Entries Categorized as 'Mysteries'

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Our rating: *****

Advanced Readers Incredibook!

A Penny for Your Thoughts (The Million Dollar Mysteries, Book 1) (Paperback)
by Mindy Starns Clark
ISBN: 0736909923

Price: USD 14.52
50 used & new available from USD 2.39

In this first of the Million Dollar Mysteries, Callie Webber is on her way home from a charity donation when her mysterious boss asks her to stop off and deliver two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to an old friend of his.
Callie, with her background in private investigations and law, is very loth to just hand over that much money to anyone without checking up on them first. After all, it’s her job to investigate anyone who requests a grant from her boss’s foundation. But she agrees, and grudgingly heads off to Feed the Need with the check. All she can think about is getting home and enjoying her dog Sal—until the head of Feed the Need is murdered.

A Penny for Your Thoughts is very well written with lots of suspense and action! And it has one of those “gotcha” endings that, when you think about it, you should have been able to catch! I love those. Actually, the whole series has the delightful distinction of being written by a Christian author, and starring a Christian main character. I wouldn’t recommend it for younger readers, though. Like every murder mystery, there are some unsavory people and events, as well as a teensy bit of mature content. Happily, that latter is not over the top, nor held up as good. I find these books so refreshing after wading through several secular series.

Why did I read it?Could have been betterAverageFantastic!Incredibook! (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

Cat Among the Pigeons

Our rating: ***

Older Readers

Cat Among the Pigeons (A Cat Royal Adventure) (Hardcover)
by Julia Golding
ISBN: 1596433523

Price: USD 15.26
37 used & new available from USD 0.96

Pedro, Cat Royal’s good friend, is finally settling into his new life in the Theatre Royal after the events in the first book, The Diamond of Drury Lane. All seems well, until Pedro’s former master appears and claims Pedro as his rightful property. Cat is determined to stop the dangerous man from taking away her friend, but with old enemies looming on the horizon she finds it much harder than she ever imagined.

Another Cat story well told. The style is quite enjoyable, and the authoress paints a very vivid picture of life in Britain in 1790. However. I would not give this book to anyone under thirteen, and I would think twice before recommending it to anyone under fifteen. The nasty language increased drastically—both in amount and stoutness—and some of the subject matter is on the border line of being uncomfortable, especially for younger readers. These books excite the adventurer in me, but I really don’t want to get hooked on books focusing on gangs, in which the heroine winds up risking jail because of her actions. It’s a clear picture of life in the streets, but not something I want to be filling my head with nonstop.

Why did I read it?Could have been betterAverageFantastic!Incredibook! (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...

Other books you may enjoy:

The Diamond of Drury Lane

Our rating: ****

Older Readers

The Diamond of Drury Lane (A Cat Royal Adventure) (Paperback)
by Julia Golding
ISBN: 0312561237

Price: USD 7.99
59 used & new available from USD 0.10

Catherine “Cat” Royal is a streetwise orphan who lives in the theatre at Drury Lane. As London is in an uproar over the French Revolution, Cat is thrust into dangerous political intrigue when Mr. Sheridan, the owner of Drury Lane Theatre, entrusts Cat with the secret that a diamond is hidden in the theatre. If that wasn’t enough, a London gang finds out and will stop at nothing to make Cat reveal the diamond’s location.

This book has a plot full of intrigue and mystery that will keep you turning pages until the final twist. Julia Golding masterfully describes both the gentry and commoners and their feelings about the rise of liberty. Though I did figure out the main plot thread before it was revealed, I was quite surprised by a number of places in the story. One little warning: The Diamond of Drury Lane takes place mostly on and around the streets of 18th century London. The very dirty streets of 18th century London. Get the picture? Other than that (and it’s really quite minor), this one’s a definite keeper.

Why did I read it?Could have been betterAverageFantastic!Incredibook! (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

Other books you may enjoy:

Nightmare’s Edge

Our rating: ****½

Older Readers

Nightmare’s Edge (Echoes from the Edge) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0310715563

Price: USD 10.39
39 used & new available from USD 0.96

Due to events that can only be understood by reading the first two books, Nathan Shepherd must travel to the dream world to find his father. Preventing Interfinity, a merging of the three Earths, is his goal. But events take a turn for the worst as previously-safe Earth Red heads back into a collision course. Nathan must decide between sacrificing the remaining supplicants (the strange powers behind dimensional mirror travel), playing the giant violin that previously almost killed him, or a third option which may be the most dangerous of all.

Hold onto your hat as you read this final installment! Themes of sacrifice, courage, and love are demonstrated over and over before your eyes as the story races to its conclusion. We finally learn the answers to most of the mysteries from the previous books. The ending is satisfying, yet things feel a bit rushed as the final chapter hurtles to a close. I was more emotionally involved in the previous two books than I was in Nightmare’s Edge, but with so much ground to cover it’s no wonder.

Why did I read it?Could have been betterAverageFantastic!Incredibook! (2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...

Other books you may enjoy:

Eternity’s Edge

Our rating: *****

Incredibook! Older Readers

Eternity’s Edge (Echoes from the Edge) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0310715555

Price: USD 10.39
50 used & new available from USD 0.10

Despite all hinderances, Mictar’s scheme is rolling forward and Interfinity approaches—bringing with it destruction. Nathan and Kelly must renew their efforts to stop the evil stalker, but there is already so much to repair, and Nathan’s parents still need rescuing. With the help of their friends, they travel between the dimensions to put a complex plan into action. Mysteries abound, new pieces of the puzzle come into play, and Nathan is faced with increasingly difficult choices.

The setup of the multiple dimensions and multiple characters in the first book, Beyond the Reflection’s Edge, serves to keep you oriented during Eternity’s Edge, but you’ll still need to keep your wits about you to stay on top of the twists and turns of this roller-coaster of a book. It really is incredible, and I enjoyed just as much—if not more—than I did the trilogy’s starter. I love the way music continues to tie into the story, and some of the new explored places are fascinating. But the characters are what really keep me reading. Can’t wait for the conclusion to be found in upcoming Nightmare’s Edge!

Why did I read it?Could have been betterAverageFantastic!Incredibook! (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...

Other books you may enjoy: