Book Review: The Paris Mystery by Kirsty Manning

The Paris Mystery is a cosy crime novel set in 1930's Paris, on the cusp of WWII. It is the first book in Kirsty Manning's Charlotte 'Charlie' James series.

 

Journalist Charlie James leaves Australia for a position at The Times Paris. She purposefully calls herself Charlie to circumvent preconceived notions of women in journalism.

Charlie is sent to cover a ball held by socialites Lord & Lady Ashworth. When a prominent Parisian is found murdered in the grounds of the ball, Charlie seizes the opportunity to interview attendees hoping this will be the scoop that will prove to her boss that she can do this job.

 

The Paris Mystery is an enthralling mystery. I had no idea who had murdered the victim and as Charlie, together with the police, interview each person we find that many people disliked the man enough to kill him.

 

An eclectic group of characters are introduced from many different countries that make up the Parisian community.

 

Kirsty Manning lusciously describes the beautiful gowns worn by Charlie and her friend Violet and evokes the sense of a flamboyant Paris before the hardships of war. The food, clothes and extravagant balls are all enchantingly described to bring the setting alive. 

 

As The Paris Mystery is the first in a series the pace is slow as the reader gets to know Charlie and the circumstances that led her to Paris.

 

Kirsty Manning takes her readers to 1930's Paris, to a world of luscious gowns, extravagant balls, illicit affairs, blackmail, murder and spirited females.

 

My rating 3 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 30th August 2022

Series: Charlotte 'Charlie' James #1

Pages: 320

Source: Own copy

 

Book Review: Murder of a Suffragette by Marty Wingate

I enjoyed this cosy murder mystery set in the 1920’s and around a meeting of suffragettes.

The murder is discovered quite early in the book and as the investigation unfolds the mystery builds. Our protagonist Mabel Canning calls in her friends from the London Ladies Murder Club. Murder of a Suffragette is book 4 in a series but I didn’t feel like I had missed anything by not reading the previous books.

 

Murder of a Suffragette is a slow burn, character driven story. A nice easy read to sit down in a comfy seat with a cup of tea.

 

A few red herrings had me guessing and double guessing who the murderer was. I never did get it right.

 

Murder of a Suffragette is a light read with an engaging mystery, a touch of humour and memorable characters ( especially Gladys the dog). Perfect to escape into for a few hours.

 

My rating: 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐ 

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 28th October 2024

Genre: Cosy Mystery

Pages: 331

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

 

 

 

Book Review: Can't Buy Me Love by Jane Lovering

I read Can't Buy Me Love for the #DymocksReadingChallenge and it also qualifies for my TBR challenge.

 

When Willow's grandfather dies she is in line for a substantial inheritance. Then when an old University crush, Luke, arrives in town and asks her out it seems all her dreams are coming true.

 

Not long after Willow and Luke start dating she meets computer geek Cal, her brother's friend. They get on so well and have the same quirky sense of humour but Cal seems to be hiding something and Luke keeps disappearing for days at a time on vague work meetings. Willow finds herself struggling with who she can trust.

Can't Buy Me Love is such a fun story! Jane Lovering has given her readers characters to love and characters to hate.

I liked that she has included a character with a disability and shown them as smart, capable and fun.

 

There are mysteries surrounding both Cal and Luke and the odd misunderstanding, and of course there is going to be one that you hope Willow will end up with. 

 

Can't Buy Me Love is a fun, easy read filled with heart and humour. Recommended for a lazy afternoon's reading. 

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

Publisher: Choc Lit

Publication date: 9th May 2017

Genre: RomCom

Pages: 288

Source: own copy 

Book Review: Head for the Hills by Tricia Stringer

 I'm finding Head for the Hills very hard to review. Whilst I enjoyed the storyline, and it kept me reading and engaged, I didn't enjoy the characters. For me, the story needed at least one character that was fun and cheerful.

 

When a local of Jesserton, a small town in the Adelaide Hills, dies unexpectedly the sale of his land to a large hotel chain divides the community and causes animosity between sisters Margot and Roslyn.

 

Margot is very much against the idea of the hotel and decides to gather the community together to voice their concerns. However as the hotel's sales team start to sweet talk the local business owners' allegiances move, causing conflict in the community. 

The story of the development revolves around a side story of relationships within Margot's own family. Which includes her children, their partners, her sister and sister-in-law.

There were lots of secrets being kept and I felt Roslyn seemed to undermine Margot by not being open with her about the things she was doing. The sisters were close; they lived next door to each other and there was plenty of opportunity to be honest and upfront.

I found all the characters to be very judgy of each other. The adult children came across as entitled and Margot's husband really got my ire up.

There is also a theme of homelessness when Roslyn is coerced into taking in a homeless teen who is escaping an abusive relationship. Amber is angry with the whole world but Roslyn starts to warm to her as she sees that Amber is really trying to make a go at life. This leads to Roslyn looking into what more she can do for the homeless and disadvantaged.

 

I did love the menu chapter headings for the family dinner nights.

Head for the Hills is a story about small towns, progress, homelessness and family. It would make for a great holiday read.

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Publication date: 2nd October 2024 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 464

RRP: AU$34.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Books I've read and rated 5 stars by Tricia Stringer

TABLE FOR EIGHT

BIRDS OF A FEATHER
BACK ON TRACK

Also worth a read

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

 

Book Review: Shadow Lives by Neil A White

Shadow Lives is an unforgettable and moving story. I was completely enamoured with Matt by the end of the book. His growth from a man who only thought of himself to someone who risked his life for a woman he didn't even know was so realistic and well plotted.

