Category: Historical Mystery

A Deadly Match by Matthew Costello

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, George V - 1910- 1936, Historical Mystery, Interwar Period (Nov 1918 - Sep 1939), Part of a Series2 Comments

A Deadly Match (Mydworth Mysteries #13)

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Mydworth Mysteries #13
Publication Date: 1/30/23
Period: Interwar – 1930s – Mydworth, England
Number of Pages: 140

I always jump for joy when each new book releases, and then slump forlornly when the read is over because I then have to wait for the next release. This series is consistently well-written with wonderful characters and exciting mysteries. I have loved each book in the series, and this is certainly no exception to that. Kat and Sir Harry are made for each other and, as former spies during the war, they are uniquely qualified to solve all of the intrigues that come their way.

Kat and Harry are participating in a tournament at the tennis club when they are approached by a timid woman whose husband browbeats her all the time. She tells them she doesn’t believe the recent accident that took the life of the tennis pro was actually an accident. While the accident certainly looks to be just that, Kat and Harry decide to just do a little looking to see if it is possible. Yep, it definitely is possible and the more they look the more sure they are – and – they are also sure there is something more than murder going on as well.

It appears Kat and Harry have kicked a nest of hornets because things start to buzz – and our erstwhile detectives find themselves in real danger. Not that they can’t handle it, they were, after all, spies in some of the most dangerous places of the war. However, they’d just as soon neither of them got hurt. The investigation takes them in a far different direction than they thought – and the villain(s) will surprise you – or not.

I thoroughly enjoy these books and am always excited when a new one is on the horizon. You’ll absolutely love Kat and Harry as well as the other series regulars like Aunt Lavinia. These are always short, tightly-written, well-developed stories in which you quickly get engrossed and forget there is a ‘real’ world out your window. Should you choose to read the story, I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

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A Killer in the Crystal Palace by Deb Marlowe

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

A Killer in the Crystal Palace (The Kier and Levett Mystery Series, #1)

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: The Kier and Levett Mystery Series #1
Publication Date: 2/17/23
Period: Victorian London
Number of Pages: 255

What a great story! Has this seasoned historical romance author ventured into writing historical mysteries before this? I don’t know, but she has certainly done an outstanding job of it this time. She has managed to set up the series, introduce all of the series’ characters and make us like them while delivering a mystery that is intriguing. I have seen where this series is only to be three or four books long, but I could easily see this as a scenario and characters that could carry a much longer series should the author choose to go in that direction. Excellently done Deb Marlowe!

Miss Kara Levett and Mr. Niall Kier first meet when they show up at the offices of a sponsor of the Great Exhibition. They are both trying to finagle a spot on the floor of the exhibition to show their creations – but the space is extremely limited. She is a gifted engineer and he is a gifted blacksmith artist whose displays are outstanding. Of course, they win a spot, but sadly, it doesn’t take long for it all to go sour when a man is found murdered on the exhibition grounds. Yes, murdered – with one of the pieces from Kara’s display. Oops! Scotland Yard quickly wants to point the blame at Kara so they can close the case and keep the news from the papers.

If Kara wants to stay out of jail, she’s going to have to prove herself innocent and find the real murderer. Luckily Niall is right there to work alongside her. While Kara appreciates Niall’s help, she is accustomed to doing things on her own and it takes a bit for her to learn to work in tandem. They have to learn to trust each other and depend on each other – and that takes a bit of a leap of faith on both their parts. I admired both of them for the respect they showed each other. Believe it or not – she actually admitted he was right (when he was) and he actually admitted she was right (when she was). Once they got all of those cogs turning in the right direction, the investigation took off. Except – someone is trying to hurt Kara – could she have been the target all along? Surely not – she didn’t even know the man who was murdered.

Some of the stops along the way to solving the mystery provide insights into who our two characters are and the inhabitants of those places are delightful. Kara’s character seems to be pretty straightforward – she is who she is. Niall, on the other hand, is a bit of an enigma that I will love seeing unwound in future books. He has secrets and I can’t wait to find them out!

The series setup and mystery were the main focus of this book, but the groundwork was laid for a romance between Kara and Niall. I loved that there was no insta-lust in this book – just a natural progression of feelings that will, in the end, lead to love I’m sure.

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

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