Tag Archives: Mystery

Sep20

The Lost Apothecary

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The Lost Apothecary

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

This was a book that I wasn’t even sure I wanted. It was an alternative to a Book of The Month Club pick. I didn’t like the description of the main pick for the month, but didn’t want to skip a month, so I reluctantly added this one. It sat on the shelf for awhile, and when I reached for what I thought was a different book, this one was there instead. Is that book serendipity? I think so.

This book was paced very well, and had such an air of mystery that I finished in one sitting. It was that good.

The story is written from the points of view of three different women:

Nella, the apothecary, begins the story in 1791 London. Although not old in years, her body is failing her and it’s her belief that it’s a form of punishment for what she has become. You see, Nella didn’t always set out to be a poisoner; it was at a very young age that she learned the skills of healing and helping women from her mother. She studiously watched and learned, and observed the great respect that was shown to her mother by the women that came to her for all types of remedies. But then Nella is left on her own, and in her grief meets someone who would shatter her world, which would lead her to a secret life that starts to break down not only her mind, but her body.

Eliza is also in Nella’s timeline. She is a young 12 year old girl who initially meets Nella at the behest of her employer, but then relies on Nella when she needs to rid herself of a ghost – real or imagined. Nella is drawn to Eliza, but fears that her young and innocent curiosity will lead her on a path as lonely and dangerous as her own. One night Eliza makes a horrible mistake, and it starts to bring everything crashing down on Nella. Eliza naively tries to make it right, and sacrifices everything.

Caroline’s point of view is present day. She is in London alone. Her personal life is falling apart, and she has no idea what’s next for her. She has a chance meeting with a gentleman who convinces her to join his group for “mudlarking” on the Thames. Not exactly sure what mudlarking is, and with nothing really planned, she joins the group. She’s about to give up searching through the muddy water of the Thames, when she finds a blue vial with an etching of a bear. And so begins her journey to find out where it came from, and leads her onto a search for a lost apothecary. But another mistake puts Caroline in jeopardy. Will anyone believe her? And will she finally make peace with her life and make the right decisions.

This book is simple in the storytelling, but so very compelling and satisfying that you empathize with each character. All too often when a book is written by various points of view, and one being of a killer, it’s hard to like all of the characters – and yes, I know some books are written so that you hate or despise a certain character, but this book makes you feel such sympathy for each one of these women that you only wish the best for them. I’ve been in such a reading slump lately, and this book that “accidentally” came to me got me right out of it – and it turned out to be such a sweet pleasant surprise.

Let’s chat about The Lost Apothecary – leave your comments below!

Interested in “mudlarking” on the Thames? Here is a great article:

Mudlarking in London on the Thames by Laura Porter

And this great website documents just some of the wonderful items found in the Thames

Tideline Art

Here are a few mudlarking images —

Jun27

A Treachery of Spies by Manda Scott

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A Treachery of Spies by Manda Scott

“An espionage thriller to rival the very best, a high stakes game of cat-and-mouse, played in the shadows, which will keep you guessing every step of the way.

An elderly woman of striking beauty is found murdered in Orleans, France. Her identity has been cleverly erased but the method of her death is very specific: she has been killed in the manner of traitors to the Resistance in World War Two.

Tracking down her murderer leads police inspector Inès Picaut back to 1940s France where the men and women of the Resistance were engaged in a desperate fight for survival against the Nazi invaders.

To find answers in the present Picaut must discover what really happened in the past, untangling a web of treachery and intrigue that stretches back to the murder victim’s youth: a time when unholy alliances were forged between occupiers and occupied, deals were done and promises broken. The past has been buried for decades, but, as Picaut discovers, there are those in the present whose futures depend on it staying that way – and who will kill to keep their secrets safe.” – Bantam Press

If that doesn’t hook you in, nothing will!

So apparently this is the second book in the series, but so far I don’t think there has been a third.  It didn’t dawn on me right away, which is not a bad thing. When a book can stand on its own and doesn’t depend on the reader knowing the characters or plot of the previous book, the reader doesn’t feel left behind. I have stopped reading a book when I realized that I wasn’t reading in order, and had to go back and start the series from the beginning.  Not great when you realize that the series may not be your cup of tea.  But there were hints at the beginning of this one that led me to believe there was a prior book, or books.  It didn’t really matter – like I said, this stands on its own just fine.

About this book (big sigh) — I did like it quite a bit.  The mystery surrounding the murder was very good, and it kept me guessing.  The flashbacks to the 1940’s and 1950’s were right up my alley – as I have stated many times, books that move through time are my thing (I was going to say “my jam”, but thought better of it). 

