reecaspieces

Overview

In Allison Montclair’s The Lady from Burma, murder once again stalks the proprietors of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau in the surprisingly dangerous landscape of post-World War II London…

In the immediate post-war days of London, two unlikely partners have undertaken an even more unlikely, if necessary, business venture – The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. The two partners are Miss Iris Sparks, a woman with a dangerous – and never discussed – past in British intelligence and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a war widow with a young son entangled in a complicated aristocratic family. Mostly their clients are people trying to start (or restart) their lives in this much-changed world, but their new client is something different. A happily married woman has come to them to find a new wife for her husband. Dying of cancer, she wants the two to make sure her entomologist, academic husband finds someone new once she passes.

Shortly thereafter, she’s found dead in Epping Forest, in what appears to be a suicide. But that doesn’t make sense to either Sparks or Bainbridge. At the same time, Bainbridge is attempting to regain legal control of her life, opposed by the conservator who has been managing her assets – perhaps not always in her best interest. When that conservator is found dead, Bainbridge herself is one of the prime suspects. Attempting to make sense of two deaths at once, to protect themselves and their clients, the redoubtable owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau are once again on the case.

Review

Gwendolyn and Iris own a marriage agency. They have been hired by Mrs Adela to find her husband a new wife. Mrs. Adela is dying of cancer and she wants her husband to have someone to take care of him after her death. But, when Mrs. Adela is found dead in Epping Forest of an apparent suicide, the clues do not add up!

I loved these two ladies. Not only are they witty, they are great friends to each other, not just work partners. I was captivated with Gwendolyn and her plight. It seems Gwendolyn has been in a sanitarium and she is trying to dissolve her conservatorship and boy is this a process. I have not read any of the books in this series. It is not necessary that you do so, BUT…the sanitarium story is something I must go back and find out!

I enjoyed how this mystery unfolded. It is not at all what I expected when I picked this book up. This would be a perfect read for by the pool or on the beach.

Need a good, Agatha Christie like mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.

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Overview

The whole world saw Princess Diana step from a gilded carriage for her wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral. But before that fairy-tale moment came a dark and difficult journey.…

Bestselling author Wendy Holden explores the astonishing backstory and young adulthood of the ultimate royal celebrity.

Britain, 1961: A beautiful blonde baby is born to Viscount Althorp, heir to the Spencer earldom. But Diana grows up amid the fallout of her parents’ messy divorce. She struggles at school. Her refuge throughout is romantic novels. She dreams of falling in love and being rescued by a handsome prince.

In royal circles, there is concern about the Prince of Wales. Charles is nearing thirty and the right girl needs to be found, fast. She must be young, aristocratic and completely free of past liaisons. Pure and innocent.

Eighteen-year-old Diana Spencer is just about the only candidate. Her yearning to be loved dovetails with royal desperation for a bride. But the route to the altar is perilous. There are hidden dangers. Ruthless schemers. Can Diana’s romantic dream survive?

Review

Diana Spencer, is a sweet young lady surviving in a tough world. But, her whole life changes when the royal family puts their sights on her for the wife of Prince Charles.

There is so much I want to say about this novel. First up, I remember all of this taking place. Everyone fell head over heels for Diana, including me! And yes, she was very, very young and thrown into a terrible situation. But, under no circumstances do I believe she was as stupid, insipid, or inane and this novel portrays her. Yes, I believe she was in love with the idea of being in love. But, she had been through her parents divorce, she knew a lot more than the author portrayed.

Now, there are parts of this novel in which I loved. These parts were 4 and 5 star reads. But, then there were parts that I rolled my eyes. Being the royal watcher that I am, I learned quite a few things and y’all know, I love a novel which teaches me a few things.

Need a good tale about Princess Diana…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

From the author of The School for German Brides, this captivating historical novel set in nineteenth-century and post–World War II Paris follows two fierce women of the same family, generations apart, who find that their futures lie in the four walls of a simple bakery in a tiny corner of Montmartre.

1870: The Prussians are at the city gates, intent to starve Paris into submission. Lisette Vigneau—headstrong, willful, and often ignored by her wealthy parents—awaits the outcome of the war from her parents’ grand home in the Place Royale in the very heart of the city. When an excursion throws her into the path of a revolutionary National Guardsman, Theódore Fournier, her destiny is forever changed. She gives up her life of luxury to join in the fight for a Paris of the People. She opens a small bakery with the hopes of being a vital boon to the impoverished neighborhood in its hour of need. When the city falls into famine, and then rebellion, her resolve to give up the comforts of her past life is sorely tested.

