Review: THE CASE OF THE MISSING MORRIS DANCER, Cathy Ace

• 
  This edition published in The WISE Enquiries Agency Murder Mysteries Box Set: Books 1-4
  
  
• Made available on Kindle (Amazon)
• BOOK 2: THE CASE OF THE MISSING MORRIS DANCER
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09SZLBH5T
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Joffe crime thriller and cozy mystery (February 20, 2022)

Synopsis (Amazon)

BOOK 2: THE CASE OF THE MISSING MORRIS DANCER
Henry, eighteenth Duke of Chellingworth, is about to marry Stephanie Timbers in a grand ceremony at his Welsh estate. But one of the Morris dancers, who must lead the wedding party through the village, is missing. Along with the troupe’s kit of exquisite sixteenth-century silver bells and engraved sticks. Can the ladies of the WISE Enquiries Agency track him down and save the day? 

My Take

Oh what have I let myself in for?

This delightful series continues in a second book. Hot on the heels of their success in THE CASE OF THE DOTTY DOWAGER, the ladies of the WISE Enquiries Agency have moved from London to the Welsh countryside, in particular the Chellingworth estate, and the nearby village. In particular Mavis has become live-in companion to Althea, the dotty dowager herself, their office is in one of the estate building, Annie has a cottage in the village centre, Carol and husband David have their own house near the village, and Christine has an apartment at the Hall.

So it is a month or so into the next year and elaborate preparations are underway for the Duke's wedding. Then Aubrey Morris who is meant to be leading the Morris dancers in their procession at the wedding goes unexpectedly missing. Normally the quietest and yet most reliable of chaps, a local handyman, Aubrey doesn't turn up for an appointment he has made to to transport the Morris dancers. In addition their regalia has gone missing, and his van can't be found. It comes out that Aubrey was planning to go away, but not until the week after the wedding. The Duke wants him found.

What I am enjoying about these books is the development of each of the characters and the fleshing out of how they work as a team. Little traits are being added to each of them. Althea, the Dowager Duchess, as made an honorary member of WISE, and Alexander Bright, Christine's new "friend" becomes very useful indeed.

I'm hooked!

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

Book 1: THE CASE OF THE DOTTY DOWAGER

Review: OLD BONES, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

• 
  this edition published by Grand Central Publishing 2019
  
• ISBN 978-1-5387-4722-3
• 349 pages
• source: my local library

Synopsis

Nora Kelly, a young curator at the Santa Fe Institute of Archaeology, is approached by historian Clive Benton with a once-in-a-lifetime proposal: to lead a team in search of the so-called “Lost Camp” of the tragic Donner Party. This was a group of pioneers who earned a terrible place in American history when they became snow-bound in the California mountains in 1847, their fate unknown until the first skeletonized survivors stumbled out of the wilderness, raving about starvation, murder--and cannibalism.

Benton tells Kelly he has stumbled upon an amazing find: the long-sought diary of one of the victims, which has an enigmatic description of the Lost Camp. Nora agrees to lead an expedition to locate and excavate it--to reveal its long-buried secrets.

Once in the mountains, however, they learn that discovering the camp is only the first step in a mounting journey of fear. For as they uncover old bones, they expose the real truth of what happened, one that is far more shocking and bizarre than mere cannibalism. And when those ancient horrors lead to present-day violence on a grand scale, rookie FBI agent Corrie Swanson is assigned the case…only to find that her first investigation might very well be her last.

My Take

I came away thinking that this might be the beginnings of a new investigative team of  a forensic archaeologist and an FBI Special Agent,

Based on a true story from 1846, this made engaging reading as an archaeological team looks for a "lost camp" of some pioneers crossing the Sierra Nevada. They became lost, and the story ended tragically with starvation and cannibalism. There were tales also of a huge cache of gold dollars buried somewhere near the site.

Recommended reading.

It is probably decades since I have read a book by either of these authors.

My rating: 4.6

About the authors

Douglas Preston was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1956, and grew up in the deadly boring suburb of Wellesley. Following a distinguished career at a private nursery school--he was almost immediately expelled—he attended public schools and the Cambridge School of Weston.

Lincoln seemed to have acquired an interest in writing as early as second grade, when he wrote a short story entitled Bumble the Elephant (now believed by scholars to be lost). Along with two dozen short stories composed during his youth, he wrote a shamelessly Tolkeinesque fantasy in twelfth grade titled The Darkness to the North (left unfinished at 400 manuscript pages).

