth.

And for Serapio and Naranpa, both now living avatars, the struggle for free will and personhood in the face of destiny rages. How will Serapio stay human when he is steeped in prophecy and surrounded by those who desire only his power? Is there a future for Naranpa in a transformed Tova without her total destruction?

Welcome back to the fantasy series of the decade in Fevered Star - book two of Between Earth and Sky."

The sample chapter from Fevered Star at the end of Black Sun was better than the whole Game of Thrones ripoff with no jeopardy that came before. Now if only the cover wasn't so horrific...

Dark Circles by Caite Dolan Leach
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: April 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An embattled actress becomes entangled in a dark conspiracy at a spiritual retreat - and starts a true crime podcast to try to break the case - in this chilling novel about fame, violence, and our morbid fascination with murder, from the acclaimed author of Dead Letters.

Olivia Reed needs a break. She doesn’t want to think about her name plastered on tabloids or be reminded of her recent meltdown on a Manhattan street. Her micromanaging publicist has just the thing in mind: a remote retreat in upstate New York - the House of Light. It’s not rehab; it’s a Spiritual Center, a site for seeking realignment and personal growth. There will be yoga and morning meditation, soft bamboo-blend fabrics and no shortage of crystals to cleanse her energy.

But Liv will soon find that the House of Light is filled with darkness. A prickly local, Ava, informs her that something twisted is lurking behind the Light’s veneer. There have been a series of mysterious suicides committed by women caught in the Light’s web, and no matter who Ava talks to, no one believes the Center is involved. To find out what’s really happened and put her celebrity to good use, Liv starts a podcast, seeking to connect the dots and expose the Light’s true intentions. Because beneath the glowing skin of the Light’s inhabitants lie rotten souls, and Liv starts to wonder if anything - even her own life - is how it appears.

Caite Dolan-Leach brings her tantalizing voice, her gift for atmosphere, and a cast of delightfully devious and absorbing characters to this riveting novel of suspense."

True crime podcast arising from a murder and a spiritual retreat? This sounds like the Only Murders in the Building/Midsomer Murders crossover I've dreamed of!

Ten Days in a Mad-House by Nellie Bly
Published by: Gallery 13
Publication Date: April 19th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 160 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Beautifully adapted and rendered through piercing illustrations by acclaimed creators Brad Ricca and Courtney Sieh, Nellie Bly’s complete, true-to-life 19th-century investigation of Blackwell Asylum captures a groundbreaking moment in history and reveals a haunting and timely glimpse at the starting point for conversations on mental health.

"I said I could and I would. And I did."

While working for Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper in 1887, Nellie Bly began an undercover investigation into the local Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell Island. Intent on seeing what life was like on the inside, Bly fooled trained physicians into thinking she was insane - a task too easily achieved - and had herself committed. In her ten days at the asylum, Bly witnessed horrifying conditions: the food was inedible, the women were forced into labor for the staff, the nurses and doctors were cruel or indifferent, and many of the women held there had no mental disorder of any kind.

Now adapted into graphic novel form by Brad​ Ricca and vividly rendered with beautiful and haunting illustrations by Courtney Sieh, Bly’s bold venture is given new life and meaning. Her fearless investigation into the living conditions at the Blackwell Asylum forever changed the field of journalism. A timely reminder to take notice of forgotten populations, Ten Days in a Mad-House warns us what happens when we look away."

Nellie Bly is literally everywhere these days, so why not find out more with this beautiful graphic novel adaptation of what she was most famous for. 

A Perilous Perspective by Anna Lee Huber
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 19th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An all-new historical mystery in this USA Today bestselling series featuring beloved inquiry agents Lady Kiera Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage.

Argyll, Scotland. July 1832. After a trying few months in Edinburgh, Kiera and her husband and investigative partner, Sebastian Gage, are eager to escape to the Highlands with their three-month-old child. Kiera is overjoyed for her cousin Rye and her detractor-turned-friend Charlotte who are being wed in a private ceremony at the estate of Rye’s great-uncle, the Marquess of Barbreck, in what seems to be the perfect wedding party.

But when Kiera is invited to peruse Barbreck’s extensive art collection, she is disturbed to discover that one of his most priceless paintings seems to be a forgery. The marquess’s furious reaction when she dares to mention it leaves her shaken and the entire house shocked. For it turns out that this is not the first time the word forgery has been uttered in connection with the Barbreck household.

Matters turn more ominous when a maid from a neighboring estate is found murdered where the forged painting hangs. Is her death connected to the forgeries, perhaps a grisly warning of what awaits those who dare to probe deeper? With unknown entities aligned against them, Kiera and Gage are forced to confront the fact that they may have underestimated their opponent. For they are swiftly made to realize that Charlotte’s and Rye’s future happiness is not the only issue at stake, and this stealthy game of cat and mouse could prove to have deadly consequences."

I know you all have been waiting for some more Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage, well today is your lucky day!

Murder in Miniature at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison
Published by: Constable
Publication Date: April 19th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a body found on the Honeychurch Hall estate proves to be that of a villager who had supposedly moved to Ireland years earlier, tongues start wagging and theories abound. Charlie Green had always been a rogue.

