Robin - 2022 Scatter Mysteries - FINISHED

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: R
Category: Historical Mysteries
PopSugar: None
The Ramage Hawk


Finished: 07/09/2022

Third book in this excellent series by John Pilkington. Set in Elizabethan England, Thomas the Falconer is "on loan" to Sir Giles, a friend of his master. When Giles' daughter disappears during a hunt, Thomas is enlisted in the search, which evolves into the search for a murderer. Very well written with engaging characters.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: R
Category: Regency and Victorian Mysteries
PopSugar: None
Gunshy(Redcastle Mysteries #1; my Kindle edition is not listed on Goodreads)

Finished: 07/11/2022

While investigating a fatal railroad accident, former Pinkerton agent, Oliver Redcastle, uncovers a plot to assassinate President Chester Arthur. Very good series debut set in 1880's Baltimore.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: R
Category: Mysteries with Literary Authors
PopSugar: None
The Problem of the Missing Miss

Finished: 07/15/2022

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dr. Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) are united in this series debut to investigate the kidnapping of an MP's daughter. All I can say is "Excellent"! People and places are so well-defined, you feel as if you are observing the story from above. The writing is excellent; the history is well-researched. An excellent plot keeps you engaged. Highly recommend!

Rating: 5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: R
Category: Best Historical Crime Fiction
PopSugar: None
Chicago Jazz by Gregory C. Randall

Finished: 07/17/2022

I love Chicago crime fiction, and this was a good one. Second book in the series, featuring Detective Tony Alfano. Plot is good, set during the 1933 World's Fair. I've only been to Chicago once, but the locations were familiar and easy to follow. The characters are solid. Stayed up all night reading!

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: R
Category: Sleuths in Silks
PopSugar: None
Rutland Place

Finished: 07/22/2022

Charlotte & Thomas Pitt #5 by Anne Perry. Murder in Charlotte's mother's society neighborhood has Charlotte and Thomas investigating "above their station". Too much dialog for my taste, but still a well-written story with a good plot.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: R
Category: Historical Mysteries 2018
PopSugar: None
Recalled to Life

Finished: 07/23/2022

Second in the Sergeant Frank Hardy series, set in 1880's New Zealand. Frank is kidnapped by unknown assailants. After escaping, he is on the run. Good plot and characters.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: R
Category: Regency and Victorian Mysteries
PopSugar: None
The Ripper's Shadow

Finished: 07/26/2022

I have a morbid fascination with Jack the Ripper and I have scores of "Ripper" books in my library. Hadn't read this one yet, so I gave it a shot. It's the first in a series (of course, another series) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really liked the characters, and will move on with the series. Quite a different take on the Ripper investigation, and an interesting premise as to the identity of the killer.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: R
Category: Historical Mysteries 2020
PopSugar: None
Murder in the Crypt (Redmond and Haze Mysteries #1)

Finished: 07/30/2022

So here we go with another good first in a series. Captain Jason Redmond arrives in England to claim his grandfather's estate. A murder occurs the day of his arrival, and he meets up with Constable Daniel Haze. So begins an investigation and a partnership of sorts. The plot was great and the characters very likeable. Another series to continue.....

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

August - "K"

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: K
Category: Regency and Victorian Mysteries
PopSugar: None
A Killing at Ball's Bluff

Finished: 08/01/2022

2nd book in the Harrison Raines series, set during the American Civil War. I'm enjoying this series; Raines is always in the wrong place at the wrong time. How many time can he be imprisoned for murder? The historical components of this series are excellent, and the characters are well drawn.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: K
Category: Historical Mysteries 2021
PopSugar: None
The King's Anatomist: The Journey of Andreas Vesalius

Finished: 08/04/2022

A fictional account of the life of 1500's anatomist Andreas Vesalius. Although listed as a mystery on both Goodreads and Amazon, it was mostly historical background; the "mystery" doesn't occur until the last quarter of the book. However, the historical aspect is fascinating.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: K
Category: Best Historical Crime Fiction
PopSugar: #41 - A book with a reflected image on the cover
The Big Crowd by Kevin Baker

Finished: 08/09/2022

"Inspired by one of the great, unsolved murders in mob history, this novel tells the sweeping story of Charlie O’Kane, a poor Irish immigrant who works his way up from beat cop to mayor of New York at the city’s postwar zenith. Famous, powerful, and married to a fashion model, millions of local citizens look up to him, including his younger brother, Tom—until he is accused of abetting a shocking crime. From the Brooklyn waterfront to City Hall, the battlefields of World War II to the glamorous nightclubs of 1940s Manhattan, The Big Crowd is filled with powerbrokers and gangsters, celebrities and socialites, scheming cardinals and battling dockside priests."...Goodreads

