Death and the Maiden

Ariana Franklin's daughter Samantha Norman wrote this book. Franklin had no input in the writing. The book that Franklin was writing when she died in 2011 was The Siege Winter, which her daughter finished. Norman is a chip off the old block. Her writing is superb and as a lover of medieval mysteries I am glad that she wrote this final installment in Franklin's Mistress of the Art of Death series.  This historical mystery is set in Norman England during the year 1911.

With this installment of the series, Adelia Aguilar has just lost her friend and patron, King Henry II.  Adelia is living comfortably in retirement and training her 19 year old daughter Allie to carry on her healing craft.  Allie is already a skilled healer and has a particular gift for treating animals. Being of marriageable age, Allie's father, Rowley, the Bishop of St. Albans, and his patron, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, have plans to marry  Allie to an influential husband. 

When Adelia's lifelong friend in Cambridge, Gyltha, falls ill, Allie is sent to Ely to help her.  There she crosses paths with Lord Peveril, a young aristocrat who would make a most suitable match for Allie. However, when Allie arrives in Ely, all is chaos.  A village girl has disappeared and she is not the first.  Over the past few months, several girls from the villages surrounding Ely have vanished.  When the body of one is discovered, Allie manages to examine the remains before burial. The results lead her to suspect that a murderer is on the loose. The question remains, will Allie be able to help find the killer before becoming the next victim?

The period details of the era were beautifully described. One detail that I have never read about before was the level of power a bishop had over the communities he oversaw. In this case, an interdiction was issued that prevented a priest from performing mass, funerals and burials. Bodies that could not be buried were piling up outdoors with no where to be interred. The effect this had on individual people was aptly described; they were horrified.

The writing was good but there was one thing that bothered me. The murder to be investigated happened late in the story. While I was reading I was captivated by the background information but I kept expecting a crime to occur. It finally happened at the halfway point but, for me, the crime should occur early in the story. I prefer for it to be in the first two chapters but this doesn't always happen in a historical mystery.

4 out of 5 stars.

A Rising Man

Abir Mukherjee's first novel is a masterpiece. Taking place in the early 1900s Calcutta, a newly arrived Scotland Yard detective, Captain Sam Wyndham, is confronted with the murder of a British official. Desperately seeking a fresh start after his experiences during the Great War, Wyndham has been recruited to head up a new post in the police force. He is immediately overwhelmed by the heady vibrancy of the tropical city, but with barely a moment to acclimatize or to deal with the ghosts that still haunt him, Wyndham is caught up in a murder investigation that threatens to destabilize a city already teetering on the brink of political insurgency.

The body of a senior official has been found in a filthy sewer, and a note left in his mouth warns the British to quit India, or else. Under tremendous pressure to solve the case before it erupts into increased violence on the streets, Wyndham and his two new colleagues—arrogant Inspector Digby and Sergeant Banerjee, one of the few Indians to be recruited into the new CID—embark on an investigation that will take them from the opulent mansions of wealthy British traders to the seedy opium dens of the city.

I always love historical fiction set in India. This particular book focuses more on the local police department and its investigative methods than the usual partying done by the British. While I like those books too it was refreshing to read about a new aspect of life in India 100 years ago. The weather is a big issue for our detective. He has difficulty moving from a cold, rainy England to 110+ degrees India. It affects his ability to do his job and the author did a great job writing this setting into the story.

The men featured in the story were prominent characters. The women were important but the comeraderie, or lack thereof, among the men moved the plot forward.  Captain Wyndham cannot break through the tight group of male characters. He is considered persona non grata. Usually when a person lands themselves in India the British society welcomes that person with open arms. Wyndham's experience was atypical for the time period.

There is plenty of historical detail written into the story.  The characters need to navigate through a minefield of political pitfalls in order to do their jobs well. Wyndham and his Indian sidekick Surrender-Not Banerjee make a great crime fighting duo who can carry this fantastic new detective series forward. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

5 out of 5 stars.

Chunkster Reading Challenge 2021

I used to participate in this challenge annually but think that it was discontinued for a few years.  I love the feel of a big book in my hands. In fact, I don't really feel like I am reading with a physical book in my hands.  It has made 2020 difficult to get used to reading ebooks.  I am happy to see that this challenge is back in 2021.   It is being hosted by Annette at the Impressions in Ink blog.

There are some requirements for the challenge.  

1)    All books must be at least 450 pages.

