Death on All Hallowe'en

A Carolus Deene Mystery Book 19

Author:    Leo Bruce

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book (Hardcover Available)

ISBN #:    9780897332927

Academy Chicago Publishers

203 Pages

$10.99 5; $17.99 Amazon

Original Print 1970

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Carolus Deene is summoned to a small Kentish village where the presence of a possible coven of witches lends an eerie aura to the presumed "accidental" death of a young local boy a year ago on Hallowe'en.  Before his work is completed, Carolus Deene has the answers to this and two other deaths.

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Carolus Deene is a college professor who does a little sleuthing on the side.  His friend, Father John Stainer, tells him he thinks something nasty is going on in his little village of Clibburn near Kent.  A year ago, a small boy died from pneumonia, but John thinks there's more too it.  Now, coming again on  All Hallowe'en, he's afraid more will happen and wants Carolus to look into it.

Of course he agrees, and heads to Clibburn to stay with John.  When he meets a man named Connor, he seems shaken because he thinks someone has taken a shot at him.  Carolus presses him (gently) for more information, but Connor refuses.  It is then that he has a true mystery on his hands.  He's determined to figure out what it is that Connor is hiding, and if it is connected in any way to the death of young Cyril a year ago.

What Carolus finds is that someone wants him out of the village, and soon.  He's not easily intimidated, and he knows he may very well put himself in danger; but he proceeds with his investigation, sharing what he finds with the local police.  It's interesting what you can discover when you ask people the right questions, isn't it?...

This is the first book that I have read by Leo Bruce, but it is certainly not going to be the last.  I found this mystery so well done, in fact, that I did not know the murderer until nearly the very end, later than Mr. Deene did, himself.  It was a delight to read, especially since it coincided with the Halloween time as well.  (I do love to 'read the season', as it were).

Watching Carolus look for answers among the village people was definitely worth it alone.  Some of them were first and foremost nasty humans that one would not want to spend time with; but there were others that were just those who wanted to live their lives.  Yet all of them were connected in some way or another, even if it were only vicariously. 

When the truth comes out, it is definitely a terrible sight.  Even Carolus was disgusted by what he found.  But human nature is uncontrollable, and things will occur even if we don't like them.  Evil exists.  Murder does happen, and it is never pleasant.  

The book was a very good read, and the clues not so easy to find.  But all in all, it made me respect Mr. Bruce and want to look for others he has written.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P5OZOV6?tag=speculativefic05&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6966805500

More on Leo Bruce's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/rupert-croft-cooke/

Hisses, Hexes and Homicide

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 2

Author:    DeAnna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781964418537

Tule Publishing

254 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

July 8, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rebecca Cuthbert, no stranger to false accusations, rushes to defend her baker best friend when she's accused of murdering Citrus Grove's Elvis-loving mayor with a deadly petit four.

But Rebecca recognizes the real clue: this death is the work of the Emerald Scarab, one of the cursed artifacts she vowed to track down after it was stolen from her grandfather's quirky antique shop.

Now she must navigate a peculiar maze of clues and enchantments, aided by her grandfather's wise counsel and the scattered recollections of an immortal talking cat, Aneksi, who once encountered the scandalous scarab in Cleopatra's court.  With each revelation, her search becomes a frantic race to find the killer and the amulet before they can hurt anyone else. 

But her meddling puts her in the killer's path, and Rebecca must rely on her fledgling investigative skills to save her friend from jail and herself from becoming the sleepy Southern California town's latest murder victim.

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After Rebecca Cuthbert's parents died in a car accident, and her fiance left her practically at the altar, she thought she had lost everything in her Montana home.  But when she received word that she had a grandfather in California who wanted her to live with him, she moved to small-town Citrus Grove to help him run his antique store.

What she found out later what that he had a treasure trove of Egyptian artifacts, collected by his own grandfather.  And she also discovered one of them, an immortal kitten named Aneksi, who's also been much help in finding those stolen by an ex-employee.  

When Rebecca attends an event given by the mayor, he is soon struck down -- apparently by eating one of Luna's, her baker friend, petit fours.  Now Luna is the top suspect, and has asked for Rebecca's help in finding out who killed the mayor.  When Aneksi smells one of the artifacts close to Luna, both Rebecca and her grandfather are afraid that this was the cause of the death.  But who would believe them?  Now the three are on the hunt for the ancient artifact -- an emerald and diamond Scarab -- but who in this town has it?  And are they a true killer?  Or did the scarab drive them to do something horrific?...

