05 Tuesday Jul 2022
Posted in detective, Fiction, homicide investigation, murder, murder and investigation, mystery, suspense, thriller
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Selection for the Weston Mystery Book Discussion Group 2022
15 Friday Apr 2022
Posted in detective, Fiction, Historical Fiction, murder and investigation, mystery
Readers of literary mysteries will want to seek out a copy of The Coroner’s Lunch, the first of a series set in the country of Laos in the throes of its communist takeover during the 1970s. These engaging stories feature a strong sense of place and a sympathetic protagonist, one Siri Paiboun, a 72-year-old physician and lonely widower. Dr. Siri, who hopes to retire quietly is instead conscripted as the country’s sole medical examiner and finds his work draws him into ever more suspicious and dangerous entanglements.
”The sights, smells, and colors of Laos practically jump of the pages of this inspired, often wryly witty first novel.” —Denver Post
”In Siri, Cotterill has created a detective as distinctive as Maigret or Poirot.” —Orlando Sentinel
”This series kickoff is an embarrassment of riches: Holmesian sleuthing, political satire, and [a] droll comic study of a prickly late bloomer.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
”A wonderfully fresh and exotic mystery . . . If Cotterill . . . had done nothing more than treat us to Siri’s views on the dramatic, even comic crises that mark periods of government upheaval, his debut mystery would still be fascinating. But the multiple cases spread out on Siri’s examining table . . . are not cozy entertainments but substantial crimes that take us into the thick of political intrigue.” —New York Times Book Review
28 Monday Feb 2022
Posted in 20th century, detective, Fiction, mystery
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The author does a great job of creating the atmosphere of the 1970’s – it felt nostalgic and like a trip back to a simpler time.
“Amy Mason Doan creates a whole world and mood with her exquisitely crafted novel, Lady Sunshine. It’s replete with late-’70s nostalgia, and Doan masterfully renders the lives of musicians and those who are drawn to them, no matter the price. A delicious daydream of a book.”
—Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of 28 Summers
“With a winning combination of lyrical writing and a page-turning plot, Amy Mason Doan chronicles the evolution and mysterious demise of the friendship between two young women at the California estate-cum-commune of a renowned musician. A tone-perfect evocation of the free-spirited late 1970s and a riveting coming-of-age story, Lady Sunshine captures the highs of artistic creation, the dangers of hero worship, and the costs of trying to outrun your past. This sun-dappled book has it all: heart, smarts, and an irresistible musical beat.”—Karen Dukess, author of The Last Book Party
18 Tuesday Jan 2022
A 2021 Weston Mystery Book Group approved title.
Looking for a literary cozy mystery with a touch of dry humor? This is one of a series by respected British author Catherine Aird which features butlers, eccentric old aunts and bodies in the library.
“A shining . . . star . . . a most ingenious lady . . . The very best in British mystery.” —The New Yorker
13 Wednesday Oct 2021
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families, FBI, investigation, missing persons, Sausalito (CA), Secrecy, stepdaughters, thriller fiction
03 Friday Sep 2021
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authors, authorship, book plots, novelists, plagiarism, psychological, theft, truthfulness and falsehood
When a failed writer hears an amazing idea for a novel, he never imagines he’ll one day get the chance to take it for the plot of his own book. His book is a huge success, but someone else knows that it wasn’t really his idea. This suspenseful novel was a real page turner!
“As a longtime fan of Korelitz’s novels (including “You Should Have Known,” which was made into HBO’s “The Undoing”), I will say that I think The Plot is her gutsiest, most consequential book yet. It keeps you guessing and wondering, and also keeps you thinking: about ambition, fame and the nature of intellectual property (the analog kind).”―The New York Times Book Review
“Deep character development, an impressively thick tapestry of intertwining story lines, and a candid glimpse into the publishing business make this a page-turner of the highest order. Korelitz deserves acclaim for her own perfect plot.”
―Publishers Weekly (STARRED Review)
“’The Plot’ is wickedly funny and chillingly grim…it deserves to garner all the brass rings.”―The Wall Street Journal
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11 Wednesday Aug 2021
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The author, Lea Wait, died last year and was known for her cozy mysteries, though this one is an historical mystery. It was independently published. I really liked this book.
It’s April of 1865, disabled Civil War veteran lawyer Aaron Stone, visiting his Aunt Cornelia in upstate New York State and hoping to end the pain and nightmares only opium and morphine can mitigate, finds a bludgeoned body revealed by receding Erie Canal flood waters. He determines to identify the unknown man and bring peace to that man’s family.
29 Tuesday Jun 2021
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detective and mystery, Irish Republican Army, Northern Ireland, single mothers, sisters, suspense
A gripping, suspenseful page-turner that follows two sisters living in Northern Ireland. Once I started, this was hard to put down!
“[A] twisting . . . emotional thriller . . . Berry’s portrayal of Irish life is uncannily accurate . . . dropping readers headfirst into the emotions of living in conflict.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A chilling, gorgeously written tale of a modern community poisoned by ancient grievances . . . Berry is a beautiful writer with a sophisticated, nuanced understanding of this most complicated of places.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Thrillingly good . . . Flynn Berry shows a le Carré-like flair for making you wonder what’s really going on at any given moment . . . Berry won an Edgar for Under the Harrow in 2017. Here comes another contender.” —The Washington Post
“A taut and compassionate thriller . . . [and a] reflection on personal choice and consequence . . . A poignant and lyrical novel that asks what is worth sacrificing for peace.” —Kirkus (starred review)
26 Friday Feb 2021
“An intriguing look at life in 19th-century New England, a heroine whose goodness guides all her decisions, and a mystery that surprises.”―Kirkus Reviews
“Rose Carroll is a richly crafted and appealing sleuth. A terrific historical read.”―Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author
“The historical setting is redolent and delicious, the townspeople engaging, and the plot a proper puzzle, but it’s Rose Carroll―midwife, Quaker, sleuth―who captivates in this irresistible series debut.”―Catriona McPherson, award-winning author of the Dandy Gilver series
19 Tuesday Jan 2021
Posted in 20th century, detective, Fiction, murder and investigation, mystery, suspense
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Armand Gamache (fictitious character), attempted murder, billionaires, Canada, codes and cipher, conspiracies, detective, France, Paris, Quebec
Even though this is the 16th book in a series, you don’t need to have read the previous books to enjoy this mystery. Penny is expert at creating a sense of place. In these times when we can’t travel, revel in Paris sounds, tastes, sights. You’ll experience the underlying theme of all of Penny’s books: to Honor Thy Family ― the one you were born with and the one you’ve acquired during your lifetime.
“Armand Gamache seems as much a spiritual warrior as a homicide detective… What stays with the reader are the tender passages, the human insights, the reminders of what makes life worth living.”―Wall Street Journal
“Exceptional… Penny’s nuanced exploration of the human spirit continues to distinguish this brilliant series.”―Publishers Weekly (starred)
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