Elle Hartford

If you've read a collection of Jeeves & Wooster short stories, or seen the show, you'll probably probably recognize scenes here. Many of the chapters read like short stories, but they come together into one narrative based loosely around Bingo's, erm, afflictions, hahaha. This book includes one of my absolute favorite stories, “The Metropolitan Touch.” Never fails to make me laugh out loud!

A great cozy mystery!!

I loved the friendship between the main characters, the setting, and of course, Sully. :) Rick was so awful, and I found myself wishing Beth had had more of a chance to confront him. But overall this is a great start to the series, and I'd definitely recommend it to cozy readers.

Lovely prose about living along the shore! However, for me, this was more of a 3.5 because I wasn't really rooting for any of the characters.

Let me clarify! This book is set on Puget Sound, where I also grew up. I think it is absolutely wonderful how it captures the natural environment there, and I loved that. But I was too invested in the setting. The characters do feel real, and very flawed, and . . . that's about it. In part because of my own baggage, I was constantly holding them all at arm's length. It was one of those books where I felt for the main character but mostly was disappointed by their choices–and that's understandable since the main character is so young–but it wasn't the narrative I was hoping for. That's partly my own fault though, so I've tried not to fault the book too much. :)

I do think this would be a good read for people who like meditative coming-of-age stories and learning about life along the shore!

It definitely has that medieval classic feel, right down to the dialogue. As a devoted Holmes fan it was fascinating to read this (just to get to know Doyle better: there's really no bearing on Holmes), but admittedly it may be tough going for the casual reader!

I was way behind the crowd on this one, and just recently picked it up at a Little Library out of curiosity. It's amusing and a little suspenseful (just wondering how things will work out!), and of course, maybe just a tiny bit too relatable, haha. The romantic subplot left me a little unsatisfied, though . . . I wasn't too sure about our main character's judgment.

I'd probably give it 3.5 stars if possible. It's an interesting read if you like that time period (19-teens) and all the banter is witty, but the danger (which is supposed to be a driving force of the book) never felt very immediate to me, maybe because of the narrator's style. Also, she really is quite mean to Watson! I understood her point, but at times it felt unnecessary.

My real issue with the book, though, was the relationship between Mary and Holmes. I'm completely fine with mentor relationships, and mentor-to-romantic relationships, and just romantic relationships in general. The problem was that the narrator said they had a mentor relationship, but then little details would point to romance instead and the conflict was never resolved. It felt like the author couldn't make up her mind, or maybe she really wanted a romance but had decided at the last minute not to write it that way. That indecision made me a bit uncomfortable. Not least because I worried the characters weren't on the same page!

I had read this as a kid, and came back to it as a light nostalgic read. It was interesting to rediscover the plot–it builds slowly, and I wasn't sure where it would end for a while. The book feels a bit dated now, but I should have known to expect that!

[slight spoilers] This was more of a 3.5 or less for me because of the way it ended, but I didn't want do penalize it because it's just not the book for me.

I admire the way this was written, and I thought the different narrators were interesting (though you do have to pay attention to whose name heads the chapter). It was a quick read, too, and definitely immersive in the time period.

But . . . I was attracted to this story because of the tapestries, and it ended up reminding me why I often avoid historical fiction.

I read this in one evening, when I needed an atmospheric break. ;) I loved the historical mystery and added element of the ghost ship. There is some child endangerment/kidnapping involved, though (I have friends who feel very strongly about that sort of thing, understandably!). Overall, as tense and serendipitous an adventure as ever!

Looking through others' reviews, I definitely read an updated (though still “dated,” compared to today's standards!) text. The introduction of Rishi and Rai in this version was different than the earlier version, and I think it made more sense (in addition to being less problematic). From there, the story was engaging. There were, of course, some cringey bits . . . But that often comes with reading a book decades old! If you're reading with kids, those discrepancies can make for good discussion points. Overall I enjoyed the adventure, although it's perhaps not my favorite Nancy Drew so far. :)

A fun idea, and a great twist on a mystery! I have to admit (perhaps because I read so many mysteries) I did see the end coming, but I enjoyed the creative way we got to the finale and the way the authors wrapped things up!

Honestly I picked it up expecting a single dry narrative, but it's more like an encyclopedia with many pictures and different topics with subheadings. It was very accessible and interesting!

Another classic Nancy Drew adventure, I thought! It did get a little tense in parts as Nancy went out on a few limbs, but of course everything wrapped up just fine. Even though I suspected the secret behind the statue, it was fun to see it unfold. Love reading these as a mini break from adult life!

Wonderful fun to read, even if you're already familiar with the storyline from movies/shows/etc!

A thorough history of a scandalous case. The organization of the book was interesting, with the facts about the murders discussed first and context discussed afterward; but the fact-relaying was a little hard to follow. The author jumps around in time and has a tendency to switch quickly from one set of people to another, so it takes some work to form a clear picture of the story.

Definitely an interesting and well-informed perspective, but it wasn't quite what I'd expected in terms of a biography. It skips over and then has to recap Cleopatra's early years, and often spends as much time in a chapter talking about the various men in her life as it does her own actions. The narration is clever, though, and insightful, and definitely provides context!

A very thoroughly researched ode not only to Sherlock, but to Sherlockian fans and Conan Doyle (and his fellow author friends!) as well.

I will say, I don't actually read a lot of historical fiction, so I never quite got the hang of two mysteries running side by side in two eras. It's really cool, don't get me wrong, but with the narrative switching every other chapter and the characters in both storylines doing lots of footwork, I found it a little taxing to keep up. Everything resolved satisfactorily, though. I was left with one or two little questions, but I still absolutely can appreciate the storytelling. Reading the notes at the end just made me appreciate it more, I think!

This book is a charming, slice-of-life type exploration of several very different characters' lives – the many difference between them being that some are no longer alive at all. I found Rebeck and the other living characters (even the raven) very sympathetic, and I rooted for them throughout the book. I didn't especially care for Michael or Laura at first, but they grew on me. The plot is quiet and philosophical for the most part up until some interesting twists at the end. Knowing Peter Beagle (I adore his other books), I expected that and was happily along for the ride. To a friend I would probably recommend Beagle's other stories first (especially In Calabria and, of course, The Last Unicorn), but this book is a lovely reflection on life, especially for someone who prefers less fantasy and unicorns in their magical realism/fairy tales. :)

Loved it! It's different from the Jeeves & Wooster stories: the narrative is a little more spread out. But the characters are just as endearing (and naturally just as silly and honorable when it comes to proposals, haha).

I really enjoyed the NJ setting and wry humor from the protagonist. The mystery is well done, and most of the characters are likeable – I didn't like Maxie at all at first, but she grew on me. :) Of the cozies I've read set in NJ or “down the shore,” this is definitely the one I'd most readily recommend!

A note: I saw in other reviews people complained about the grammar, but I didn't have the same problem at all. Some sentences are long and phrase-y, sure, but I followed them just fine. Then again, I grew up reading Bronte and tend to write long sentences myself, so maybe I am biased. xD

Different from the Disney version!

As a kid I was not a fan of the Disney movie, so I had reservations about the book. But it came highly recommended and I'm really glad I read it. The book is insightful and thought-provoking. I'd definitely recommend it, especially to folks who like classic stories. (Speaking of, The Classic Tales podcast has a great audio version for free in their archive!)

It's always fun to read new Sherlock stories, though this collection wasn't my favorite. The stories seem very well researched, but the characters don't quite sound true to me. The mysteries are interesting, though, so it's worth a read for dedicated fans!

Another fun adventure–though a dangerous one, too! It seemed to me that Nancy was bolder than ever–maybe even recklessly so . . . But maybe that's just me being anxious ;) Overall, it was a fast-paced and entertaining read, as expected!

I absolutely loved this book–and really needed it. If you're considering it, go for it!!!

A really interesting (I'm a mystery writer, I swear!) book. True crime and history of science junkies would find value in it too! Each chapter tells the tale of a different poisonous substance. It goes pretty quick!