#Christian Contemporary Book Review #The Fifth Avenue Story Society by #Rachel Hauck

Summary: The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck

Executive assistant Lexa is eager for a much-deserved promotion, but her boss is determined to keep her underemployed.

Literature professor Jett is dealing with a broken heart, as well as a nagging suspicion his literary idol, Gordon Phipps Roth, might be a fraud.

Uber driver Chuck just wants a second chance with his kids.

Aging widower Ed is eager to write the true story of his incredible marriage.

Coral, queen of the cosmetics industry, has broken her engagement and is on the verge of losing her great grandmother’s multimillion-dollar empire.

When all five New Yorkers receive an anonymous, mysterious invitation to the Fifth Avenue Story Society, they suspect they’re victims of a practical joke. No one knows who sent the invitations or why. No one has heard of the literary society. And no one is prepared to reveal their deepest secrets to a roomful of strangers.

Yet curiosity and loneliness bring them back week after week to the old library. And it’s there they discover the stories of their hearts, and the kind of friendship and love that heals their souls (from Goodreads).

Book Review: The Fifth Avenue Story Society

When five strangers, Jett, Lexa, Coral, Chuck and Ed, out of the blue get invited to the Fifth Avenue Literary Society Library, they don’t understand what’s going on. Gradually they get past their insecurities and start sharing some of the stories of their lives. These strangers with no previous connection come to trust each other, pour their hearts out and wrestle with each other’s stories to get to the truths.

This story starts with background stories of each of the invited. Each has past issues they have been too afraid to deal with and prefers to keep secret. But as they keep meting every Monday night, they share more and more details and are bringing fresh, new perspectives into each member’s life. New input and new inspiration helps to reignite the lives of these somewhat stuck and lonely people. Their relationships seem to develop and the support of the society helps the members reflect on their past and move through some hard issues. They learn to love and be loved, be cared for and respected as they get more and more involved and willing to be there for each other.

I enjoyed the personal development we get to witness by following these individuals as members of the story society. From being rather closed off when joining, they learn to open up about their feelings and trusting the other members with the real truths about their lives. The stories they share become more and more heartbreaking, raw and honest.

The plot presents each society member similar to diary entries where we get to follow their unique process. The writing draws me into how their lives feel to them from the inside with all the fear, grief, and hurt feelings they experience. Going to the story society every Monday somehow adds to their lives and contributes to the healing they didn’t expect or seek.

The members of the story society is a good cast of well developed characters I feel are easy to identify with as they have their individual issues they try to lie, cover up or in other ways refuse to deal with leading to resentment and bitterness in their lives. This makes them all believable, real and special. I appreciated the faith element mixed into the plot which intensified towards the end.

My favorite of the characters is Lexa Wilder who is personal assistant in a burger chain. I am delighted to see her finally stand up for herself work wise. Her eyes get abruptly opened when she understands she really has caught the wrong end of the stick. Realizing this, she has to figure out what she wants and make a tough adjustment.

I felt the writing was vivid. In my mind’s eye I could see how the Fifth Avenue Story Society Library might actually look like. Fascinating how the meetings were held in surroundings of antique furniture, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and dusty carpets. I envisioned maybe it might look something like a mini version of the library at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movie.

This is the first book I read from Rachel Hauck, but she will be on my radar from now on and I will be on the lookout for more of her previous works as well as future releases. I would recommend The Fifth Avenue Story Society to fans of Rachel Hauck and readers of romance genre.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My rating: 5 stars / 5

Book Details (from Amazon)

Print Length: 400 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Up to 5 simultaneous devices, per publisher limits
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (February 4, 2020)
Publication Date: February 4, 2020
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07TBZN48W

About The Author

If you want to learn more about the author, visit www.rachelhauck.com or www.facebook.com/rachelhauck

#Historical Romance Book Review #A Gilded Lady by #Elizabeth Camden

Summary: A Gilded Lady (Hope and Glory #2) by Elizabeth Camden

Caroline Delacroix is at the pinnacle of Washington high society in her role as secretary to the first lady of the United States. But beneath the facade of her beauty, glamorous wardrobe, and dazzling personality, she's hiding a terrible secret. If she cannot untangle a web of foreign espionage, her brother will face execution for treason.

