Month: September 2022

Smoke & Cracked Mirrors by Karen Charlton

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, World War II Era (1939-1945)Leave a comment

Smoke & Cracked Mirrors (York Ladies' Detective Agency Mysteries #1)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: York Ladies’ Detective Agency Mysteries #1
Publication Date: 4/15/22
Period: WWII (1940) York, England
Number of Pages: 364

As a fan of this author’s Detective Lavender mysteries, I was itching to give her latest mystery series a try. Goodness, I’m glad I did. First, I read the short story that is the prequel to the series – The Mystery of Mad Alice Lane. There we are introduced to the protagonists and the seed is planted that they might open their own detective agency someday. Then, I came to this excellently written, richly descriptive story with multiple mysteries and the introduction of some intriguing supporting characters. Just as an aside, this author always has the best author’s notes, etc. at the back of the book – they are broad and very informative. Frankly, I usually read the notes first because it enhances my enjoyment of the story as I move through it. However, it might give you some hints about the story, so if you don’t want that, wait to read the notes – but do read them.

Jemima (Jemma) James (nee Roxby) and Roberta (Bobby) Baker have been the best of friends for most of their lives. Though Jemma married and moved away, she has now returned to York because her husband (Michael) is missing and presumed dead. Jemma was at loose ends because she couldn’t keep their repair shop up and running without Michael. Living with her brother, Inspector Gabriel Roxby of York City Police, will have to suffice until she can plot her path forward.

Bobby Baker works as a store detective at Grainger’s Department Store. It pays little, but at least it helps keep food on the table for herself and her parents. She’d leave it in a minute if something better came along. Lucky for her, it does. It comes along in the shape of two shoplifters at Grainger’s store and her friend Jemma who helps her apprehend them. What is a more logical next step than for Jemma and Bobby to start up their own agency?

Their fledgling agency’s first cases run the gamut from sleazy cheating husbands to industrial espionage, to blackmail, stolen identities, and even spies. As they move through the cases, they enlist the aid of several characters who may or may not become recurring. I liked all of them and will be happy to see them continue, but if they need to go their own way, I’m okay with that as well.

Each of the cases is excellently plotted and all of the loose ends are neatly sewn up before the end of the book. However, there is an event that puts a twist in Jemma’s knickers and I’m assuming that twist will be recurring throughout at least several more books. It will be interesting to see what happens with it in the second book – Dancing With Dusty Fossils – which releases in November of 2022.

I hope you will give this fun, exciting mystery a read and that you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. Jemma and Bobby are great characters who embody the resilience and fortitude of England during that stressful time of nightly bombings and war. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them and cannot wait to see where they go from here.

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Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Something in the HeirBarbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Stand-Alone
Publication Date: 9/20/22
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 352

This was a delightfully light-hearted read populated with fun, energetic, loving characters who come to learn that ‘family’ doesn’t always happen through blood. Sometimes families are created from the people who enter your lives for one reason or another and this unlikely family forms from adversity and grow into unselfish love.

Emmeline Hervey was born and raised at Winnover Hall and she loved the estate with all her heart. When she was faced with having to leave because the estate was actually owned by her grandfather, a duke, she decided to do whatever it took to remain there. Since her parents had decided to give up their residence at the estate, that meant Emmeline had to go as well because the estate would go to the next cousin to marry. The solution is simply – Emmeline just has to marry – and quickly.

William Pershing and Emmeline Hervey had long been friends because they’d grown up near each other. William was a shy, socially awkward young man who had a very strong affection for Emmeline. Just imagine his surprise when she walked up to him at a ball and without preamble proposed to him. Did he accept – you bet he did. Except, he’d hoped for more than the partnership that Emmeline proposed.

Staying at Winnover meant having to produce offspring within 5-years. When those offspring didn’t appear, Emmeline made them up and fleshed them out for her relatives through letters. That bought her an extra three years — until the duke decided to throw a big birthday bash for himself and demanded the presence of ALL of his family – including the children. Emmeline has two choices – she can give up Winnover or she can figure out how to ‘borrow’ a couple of children for a while. Either way, she has to tell William because he knows nothing about the children or her lies.

It was a true surprise when William accepted what she told him and joined her in her efforts to remain at Winnover. Why wouldn’t he – he married her so she could keep it? Their efforts to find children they can borrow lead to some very strange encounters with their neighbors. Orphans! That is a great solution and off they go.

It was so much fun reading about the merry chase the two orphans lead William and Emmeline on. These were street-smart and very determined children who were so delightful to read. I absolutely LOVED George and Rose – they made the story.

I loved watching the four of them negotiate their way to love, trust, and acceptance – and for Will and Emmeline’s marriage to become everything Will had hoped for – and everything Emmeline didn’t know she wanted.

Why didn’t I give it 5-Stars?
• While I enjoyed the story – and can recommend it as a good read – something about William and Emmeline’s relationship for the first eight years of their marriage just didn’t ring true for me.
• Adoption is spoken about and acted upon as part of the story – but adoptions couldn’t happen at that time in England. At best, it would have had to have been a guardianship. Those little inaccuracies bother me – especially when a little research would have allowed the author to get it right.
• Another thing I wished for is an Epilogue set a year or two into the future. I wanted to see Emmeline expecting (or having delivered) a child and showing George and Rose and how well they’ve settled in. That all just seemed a little unfinished to me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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