Category: Mystery

The Dead Ringer by M.C. Beaton

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The Dead Ringer (Agatha Raisin #29)The Dead Ringer by M.C. Beaton

Barbara’s rating: 2.5/3 of 5 stars

Series: Agatha Raisin #29
Publication Date: 10/2/18

For me, this was a 2.5 star read, but I am rounding it up to 3 because I am normally a huge Agatha Raisin fan. I was really, really looking forward to reading this, but it just didn’t do it for me. Has the series run too long? I don’t know, but I do know that this book didn’t deliver the sharp-tongued, intuitive, self-possessed, abrasive Agatha that we normally get. Instead, we have an unfocused, grumpy, incompetent, whiny woman who is desperate for a man and marriage at any cost. Instead of investigating she was daydreaming or moping and her supporting cast of characters weren’t much better at investigating.

The story was disjointed and almost incoherent – things popping up out of left field. These stories are always very, very busy, but they always make sense in the end. This one didn’t. There were murders that nobody seemed to care about. The first victim was actually a policeman but there didn’t seem to be any real action to find out who murdered him or why. There were two young women who went missing – one was missing for quite some time and the other just went missing. The resolution to that is just out of the blue and doesn’t make sense. Then, you have an abused wife that nobody seems to worry about except to basically criticize her for putting up with it.

There was a surprise at the end of the book and I will read the next book to see what happens with that. However, if that book is like this one, it will be the last one I read in the series.

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

Upstaged by Murder by C.S. Challinor

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Upstaged by Murder (Rex Graves Mystery, #10)Upstaged by Murder by C.S. Challinor

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Rex Graves Mystery #10
Publication Date: 7/8/18

Another excellently written and well-plotted addition to the Rex Graves Mystery series. While this is a part of a series, you would be perfectly fine reading it as a stand-alone book. If you are interested in exciting, fast-paced action, you won’t find it in this book. It is a logical progressive mystery where Rex interviews subjects, examines evidence and comes to a conclusion – usually not a conclusion being pursued by the police investigators.

Rex and his new bride have come to London from Edinburgh in order to pack up her old house. It is just to be a quick long-weekend trip to finish the packing up and then heading back to Edinburgh. While in London, Rex and Helen decide to attend the opening night production of a local amateur theater. Rex and Helen are seated in the front row, in the uncomfortable chairs – and Rex can’t help but doze a little bit.

When there is a refreshment break between acts, everyone hears a scream which is part of the play and a loud bang – which is NOT part of the play. The curtains are closed, so the audience can’t see what has happened, but the crew and cast are quickly moving to the area. What caused that loud bang? Well, it was the sound of the gun that took the life of the beautiful, sweet star of the show, Cassie Chase.

There are many suspects including the entire cast and crew. Everybody loved and admired Cassie and nobody can think of anyone who would wish her harm. Rex and the police inspector had to question everyone – and eliminate everyone except the guilty party.

Rex talks to witnesses and suspects and examines evidence until an idea begins to form in his mind. He is sure he knows who did it and even how, but he has no proof. So, he does the type of reenactment that you see in a lot of the old style murder mysteries. He calls everyone together and they reenact the scene at the time of the murder. A classic who-done-it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and hope you will as well.

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages…
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”