eyes.2c Reviews

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (Dangerous Damsels #1) by India Holton     ⭐️⭐️💫 So I’m ok with Steampunk Victorian novels but I realize I’m not fully relating to this quasi-quirky Pirate Victorian romance more in the mode of a Lemony Snicket title, or maybe of Road Dahl gone rogue and let loose in Victorian England, with Quentin Blake illustrations naturally. Is this a Victorian fantasy or something else? We have lady pirates trying to kill each other off, a would be assassin who’d rather write poetry, and escapades involving flying houses.  Have I strayed into a Baba Yaga alternate world, or is this simply a humorous alternative Victorian fantasy romance? Celia Bassingwaite belongs to the Wisteria Society crime sorority. A thief who takes delight in seeking out treasures and obtaining them in less than approved ways. Ned Lightbourne is an assassin working for the deranged Captain Morvath who’s decided to rid the land of forward thinking women, starting with th...

The Virgin Who Humbled Lord Haslemere (The Swooning Virgin’s Society #3)   by Anna Bradley       ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I don’t think I’ll ever look at a jar of quince or strawberry preserves in quite the same way again! Intrigued? Read on!  Georgina Hayley (one of the surprising young ladies from the Clifford Charity School) has been assigned to help the Duchess of Kenilworth and her son escape the clutches of her abusive husband. That leads Georgina directly into the path and ire of the Duchess’ brother, Benedict Harcourt, the Earl of Haslemere. Ire might be a tad strong. After all Benedict has swanned his way through life with a smile and masculine charm. In Georgina he meets his match. The smile and charm apparently fall on deaf ears. Focusing on his own pursuits, Benedict is somewhat blind to his sister’s situation. Although there have been some clues for him to notice if he’d a mind to.  Georgina and Benedict’s conflict is that of endearing moments and laugh out lo...

Mr Campion's Coven (An Albert Campion Mystery #8) by Mike Ripley               ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fascinating British murder mystery with a twist. Alfred Campion starring of course, having not lost any of his panache and policely intuition with retirement. A story that leads from an island off from the North Carolina coast. Harkers Island had been settled by a group of religious dissidents who left England during the 1692/3, only to land in Salem, Massachusetts,  and from thence sailed to Harkers Island. It seems some of their number returned to Essex. Into this background comes Mason Lowell Clay writing a PhD thesis about the genealogy of the inhabitants of Harkers Island in relation to those who returned to Wicken-juxta-Mare. A place featuring dangerous mudflats. A place frequented by few except for bird watchers. When Alfred obliges a famous actress to search for her dog lost in the area. When her yacht is found stuck on the mudflats, and the Captain fa...

Murder at Beaulieu Abbey (Abbess of Meaux Mystery #11) by Cassandra Clark               ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I really enjoy Hildeguard of Meaux and the two fighting monks militant who accompany her on her missions, Brother Gregory and Brother Egbert. Assigned by her Prioress to escort a betrothed young Cornish heiress back to Meaux Abbey from the Royal Abbey Beaulieu, until her future husband becomes older, all seems fairly simple. The heiress is engaged to the son of Sir William de Hutton, who lives near to Beaulieu. Beneath that is a more concerning matter that goes to the survival of Meaux Abbey. It’s 1390 and two leaders, Pope Boniface and challenger, anti-pope Clement,  are locked in a struggle for supremacy. Hildegarde is charged to find out how the land lies during her stay at the Royal Abbey,  The simple escort assignment turns into a kidnapped heiress, the father of her betrothed raging around the Beaulieu area causing havoc, and an outcast Rob...

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley      ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I must admit that first up I wasn’t sure if I’d actually continue with this. What a mistake that would have been! The road not travelled would have missed out on a delightful, quirky tale with serious undertones. Anders Caldwell, a journalist who dreams of being Clark Kent (as in super newsman) gets to cover the social activities of the community of Frick Island, in Chesapeake Bay. In that role he goes to the island for their annual Frick Island Cake Walk festival. The island is a place that does not ‘do internet.’ There’s a gaggle of interesting characters that kept me entertained, including of course Anders. This is where he meets Piper Parrish. Piper is a widow who doesn’t seem to realize she is. In fact she takes walks with her husband Tom, talks to him, cooks for him and the whole town says hello to him when they’re out together. Anders is fascinated by the island and includes it in his podcast....