Although Charlie's demise happened well before Kat's arrival, Kat is drawn into the mystery when she finds two rare miniature portraits hidden inside a custom-made dollhouse of Honeychurch Hall. And then Charlie's aunt suffers a mysterious fatal fall and suspicion lands on a stranger who is holidaying in the newly installed shepherd's hut in the walled garden - one of Lady Lavinia's latest hare-brained moneymaking schemes. Although there is something off about the tourist, Kat believes the culprit is fellow antique dealer.

With tales of blackmail, infidelity and greed gripping the small community, past and present collide and Kat realises that the miniatures harbour a vital secret that one particular person is willing to kill for."

Just because you get a pull quote from M.C. Beaton doesn't mean you redesign the bookcovers to look like hers. I loved how they looked before!

A Rose Petal Summer by Katie Fforde
Published by: Bookouture
Publication Date: April 19th, 2022
Format: Kindle, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The scent of roses is in the air while romance blooms in this gorgeously escapist Scottish-set love story, about finding your way back to the one you’ve never forgotten...Sure to capture the hearts of readers who love Debbie Macomber, Carolyn Brown and Fern Michaels.

When Caro Swanson applies for a job in a remote part of Scotland - which involves living on a beautiful, crumbling country estate - she can’t help but remember a dream-like night that changed her life, nearly two decades before.

A night on a Greek island, where she met a boy named Alec McLeod. With his soulful eyes and gorgeous Scottish burr, she’s never forgotten him, or how they talked about the beautiful place where he grew up.

Surely he can’t still live there though? At least, that’s what she’s telling herself. But, two decades later, as she walks up the drive to the ‘big hoose’ in the picturesque loch-side village of Glen Liddell, she is about to find the man who once captured her heart. And as soon as her eyes meet Alec’s, it’s as if no time has passed at all.

Unsure if he even recognizes her, Caro’s heart can’t help but race. And, as the weather gets warmer and the garden blooms, soon Caro finds herself falling in love with everything about her new home. Especially the man she always believed was the one who got away, as they discover a shared passion for fragrance.

Things aren’t straightforward though. As secrets and hidden passions find their way to the surface, Caro realizes that the estate is in dire financial straits. And if she’s going to stay there, and have a chance of the happy-ever-after she’s been dreaming of, she knows it’s down to her to save it.

So begins a magical summer, one that will take Caro from Scotland to London and the south of France, in search of a classic rose petal perfume that might just restore all their fortunes..."

With the seasons changing and summer just around the corner there's one author I always think of for my summer to be read pile, and that's Katie Fforde!

Benefit by Siobhan Phillips
Published by: Bellevue Literary Press
Publication Date: April 19th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A young woman discovers what lurks beneath the system that anointed her among the best and brightest of her generation.

Laura, a student from a modest background, escapes her small town to join the ranks of the academic elite on a Weatherfield fellowship to study at Oxford University. She enthusiastically throws herself into her coursework, yet she is never able to escape a feeling of unease and dislocation among her fellow chosen "students of promise and ambition."

Years later, back in the United States with a PhD and dissertation on Henry James, she loses her job as an adjunct professor and reconnects with the Weatherfield Foundation. Commissioned to write a history for its centennial, she becomes obsessed by the Gilded Age origins of the Weatherfield fortune, rooted in the exploitation and misery of sugar production. As she is lured back into abandoned friendships within the glimmering group, she discovers hidden aspects of herself and others that point the way to a terrifying freedom.

Benefit is a vivid debut novel of personal awakening that offers a withering critique of toxic philanthropy and the American meritocracy."

You had me before you even got toe toxic philanthropy, which is a hot issue right now!

The Ghost in You by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: April 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The fourth book in the best-selling Reckless series is here.

Bestselling crime noir masters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips bring us yet another original graphic novel starring troublemaker-for-hire Ethan Reckless.

Except this time it's the winter of 1989 and Ethan is out of town, so Anna must tackle this job on her own. When a movie scream queen asks her to prove the mansion she's renovating isn't haunted, Anna will stumble into the decades-long mystery of one of Hollywood's most-infamous murder houses... a place with many dark secrets, some of which might just kill her.

Another hit from the award-winning creators of Reckless, Pulp, My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, Criminal, and Kill or Be Killed - and a must-have for all Brubaker and Phillips fans."

The one good thing that has come out of the pandemic is that we are getting a lot more Brubaker and Phillips content than we usually do.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Anna Lee Huber, Black Sun, Caite Dolan Leach, Ed Brubaker, Fevered Star, Graphic Novel, Hannah Dennison, Honeychurch Hall, Katie Fforde, Nellie Bly, Rebecca Roanhorse, Sean Philips, Siobhan Phillips

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: December 5th, 2000
Format: Kindle, 1053 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

