Tag: Detective Novel

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (Her Royal Spyness #12) by Rhys Bowen

by The Lit Bitch5 Comments on Review: Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (Her Royal Spyness #12) by Rhys Bowen

The Royal Spyness mystery series is one that has been gifted and recommended to me more times than I can count. I literally have three copies of the first book from my mom because she keeps forgetting that she already recommended it to me.

So clearly it’s a book that people want me to read. I just haven’t thought about it when I am looking for something to read. I am no stranger to Rhys Bowen’s books though. She writes beautifully and I love reading her stand alone books!

Finally, after all this time, I picked up a Royal Spyness mystery…..about twelve books too late!  Continue reading “Review: Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (Her Royal Spyness #12) by Rhys Bowen” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Prisoner in the Castle (Maggie Hope Mystery #8) by Susan Elia MacNeal

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Prisoner in the Castle (Maggie Hope Mystery #8) by Susan Elia MacNeal

I first discovered Maggie Hope back in 2012 when the first book came across my desk for review. The cover was initially what drew me in and I was never once sorry for judging a book by its cover!

Over the years, Maggie’s character has gone in a number of different directions and none of them were directions that I saw coming. For me, that’s one of the things that keeps this series exciting. You have this American typist how somehow ends up becoming a super high-level spy…..I love it!

Thought the series she has tracked down murders, saved the queen, broke codes, parachuted into France, and had her heart broken. This series always keeps me guessing and I absolutely love it! So what is to be in store for Maggie this time?

Maggie Hope is being held prisoner on a remote Scottish island with other SOE agents who know too much for the enemy’s comfort. All the spies on the island are trained to kill–and when they start dropping off one-by-one, Maggie needs to find the murderer… before she becomes the next victim (summary from Goodreads).  Continue reading “Review: The Prisoner in the Castle (Maggie Hope Mystery #8) by Susan Elia MacNeal” →

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Special Feature: Conan Doyle for the Defense: The True Story of a Sensational British Murder, a Quest for Justice, and the World’s Most Famous Detective Writer by Margalit Fox

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Special Feature: Conan Doyle for the Defense: The True Story of a Sensational British Murder, a Quest for Justice, and the World’s Most Famous Detective Writer by Margalit Fox

I think it’s safe to say that most of us have heard of Sherlock Holmes and his famous creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

So what do we know about Conan Doyle beyond his famous detective? For me—nothing. Conan Doyle was clearly a crime buff and had a unique mind for solving mysteries but I didn’t know that he actually helped solve a real life murder!

When this book came up for review, I was so bummed that I couldn’t fit it into my summer reading—fortunately I am going to review it in October for my mystery month so be watching for that. I couldn’t let the summer go by and not give my readers a little preview for what sounds like an outstanding piece of non-fiction! It’s on sale NOW so be sure to pick up a copy for yourself!

In this thrilling true-crime procedural, the creator of Sherlock Holmes uses his unparalleled detective skills to exonerate a German Jew wrongly convicted of murder. Continue reading “Special Feature: Conan Doyle for the Defense: The True Story of a Sensational British Murder, a Quest for Justice, and the World’s Most Famous Detective Writer by Margalit Fox” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Limelight (Penny Green #1) by Emily Organ

by The Lit Bitch3 Comments on Review: Limelight (Penny Green #1) by Emily Organ

Like many other bibliophiles, I subscribe to BookBub. Basically every day I get an email telling me about all the great deals for ebooks in categories that I have selected. This service is free so if you like book and want to hear about good deals on ebooks, subscribe!

So in one of my emails last week there was a special ad feature at the bottom of the email that said ‘have you discovered Penny Green yet?’ with this great foggy London photo in the background.

And in my mind all I could hear was ‘no I have not discovered her yet!’. The first book in this series was on sale for $2.99 to buy or free if you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber. I was intrigued and had just come off reading a more sophisticated mystery so I was eager for something slightly on the lighter end of things.

I have not heard of this series at all or the author which made me a little nervous because what if I just wasted $2.99 on a book that was terrible?! But I was feeling brave and bought it (no I don’t have Kindle Unlimited….terrible I know).

The premise sounded interesting and I was eager to discover this new Penny Green!  Continue reading “Review: Limelight (Penny Green #1) by Emily Organ” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Fleur de Sel Murders: A Brittany Mystery (Kommissar Dupin #3) by Jean-Luc Bannalec

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on Review: The Fleur de Sel Murders: A Brittany Mystery (Kommissar Dupin #3) by Jean-Luc Bannalec

I am always open to reading quirky books. Don’t get me wrong, I love traditional story telling with traditional themes and relatable stories but I also tend to gravitate toward strange or unusual books that are off the beaten path.

Sometimes that works out and other times it doesn’t. It’s 50/50 for me….either weird works or it doesn’t. This mystery series sounded quirky. I debated about reviewing it but ultimately decided on picking it up.

How does one make the ‘sea salt industry’ look glamorous and intriguing to the average reader? Even with a mystery? I was up for the challenge and dug right in.

The old salt farmers have always said that the violet scent of the Fleur de Sel at harvest time on the salt marshes of the Guérande Peninsula has been known to cause hallucinations. Commissaire Dupin also starts to believe this when he’s attacked out of the blue in the salt works. Continue reading “Review: The Fleur de Sel Murders: A Brittany Mystery (Kommissar Dupin #3) by Jean-Luc Bannalec” →