The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was told this series improves as it goes, and that really is true. I started this not knowing if it would be my last Peabody book because the last two were good, but not great. And I found myself really enjoying this one. I think as her son has aged it has added more depth (and a lot of humour) to the characters. And it really is hard to go wrong with a cozy mystery set in Egypt :)
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Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I thought I would be in for a cozy mystery, but instead we get a very small 'case' which ends up being not much of a mystery at all, and then we go back 10+ years and learn all about how Maisie grew up and her work in WWI and then we go back to her current day (1929) and have another small case which also isn't much of a mystery.
It just felt all a little 'meh'.
Quite a while ago I accidentally read book #3 in this series and I thought I was ambivalent about it as I had read it out of order, but I think it is just this series isn't for me.
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Murder and Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've really enjoyed reading Phryne's adventures over the last two years, and the audio narration by Stephanie Daniel is fantastic.
This is a standard Phryne book with lots of fun and further proof of her belief-stretching talents (including seducing a gay man!). I was disappointed that Lin Cho didn't make an appearance for this final novel. Perhaps Greenwood is keeping the door open on more additions to the series?...
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Why I read this: I started the series on audio, and decided to continue
Genre: Cozy Mystery
In a Nutshell: Fluff reading
Would suit fans of: Kerry Greenwood, Elizabeth Peters
Bookmarked For Death by Lorna Barrett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
It is hard to not enjoy a cozy mystery set in a town full of bookstores with a cat called Miss Marple!
These are quick easy reads with pretty good audio narration. It won't win awards any time soon, but is the perfect book when you are in the mood for something a bit light.
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Why I read this: I have really enjoyed Harris' more recent work and I was able to get this from the library on audio so I thought I would give the series a try
Genre: Cozy Mystery
In a Nutshell: Small town USA, serial killer murder mystery
Would suit fans of: Janet Evanovich, Elly Griffiths
Rating: 3 stars
Real Murders by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good little mystery from Harris, but it does show how much she has developed in her writing over the years.
I think her ability to develop characters with just something a little "off" is one of the best things about her books, and this story didn't quite have that, but nonetheless it had very good characters in a small US town. I will continue the series to see how it develops
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Why I read this: I loved the Phryne Fisher series and was intrigued to read more of Greenwood's work
Genre: Cozy mystery
In a Nutshell: Strong female heroine, Melbourne setting, interesting characters
Would suit fans of: Charlaine Harris, Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4 stars
Find more about this book on Goodreads here
Review:
Having read an loved the Phryne Fisher books, I started this with trepidation. Could Greenwood really make another series with the same level of fun and humour ? Well, the answer is, absolutely!
Corinna is a fantastic heroine. She is a mature woman who is self confident, funny, runs her own bakery and loves her cat. She is also surrounded by some pretty off-beat characters which combined together makes for a great read. There are a few comparisons with Phryne (independent woman, open minded, loves to take baths), but the time period being completely different creates a whole new setting and personality for this new MC.
For what I think is a perfect way to sum up this book, check out Teri-K's review here. I'm looking forward to continuing the series!