Nathaniel Trask is the newly appointed head of the president's Secret Service team. He is immediately suspicious of Caroline despite his overwhelming attraction to her quick wit and undeniable charm. Desperate to keep the president protected, Nathaniel must battle to keep his focus fully on his job as the threat to the president rises.

Amid the glamorous pageantry of Gilded Age Washington, DC, Caroline and Nathaniel will face adventure, danger, and heartbreak in a race against time that will span the continent and the depth of human emotion  (from Goodreads).

Book Review: A Gilded Lady

US First Lady’s secretary Caroline Delacroix is struggling with her twin brother Luke’s serious problems while working night and day. Secret Service agent Nathaniel Trask is suspicious of her, but has a hard time focusing because he is intensely attracted to her. As danger intensifies for the First Couple, Caroline and Nathaniel co-operates to deal with challenging and threatening situations.  

A Gilded Lady is Book #2 in the Hope and Glory Series by Elizabeth Camden set in 1900s White House life. The series focuses on siblings Grey, Caroline and Luke Delacroix. While book #1 The Spice King focused on Grey, book #2 is about Caroline who serves as secretary to the US First Lady. Caroline and Nathaniel get to know each other better while on the adventure of a lifetime as well as a security nightmare.

The plots with elements of technical inventions mixed in very enjoyably stand out and have made Elizabeth Camden one of my go-to authors for years. Reading A Gilded Lady as a standalone would work perfectly, but picking up book #1 The Spice King would give you a great background and details of the story running through the series.

Main character Caroline Delacroix comes across as a stubborn, entitled and manipulating character. She irritated me all through book #1 The Spice King, but I was pleased to see she goes through an impressive personal development throughout A Gilded Lady. She becomes stronger both in faith and character as she develops from a girl into a woman. She is my favorite of this story.

 
Secondary character Nathaniel Trask, US Secret Service agent is honorable and rule-conscious but maybe slightly boring. He carries his very own secret that constantly weighs on his mind, and I kept wishing he could ease up a bit in between all the stress of his work. He has a good influence on Caroline as he encourages her to make good decisions.

There is a distinct faith element to the A Gilded Lady.  The characters pray for support throughout. Caroline particularly expresses her faith in her dialogue with Nathaniel. Theirs is a slow burn romance totally in keeping with the intensity of the plot. I really enjoyed the balance of it all, where drama was allowed to take center stage while the romance part was made room for in the more quiet parts.

A Gilded Lady is the exiting and entertaining new work from Elizabeth Camden set in the 1900s life in and around the White House. The writing of A Gilded Lady I found vivid and captivating as it expertly drew me into the plot. My favorite part was the exiting separate storyline carried through from book #1 The Spice King, and I can’t wait to see what happens next for Luke.

The ending of A Gilded Lady I felt was well crafted in a way that solved a bit of the most immediate problems of the plot with a surprising twist, while still leaving enough loose ends to be dealt with in the next installment. Fans of Elizabeth Camden’s other work will love A Gilded Lady, as will readers of historical romance fiction. Similar authors to explore might be Rachel Hauck or Michelle Griep.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

My rating: 4 stars / 5

Main reasons: Exciting plot, excellent research and vivid writing.

Book Details (from Amazon)

Print Length: 368 pages

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (June 2, 2020)
Publication Date: June 2, 2020
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B0821P2XQ7

About The Author

If you want to learn more about the author of A Gilded Lady, Elizabeth Camden, visit: http://elizabethcamden.com/

