April Reading by the Numbers Reviews

 

April Virtual Mount TBR Reviews

 

April Mount TBR Reviews

 

April Vintage Scavenger Hunt Reviews

 

Murder Every Monday: Oops! I Slipped!

 

Kate at Cross Examining Crime hosts a fun mystery cover game on Instagram called Murder Every Monday. Our assignment, should we choose to accept it, is to display book covers and titles from books you own that meet prompts which she posts well in advance (see link). 

 

Today's theme is covers with a figure falling through the air.

Lord Darcy ~Randall Garrett

About the Murder of the Circus Queen ~Anthony Abbot

The Black Stage ~Anthony Gilbert

Dread & Water ~Douglas Clark

Four Lost Ladies ~Stuart Palmer

Whey Didn't They Ask Evans? ~Agatha Christie

The Sirens Sang of Murder ~Sarah Caudwell

Rocket to the Morgue ~Anthony Boucher

Pattern of Murder ~Mignon G. Eberhart

Nothing Like Blood ~Leo Bruce

The Ampersand Papers ~Michael Innes

Untidy Murder ~Frances & Richard Lockridge

Inspector's Holiday ~Richard Lockridge

Lament for a Maker ~Michael Innes

The Player on the Other Side ~Ellery Queen

Suspicious Characters (The Five Red Herrings) ~Dorothy L. Sayers

The Devil's Stronghold ~Leslie Ford

A Man Condemned ~Peter Alding

The Silver Peril

 The Silver Peril (1931) by Maryse Rutledge

Britton (apt name, that) of the British Secret Service takes on evil mad scientist bent on destroying the civilized world.

My reviewer's work is done. Short and to the point. What's that? You want more? Are you sure? Well, okay...here's what we have from the dustjacket: No one knew where Torad, the mad pilot, would strike next, but it was up to Britton of Scotland Yard [though he's explicitly identified as a "secret agent"] to stop him.

The Silver Peril, a glistening gray helicopter, rose and descended vertically like a hummingbird with its pilot fantastically garbed in silvery coat and helmet. It showered destruction on the streets of Bucharest, killing and maiming hundreds.

the As de Couer, a dingy cafe on the the Rue des Vertus in the blackest part of the Montmartre, headquarters for le Rouge's Apache gang--knife men--supplied Britton with his first clue. A moment later he found himself allied with those from whom he had most to fear, battling for his life in a fierce struggle against ruthless Apaches.

A story of mystery and intrigue; of love and adventure; of the activities of Scotland Yard, and Torad, the wizard of science who, wreaking vengeance for personal sufferings, discovers himself vulnerable to the charms of an American Girl.

So...Britton is asked by his chief to discover where Monsieur Michel (a person of interest) is getting his money. Coincidentally while dining with his girl (or, rather the young woman he has hopes of being his girl), he spots Michel with another person of interest, de Raskoff (an infamous scientist). The Service has yet to prove anything against either one of them. And it's Britton's job to try and rectify that. His assignment will test himself and the girl he cares for to the limit.

According to the same dustjacket this is "Maryse Rutledge at her best!" Hmmm. If this is her best, I'm not sure I want to see what else she did. It's supposed to be a "story of gripping adventure and mystery in the air," but, I'm afraid, I wasn't gripped at all. It was a quite standard, evil-madman-wants-to-destroy-civilization-because-reasons story. Britton is a fairly likeable chap, but I have to say that I don't care much for Jane, he hoped-to-be girlfriend. I mean, here they are at dinner and she realizes that the two men across the way are of interest to Britton (professionally) and she practically shouts in the restaurant how exciting it all is and, wow it's not everyday I'm with a secret agent! 

***************SPOILER!! I'm not recommending this book, but if you do happen across it and decide to give it a look then you might not want to read further....

So....at the end of the book she supposedly is all in for Britton. And, apparently, cared for him all along. As Nero Wolfe would say, "Pfui." She certainly doesn't act like it. She treats him appallingly throughout the early chapters. She nearly reveals who he is to the bad guys. And then falls under "Torad's" spell. Even at the end after she's supposedly let him know how she really feels with a look (while under Torad's watchful eye), she still comments to Britton (as noted in the last line below), "But--he was rather grand, you know--" If I'm Britton (and thank goodness, I'm not), I'm not trusting Jane an inch. What happens when the next "rather grand," mesmerizing bad guy saunters along?

