Plot summary (with possible spoilers): The wealthy Richard Abernethie has just died, apparently of natural causes. As the family gather together for the funeral, many of the members are seeing each other for the first time in decades. Things go rather smoothly until after the funeral, when Cora Lansquenet, Richard’s sister, says, “But he [...]
Plot summary (with spoilers): The Amber Room is a collection of amber panels that used to adorn the walls of Peter the Great. The gift of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, the room was of singular beauty and craftsmanship, as each panel was carved with intricate designs and inlaid with precious gems in [...]
Plot summary (with spoilers): Sixth in the Hannah Swensen mystery series, Sugar Cookie Murder represents a departure from Fluke’s usual style. The action takes place just a few months after Fudge Cupcake Murder, so many of the subplots in this novel are the same. For instance, Hannah is still working on the Lake Eden [...]
Ever since I began my quest of reading all of Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries in chronological order, I’ve especially looked for ward to the Miss Marple stories. Next to Hercule Poirot, Jane Marple is one of Christie’s best-loved recurring characters, and is a true fan favorite. I was particularly impressed with The Body in [...]
I’m edging closer and closer to my goal of reading all of Agatha Christie’s mystery novels in chronological order. I just finished Mrs. McGinty’s Dead, which was published in 1952. This particular work features Hercule Poirot, my favorite of Christie’s detectives, so I was looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, the plot was a [...]
Plot summary (with possible spoilers): Newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran has just been given a new assignment at the Daily Fluxion. He’s to become the lead reporter for the paper’s “Gracious Abodes” magazine, which will feature photos and stories of some of the most distinctive homes in the area. Qwilleran, who has been used to [...]
Even though Miss Jane Marple is one of Agatha Christie’s most beloved detectives, I have been extremely disappointed in my experiences with this character. She has appeared in three of Christie’s novels thus far: Murder at the Vicarage, The Body in the Library, and The Moving Finger, and while all were superb stories, the [...]
Agatha Christie is of course well known as a prolific writer of clever murder mysteries. Actually, she was just a prolific writer, period. She not only wrote novels, but also a bunch of short stories and even stage plays. With all those plots under her belt, it’s not surprising that she would want to [...]
I know I swore off Joanne Fluke’s brand of “cozy mysteries” a long time ago, but I recently started up again. What can I say? There weren’t any other decent audiobook choices at the library, and I needed something to put on one of my ipods for my three weekly trips to the health [...]