That rake Anthony Bridgerton has decided to marry. He even has the girl all picked out, this season's incomparable, Edwina Sheffield. He's certain in his pick. She will provide him with heirs, he won't grow too attached, and then, when his time comes, as he believes it will come when he is still young, just like it did to his father, well, that's his life all sorted. After all, no one would say no to a marriage proposal from a Viscount! Especially as the Sheffield's aren't very well heeled. There's only one problem, Kate Sheffield, Edwina's older half-sister. Everyone knows that Kate's season was delayed for Edwina because they only had enough money for a single season. Everyone also knows that Kate has final say on who will marry Edwina. This isn't high handed, it is a fact that Edwina is proud to proclaim. She trusts Kate's judgement in everything. The problem is, Kate doesn't trust Anthony. Yes, reading Whistledown hasn't done Anthony any favors in Kate's eyes, but every interaction they have they just rub each other the wrong way. She is sure he is the confirmed rake that the paper and her own eyes have seen. Therefore he is completely unsuitable for Edwina. In an effort to show Kate his best side, in other words, his family, the Sheffields are invited to the family seat in Kent. Well, things do not go well in Kent. Firstly, his siblings allow Kate to join the rather competitive family game of Pall Mall. The goal isn't really to win, the goal is more about messing with your opponents, forcing Anthony's ball into the lake, and being the one who wields the "Mallet of Death." Kate roundly wins. Anthony is not pleased by this situation. He is not pleased by anything to do with Kate. Especially these feelings that are developing. He has swore he will never marry for love. To love someone and then to leave them too soon would be the worst fate imaginable. But then he and Kate get compromised. Of course he will marry her. But in his mind it's a fate worse than death to marry your true love. Could Kate and her love prove him wrong?

When you're reading a book you really like and are enjoying it's annoying to be pulled out of the world you have immersed yourself in. This was a problem I had with The Viscount Who Loved Me. I really enjoyed the book, in fact after reading the complete Bridgerton Collection Volume One I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Anthony and Kate are my favorite couple. Mainly because Kate is awesome and being a part of the Bridgertons brings this fun, competitive side to her that she probably had been keeping hidden even from herself. And as for Anthony, he's very relatable once you get past the persona he has adopted to run his family. So my problem is that every so often it's painfully obvious that Julia Quinn isn't British. Yes, I know I'm not British, but given my reading and viewing habits I'm as good as when it comes to judging errors, and Julia Quinn gets some things really wrong and some things are just awkward... For example in The Duke and I she refers to a man's posterior as his fanny. Um... that isn't what that word means in England... It means a woman's vulva. So, that scene has a whole different meaning, especially because it is supposedly about a man's ass. Then there are a few errors that I am sure were just not caught in the editing, such as the fact that Oxford is to the west of London not the other way around. Also the blooming season is different. But the unforgivable error is when Kate's sister is reading Jane Austen's latest novel in April of 1814. There are SO MANY THINGS wrong with this. Firstly, Jane Austen was still alive in 1814, she died in 1817, and her books were NOT published under her name during her lifetime. She published as "By A Lady." When her second, third, and forth books came out after Sense and Sensibility they were credited as "By the Author of Sense and Sensibility." So to say that you are reading a book credited to Jane Austen in 1814 is WRONG. Also Mansfield Park was published in 1814, but it came out in July. Three months later than the time it supposedly happened in this book. Now I really don't want to be the pedant here, because I do so hate Jane Austen pedants, and yes, I'm looking at you JASNA, but these aren't little errors, they are HUGE errors and they wouldn't take much to fix and would stop readers from being thrown out of the story. Sure some people are probably all, oh, Jane Austen reference, cool. Not cool. Not cool at all. I will note by the next book Sophie just reads "a recently published novel" making me think I'm not the only one who called out Julia Quinn and she's found a vague way to cover her posterior.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Anthony Bridgerton, Bridgerton, British, Jane Austen, Julia Quinn, Kate Sheffield, Lady Whistledown, Mansfield Park, Pall Mall, Regency Romp, Sense and Sensibility, The Mallet of Death, The Viscount Who Loved Me

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: September 27th, 2005
Format: Paperback, 382 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Lillian Bowman and her sister helped her fellow Wallflower Annabelle find true love. The problem is whom she fell for wasn't part of the initial plan. She was to marry a member of the peerage so that she could then sponsor Lillian and Daisy so that they could in turn make the matches their mother and father crave. Instead Annabelle married happily beneath herself to a wealthy industrialist. But that doesn't help the Bowman sisters. So they are back at Lord Westcliff's estate in Hampshire hoping to find someone who will sponsor them for the upcoming season. Lillian isn't personally happy about this arrangement because she finds Lord Westcliff a cold customer. He thinks he's above everyone and has made his dislike of Lillian very clear. The other Wallflowers have their theories about this animosity, but Lillian won't listen. Instead a rather indecent escapade in the garden after she and Westcliff have a blazing row she places on her new perfume. She's rather genius when it comes to mixing scents. Her family manufactures soap and in fact that is why they are at Stony Cross Park, Lord Westcliff wants to go into business with Mr. Bowman because he thinks soap will be a lucrative market in England in the near future. Lillian's new perfume is a scent she created herself with the help of a parfumier that she intended to compliment her own body chemistry. Though there was one secret ingredient. A secret ingredient she thinks is responsible for Lord Westcliff ravishing her in the garden. Obviously, it's magic. Which means that the Wallflowers have to test if this is true. It only works for Lillian and Annabelle though, leading Lillian into another compromising position in the orangery. Though this time she's ready. She declares to Westcliff that unless he convinces his mother, the Countess, to sponsor her and her sister for the coming season she will make their little indiscretion public. Lillian is shocked when this actually works. Though working with the Countess is an excruciating reminder of how American her and her sister are. But what if Westcliff wasn't under some magic spell and was actually falling for this delightful savage? For starters Lillian wouldn't need the Countess's help, but the Countess would definitely have something to say about it!

