An exhilarating blend of recent history, mystery, and the writer’s craft.
A particularly intriguing case triggers a sleuthing rebirth for a former police detective.
In the twilight of his career, veteran inspector Chen Cao has been eased out of the Shanghai Police Bureau, put on sick leave, and given the nominal post of director of the Shanghai Judicial System Reform Office. Considering his frequent scrapes with Communist Party loyalists and the outsider status his literary passions have earned him, this ought to be the perfect spot in which to live out his golden years. But when his former colleague “Old Hunter” mentions the plight of young Min Lihua, Chen's professional curiosity is piqued. It doesn’t hurt that Min shares Chen’s literary soul or that Old Hunter flatters Chen by continuing to call him Chief. Min, whose private dinner parties have made her something of a celebrity, has been arrested for the murder of an attendee. As Chen investigates, he realizes that the juiciest thread in the case involves high-ranking Party official Judge Jiao, whose sex video has turned up on the internet. The Party’s fervid desire to transfer Min far away from the public eye also makes the detective suspicious. As in Chen’s dozen previous cases, bits of verse and references to favorite writers and books are woven into the tale. Chen’s identification with the righteous fictional sleuth Judge Dee fuels his quest for justice. The plot is full of unpredictable detours and sidebars that intensify the pleasure of following Chen’s vibrant curiosity.
An exhilarating blend of recent history, mystery, and the writer’s craft.Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7278-5071-3
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Severn House
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This long-running series skillfully weaves together elements of mystery with practical household tips and appended recipes.
Domestic diva Sophie Winston continues to extend her uncanny knack for attracting and solving murders in Alexandra, Virginia.
Beyond writing her popular advice column, Sophie dabbles in various activities, including cooking and decorating, but she’s still surprised when interior designer Mitzi Lawson approaches her at the House and Home Expo in Washington, D.C., and invites her to meet the next morning at the Inger House in Old Town Alexandria, where they both live, and to come in through the back door. Arriving for the meeting, Sophie discovers homeowner Denise Nofsinger’s lifeless body on the kitchen floor. She joins Officer Wong in conducting a search of the house, a large and impressive structure undergoing renovations to accommodate Denise and her husband, Mike. Despite the Inger name, the house has long been in the possession of the Nofsinger family, and various members have resided there. Meanwhile, Sophie’s adversary-turned-friend, Natasha, convinces her to help plan a brunch to be filmed for a TV show. When Mitzi finally gets in touch with Sophie, she claims she’s being stalked and insists that she’ll be the next to die. Sophie’s discovery of a tracking device in Mitzi’s purse provides concrete evidence of the stalker’s existence. It turns out that Denise, who suffered from diabetes, had been administered an overdose of insulin, which caused her death. Sophie partners with her former romantic interest, police Detective Wolf, on a sting operation to apprehend the stalker. There’ll be another murder and the discovery of a skeleton concealed within a wall. In response, Sophie and her companions use their local knowledge in hopes of apprehending the murderer.
This long-running series skillfully weaves together elements of mystery with practical household tips and appended recipes.Pub Date: May 27, 2025
ISBN: 9781496743459
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Kensington
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Irish charm, plenty of suspects, and some strange twists make for a winning combination.
A much-delayed honeymoon to the seacoast turns into a murder hunt.
Garda Siobhán O’Sullivan and her husband, Detective Sergeant Macdara Flannery, have escaped the heat in their hometown by traveling to coastal Lahinch, taking along Siobhán’s five siblings. Upon arrival they check out two chip shops, Mr. Chips and Mrs. Chips, which are across the street from each other, and learn that Mr. Chips’ banner and mural have just been vandalized. The dueling owners went through a nasty divorce after Mr. Chips’ affair with Mrs. Chips’ best friend, so it seems likely that his ex-wife was the vandal. The line of people waiting outside Mrs. Chips, which should have been open by now but isn’t, includes a restaurant critic, a fish supplier, a cooking oil supplier, and a man who’s come to install a new vent hood. Because they can’t get into the shop, Macdara calls local handyman John Healy, who owns the inn where the family is staying. Once inside, they find Mrs. Chips dead. Although she appears to have fallen from a ladder, Siobhán has a hunch that she was murdered. The local Gardai arrive, headed by Detective Sergeant Liam Healy, the innkeeper’s grandson, who wants to believe Mrs. Chips’ death is an accident but is willing to consider murder. Macdara just wants to be a man of leisure, but Siobhán, who can never let a puzzle go unsolved, starts asking questions while her family members enjoy themselves and pursue new romantic attachments. Mrs. Chips had plenty of enemies, but when the next to die is John Healy, Siobhán and Macdara realize this case will be more complicated than they thought.
Irish charm, plenty of suspects, and some strange twists make for a winning combination.Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2024
ISBN: 9781496744449
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Kensington
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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