It's the time of year in Virginia when everything is blooming, and Harry is at her happiest. She lives on her farm with her husband, Fair, a veterinarIt's the time of year in Virginia when everything is blooming, and Harry is at her happiest. She lives on her farm with her husband, Fair, a veterinarian, and her four pets -- two cats, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter; and two dogs, Tee Tucker and Pirate. She's involved with the Dorcas Guild in making the churchyard gardens beautiful for the upcoming Homecoming celebration, along with lifelong friend Susan Tucker, and others.
But two of the friends -- Janice and Mags, own a brewery named Bottoms Up. One of their trucks is stolen, along with all its contents and no one knows why. Then at a charity auction, another friend, Jeannie Cordie, drops dead suddenly and no one knows how. Harry, with her strong sense of curiosity, is driven to find the answers to these questions.
In between, the church is still trying to figure out who belonged to the old bones which were found on top of a couple who died in the 1700's, wearing a set of priceless jewels. It's another question Harry wants an answer to, but rightly, it will have to wait in favor of the other problems. When the bones of a much more recent murder are discovered by none other than Pewter, Harry now needs to piece together a more modern mystery, and hope she doesn't lose her own life in the process...
I've been following this series for a long time, and own all of the books. It is that enjoyable. Not only are we watching Harry in her usual quest for answers and looking for a killer, but we have the added bonus of a book-within-a-book. For, you see, Virginia has a rich history, and Ms. Brown melds past with present seamlessly.
We also have the story of the Holloways and the Ewings, two wealthy neighboring families who were part of this country in the aforementioned 1700's, and who have their own mysteries to solve. Watching their stories unfold is almost like having your own window to the past, where while you are in the present, you see bits and pieces of things that have come before. Yes, this is fiction, but as in the present, there are pieces of history interspersed with the story that is completely fascinating.
When we watch Harry go about her daily routine, it is amusing to hear the animals tell their own stories in their own ways and put their own spin on everything. I love listening to their tales of woe (as cats and dogs are wont to do when they don't get their own way); and as a pet owner myself, I can relate.
It all seems so simple -- Harry and her friends are doing no more than any of us would -- go to lunch, prepare gardens, etc.; but it is the mystery itself that is the most absorbing -- who would want to kill a woman who supposedly had nothing to do with anything? Harry's investigation, while it does not involve asking people questions, involves only her using her wits, and she is indeed one who is able to put things together quickly.
When we get close to the end and it all comes together, I have to say that it leaves me wanting more: more of the historical side, and the next book in this series. My only hope is that I won't have to wait long to read the next one. Highly recommended.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher but it in no way influenced my review....more
Harry and her friend Susan are helping out clearing the grounds for the Hounds for Heroes run for Bassets and Beagles. Along with other volunteers, thHarry and her friend Susan are helping out clearing the grounds for the Hounds for Heroes run for Bassets and Beagles. Along with other volunteers, they find a problem on the road that needs the help of a tractor, and one of their friends, Jason Holzknect, sets off to find one. But when he doesn't return, they set off to find him...and they do, with his throat slit. While Harry is convinced someone at the club killed Jason, everyone wants her to let the police handle the case. And when another body is found Harry begins to connect the dots, never realizing that the truth is indeed stranger than fiction...
Meanwhile, the discovery of a centuries-old skeleton in a grave marked for another leads to other questions: who killed the woman and why put her on top of the casket of someone else? Why a couple of parishioners are more interested in the expensive jewelry she wore, Harry, of course, is interested in her origins and who hated her enough to leave her there...
This is the 28th book in the series, and I am happy to say that it's just as intriguing as all the previous ones. As a matter of fact, I find each book better than the last one I read. Perhaps it's just that I truly enjoy Ms. Brown's writing, but I also love a good mystery, and these books not only give you that, they give you tales that span the centuries.
Harry's joined, of course, by her faithful friends: cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, dogs Tucker and new friend Pirate, who's recently adopted and still growing. The animals make their own friend in this book, that of a ghost Beagle named Ruffy who has a tale of his own, and hopes his new found friends can help him. It's a mesmerizing story of love, betrayal, death, revenge, and money, and the author tells it well.
As Harry refuses to let go of Jason's murder, she's warned off gently but it doesn't stop her, and she's determined to solve the case. She begins to put the pieces together and convinces herself of the reason why the man was murdered; and through her determination and self-will, she keeps going, knowing there's more to the story.
Once again we revisit the eighteenth century where the Ewings and Holloways are neighbors, and we see how difficult life was in that century, where the author puts a different spin on the thoughts of certain beliefs of that era. I do believe that people forget that all souls are products of their time, and to expect anything different is sheer foolishness. I, for one, understand this and never expect the past to be the same as the present, nor would I wish it to be. It was a different world, when America was new and people were learning to survive in this country - any way they could.
Together both stories make for quite an absorbing narrative, which kept me reading all the way through to the end in nearly one sitting (sleep does reluctantly come). Just when I would find myself engaged in the past, I was pulled into the present, back again to Harry and her tenacity. But be aware that I never felt it was an intrusion or disruption of the story, and both seemed to meld together seamlessly.