1946: Nineteen-year-old Micheline Chartier is coping with the loss of her father and the disappearance of her mother during the war. In their absence, she is charged with the raising of her two younger sisters. At the hand of a well-meaning neighbor, Micheline finds herself enrolled in a prestigious baking academy with her entire life mapped out for her. Feeling trapped and desperately unequal to the task of raising two young girls, she becomes obsessed with finding her mother. Her classmate at the academy, Laurent Tanet, may be the only one capable of helping Micheline move on from the past and begin creating a future for herself. 

Both women must grapple with loss, learn to accept love, and face impossible choices armed with little more than their courage and a belief that a bit of flour, yeast, sugar, and love can bring about a revolution of their own.

Review

Micheline is only 19 years old but she is now in charge of her two younger sisters. Her dad was killed during the war and her mother disappeared. She is struggling to feed and do all that needs to be done. Luckily, she ends up with a benefactor, her grandmother’s good friend. This opens her eyes to new possibilities.

Then there is Lissette. She is also struggling to survive the blockade the Prussians have placed on the French. She leaves home to follow her true love, Theódore. She opens a small bakery but it is still a effort not to return to her wealthy parents.

These two characters collide in a unique way. Each with their own issues to survive…but the idea of a bakery ends up being their saving grace and their connection!

This book is very well researched. I love when an author teaches me something. And this author definitely did…about Prussia. I had totally forgotten about what the Prussians put the French through in the 1800s. Add in the WWII section and you have a pretty dang good read.

I adored another book by this author, The School For German Brides . And this book is not far behind it!

Need a fabulous dual timeline historical fiction…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the author for a honest review.

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Overview

Someone is playing deadly games. Lieutenant Luke Pittman lies in the hospital in a coma after being attacked by one of their own. Veronica Manes, Burning Lake’s most respected modern-day witch, is dead, her murder left unsolved. Natalie Lockhart has become embroiled in a case with threads that become increasingly difficult to untangle.

Now, a new horror is uncovered, one that shocks the town as never before, and the dark, shadowy path forward for Natalie is paved with challenges that haunt her past—Veronica’s unsolved case. Her sister’s traumatic murder. The long-lost disappearance of her old best friend. Natalie’s obsession with finding the truth leads to a twisted, elemental struggle between good and evil—and nothing will ever be the same again.

The woods have secrets.

The trees are carved with curses.

Review

Natalie has stumbled upon a crime in which no one knew it happened. She has discovered a possible serial kidnapper and killer in her jurisdiction. This sends Natalie into an obsession of finding the truth. She is not to be stopped.

Natalie is a character that I enjoy. She is damaged but she pushes through everything to get to her final outcome. Does she always do it right? No. But she always has good on her side.

I have not read all the books in this series. I have read The Wicked Hour. And this one falls on the same level as that one. This story takes a bit to build and just didn’t hit the right notes for me at the right time. That being said, it is a good mystery and I do enjoy Natalie. I just wanted it to move quicker with more intensity.

Need a good police thriller…THIS IS IT. Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

1970s San Francisco: the sights, the sounds, the serial killers

As the ’70s draw to a close in San Francisco, things do not bode well for the city—or for ex-con PI Colleen Hayes, whose daughter Pam, in a tragic turn of events, has lost her baby. Pam leaves San Francisco, and Colleen, who moved there to reunite with her, starts to wonder what she’s doing in the Bay Area.

Meanwhile, a serial killer given the name “Night Candy” is targeting sex workers, both male and female. The situation doesn’t improve when Colleen’s friend and ally—SFPD Inspector Owens—is arrested for the murder of his ex-wife, who was found burned in a fire the same night the pair had tried to rekindle their love. Could Owens have really done what they say? Even Colleen has her doubts.

But there are people depending on her: Owens, who needs help finding his ex-wife’s real killer, and a trio of sex workers Colleen keeps her eye on—especially with Night Candy on the loose. Then, one of the three girls is next to disappear. If anything is to test Colleen’s resolve, December 1979 seems to be it.

Perfect for fans of Steve Berry and Harlan Coben

While all of the novels in the Colleen Hayes Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:

Vanishing in the Haight
Tie Die
Bad Scene
Line of Darkness
Night Candy

Review

Inspector Owens and his estranged wife are going to give their marriage one more try. But their night turns deadly and Owens is arrested for her murder. But, his good friend Colleen, knows there is something not right and she doesn’t stop until she knows the truth.

I love the setting of the 1970s. And the author did a great job with the clothing, the cars and the whole feel of the 70s. I also found Colleen a fantastic character. She is a strong, no nonsense type of gal. And she takes no crap off these men! Plus, she is smart and it shows!

This story weaves a great mystery with a kick. The twist and turns are exciting. I love how the author entangled the story around Inspector Owens and then contorted all the pieces together. And this book hit me at just the right time. I needed a good thriller to get lost in and this one fit the bill!

Need a good tale with a twist or two or three…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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