#Cozy Mystery Book Review #At Bertram’s Hotel by #Agatha Christie

Summary: At Bertram’s Hotel (Miss Marple #11) by Agatha Christie

Jane Marple is being treated to a few days' holiday by her nephew, staying at Bertram's Hotel—a dignified establishment tucked away in a back street of busy Mayfair. It is a place where sedate upper-class ladies, retired military gentlemen, and the higher echelons of the clergy can indulge in the comforts of a bygone age. But Miss Marple begins to feel uneasy. Something sinister lurks beneath the polished veneer. Why are so many major crimes associated in some way with the hotel and those eminently respectable people staying there? Instead of rest and relaxation, Miss Marple finds herself hard at work as she attempts to discover what goes on behind closed doors. Siân Phillips and Maurice Denham are among the cast of this absorbing mystery, starring June Whitfield as Miss Marple. (from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: At Bertram’s Hotel

Miss Marple goes on holiday to posh and traditional Bertram’s Hotel. She has fond memories of the place, but now nothing is as it seems. A murder takes place, a priest disappears and there is a major robbery. Bertram’s seems to be in the center of it all and Miss Marple is asked to help the police with their investigation.

 
I listened to the audio CD edition of At Bertram’s Hotel (Miss Marple #11) and it is one of the shorter stories. Listening time is only 2 hours and 20 minutes. I thoroughly enjoyed the pre WWII vibe I get from stories about Miss Marple. I am a great and longtime fan of Agatha Christie’s characters and have read, listened to or watched TV adaptations of a number of her works. I particularly enjoyed the little music bits throughout, which added an extra element of uniqueness to the story.

At Bertram’s Hotel (Miss Marple #11) continues Agatha Christie’s stories about Miss Marple. The police investigate the disappearance of the forgetful and absent minded Canon Pennyfather. Turning up again with a concussion and memory loss, he is very little help to the police when they try to question him about his whereabouts at the time when other criminal activity takes place in the area.

With the combination of investigative skills and eavesdropping, Miss Marple shares with the police details of what she has seen and heard during her stay at the hotel. In this story I am very pleased to see she is actually taken seriously and her contributions prove valuable to the solution of the case. Miss Marple feels there is something wrong with Bertram’s Hotel and that ends up being true on so many levels.

Main character Miss Marple is her usual gossipy, sleuthing self in this story. I find her very funny as she is actually making eavesdropping into an art form. I find her clever and entertaining as well as a person to be reckoned with, which makes her my favorite character of this story.

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Secondary character Lady Bess Sedgewick is the eccentric famous, danger seeking guest with a forceful and domineering personality. Her business interests are shady and she has dangerous secrets. I find her demanding and pushy personality unsympathetic, which makes her my least favorite character of this story, but she is memorable and adds drama to the plot.

The audio CD edition of At Bertram’s Hotel (Miss Marple #11) is a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. It is the exciting and entertaining story of Miss Marple as she is re-visiting Bertram’s Hotel. This is one of many stories I have read, watched or listened to, which is expertly crafted by The Queen of Crime.

There are numerous books starring Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, and I would recommend any one of them to fans of Agatha Christie as well as anyone who enjoy crime fiction. Trust me, it would be time well spent. Similar works to explore might be the Sherlock Holmes Series by Arthur Conan Doyle.

All opinions in this review are completely my own.

My rating: 5 stars / 5

Main reasons: Expertly crafted characters, exiting plot, addition of music throughout

Book Details (from Amazon.com)

ASIN: B0042N8TP4

About The Autor (from Amazon.com)

Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and created the detective Hercule Poirot in her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920). She achieved wide popularity with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and produced a total of eighty novels and short-story collections over six decades.

#Historical Fiction Book Review #Of Darkness and Light by #Heidi Eljarbo

Summary: Of Darkness and Light (Soli Hansen Mysteries #1) by Heidi Eljarbo

Oslo, 1944. Soli Hansen’s passion for art history is and always has been a way of life for her. While she spends her days working in an art shop, WWII is taking its toll on everyone. Apprehensive of the consequences, Soli avoids becoming entangled in the war resistance efforts. She closes her eyes in hopes the enemy will retreat and leave her beautiful country for good.

But when a woman is found dead in the alley alongside the art shop and a painting from the last auction goes missing, Soli is thrown into the thickest of the fray involving both Nazi art theft and the Norwegian resistance.

Once Soli finds her courage, there’s no turning back. Her personal life is turned upside-down with danger, lies, spying, and an incredible discovery.

In this dual timeline novel, Heidi Eljarbo paints a vivid picture of what people are willing to do in desperate times. With unforgettable characters and rich historical details, Of Darkness and Light will keep the reader mesmerized until the last satisfying page.

Perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Lucinda Riley, Katherine Neville, and Kate Mosse. (from Amazon.com)

Book Review: Of Darkness and Light

When art shop cleaner Mrs Gundersen is found dead in center of Oslo 1944, art historian Soli Hansen finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation of a person who was not who she seemed. Soli goes on a mission to prevent priceless Norwegian art from ending up in the hands of Hitler. With the Germans on her tail, she goes on a secret trip out of Oslo.

When asked by author Heidi Eljarbo to review Of Darkness and Light, the first installment in Soli Hansen Mystery series, I was absolutely thrilled for the opportunity. She is a new to me author and Of Darkness and Light seemed seriously interesting to me as well as right up my alley. Of Darkness and Light is about art historian Solveig, Soli, Hansen who experiences a murder in the art shop where she works. Investigations show the murder is connected to the arrests and deportations of Jews out of Oslo. The Germans are in the process of stealing valuable pieces of art from their homes and taking them back to Germany. To prevent this Soli puts herself in danger to keep a priceless painting hidden from Hitler’s representatives in Oslo.

Main character Solveig, Soli, Hansen, has managed to earn an art history degree, which I find impressive for a woman in Norway in the 1940s. It was nice to see she became more mature as the story progressed. She was easily my favorite as she could be both assertive and bold when called for.

Secondary character Lieutenant Colonel Heinz Walter is searching for valuable Norwegian art on behalf of Hitler. He is a cold and hard character who doesn't shy away from the occasional murder when trying to steal the best pieces of art for Hitler. He is my least favorite character as he is both ruthless and very dangerous.

Without revealing anything about the plot, I really appreciated how the dual timeline element added a deeper dimension to the story. The part from the 1600s Valetta was a favorite of mine, as I felt it was particularly well written. The research was excellent, which made me feel I learned more Norwegian wartime history. It was easy to feel pulled into the story as the writing was so vivid including descriptions of food rationing, German uniforms and weather conditions of autumn in Oslo among lots of other things.

Of Darkness and Light (Soli Hansen Mystery #1) by Heidi Eljarbo is the excellently researched, exiting and interesting dual timeline mystery story from WWII Oslo and 1600s Valetta. I enjoyed Of Darkness and Light so much and will be on the lookout for the next installment.

Readers of historical fiction would love this work. Those of you who like WWII fiction will particularly enjoy Of Darkness and Light. Fans of Heidi Eljarbo’s previous books are sure to love this one. Similar books to explore might be the works of Kate Morton, Lucinda Riley, Katherine Neville and Kate Mosse.

Thank you to author Heidi Eljarbo for this eARC, which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review of Of Darkness and Light. All opinions are completely my own. 

My rating: 5 stars / 5

Main reasons: excellent plot and great research

Book Details (from Amazon.com)

Publication Date: May 12, 2020
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B086RNG5SX
Edited by: Jill Noelle Noble
Book Cover Design by: Tim Barber, Dissect Designs

About The Author (from Goodreads.com)

Heidi Eljarbo grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as a freelance writer, magazine journalist, and painter.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier and a bird.
Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter. Heidi’s favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.
If you would like to know more, please visit:

Official Author Website: https://www.heidieljarbo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorheidie...
Pinetrest: https://no.pinterest.com/heidieljarbo/
Twitter: @HeidiEljarbo

#Crime fiction book review: #The Skull beneath the Skin by #P.D. James

Summary: The Skull beneath the Skin (Cordelia Gray Mystery Series #2) by P.D. James 

Combining the classic ingredients of a murder mystery with elements of horror, apparitions and hairbreadth episodes, The Skull Beneath The Skin creates a dark and claustrophobic atmosphere in a masterpiece of crime fiction. When leading actress Clarissa Lisle receives threats to her life the young detective, Cordelia Gray, is hired to accompany her to a private island where she is going to star in The Duchess Of Malfi. In this gripping dramatization, the sharp-witted slueth, played by Greta Scaachi, finds herself in the enclosed setting of a chilling country house on an island with a blood-stained history.