When the truth of the murder is found, I had already figured out the killer as I read a lot of mysteries and for the most part it's rarely difficult, but I have always stated that it's the journey that's the most fun in mysteries - watching how the protagonist puts the pieces together, and Harry's almost an expert in this. It brings home a few questions of our own to answer, and our answers will tell us how we feel about this book.
I, for one, absolutely loved it, and felt that justice was done. I was satisfied with the ending, and although I do feel that Megs and Janice are just too avaricious for their own good, (although this is a personal feeling and nothing was alluded to it in the book) I look forward to the next in the series, where I can continue visiting with Harry and her friends, and of course the Ewings and Holloways. Highly recommended....more
Carol Spencer's brother is temporarily home from World War II, being decorated in Washington, and will shortly be home for a brief respite before his Carol Spencer's brother is temporarily home from World War II, being decorated in Washington, and will shortly be home for a brief respite before his wedding. Carol's mother is insisting they open the family summer home in Maine, and after dutifully depositing her mother with her sister Elinor, she travels there.
Carol's fiancé was reported missing a year ago, and all - except his father - presumed him dead in the war. Unfortunately, his father lives nearby, and she knows once she's home she'll have to listen to him go on about how Don will come back with them soon.
But when Carol arrives, accompanied by a trio of servants, all is not going to be well. For one of the girls has gone up to the linen closet and come back hysterical. It seems that there's the body of a young woman in the closet - or at least what is left of her. There's been an attempt at burning her body, all her belongings are missing, and no one seems to know who she is.
But more than the police are interested in finding out about the dead woman: an injured solider named Major Dane is recuperating at another summer home, and he's more than intrigued by the situation. But there's more than meets the eye: an injured servant is in the hospital and being kept away by the police; Elinor arrives at Carol's request but is not only nervous, it's apparent she doesn't want to be there; and even Carol's brother Gregory arrives, to the surprise of everyone, including Major Dane.
But are any of the Spencers guilty, and if not who is? Who was the young woman? What connection does she have to the family? And who is Major Dane and why is he so interested in this case? These questions are answered, and more..
Mary Roberts Rinehart is a highly-respected mystery writer long gone but her books are still good. However, they are yet a product of their time. Every character - save the servants - smoke, and are constantly offering cigarettes to each other. There is a war going on, and not only is food rationed, but gasoline and even camera film. For those that enjoy historical fiction, Ms. Rinehart was quite prolific and her books are decent.
I did feel, unfortunately, that the beginning of the book started rather slow, and it was at first difficult to keep reading the book. The action, as it were, didn't really become interesting until after the appearance of Gregory, which occurs at some point a little farther than midway into it. Once his character appears, then questions are being answered quite quickly.
There are more than enough twists and turns throughout and quite a few surprises that I didn't see coming. When the story ends it all comes together quite nicely, and one needs to remember that it is writers like Miss Rinehart who brought us some of the first mysteries. While these books aren't always as highly detailed as those today, one must remember that back then there were no such things as DNA testing, computers, etc., to help with the investigation. It all had to be done slowly, and a lot of it by telephone or traveling to different areas, which made things slow going. All in all, I will probably read another of this author's books. ...more
**spoiler alert** Amory Ames is young, wealthy, and married - to a man who would rather travel the globe than spend time with her (or so it seems). Af**spoiler alert** Amory Ames is young, wealthy, and married - to a man who would rather travel the globe than spend time with her (or so it seems). After five years together, she is beginning to question why she married him in the first place - especially after her former fiance, Gil Trent, shows up at her home asking for her help. He wants her to accompany him to the Brightwell Hotel in order to help convince his sister that her forthcoming marriage to a rogue similar to her husband, Rupert Howe, is a mistake and must be avoided at all costs.
Not sure if she has made the right decision in agreeing, her encounter with her recently-returned husband convinces her otherwise. She agrees to do it, and lets her husband know in no uncertain terms, that what-is-good-for-the-goose-is-good-for-the-gander. While she has no illusions about her marriage, she also has no intention of having an affair with Gil, taking her marriage vows seriously even if her husband doesn't.
But shortly after her arrival, she hears Gil and Rupert arguing below her terrace, and the next morning Rupert is found dead, victim of an apparent murder. With all the evidence pointing toward Gil, and the sudden appearance of her husband at the Brightwell, Amory is determined to clear him of the charge of murder with or without her husband's help.
This book takes places in England in the 1930s, after World War I but before World War II, and it is a delightful read. Although not much description is given to the hotel, we do know that it is by the sea, and caters to people wealthy enough to afford it. The description of clothing during that period is accurate, and the life of the privileged few shines through. The murder occurs fairly early on in the book, and there are enough characters who are suspect. Everyone Amory comes in contact with seems to have some sort of secret about them, although the clues are not overt. The inspector on the case is no bumbler, but appears to be a man used to watching people try and hide the truth, and is quite adept at putting things in perspective.
Amory's relationship with her husband is more complicated, since he is wealthy in his own right, a case of money marrying money as it were. He appears to travel on a whim and spends more time away from home than not, which not only frustrates her, but keeps her wondering if he is a philanderer or not.
The only thing that bothered me was the ending, which I won't go into detail about, but I don't think that this is the first of a series, just a stand-alone; and as such, I wish I would have been given more of a resolution (don't fret; we do find out the killer). It just sort of makes you wonder if there was going to be one or not.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review but this in no way influenced my decision....more
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