What I find interesting about It Happened One Autumn is that while it is the second Wallflowers book underneath it all the structure is identical to the first book, Secrets of a Summer Night. We meet our heroine. She goes to a house party at Lord Westcliff's estate, Stony Cross Park, in Hampshire. The hero and heroine fight their attraction but eventually succumb. Everything is fairly low key at the house party despite the sexual tension but then at the very end danger threatens their love but they survive to get their happily ever after. And here's the thing, despite such strong similarities to the first book it was still enjoyable as it's own thing. Perhaps this is because, deep down, all romances are just certain tropes reconfigured to create a new story and Lisa Kleypas went, how about I just reconfigure what already worked once? For me the real reason it works is because I could just read about house parties all the time and I'd be happy. I love Stony Cross Park and it's gardens and forests and walkways. This volume threw in a secret garden that just happens to be a butterfly sanctuary and now I totally want to go to there. Oh, and the humor contained within the elaborate feasts and how as Americans Lillian and Daisy just can't with the calves' heads made me sympathetic and bemused simultaneously. It also made me think seriously about being a vegetarian. I also strongly related to Lillian as a heroine. I'm very, not just opinionated, but stubborn. When Lillian is called a brat I had a visceral reaction, just like she did with the calves' head. While Lillian might be willing to embrace the fact that she can be a brat, I will never deign to allow anyone to say I am one. Especially when they are one. And yes, I'm actually referring to an incident I had in one of my art classes. I should mention that at the time both me and the person who flung the insult at me were in our thirties. But what really didn't work for me was the whole perfume angle in this book. Yes, it makes sense for Lillian to know a lot about scents given her father manufacturers soap, but I don't care. I hate perfume. It's like me being called a brat, it's a whole world of nope. I don't want to be near perfume, I don't want to think about perfume, it stinks, it triggers headaches, just no.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: American, British Country House, Butterflies, It Happened One Autumn, Lillian Bowman, Lisa Kleypas, Lord Westcliff, Perfume, Regency Romp, Romance, Secret Garden, Secrets of a Summer Night, The Wallflowers, Tropes

Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: April 12th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The ninth novel of the bestselling Rivers of London urban fantasy series returns to the adventures of Peter Grant, detective and apprentice wizard, as he solves magical crimes in the city of London.

There is a world hidden underneath this great city.

The London Silver Vaults - for well over a century, the largest collection of silver for sale in the world. It has more locks than the Bank of England and more cameras than a paparazzi convention.

Not somewhere you can murder someone and vanish without a trace - only that’s what happened.

The disappearing act, the reports of a blinding flash of light, and memory loss amongst the witnesses all make this a case for Detective Constable Peter Grant and the Special Assessment Unit.

Alongside their boss DCI Thomas Nightingale, the SAU find themselves embroiled in a mystery that encompasses London’s tangled history, foreign lands and, most terrifying of all, the North!

And Peter must solve this case soon, because back home his partner Beverley is expecting twins any day now. But what he doesn’t know is that he’s about to encounter something - and somebody - that nobody ever expects...

Effortlessly original, endlessly inventive and hugely entertaining - step into the world of the much-loved, bestselling Rivers of London series."

I might be such a fan of this series that I'm plotting something for the blog next year...

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: April 12th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT, MADNESS LIES...

Emma can’t sleep.

CHECK THE WINDOWS.

It’s been like this since her big 4-0 started getting closer.

LOCK THE DOORS.

Her mother stopped sleeping just before her own fortieth birthday.

She went mad and did the unthinkable because of it.

LOOK IN ON THE CHILDREN.

Is that what’s happening to Emma?


WHY CAN’T SHE SLEEP?"

Bringing a whole new level of fear to those who suffer from insomnia.

Asian Ghost Short Stories by Various
Published by: Flame Tree Collections
Publication Date: April 12th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A new collection of stories from submissions and classic literature offering the best and most incredible ghost stories from East, South and Southeast Asia, combining new and classic authors across the region.

Another deluxe edition of new writing and neglected perspectives. Asian ghosts - from India to Sri Lanka, China to Korea, Japan to the Philippines - can be both terrifying and comforting. Underpinned by strong cultural beliefs in the cycles of life and ancestor worship, the nature of Asian spirits differs from that of their counterparts in other areas of the world. The possibility is more instinctually accepted that ghosts remain with us, as part of the world, whether we can see them or not. Featured here are all kinds of stories from across East, South and Southeast Asia: classic weird tales by the likes of Pu Songling, Rabindranath Tagore, S Mukerji, Im Bang and Yi Ruk, Lafcadio Hearn and Yei Theodora Ozaki, are complemented by stories by Asian writers of today. An egui (the Chinese version of a 'hungry ghost') is exorcised, a vicious jiangshi (Chinese zombie-like revenant) is encountered in the night, a Bengali shakchunni (the ghost of an unsatisfied bride) poignantly seeks love with devastating effect, a family is haunted by vengeful Korean gwishin, and the iconic Japanese tragedies of Oiwa and O-Kiku are revisited."