Book Review: The Skull beneath the Skin (Cordelia Gray Mystery Series #2) by P.D. James

The Skull beneath the Skin (Cordelia Gray Mystery Series #2) by @P.D. James
is about eccentric actor Clarissa Lisle, Lady Ralston, who receives death threats and is scared for her life and PI Cordelia Grey who is hired by Clarissa’s husband to keep her out of danger. A murder occurs on private Courcy Island and the small group of people present become suspects. 

I listened to an audio CD of The Skull beneath the Skin by P.D. James. This was my first encounter with her work, except for numerous TV adaptations I have watched over the years. The plot is set on small, privately owned Courcy Island. Actor Clarissa Lisle is invited there with a small group of acquaintances to star in a theater play, but is scared for her life because of all the death threats she has received ahead of performances. PI Cordelia Grey is hired to keep her safe while pretending to be her secretary.

Main character Cordelia Gray felt a bit like the mother hen who kept everything together when things got rough. I really liked her character and was impressed by her detective skills. She had analytical skills like Agatha Christie’s Poirot, but I felt she added a womanly touch when helping the police with their investigation. 

Ambrose Gorringe is a longtime friend of the victim and the owner of Courcy Island. I felt he was a cynical and cold person and felt unsettled by his collection of gruesome items kept on the island. Entertainment for the guests included a scary sightseeing and telling of gruesome legends from the middle ages. 

Roma Lyle, Clarissa's heir was my least favorite character of this story as she seemed an unsympathetic, greedy and rude person who disliked the victim. As she was in acute need for money to please her boyfriend, she seemed to be near the top of the suspects list.

The victim I felt was a well crafted character who was rich, controlling and disliked by many of the guests. I disliked her attitude intensely, but she certainly added drama to the plot. Most of the guest’s characters I found to be seriously superficial in an entertaining as well as shocking way. -One asking if the play would go on as planned after the murder had happened. They seemed well developed, like the author might have taken their traits from posh people in her real life. 

My favorite part of the story was also the scariest, where guests were taken on a tour around solitary and scary Courcy Castle and told a horrifying legend of the island. I found it to be a perfect element in a Halloween read, and one of the parts I felt was particularly well written.
The plot and the writing I found reminded me somewhat of Agatha Christie. A group of people were gathered on a solitary place when a murder took place. Slightly more gory details were added in this story, like descriptions of how the dead body looked.

The Skull beneath the Skin (Cordelia Gray Mystery Series #2) by P.D. James
is a thrilling and entertaining story of PI Cordelia Gray solving a horrible murder in opulent English environment on a private solitary island. Fans of P.D. James will enjoy this and it is also recommended for readers of crime fiction. Similar books to explore might be one of Agatha Christie’s numerous works.

All opinions in this review are completely my own.

My rating: 4 stars / 5

Book Details (kindle edition) (from Amazon)

Print Length: 483 pages
Publisher: Faber & Faber; New Ed edition (November 20, 2008)
Publication Date: November 20, 2008
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English

About The Author (from Amazon)

P. D. James is the author of twenty previous books, most of which have been filmed and broadcast on television in the United States and other countries. She spent thirty years in various departments of the British Civil Service, including the Police and Criminal Law Departments of Great Britain's Home Office. She has served as a magistrate and as a governor of the BBC. In 2000 she celebrated her eightieth birthday and published her autobiography, Time to Be in Earnest. The recipient of many prizes and honors, she was created Baroness James of Holland Park in 1991 and was inducted into the International Crime Writing Hall of Fame in 2008. She lives in London and Oxford.