I like Britton (except for his fascination with Jane) and he might make a good investigator in a case that focused on him and left out the love interest. So, all stars for him. ★★

First line: You know everyone in London.

Last line: "But--he was rather grand, you know--" 
*****************

Deaths (named--hundreds unnamed): 3 (one fell from height; two blown up)

Death at Victoria Dock

 Death at Victoria Dock (1992) by Kerry Greenwood

Synopsis (from the back of the book): Driving home late one night, Phryne Fisher is surprised when someone shoots out her windscreen. she alights to find a pretty young man with an anarchist tattoo dying on the tarmac just outside the dock gates. He bleeds to death in her arms...and all over her silk shirt. Enraged by the loss of the clothing, the damage to her car, and this senseless waste of human life, Phryne promises to find out who is responsible. but she doesn't know how deeply into the mire she'll have to go...

The "Perils of Phryne Fisher" #4 finds our intrepid heroine mixing it up with Latvian revolutionaries who have transferred their feuds from Eastern Europe to Australia. She also finds herself searching for a missing young girl, holding a beautiful young man while he dies from a gunshot wound, pursuing bad guys at a seance, visiting a tattoo parlor, and vowing vengeance on the miscreants who are stupid enough to kidnap her beloved companion Dot. She tracks down the missing girl, rescues Dot, and manages to foil the Anarchist's bank robbery plot...all without turning a hair. And, of course, she picks up new lover along the way. Plenty of action and adventure--and there are even a few more clues in this one to make it a bit more of a classic mystery.

I think the best part of this one is that Dot actually gets to be a little feisty herself. When she's kidnapped, she knows that Phryne will be hunting the kidnappers down with a vengeance but she doesn't just sit tight and wait for Phryne to rescue her. She and her fellow captive (an Anarchist who has made the mistake of talking to Phryne) do a little plot foiling of their own. It's quite satisfying when their little bit of sabotage works out so well against the bad guys. In fact, everyone, from Mr. Butler to Jane & Ruth to Constable Hugh Collins (who is sweet on Dot) get to play a part in the adventures and action...and Phryne arranges for Hugh to get all the credit and a boost in his superior's estimation. ★★★★

First line: The windscreen shattered.

The red-headed kid had decided on the ship [for his tattoo]. The Professor did not even glance at the letter from his father. The boy felt rather hurt. He had gone to a lot of trouble to forge it. (p.78)

Last line: "I've come through fire and death, Lindsay, my old dear, and I want to go dancing."
****************

Deaths = 5 (three shot; two natural)

Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud

 Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud (2010) by Andrew Lane

Meet the young Sherlock Holmes--who, by the way, bears very little resemblance to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes. It's possible he's the teenage version of Robert Downey Jr's Holmes. Yeah, I'm more likely to believe that one.

So 1868...Sherlock has been at the Deepdene School for Boys. It's the summer holidays and he's waiting for his father to take him home--only Father isn't coming (he's been sent off to India) and Mycroft has come to take his brother to their uncle's house--an uncle and aunt that he's never met in an area of England that's he's never been. It's going to be lovely--the relatives are distant and there's a housekeeper who seems to be some sort of Mrs. Danvers (from Rebecca) proto-type. On the plus side, he makes friends with another boy, Matty Arnatt, and he winds up with a pretty cool tutor, Mr. Amyus Crowe. And...he finds himself in the middle of his first mystery...

Two men in the Farnham area die mysteriously--covered with angry red welts reminiscent of the plague. Just before the first man is found dead, Matty Arnatt saw what he describes as dark cloud that moved as if it had a mind of its own. The two boys and Sherlock's tutor find themselves in the middle of an evil plot that threatens Britain's safety (because of course it does). And, of course, Sherlock's first adventure pits him (and his friends) against an evil mastermind with hordes of bad guys at his command (Remind you of anyone already in the Holmes canon? But, no, it's not him.)

My thoughts: Where on earth is the early evidence of the brilliant mind of the world's first consulting detective? It's not in young Holmes. Instead, we have Amyus Crowe who has all of the Sherlock Holmes traits and who spouts many of Holmes's famous lines (everything from how to stock the lumber room of your mind to "when you eliminate the impossible..."). Young Holmes, who by the way is fourteen and has only had some boxing in school, seems best fit to beat up on the hordes of bad guys commanded by the evil genius. Yes, folks, the teenage Holmes can fight grown men (some hardened criminals) and come out the victor! Most of the time he seems dumber than a box of rocks, but when it comes to using his brain to figure out clever ways to beat up the baddies then suddenly he's firing on all cylinders. Apologies for the mixed metaphors. I'm not the world's smartest detective, but I figured out long before it was revealed what the "death cloud" was. 