How can you call yourself a book person if you haven't been collecting the people books that Flame Tree Collections puts out?

Fierce Poison by Will Thomas
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 12th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"London, 1893, there is poisoner loose in the city, with deaths piling up, and private enquiry agents Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn are apparently his next target in Fierce Poison by Will Thomas.

Private Enquiry agent Cyrus Barker has just about seen it all - he's been attacked by assassins, his office has been bombed, and evil-doers have even nearly killed his dog. But never before has a potential client dropped dead in his office. When Roland Fitzhugh, Member of Parliament arrives to consult Barker and his partner Thomas Llewelyn, he falls to the floor, dead, upon entering. As they soon learn, he's been poisoned with a cyanide laced raspberry tart, and the adulterated tarts also take out an entire family in the East End. Labelled the Mad Pie Man by the press, Barker and Llewelyn are hired by former Prime Minister William Gladstone to find out who has targeted the House of Commons's newest member.

But before they can even begin, they find themselves the latest target of this mad poisoner - with Barker's butler poisoned with digitalis and dozens of diabolic traps discovered at their home. On the run from their unseen adversary, Barker and Llewelyn must uncover the threads that connect these seemingly random acts and stop the killer before they and their closest friends and family become the latest casualties."

I've been really into murder mysteries with poison lately... I wonder what that says about me?

Mrs. England by Stacey Halls
Published by: Mira Books
Publication Date: April 12th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Simmering with slow-burning menace, Mrs. England is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, an enthralling tale of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception.

West Yorkshire, 1904. When recently graduated Ruby May takes a nanny position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear something is not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs. England.

Distant and withdrawn, Lilian shows little interest in her children or charming husband and is far from the angel of the house Ruby was expecting.

As the warm, vivacious Charles welcomes Ruby into the family, a series of strange events forces her to question everything she thought she knew. Ostracized by the servants and increasingly uneasy, Ruby must face her own demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there's no such thing as the perfect family - she should know.

This captivating new feminist novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Stacey Halls is her third work of fiction and proves her one of the most exciting and compelling new storytellers of our time."

Edwardian Yorkshire!

The Mayfair Bookshop by Eliza Knight
Published by: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: April 12th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight brings together a brilliant dual-narrative story about Nancy Mitford - one of 1930s London’s hottest socialites, authors, and a member of the scandalous Mitford Sisters - and a modern American desperate for change, connected through time by a little London bookshop.

1938: She was one of the six sparkling Mitford sisters, known for her stinging quips, stylish dress, and bright green eyes. But Nancy Mitford’s seemingly dazzling life was really one of turmoil: with a perpetually unfaithful and broke husband, two Nazi sympathizer sisters, and her hopes of motherhood dashed forever. With war imminent, Nancy finds respite by taking a job at the Heywood Hill Bookshop in Mayfair, hoping to make ends meet, and discovers a new life.

Present Day: When book curator Lucy St. Clair lands a gig working at Heywood Hill she can’t get on the plane fast enough. Not only can she start the healing process from the loss of her mother, it’s a dream come true to set foot in the legendary store. Doubly exciting: she brings with her a first edition of Nancy’s work, one with a somewhat mysterious inscription from the author. Soon, she discovers her life and Nancy’s are intertwined, and it all comes back to the little London bookshop - a place that changes the lives of two women from different eras in the most surprising ways."

Here for Nancy Mitford. ALWAYS here for Nancy!

Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon
Published by: Ecco
Publication Date: April 12th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A candid, compulsively readable, hilarious, and heartbreaking memoir of resilience and redemption by comedic genius Molly Shannon.

At age four, Molly Shannon’s world was shattered when she lost her mother, baby sister, and cousin in a car accident with her father at the wheel. Held together by her tender and complicated relationship with her grieving father, Molly was raised in a permissive household where her gift for improvising and role-playing blossomed alongside the fearlessness that would lead her to become a celebrated actress.

From there, Molly ventured into the wider world of New York and Los Angeles show business, where she created her own opportunities and developed her daring and empathetic comedy. Filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Whitney Houston to Adam Sandler to Monica Lewinsky, many told for the first time here, Hello, Molly! spans Molly’s time on Saturday Night Live - where she starred alongside Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Cheri Oteri, Tracy Morgan, and Jimmy Fallon, among many others. At the same time, it explores with humor and candor her struggle to come to terms with the legacy of her father, a man who both fostered her gifts and drive and was left with the impossible task of raising his kids alone after the loss of her mother.

Witty, winning, and told with tremendous energy and heart, Hello, Molly!, written with Sean Wilsey, sheds new and revelatory light on the life and work of one of our most talented and free-spirited performers."