This is the second book in the series, and I have to admit that I read numbers one and 3 first, but it doesn't really matter.  This can be read as a stand-alone, although there are references to the first book, so you really should read the enjoyable first one ahead of this.  Saying that, I also have to say that this was just as intriguing as the aforementioned two above.

Rebecca is settling into her new life and has an almost-maybe-or-not relationship with Detective Nick Devon, but their first date ended abruptly, so she's not sure.  Even though he seems glad to see her, he's not happy she's around another investigation (of course, why would he be?).  But Rebecca is determined to help Luna, and to do that, she must find the missing scarab.  That means finding who had a motive to killer Mayor Bill.  Could it be his wife?  His daughter?  One of his many flings?  Or his business rival?

The only way to know is by asking questions.  Trying to step on as few toes as possible, she still needs to get answers.  Even if there are those who aren't happy to see her, she knows this is imperative.  The scarab must be found.  And she's sure the killer has it.

What follows is a most interesting story featuring an immortal cat that just purrs her way into your heart, and a protagonist determined to get to the truth, even if it brings personal danger.  I hesitate to say more as to not ruin the book for others.

In the end, I was a bit surprised at the murderer, as it should be, and the red herrings had me running in another direction.  The climax was all it should be, and the ending gives you something to look forward to in the next book.  Highly recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the author and BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Hisses-Hexes-Homicide-Purr-fect-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D42SRLWY/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6944754784

More on DeAnna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/

Diamond Dust

How A Nice Mormon Boy Became a Brilliant Counterfeiter

Author:    Russ Swain/Michael McKinley

Genre:     Memoirs/True Crime

Hardcover; Paperback

ISBN #:    9781953136725; 9781953136732

Pierian Springs Press

192 Pages

$29.00; $22.95 Amazon

August 26, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A quick, engaging page-turner from beginning to end-straight-forward and told with courage, Diamond Dust is a memoir of how one young person's talent ran away with itself, careening into one unexpected event after another.  Told with humor and introspection, it is a story of hubris and redemption, of talent and conscience, of art and absolution -- and how life can lead us to second chances -- at finding our better selves.

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I do love true crime books, but truth be told, they aren't normally written from the criminal's point of view, usually the true crime writer.  So, of course, this is different in that respect.  Russ Swain is (and was) a nice, Mormon boy, son of a house painter and an art teacher.  This alone should give him some art ability, right?  But what a difference...

...When that art ability turned out to be so much more.  While he started out in graphics, (at least legally, some years before, not so much), and even had his own business, things weren't going well.  He wanted to expand his business for a better profit, but didn't have the money.  So what was he to do?  Visit a loan shark?  While most of us (I would hope) would nix that plan, Russ didn't.  And so began his career in counterfeiting money.  He was so good at it, that it was nearly untraceable ('nearly' being the catalyst word here).

He had to keep the secret from his friends, his wife, etc.; and there began his second life, one which shaped the future for him.  Living a life of looking over his shoulder, he didn't do well (who would?)  But there's another story inside this story.  How Russ was able to turn his life around, and stay on the right side of the law (we would hope); but only after learning a hard lesson was he able to create the life he has today.

This is an interesting story, and one I hope no one will attempt to repeat (sure), and I found it definitely intriguing to read.  I enjoyed the fact that Russ has finally found his way, and realized that hopefully, we all have 'Diamond Dust' in our own lives.  Recommended. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Dust-Mormon-Brilliant-Counterfeiter/dp/1953136737/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6938875616

A Spirited Blend

A Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mystery Book 3

Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    1496735226

Kensington Cozies

288 Pages

(Price TBA) $12.99 Amazon

March 25, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

With Halloween around the corner, Shay Myers is brewing witchy seasonal sips at Crystals & CuriosiTEAS -- while simultaneously steaming over pub owner Liam Madigan's decision to take anybody but her to the town/s Monster Mash dance.  Her romantic premonitions have missed the mark since she settled into coastal Bray Harbor, opening the door to questions about whether she's really the gifted seer her late mother imagined.  It's why she second guesses the dark vision in her tea leaves about a local citizen and their obsession with genealogy, Irish folklore, and magic.

But when bad omens come true, Shay doesn't have time for self-doubt.  A woman's body has been discovered, frozen in a strange pose with an eerie black butterfly on her forehead, leading to suspicions that the victim took a conjuring ritual too far due to limited experience -- or was murdered by someone with too much.  As an investigation stirs up a sinister connection to a boardwalk mystic shop, Shay, guided by her knowing dog, Spirit, finds herself tracking down a shady figure from her past, navigating the sudden reappearance of her ex-husband, and chasing down a wickedly perceptive criminal who might finally be her match!

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When Shay Myers began her day, she didn't expect pub owner (and secret crush) Liam Madigan to come running to her for advice on his love life (again).  In fact, she's so tired of it she sends him away, but he thinks she's just having a bad day and will get over it.  But it's not the day that has her bothered.  It's the visions she's been having.  And when a local citizen steps in for a tea reading, Shay can't believe what she sees -- or hears.  The woman thinks they might be related, even though Shay tells her it's not really possible.  But the woman persists, and shows Shay an object she found among her mother's possessions.  Not able to completely convince her, Shay sends her off, and then worries about what she's seen in the tea leaves. Asking the help of Liam's wise Irish Gram, she fears the worst.  

But then her ex-husband and his new wife appear in town, telling her they've bought a local winery that was for sale.  As if things couldn't get worse, she finds they do.  A friend-turned-enemy has opened a rival shop, and someone else shows up, who's willing to do her harm.  Now, with visions that only spell possible doom, how can she find the truth?  Then someone is murdered nearby, and she's not sure if even Gram can help her with this one...

This is the third entry in this series, and I do believe it is the best one yet.  While I have loved this author's other series as well, I am tending to love this one even more.  I am so over tales of witches, vampires, and werewolves; but a series about a seer is indeed unique, and the story line behind all this makes it believable as well.

Shay didn't always know she was one; she discovered it after her return to Bray Harbor when her marriage and life fell apart.  In this book she is beginning to understand more, not only about herself, but also having ideas, with the help of Liam, of what happened to her before (I cannot say more as it will give away too much of the book).  Suffice it to say, it gives an opening for future books, and also gives us a glimpse of Shay's past, not counting her Irish heritage.

Finding a killer isn't going to be easy, especially once she learns her nemesis has arrived in town, and the fact that her now-enemy might be involved.  It's good she has Spirit to protect her, she needs him more than ever.  There is plenty going on here, not only with Halloween, but with Shay trying to keep her business open, trying to figure out what is going on with her ex, and, of course, trying to find a killer. 

The ending is surprising, which is how it should be; the climax is stirring, but nevertheless a tad sad.  Yet there is more to come, and I eagerly await the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DB3N3CLQ?ref_=dbs

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6931622610

More on Lauren Elliott's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/lauren-elliott/

Murder In an Irish Garden

An Irish Village Mystery Book 11

Author:    Carlene O'Connor

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496744456

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$27.00; $13.77 Amazon

February 25, 2025

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Everything's coming up roses for garda Siobhan and the rest of the O'Sullivan family in quaint Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland -- until a murder investigation blooms out of a deadly gardening competition.

While Siobhan studies for her Detective Sergeant exams, her brother, Eoin, prepares for the grand opening of his new restaurant, The O'Sullivan Six, and concocts a plan to enter Kilbane's Top Garden Contest to boost business.  But trouble brews when Eoin hires a mercurial landscape designer known for her killer designs.  His new partner's unflattering reputation and questionable practices nearly eclipse her talents -- and plunge the prestigious competition into chaos.

A lush and intricate winning garden emerges from the controversy, with a spectacular golden statue in the center of the display.  But in a devastating twist, the work of art leads to the shocking discovery of a bold and brutal work of murder.

Everyone in town has an opinion about who committed the crime and planted the evidence, from easily bribed sponsors to green-with-envy gardeners.  And with another golden statue found in Eoin's garden display, rumors about his involvement intensify.  As local gossip buzzes and a list of suspects grows, it's up to quick-witted Siobhan and her husband, Macdara, to suss out the guilty party's identity...before the competition buries another victim.

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First off, I have to say that the blurb isn't completely accurate as to the action in the book.  Eoin is never suspected of anything, even though Cassidy's garden is to be behind his new restaurant.  He's too busy focusing on that than to notice much of anything else.