This is not the story I was expecting from a book about the teenage Holmes. Going up against a big criminal organization? Deranged mastermind who wants to bring down the British Empire? Deranged mastermind who can only move around using wires as if he's some kind of life-size marionette? Sounds more like a proto-James Bond versus supervillain to me. And it might have worked out a heck of a lot better (story-wise and interest-wise) if Sherlock actually seemed smarter than average--but he doesn't. Matty is smarter than Sherlock. Matty has to explain so many things to Sherlock. Fans of Sherlock Holmes are used to him being the smartest person on the page. And he's not.

Oh...and one final thing. Why on earth did we introduce the antagonistic Mrs. Danvers-like character. All she does is stand around and glare at Sherlock and whisper things like "You're not welcome here, boy." But she does so to no purpose. Sorry if it's a spoiler--but she has absolutely nothing to do with the plot. Nothing. I have no idea why Lane thought he needed to add this pointless antagonist to the Holmes household. You meet her and think she must have some sort of hold over Sherringford Holmes and/or his wife and that this is going to be relevant to the plot in some way. Nope. Unless Lane plans on carrying this little side story forward and making it relevant later in the series, this was just wasted space on the page. [And for the record--I don't plan on finding out. Not interested enough to go on with the series.]

It would be nice if those in charge of the estates of some of our greatest detective novelists actually seemed to care about the legacy of the work instead of making more money based on their forbears' genius (Christie estate, I'm particularly looking at you). This is "the first teen series endorsed by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Estate" and one wonders if those in charge have actually read Doyle's work.

★★ , but only because I actually like Amyus Crowe, his daughter Virginia, and Matty. Sherlock is okay--for an average teenager. I just wish he were more Holmes-like. If the rating were based on resemblance to the original Sherlock Holmes, then I'd be tempted to hand out no stars.

First line (Prologue): The first time Matthew Arnatt saw the cloud of death, it was floating out the first-floor window of a house near where he was living.

First lines (1st Chapter): "You there! Come here!"

Last line: Which meant that he could never rest either.
**************

Deaths = 5 (two natural; three stung to death)

Murder on the Ballarat Train

 Murder on the Ballarat Train (1991) by Kerry Greenwood

The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher and her devoted companion Dot are on their way to Ballarat for a week. For once, Phryne has decided to leave her red Hispano-Suiza behind--much to Dot's relief (Miss Fisher drives like a demon)--and take a slow trip on the Ballarat train. But even though they aren't negotiating hairpin turns or barreling along like race car drivers, danger is never far away when Phryne Fisher is around. 

Fortunately, Phryne was sleeping lightly when their train car was flooded with chloroform. She quickly shot out the window with her little Beretta .32 bringing fresh air into the compartment and her efforts managed to save everyone aboard...except the bossy old woman who had harassed her daughter for the entire journey. Mrs. Henderson has disappeared from the train. There's evidence that the old woman was dragged out the compartment window and later her body is found along the train tracks. Miss Henderson asks Phryne to find out who killed her mother.

Also on the train is a young girl who can't remember anything and the police ask Phryne if she will take care of the girl...unless she'd rather they turn the girl over to Welfare. Which Phryne very definitely does not want to do. And after they arrive home, Dr. MacMillan examines her, and it's discovered that she has been molested, Phryne decides that she will keep the girl for her own rather than send her to Welfare or back to whomever abused her. But she does want to find out where the girl came from so she can repay the abuser in spades.

So...Phryne has two mysteries to solve. Mysteries that will lead her to the university rowing team where Miss Henderson's fiancé can be found (motive--to speed Miss Henderson's anticipated inheritance) and on to a rather disreputable boarding house where a once-great hypnotists lives and another young girl in desperate circumstances waits to be rescued. Do the two mysteries connect? And if so, how? 

