An engrossing story that leaves time for a sequel or two before war breaks out.
A thriller that harkens back to England in the days before the Great War.
In 1910, the British government is already thinking ahead to a possible war with Germany. Wiggins and his boss, Capt. Vernon Kell, comprise a fledgling Secret Service Bureau “designed to counter the threat from German spies at home.” When King Edward VII dies, monarchs from all over Europe arrive for the funeral, “the greatest coming together of royalty the world has ever known.” This is an opportunity for a potential assassin to spark a worldwide conflict. At the same time, dockworkers threaten to strike, people rumble about unions and revolution, and suffragettes are becoming increasingly militant. Home Secretary Winston Churchill takes a hard-nosed attitude against all domestic unrest and puts heavy pressure on Kell. The story paints a vivid picture of London in that era, although Kell and Wiggins seem pushed in too many directions. A red ribbon hangs in the window of “The Embassy of Olifa,” which is actually a high-class brothel and possible “hive of international spies” in Belgravia. Although the ribbon winds throughout the tale, Kell doesn’t know its significance. The reader may not get it either, although a character helpfully tells Wiggins that “red is the color of revolution.” As interesting as the spy threat may be the turmoil over women’s right to vote. Suffragettes train to defend themselves against beatings by police, while militant women go on hunger strikes and are force-fed. Kell’s wife, Constance, is a suffragette, complicating his job—she shares little information with him, and their different goals strain their marriage. Sherlock Holmes makes a cameo appearance, but Wiggins is the best character, with his street smarts, slang, and different worldview from Kell’s.
An engrossing story that leaves time for a sequel or two before war breaks out.Pub Date: Nov. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-63506-004-1
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Mobius
Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
An anodyne visit with Tricia and her friends and enemies hung on a thin mystery.
Too much free time leads a New Hampshire bookseller into yet another case of murder.
Now that Tricia Miles has Pixie Poe and Mr. Everett practically running her bookstore, Haven’t Got a Clue, she finds herself at loose ends. Her wealthy sister, Angelica, who in the guise of Nigela Ricita has invested heavily in making Stoneham a bookish tourist attraction, is entering the amateur competition for the Great Booktown Bake-Off. So Tricia, who’s recently taken up baking as a hobby, decides to join her and spends a lot of time looking for the perfect cupcake recipe. A visit to another bookstore leaves Tricia witnessing a nasty argument between owner Joyce Widman and next-door neighbor Vera Olson over the trimming of tree branches that hang over Joyce’s yard—also overheard by new town police officer Cindy Pearson. After Tricia accepts Joyce’s offer of some produce from her garden, they find Vera skewered by a pitchfork, and when Police Chief Grant Baker arrives, Joyce is his obvious suspect. Ever since Tricia moved to Stoneham, the homicide rate has skyrocketed (Poisoned Pages, 2018, etc.), and her history with Baker is fraught. She’s also become suspicious about the activities at Pets-A-Plenty, the animal shelter where Vera was a dedicated volunteer. Tricia’s offered her expertise to the board, but president Toby Kingston has been less than welcoming. With nothing but baking on her calendar, Tricia has plenty of time to investigate both the murder and her vague suspicions about the shelter. Plenty of small-town friendships and rivalries emerge in her quest for the truth.
An anodyne visit with Tricia and her friends and enemies hung on a thin mystery.Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-0272-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
This ran in the S.E.P. and resulted in more demands for the story in book form than ever recorded. Well, here it is and it is a honey. Imagine ten people, not knowing each other, not knowing why they were invited on a certain island house-party, not knowing their hosts. Then imagine them dead, one by one, until none remained alive, nor any clue to the murderer. Grand suspense, a unique trick, expertly handled.
Pub Date: Feb. 21, 1939
ISBN: 0062073478
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Dodd, Mead
Review Posted Online: Sept. 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1939
SEEN & HEARD
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