Mystery Books Read in April 2015
A monthly mailing that I receive from Oxford County Library in Ontario put me onto a new-to-me, and excellent, series. Cathy at Kittling: Books has also recommended it.
1. OPEN SEASON by C.J. Box (Fiction, Mystery, Series) 
#1 in the Game Warden Joe Pickett series, set in Wyoming.
This was a wonderful introduction to a great new-to-me series, now at #18. It featured a likeable and believable protagonist and a solid mystery. There is ‘good suspense’, but it is not overwhelming as it seems to be in so many ‘crime’ novels these days.
Clearly, I have some catch-up reading to do.
4½ stars
2. THE LADY OF SORROWS (A Seven Deadly Sins Mystery) by Anne Zouroudi (Fiction, Mystery, Series) 
This is the fourth in the Hermes Diaktoros series which opened with such a bang for me in January 2015.
Amazon says: “A painter is found dead at sea off the coast of a remote Greek island. The painter’s work, an icon of the Virgin long famed for its miraculous powers, has just been uncovered as a fake. But has the painter died of natural causes or by a wrathful hand?”
The mystery in this episode just didn’t come together for me, but I did still enjoy the outing with Hermes, and will continue with the series.
3½ stars
3. EXCEPT THE DYING by Maureen Jennings (Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Canadian, Series)
Although she is the author of two other mystery series, Jennings is probably best known as the author of this series featuring Detective Murdoch, set in nineteenth-century Toronto, Ontario. The books are the basis for the popular television series Murdoch Mysteries
Except the Dying is the first in that series and I read it to prepare for the summer’s Read By the Sea event.
Years ago, I read the fourth installment, Let Loose the Dogs, and always meant to get back to it.
This debut wasn’t as good as I remember #4 being, but it held its own. For certain, I’ll try another.
3½ stars
4. COGNAC CONSPIRACIES by Jean-Pierre Alaux with Noël Balen (Fiction, Mystery, French, Translated [by Sally Pane], Series) 
This is the fifth installment in the Winemaker Detective series featuring (fictional) renowned wine expert Benjamin Cooker, set in France. The heirs to one of the oldest Cognac estates in France call in Cooker when they face a hostile takeover by foreign investors.
There is a passable mystery, but the appeal of the series is the wine and the setting, and would be particularly interesting to oenophiles, or Francophiles with an interest in wine-making.
I suspect that each entry in this series stands well alone.
I received a complimentary ecopy of Cognac Conspiracies from the publisher. This did not affect my review.
3 stars
5. A FINE SUMMER’S DAY by Charles Todd (Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Series)
FantasticFiction.com lists this as #17 in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series; I have notated it as #.5 – that is, a chronological prequel to the series stellar debut A Test of Wills.
This entry takes the reader to Rutledge’s last civilian case before WWI, and gives us a glimpse of the Inspector’s personal life as well.
But I continue to be disappointed with subsequent entries in this series.
3 stars
It was a so-so month for mysteries, but made worthwhile for me with the discovery of the Joe Pickett series. Does anything appeal to you?
P.S. The links are affiliate links so I will receive a small percentage of any purchase you make after clicking through from this blog.
I read some of the Anne Zouroudi books a few years ago and enjoyed them. I really need to read the rest of the series!
Oh, good – I’m glad I provided the reminder to a series you enjoyed, Helen. 🙂
I used to visit Oxford County Libray periodically when I was young (visiting from an outlying town in the county); I still remember how the basement smelled!
Lol, Marcie – it doesn’t sound like that was a good smell. I remember the smell of the basement at the old St. Thomas Library: that was where the children’s books were. It’s one of my most favouritest smells in the world – at least as I remember it. 😉
Which branch of the Oxford County Library did you visit? I went just a few times to the Ingersoll branch when my daughter lived there. I don’t recall a basement, but I didn’t spend a lot of time there – just long enough to sign up for the newsletter, one of the better moves I’ve made in my reading life.
I’m not big on mysteries, but a few ladies in my book club are. I will share with them. Thanks!
I read The Girl on the Train in April 2015. More of a thriller though it did have a mystery too. I was underwhelmed but later found the movie an improvement.
I haven’t read The Girl on the Train, Judy – thrillers aren’t really my thing. From your comments, I gather I’m not missing much anyway. 😉