#Cozy Mystery Book Review: #Booked for Death by #Victoria Gilbert

Summary: Booked for Death (Booklovers B&B Mysteries #1) by Victoria Gilbert

A book lover's B&B in an idyllic waterfront village becomes the scene of a grisly murder--and a ruthless battle between treachery and the truth.

Nestled in the historic waterfront town of Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast is a reader's paradise. Built in 1770, the newly renovated inn hosts a roster of special events celebrating books, genres, and authors. It's the perfect literary retreat--until a rare book dealer turns up dead in the carriage house during a celebration of Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey.

The victim's daughter points the finger at forty-two-year-old widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is shocked to discover that the book dealer suspected Isabella of being a thief who founded Chapters on her ill-gotten gains. Charlotte has successfully learned the B&B business in a year, but nothing has prepared her to handle a death on the premises.

Armed with intelligence and courage and assisted by her vibrant older neighbor, a visiting author, and members of a local book club, Charlotte is determined to prove her innocence and to clear her great-aunt's name. But the murderer is still at large, and equally determined to silence anyone who might discover the truth behind the book dealer's death. Now, Charlotte must outwit an unknown killer--or end up writing her own final chapter.

Book Review: Booked for Death (Booklovers B&B Mysteries #1) by Victoria Gilbert

When rare book dealer Lincoln Delamont is stabbed to death at a book event in Chapters B&B, fingers are pointed at owner Charlotte Reed, accusing her of the murder. With the help of her neighbor Charlotte sets out to find the real killer and clear her name, whilst trying to stay out of danger.

Booked for Death (Booklovers B&B Mysteries #1) by @Victoria Gilbert is about Charlotte Reid whose great-aunt Isabella left her Chapters B&B, which is set in a converted stately waterfront home. A mystery seems to be connected to how she acquired the very large sum of money to buy it. Some of this information has made it into the hands of rare book’s dealer and shady business man Lincoln Delamont who threatens to use it to ruin Chapter’s reputation. Charlotte now has motive for murder. This twist becomes an important part of the plot which I enjoyed a lot.

Main character Charlotte Reed is the ex high school teacher, now B&B owner. I’m quite impressed by the way she handles situations where tempers get heated in a large group of people. Her socially confident manner and no-nonsense attitude comes in handy when her establishment suddenly becomes a crime scene. She is easily my favorite character of this story.

Ellen Montgomery is ex film location scout, neighbor and friend who is assisting with the amateur sleuthing as well as helping with business matters. I find her a very important secondary character that seems very well developed and true to life. She stands out positively and I think the plot would not function without her.

Damien Carr is part time cook at Chapters who has a volatile temper which leads to difficult relationships to other people. He seems a rather unsympathetic character with plenty of tantrums that plenty of people can imagine capable of murder. He is my least favorite character of this story. However, he seems to function a bit better as the story progresses.

The part of the plot concerning the mystery of great-aunt Isabella’s life was my favorite part of this plot. Throughout the story there were interesting clues, but no definite answers until the end, so I kept wondering and waiting to know more. The mystery part definitely added extra excitement to the story for me.

When it came to solving the murder, quite a number of guests seemed to have motives, so it seemed hard for Charlotte to sift through it all to solve the case. I really enjoyed that the identity of the killer and the motive took me so completely by surprise.

Booked for Death (Booklovers B&B Mysteries #1) is the first work I have read by Victoria Gilbert. I look forward to installment #2 in the series.

Reading Booked for Death (Booklovers B&B Mysteries #1) by Victoria Gilbert was a new plot setting for me which made for an entertaining and thrilling as well as quick reading experience.

Fans of  Victoria Gilbert will love this work, as will readers of crime fiction.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this eARC, which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own. 

My rating: 4 stars / 5 because of the new and interesting plot and entertaining characters

Book Details (from Amazon)

Published by: Crooked Lane Books (June 9, 2020)
Publication Date: June 9, 2020
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Copyright: Vicki Lemp Weavil. All rights reserved
Book Cover illustration: Ben Perini
Language: English
ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-64385-307-9
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-64385-328-4
ASIN: B07XX7PHTV

About The Author (from Goodreads)

Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountain, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. She holds a B.A. in Theatre, a M.A. in Library Science, a second M.A. in Liberal Studies, and is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America.
When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats.
Victoria is represented by Frances Black of Literary Counsel, NY, NY.