Undercover Duke (Duke Dynasty #4) by Sabrina Jeffries      ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A convoluted plot as Sheridan Wolfe, the Duke of Armitage, and his siblings try to discover who might  have killed the various Dukes, and their fathers, their mother, the Dowager Duchess Lydia Pryde Drake had married. Their suspicions have landed on three women. That investigation was to take place at a house party by Sheridan’s half brother Grey, the Duke of Greycourt, but that’s now not possible, so it’s up to Sheridan. This leads to Sheridan pretending to be engaged to Vanessa Pride, whom it seems is “too attractive for Sheridan’s sanity.” Vanessa has her own reasons for joining in this deadly farce. Something to do with a playwright, Konrad Junker she’s “gushing” over. Vanessa’s woven a web of deceits that she’s afraid she’ll find hard to untangle. Hmm! Vanessa is one of the best aspects as we come to the unveiling of who’s been disposing of the Dowager Duchess’s Dukely husbands over the ye...

A Rogue's Company (Sparks & Bainbridge #3) by Allison Montclair            ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A new client gives pause to Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Iris Sparks, proprietors of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. They hadn’t before considered International clients. When Mr. Simon Daile from Nyasaland, Africa approaches them seeking a bride, they realize that they need to provide for clients from outside their narrow focus. It also seems Mr. Daile knows of Gwen’s father-in-law, Lord Harold Bainbridge, and his mining activities. Small world! Lord Bainbridge comes home early from Africa and Gwen finds herself confronted with her old fears, and new ones as he belligerently takes charge of the household and her hopes for her son Ronnie. Gwen has been fighting to gain back guardianship of her son after having suffered a breakdown upon her husband’s death. The Bainbridges are fighting her on this. Gwen’s place on the Bainbridge Board seems to be one reason. Then just as Gw...

Castle Shade (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #17) by Laurie R. King      ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes leave the Côte d’Azur (see Riviera Gold ) and forge onward to Roumania, “a place where the maps have ‘Here be dragons.’” Actually they are heading for a village near to Brasov and Queen Marie’s favourite castle. ”Castle Bran in the Transylvania hills [that] has everything one could wish, including it seems witches, vampires and things that go bump in the night.” They’ve come at the bequest of Queen Marie, a granddaughter of Victoria. It also appears that Sherlock had been this way when he’d been absent during Mary’s time in the Riviera. Both journies enabled by Mycroft to ensure that the Queen is not being targeted by groups determined to be rid of her. (Interestingly by now May and Sherlock have come to the decision that Mycroft needs to stop interfering with their lives. I sense a thoughtfulness from Sherlock about Mary as his wife and what that m...

How to Live Happily Ever After (Happy Ever Regency #7 ) by Bree Wolf          ⭐️⭐️⭐️ A persistent suitor and the unbelieving recipient of such pursuit. A twisted romance if you will. Miss Agnes Bottombrook at the ripe old age of twenty-nine firmly believes she’s on the shelf. When Grant Barrett, Earl of Wentford, spies Agnes across the ballroom his heart is irrevocably pierced by Cupid’s arrow. Unfortunately the woman he’s fixed upon is so sceptical about anyone wanting to court her, she believes he’s either pursuing her for a joke or a wager. I did like Agnes’ father who is most delightfully encouraging. On the other hand, Wentford’s mother is the schemer we all love to dislike. A charming fluff and bubble story where we’re treated to Agnes’ meanderings and doubts, as we wait in the wings willing Agnes to see the treasure, the HEA she could have, that Wentford would be. Of course there are reasons why Nessa (as Wentford has charmingly dubbed her) not only is su...

Safe Harbour (Sgt. Windflower Mysteries #10) by Mike Martin             ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sergeant Winston Windflower and his family have moved to St. John’s in Newfoundland. His wife Sheila Hillier is returning to studies for a MBA. Windflower is taking up a new position with the regional RCMP as a public outreach officer. That isn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped—there’s his rather disgruntled boss, and bikie gangs are once again in the mix. Windflower’s boss becomes rather agitated by his reaching across her lines of authority. There’s a whole lot of meal preparation and wonderful parenting weaving in and out of the Winston and the RCMP’s growing concern around missing girls (mainly older teenagers). The subject of trafficking rears its ugly head. I must admit that I was thinking the storyline paid too much attention to food and family routines, but that does play to the realisation that Windflower is an ordinary policeman tasked with the hurclean challenge of ...

