eyes.2c Reviews

The Case of the Reincarnated Client (Vish Puri #5) by Tarquin Hall          Vish Puri is the owner of a successful Detective Agency. A cold case from his father has been brought to his notice by his mother. Mummy-ji wants his assistance, and of course she wants in on the action. This was very much a feel good Bollywood style mystery that edges onto farcical but remains within the circle of fascinating intrigue, being both humorous and mysterious. Mummy-ji is somewhat the bane of Puri's existence. She calls him Chubby, and is desperate to help her son solve cases. Of course Puri doesn't want his mother muddying the waters, but somehow Mummy-ji inserts herself into the investigation and et voilà, finds out something new. And then there's the added positive, Mummy-ji  is able to ask questions and go places that Puri can't. Not that Puri is even aware of these places half the time. That is until his mother alerts him. I loved that Mummy-ji's old phone ...

A Reckless Runaway (The Shelly Sisters #2) by Jess Michaels           The Shelly Sisters. Triplets, so unusual an event that the sisters Thomasina, Juliana and Anne are seen more as sideshow entrants than young women in their own right. Now we find the truth of Anne's leaving. Anne the wild child. She's been beguiled to run away from Jasper, the Earl of Harcourt, by a handsome stranger Ellis Maitland. But closer to the truth is that Anne feels unseen by Harcourt, "somehow she’d always dreamed that the man she’d married would see her just for…for herself." And she sees Ellis as a viable alternative to the coldness of Harcourt. Imagine her shock when Ellis hands her off to a brooding stranger, and she finds herself sequested on an island off the coast of Scotland with a man who is Ellis's cousin, Rook Maitland, or more formally Constatine. Of course nothing is simple. Anne spends days waiting for the other shoe to drop, and then begins to find enchantmen...

Dark Queen Waiting (Margaret Beaufort Mystery #2)   by Paul Doherty          Doherty continues his brilliant fictional treatise centered around Margaret of Beaufort, Henry Tudor's mother, and her deceptively focused fight to keep her son safe and bring him to the English throne. Standing with her are her redoubtable and loyal clerks Christopher Urswicke and Reginald Bray The House of York is divided against itself, Edward is king. His Recorder, Sir Thomas Urswicke, Christopher's father, is cunning and vicious in his plans to bring Margaret and the Tudors to heel. Needless to say father and son are estranged, although it appears Thomas still hopes for Christopher's loyalty. Trusted welshmen, part of the Red Dragon Battle Group are being hounded to death. Even claiming the church's sanctuary sees them mysteriously slain. Margaret and her loyal supporters must come up with a plan to thwart the Recorder's  intentions. And as plans take root, they ...

A Scot Under the Covers( Wild Wicked Highlanders #2)   by Suzanne Enoch      I have to say I SO enjoyed renewing my acquaintance with this series featuring the wild wicked highlanders--the MacTaggert Brothers. Continuing the story about three brawny alpha males being dragged to London by their Sassenach mother to marry English women before their sister Eloise is married, else forfeit continued financial support for Aldriss Park and the people of Clan Ross. Something the three men couldn't bear to let happen. Francesca Oswell-MacTaggert ended up with three very disgruntled sons. As their mother, Francesca controlled the purse strings for their Highland home, the three men obeyed the injunction, not without setting about to cause as much angst and disruption as possible. Aden MacTaggert has delighted in showing how uncouth he is but when Miranda Harris, the sister of Eloise's fiancé Matthew, asked for his help, he gave it. Mathew it seems had been fleeced badly ...

The Bard's Blade (The Sorcerer's Song #1) by Brian D. Anderson     A slow start had me wondering. Two lands sealed off from each other, Vylari and Lamoria. Common knowledge was that "once you passed beyond the border of Vylari, you could never find your way home—that was what protected the people from the threat of Lamoria, and prevented any who might wish to leave from divulging Vylari’s location." Yet, a mysterious stranger brings a warning to Vylari for Lem's mother Illorial. That's when the fatherless Lem finds out more about his mother and entertains thoughts about where his father might have come from. Lem was "the only one whose mother crossed into Lamoria.” Injured by crossing the barrier, the stranger possesses a letter addressed to Illorial predicting danger for Lamoria.  A seer has told that the "only hope rests with one who dwells [in Vylaru]—a child enormous of talent, with special gifts that have the power to hold back the darkne...

The Forgotten Duke (Diamonds In The Rough #5)   by Sophie Barnes  The trope is familiar. A powerful man having come from nothing is now a force to be reckoned with in the infamous St Giles. Carlton Guthrie holds many secrets and he's sworn to take his revenge for a dardastardly deed that destroyed his childhood. Lady Regina Berkly, the daughter of the Earl of Hedgewick, flees from an unwanted marriage foisted on her by her usually doting father. Of course there's something havey cavey about the whole affair. Her future bridegroom is the Marquess of Stokes. He is fourteen and suffers from a continuing illness. I liked this young person whose life has been one of constant pain, who's just as much a pawn of his father's desperation for the family line to continue, as Regina is of her father's scheming. I was touched by Stoke's forthright words to Regina, "as I deteriorate with time, you will regret being my wife, just as much as I will regret ruining yo...

Highfire: A Novel by Eoin Colfer      Eoin Colfer once again pulls literary magic out of the box! His wicked sense of humor permeates this most unlikely story. Put together one badass Dragon, last of his kind, formerly Wyvern, Lord Highfire, of the Highfire Eyrie, now just called Vern, and a bayou tatty, wise-ass Cajun kid with the handle Squib and you have one hugely amusing story of life in the bayou swamps around Louisiana. As Vern our former dragon Lord puts it, now he's "king of jack shit in Mudsville, Louisiana." Vern's living conditions are not the only thing that's changed. Now "Vern was mostly ketogenic, high fat, low carbs, apart from his beloved breakfast cereals...Unfortunately, it meant the beer had to go, but he got by on vodka. Absolut was his preferred brand. A little high on alcohol but easiest on the system." He also practices mindfulness as a way to cope with his down moods. After a series of setbacks Vern takes on Squib as hi...