132,585
edits
Changes
From TheBookbag
Jump to navigationJump to searchNewest Crime (Historical) Reviews (view source)
Revision as of 13:45, 25 March 2023
, 13:45, 25 March 2023no edit summary
[[Category:Crime (Historical)|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Crime (Historical)]] __NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Margery Allingham0571370977|title= Mystery MileThe Lock-Up|author=John Banville|rating= 54
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary= On a transatlantic liner, an American points out Crowdy Lobbett and predicts that he will have been murdered within a fortnight. Indeed he places a bet on it. It seems like a safe bet: retired Judge Lobbett has been 's six months since the subject of four near misses so far: four attempts on his life that have misfired dramatic events which we read about in [[April in Spain by John Banville|April in Spain]] and killed someone close to him. His children have persuaded him to take a trip to England Dr Quirke is now back in an attempt to keep him Dublin and living (if somewhat saferuneasily) with his daughter, for a while at leastPhoebe.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099474697</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Gregory Dowling|title=Ascension|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Alvise Marangon The worst of his grief is an artist 'resting' between commissions over but he irrationally blames DI St John Strafford for what happened and so using his guile and enterprise as a tour guide to those taking this has made the European Grand Tour in 18th century Venicealready strained relationship between them more difficult. Everything has They're brought together by Chief Inspector Hackett when the body of a business as usual feel to it for Alvise until he notices a fellow gondolier paying his friend not to take young, Jewish scholar, Rosa Jacobs, is found in a couple of English touristslock-up. ThenAt first, it looked as the new Doge is inaugurated a manthough she's head d gassed herself but Quirke is thrown into the crowdconvinced that it was murder rather than suicide. Showing people around a typical Venice is becoming increasingly hard for Alvise – Venice is not behaving typically!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846973139</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Frances Brody1529337968|title=A Death in the DalesIn Place of Fear|author=Catriona McPherson
|rating=5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=Kate ShackletonIt's niece, Harriet, was recovering from diphtheria July 1948 and Kate decided to take her away Helen Crowther is due to start work as a qualified medical almoner the following morning - on the day that the country for a fortnight to help her recuperateNHS is born. HerShe's friend - ll be working for Dr Deuchar and would-be suitor - Dr Lucian Simonson had inherited a house Strasser in Langcliffe from his aunt Freda their GP surgery and Kate was pleased her job will be to accept the offer help patients with those non-medical problems which affect their health. The hardest part of the property for a couple of weeks. There was a hidden message job will be to persuade people that the services she might also see if sheoffers really are free and that they don'd like t have to make her residence there more permanent, but Kate was in no hurry do anything to make her mind up about remarriagequalify for them. Her private investigations suited Some of the problems will require delicate handling but Helen has a problem of her well and it wasn't long before she was approached to look into a crime own which had troubled Lucian's Aunt Fredamight give her some insight. The old lady had witnessed a murder, but her evidence was dismissed and she went to her grave believing that the wrong man had gone to the gallowsHer marriage has never been consummated.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0349406561</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Shirley McKay057136358X|title=Queen & Country: A Hew Cullan Mystery (Hew Cullan Mystery 5)April in Spain|author=John Banville
|rating=5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=LondonTerry Tice was a hitman, 1842: Magistrate Aaron Graham is missing his wifealthough he didn't think of himself in those terms. SheHe saw what he did as ''s left him, taking their daughter to live with her cousin in a very uncousinly waymatter of making things tidy''. Yet her distance doesnI couldn't prevent her discussing resist the goings on at her new home with Graham; as these goings on resemble witchcraft and seem to be taking a toll on his daughter's health Aaron is rightly worriedthought that he was an extreme version of Marie Kondo. He calls upon Constable Horton enjoyed his job, something which occurred to investigate… this is him when he was in Burma with the Horton whose wife Graham encouraged army ''where he got the chance to enter one kill a lot of the more exclusive madhouseslittle yellow fellows and had a fine old time''. Under the circumstances it seemed the right thing to do but Horton still hasnHe was spending a lot of time with Percy Antrobus - who couldn't understand why Terry didn't forgiven his superior for it. However, as know the investigation goes on and Graham is distracted by purpose of a murder case swizzle stick - surely he wouldn't drink champagne with a rising body count, these bubbling undercurrents of enmity reduce bubbles in importance. the ''morning''? The important thing for each It was after Percy's death that he saw the benefits of them has become survivaltaking up a job in Spain.