Month: August 2022

A Calculated Whisk by Victoria Hamilton

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery, Part of a SeriesLeave a comment

A Calculated Whisk (A Vintage Kitchen Mystery Book 10)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Vintage Kitchen Mystery #10
Publication Date: 9/21/21
Period: Contemporary – Michigan
Number of Pages: 212

A happily settled-down Jamie Leighton is going about her life as a new wife and mother (step, to Jocie) in Queensville, Michigan when she is approached by Alicia Vance who is the mother of Jocie’s friend, Mia. Alicia makes a number of oblique references and statements before she finally decides to trust Jamie with what she suspects and what she wants to know. Sadly, that gives a murderer the opportunity they need to keep her from telling Jamie anything at all.

Jamie is torn – leave the investigating totally to the police and Detective Vestry, or ‘help’ in her own inimitable way. With Jocie upset about the fate of her now orphaned friend, Jamie just couldn’t stay out of the investigation. Had Alicia murdered her husband several years ago? Was he actually murdered or was it really just an accident? If he was murdered, who, other than Alicia, had a motive? If Alicia killed her husband – who killed Alicia?

With a killer in their midst, Jamie fears her family could be in danger, especially if they believe Alicia actually told Jamie something about her husband’s death. Alicia’s family and that of her deceased husband are weirdly intertwined and they are all highly dysfunctional. Can Jamie peel back the layers and expose the canker to the light of day before something happens to her and her family?

This has been an entertaining series with wonderful characters, mystifying mysteries, and even a cute three-legged dog. I was happy to see more page time for Jakob (Jamie’s husband) in this book. I really like him, but felt we really didn’t know him – and we still don’t really, but this book definitely helped.

I thoroughly enjoyed this light, entertaining mystery and hope you will as well.

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Lady Violet Attends a Wedding by Grace Burrowes

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Lady Violet Attends a Wedding (The Lady Violet Mysteries, #2)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: The Lady Violet Mysteries #2
Publication Date: 2/22/22 (First Published 11/25/21
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 245

We still don’t have a resolution to the love triangle in the series, so that aspect of the book troubles me. I love a romance in my historical mysteries, and I’m sure this will have one – eventually. After all, it is a Grace Burrowes book and she writes superb romances. However, I don’t care for triangles and really wanted a quick resolution. I must say though, it is written very well. It isn’t one of those triangles where the men are constantly at odds and argumentative. Instead, they seem to have formed a bit of a friendship and are both bent on protecting and looking out for Violet. I like that and I hate that – because one of them is going to be really hurt. But, maybe our intrepid author will handle that one with aplomb as well.

Lady Violet Belmaine has not dealt well with her widowhood – not that she was a happily married lady. She just had trouble dealing with it all, but thanks to the ministrations of Dr. Hugh St. Sevier she’s beginning to come out of hiding. She recently attended a house party and now she is on the way to attend her youngest brother’s wedding. It is hard to believe her sweet brother, Felix, is marrying. However, an accident as they arrive at the estate nearly takes Violet’s life and puts her out of commission for a little while. Luckily, her traveling companion, Hugh, manages to pull her from the raging waters and then treat her injuries.

Dr. Hugh St. Sevier is a French émigré who served with the English in the wars against Napoleon. It hurt him beyond belief to serve against his countrymen, but he couldn’t support Napoleon. As a physician in the wars, he did his best to heal soldiers from both sides even though each side mistrusted him. He is also totally besotted with Violet.

Sebastian, Marquess of Dunkeld was a Colonel in the English army – a war hero. He also had a history with Violet. Sebastian was totally besotted with Violet and asked her father if he could court her. Her father refused – and did even worse – he belittled Sebastian and told him Violet did as well. Violet wasn’t aware that her friend had asked to court her – she would have welcomed it – but she was never given the chance.

Felix is entirely besotted with his bride-to-be, Katie Engle, and she is entirely besotted with him. That should certainly mean many years of happiness in their future. However, they must manage to marry first, and fate seems to be conspiring against them. Something must be amiss with the Engle finances because her father has yet to show up to discuss the marriage settlements. Then, the worst thing of all: Katie goes missing! No, she didn’t get cold feet and run away, she is well and truly missing. England’s weather has conspired to make searching nearly impossible and if Katie is exposed to the elements, she may not survive.

Will they find Katie? Will her parents finally show up to sign the marriage settlements? You’ll just have to read the book to find out. I can definitely recommend it as it is a lovely read.

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