2)    The challenge runs the 2021 calendar year.

3)    All book formats are accepted for the challenge. Audio and ebooks are OK.

4)    There is no minimum number of books that you must read. 

4)    You don't need a blog to participate.

I have already purchased a few chunksters.  I will be reading Elizabeth George's With No One as Witness which she published in 2005.  It has 627 pages.  Stephanie Dray's My Dear Hamilton has 637 pages and her America's First Daughter has 587 pages.  I also plan on reading former President Obama's memoir A Promised Land.  It is over 700 pages but is just the first installment of his official memoir.  

What's in a Name 2021

I have participated in this challenge off and on over the years.  However, it was fun this year so I am rejoining the challenge in 2021.  The challenge is hosted once again by Carolina Book Nook. Of course, the challenge runs the calendar year.  Any format of books is acceptable.  However, you cannot use one book for more than one category. As usual, there are 6 categories of words that must in the title of every book you read for the challenge.  The 2021 categories are:  

1)      One/1

2)      Doubled word , ie, in a dark, dark wood

3)      Reference to outer space

4)      Possessive noun

5)      Botanical word

6)      Article of clothing 

The possessive noun category will be difficult for me as I will need to think what a possessive noun is.  Perhaps I should try to knock off that category ASAP so I don't have to think about it all year.

Top 10 Books I Want in 2021

Some of my favorite authors will be publishing books in 2021. I am excited to read the newest installments of my favorite series such as:

1.        Evil in Emerald by A. M. Stuart

2.        Honey Roasted by Cleo Coyle

3.        Haunted Hibiscus by Laura Childs

4.        The American Adventuress by C. W. Gortner

5.        Hemlock by Susan Wittig Albert

6.        Protector by Conn Iggulden

7.        Kingdom of Bones by James Rollins

8.        The Shadows of Men by Abir Mukherjee

9.        The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey

10.      Bloodline by Jess Lourey

Finishing the Series 2021 Challenge

I was not planning on rejoining this challenge again because I did not read the books I intended to read this year. However, I have just discovered that a few of my favorite authors published additional books in their series and I know that I will be reading these books.  So, why not join the challenge?  

The Zelda Richardson Mysteries by Jennifer Alderson have additional books published in the series.  I read The Lover's Portrait earlier this year. Rituals of the Dead was published in 2018, Marked for Revenge was published in 2019 and The Vermeer Deception was published in 2020.  

Abir Mukherjee has follow up novels to his A Rising Man  They include A Necessary Evil (2017), Smoke and Ashes (2018), Death in the East (2019) and The Shadows of Men which will be published next year.  

The rules for the challenge are simple:

1.    The challenge runs the 2021 calendar year.

2.    Series can be already completed as well as ongoing.

3.    You can have only one book left to read in a series.

4.    Any format and length of book counts - print, ebook, audio, ARC

5.    Crossovers froth other challenges are acceptable.

6.    Reviews are not required but highly encouraged. 

My Top 10 Book Characters for 2020

I had to do some  hard thinking about who my favorite characters were in 2020.  There were a few characters that pop up in my mind though, and all but two are featured in an ongoing series.  Here they are in no apparent order:

Drayton Connelly from Laura Child's Indigo Teashop Mysteries. I like him better than the main character Theodosia Browning. He is a debonair, sixtysomething Southern gentleman who I never tire reading about.  Of course, his many bow ties are sharp looking. Lavender Blue Murder is the last book published so far in this cozy mystery series.

Harriet Gordon from A. M. Stuart's new historical fiction series which takes place in early 1900s Singapore. The Harriet Gordon Mysteries revolve around British military officers and their wives who always seem to be involved in a murder, or at least know all about it. Harriet deftly works around these personalities to solve crimes.  Revenge in Rubies is the 2020 entry in to the series.

Zelda Richardson is another favorite character. She is the protagonist in Jennifer Alderson's Zelda Richardson Mystery series.  Zelda has a BFA in art history and researches stolen works of art so they can be returned to the rightful owners.  Her educational background is perfect for this new series. The Lover's Portrait is the latest book in the series.

Oswald de Lacy is the sleuth in S. D. Sykes medieval mystery series.  He grew up in a Benedictine monastery but after the plague took his father and older brothers Oswald became the Lord of Somershill Manor.  The Bone Fire is the latest book in the series.