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1471136086</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Vaughn EntwhistleB08Z8BMZ7H|title= The Dead Assassin|rating= 4|genre= Crime (Historical)|summary=London, 1895. Arthur Conan Doyle is summoned to the scene of a mysterious crime – a senior member of the Government lies murdered. Close by, the body of the attacker is found, riddled with bullets. The dead assassin is identified, however, as a man who was hanged several weeks previously. Mystified by the strange incident, Arthur Conan Doyle calls on a friend for advice – Oscar Wilde. Together, the two Mystery of them are swept up into a bizarre investigation – one that threatens their lives, their families, and the very establishment itself. It seems that someone is reanimating corpses, and programming them for murder…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783292687</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewHealing|author= Anita Davison|title= Murder on the MinneapolisA P McGrath|rating= 54
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=Governess Flora Maguire is sailing from New York to England We meet Solon in Pergamon in the second century of the common era and he's the physician on duty at the SS Minneapolis, entrusted with munus - the games put on for the task amusement of returning her teenage charge, Eddie back home to boarding schoolthe populace. Unfortunately for Flora, The remuneration isn't high but the ship is first-class only, so she spends work gives the first night aboard stowed away in her cabin, acutely aware doctor a feeling of her lower social statusvirtue and hones his skills: Solon ''wants'' the warriors to live. Her intention to stay out of It's quite a spectacle: the magistri are the limelight is thwarted charge hands and whenwe first see them, during a solitary stroll along they're sprinkling gold dust onto the deck, she discovers a dead body at the bottom of the companionwaylions' manes to make them look more impressive. The ship staff hastily conclude that this is a tragic accident, but Flora has other ideas sagitarii are the archers and decides the beastiarii are the condemned criminals who are going to conduct her own investigationfight for their lives with the wild animals. Is there a murderer aboard ship? And if so Today, is Flora making herself a prime target by poking her nose into other peopleit's affairs?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1910208264</amazonuk>the crocodiles.
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Anthony Quinn1529337925|title= Curtain Call|rating= 4.5|genre= Crime The Mirror Dance (HistoricalDandy Gilver)|summary= London, 1936. Nina Land is a West End actress, and she is spending her afternoon in a hotel room with a married man. When she spots the face of the man the newspapers have named “The Tie-Pin Killer”, she faces a huge dilemma – will she report the man to the police, and risk her career and the reputation of her lover? Or will she stay quiet, and risk the lives of innocent girls?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099593238</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=MRC Kasasian|title=Death Descends On Saturn Villa (The Gower Street Detective Series)Catriona McPherson|rating=4.5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=While It was the best personal detective in August Bank Holiday weekend and, as so often happened, it was cold enough to have the fire lit and Bunty the known Victorian world (in his opinion anyway) Sidney Grice is away Dalmation wasn't inclined to leave it to keep Dandy Gilver warm on a case, his ward March is left to her own devicesthe sofa. As luck would have it, one The thought of those devices is an invitation to meet a previously unknown relativework was almost cheering when Dandy took the call from Sandy Bissett in Dundee. March visits Saturn Villa with She was the publisher of a sense magazine and had been told that the man running the Punch and Judy show in the local park had used copies of two of curiosity her cartoon characters - Rosie Cheek and encounters Uncle Tolly whose afternoon tea is one she will never forgether sister Freckle - to drum up some local interest in his show. Let Sandy Bissett's hope request was simple: she knows wanted Gilver and Osborne to warn the man about infringement of copyright - and Dandy and Alex would be cheaper than employing a good detective!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>178185971X</amazonuk>solicitor to do the same job.
