carolsnotebook's reviews
1615 reviews

 

Mystery on Hidden Lane is thirst of the Eve Mallow mysteries, a series that is longer than I realized when I picked this audiobook up at NetGalley. Eve is an obituary writer (think feature length obituaries for magazines), which is a career I haven’t run into before. She also holds a job at a school to supplement her income, but she’s taken a small break from that to head off to the small village of Saxford St Peter to research recently deceased cellist, Bernard Fitzpatrick. On the day of her arrival, however, the police release news that the man had been murdered.

Turns out Eve is in the perfect position to investigate the case, especially when she thinks the detective in charge of the case is incompetent. Eve makes a good amateur sleuth. She’s naturally curious and has practice putting people at ease as she pumps them for information. She’s observant and does her research on both her subject and those around him. Eve also has an adorable little dachshund, Gus, who goes most everywhere with her and who she talks to regularly, which I can relate to. She fits easily and quickly into village life.

The mystery is well done. There are a lot of secrets being hidden in the town and Eve has several potential suspects. I was surprised by who the killer turned out to be.

I listened to the audio and the narrator did a good job. She brought out Eve’s emotions and thoughts well and kept the other characters. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and this one was fine, the narrator stayed out of the story’s way, if that makes sense. I’ll probably pick up the next one on audio at some point. 

I love a good holiday cozy mystery. I did read the first in this series a couple of years ago, but it’s an easy one to just pick up. Juniper Holiday has invited lots of people to her Thanksgiving dinner, including the local police detective, Desmond Mallard. But when someone is poisoned, Juni somehow ends up both the prime suspect and potentially the intended victim. She of course decides she has to figure out what’s going on.

Juniper is funny and eccentric and not afraid to speak her mind. There’s a touch of paranormal: a few helpful ghosts, and a friendly neighborhood potions master. The whodunnit was a little obvious, but I don’t typically mind that too much as long as the rest of the story is enjoyable, which it was.

I listened to the audio and my one complaint is that the narrator was awful. Her inflections were over-the-top and didn’t always seem to fit the story. This is one that might be better in print. 

 

All’s Fair in Love and Treachery is the second book featuring Lady Petra, but I didn’t read the first. I do think I missed out a little by not reading the first. The author did a good job of catching the reader up on the relationships, but a lot of it had to do with wrapping up events from the first book. Petra has discovered her childhood best friend and current lover, Duncan, may have murdered her fiancé’s three years ago. Duncan, of course, leaves before Petra can confront him and she thinks the worst of him Why do women in cozy mysteries always do that? Assume that the man who has always been nothing but honest and caring is actually lying to her and making a fool out of her? In the meantime, Queen Charlotte has asked Petra to look into the death of the matron at the Asylum for Female Orphans. The matron was probably murdered and there may be a connection with a group of radicals who want to tear down the monarchy.

The mystery moves along at a good pace. It’s a bit convoluted but the characters make up for it, and I enjoyed the setting. The regency era is not one I visit often. Petra and her friends are lively and fun and determined. Her romance with Duncan is sweet and I like that he realizes she is not one to be left behind when there’s an adventure.

There are several twists and turns but in the end things are wrapped up nicely. I listened to the audio and the narrator did a good job with the pacing, accents, and distinguishing the characters. I just wish she hadn’t made Petra seem so whiny.