The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard

The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard

Augustus Landor is called to West Point Academy after the grisly discovery of a hanged cadet with his heart cut from his body. By that October night in 1830, Landor has retired to the Hudson Highlands for his health, after gaining some renown during his time as a detective in New York City. The case prompts the former detective to take on a young, moody assistant with keen observational skills named Edgar Allan Poe. Poe's murky past that changes with each telling leaves Landor wondering if his assistant might have a penchant for murder as well as drink, and his questions about his assistant only grow as the bodies continue to mount. 

432 pages.    

The Gold of Cape Girardeau by Morley Swingle

A historical novel that starts in a modern day court room. A skeleton is found in the basement of an old home being renovated in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Beside it is a cache of gold, and a fierce battle ensues between the current owners of the home, and the family that originally built it. The quest to find out where the gold came from, and how it got in that basement – oh, and who killed the man in the basement?

The story goes back in time to steamboating days on the Mississippi River, two star-crossed lovers, and a town deeply divided by the Civil War. The answer to the questions will lead back to the court room, and a resolution to the ownership of the gold.

292 pages

The Girl Who Married an Eagle: A Mystery (Amanda Brown #4)

 The Girl Who Married an Eagle: A Mystery (Amanda Brown #4)
by Tamar Myers
Pages: 272
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Based on actual events from the writers childhood, this is the 4th and final book in this mystery series set in the Belgian Congo.
A young, naive girl from Ohio volunteers to be a missionary in the Belgian Congo is totally unprepared to be in charge of an all-girls boarding school primarily made up of runaway child brides from the local native tribes. Julia Newton must defend not only the school but the lives of the girls and her own from the angry chief, Big Chief Eagle whom her newest student is supposed to marry but she is only 8 years old. With the help of Cripple, Amanda Brown and the beautiful young girl herself these women will learn how to save themselves.

The Pierced Heart by Lynn Shepherd

The Pierced Heart by Lynn Shepherd

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula this literary mystery weaves all of the atmospheric creepiness of the original classic with the detail and writing style of an Victorian English novel. Charles Maddox is called in to investigate a potential donor for Oxford University before they accept this unknown Austrian lord's sizable donation. Arriving at Baron Von Reisenberg's home in the Viennese woods, Maddox expects a boring task of reviewing paperwork,  financial and family records, instead the dark brings mysterious noises and nightmares. This is the darkest of the Maddox mysteries, but this chilling tale of suspense, science and possible supernatural fiends will keep you reading.

Lynn Shepherd is also the author of the award winning The Solitary House, which is reminiscent of a Charles Dickens novel; A Fatal Likeness inspired by the lives of romantic writers Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley and Lord Byron as well as my favorite so far, Murder at Mansfield Park.

238 Pages.

Saint Bridgid's Bones, a Celtic Adventure by Philip Freeman

This historical fiction with a mild mystery is set during the time of transition just after St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, when Christian and pagan ways were very much side by side and lords and kings tried to gain favor with both sides.  The story follows Sister Dierdre, a young nun of Saint Brigid's monastery, who is tasked with finding who has stolen the relics of their patron, Saint Bridged.  The relics are needed to draw pilgrims to the monastery with their donations, or the monastery will not survive.  Freeman populates his story with several colorful characters; who are not shy about discussing their sexual urges.  Sister Dierdre is no recluse, and is not shy about using subterfuge in her mission to find the relics.  Excellent feel for this period in Ireland.  224 pages.  

"Cross & Crown: A Sidewinder Story" by Abigail Roux

This book takes place in the "Cut & Run" universe but features Kelly Abbott and Nick O'Flaherty, two members of Marine Force Recon team Sidewinder.  These two played prominent roles in Roux's last book, "Ball & Chain."  It is now several months after "B&C" and Nick has returned to his job as a detective in Boston.  Kelly lives in Colorado but is visiting him for two weeks.  Just before Kelly arrives, Nick begins investigating a robbery/homicide.  There's a witness, but he claims amnesia and forms an attachment to Nick.  On top of that, retired CIA hitman Julian Cross is following the witness but is reluctant to say why.  Can Nick and Kelly figure out who the witness is before another killing?

This rather convoluted mystery involved lots of Revolutionary War history related to Boston, the Irish mob, Rosicrucians, and a possible cure for cancer.  Throw in Kelly and Nick's evolving relationship, Julian's unexpected appearance, and there's a lot to cover in 208 pages.  Unfortunately, it doesn't always fit together very well.  However, I still enjoyed seeing these characters again, especially Julian and his partner, Cameron Jacobs, from "Armed & Dangerous" and "Warrior's Cross."  Even Zane Garrett and Ty Grady from the "Cut & Run" series make cameos in phone conversations, so that made me happy.  208 pages.

History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time by Brad Meltzer with Keith Ferrell

(Posted for Paul Mathews)

This book contains or examines ten historical mysteries. The most famous being the Kennedy assassination, who, how many shots, how the assassin wasn’t better protected. Who killed the president, mafia, Russians, Cubans?

Audio:  6 hrs. 45 min.

Print:  160 pages

Birds of a feather by Jacqueline Winspear.

Maisie Dobbs has moved into her new office and has a full-time assistant, Billy Beale.  Her latest assignment is to find the run-away daughter of a wealthy grocery chain owner.  In the course of her investigation, Maisie discovers that three of the daughter's friends have recently died.  Coincidence?  Maisie doesn't think so.  She digs deeper to find that during the war the women all participated in the shameful practice of giving white feathers to men who were not serving in the military.  Is someone killing the women for revenge? 336 pages.

Sniper’s Honor by Stephen Hunter

(Posted for Paul Mathews)

She was a sniper in World War 2 on the side of the Russians. She raised the fury of the two powerful leaders. Half the book tells her story and half tells about Bob Lee Swagger who seventy years later is hired to find out how and why she just disappeared.  At the end he found out she escaped to a country down under and lived out her life in peace.  414 pages.

Double Play by Robert B. Parker

(Posted for Paul Mathews)

He was a wounded war veteran. Long recovery period and rehab put him back on the road. His wife left him and the only job he could find was as a bodyguard.  His last two were protecting a gangster's daughter and protecting the first African American baseball player, Jackie Robinson. 

Audio:  6 hrs. 34 min.

Print:  304 pages.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

 This first book in a series by Jacqueline Winspear is set in England in the aftermath of the Great War, known here in the U.S. as WWI.  Maisie Dobbs worked her way up from a lowly servant to a Girton College educated psychologist/detective. Maisie is asked to find out if a businessman's wife is having an affair.  She follows the wife to her weekly assignation-a cemetery where her lover is buried.  Why did the lover kill himself?  Was the burden of being a disfigured war veteran too much to bear?  A good story that left me wanting to know more about Maisie and to follow more of her cases!  294 pages.

Do Not Disturb by Kate Kingsbury

I have read a couple of the special holiday Pennyfoot Hotel cozy mysteries, so thought I would see what the original series is like. I was confused at first because while the characters are the same, their relationships are different since this series predates the holiday series. None the less, I was quickly able to catch on and actually enjoyed reading about how it all began. (Well almost began; Do Not Disturb is actually book two in the series.)

The series is set in England in the early 1900s. Cecily Sinclair, a widow, owns the hotel visited by the aristocracy, but it is really run by the faithful, stoic manager, Baxter. When Madeline, Cecily's friend, is hauled in for questioning and becomes the primary suspect in a murder, Cecily decides to investigate, dragging along a reluctant Baxter. The characters are loveable caricatures. The mystery is  light. The reading is fast and fun. I'll visit the Pennyfoot again soon! 203 pages.