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Alexander WilsonB08LKT7HSR|title=Wallace of Murder in the Secret ServiceBelltower (A Miss Underhay Mystery)|author=Helena Dixon
|rating=3.5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=This is In December 1933 the third remains of Elowed Underhay were discovered in the re-issued series authored by cellar of the former soldier, spy and Professor of English Literature, without whom it is said, there'd have been no Bond, no Smiley, no BourneGlass Bottle Public House.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749018151</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Sara Sheridan|title= British Bulldog |rating= 5|genre= Crime (Historical)|summary= As a decade, the fifties doesn't attract much attention from authors and scriptwriters - it's dull and grey Ezekiel Hamett was sought in comparison connection with the vivid horrors murder of war Elowed and the colourful extravagance of the sixties. But World War II left a long shadow, and this, the fourth instalment in this excellent serieshis half-brother, takes us deep into past life of ex-intelligence agent Mirabelle BevanDenzil Hammett, and the sorrow and the blighted love she has so desperately fought to hide from public gaze soon becomes hopelessly entangled with present deaths and dangerwhose body was also discovered. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846973252</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Antonia Hodgson|title=The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=A few months after we left Tom in the 1720s we return to find him living in sin and love with Kitty. Or it would be sin if they ever get round to the bed bit. Just as he promised underworld gang leader James FleetUnderhay's long search for her mother, Tom has taken in James' son Sam to train him who disappeared in the ways of being a gentlemanJune 1916 was over. All seems to be going well in that department until Tom receives a visit from an old enemy and a brush with the countryNow she's ultimate power. Then both collide to create fear and an offer determined that Tom isn't able the man responsible for her murder will be brought to refuse, no matter how hard he triesjustice.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444775456</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=M J CarterStephen Clarke|title=The Infidel StainSpy Who Inspired Me
|rating=4
|genre=Crime (Historical)General Fiction|summary= LondonThis is a spoof spy story, 1841that isn't about James Bond. Newly returned from India Or Ian Fleming. But it features a man called Ian Lemming, Jeremiah Blake who dresses well and William Avery find life back in Victorian England difficult to settle into, having left a disconnected country travelled by pony 'likes the ladies' and trapwho works for the secret service, and returned to one but in the grip planning side of railway maniathings more than the active service. When Lemming finds himself put on a mission with a series of murders occurfemale spy called Margaux, all connected to and the presspair end up stranded in Normandy, Avery and Blake find themselves back with Margaux on a desperate mission to unearth traitors in action. But with connections between the murdered resistance network, and those seeking revolution, it is a race against time Lemming desperately trying to find the killer before he strikes again. keep up with her!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0241146259</amazonuk>2952163855
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Matthew Pearl0349423083|title=The Last BookaneerDeath and the Brewery Queen (Kate Shackleton Mysteries)|author=Frances Brody|rating=34.5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=Bookaneer Fergins makes a decent living Kate Shackleton runs her investigation agency from Batswing Cottage, ably assisted by Jim Sykes, who lives in Woodhouse and her housekeeper, Mrs Sugden. She's been approached by William Lofthouse of the Barleycorn Brewery in 19th century LondonMasham. However Something is going wrong with his business acquaintance Davenport has a plan and he'd like Kate to aid look into it discreetly: he's hoping that his prosperity. Hot literary property Robert Louis Stevenson is dying on Upolonephew and right-hand man, James Lofthouse, will be back from a Samoan island, having just written his final potential masterpiecetrip to Germany before long. Therefore all Davenport has James went to do is to steal it, bringing it back see what the continental brewers were doing and what changes Barleycorn might need to publishing glory and self-aggrandisementmake. The only problems are William is worried that the enabling legal loophole James is perhaps enjoying himself a little bit ''too'' much or is about going to close and bring back a German bride but he's not d like the only one with business to be ship-shape before his eye on that particular prize. And Fergins? He's going too, whether he wants to or notnephew returns.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846556198</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jane Thynne 0241433568|title=A War of FlowersEight Detectives|author=Alex Pavesi
|rating=5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=A War of Flowers is the third of Jane ThynneIt's thoroughly researched 1930 and beautifully written novels of Nazi Berlin from the female point of viewMegan and Henry are staying with Bunny at his house in Spain. Reading them is an immersive experience; the joy of the book is in location, description, comment. The action does not rush but the ending expertly pulls plot strings together It's unbearably hot and has Bunny drank too much at lunch: he's going to have a wow factor rest and then he wants to talk to Megan and Henry about something serious. Only it never gets that far: when Bunny doesn't emerge after his siesta his guests find that he's been murdered. How can that will leave have happened? There's no one else in the house, so one of them must be the reader eager for morekiller. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1471131904</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Dan Simmons1473682401|title=The Fifth HeartTurning Tide (Dandy Gilver)|author=Catriona McPherson