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: K
Category: Historical Mysteries 2018
PopSugar: A romance novel by a BIPOC author
The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang

Finished: 8/16/2022

Cora Lee can mingle with the rich just as easily as she can slip unnoticed into the slums and graveyards of the city. As the only female resurrectionist in New York, she’s carved out a niche procuring bodies afflicted with the strangest of anomalies. Anatomists will pay exorbitant sums for such specimens—dissecting and displaying them for the eager public...Goodreads

Very different and very good. Set in 1850's New York.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: K
Category: Regency and Victorian Mysteries
PopSugar: None
Fell the Angels by John Kerr

Finished 8/20/2022

A novel based on a true unsolved murder by poisoning in Victorian-era London. Based on the notorious Victorian murder involving Charles and Florence Bravo and Dr. James Gully, proponent of the "water cure," this story reaches beneath the veneer of Victorian respectability and twists the ingredients of enormous fortune, sexual adventure, domestic abuse, avarice, and jealousy into a satisfying whole. Expertly researched by the author, it offers an intriguing solution to the case.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: K
Category: Best Historical Crime Fiction
PopSugar: None
Bullet for a Star by Stuart M. Kaminsky

Finished: 08/23/2022

This is just the kind of detective novel I like. Fast paced, real characters, well written, and clean. This is the first in the series, and features Errol Flynn as the client. Will definitely move on in the series.

Rating: 4.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: K
Category: Historical Mysteries 2018
PopSugar: None
Mycroft and Sherlock by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Finished: 08/31/2022

2nd book in the excellent series by NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Rating: 4.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

September - "I"

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: I
Category: Historical Mysteries 2020
PopSugar: None
A Patient Man (Inspector James Given #3)

Finished: 09/05/2022

Third book in the series. Very well written. Character development is very good. Could actually be a stand-alone.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: I
Category: Historical Mysteries 2020
PopSugar: None
Murder at the Abbey by Irina Shapiro

Finished: 9/6/2022

2nd book in the Redmond & Haze series by Irina Shapiro. I am enjoying this series; the characters are great, very likeable. Set in Victorian England in the late 1860s. Redmond is an American Civil War veteran and a doctor, learning to be an English lord. Amusing.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: I
Category: Historical Mysteries
PopSugar: 26 - A book with a misleading title.
In the Mind of a Female Serial Killer

Finished: 9/9/2022

Not what was expected. Mostly excerpts from the trials. Not a lot of insight, but lots of typos. Hard to follow. Pass.

Rating: 2 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: I
Category: Sleuths in Silks (Female Detectives)
PopSugar: None
Into the Suffering City

Finished: 09/11/2022

"Dr. Sarah Kennecott is on the autism spectrum—a trait that is unidentified and unappreciated at the time. Her passion is justice for murder victims...Sarah forms an unlikely bond with Jack Harden, a tormented, down-on-his-luck private detective." - GoodReads
Set in 1909 Baltimore’s seedy underworld. Well worth the read.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: I
Category: Historical Mysteries 2020
PopSugar: None
Interviewing The Dead

Finished: 09/14/2022

"INTERVIEWING THE DEAD is the first crime thriller in an exciting new historical crime series, the Carlyle & West Victorian Mysteries, private investigations set in Victorian London and packed full of suspense...Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Emily Organ, Anne Perry and Robin Paige." - Goodreads

Very good book. Great characters, moves quickly, well written. David Field is becoming one of my favorite historical writers. This is the third series of his that I have started.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: I
Category: Historical Mysteries
PopSugar: None
A Walking Shadow by Elizabeth Ireland

Finished: 09/17/2022

"A Walking Shadow is the first standalone book in the Backstage Mystery series. If you enjoy stories with a touch of the paranormal that blend historical fact with fiction, then you’ll love Elizabeth Ireland’s tale of history, mystery and theater." - Goodreads

Lillian Nolan is a 96 year old former actress creating her memoirs for her great-niece. This is the first installment. A famous actress is murdered on-stage in Lillian's first production. Her ghost enlists Lillian to solve the mystery. Interesting premise. Well written with agreeable characters. Intense ending. Worth the read.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: I
Category: Historical Mysteries
PopSugar: None
In Farleigh Field

Finished: 9/22/2022

A failed parachuting attempt leaves a broken body in a field on the estate of Lord Westerham and his family. Was he a German spy? So begins the "investigation". WWII meets Downton Abbey. Well-written with good characters and plot line. A bit predictable, but still a good read. Would like to see a sequel.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: I
Category: Mysteries first published before 1970
PopSugar: None
Moonraker by Ian Fleming

Finished: 09/24/2022

"Bond. James Bond"...After assisting "M" uncover a cheater at an exclusive card club, Bond is drawn into a murder investigation and discovers a more sinister plot. This is the third book in Fleming's classic James Bond series.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: I
Category: Mysteries first published before 1970
PopSugar: None
In Search of the Castaways or, The Children of Captain Grant (1868)

Finished: 10/02/2022

Classic Jules Verne. A mysterious message in a bottle found in a shark's belly begins a search for a shipwrecked captain. Such an interesting read.