But I did find this book very hard to follow – and that’s unusual for me.  So what was it about this book that gave me a hard time.  I liked the plot, I liked that characters, and I really liked the flashbacks; but what I didn’t like was how difficult it was for me to follow who was who as it bounced from 2018 to the 1940’s.  I’m sure it’s just me and my lack of attention span, I mean I did start it back in March before all of the crazy COVID-19 pandemic stuff happened, and I only picked it up from time to time as I had to get used to being in lock-down and working from home, but I did find myself flipping back to earlier chapters wondering “who is this again?”.  I almost felt like I needed to start over and read it straight through, rather than how I was reading it in stops and starts.  However I wanted to move on, so I kept at it.

Now to answer my question – what was it that made it hard for me to follow?  Was it all the French names? (to my friend Marie – don’t laugh at me).

The story takes place in France, so of course most of the characters are French – and some of the names were similar.  What didn’t help is that some of the characters were family members, so I had to remember if I was reading about senior, junior, or a cousin.  Alright, before you think I’m a complete idiot – some of those same characters worked as spies during the war – and used fake names and nicknames, and even changed their names.  Crazy times! 

Other than that confusion (which I’m still convinced was probably only me), I really did enjoy the story.  The characters are strong, and Ms. Scott does a great job of keeping the reader guessing as she weaves fictional characters with some very real spy agencies and organizations that fought for freedom in France during World War II.  Of course my fascination with WWII spies made the flashbacks a bit more interesting to me – but the current time mystery was also very well done and kept me wanting to know who the killer was. 

The main character, Inspector Inès Picau, is a smart, tough character that has obviously been through something traumatic (a clue that there is a prior book), and I enjoyed how she interacted with her team and with the suspects.  She’s a clever one.

The other main character is Sophie, who you only get to see in flashbacks, is also a great strong character.  I loved her story, and she is the puzzle piece that pulls all of this together.  She’s actually the heart of the story.

That’s really all to say – the story has so many twists and turns that it can be hard to describe without accidentally giving something away.  I’m glad that I read this one, and will likely go back to the first book – even though I hate reading books out of order.

One last thing to mention – I did read that the book has been optioned as a new TV series, but no word on when.  Here is an article for more information (but I have to say I’m somewhat disappointed that every article I read about this says the murder takes place in WWII France – it does not – the murder takes place in 2018 France):

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/harry-potter-producer-adapting-thriller-treachery-spies-tv-1295118

For more information on Manda Scott and her books, visit her webpage – it’s pretty awesome:

https://mandascott.co.uk/

Sep29

Tangerine by Christine Mangan

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Tangerine by Christine Mangan

Tangerine
By Christine Mangan
Published by Ecco

I found this book pretty enjoyable, even if I didn’t like any of the characters – not one.  It was just twisty enough that I had to keep reading to find out what happened in the past, as told from two different points of view, and what was about to happen.  It was like one of those really annoying MTV reality TV shows that you just can’t stop watching even though you really dislike all of the people involved.

We start with a dead body, that at first seems pretty obscure, but later makes sense.  Like everything else in the book, this lays the foundation of piecing together all of the clues sprinkled throughout. But, I have to admit, those clues are pretty obvious.  Nothing really surprised me, and in fact, it was annoying to see that it was so obvious in places.

So, after the opening, where are we?

Set in Tangier in 1956, we meet Alice Shipley – a British citizen, married, and unhappily living in a foreign land because of her husband John’s “secret” job.  She’s not exactly sure what her husband does but he may be working for the “government” – I don’t think she’s even sure which government.  It is during this time that Tangier is gaining its independence from France, and the book hints that this could be part of John’s secret job – although John is an American.  But then again, Tangier has always been known as the spy capital of the world, so maybe John is there for some other nefarious deed.

As far as Alice is concerned, however, the city is oppressive in both climate and culture. She’s regretting her marriage to John, and particularly his insistence that she accompany him to this part of the world, so far from her home and where she feels comfortable.  But as miserably as she feels at the beginning of the book – things are about to get worse.

One day, out of the blue, Alice’s roommate from college shows up.  Alice doesn’t seem particularly happy to see Lucy standing in her doorway, but whether out of manners or a feeling of obligation or guilt, Alice invites Lucy in.

At first it seems that Lucy wants to make amends for something that happened to cause the rift between them – again only hinted at, with the clues slowly building throughout the book. And if Alice is slightly wary, well then John is downright suspicious.  It’s obvious from the moment that Lucy and John meet that they are not going to be friends – the animosity and petty jealousy between them is putting Alice in a pretty bad spot, and she begins to fall apart emotionally as things escalate.

As their past unfolds, Alice and Lucy tell their versions in alternating chapters and we begin to see how Alice – the rich, orphaned girl, and Lucy – the poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks, became so close that it’s difficult to see where one begins and the other ends – but maybe that’s exactly how Lucy wants it.  Her manipulation of a feckless Alice is disturbing and sinister.