|rating=4
|genre=Crime (Historical Fiction)|summary=On a rainy night in March 1893 Henry James stands on a Paris bridge, about Those who were with us at the end of [[A Step So Grave (Dandy Gilver) by Catriona McPherson|A Step So Grave]] will remember that Donald was engaged to end it allMallory Dunnoch. Next to him sidles Sherlock Holmes, about to do the sameThey're now married and Mallory is having twins. Instead When they arrive no one can doubt the charms of jumpingLavinia Dahlia Cherry and her brother, Holmes drags James off for a drink Edward Hugh Lachlan Gilver. There are two drawbacks: they're noisy and decides that they will go to America to solve a 17-year-old murder case're staying with Dandy and Hugh. The supposed victimDandy and her detective partner, socialite Clover AdamsAlec Osborne, is believed had not taken up the chance to look into a problem at the Cramond ferry when it was offered to have committed suicide them twice before, but that doesn't deter Sherlocksuddenly the possibility of being out of the house at Gilverton seems irresistible. He's off, Henry James is going with him and that's that!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751560952</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jayne Anne PhillipsSeishi Yokomizo and Louise Heal Kawai (translator)|title=Quiet DellThe Honjin Murders
|rating=4
|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary= Chicago To many readers, the phrase 'locked room murder mystery' is enough to make the book one to read; preferably quantified by the words 'clever' or 'good'. For those who need more, here is the extra background – 1931we're in rural Japan in the 1930s. Asta Eicher The oldest son of an esteemed family is a widowbelatedly getting married, although the whole affair is really not as ostentatious as it might be – hardly anybody has turned up, what with three children and a crippling sense of lonelinessit being arranged at great haste. When Harry Powers asks She only has an uncle representing her to marry himfamily, she is delighted – and the new family soon leave in order to travel to West Virginia. They are never seen againfor one thing. Back in ChicagoEither way, Emily Thornhill is one of the few women journalists in Chicagocelebrations have gone ahead as planned, and is sent to investigate only for the disappearance, trying wedded couple to establish what happened be slashed to death in their private annexe before the familysun rises on their marriage. As she becomes ever deeper involved What with a man missing parts of his fingers being in the investigationneighbourhood, Emily begins to discover things she never expected – both about and some mysterious use of a traditional musical instrument at the time of the crime, this case, and herselfhas a lot of the peculiar about it. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0099590255</amazonuk>1782275002
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Philip KerrB07XLM3SM6|title=The Lady from ZagrebMurder at the Dolphin Hotel|author=Helena Dixon
|rating=4
|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=The Lady Elowed Underhay was just twenty-seven when she disappeared from Zagreb begins and ends Dartmouth in June 1916, leaving her daughter, Kitty, in 1956the care of her grandmother. Series detective Bernie Gunther is enduring a 'subtle kind A great deal of punishment' as he watches money had been spent to find out what happened to her and re-watches beautiful Dahlia Dresnerthe conclusion was that she was dead, a woman he mainly because there was no evidence to suggest otherwise. Kitty has loved come to terms with this and lostin 1933 she was running the Dolphin Hotel in Dartmouth with her grandmother when her grandmother had to leave to look after her sister who was ill. This is She was reluctant to leave Kitty in charge - and Kitty could not understand why. She's always coped with the tenth mix of holidaymakers, boating people and the novels that began with naval college on the publication edge of town before - and she's done every job in the Berlin Noir trilogy (hotel. And she particularly cannot understand why her grandmother's friends have been roped in the early 1990s) to keep an eye on things ''and within a few pages the action '' why Captain Matthew Bryant has catapulted back been hired to the summer take charge of 1942 and security at the heartland location, Nazi Berlinhotel. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782065814</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Barbara Cleverly0349423067|title=Enter Pale DeathThe Body on the Train (Kate Shackleton Mysteries)|author=Frances Brody|rating=34.5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=From Christmas to Easter a train ran from Leeds City Station to King''Death by Misadventure''s Cross, arriving before dawn so that the forced rhubarb it carried could be taken to Covent Garden.' This is In early March 1929, one of the porters who was unloading the official verdict as to boxes discovered the cause body of death of Lady Lavinia Truelove, trampled to death by a notoriously ill-tempered horseman, which she foolishly tried to approach in its stallstripped naked and with no means of identification. The horse panicked and reacted badly, resulting in Scotland Yard hit a gruesome dead end and bloody attack, witnessed by two boys from called on the services of Kate Shackleton in the village. Most people hope that her knowledge and connections in Yorkshire would dismiss give them the event lead they needed. Kate immediately found herself hamstrung: Commander Woodhead remembered her as a tragic accident, but detective Joe Sandilands suspects that this child and could be cold-blooded murder. Could his judgement be clouded by not come to terms with the fact that he has she was now a very personal axe woman experienced in dealing with murder. He was reluctant to grind with give her all the 'grieving' widower, who has been showing increasing attentiveness to Dorcas, information which the girl he plans to marry?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1616954086</amazonuk>police held.
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Leslie Charteris and John Telfer (narrator)1472127110|title=Enter the SaintIndian Summer: a Mirabelle Bevan Mystery|author=Sara Sheridan
|rating=4.5
|genre=ThrillersCrime (Historical)|summary=When you think of thrillers written by a man in his early twenties there's a temptation to believe that the books might not beLife has changed dramatically for Mirabelle, wellour favourite fifties sleuth, top drawersince the war, but that would be a mistakeand not always for the better. The When she first of ''The Saint'' novels was published settled in 1928 when Leslie Charteris Brighton she was just twenty one and this collection of stories is dated 1930. You might expect the rambunctious adventurer we meetalone, but not the subtleties of the slightly world-weary man of the world, all-knowing about the evils to which men (rudderless and women) can sinksecretly grieving for Jack, but they're all there. Admittedly the Saint is more boisterous and less subtle than lover who died before he will become - but that speaks more about the later works than this bookcould leave his wife.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B00OS74GQU</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Antonin Varenne and Frank Wynne (translator)|title=Loser's Corner|rating=4|genre=Thrillers|summary=Meet Georges Crozat. He's a policeman As time went by she found in Paris, who boxes on the side. After a bout that leads herself an ability to an almost embarrassing victorysolve crimes, he is made two offers – one from a clearly corrupt man behind the scenes in the sport, who seems to offer a few thrown fights for Georges, then some kind of status as assistant – training, guiding, profiteering; the other comes from a man known always as ''the Pakistani'' (or friends including an unkind abbreviation of that), ebullient and determined young woman called Vesta who has a friend of a friend who wants someone refused to do an enemy let a mischief with their fists. Georges doesn't take too long to choose the latter. In alternating chapterslittle thing like racial prejudice stop her doing what she wanted, however, we're and even found consolation in the 1950s, and arms of a rookie to the forces, Pascal Verini, is being shipped out to Algeria to work on the civil war causing the republic to break away and become independent from France. Like Georges, he finds his situation one which also causes what may be misguided violence, even if he has a very different attitude to itrather charming policeman.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857052276</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=G M Best 1912374439|title=The Barchster MurdersCourier|author=Kjell Ola Dahl and Don Bartlett (translator)
|rating=3.5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=Anthony Trollope was very taken with Barchester when he first visited Nazi-occupied Oslo, 1942. There, I've given the city, but pausing to look out at game away. For in a book that centres around a pleasant view he discovered the body of Thomas Ridermurder, a bedesman at HiramI's Hospital. At first ve told you who did it was suspected – the Nazis, surely? Well, that Trollope might have been the murderer - for certainly has to remain to be seen in this was no natural deathvolume, which splits its time between one of war, but when a stabbing - but once he proved that he was a professional man there on business for young woman sees her father arrested, and their store condemned as Jewish and rushes to her best friend to help – not knowing she will never see her alive again, and the first timelate 1960s, he found himself drawn into the investigationwhen great consternation is being felt. There In this timeline, a maverick agent is a secret which the wardenback in town, the Reverend Septimus Harding has hidden one who might have been fingered for well over a decade murdering that female victim, even though she and it looks he lived together with their baby as though Rider might a young family, except he was thought by all to have been murdered to prevent died in the secret coming out.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1910208086</amazonuk>War…
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Rory Clements1786075431|title=The Queen's ManMrs Mohr Goes Missing|author=Maryla Szymiczkova and Antonia Lloyd-Jones (translator)|rating=43.5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=Elizabethan England - Meet Zofia. A socially climbing wife of a medical professor, she's intent on making herself known as a murkycharitable lady, dirty world full of religious strife and violent, short liveskeen on her husband progressing yet through his esteemed career. Queen Elizabeth sits on the throne In 1890s Cracow, but her seat life is by no means safe - her first cousinpretty good, Marybut she knows it could always be better. Meanwhile, Queen other people's life could certainly be better – cholera is nearing the city due to lack of Scotshygiene, is locked up in Sheffield Castleand many people have to fall on charity and almshouses to keep a roof over their heads. Unable to leave One such was Mrs Mohr, but by no means unable although she was rich enough to plot keep private lodgings and scheme with staff in her supporterscharitable home. I say ''was'', Mary wishes for she has vanished. Only due to reclaim what Zofia's help does she believes is rightfully hers get found, dead and in a place the near- the thronelame woman could never reach by herself. But even she cannot Just who could be prepared killing people in a charity home, and to what end? And why does Zofia feel the need to make a name for the dark twists and new plots that arise.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848548486</amazonuk>herself by answering those questions?