I have 3 favorite characters from Cleo Coyle's coffeehouse mysteries.  Clair Cosi manages her former mother-in-law's coffee house The Village Blend.  Her ex-mother-in-law, Madame DuBois, is an extravagant senior woman who lives life fully and richly.  Madame may be a widow but she still gets around and only in the wealthiest groups.  Her flair for fashion is part of her charm.  Claire's ex-husband Matteo Allegro lives an exciting life traveling the world in search of the best coffee beans and has excellent adventures. His love of women is prominent but he still comes running when Clair says that she needs him.  This series is my all-time favorite. The newest addition to the series is Brewed Awakening.

C. DeMelo's stand alone novel Sabina takes place in Renaissance Florence. After marrying well, Sabina learns to adapt in a man's world and get what she wants.  She suffers many losses which makes her a compelling character.

Tom Claraday is Francis Bacon's sidekick in Anna Castle's Francis Bacon Mysteries.  Tom is a young Cambridge University student during the 1500s.  He is mischievous and along with a few fellow Cambridge students finds himself in hot water frequently.  They help him solve murders for Francis Bacon, who is a new barrister at this stage in his life. The series has ended with The Spymaster's Brother. 

Peggy Batternberg in Nancy Bilyeau's Dreamland is a woman after my own heart.  A feminist for her era, early 1900s New York City, Peggy prefers to work in a bookshop than attend high society parties. She breaks her parent's rules not only to have a job but also to secretly meet a man who they would not approve of.  He is poor. I love Peggy's spirit.

My Top 10 Book Covers for 2020

Looking through the books I read this year, I noticed I don't really read many with gorgeous book covers. The last couple of books with stunning covers that I read didn't have great stories so I have to read reviews of them first before I buy the books.  It was hard to choose 10 covers but here they are. 

Stacking the Shelves

With another payday this week I hit the Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites looking for nothing in particular.  I came away with both physical and ebooks. I indulged my love for medieval illuminated manuscripts with Michelle Brown's Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts A Guide to Technical Terms. The book is a glossary of words that are used to describe many elements of illuminated manuscripts along with their definitions. I expected that it would be a large book but it is just a little larger than 5 x 7.  Since I just finished an online course on the topic I thought this would be a good resource for me.

I also picked up The Glass Ocean, Lethal Harvest, Plaid and Plagiarism, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line and Ariana Franklin's last book that she wrote before she died Death and the Maiden. All of these ebooks are for reading challenges that I will be participating in next year.

I have been compiling a big selection of books to read next year. December just isn't a month when I want to read but I will certainly be prepared for my January reads.

My Top 10 Books For 2020

2020 was a great year for reading due to the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.  I was home more often and read 129 books. Picking my favorite books was difficult because I read many fabulous ones, including books written by 82 new (to me) authors.  The order in which I have rated them was also difficult to determine.  I am not sure that there should be any order at all but here are my selections:  

10.    The Giant by Laura Morelli (historical fiction)

9.      Seven Days by Alex Lake (psychological thriller)

8.      Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau (historical fiction)

7.      British Ice by Owen Pomeroy (graphic novel)  

6.      Little Girls Tell Tales by Rachel Bennett (murder mystery)

5.      The Bone Fire by S. D. Sykes (historical mystery)

4.      Revenge in Rubies by A. M. Stuart (historical mystery)

3.      Green Lantern Legacy by Minh Le (graphic novel)

2.      Apartment 6 by Stuart James (psychological thriller)

And my best book for 2020 is:

1.      The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett (historical fiction)

Honorable Mentions go to The Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna, Almost American Girl by Robin Ha, Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yan and Sabina by C. DeMelo.

Stacking the Shelves

 

This meme is new to me. Since I am always buying books, I think this is a good meme for me to participate in. Last week I got lucky at my local Barnes and Noble and found six books to buy.  All of them are historical fiction novels by new (to me) authors.  I love holding a book in my hands when I am reading.  I had to begin using Kindle this year due to the coronavirus and reading ebooks seems normal to me now.  However, I still relish holding an actual book in my hands.  In addition, my cat doesn't mind when I am holding a book but he gets upset when I am holding the Android to read from the Kindle app.  He thinks I use the phone too much and gets a sad face when I have it in my hands.  I guess I have been ignoring Purrcy this year.  The physical books that I purchased were:  

I also purchased a few ebooks for my Kindle app.  They were: 

2020 Library Love Challenge Wrap Up

This challenge was challenging this year! My public library, and probably yours, was closed for several months due to the coronavirus shutdown. I was lucky that I did not have to pay any fines on those books I had borrowed before the shutdown that were due to be returned after the shutdown began. When I signed up for the challenge a year ago, I selected the Thrifty Reader Level which required me to read 24 books from the library.  I managed to surpass that challenge and took 36 books out of the library to read and review.  