Find out more at her website: victoriagilbertmysteries.com

#Crime Fiction Book Review: #Elephants Can Remember by #Agatha Christie

Summary: Elephants Can Remember (Hercule Poirot Mysteries#37) by Agatha Christie

A classic Hercule Poirot investigation, Agatha Christie’s Elephants Can Remember has the expert detective delving into an unsolved crime from the past involving the strange death of a husband and wife.

Hercule Poirot stood on the clifftop. Here, many years earlier, there had been a fatal accident followed by the grisly discovery of two bodies—a husband and wife who had been shot dead.

But who had killed whom? Was it a suicide pact? A crime of passion? Or cold-blooded murder? Poirot delves into the past and discovers that “old sins leave long shadows.”

Book Review: Elephants Can Remember (Hercule Poirot Mysteries#37) by Agatha Christie

Hercule Poirot and his friend Ariadne Oliver go on a quest to shake up the memories of people connected to the double suicide of General and Lady Ravenscroft in 1960s English countryside. As Poirot digs deeper, people contribute new information and this cold case changes entirely.

Elephants Can Remember (Hercule Poirot Mysteries#37) by @Agatha Christie is about the married couple who seemed to have shot each other with the husband’s revolver lying beside the bodies. The police were never able to establish who killed who, as motive seemed to be nonexistent at the time. Many years later Mrs Oliver dives into a truck load of old hearsay to get to the truth.  She wants to protect  the Ravenscrofts’ daughter.

Main character, Hercule Poirot, seems to be sharing his main character role in this story, helping his longtime friend Ariadne with her case. I enjoyed that the author describes Poirot as a man with an egg-shaped head, a small stature and a monstrous mustache. She interestingly portrays him as a comic and strange looking personality. He seems very different from David Suchet in the TV adaptations.

Ariadne Oliver, is the narrator and supporting main character of this story. She comes at problem solving from unexpected and creative angles, like comparing people’s memories to those of elephants. I find it refreshing and different from Poirot’s strictly analytical approach. She seems a kind hearted person with an amusing habit of brushing her hands through her hair messing it all up, even if she is very focused on hair style.

The wonderfully descriptive writing takes me back to the 70s. In Agatha Christie’s universe every home seems to come with a set of servants for all domestic chores. I find it very entertaining to read her books as they give a glimpse into opulent environments and people’s interactions back in the day.

Hercule Poirot is the main character in 38 of Christie’s stories. He is an absolute longtime favorite of mine and I have followed him both in books and in TV series. Ariadne Oliver appears in a smaller number of stories as a supporting character, being an interesting and well crafted character I love to read about. In this story she is the one who alerts Poirot to the case.

There were plenty of references to old fashioned lifestyle of the 1970s, like keeping an address book for all contacts, something we stopped doing decades ago. I find it fascinating to be reminded how life worked before the digital age, and this is my favorite part of the story.

Elephants Can Remember (Hercule Poirot Mysteries#37) by Agatha Christie is the captivating and entertaining story of Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver solving a cold case from 1960, and is one of several works I have read by Agatha Christie. References are made to other books in the Hercule Poirot Mysteries Series in a clever way which triggers my curiosity. As a longtime fan, I am reading most of them.

Fans of Agatha Christie will love Elephants Can Remember (Hercule Poirot Mysteries#37), as will readers of crime fiction. Similar works to explore might be the Sherlock Holmes Series by Arthur Conan Doyle. All opinions are completely my own.

My rating 5 stars / 5

Book Details (from Amazon)

Series: Hercule Poirot Mysteries (Book 37)
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reissue edition (October 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062074032
ISBN-13: 978-0062074034

About The Author (from Amazon.com)

Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and created the detective Hercule Poirot in her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920). She achieved wide popularity with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and produced a total of eighty novels and short-story collections over six decades.

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