But back to the book -- There's a new gardener in town to enter the yearly local gardening contest, and the other gardeners are not happy about it.  Cassidy left town many years ago, and is now a winning garden designer.  Why she should want to enter is anyone's guess.  But soon, an intrepid local reporter named Molly susses it out, and the other gardeners aren't happy/  When someone is killed during the competition, and vandalism occurs, garda O'Sullivan and her husband, Detective Macdara, are on the case trying to figure it out.  A killer is loose, and the last thing they want is for someone else to be murdered...

This is the eleventh book in the series, and I have been watching Siobhan and her siblings as they grow and create new lives for themselves.  They began years ago as orphans, and Siobhan refused to allow them to separate and took on the responsibility of raising them.  Now, the six each have their own lives, and she has a hard time letting go.  But she discovers that time doesn't stop, not even for a killer.  When the person turns up dead, Siobhan doesn't know who is involved.  It could be anyone -- a rival gardener, a crew member, local merchants, or even the reporter.  But where does she start to decipher clues -- if she has any at all?

This book is wonderful.  I did figure out a few things before our protagonist, but that doesn't matter as while reading it, it comes more convoluted and the clues are harder to find.  What we have is a medley of suspects who all might have had reason to kill -- but learning the truth is going to be harder than she ever expected.

She's also dealing with personal problems, but refuses to allow it to get in the way of her case.  Studying to be a detective might be hard, but this takes priority right now.  Even Eoin's wonderful food can't turn her away from what is going on around her.

When Siobhan stumbles across the truth, she is stunned, and even Macdara thinks the answer is fiendish.  But they press on and in the climax they confront who is responsible, and it's even sadder than one might think; mainly because it's a tad insane.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Irish-Garden-Village-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D45ZYTDF/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6921167140

More on Carlene O'Connor's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/o/carlene-oconnor/

Virginia Bruce

Under My Skin

Author:    Scott O'Brien

Genre:     Biography/Entertainment

Hardcover; Digital Book (Paperback Available)

ISBN #:    9781629330273

BearManor Media

504 Pages

$43.14; $9.95 Amazon

October 8, 2008

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In Born to Dance (1936), Virginia Bruce tempted James Stewart while introducing Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin."  Thyat same year she dazzled as the archtypical showgirl in the Oscar-winning "The Great Ziegfeld."  Fans and critics saw her poied for major stardom at MGM.

Delve into her turbulent life and career.  In James Robert Parish's Foreword, he notes Virginia's quiet charisma, the haunted, distracted lookj of her eyes, her vibrant voice, and her "off screen life...far more exciting and exotic than any role she experienced on camera." 

Love was very important to Virginia.  She fell hard for screen idol John Gilbert during their filming of Downstairs (1932).  When the virile, yet deeply troubled Gilbert proposed marriage, Hollywood held its collective breath.  The merger ended in divorce, but provided the basis for the Selznick's A Star Is Born (1937).  Virginia's career took off, but the question was, "Did Louis B. Mayer have it in for her?"  Mayer had hated Gilbert.  After a brief, idyllic, yet tragic second marriage to director-producer J. Walter Ruben, Virginia's career focused more on radio, and an occasional "B" film.  Her marriage to a young Turk, Ali Ipar in 1946 provided another unusual twist to Virginia's life, and ultimately a bittersweet ending.

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I love classic films and own thousands of them.  I also read as many of the Golden Age of Hollywood biographies that I can find, and own hundreds.  When I saw this one of Virginia Bruce, I knew I had to read it.  I also think that Scott O'Brien is a wonderful biographer.  He does his research, and he never diminishes his subject, nor shows disdain for them.  His biographies are honest, warts and all.  Which made me rather sad to read this, but nevertheless happy that I did.

I love Virginia Bruce.  Her voice, her stature.  I think she was one of the great natural beauties of Hollywood.  But above all -- those sleepy eyes.  Her eyes were most expressive, and as much a part of her beauty as anything else.  It is what drew me first when I saw her in a film with Ricardo Cortez (another actor I am fond of).

Virginia never put her career first in her life.  She wanted love, and she fell hard for silent actor John Gilbert.  He had a wonderful smile, and charisma on screen.  Off screen, he'd been married three times, and Virginia was his fourth wife.  She'd loved him when she first met him when they were working on a film together, and married him without hesitation.  Unfortunately, John had his own demons he could not fight, including the fact that his wife's star was rising while his was fading.  Even after the birth of their daughter, Susan Ann, John couldn't think of anything but his career.  This was his own downfall.  