I enjoyed this one more than the Green Mill, possibly because it starts on a train and I do like a mystery on a train. It would have been even nicer if the train journey had lasted longer, but you can't have everything. This is also a good entry into the series because it tells us how Jane and Ruth come into Phryne's household. Still a good story, but I have noticed as I reread these how obvious the suspects are. The mysteries read more like police procedurals or inverted mysteries where we know who the bad guys are we just need to see how the good guys are going to track them down and nail them for their crimes. I'm not complaining. I love the Phryne Fisher books. But my memory from reading these pre-blog was that there was more detecting going on. ★★★★

First line: Fortunately, the Hon. Phryne Fisher was a light sleeper.

Last line: There must be a reason in it all, thought Dot, and fell asleep trying to think of one.

*****************

Deaths = two strangled

The Green Mill Murder

 The Green Mill Murder (1993) by Kerry Greenwood

All Phryne Fisher wants is to enjoy an evening of jazz and dancing in the company of a presentable partner--which Charles Freeman is, even though he's not the most spectacular of partners (and has an overbearing mother in the background, to boot). The evening is going well--the music at the Green Mill, Melbourne's premier dance hall, has been excellent, she's been suitably admired in her beautiful lobelia-colored dress, and there's been plenty of people-watching to do during the dance competition that has entered its 48th hour. Everything's good...until one of the men in the last two competition couples falls at her feet, dead from a stab to the heart. 

Phryne's favorite policeman, Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, is called in to investigate, but the case is going to be a tricky one. The place is immediately searched and there is no weapon to be found. It seems that no one near enough to the dead man could have stabbed him...and even if they could have, what did they do with the long, thin knife? Meanwhile, Phryne's escort has taken a powder and even though she doesn't believe Charles had the nerve or the gumption to murder anyone, she knows he must be found. Especially when his mother hires Phryne to find her son...well, actually not just one son but two. 

It seems that Charles' elder brother Victor (whom Mrs. Freeman has long said died in the war) really came home. He was "damaged" from shell-shock and disappeared into the wilderness of the mountain country. Mr. Freeman has recently died and Victor must be found to clear up matters of inheritance. Phryne is shocked to realize that Mrs. Freeman would rather that "Vic" be found to have died--because then everything would come to her and Charles. But Phryne can't resist a mystery and sets off to find both men. 

The trail leads through the smoky jazz clubs, into the arms of a muscular banjo player, and up into the air as she makes a quick plane jump to the mountain country. It all ends with danger on the edge of the mountain (and Phryne's triumph with the aid of a potato-hungry wombat) and the unmasking of the culprit back at the jazz club where it all began.

This entry into the Phryne Fisher adventures starts with a bang (well a cornet solo, anyway) and a murder right off the bat. It's a quite normal romp through Miss Fisher's Australia, moves at high speed, and has adventures & romance galore. I love the Phryne series, but while this one is a perfectly fine addition to her cases it doesn't rank with the best. There is basically one clue to the murder--which, if you miss it the first time, is repeated several times--I guess to make up for the fact that there aren't any others. The culprit is obvious and I didn't feel like Phryne did near as much detecting as in other mysteries. 

But it is still fun to follow her around through Melbourne and the Australian countryside. I enjoy the descriptions of her fabulous wardrobe and the beautiful scenery on the mountainside. It made for a very pleasant, quick read. ★★★ and 1/4.

First line: It was eleven by the Green Mill's clock when the cornet player went into a muted reprise in "Bye Bye Blackbird," and one of the marathon dancers plunged heavily and finally to the floor at Phryne Fisher's feet.

Last line: Phryne let go the breath she had been holding and started to laugh/
*****************

Deaths = 3 (one stabbed; one natural; one hit on head)

Historical Reading Challenge

 

I could have sworn I signed up for Marg's Historical Fiction Reading Challenge over at The Intrepid Reader, but I can't find evidence of it. So...here I am signing up for sure. I've still got a couple of historical series to work on, so I definitely can do another round If historical fiction is your thing (or you'd like to see if it is), take a peek at the details at the link above.

I'm going to sign up for the Victorian Reader level (5 books). I may wind up venturing further, but if I reach my initial goal then I will claim the challenge complete.