Review: THE DARK REMAINS, William McIlvanney and Ian Rankin

• 
  This edition made available to by my local library through Libby
  
• ISBN: 9781838854102
• Publisher: Allen & Unwin Canongate September 2021
• Page Extent: 288

Synopsis (publisher)

In this scorching crime hook-up, number one bestseller Ian Rankin and Scottish crime-writing legend William McIlvanney join forces for the first ever case of DI Laidlaw, Glasgow's original gritty detective.

Lawyer Bobby Carter did a lot of work for the wrong type of people. Now he's dead and it was no accident. Besides a distraught family and a heap of powerful friends, Carter's left behind his share of enemies. So, who dealt the fatal blow?

DC Jack Laidlaw's reputation precedes him. He's not a team player, but he's got a sixth sense for what's happening on the streets. His boss chalks the violence up to the usual rivalries, but is it that simple? As two Glasgow gangs go to war, Laidlaw needs to find out who got Carter before the whole city explodes.

William McIlvanney's Laidlaw books changed the face of crime fiction. When he died in 2015, he left half a handwritten manuscript of Laidlaw's first case. Now, Ian Rankin is back to finish what McIlvanney started. In THE DARK REMAINS, these two iconic authors bring to life the criminal world of 1970s Glasgow, and Laidlaw's relentless quest for truth. 

My Take

Jack Laidlaw is a maverick. He believes he works best on his own, and constantly rubs people up the wrong way. The Commander, Robert Frederick of the Glasgow Crime Squad has asked DS Bob Lilley to babysit Laidlaw because he needs careful handling. Laidlaw certainly doesn't like attempts by DI Ernie Milligan to give him orders and dictate how he does things. Milligan and Laidlaw have history. They were DCs together, Milligan rose the ladder, Laidlaw hasn't.

Essentially Milligan and Laidlaw are different as chalk and cheese, and Milligan can't resist any opportunity for a bit of one-up-manship.

Most of the novel is occupied with the cut and thrust between two rival Glasgow gangs. Running in the background is the investigation into lawyer Bobby Carter's death.

Having never read any William McIlvanney before I can't tell how good a job Rankin has done of completing the original manuscript.
Ian Rankin has spent most of lockdown writing a novel – but it isn’t a new Rebus. Instead, the Scottish writer has been putting the finishing touches to a handwritten manuscript left by the late William McIlvanney, the so-called godfather of “tartan noir” and author of the Laidlaw detective books.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/dec/05/ian-rankin-to-complete-william-mcilvanney-final-unfinished-novel-the-dark-remains
But Rankin said The Dark Remains was unlikely to be the start of a franchise. “It’s just there was that one unfinished book and there was enough material there that meant it could be finished,” he said. “And why wouldn’t you want a new William McIlvanney book out in the world?”

I can't see Rankin writing any more in this "series" despite the comments in the blurb about this being a "scorching crime hookup". For me it was a little disappointing.

My rating: 4.4 

I've also read

THE COMPLAINTS
DOORS OPEN
HIDE & SEEK
4.4, BEGGARS BANQUET
4.4, WITCH HUNT - writing as Jack Harvey
4.5, THE FALLS
4.7, THE IMPOSSIBLE DEAD
4.8, STANDING IN ANOTHER MAN'S GRAVE $18
4.7, SAINTS OF THE SHADOW BIBLE #19
4.5, EVEN DOGS IN THE WILD # 20
4.5, RATHER BE THE DEVIL #21
5.0, IN A HOUSE OF LIES   #22 4.8, A SONG FOR DARK TIMES #23

Review: THE TEA LADIES OF ST JUDE'S HOSPITAL, Joanna Nell

• 
  this edition made available from my local library
  
• published by Hachette Australia 2021
• ISBN 978-0-7336-4290-6
• 342 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

The heartwarming and hilarious bestseller by the author of treasured novels, The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village and The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home

The Marjorie Marshall Memorial Cafeteria has been serving refreshments and raising money at the hospital for over fifty years, long after anybody can remember who Marjorie Marshall actually was. Staffed by successive generations of dedicated volunteers, the beloved cafeteria is known as much for offering a kind word and sympathetic ear (and often unsolicited life advice) as for its tea and buns.

Stalwart Hilary has worked her way up through the ranks to Manageress; Joy has been late every day since she started as the cafeteria's newest recruit. She doesn't take her role as 'the intern' quite as seriously as Hilary would like but there's no doubt she brings a welcome pop of personality. Seventeen-year-old Chloe, the daughter of two successful surgeons, is volunteering during the school holidays because her mother thinks it will look good on her CV.

