Showing posts with label historical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label historical. Show all posts

Saturday, 3 February 2024

Butterball's Literary Whisker-Twitch: "The Moving Toyshop" by Edmund Crispin

Greetings, literati and feline enthusiasts! It is I, Butterball, your refined raconteur, here to regale you with my take on the rather curious literary affair that is "The Moving Toyshop" by the distinguished Edmund Crispin.

Set against the spires of Oxford, this enigmatic tale unfolds in the hallowed halls where intellects clash and crime takes a scholarly turn. 

At the helm is Gervais Fen, a detective with a penchant for recruiting students in his sleuthing escapades. One could say he's an academic Hercule Poirot, but with a flair for involving the bright young minds of Oxford in his investigations.

The Oxford backdrop is not just a setting; it is a character in itself. Crispin masterfully weaves the city's atmosphere into the narrative, a treat for those who relish the academic ambiance. The dimly lit corners of Oxford become an integral part of the mystery, immersing the reader in a world where intellectual pursuit meets the sly art of detection.

Our protagonist, a poet with an inquisitive bent, stumbles upon a
corpse in a toy shop—a setting so whimsically macabre that it's practically catnip for mystery aficionados. The intrigue deepens when our poetic friend finds neither corpse nor toy shop upon his return with the constabulary. A mystery within a mystery – a plot twist that even a cat with nine lives wouldn't see coming!

For fans of Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour, "The Moving Toyshop" is a literary treat akin to a saucer of the finest cream. The Oxford setting, the academic charm, and the peculiarly English eccentricity of the characters would make even the most distinguished detective purr with satisfaction.

In conclusion, dear readers, "The Moving Toyshop" is a literary conundrum that will tickle your intellect and bewitch your senses. It's a cat-and-mouse game of the highest order, set against the backdrop of one of England's most venerable institutions. Crispin's clever narrative and Fen's scholarly prowess make this a mystery worth sinking your claws into.







Wednesday, 16 May 2018

Butterball Reviews #British #Mystery A Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell

Title: A Guilty Thing Surprised (An Inspector Wexford Mystery)
Author: Ruth Rendell
Genre: British Detectives
Status: Read
Presence of Cats: A brief appearance by a ginger named Ginger (very creative...)

Butterball Says:

As I recall, it was a mere one year ago when I lamented the fact that I had gone so very long in life without ever having read the words of one of Britain's finest mistresses of mystery.  Ruth Rendell represents quality writing and intriguing plots, the likes of which this cat has not seen since Agatha Christie.

A Guilty Thing Surprised is not the first Inspector Wexford Mystery, and though I have not read any other books in this series, I did not feel this fact hampered my enjoyment in the least.

Because the setting is a manor house in England's green and pleasant land, one is immediately transported to the time of Agatha Christie's writings.  Thus, it feels oddly anachronistic when the servants are reportedly listening to The Beatles and stacking the dishwasher.

The copyright date on this book reads 1970, which leads one to believe it is set in perhaps the late sixties: a time of change, when the older generation believes they have betters, and the younger generation believes they can one day become their betters. And perhaps they are correct.

When the lady of the house is murdered in the woods, suspicion falls upon the usual suspects: the husband, the family, the servants. Motives abound.  Whether she was murdered for love or money, there is no short supply of characters who might have wielded the weapon.

There are hints of piquancy and salacious goings-on behind the scenes, but I must say the resolution is salacious in the extreme! From the very first pages, I thought things were perhaps heading in a direction KitKat would most enjoy. Was I correct in this assumption? Ah, that would be telling!

For now, I'll only say that I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in the world of Inspector Wexford, and I hope to visit again very soon. Highly recommended for lovers of Agatha Christie's masterful works!









Wednesday, 14 February 2018

Ginger Reads The #Cat Who Ate Danish Modern: A #Cozy #Mystery

https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Who-Danish-Modern-Book-ebook/dp/B000OCXJ66?tag=dorishay-20
Title: The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern

Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Genre: Cozy / Pets / Amateur Sleuth
Status: Read
Cats?: Two, and one's got a knack for presenting clues!

Ginger Says:

I've seen Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who..." books on library shelves since I was a kitten, but this is the first time I've actually picked one up to read.  I always wondered how these stories were told.  For some reason, I assumed I would be reading a book told from a cat's point of view.  As it turns out, that wasn't the case.  Once I got over the initial disappointment of being told a human story instead of a cat one, I really got into it and had a lot of fun with this book.

The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern features a journalist named Jim Qwilleran who used to work the crime beat.  Now he's down on his luck, living in a run-down apartment with a Siamese cat named Koko.  When his boss assigns him to an interior design magazine, Qwilleran's not keen.  He's clueless about design. It's really not his world... that is, until a crime spree breaks out!  Every property he visits seems to get burgled, someone dies, the police raid it as a brothel... the list goes on!  Finally, some crime to investigate. Qwilleran's back in his element.

Now, his cat Koko doesn't accompany him on his investigations.  That would be pretty neat, but I guess you'd get a reputation if, as a journalist, you brought your cat along to interviews.  So Koko stays home while Jim is out and about, but still manages to bring attention to clues leading to whodunit.

When I first picked up this book, I didn't quite realize its age.  I was barely three pages into the novel when I said to myself, "When was this written?!?"  There are certain concepts, relationships and turns of phrase that struck me as outmoded.  That's when I checked the copyright date: 1967.  No wonder the book's got a bit of a Mad Men feel about it.

All in all, I ate this book up.  It's very witty, consistently amusing, and the characters are a lot of fun: big personalities that keep you wanting more.  This is probably my feline bias talking, but I would have enjoyed more time with the cats.  Yes there are cats in the book, but it's primarily a human story and a human investigator.

Having said all that, if you're looking for a big-city cozy mystery set in the world of 1960s-era interior design, The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern certainly fits the bill! 










Tuesday, 13 June 2017

FRESH CREAM: The Continental Gentleman #Victorian #Historical #Mystery

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0719BTXH5?tag=dorishay-20
Title: The Continental Gentleman (Book 5 in the Lady C. Investigates Series)
Author: Issy Brooke
Genre: Historical Mystery
Status: TBR
Presence of Cats: Unknown

The Honorable Butterball Catsworth III Says:

I am ever so pleased to announce that the fifth book in Issy Brooke's Lady C. Investigates series is now available for readers to purchase! The Continental Gentleman has certainly found its way on to my To Be Read list. If you enjoy Victorian mysteries, I do believe it warrants a place on yours as well.

Cordelia, Lady Cornbrook confronts her past. It’s not pleasant, but luckily she’s armed with a short, stabby sword.

It’s late summer and Cordelia is rattling around her Surrey estate, annoying the servants and causing the gardeners to hide in the bushes. Her old friend – or nemesis – Hugo Hawke turns up, and he’s closely followed by his own past. It’s good news … at first.

But Cordelia has received a note warning her that she is at risk of harm from a “continental gentleman” and it turns out that the local area is positively brimming with potential suspects.

It’s not Cordelia who is found dead in a stream, however.

The race is on to find the killer before they strike again. She’s aided by her motely retinue of servants, and severely hampered by her well-meaning friends who only wish to help her improve her social standing.

Etiquette has never been Cordelia’s strong point. But she’s still got that sword…














Saturday, 6 May 2017

Zorro Reads Catch a Killer by George Woods #Action #Adventure #Thriller #Mystery

Title: Catch a Killer
Author: George Woods
Genre: Action / Thriller / Police Procedural
Status: Read
Cats?: Zero

Zorro Says:

After reading that Hardy Boys mystery a couple months back, I've kept an eye out for other nostalgic action/adventure type books written for young people. That's why I picked up Catch a Killer by George Woods.

That Hardy Boys I read had a copyright date in the 1920s. Catch a Killer isn't that old. It hails from 1972. A quick Amazon search tells me this book isn't easy to get your hands on. There's no ebook version available, as far as I can tell. If you want to read this book, you'll have to buy a used copy of the hardcover or paperback.

The reason I figured this was juvenile fiction is that the copy I picked up was an educational edition printed specifically for a school board. It comes complete with follow-up activities and questions for students.

I half understand why a school board might pick this book for young people: the main character is twelve years old. But just because you've got a kid in your book doesn't make it a kids' book. Catch a Killer doesn't strike me as a juvenile fiction so much. Reminds me more of a police procedural TV series from the 1970s in the vein of Columbo. Except a lot of it takes place in the woods.

Andrew, the aforementioned 12-year-old, ends up witnessing a crime. His bad luck, because that crime is the murder of two police officers. The killer immediately takes Andrew hostage and leads him on a night hike through the wilderness.

They're on the run.

Since the only police on-scene are now dead, will investigators think it was young Andrew who killed them?

The way this book was written is very effective. You get one chapter about Andrew's experience, one about the investigators trying to solve the double homicide, yet another about the killer's childhood and upbringing. Instead of vilifying the young man, the author shows the reader what drove him to kill. By then end of the book, even the boy he takes hostage feels empathy toward him.

Since we know who the killer is, the two main mysteries in this book are: 1) what made the killer kill, and 2) will Andrew be blamed for the crime?

In order to find out, you'll have to track down a copy of the book and read it for yourself. I enjoyed it, and any reader nostalgic for adventure novels from the 70s should like it too. The book's a product of its time. Very reminiscent of police procedurals from that decade, but also delving into the psychology of the killer.

If you want to Catch a Killer for yourself, you can find copies at Amazon.








Friday, 21 April 2017

KitKat Reads The #Witch Tree Symbol, A Nancy Drew #Mystery by Carolyn Keene

https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Drew-33-Witch-Symbol-ebook/dp/B002CIY900?tag=dorishay-20
Title: The Witch Tree Symbol
Author: Carolyn Keene
Genre: Juvenile / Nostalgia / Mystery
Status: Read
Cats?: None, but there is an angry bull.

KitKat Says:

Inspired by Zorro's review of a Hardy Boys Mystery, I decided to give Nancy Drew a go.  I've obviously heard references to this series, and I'm aware it's been popular for generations, but I've never read a Nancy Drew book for myself. Better late than never?

With a copyright date of 1955, I was more than a little afraid of what I was getting into with The Witch Tree Symbol--particularly because the action takes place in Amish country. I figured a book written in the 50s would resort to broad stereotypes in representing Amish people.

I was surprised (and relieved) to find I was wrong. I'm not Amish, so I can't speak with any degree of authority on the matter, but it seemed like a fair and thoughtful representation of the families it depicted.

Not just that, but Nancy Drew is an intrepid investigator. She's pretty fearless.  I can see why the series has been so popular throughout the years.

Having said all that, would I rush out to read another Nancy Drew mystery novel?  Probably not, and here's why: I found the writing style outdated and impersonal. I don't mean that as a dig. These books were written, what, more than sixty years ago? Times change, trends change, tastes change. I really like to get inside a character's head and feel what they're feeling. That's pretty much impossible to do when the narrative bobs at the surface of the action.

I still think that, if you've never read a Nancy Drew mystery, The Witch Tree Symbol is worth your while.  Aren't you curious what you've been missing out on all these years?

Whether you read Nancy Drew as a youngster and you're looking for a spot of nostalgia or you've never read this series and you don't mind starting with #33, you might want to spend a day with The Witch Tree Symbol.









Tuesday, 14 March 2017

What's New, #Mystery #Cats?

Hey, Mystery Cats! What are we reading?


KitKat Says:


Zorro's Hardy Boys review inspired me to dive into Nancy Drew. I've never read the series, if you can believe it, but I'm starting with The Witch Tree Symbol. Antique furniture and the Amish--what's not to love?

Zorro Says:


Haven't started it yet, but there's a Linwood Barclay waiting for me. Been hearing great things about his books for years. He's a bit of a hometown hero, too. So time to take him for a spin with The Accident.

Ginger Says:


Next on my list is Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris. I read Shakespeare's Trollop in the Lily Bard series and gobbled it up. I absolutely loved it. I'm not sure if Definitely Dead (A Sookie Stackhouse Novel) will appeal to me quite as strongly because it's paranormal and that's not really my thing, but if it isn't to my taste I'll pass it over to KitKit.