Here is what I read:

The Other Woman by Daniel Silva

The Crow's Call by Wanda Brusnstetter

Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang

The Night Tiger by Yangtse Choo

Singapore Sapphire by A. M. Stuart

The Stone Doors by Brendan Baker

Paying the Land by Joe Sacco

I Know Your Secret by Ruth Heald

Viking:  The Plains of Althing by Katie Aiken Ritter

Mozart in Paris by Frantz Duchazeau

Wicked Things 1 and 2 by John Allison

The Low Road by A. D. Scott

The Queen's Vow by C. W. Gortner

A Bend in the Stars by Rachel Barenbaum

Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley

The Bone Fire by S. D. Sykes

Filmish by Edward Ross

The Draper's Daughter by Ellin Carsta

Lockdown by Peter May

Rage by Bob Woodward

The Lover's Portrait by Jennifer Alderson

The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett

Revenge in Rubies by A. M. Stuart

The Girl She Wanted by K. L. Slater

The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado

The Cold Millions by Jess Walter

The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli

This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

Notes on a Thesis by Tiphaine Riviere

Shanghai Dream by Phillippe Thirault

Something New by Lucy Knisley

The Pilgrim Conspiracy by Jeroen Windermere

The Queen of Paris by Pamela Binnings Ewen

Last Wool and Testament by Molly MacRae

Too Much and Never Enough by Mary Trump

Since I did so well with this challenge I have signed up for next year. 12 books are required to be read and reviewed.  There are no other reading levels in the 2021 challenge.

Wrap Up of Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

2020 was a banner year for reading.  With the coronavirus shutdown I had three months off from work and I jam packed those months with reading.  I read 129 books during the calendar year and I overshot my personal challenge of 15 historical fiction novels by reading 46 books.  I read the following:

The Queen's Vow by C. W. Gortner

The Pilgrim Conspiracy by Jeroen Windermere

The Land Beyond the Sea by Sharon Kay Penman

Forbidden by C. DeMelo

Ruthless by C. DeMelo

Allegra by C. DeMelo 

Sabina by C. DeMelo 

Betrayed by C. DeMelo

Lilith by C. DeMelo

The Witch from Delft by C. DeMelo

The Violinist of Venice by Alyssa Palumbo

The Stolen Girl by Zia Wesley

Firefly by India Millar

The King's Justice by E. M. Powell

Last Train to Istanbul by Ayse Kulin

Song of the Siren by C. P. Leslie

Let Slip the Dogs by Anna Castle

The Spymaster's Brother by Anna Castle

The Library of Legends by Janie Chang

The Bone Fire by S. D. Sykes

The Lover's Portrait by Jennifer Alderson

The Draper's Daughter by Ellin Carsta

The Cup by Melissa Addey

Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau

Blackberry and Wild Rose by Sonia Velton

The Book of Colours by Robyn Cadwell

The Lady's Ambition by Anne Bailey

The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham

The Girl From Lisbon by Guiora Barak

The Bridled Tongue by Catherine Merrick

The Lost Diary of Venice by Margaux DeRoux

The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore

The Giant by Laura Morelli

The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli

The Mountains Sing by Phan Que Mai Nguyen 

Singapore Sapphire by A. M. Stuart

Revenge in Rubies by A. M. Stuart

The Night Tiger by Yangtze Choo

Opium & Absinthe by Lydia Kang

A Bend in the Stars by Rachel Barenbaum

The Stone Doors by Brendan Baker

The Queen of Paris by Pamela Binning Ewen

Viking: Plains of Althing by Katie Aiken Ritter

The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett

The Cold Millions by Jess Walters

Favorite Book:  The Evening and the Morning

This book is a prequel to Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth.  I think it is his best book in the Kingsbridge series.  

Second Favorite Book: Revenge in Rubies

This is the second Harriet Gordon mystery and it was even better than the first, Singapore Sapphire.  

Least Favorite Book: Firefly

I did not finish this novel because it was too steamy for me.  

Honorable Mentions go to Opium & Absinthe, Dreamland, Singapore Sapphire, The Bone Fire, The Giant, The Book of Colours and Sabina.