1. Murder by Lamplight by Patrice McDonough (3/19/25)

2. The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood (3/23/25)

3. Murder on the Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood (3/24/25)

4. Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud by Andrew Lane (3/25/25)

5. Death at Victoria Dock by Kerry Greenwood (3/27/25)

Victorian

The Incredible Umbrella

 The Incredible Umbrella (1979) by Marvin Kaye

Among these unfinished tales is that of Mr. James Phillimore, who, stepping back into his own house to get his umbrella, was never more seen in this world. ["The Problem of Thor Bridge" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]

Kaye takes this description of one of Sherlock Holmes' unrecorded cases and weaves a fantasy-driven, mystery-adventure starring J. Adrian Fillmore, disillusioned professor* in need of a good thesis after an unproductive research sabbatical. After abruptly leaving an unproductive meeting with his advisor Professor Quintana, Fillmore follows one of his favorite escape routes--a good jaunt through various antique, book and curio, and junk shops. He ends at one of his favorites, a little out-of-the-way place where bargains are sure to be had. As he takes his treasures (primarily books) up to the register, the owner convinces him to look over the bargain tables in the middle where he spies a large umbrella--too large for everyday use but too small for a beach umbrella. Somehow, he winds up taking it home for 25 cents, even though the proprietor tells him the darn thing won't open.

After reconsidering his reluctance to work with his advisor, he decides he really must apologize to Quintana and get down to work. He sets out next morning to do just that, but it's raining cats and dogs. So, forgetting that the thing doesn't work, he grabs the new umbrella, steps outside, and...opens it up. And the next thing he knows he's been transported to the melodious world of Gilbert and Sullivan. From there, he finds himself wandering through the worlds of Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, Mr. Pickwick, Sherringford Holmes & Ormund Sacker (the original names for Doyle's famous pair), and then Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson. At first, there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to where he winds up, but then he realizes that someone else is after his umbrella. And he ends up joining forces with Holmes himself to defeat the plans of the Napoleon of crime.

I remember reading this when I first found it in the 1980s. I didn't record it, so I don't have a definite rating, but I'm quite sure I would have given it five stars. I was delighted to find a story that took off from the mention of James Phillimore in Doyle's story. I loved the all of the various worlds Fillmore visited (and it sent me on the hunt for Edwin Abbott's Flatland). Reading it forty-some years later, I still find it an enjoyable adventure, but I really could have done without the Gilbert & Sullivan bits. That whole section doesn't really connect with the remainder of the book (except in one small way). Things are much more interesting once Fillmore gets involved with proto-Holmes and, finally, with Holmes himself. ★★★ and 1/2 for this late-life reading of a youthful favorite. 

*As an administrative support person for a doctoral program, I must say that Fillmore's plight strikes me as that of a graduate student rather than a full-fledged professor. He has to report to an overbearing advisor. He's supposed to be finishing a dissertation. A professor might need to be finishing a book to get tenure, but he certainly won't be kowtowing to a dissertation advisor. Okay...soapbox moment over.

First line: "We've a first-rate assortment of magic," said the dapper little merchant.

Then, he also found a hardback edition of Carr's The Nine Wrong Answers: though less illustrious than the Benson unearthing, it was a scarce title nonetheless, especially as the paperback editions were all abridged; at any rate, it was a bargain at 19 cents. (Where did she come up with her figures?) [p. 18]

Last line: "Bit of a fey quality, I fancy," she remarked.
*****************

Deaths = two stabbed

Poisoned Apples

 Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty (2014) by Christine Heppermann

Christine Hepperman gives us fifty poem about modern teenage life based in vivid retellings of classic fairy tales. We have everything from Snow White to Beauty & the Beast, from Cinderella to the miller's daughter in Rumpelstiltskin; even the princess from the Princess and the Pea gets her moment*. Hepperman uses dark and pointed imagery to talk about the difficulties facing modern young women--difficulties that are grounded in problems as old as the fairy tales she employs. 

Some of the dark imagery come from the fairy tales, but most comes from the pressures of growing up female--worrying about not eating enough or too much; worrying about what you wear and whether it's appropriate; making sure your skin is perfect and you look good--but not too good to tempt the boys; being a good girl; staying on the right path; watching out for wolves... The poems hit home and speak to a new generation of teenage girls who have to navigate the dark forests filled with wolves and woodsmen, looking for the safety of grandma's house....or maybe looking for adventure without danger. ★★★★

*View from the Balcony

When my sleeve slips past
the black-and-blue patchwork of skin
during my practiced royal wave,
the crowd cheers even louder,
for here's the proof~
I am the kingdom's mottled sweetheart
who can feel a single pea like a fist
thrust through the mountain of eiderdown.