Now because this is a mystery, I won’t go into much more detail, but I will say that throughout I just wanted to slap some sense into Alice. I thought John was a complete ass; and by the end of the book I despised Lucy so much that if she had been a real person standing in front of me – I would have hurled the book right at her.

See, just like I said at the beginning – I did not like one character in this book!

One last thought – I was intrigued by the Tangier setting, and I really wished that the author had done a better job of bringing the city itself into the story.  There were glimpses of Tangier, but I think with a city so rich in history and beauty I would have enjoyed feeling a little more immersed.  Maybe we’ll get to see more of that in the movie version, because apparently George Clooney intends to bring this book to the big screen.  Not sure I’d watch for the story, but I would watch for the setting.

If you are interested in learning more about Tangier – take a look at the wiki page:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangier

What are your thoughts?  Have you read Tangerine?  Please feel free to comment below.
 

Aug2

Books for Kids and Teens – Part One: The Mystery of Castle Croome

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Books for Kids and Teens – Part One: The Mystery of Castle Croome

The Mystery of Castle Croome by Hilda Boden
Published by Van Rees Press in 1966
Children’s Fiction; Grades 6 – 8, also known as “middle grades”

I first read this book when I was about 10 or 11 years old, and I had such a strong memory of it that from time to time I’d do a quick search of the Internet hoping to find a copy. Of course it would have helped if I had the right title. For some reason I kept thinking that the book was called “The Mystery of Castle Keep”. It wasn’t until recently that I learned of the correct title, and was able to buy an old library copy from Amazon.

For more on that quest, here is a link to my post: The Mystery of the Lost Book.

When the book arrived I was very excited to see that it still had the library card pocket, with the first stamp dated Sept 29, 1969, and the last stamp dated Nov 10, 2003. Some time after that it left the school library where it had been sitting on a shelf, and made its way to Amazon. I’m very happy to have this little bit of my childhood on my shelf now, but I was wavering on whether or not to read it. I didn’t want to be disappointed. When going back to a book that is remembered so fondly, I think many of us have that little nagging voice in our head that asks, “what if I don’t like it now”, or “what if I remembered it differently”? I was too curious – I had to read it.

How did it hold up? I was not disappointed!

The story begins with three college friends traveling from Oxford, England to Croome Castle in Scotland. Two of the girls, Pat and Penny, are sisters; twins in fact. The other girl, Molly, has inherited Croome Castle from her great uncle. Molly’s parents have died, and became estranged from the uncle when her father, a British citizen, married an American and later became an American citizen himself. Molly, an American studying in the U.K., is not so sure what she’s going to do with a castle, but she needs to see it for herself.

From the moment the three girls arrive at the castle, the caretaker, Jamie Campbell, goes out of his way to make them uncomfortable. He’s angry because he believed that he would inherit the castle. He’d been taking care of the place and her uncle for a number of years and felt that he should be the rightful owner. When it becomes clear that he would not inherit, he offers to buy the castle from Molly. But Molly is standing firm, she’s not ready to make a decision until she’s inspected the place and has seen for herself what it might be like to live in the castle.

To say that Molly is disappointed in the condition of the castle is an understatement. The place is filthy and empty of most of its furnishings, and there are obvious empty spaces on the walls where paintings and artwork once hung. Jamie is defensive, and tells Molly that with no money coming in, her uncle had no choice but to sell anything of value. To top it all off, Jamie then explains that the generator that delivers electricity to the house is no longer working, so they will be living with candles, oil lanterns, and no hot water. The girls are a little deflated, but still enthusiastic, and begin to clean the place up and try to make themselves comfortable.

From there a mystery starts to unfold, and the girls find themselves in an adventure. There are creepy noises at night, a dangerous muddy bog, and what might be a ghost. But, the girls do make some friends when they meet a group of sea scouts – a group of young men, similar to the Boy Scouts, that come to their aid and help them figure out how to get food and other provisions to the castle.

It’s a cute story with just enough adventure and mystery to have kept me entertained as a 10 or 11 year old, and even today I was interested in seeing how the story ended, as I obviously couldn’t remember much of the plot. There are some things about the book that will seem a bit outdated for kids today, but remember it was written in 1966. For example, the language is a bit formal. I don’t think you’d see kids today speaking like Molly and her two friends; they use “perhaps” and “shall” a lot.

What I loved about the book, and it’s more than likely what appealed to me as a young girl, was how these three young women took charge and didn’t let anything dissuade them from getting things done. But it was the 60’s after all, and when the girls had been rescued by the scouts, I read the line: “this isn’t a matter for girls to cope with on their own”, I only cringed a little. You’ve come a long way, baby!

Overall, I’m so glad I found this book, and really did enjoy reading it again. I do recommend it, even though it may be hard to find, and I think younger kids today might find it fun.

As always, feel free to comment. I’d love to hear about books that you fondly remember from your childhood.

FYI – Just in case you don’t remember where the slogan “You’ve come a long way, baby” came from.