Chloe is at first bewildered by the two older women but soon realises they have a lot in common, not least that each bears a secret pain. When they discover the cafeteria is under threat of closure, this unlikely trio must band together to save it. 

My Take

An entertaining read, and some very believable characters. 

Hilary is the volunteer manager of the cafeteria, 76 years old, recently separated from her husband, and now living with her older sister. She runs the cafeteria on an exceedingly tight budget.

Her assistant is Joy, 74 years old, always a smile on her face. Her husband of 53 years, Len, has recently had cancer and is now at home on remission (?). Joy tries to feed new ideas to Hilary, trying to make her think the ideas are hers.

Chloe, 17 years old, is the third volunteer in the trio, still at school, and destined to follow her parents into medicine. Chloe has a few problems of her own, and is not really looking forward to working with the two "oldies".

This was a lovely read, and covered a number of issues including what happens when progress at the hospital challenges the very existence of the cafeteria.

Highly recommended.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

4.7, THE SINGLE LADIES OF THE JACARANDAH RETIREMENT VILLAGE

Review: THE CASE OF THE DOTTY DOWAGER, Cathy Ace

• 
  This edition published in The WISE Enquiries Agency Murder Mysteries Box Set: Books 1-4
  
• Made available on Kindle (Amazon)
• BOOK 1: THE CASE OF THE DOTTY DOWAGER
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09SZLBH5T
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Joffe crime thriller and cozy mystery (February 20, 2022)

Synopsis (Amazon)

A WELSH MURDER MYSTERY BOX SET BOOKS 1–4 four cozy Welsh murder mysteries full of twists (The WISE Enquiries Agency Murder Mysteries Box Set)

THE DETECTIVES
The WISE Enquiries Agency consists of Mavis, Annie, Carol and Christine. One is Welsh, one Irish, one Scottish and one English, hence the name. Drawn together by chance — and a killer — the women of the WISE Enquiries Agency turned their backs on their previous careers to work together to help others. Combining their unique skills, and revelling in their differences, they’re doing their best to make the business succeed. But being private investigators isn’t a bed of roses — there are bills to pay, clients to be managed, and dangers to be faced. Can they manage to do it all, and survive?

BOOK 1: THE CASE OF THE DOTTY DOWAGER
Henry Twyst, eighteenth Duke of Chellingworth, is convinced his mother is losing her marbles. The dowager claims to have seen a corpse on the dining room floor, but all she has to prove it is a bloodied bobble hat. Henry hires the women of the WISE Enquiries Agency. The duke wants the strange matter explained. But the truth of what happened at the Chellingworth Estate is more complex, dangerous, and deadly, than anyone could have foreseen . . .

My Take

I've certainly enjoyed reading the first book in this new recently published series (available only in Kindle and currently at a bargain price). The characters of the four members of the WISE Enquiries Agency are well drawn, very distinct from each other. I'm not sure about the entire credibility of the plot but there was enough good stuff to keep me going.

I will certainly be going on to Book 2 sometime in the future. 

My rating: 4.3

I've also read THE CORPSE WITH THE SILVER TONGUE which was Cathy's first novel.

About the author
Cathy Ace migrated from her native Wales to Canada at the age of 40. She is the award-winning author of the traditional Cait Morgan Mysteries featuring her Welsh Canadian criminology professor sleuth who travels the world tripping over corpses, which have now been optioned for TV. She also writes the cozier WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries featuring a quartet of female PIs who run their business out of a Welsh stately home. Both series have been well-reviewed. Her award-winning standalone, THE WRONG BOY, is a gripping novel of psychological suspense, set in Wales, and has also been optioned for TV.

Review: MEDICUS, Ruth Downie

• 
  this edition from Amazon on Kindle
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07B659FYD
  
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 1, 2018
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 418 pages 
• #1 in the Medicus series
• Formerly published as RUSO AND THE DISAPPEARING DANCING GIRLS 

Synopsis (Kindle)

Welcome to the most remote part of the Roman Empire. Britannia, AD117 – primitive, cold, damp and very muddy.

The Gods are not smiling on army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso in his new posting in Britannia. He has vast debts, a slave girl who is much more trouble than she is worth and an overbearing hospital administrator to deal with . . . not to mention a serial killer stalking the local streets.