The thing I find most interesting here is that she actually credits her co-writer!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amongst Our Weapons, Asian Ghost Short Stories, Autobiography, Ben Aaronovitch, Edwardian, Eliza Knight, Molly Shannon, Nancy Mitford, Rivers of London, Sarah Pinborough, Stacey Halls, Will Thomas, Yorkshire

Persuasion by Jane Austen
Published by: Max Press
Publication Date: 1818
Format: Hardcover, 255 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy (different edition than one reviewed)

Anne Elliot is to be pitied. It's not just that her father and eldest sister are vain foolish creatures who care only for rank and money, it's that these traits led them to convince Anne to break her engagement to Commander Frederick Wentworth, thinking he would amount to nothing. Seven years later there is finally peace, though not in Anne's heart. She still loves Frederick Wentworth, now a Captain and a wealthy man. Yet she knows she will never be lucky enough to get a second chance to be his wife. He will want someone else, not the woman who rejected him because she was too weak to stand up to her family. Instead she is to move with her family to Bath. They have been forced to give up their ancestral seat of Kellynch Hall due to their straitened circumstances. And in a twist of fate their home is to be let to Captain Wentworth's sister and brother-in-law. What's more, Anne is to spend some time with her younger sister Mary at Uppercross, a mere three miles from Kellynch Hall, delaying the painful separation from home and yet seeing it in the hands of strangers who might have become Anne's family! Mary married Charles Musgrove, whom initially paid court to Anne, and whom Charles's two sisters, Henrietta and Louisa, would have rather their brother had married. It's Henrietta and Louisa who become the center of the social life around Uppercross as Captain Wentworth visits his sister and decides that one of these two fine ladies will become his wife. Not only has Anne lost the love of her life but she must now watch him court another, her own bloom faded. Though the course of love is never smooth, Louisa meets with a tragic accident which tears at the soul of Captain Wentworth while Anne meets her father's heir, her cousin Mr. Elliot, who sets his sights on Anne's heart, a heart that is receptive to his advances at first. Can Anne find love again after so many years being thwarted? And who will win her heart? The old flame or the new?

Coming back to Persuasion after years of being unable to untangle the horribly cast 1995 adaptation from the text due to various reasons, I was struck by how mature Austen's writing had become and all my other issues faded away. This makes it all the more heartbreaking that she died so young seeing what her writing could have evolved into. Her six books are all classics, but with Persuasion we see Austen at the top of her game. She's a more confident writer, willing to take narrative risks and in the end creating what I think is her most approachable book for modern readers. Where this really shines is in the almost stream of conscious panicked flow of her thoughts when she encounters Captain Wentworth again for the first time. Even if Andrew Davies in his introduction hadn't pointed this observation out to me I know I would have latched onto it and other moments like it. There's something about these sections that pulse with life. It captures to an extent not just how you think when under pressure but it's almost as if Austen has perfectly captured what it's like to be in the midst of a panic attack. The whooshing of time and thoughts, the way time expands and contracts, the rushed half composed thoughts just pushing against you: [A] thousand feelings rushed on Anne, of which this was the most consoling, that it would soon be over. And it was soon over. In two minutes after Charles's preparation, the others appeared; they were in the drawing-room. Her eye half met Captain Wentworth's, a bow, a curtsey passed; she heard his voice; he talked to Mary, said all that was right, said something to the Miss Musgroves, enough to mark an easy footing; the room seemed full, full of persons and voices, but a few minutes ended it. Charles shewed himself at the window, all was ready, their visitor had bowed and was gone, the Miss Musgroves were gone too, suddenly resolving to walk to the end of the village with the sportsmen: the room was cleared, and Anne might finish her breakfast as she could." Who couldn't feel for Anne in that moment? And who couldn't help but think, if Austen had just had more time on this Earth to write...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Adaptation, Andrew Davies, Anne Elliot, Bath, Broken Engagement, Captain Wentworth, Injury, Jane Austen, Kellynch Hall, Mature, Mr. Elliot, Panic Attack, Persuasion, Regency Romp, Stream of Consciousness, True Love

My American Duchess by Eloisa James 
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: January 26th, 2015
Format: Paperback, 402 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Perhaps Merry Pelford doesn't know what love is. Here she is questioning her betrothal to Cedric just minutes after accepting him. And Cedric's proposal is literally one she cannot break. She's told herself as much. After all, here she is, an American in England, because she has gained a reputation for breaking her promise back in Boston. In fairness, only one of her ex-fiances sued her and that was because he was obviously after her money and had borrowed against his expectations. Developing the nickname Mary Mary Quite Contrary left a bad taste in her mouth so her aunt and uncle bundled her off to the homeland of Merry's mother to make a match. That match is Cedric, not the enigmatic stranger she has just met on the balcony whom she is immediately drawn to. Cedric is her one true love. Cedric, Cedric, Cedric. If she says it enough maybe she'll believe it? But in a cruel twist of fate the man on the balcony is Cedric's slightly older brother and twin, the Duke of Trent. If he was anyone else perhaps there could have been a chance, but to jilt one brother for another? Even without her reputation Merry couldn't bring herself to do such a thing. But Trent is determined that his brother and Merry will not make it to the alter. He knew instantly that Merry was the woman he was to spend the rest of his life with. She is everything he never knew he needed. Therefore he starts a campaign against his brother. But Merry can not believe what Trent is telling her about Cedric. OK, so the engagement ring was actually a family heirloom that was intended for the next duchess, that could be an easy mistake. Be he's the brother of a duke, he has to have deep pockets, unlike her second fiancee, and as for his drinking? Merry doesn't believe that Cedric could possibly be a drunk, she would have seen the signs. Trent is just bitter. Or is Merry blinding herself to the truth because she is determined to go through with her marriage to Cedric? Because she is willfully blinding herself to the attraction she feels for Trent. Can she live a life of denial if it means she has a clear conscious? And will Trent let her?

