I thoroughly enjoyed this work of historical fiction. The characters are well developed and the plot is thrilling. Fiorato deftly weaves historical characters into her fiction and her descriptions of Venice and the Plague were fascinating. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in 16th-century Venice, the BlackPlague, medicine during that age and the Ottoman Empire. It is dramatic, romantic, chilling and thrilling. Well-written and a great deal of fun.

When Vita Kennford and her 15-year-old daughter, Laura are found dead, Maeve Kerrigan and her colleagues have to decide whether they were the real targets or whether someone had been out to get revenge on Philip Kennford, amoral barrister and serial adulterer.

The book is told in the first person, so we are treated to a police-eye view of detection and to Maeve's rather wicked sense of humor. We see Maeve's relationships with her colleagues develop, particularly with her DI, Josh Derwent, a randy, sexist detective who has seen hundreds of rapes and murders, but is appalled when a beautiful woman admits to having an abortion. His character, I felt, is a bit too stereotypical and hyperbolic to be believable. I cannot imagine that his sexist comments or treatment of suspects would really be tolerated in this day and age.

I found Maeve's character and her struggles as a female detective to be interesting and sympathetic. One aspect of Maeve's character that I found grating and tedious, however, was her commitment issues. Too much time is spent on her insecurities and suspicions of her partner, Rob's, infidelity.

Overall I thought the book was good. Most of the story moves quickly, although the gang subplot can get somewhat tedious at times. There are enough clues along the way to keep you guessing, the characters are well-developed and the writing is really good. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a well-plotted police procedural peopled with some very interesting characters, both good and bad.

This book was a fascinating and compelling read. Although I know that Lincoln made it safely to Washington for his first inauguration, this book kept me on the edge of my seat with the unfolding details of the Baltimore assassination plot and the attempts to insure the safety of the president-elect. The contrast between the level of protection for our leaders today and the accessibility and security risks to Lincoln are startling. One often forgets how dangerous and arduous the train journey from Springfield to Washington was in 1861. The author brings all of these vividly to life.

I found Pinkerton's biography to be particularly interesting and found his ideas about detection and his use of women as detectives to be particularly fascinating and truly ahead of his time.The personalities, virtues, flaws and rivalries of all the men and women in this book come vividly to life.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Lincoln, American history, and detective stories.

This is a wonderful debut novel. The book is a morally complex tale, filled with flawed characters whom you nevertheless end up routing for. From its opening pages to its final ones, I was enthralled. This is a wonderful exploration of life, love and responsibility. I would highly recommend this book.

I found this book disappointing and rather superficial. I found the book slow going in the beginning and I didn't really get much of a feeling for the characters, the time or the place. The mystery itself is somewhat interesting, but the setting of a Shaker community in 18th-century New England adds nothing to it. I wanted to know more about the Shakers as a religious community and especially why there was such animosity towards them. When all the suspects are gathered together at the end, a la Agatha Christie, the revelation of the murderer seems to come from nowhere. How Will Rees determines the connection between the victims and the murderer is unexplained. The relationship between Will and Lydia and Will's son, David, was more interesting than the actual mystery itself.

I would highly recommend this mystery. Set in 1937 in Stalinist Russia, the plot revolves around the murder of a young woman working on a film set. The murder quickly turns into a much more complicated affair with the revelation of old crimes and many dark secrets. The author creates an evocative atmosphere of dread ad oppression, in which any remark, thought or past allegiance can lead to imprisonment or death. Although set in a world in which human life seems to hold little value, William Ryan gives us a detective of extraordinary humanity in Alexei Korolev. His female counterpart, Nadezhda Slivka, is a breath of fresh air and irony in the midst of an oppressive regime. The mystery is complex but enthralling and the ending does not disappoint. I would highly recommend this work to anyone who craves a deeply satisfying and atmospheric historical mystery.

A Bitter Truth is another wonderful entry in the Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd. This mother-son writing team is strong on character development and have given the reader some fantastic characters to watch grow and change throughout this satisfying mystery. Some of the characters begin as sympathetic and then become irritating and childish; some are brave; some are stubborn and arrogant; some are threatening and cruel and become sympathetic over the course of the story. There are enough red herrings and a very satisfying conclusion to the central puzzle to satisfy any mystery lover. The introduction of Sergeant Larimore, who is as resourceful as Bess and totally charming if impulsive, brings hope that this strong heroine may find a worthy love interest. Modern concerns about sexual scandal, the right to die with dignity and the problems of readjustment to civilian life make this book quite topical although it is set during the horror of the First World War.

I highly recommend this book and the others in the series for anyone who enjoys a ripping good yarn, thoughtful characters, moral dilemmas and fine writing.

I'll adored this book. From it's opening paragraphs, I was hooked. Nicholas Trout is a wonderful storyteller and writes in an engaging and captivating way. His characters, both human and animal, come vividly alive on the pages of this enchanting book. The portrait of his parents, especially his father, is particularly powerful. I laughed and I cried in almost equal measure throughout the course of this emotionally charged and exceptionally satisfying book. I highly recommend this book. A delightful read with many lessons to be learned from both the humans and pets in this book.

I always look forward to the release of a new Charles Todd mystery, and "A Lonely Death" did not disappoint. The plot is carefully crafted and held my attention throughout. I especially enjoyed how all the characters in this small English village really came alive on the page. I also enjoy the development of Ian Rutledge throughout the series--there is always something new that we learn about him or some change that occurs to his character in the book. I highly recommend this book and all the others in the series.

I really loved this book. The author grabbed my attention from page 1 and held it until the end. Her writing is lyrical and evocative, especially in the sections dealing with the very young Alice. The author is so perceptive about a young girl on cusp of adolescence and the thrills and fears and confusion that she goes through as she experiences her first crush and wants to grow up but is reluctant to leave innocence and childhood behind. The bewildering array of emotions that this very young Alice experienced ranging from happiness to discomfort to deep sorrow are wonderfully evoked. All of the Alices presented in this book have distinctive voices and personalities that ring true.

There is much here for book club discussion, especially the issue of Dodgson's attachment to little girls. Was it innocent? Is the discomfort experienced looking at his photos and reading his books carefully a product of our 21st-century sensibilities or does it transcend time and place?

I highly recommend this book.

I read this mystery in one sitting and found it very entertaining and well-written. The action is virtually non-stop and the hunt for the killer is quite heart-stopping. The plot itself is complex, covering more than 20 years, but May's writing is good enough that it all makes sense. This is a truly good thriller that is well-written and a pleasure to read. This book would appeal to anyone who likes mysteries or thrillers that are well-written, complex and set in foreign locales. I look forward to more of the Enzo Files.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. The writing and the story are engaging and the author's knowledge of Papua New Guinea is insightful. The main character's journey, both physically and emotionally, through unchartered territory is compelling. The author's descriptions of the privations, dangers and diseases encountered along the way are at times difficult to read, but they are never gratuitous and remain integral to the narrative. Many good book club discussion points about hope, healing, and the search for life's meaning.

Although this was a quick read, I found the mystery to be too predictable and the characters too shallow. The beautiful blond, who is intelligent, in a high-powered job, sexually promiscuous, and every man's dream is such a shop-worn cliché. I saw the twist to the plot and the ending coming three-quarters of the way through. An enjoyable enough beach read for someone interested in the Red Sox, but a real disappointment for anyone interested in a smart and well-written mystery.