The Borgia Betrayal: A Poisoner Mystery Novel
by Sara Poole
The Next Tudors (7/6/2011)
The latest trend in historical fiction seems to be the Borgia family. THE BORGIA BETRAYAL by Sara Poole is a sequel to POISON. I really felt that I needed to have read that before I tackled this one. I was missing some of the facts I needed to read this. I find the family interesting and enjoyed the story here, however. The author does need to work on her voice. I felt, at times, that the characters were much too modern in tone, both their attitudes and the way they expressed themselves.
Bad Boy: An Inspector Banks Novel
by Peter Robinson
Bad boys can be alluring (7/18/2010)
In this latest entry in the Inspector Banks series, Banks' daughter Tracy finds herself mixed up with a "bad boy". The book is an entertaining police procedural with a personal touch. This was the first of Robinson's books that I have read although I have often heard of him. The book does stand alone, but I felt I missed a great deal by not being more familiar with the characters and their interaction.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
Sign Me Up. (7/27/2008)
I would love to be a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This is a delightful book! The authors are able to develop wonderful characters, convey little known WWII history and demonstrate a love of books and reading through a series of letters and telegrams. There's even a romance. I would recommend this book to everyone.
Seven for a Secret: A John the Eunuch Mystery
by Mary and Eric Mayer Reed
Seven for a Secret (2/8/2008)
Because Seven for a Secret is the next in a series, I originally felt that I had to have read the earlier books to understand the characters, but I soon found that between the writing itself and the Glossary at the end of the book, I was able to enjoy the story.
John, Lord Chamberlain to Justinian 1, attempts to unravel the death of a mysterious woman, but the most interesting part of the book is the interaction with the merchants and denizens of Constantinople. I was fascinated with the historical aspects of the story.
The Critic: The Second of the Enzo Files
by Peter May
Have a glass of wine... (11/10/2007)
In Peter May's second Enzo MacLeod The Critic, the mystery plays second fiddle to the techniques of the wine making industry. Despite two murders and several attempts on the main character's life, the book does not really become intense until the end. It is well written and an enjoyable read, but the early pace is rather slow. This reader was particularly upset by an incident of animal abuse that did not move the story forward. On the other hand, Enzo's attempt to smuggle soil samples on the plane to the US was quite amusing.
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