Barmaids’ bodies are being washed up with the tide and no one else seems to care. It’s up to Ruso to summon all his skills to investigate, even though the breakthroughs in forensic science lie centuries in the future, and the murderer may be hunting him down too.

If only the locals would just stop killing each other and If only it were possible to find a decent glass of wine, and a slave who can cook, Ruso’s prospects would be a whole lot sunnier . . .

The first novel in the New York Times bestselling Gaius Petreius Ruso series. With a gift for comic timing and historic detail, Ruth Downie has conjured an ancient world as raucous and real as our own. Perfect for fans of Lindsey Davis and Steven Saylor. 

My Take

Gaius Petreius Ruso is a career soldier in the Roman army and has recently transferred to the 20th Legion in Deva (modern day Chester) from Africa. Things are very different in Britannia. Not only is the weather dismal but the locals are rebellious and they speak British. Ruso is recovering from a divorce and the death of his father in Gaul. His father has left ruinous debts and so Ruso is constantly trying to send money to his brother who is looking after the family farm in Gaul.

His money seems to be going the wrong way. His lodgings are near the hospital but are filthy, and due to be demolished. He desperately needs someone to cook and clean, but instead ends up rescuing a British slave at a price he can ill afford, and she has a broken arm.

Girls from a local cafe/bordello keep turning up dead, and Ruso becomes a reluctant detective as he tries to work out what is happening. And then his new slave Tilla runs away and Ruso finds he has got used to having her around.

Much of this introduction to life on the frontier of the Roman Empire is seen from the point of view of the conquered rather than the conquerors. We see at first hand the impact of slave trafficking as well as the way in which the conquerors try to impose the "Roman way" onto the locals. The author has created sufficiently likeable central characters in Ruso and Tilla for me to investigate where things go in the second book in the series.

My rating: 4.4

There are 8 titles in the series
MEDICUS (the first story, AKA 'Medicus/Ruso and the Disappearing Dancing Girls')
TERRA INCOGNITA ('Ruso and the Demented Doctor')
PERSONA NON GRATA ('Ruso and the Root of All Evils')
CAVEAT EMPTOR ('Ruso and the River of Darkness')
SEMPER FIDELIS
TABULA RASA
VITA BREVIS
MEMENTO MORI

About the author
Ruth (RS) Downie left university with an English degree and a plan to get married and live happily ever after. She is still working on it.
Ruth lives in North Devon with a husband, a fine view and too many cats. She is not the same person as the RS Downie who writes real medical textbooks. Absolutely none of the medical advice in the Ruso books should be followed. Roman and Greek doctors were very wise about many things but they were also known to prescribe donkey dung and boiled cockroaches.

Find out more at www.ruthdownie.com

Review: WHITE OUT, Ragnar Jonasson

• 
  this edition made available by my local library through Libby
  
  
• first published 2017
• Book 5 of 6: Dark Iceland 
• translated by Quentin Bates 

Synopsis (Amazon)

Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kálfshamarvík.

Did she jump, or did something more sinister take place beneath the lighthouse and the abandoned old house on the remote rocky outcrop?
With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason discovers that the victim’s mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier.

As the dark history and its secrets of the village are unveiled, and the death toll begins to rise, the Siglufjordur detectives must race against the clock to find the killer, before another tragedy takes place.

(When the body of a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted Icelandic village of Kálfshamarvík, police officer Ari Thór Arason uncovers a startling and terrifying connection to an earlier series of deaths, as the killer remains on the loose…)

Dark, chilling and complex, Whiteout is a haunting, atmospheric and stunningly plotted thriller from one of Iceland’s bestselling crime writers. 

My Take

Asta Karadottir has returned to the scene of a terrible event that she witnessed. She hasn't been there for 25 years. So why has she returned? She says that she is writing a thesis about her father who had survived the deaths of her mother and her sister twenty five years earlier.

Asta has written to the owner of the house, a well known media personality, asking if she may stay for a few days, and she is given her old childhood room. The people in the house are those who were there 25 years earlier. Within two days Asta herself is dead, suffering the same fate as her mother and sister.

Did Asta return to commit suicide, or is the same killer still at large? There is a limited cast of suspects, and fairly quickly another person dies.

Detectives have already arrived to investigate Asta's death and each of the suspects is scrutinised carefully. DNA evidence provides clues but is the finger pointing at the right person?

One of the detectives, Ari Thor, brings his very pregnant girlfriend to the locality with him, as it seems unlikely he will make it home for Christmas. 

Icelandic crime fiction has a different flavour, and is truly noir.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read 4.4, THE MIST