Rating: 5 stars

[Robin H-R]

October - "D"

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: D
Category: Regency and Victorian Mysteries
PopSugar: None
The Ladies of Whitechapel: London. 1888. Their Stories. by Denise Bloom

Finished: 10/05/2022

From Goodreads.com: In 1888, five victims of Jack the Ripper became famous for their horrific fate. That same year, police ignored many other women’s murders because of their class, or in an attempt to dispel the idea of a serial killer loose in Whitechapel. Discover the forgotten women of Whitechapel: from heiress to whore, from wife to murderer – four woven tales of women struggling to survive the terror of Jack the Ripper’s reign.

Rating: 3 stars (too any typos and grammatical errors)

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: D
Category: Historical Mysteries 2019
PopSugar: None
The Wrong Girl by Donis Casey

Finished: 10/9/2022

From Goodreads.com: With all of the twists and turns of a 1920s melodrama, The Wrong Girl follows the daring exploits of a girl who chases her dream from the farm to old Hollywood, while showing just how risky—and rewarding—it can be to go off script.

First in a series. I really liked it; good, strong characters, jumps back and forth in time but is easy to follow. Liked the writer's style.

Rating: 4+ stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: D
Category: Historical Mysteries 2019
PopSugar: None
A Fatal Affair by Carolyn L. Dean

Finished: 10/11/2022

A bit of a disappointment. A good premise poorly executed. First in a series, but had multiple references to a prior installment. Good thing it was short and cheap. Liked the cover though.

Rating: 2 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: D
Category: Best Historical Crime Fiction
PopSugar: None
The Lunatic Fringe: A Novel Wherein Theodore Roosevelt Meets the Pink Angel by William L. DeAndrea

Finished: 10/16/2022

Found this gem on a deals list. Teddy Roosevelt is one of my favorite historical characters. so I took a shot on it. An excellent choice! Great characters, well written, an involved plot with lots of twists, and a surprise ending. What's not to like about it! I rate this among the best I've read so far this year. Glad I took the shot.

Rating: 5 stars

[Kerri]

Sounds interesting! I will have to add it to my list.

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: D
Category: Historical Mysteries 2021
PopSugar: None
Death on the Line

Finished: 10/22/2022

From Goodreads: After eighty years of border skirmishes, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon are sent to define the controversial boundary between the American colonies of Pennsylvania and Maryland...Angus MacKay is a young Scotsman attempting to leave his demons behind and start fresh in the new world...His hopes of proving himself are shattered when he trips over a dead body and faces a sheriff who would like nothing more than to arrest him for the murder.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: D
Category: Historical Mysteries 2021
PopSugar: A #BookTok recommendation
Dead Dead Girls

Finished: 10/29/2022

A decent debut novel set in 1926 Harlem. Gets a little slow at times, but the characters are good and the story flows well. First in a series. Love the cover art.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Kerri wrote: "Sounds interesting! I will have to add it to my list."

On sale today at Amazon and B&N

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: D
Category: Historical Mysteries 2019
Sins of the Father: A Mafia Thriller by Vincent B. Davis III

Finished: 10/30/2022

Goodreads: "Set against the backdrop of prohibition and The Great Depression, flapper girls and gangsters, Sins of the Father, the first book in the Consentino Crime Saga." Very well written and researched. Don't want to reveal spoilers, but there is a mystery and an investigation, if you read between the lines.

Rating: 4+ stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: D
Category: Historical Mysteries 2020
Death Comes But Twice

Finished: 11/03/2022

Goodreads: "When doctor James Carlyle is given a dead body to investigate, he makes a shocking discovery. Innovative fingerprinting techniques reveal the dead man was Artus Skuja. But Skuja was hanged a year ago… And when more deaths occur, it seems a larger plot could be at large.

DEATH COMES BUT TWICE is the second crime thriller in an exciting new historical crime series, the Carlyle & West Victorian Mysteries.."