My American Duchess works because of good characterization and humor in spit of it's flaws. Merry is a wonderful heroine because while she is actively on the marriage market marriage isn't the only thing that drives her. She is a fully rounded character with a mind and interests of her own. Often in romance the heroine might be a bit too much like Princess Imani Izzi in Coming to America. She likes whatever you like. Here Merry doesn't just have long lasting and loving attachments to the people and animals in her life, but she has a passion for landscape architecture. Of course she just refers to it as designing gardens, but seriously, she's a landscape architect who works with the land instead of doing a Frederick Law Olmsted and reforming it to be his Arcadia. She also takes great and delicious interest in the growing and eating of pineapple. But her flaw is her American exceptionalism. It's more acceptable when the heroine has direct connections to the founding of America and is proud of her fledgling country and how it differs from England, but it still left a bad taste in my mouth. The problem with American exceptionalism is that by thinking we're the best at everything we've eventually become this country where we're always great and number one and anyone who doubts our greatness should be vilified. It's just too easy to see how we went from Merry to the insurrection and that makes me cringe. I also don't really see why Merry has such a problem with her jilting men. I agree with Trent who didn't care how many people she had jilted, she "would be considered an excellent prospect whether [she] had discarded three or thirty fiances." Because marriage is forever you have to make sure you've got it right. You have to make sure that person is the one. Which of course leads to Trent and Merry denying that love should enter into the equation and that marriage should be built on friendship and passion. OK, but isn't that the basis of love? And the continual denial from Trent that this is love drove me a bit batty. But then again he marries a woman who didn't realize he was her fiances twin. Were they not identical? Or did Trent look that different because of his brawny physique?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: American Exceptionalism, Coming to America, Duke of Trent, Eloisa James, Finance, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jilt, Landscape Architecture, Love, Merry Pelford, My American Duchess, Pineapple, Regency Romp, Twins

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li
Published by: Tiny Reparations Books
Publication Date: April 5th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ocean's Eleven meets The Farewell in Portrait of a Thief, a lush, lyrical heist novel inspired by the true story of Chinese art vanishing from Western museums; about diaspora, the colonization of art, and the complexity of the Chinese American identity.

History is told by the conquerors. Across the Western world, museums display the spoils of war, of conquest, of colonialism: priceless pieces of art looted from other countries, kept even now.

Will Chen plans to steal them back.

A senior at Harvard, Will fits comfortably in his carefully curated roles: a perfect student, an art history major and sometimes artist, the eldest son who has always been his parents' American Dream. But when a mysterious Chinese benefactor reaches out with an impossible - and illegal - job offer, Will finds himself something else as well: the leader of a heist to steal back five priceless Chinese sculptures, looted from Beijing centuries ago.

His crew is every heist archetype one can imagine - or at least, the closest he can get. A con artist: Irene Chen, a public policy major at Duke who can talk her way out of anything. A thief: Daniel Liang, a premed student with steady hands just as capable of lockpicking as suturing. A getaway driver: Lily Wu, an engineering major who races cars in her free time. A hacker: Alex Huang, an MIT dropout turned Silicon Valley software engineer. Each member of his crew has their own complicated relationship with China and the identity they've cultivated as Chinese Americans, but when Will asks, none of them can turn him down.

Because if they succeed? They earn fifty million dollars - and a chance to make history. But if they fail, it will mean not just the loss of everything they've dreamed for themselves but yet another thwarted attempt to take back what colonialism has stolen.

Equal parts beautiful, thoughtful, and thrilling, Portrait of a Thief is a cultural heist and an examination of Chinese American identity, as well as a necessary cri­tique of the lingering effects of colonialism."

YAS! Not just art theft but theft with a purpose. I love it!

Sister Stardust by Jane Green
Published by: Hanover Square Press
Publication Date: April 5th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In her first novel inspired by a true story, Jane Green re-imagines the life of troubled icon Talitha Getty in this transporting story from a forgotten chapter of the Swinging '60s.

From afar Talitha's life seemed perfect. In her twenties, and already a famous model and actress, she moved from London to a palace in Marrakesh, with her husband Paul Getty, the famous oil heir. There she presided over a swirling ex-pat scene filled with music, art, free love and a counterculture taking root across the world.

When Claire arrives in London from her small town, she never expects to cross paths with a woman as magnetic as Talitha Getty. Yearning for the adventure and independence, she's swept off to Marrakesh, where the two become kindred spirits. But beneath Talitha's glamourous facade lurks a darkness few can understand. As their friendship blossoms and the two grow closer, the realities of Talitha's precarious existence set off a chain of dangerous events that could alter Claire's life forever."

I might be more than a little obsessed with the Gettys.

The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: April 5th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Wren Blythe has long enjoyed being among the Northwoods, helping her father with programming at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess, who still roams the woods. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coons cabin ruins and a rotting porcelain doll. But even more terrifying is seeing her name etched on the doll's foot like a sinister omen.