A Peculiar Combination (Electra McDonnell #1) by Ashley Weaver       ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thrilling new World War 2 spy/mystery series that frames itself well in the war years. Robbers, spies and an unlikely group populate this series. A female lead Electra (Ellie) McDonnell who’s grown up with her Uncle Mick and stalwart cousins breaking into wealthy homes and selling on the fruits of their illegal labours. From early on Ellie learnt to hold her own against the hulking Irish cousins. When Ellie, through a series of mishaps, finds herself working for the British government under the direction of the chiselled and determined Major Ramsey looking for a traitor, and planning to confuse the Nazis. The relationship between Ellie and the Major has a temptuous underlying frisson. In Ellie the cool Major may just well have met his match. I love the combination of these two. There’s a further mystery developing—around Ellie’s mother. That’s obviously going to be a thread part of the ongoin...

Sixteen Scandals by Sophie Jordan      ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Improbably charming YA regency romance romp with a ‘not so Cinderella’ younger sister, Primrose Ainsworth, who decides to celebrate her sixteenth birthday at an entirely unsuitable place. Trouble arises (of course!) and she’s rescued by a not much older handsome young man Jacob, (next best thing to a prince as we come to see) There be metaphorical dragons a plenty, including Primrose’s own mother! Strong echos of the movie 16 Candles, set in Regency times. Enjoyable YA novel that older readers, including myself, will enjoy. A Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book ARC via NetGalley 

The Bombay Prince (Perveen Mistry #3) by Sujata Massey              ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ As always Preveen Mistry, a Parsi separated woman (unheard of), is an energising force as she quietly, yet forcefully, undertakes the various cases she’s given as a solicitor in her father’s law firm. The time in history is interesting. It’s 1921 and Edward, the Prince of Wales is visiting Bombay as part of an extended royal visit. Unrest is in the air. The Independence Activists want changes. The British authorities are concerned about possible attacks on the Prince and his entourage.  Preveen has been consulted by a young female student, Ferny Cuttingmaster, from the prestigious Woodburn College where her friend Alice Hobson-Jones teaches. Freny seeks legal advice for the College’s Student Union around activism. What she doesn’t foresee is that Freny will be involved in a fatal accident, and the more Preveen delves into the aspects of that, the more likely it appears...

A Death in Daylesford (Phryne Fisher #21) by Kerry Greenwood             ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, friend and stalwart figure in Phryne Fisher’s life, a fixed presence who is frequently involved in a love/hate tussle with her, is on secondment investigating a highly hush hush operation that goes to the upper echelons of the police. Detective Sergeant Hugh Collins, finds himself with a replacement boss who is rather ineffective yet, Oh So sure of himself. Hugh determines that he might have to quietly go his own way in investigative matters. Hugh is Phryne's personal assistant Dot’s intended. Hugh is living at Phryne's for the moment. Jane and Ruth, Phryne’s adoptive daughters are concerned about a missing school chum. Tinker, another edition to the Fisher household, meanwhile has met up with Cec and Bert down at the wharves after school where they’re fishing for eels. They find a body in the water. As all this is occurring Phryne and Dot...

One Great Lie by Deb Caletti                ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Caletti’s  YA novel with 17 year old student Charlotte cutting a literary swathe through Venice (that is if you count her research hours as a swathe!) Having been awarded the chance too attend a summer writer’s program in Venice led by her favourite Italian author Luca Bruni heads off taking with her a book of poetry, The Verses, supposedly written by a fifteenth century ancestor, Isabella di Angelo, a “great-great-(too many greats too count)-grandmother on her mother’s side.” Things don’t quite go according to plan and Charlotte ends up trying to track down Isabella and her writings. Of course their two lives collide in the written sense, the hunt for Isabella, who she was is fascinating—a mystery to be solved if possible. Likewise Charlotte’s journey has moments—of darkness and light, surrounding her search. This is equally as fascinating. A Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing...