Robin Agnew

Chris Nickson: No Precious Truth

by

Cathy Marsden #1

Often when I read a book set during WWII, I imagine myself as the heroine of an exciting yet dangerous espionage operation, looking glamorous while I take it on.  Nickson offers readers a different take – ordinary Cathy Marsden, seconded from the Leeds police department to serve in the SIB or Special Operations Bureau.  SIB was part of the military police. As the book opens, Cathy’s unit is joined by her brother Dan, presently working in London in the XX Committee, a part of MI5.  XX tried to turn German spies in England into counter agents, feeding disinformation back to Germany. read more

Jesse Q. Sutanto: Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)

by

Vera Wong #2

These books are like comfy, beautiful pillows for your brain, and, let me tell you, these days that’s not a bad thing.  Vera, the heroine of the series, is the 60 something widow who, in the first book, finds a dead body in the middle of her formerly obscure tea shop, ultimately finding friends and a purpose in the act of solving a murder.  Vera is opinionated, bossy, maternal, and an excellent cook, who as the book opens, gets a scam phone call which cons her into sharing her social security number and even a photo of her driver’s licence. read more

Nikki Knight: Hound of the Bonnevilles

by

Grace the Hit Mom #2

This is the second book in the deliciously high concept “Hit Mom” series.  Knight’s heroine, Grace Adair, only takes out those who truly deserve it.  And she does it in an untraceable way.  Book one had many details of the way her organization functions; this second book deals more with fallout of actions taken by Grace and her fellow murder-y sisters.  While this sounds intense, humor is on tap here.

While Grace is a “hit mom” she’s also a mom-mom, as well as an editor and a sometime practicing lawyer.  In other words, she’s extremely busy.  She and her husband, who have a solid and affectionately loving marriage, share a fairly low maintenance son but her life still revolves around school drop off and pick up time.  It’s truly amazing what she manages to fit in between those times. read more

Ann Cleeves: A Lesson in Dying

by

Inspector Ramsay #1

This welcome re-release of the first book in Ann Cleeves’ Inspector Ramsay series, originally published in 1990, is a pure delight.  Our bookstore (open 1992-2018) was lucky enough to have many of these  now collectible volumes on our shelves.  Before breaking out with her Vera books in 1999, the hardworking writer produced two now completed series, one centering on birdwatching, and this debut in the Ramsay series, a real, golden age gem.

Of course, the golden age of mystery ended many decades before this series began, but Cleeves follows many of the plotting and set up tropes familiar to any fan of the classics.  Set in a small village, the book begins when the much hated school headmaster of the insular community  is done away with at a combination Halloween/Guy Fawkes party for the school kids.  To the natives, all of whom are more than familiar with each other, Inspector Ramsey seems like  a exotic creature who appears from above to swoop in to solve the crime. read more

Deanna Raybourn: Kills Well with Others

by

Killers of a Certain Age #2

This is the second in Raybourn’s delicious, breakout series following a group of sixty something lady assassins.  They work for an organization called “The Museum” and their mission is to take out those who are doing serious wrong (originally Nazis) and take them out in a way where the deaths can’t be traced and don’t appear to be murder.  The first book was a smorgasbord of beautifully executed little death scenes, each one a sharp and precise how-dunnit.  It also introduced the main characters, Billie, Natalie, Helen and Mary Alice.  In the first novel they were on an enforced “retirement cruise” but when it became clear they were actually the targets, they took action. read more

Radha Vatsal: No. 10 Doyers Street

by

Archana “Archie” Morley is a journalist working in 1907 New York City.  She’s a double outsider: she’s a woman, and she’s from India.  Her physician husband, who has defied his family to marry her, is quite tolerant of her choice to don pants and traverse dangerous parts of the city looking for stories.  And boy, does she find some.  While her editor has her latched on to the notorious murder of Stanford White by Harry Thaw, Archie gets distracted by a gang style shooting in Chinatown and the gangster who may or may not be behind it, Mock Duck. read more

Amanda Flower: I Died for Beauty

by

Emily Dickinson #3

This may be my favorite in this series to date.  The perfect blend of setting, character and story really sing in this novel, which takes place during a very cold and snowy winter in 1857 Amherst, Massachusetts.  While Amherst is now famous as Emily Dickinson’s birthplace and home, in 1857 Emily was just an eccentric member of the prominent Dickinson family, with scraps of writing spilling out of her pockets. And, in these novels, a penchant for sleuthing.

While today we experience cold and snowy winters, in 1857, those things made a much bigger difference in people’s lives.  The cold and snow meant there were fires going all the time which also meant a greater chance of house fires.  The snow cut off train deliveries (and travel) so food stores were hoarded.  For the poor, the situation was worse, as the cold meant their firewood supply may not have kept up with the need to keep warm. read more

Jeanne M. Dams: Murder of a Recluse

by

Oak Park Village #3

I read the first book in this series, Murder in the Park, when it came out in 2021.  It stuck in my head, and when I picked up the latest book four years later, the place and characters came back to me right away.  Set in a Chicago suburb in the 20’s, the books follow now new bride Elizabeth Wilkins.  She’s separated herself at last from a difficult and controlling mother and is finding life as a young bride very pleasant.  She and her husband are building a house and are making space for his Aunt Lucy in their new home. read more

Tarquin Hall: The Case of the Elusive Bombay Duck

by

Vish Puri #6

You may not know that the world’s greatest detective is Delhi based Vish Puri, but if you read this sweetly sunny book you will immediately find yourself fascinated by his family and work life.  As the story opens, Vish has just been named “International Detective of the Year,” but, unfortunately, the “confidential” news has leaked prematurely, and his office is quickly deluged with congratulatory phone calls and sweets.  Even worse, his mother phones to inform him that she plans to accompany him and his wife to London for the award ceremony, which an unwelcome associate has also pledged to attend. read more

Danielle Arceneaux: Glory Daze

by

Glory Broussard #2

This series, featuring an absolute genius creation of a main character is a delightful breath of fresh air. Glory Broussard, of LaFayette, Louisiana, is a divorcee of a certain age who suffers from arthritis, loves the Commodores (and really, who doesn’t?), and works part time as a bookie in her favorite coffee shop on Sunday afternoons.

She’s shocked when her ex’s new wife, Valerie, shows up at her “place of business” on a Sunday and asks her to track down Sterling, her former husband.  Even though she’s had as little to do with her successor as possible, she finds herself agreeing. read more