Prisoner of Memory by Denise Hamilton
This is Hamilton's fifth Eve Diamond novel, and I think it's the best. A young Russian man turns up on Eve's doorstep claiming to be her long-lost cousin, Mischa. Of course, Eve is skeptical, but then she becomes involved in a case that is connected to Russia: the death of a boy of Russian heritage, which may be linked to the Russian Mafia, or to his family's past, or both.
While investigating this case, Eve starts researching her own heritage, something she has previously avoided. Of course, the things she learns about her family's past include some things she'd rather not know.
Eve is becoming an interesting, well-rounded character, and I'm looking forward to seeing her grow as the series continues.
24 August 2006
19 August 2006
Just finished reading...
Consigned to Death by Jane K. Cleland
Although I really like antique-themed mysteries, this is not one I would have ordinarilyy picked up. Frankly, the cover is boring. But enough people on DorothyL sang its praises that I decided to give it a try. And I'm glad I did.
The story revolves around Josie Prescott, an antiques dealer who left her prestigious job with a New York auction house after she gave evidence against its CEO in a price-fixing scandal. Instead of being praised for this, she was shunned by her co-worker, so she left her big-city life behind and moved to a small town in New Hampshire to start over again, away from the limelight.
So when the chief of police comes to her with the news that one of her clients has been murdered, and that she's the primary suspect, she wonders if the notoriety will begin again. In order to prevent this, she sets out to learn who actually did commit the murder. During this process, Josie learns whom she can trust, and also that she is not as alone as she'd thought she was.
I pretty much flew through this book. Though the first-person p.o.v. is a strong clue that she is innocent (as is the fact that this is the first book of a planned series), Josie is such an appealing protagonist that the reader is still eager to find out who the real culprit is so that Josie's innocence can be proven.
I eagerly await more books in this series.
Next up: Denise Hamilton's Prisoner of Memory
Although I really like antique-themed mysteries, this is not one I would have ordinarilyy picked up. Frankly, the cover is boring. But enough people on DorothyL sang its praises that I decided to give it a try. And I'm glad I did.
The story revolves around Josie Prescott, an antiques dealer who left her prestigious job with a New York auction house after she gave evidence against its CEO in a price-fixing scandal. Instead of being praised for this, she was shunned by her co-worker, so she left her big-city life behind and moved to a small town in New Hampshire to start over again, away from the limelight.
So when the chief of police comes to her with the news that one of her clients has been murdered, and that she's the primary suspect, she wonders if the notoriety will begin again. In order to prevent this, she sets out to learn who actually did commit the murder. During this process, Josie learns whom she can trust, and also that she is not as alone as she'd thought she was.
I pretty much flew through this book. Though the first-person p.o.v. is a strong clue that she is innocent (as is the fact that this is the first book of a planned series), Josie is such an appealing protagonist that the reader is still eager to find out who the real culprit is so that Josie's innocence can be proven.
I eagerly await more books in this series.
Next up: Denise Hamilton's Prisoner of Memory
16 August 2006
Just finished reading....
The Art of Detection by Laurie R. King
I'd forgotten that King writes the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series until I finished reading this book. Throughout it, I kept thinking, "Boy, does she know her Holmes!" D'uh.
This is a Detective Kate Martinelli book. Kate and her partner Al Hawkin are assigned the murder of Philip Gilbert, who appeared to be obsessed with the fictional character of Sherlock Holmes. The main floor of his house was decorated in an 19th-century style that would not have been out of place in 221 Baker Street, including gas lamps and an icebox. An authority on Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle, he also had a valuable collection of his own.
Gilbert's body is discovered in an old gun battery on the side of a cliff in Golden Gate Park. When they find a manuscript that may have been written by Conan Doyle in his safe deposit box, and realize that his murder mimics the murder in the story, they begin to concentrate on the members of Sherlockian group to which he belonged.
This is an absorbing story, which one could easily believe is really Conan Doyle's work. Reading the story along with Kate really pulls the reader into the narrative, and it's actually disappointing to reach the end of the book.
I'd forgotten that King writes the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series until I finished reading this book. Throughout it, I kept thinking, "Boy, does she know her Holmes!" D'uh.
This is a Detective Kate Martinelli book. Kate and her partner Al Hawkin are assigned the murder of Philip Gilbert, who appeared to be obsessed with the fictional character of Sherlock Holmes. The main floor of his house was decorated in an 19th-century style that would not have been out of place in 221 Baker Street, including gas lamps and an icebox. An authority on Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle, he also had a valuable collection of his own.
Gilbert's body is discovered in an old gun battery on the side of a cliff in Golden Gate Park. When they find a manuscript that may have been written by Conan Doyle in his safe deposit box, and realize that his murder mimics the murder in the story, they begin to concentrate on the members of Sherlockian group to which he belonged.
This is an absorbing story, which one could easily believe is really Conan Doyle's work. Reading the story along with Kate really pulls the reader into the narrative, and it's actually disappointing to reach the end of the book.
13 August 2006
My birthday seance
Although my birthday was actually last Wednesday, we celebrated last night with a seance in the Houdini Room at the Magic Castle. Dinner was first. The first course was lobster bisque, followed by shrimp cocktail. Since I'm not a fan of seafood, they had some artichoke puffs for me. Then Caesar salad, followed by the main course, and then Bananas Foster for dessert.
After dessert we were asked to leave the room while they set up for the seance. When we came back, the "medium" came in. Introduced himself as Leo. Before the actual seance, he did some mind-reading tricks...had someone think of a number which he wrote down. He asked me to think of the first time someone sent me flowers, which I couldn't remember. So I thought about the huge arrangement Edgar sent me on my 40th birthday. When Leo gave me the slip of paper on which he had written the name that I was supposedly thinking of, it was Edgar.
Later, I remembered that it was my brother who gave me my first flowers: when I was having my appendix out, 4-year-old Edgar had Ma bring me a bunch of dandelions.
40th birthday flowers from Edgar
The seance was a little disappointing. Lots of very obviously recorded voices ("Who is disturbing me?"). The table rose and fell quite dramatically, but I wasn't frightened at all. Steve and Lisa (who were sitting across from me) said they saw a person behind me, but I didn't. I assume this was because it was behind me.
It was a great evening! To have dinner in a private room, with our own waiter and chef was cool, and being the magician's main "victim" was fun.
After dessert we were asked to leave the room while they set up for the seance. When we came back, the "medium" came in. Introduced himself as Leo. Before the actual seance, he did some mind-reading tricks...had someone think of a number which he wrote down. He asked me to think of the first time someone sent me flowers, which I couldn't remember. So I thought about the huge arrangement Edgar sent me on my 40th birthday. When Leo gave me the slip of paper on which he had written the name that I was supposedly thinking of, it was Edgar.
Later, I remembered that it was my brother who gave me my first flowers: when I was having my appendix out, 4-year-old Edgar had Ma bring me a bunch of dandelions.
40th birthday flowers from Edgar
The seance was a little disappointing. Lots of very obviously recorded voices ("Who is disturbing me?"). The table rose and fell quite dramatically, but I wasn't frightened at all. Steve and Lisa (who were sitting across from me) said they saw a person behind me, but I didn't. I assume this was because it was behind me.
It was a great evening! To have dinner in a private room, with our own waiter and chef was cool, and being the magician's main "victim" was fun.
11 August 2006
02 August 2006
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