 

Addicted to prescription drugs and having an open contempt for authority Matt has no trouble getting himself into, and out of, life or death situations. This makes for a suspenseful and action packed story.

 

Foreign Correspondent Matt Latham is in Ukraine to interview Russian Billionaire philanthropist Arkady Voronin. A bomb goes off as he is about to enter the club in which the interview was to take place, killing his interpreter Katya Formina and causing Matt to end up in hospital with memory loss.

 

Feeling responsible for Katya's death Matt visits her parents and finds out Katya has been searching for her sister who left home two years ago for a modelling job. Matt decides he will find Nadiya and bring her home.

What starts out as an exclusive interview with a Russian Billionaire soon turns into a story of spys, human trafficking, rape, abuse, political intrigue and corruption. 

 

Shadow Lives is at times hard to read, especially the chapters on the trafficked teenage girls.

 

Fans of noir fiction will love this flawed protagonist. Matt Latham is both frustrating and endearing in equal measures.

 

I found Shadow Lives to be gripping, tension filled and highly engaging.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Content: rape, abuse, drug use, suicide. 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 30th July 2024

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 325

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Book Review: Prize Catch by Alan Carter

I've always enjoyed Alan Carter's writing and Prize Catch is no exception. Not only are his characters engaging the settings are always evocative and beautifully described.

 

With Prize Catch Alan Carter has mixed a cleverly crafted plot with superb character development.

 

Sam Willard is a complex mixture of hero and villain. I haven't come across such a likeable anti-hero as Sam since Jack Dunne in Outrider.

Prize Catch is rich in suspense and although I found the beginning slow the pace soon picked up and I became totally immersed in the story.

I liked that it was set during the early days of Covid lockdowns which made an isolated Tasmania the perfect setting for a manhunt.

 

With dual plot lines of activists against a big salmon farm and war crimes in Afghanistan, I was eager to see how these two vastly different areas would come together.

 

Prize Catch is a riveting crime novel but I think it was the fabulous characters that really stood out to me. 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 1st October 2024

Genre: Crime

Pages: 312pp

RRP: AU$34.99

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Good Reading Magazine

*This review appeared first for the Good Reading Early Bird reviews.

Other Alan Carter books I've reviewed:

DOOM CREEK

CROCODILE TEARS 

 

 

Book Review: Shadow City by Natalie Conyer

Shadow City is my first book by Natalie Conyer and as soon as I'd finished I was searching out more of her work.

Shadow City is set in both Sydney, Australia and Cape Town, South Africa. Conyer keenly portrays her characters' love for their hometowns and expertly depicts how hard it is to leave your home even when the situation is dire.

 

DS Jackie Rose is called after the discovery of the body of a young woman. The death is at first thought to be a drug overdose but as the pathologist examines the body it becomes clear this is a case of ongoing abuse and questions of people trafficking and enslavement arise.

Veteran Detective Schalk Lourens, disillusioned with life, and suspended from duty pending an ongoing inquiry, decides to visit his daughter in Australia. A friend asks him if he can look into the disappearance of a young South African woman who went to Australia a few months ago on a scholarship. Schalk is then introduced to Jackie and her team in Homicide.

 

I was swept away with this whole story. The police procedural was compelling and moved along at a fast pace as they pieced together snippets of information and CCTV footage.

 

I loved that the story wasn't all about the crime. We got to know the characters on a personal level and I enjoyed that lovely bit of chemistry between Schalk and Jackie.

Conyer has a sharp instinct for character rendering them real and likeable. I could see how I was cleverly steered to like or dislike the characters.

 

I was impressed by how Conyer adds diversity to her story and characters without it ever feeling contrived.

 

Shadow City always has plenty happening which keeps the pages turning and I have to say, 'I couldn't put this book down!"  The suspense builds slowly and the atmosphere sizzles with menace making Shadow City an utterly addictive read.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Content: There are mentions of people trafficking, enslavement and abuse however it isn't overly graphic.

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 3rd September 2024

Genre: Crime / Suspense

Pages: 325

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Book Review: The Medusa Situation by Gabiann Marin

 Lovers of Greek Mythology will probably get a lot more from this humorously witty story than I did. However, even though I'm not totally clued up on Greek Mythology I still know enough to see how funny The Medusa Situation by Gabiann Marin was. Google helped me out with some of the gods' back stories.

 

In The Medusa Situation Gabiann Marin places the gods of old in today's world, living out their immortality in Western Sydney whilst watching reality TV. They still have their differences and petty battles but life isn't as luxurious as when they were revered by mortals.

Medusa's head has been stolen and her sisters ask Hera for help to find who stole it. What follows is a hilarious romp through different realms uncovering the regrets, animosity and squabbles of the top echelons of Greek gods.

 

Gabiann Marin uses an omniscient narrative style which is so well executed the story flows effortlessly.

The Medusa Situation is Greek Mythology with a feminist twist. This very witty, humorous and ungodlike satirical take on Greek Mythology will appeal not only to mythology enthusiasts but anyone with a sense of humour.

My rating 4 /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Clan Destine Press

Publication date: 1st July 2024

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 260

RRP:AU$36.95 (paperback)

Source: courtesy of the publisher