In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last ten years carrying the mantle of mystery since she emerged from the forest as an eight-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger's axe. She has accepted she'll never remember what happened to her family. When a member of the town of Tempter's Creek is murdered, rumors spread that Ava's secret is more malicious than previously imagined.

Both women discover that to save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil."

Oh, tell me more about this insidious evil!

The Burning Pages by Paige Shelton
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 5th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Delaney Nichols faces off against an elusive arsonist in the seventh Scottish Bookshop Mystery, The Burning Pages, from beloved author Paige Shelton....

One winter's night, bookseller Delaney Nichols and her coworker Hamlet are invited to a Burns Night dinner, a traditional Scottish celebration of the poet Robert Burns. She's perplexed by the invitation, but intrigued. The dinner takes place at Burns House itself, a tiny cottage not far from the Cracked Spine bookshop but well hidden. There, it becomes clear that Delaney and Hamlet were summoned in an attempt to make amends between Edwin, Delaney's boss, and one of the other invitees, who suspected Edwin for burning down his own bookshop twenty years ago after a professional disagreement.

But after the dinner, there’s another fire. The Burns House itself is burned to the ground, and this time there’s a body among the ruins. When Hamlet is accused of the crime, Delaney rushes to prove his innocence, only to discover that he might actually have a plausible motive..."

Here for ALL the Robbie Burns within these pages!

Sense and Second-Degree Murder by Tirzah Price
Published by: HarperTeen
Publication Date: April 5th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this second book of the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series, Tirzah Price takes readers for another fun, murderous romp through one of Austen’s beloved novels. Perfect for fans of The Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper. A Junior Library Guild pick!

When eighteen-year-old aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood discovers her beloved father slumped over the desk of his office study, she knows his death means dire straits for the Dashwood women. To make matters worse, an outdated will entails his estate - including Norland and Company, the private investigation firm where her younger sister Marianne worked as her father’s partner and protégé - to their half-brother and his haughty wife, who waste no time in forcing the Dashwoods out of their home and into a cramped apartment on London’s Barton Street.

But before they go, the Dashwood sisters make a startling discovery: a suspicious substance in their father’s teacup - one that can only be described as poison. And poison, as Marianne’s father taught her, always points to murder.

It could be dangerous; it could ruin their reputations; and most importantly, it won’t bring back their father. But if the Dashwood sisters can combine their talents and bring their father’s murderer to justice, it may bring them all some comfort - and it might even lead to love."

I love that so many people go, how can we reinterpret Austen? How about murder!

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
Published by: Razorbill
Publication Date: April 5th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of Caraval and The Night Circus, this decadent and darkly enchanting YA fantasy, set against the backdrop of a Belle Époque-inspired hotel, follows seventeen-year-old Jani as she uncovers the deeply disturbing secrets of the legendary Hotel Magnifique.

All her life, Jani has dreamed of Elsewhere. Just barely scraping by with her job at a tannery, she’s resigned to a dreary life in the port town of Durc, caring for her younger sister Zosa. That is, until the Hotel Magnifique comes to town.

The hotel is legendary not only for its whimsical enchantments, but also for its ability to travel - appearing in a different destination every morning. While Jani and Zosa can’t afford the exorbitant costs of a guest’s stay, they can interview to join the staff, and are soon whisked away on the greatest adventure of their lives. But once inside, Jani quickly discovers their contracts are unbreakable and that beneath the marvelous glamour, the hotel is hiding dangerous secrets.

With the vexingly handsome doorman Bel as her only ally, Jani embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery of the magic at the heart of the hotel and free Zosa - and the other staff - from the cruelty of the ruthless maître d’hôtel. To succeed, she’ll have to risk everything she loves, but failure would mean a fate far worse than never returning home."

I love bottle stories surrounding hotels. And what could make that better? Oh, having true Belle Époque class!

A Matter of Death and Life by Simon R. Green
Published by: Severn House Publishers
Publication Date: April 5th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Master thief, rogue and chancer Gideon Sable is back for another fast-paced supernatural heist - and this time he has the vault of a Las Vegas casino in his sights

Judi Rifkin is one of the world's most successful collectors of the weird and unnatural. In a London underworld filled with criminals with very special talents, Judi is a force to be reckoned with.

And Gideon Sable - thief, rogue and chancer - owes her a very large favour.

Judi makes him an offer he can't refuse: steal her the legendary Masque of Ra, tucked up safe in a Las Vegas casino, and she'll wipe the slate clean. This isn't Gideon's first heist by a long shot. But with old grudges threatening to cloud his judgment, an unpredictable crew who don't entirely trust each other and a formidable supernatural security team guarding his target, this job might be a gamble too far...

A Matter of Death and Life is the sequel to The Best Thing You Can Steal, and is the second supernatural heist thriller featuring master conman Gideon Sable from British SFF veteran and New York Times bestselling author Simon R. Green."

I like how this Tuesday Tomorrow is so well rounded, start with a heist, end with a heist.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Art Thief, Belle Epoque, Emily J. Taylor, Grace D. Li, Heist, Jaime Jo Wright, Jane Austen, Jane Green, Murder, Ocean's Eleven, Paige Shelton, Robbie Burns, Sense and Sensibility, Simon R. Green, Tirzah Price