David Field is becoming one of my favorite historical mystery authors. His books are well written and his characters engaging. This is the third series of his I have started, and, so far, all have been excellent.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

November - "C"

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: C
Category: Sleuths in Silks (Female Detectives)
PopSugar: A book published in 2022
The Carnation Murder

Finished: 11/6/2022

Goodreads: "Can a forward-thinking woman help the police solve a murder in a backward-thinking town?"

Set in 1902 California. First in a new series. Writing was good, with interesting characters, but dragged a bit in the middle. Editing was poor, as I submitted many errors to Kindle support.

Rating: 3 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: C
Category: Historical Mysteries 2018
PopSugar: None
Fall of Angels by Barbara Cleverly

Finished: 11/12/2022

Goodreads: England 1923: Detective Inspector John Redfyre is a godsend to the Cambridge CID. The ancient university city is at war with itself: town versus gown, male versus female, press versus the police force and everyone versus the undergraduates.

I knew I would like this book after the first page. The characters are awesome; lots of sarcasm, metaphors, and banter. First in a series. Red herrings. Great ending.

Rating: 4 stars

[Kimberly]

I have read the 2 books in this deries and liked it. I hope there will be more soon.

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: C
Category: Best Historical Crime Fiction
PopSugar: None
The Frightened Man: Denton # 1 by Kenneth M. Cameron

Finished: 11/19/2022

Goodreads: "Like Sherlock Holmes injected with some tough American moxie, Denton is an irresistible character - a deeply cynical romantic with a tragic past, a wisecracking manservant, and a startling respect for women. It's a treat to make his acquaintance."

First in a series. Complex plot, great characters, well-written, unexpected ending. Definitely will continue the series.

Rating:: 4.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: C
Category: Historical Mysteries
PopSugar: None
A Case of Blackmail in Belgravia

Finished: 11/20/2022

Cute, cozy mystery. First in a series. Freddy and his mother, Cynthia, are great characters. Humorous. This was an easy, fun read.

Currently free on Amazon.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: C
Category: Sleuths in Silks (Female Detectives)
PopSugar: None
Curse of the Poppy

Finished: 11/25/2022

Goodreads: "A woman dies in a burglary in Fitzrovia. A man is murdered in an opium den in Limehouse. Gutsy Fleet Street reporter Penny Green suspects the two deaths are connected, but how can she prove it?"

The 5th book in the Penny Green series. I enjoy this series. It is well-written and well-researched. I like the characters, although I find Penny can be a bit whiney at times, but, as she says "I'm always right".

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: C
Category: Historical Mysteries 2019
PopSugar: None
The Cradle Breaker: A Victorian Mystery-Thriller

Finished: 11/26/2022

Goodreads: "The Cradle Breaker is a fast paced thriller packed with twists and turns...Inspired by the nursery rhyme Rock-a-bye Baby, The Cradle Breaker is a standalone novel, the first in Delphine Woods’ Convenient Women Collection, and contains mature themes."

Excellent story line, and the end is very unexpected. Well written with well-developed characters that aren't meant to be liked. Not a cozy by any means.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: C
Category: Mysteries first published before 1970
PopSugar: None
Hunted Down

Finished: 11/26/2022

Goodreads: "A rare detective story by one of the greatest writers in the English language."

What can be said? It's Dickens....

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: C
Category: Historical Mysteries 2021
City of Prey

Finished: 12/02/2022

Goodreads: "A heart-pounding suspense thriller filled with shocking twists, the authentic and atmospheric AVA GOLD MYSTERY SERIES is a riveting page-turner, endearing us to a strong and brilliant character that will capture your heart and keep you reading late into the night."

Good start to a new series, but needs a better editing; some language was too modern, grammatical errors. Good, strong characters, a good plot, and dramatic ending. I especially liked the jazz tie-ins.

Rating 3.5 stars

PS: Currently FREE on Amazon!

[Robin H-R]

December - "N" and 11 previous letters

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: Prior letters - M, S, K, T
Category: Best Historical Crime Fiction
PopSugar: None
Murder On The Yellow Brick Road, Stuart M. Kaminsky

Finished: 12/04/2022

I like this series! Set in the 1940's in Hollywood. Toby Peters is a freelance detective solving a murder for MGM studios. Judy Garland is a main character.

Rating: 4 stars

[Robin H-R]

Level #3: Doctor of History
Random Letter: Prior letters - C, M
Category: Historical Mysteries 2019
Ghoul of Grays Harbor: Murder and Mayhem in the Pacific Northwest

Finished: 12/04/2022

This wasn't in my Washington state history books! Very interesting, true-crime set in Aberdeen, WA, about an hour from where I grew up. Always interested in Pacific Northwest history.

Rating: 4 stars