When they divorced, Virginia was crushed.  But his death soon after left her with more than just memories.  Their daughter became her whole life, and she would dedicate it to Susan Ann, even at the cost of her career.  Virginia could have been a greater star if she had pushed a bit, but she didn't like contention and took the roles offered to her.  While they may seem insignificant by today's standards, watch the films.  She is mesmerizing in her performances.  

Virginia found love again with J. Walter Ruben; they fell in love while on the set of another of her films which he was directing, and she married him as soon as it was completed.  Her life, it seemed, had taken another turn, and she was finally happy, welcoming a son, Christopher Ruben.  Although her happiness wasn't to last.

When she fell in love with Turk Ali Ipar, it was a mistake; but Virginia would not hear anyone telling her so.  In my opinion, this man was a scoundrel.  He destroyed her life and she was never the same again.  In the quest for love, Virginia found the ultimate heartbreak, although she would never describe it the way I have, nor the way Mr. O'Brien has categorized it.  He did not offer any judgement; but I have no such qualms.  Ipar was exactly as I described him, and Virginia would have been a much more well-known star without him.  She could have soared, but didn't.

In the end, her life did leave a legacy with her films.  If you have not seen any of them, I urge you to do so.  She deserves at least this.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Virginia-Bruce-Under-My-Skin-ebook/dp/B07354WNXQ/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6866073065

More on Scott O'Brien's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/stores/Scott-OBrien/author/B002BLLB6I?ref=

The Wedding Cake Conundrum

An Ivy Creek Cozy Mystery Book 15

Author:    Ruth Baker

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9798340155962; 9798340154934

Clean Tales Publishing

193 Pages

$18.99; $9.99; $2.99 Amazon

September 27, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐

As wedding bells chime in Ivy Creek, amateur sleuth and baker extraordinaire, Lucy Hale, should be reveling in marital bliss.  She's looking forward to changes in her life and the political landscape in her small town.

However, when a charismatic politician turns up dead, the town's tranquility crumbles faster than a poorly baked souffle.

With her fiance, the deputy sheriff, under the spotlight as a prime suspect, Lucy takes it upon herself to sift through the floury mess of clues.  But as she follows the trail of breadcrumbs, she discovers a rival far closer to home -- her soon-to-be sister-in-law, vying for the title of wedding cake baker, despite a dearth of baking prowess.

Caught between solving a murder and thwarting her sister-in-law's meddling, Lucy must tread carefully.

Will she untangle the twisted threads of deception in time to salvage her happily ever after, or will she become the killer's next target, her dreams of wedded bliss crumbling like a poorly constructed cake.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lucy Hale owns her late parents' bakery in the small town of Ivy Creek.  After some years away, she's finally found what she's been looking for, and is finally happy.  Especially since she's marrying her high school boyfriend, Taylor, who's a police deputy running for sheriff.  Only two things stand in her way of true happiness:  Taylor's sister Kayla, who took some cooking classes and thinks the perfect gift would be to cater their wedding.  Although Lucy is horror stricken, she can't let on and hopes that maybe her Aunt Tricia and herself can steer the woman away.

The second is that Taylor has a rival, an out-of-towner who is also running for sheriff, and isn't above pulling dirty tricks to get the job.  While Taylor doesn't seem too concerned, an incident occurs that angers him and is, unfortunately, causing a problem.

When Lucy stumbles across a dead body, it suddenly amplifies their problems, and Taylor must step away from it, confined to desk duty.  But Lucy, being who she is, decides to try and figure out who the killer is, because she's determined that her wedding will occur on time.  If she can stay alive long enough to be part of it...

This is the fifteenth book in the series, and I have read them all.  The reason I gave four stars instead of five is because of a scene where the news shows a story that has obviously been edited.  No news outlet would do this unless they wanted to get sued.  Details are important.

Other than that, I really enjoyed this tale, finally seeing that Lucy is going to tie the knot with Taylor.  There is enough going on in the backstory to keep you interested.  But just like Lucy, I don't really care for Kayla.  I love cats, and cats know!...

The mystery is woven well into the story, and the plot was very well done.  I enjoyed this one more than the others, and that's saying a lot, since I enjoyed the others as well.  I would definitely recommend this tale to anyone.

https://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Cake-Conundrum-Creek-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CXF5TWRJ/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6885606634

More on Ruth Baker's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/ruth-baker/