The prince hammers a kiss onto my cheek.
I look down into the shadows of the courtyard
and try to spot all the others, so many
real princesses
standing stiffly on the merciless cobblestones.

Murder by Lamplight

 Murder by Lamplight (2024) by Patrice McDonough

Julia Lewis is one of the few women licensed as practicing doctors in England 1866. Though universities within England do not accept female students, a loophole in the licensing laws (which accept credentials from foreign institutions) has allowed Julia, with her degree from an American women's medical college to be added to the medical register. She joins her (quite progressive) grandfather in his medical practice. When her grandfather suffers from a mild heart attack and must convalesce, she answers the summons from Scotland Yard for a medical examiner.

That November begins a series of gruesome murders that will test Dr. Julia Lewis and Detective Inspector Richard Tennant. The first body discovered is that of the "Saint of Spitalfields." The Reverend Mr. Tobias Atwater was well-known for his good works in the East End. So, why has his sexually mutilated body been found at the construction site for London's new sewer system--with his head in a brick sewer tunnel? And what is the meaning of the popped balloon found in the victim's pocket? In four years of practice, Julia has seen a lot of death--primarily from the recent cholera outbreak--but never like this.

A few days later another body is found, this time a prominent businessman, Sir Maxwell Ball, the chairman of the East London Waterworks Company. Though the body is not mutilated as was Atwater's, there are links--such as another popped balloon--so, reluctantly, Tennant calls in Dr. Julia Lewis once again. It's always best to have the same doctor exam victims thought to have been murdered by the same hand. Even with clues on the bodies and at the sites that link the victims, Tennant's team has difficulty finding links in their lives. One thing Tennant does notice is how staged the crime scenes appear; as if the culprit is saying, "Look what I did!" 

Before long, Tennant and others connected with the case begin receiving taunting letters and more victims fall prey to the killer's knife. There is a logic behind the killer's actions and he isn't quite finished. He won't be finished until he commits one more murder...Julia's. Will Tennant be able to unmask the killer before he completes his plan?

This is a very promising beginning to a new historical mystery series. The Victorian era is one of my favorite-to-read-about time periods, followed closely by early 20th C (through WWII) and the Regency period. What makes this book so enjoyable are the characters and the sense of place. She works well in the Victorian period. I definitely felt myself slipping into another era with the the descriptions of the workhouse, the clinics, the police procedures, and the brewing company. McDonough gives Julia Lewis and Richard Tennant rich, full backgrounds and allows them (and the reader) to discover new bits of backstory gradually, giving us time to get to know one another. I enjoyed the way she gave them similar incidents in the past so these two prickly individuals could find a common ground. Tennant is a Crimean War veteran with post-traumatic stress. Julia suffers from feelings of having let a fellow medical student down. And both feel like they have something to prove--to the world, to each other, and to themselves. And, of course, Tennant finds working with a female doctor irritating and unfathomable (at first). And, of course, Julia Lewis feels that every question is directed at her because she's a woman and not because it's Tennant's job to ask questions. It takes them time to learn how to respect and work with each other. 

The mystery plot is good--there is a very solid psychological motive given for the murders and I do like the way it unfolds. The murders are a bit gruesome for my tastes, but not so much so that it prevented my enjoyment. I will say that the final reveal wasn't quite as startling as it might be for those who are not as well-read in the mystery genre in general. Full honors to McDonough for a strong kick-off to the series, excellent characterization, and a writing style that kept me turning the pages. I look forward to more adventures with Dr. Lewis and Inspector Tennant. ★★★★

My thanks to Goodreads and Kensington Publishing for this book which I won through a Goodreads giveaway. I have received no other compensation and this review represents my individual reaction to the book.

First line (Prologue): A clanging jolted little Jacko from his broken sleep.

First line (Ch. 1): Julia Lewis edged her way through the gawping crowd.