Butterball Says:


It is always most difficult to choose a book to read after one has devoured an Agatha Christie mystery as brilliant as The ABC Murders (which I shall have to review on the blog sooner rather than later), but I have selected a Martha Grimes novel to follow. I must admit I've judged The Old Fox Deceiv'd by its eerie cover. I am very much looking forward to exploring its interior.








Saturday, 17 December 2016

Butterball Reviews Cat Tales: Twelve Fabulous Feline Fables

https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Tales-Twelve-Fabulous-Feline/dp/1537175092?tag=dorishay-20

Title: Cat Tales: Twelve Fabulous Feline Fables
Editor: Madeleine Mayfair
Genre:Literary
Status: Read
Presence of Cats: Very much so. A cat for every month of the year.

Butterball Says:

If the cover image from the paperback edition of Cat Tales: Twelve Fabulous Feline Fables seems familiar to you, perhaps that is because you've so often seen it in the Cats Read Mysteries blog header. Madeleine Mayfair, curator of Crazy Cat Stuff and editor of Cat Tales, was kind enough to create our header, so it would be remiss of me not to mention the wonderful anthology of cat stories she has assembled.

In Cat Tales, you will find short stories from a number of literary greats including Edgar Allan Poe, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, Mark Twain and Madame la Comtesse d'Aulnoy.

Of particular interest to mystery readers is the inclusion of The Brazilian Cat by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This tale features a large cat rather than a domestic house cat such as myself. The dynamic between the humans of this story and the title character piques one's interest from the outset. And yet, throughout the tale, a mystery slowly simmers in the reader's mind. The wife of the Brazilian Cat's keeper treats the narrator with not-so-subtle ire. Why? They've only just met.

Throughout the commencement of this tale, we eagerly anticipate what action is to come. When a man keeps a jungle cat penned up in his manor house, that cat will surely wreak havoc upon the cast of characters. But how will this come to pass? Will the Brazilian Cat attack at his master's command? Or of his own volition? Who, if anyone, will be slaughtered?

A stunning tale, exactly what we readers have come to expect from a Master of Mystery like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If you have not read The Brazilian Cat, find it along with eleven other cat tales in the aptly named Cat Tales: Twelve Fabulous Feline Fables edited by Madeleine Mayfair.

Whether cuddly or conniving, playful or ferocious, cats have thoroughly captured the imagination of humans across the centuries...
https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Tales-Twelve-Fabulous-Feline-ebook/dp/B01K90ZRTY?tag=dorishay-20

Find Cat Tales in print or as an ebook from Amazon!












Sunday, 11 December 2016

FRESH AND FREE: Daughters of Disguise

Title: Daughters of Disguise (Book 4 in the Lady C. Investigates Series)
Author: Issy Brooke
Genre: Historical
Status: TBR
Presence of Cats: Unknown

The Honorable Butterball Catsworth III Says:

Issy Brooke has returned to us with Daughters of Disguise, the fourth book in the Lady C. Investigates series.

Daughters of Disguise is available for FREE this weekend! The final day to download this mystery free of charge will be Sunday December 11th, 2016. I hope you will enjoy this very Victorian tale.

When love and murder are different sides of the same coin...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAGKRFJ













Friday, 7 October 2016

FREE BOOK ALERT: In The House Of Secrets And Lies by Issy Brooke

Title: In The House Of Secrets And Lies
Author: Issy Brooke
Genre: Historical
Status: TBR
Presence of Cats: Unknown

The Honorable Butterball Catsworth III Says:

Author Issy Brooke is a friend to cats everywhere. It is for this reason I wish to inform you very good people that her book In The House Of Secrets And Lies, third installment of the Lady C. Investigates series, is available for FREE this weekend.

The final day to download this mystery free of charge will be Sunday October 9th, 2016. I hope you will enjoy this very Victorian tale.

Discovering the killer is the easy part … but can Cordelia bring them to justice?