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=L C Tyler1786893762|title=A Cruel Necessity (A John Grey Historical Mystery)Things in Jars|author=Jess Kidd
|rating=4.5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=Essex 1657: Cromwell's Republic A child has gone missing. The detective asked to take on the case is 8 years oldstill struggling with the shame and frustration left by a previous case, where the child was not found in time. Hardly original themes for a private eye thriller. And yet . . . take another look. While John Grey sleeps off This detective is a good night woman, and the setting is Victorian London, with all the rich and colourful paradoxes of drink under that era: technical and scientific progress jostling for space beside superstition and a fascination with the bizarre and the eaves downright hideous. And before you're more than a couple of pages in, you realise just how much more unusual our heroine is than you expected. Bridie Devine may dress in half-mourning, with a cottagewidow's cap and stout, shiny boots, but the tobacco she smokes in her pipe (my dear, what an utterly ''fast'' thing for a Royalist spy lady to do!) is mixed with a nugget of something, well, let's say recreational, created by her chemist friend Prudhoe. The fact that it's actually meant to cure bronchial problems is murdered down by the roadby. A trainee lawyerHer housemaid, being seven-foot-tall, John is also enjoys somewhat remarkable. And then, of course, there's the science of ghost. Ruby Doyle, world-famous tattooed boxer (deceased) accompanies Bridie all through her investigation , and so starts looking for clues that will lead him to the murderer. Although it's not easy: strange happenings occurred that night and Grey is having trouble persuading others of what clear he saw. Meanwhile his mother has a soft spot for the perfect match for himdetermined young woman. If he really exists, that is. Unfortunately their ideas of perfection differ somewhat!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1472115031</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=C J Sansom0349414327|title=Lamentation A Snapshot of Murder (Matthew ShardlakeKate Shackleton Mysteries)|author=Frances Brody
|rating=4.5
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=The reign of Henry VIII is drawing to Even detectives need a close. It's heresy to speculate on the death of the kingbreak and for Kate Shackleton, but obvious to anyone who sees photography gives her the bloated man who can barely walk that he cannot have much longermental relaxation which she needs. Matthew Shardlake is still drawn to When the queen - Catherine Parr as local Photographic Society proposed an outing, Kate was - but he'd prefer keen to avoid court politics particularly when there's someone as suggestible and changeable as Henry on take the throne. Ultimately though he doesn't feel that he has much choice when he's summoned opportunity to Whitehall Palace. It seems that visit Haworth and Stanbury, not least because the queen has a problem which could put her life in danger - along with deeds of the lives of all those who Brontë Parsonage are seen as being handed over so that it can become a museum and her supporters.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230744192</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|title=Murder at the Brightwell|author=Ashley Weaver|rating=4|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=It probably helps to parents will be a fan of Agatha Christie. It probably helps to absolutely adore there for the sheer selfish indulgence and style of the 1930sevent. It probably helps to just accept the ''rich'' as being completely divorced from real life. It definitely helps if you're happy to take your crime as a puzzle, rather What could be better than as heart-rending, gut-wrenching rendition of reality.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749017317</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|title=Queen of Hearts|author=Rhys Bowen|rating=2|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=Lady Georgiana Rannoch, 35th in line for the British throne, may know how to navigate upper class society, but there aren't many acceptable career choices for a penniless almost royal. So when seeing her motherfamily, famous actress Claire Daniels, invites her on witnessing a transatlantic cruise, Georgie is looking forwards to living the highlife momentous event and relaxing for a while.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B00M4ZGVBG</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Martin Davies|title=Havana Sleeping|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Hector, a night watchman is murdered at work. There's nothing unusual about that – it happens all having the time. The reason being that this is Havana halfway through the 19th century; a place opportunity to take photographs of intrigue, political posturing (and worse) as pro- and anti-slavery conflicts cause bubbles under the surface of society. Itsetting for 's a place where an apparently lowly British civil servant like George Backhouse can be posted to influential positions. It's a place where the Americans donWuthering Heights't trust the British, the British don't trust the Americans and everyone fears what the Spanish may do? Nothing could go wrong. Meanwhile a courtesan named Leonarda just wants to find out why the man she loved died.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340980451</amazonuk>Or could it?
}}
Move on to [[Newest Dyslexia Friendly Reviews]]