Last line: They made one last turn around the circus, guided home by a ring of glowing lamplights.
*******************

Deaths = 15 (five stabbed; one hanged; five natural; three drowned; one hit on head)

No Vacation from Murder

  No Vacation from Murder (1973) by Elizabeth Lemarchand

Life is busier than usual at St. Julitta's School in Kittitoe during the summer holidays. Normally, they lease the grounds for just one session, but this year the board of governors have been convinced to let the school to Horner's Holidays for one of the company's Horner Discovery Fortnights. Previous visits to the area had found the Discovery retreat at a hotel in nearby Biddle Bay, but a fire had caused enough damage to the hotel to prevent its use. The board was unsure at first, but the fee that Horner's was willing to pay was definitely a deciding factor. The naysayers were afraid that there might be unwanted publicity associated with the venture. After all, Horner's is "so commercial." But the educational aspects of the Discovery Fortnights also helped win the day. The retreat provides an opportunity for adults to engage in outdoor and recreational interests, such as amateur archaeology, botanical exploration, and British architecture.

So, late summer finds 80-90 visitors descending upon St. Julitta's. Marcia Makepeace, Domestic Bursar for the school, is fully prepared--accommodations ready, meals planned, staff on duty (extra pay packets!). Horner's guiding lights and instructors arrive first: Michael Jay, Paul and Janice King, Susan Crump, and Geoffrey Boothby. Nearby, is Eddy Horner, founder and owner of the firm. He has recently become a grandfather and his daughter Penny Townsend and new grandson are staying with him in "Uncharted Seas," his bungalow on the coast. His son-in-law works in London and comes down on weekends and a relation of his first wife's Wendy Shaw, is on hand to provide nursing support for Penny and the baby. Wendy is training to be a nursery nurse and is a quiet and serious girl.

On the first evening of the Fortnight Horner invites the Discovery staff and Marcia to his bungalow for a small reception. Everyone gets a tour of the made-to-order bungalow and the women are all invited to admire the new grandson. The Discovery Fortnight is off to a swinging start. Everything goes well until the last evening. There is a massive rainstorm. There is a huge glitch in the timing of the final bus tour which puts the entire farewell program behind. After a lavish final dinner, there is a showing of the Discovery Fortnight film. Paul King always takes video of all of the lectures and outings during the Fortnight and shows an edited final version that is a big hit. Due to the late return from the bus tour, he's not sure he'll get the final edits made in time...but after filling in with a previously-made film on birds in the area, the big show is ready. 

As things are wrapping up, Marcia is called to the phone. Eddy Horner is a bit upset. He and his daughter had gone to the train station to meet his son-in-law leaving Wendy in charge of the baby at home. The train was late (what a day for lateness!) and when they got back to the bungalow, there was no sign of Wendy. Her coat and purse are gone as well and Eddy wants to know, "Was young Wendy Shaw at your place this evening?" Even though both Eddy and Marcia (who talked with the quiet young girl that evening at the bungalow) don't believe she would have abandoned the baby, the police believe she must have taken off with a man. But then...her strangled body is found at the seaside end of a blowhole near the school and Superintendent Tom Pollard and Sergeant Toye arrive from Scotland Yard to take up the investigation. The more they learn about Wendy, the more they realize that Eddy and Marcia were right--the young woman wouldn't normally have abandoned a baby in her charge. So, what could have happened to cause her to do so? And why would anyone have needed to kill her? Motives are pretty thin on the ground, but Pollard doesn't believe this was a random killing or a theft gone wrong. Proving that and finding the evidence to convict is going to be pretty tricky, though.

The Pollard and Toye books are good, solid police procedurals with fully realized characters. Even those characters, like Wendy's mother, who appear briefly come to life during their short appearance. Pollard and Toye have a nice dynamic and work well together and Pollard is an intuitive investigator who adapts his questioning style to fit the person he's interviewing. He's able to handle the neurotic Mrs. Shaw and the intense, in-charge Eddy Horner with equal ease. 

I did spot the culprit, though I didn't pick up on the various instances of emphasis that should have told me the motive. That's all I lacked to complete the case. I was very suspicious of the apparent alibi and was not surprised when Pollard saw how to get round it. Those who are swifter on the uptake than me might figure out what the culprit was really after and why Wendy had to die. ★★★★

*I do have one random question though. What on earth does the cover have to do with anything? I mean, considering that a high percentage of British mysteries take place in England and having tea is kind of a big thing in England, this could, quite honestly, be a scene from any British mystery ever. It certainly doesn't represent this book in any meaningful way.

First lines: "Those in favour?" From the Chair Philip Cary ran a practised eye round the library table.

Last line: "Really," Marcia said, "aren't our policemen wonderful?"
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Deaths = 2 (one car accident; one strangled)