Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner

Picture Paris in 1889 and the opening of the Eiffel Tower as part of the Universal Exposition that happened there that year. That is the setting of "Murder on the Eiffel Tower" by Claude Izner. A vistor to the tower on opeing day falls ill and dies of an apparent bee sting, but others around aren't so sure. As more random people seem to be stung by killer bees, the news media of the day begin to look into what is happening and why . This is a first book from two second-hand bookstore owners from Paris who collaborated to create this emerging mystery series with the lead character Victor Legris. Victor himself is a bookseller and mingles with people who are investigating what happened to all these people and feels that the media aren't doing a very good job. Books with historical setting don't tend to be a favorite, but I enjoyed this one. The authors who are considered to be experts on the period of Paris in the late 1880's created an atmosphere that made me feel like I was strolling the various streets and could almost smell the food on the street carts. You find interesting facts along the way such as the cost to go on the Tower was 4 francs which would have been a whole weeks pay for most people of that time. So even in the era of the fair, going up the Tower would have been a luxury. The twists among characters include Kenji who is a part owner of the bookstore and also a surrogate father, and Tanya a Russian illustrator who develops as a love interest but also a suspect. The twists and turns are well written and the attention to detail of the times impeccable. The next book is "Disappearance at PereLachaise"which incorporates the artist community of Paris in this time period. I highly recommend this book. It wasn't bad for a random pick from a bookstore.

"Third Degree" by Greg Iles

Finding mysteries by authors whose names started with "I" was a little difficult so I ventured off to the Library Book sale in Thompson in search of a book by Greg Iles. I knew Iles to be popular and I was successful. This story was more a thriller than a mystery and followed a fairly common plot line of romantic triangle, thwarted husband, noble lover, and endangered children, not to mention nosy neighbor. Even so, it was engaging and used modern technology to heighten the atmosphere. Who would have thought of using a second cellphone for secret call? I read right through it in prompt time and would certainly read another. This was a stand alone book and not part of series.

"Ghostland" by Jean Hager

I really have no specific reason for choosing this book. I headed into the stacks at the Thompson Public Library and took the first mystery with an author whose name started with "H". I have always been interested in American Indian stories and this one did not disappoint. Once I got past the fact that the Police Chief's name was Mitch Bushyhead, I was off and running trying to figure out who killed the 8-year-old girl who was reported missing. There were plenty of red herrings and suspects to think about. A subplot about Mitch's love life really didn't interfere with the story. Character development was not significant however this was not the first book in the series. Set in Cherokee country in Oklahome, the story was realistic in its portrayal of life on a reservation and also of the reactions of various parents to murder, loss, and even some interesting plot twists that I will not reveal here. I would define this as an easy read mystery and definitely recommend it.

"Jelly's Gold" by David Housewright

Jelly's Gold is the 6th book in the series about PI Rushmore (Mac) McKenzie by David Housewright. When a graduate student (Ivy) comes to Mac and tells a story about lost gold from a bank robbery from 1933, Mac finds the story plausible and sets off to investigate and quickly finds out that the loot now worth $8 million is also being sought by others. Ivy's boyfriend is murdered outside her apartment just after making the decision to search for the money. Based loosely on a real crime of Frank "Jelly" Nash who robbed a bank in Huron, South Dakota in 1933, the money really was never found. This story is a mixture of real life stories and exploits with a fictional gold chase. The character does a lot of research and finds out a rich and colorful history of the city's infamous past, including that the nickname Jelly came from Nash's use of nytroglycerin to blow up safes. I had no idea that St. Paul Minnesota had been a haven of gangsters in the day. The only downside for me in this book which was a great story and a fairly easy read was the history behind the characters which came from previous novels on this main character. Many authors fill you in on the connections and this one left out a few details. I would love to read more in this series. I enjoyed the blend of history and fact with fiction. Everyone loves a treasure hunt and this one will not dissappoint. I chose this book because it was the Thompson Public Library Mystery Club choice for May. These books are available at many libraries in the area.

"The Dirty Secrets Club" by Meg Gardiner

For the mystery purists out there I think this is considered a suspense novel. I found this book/novelist on one of the book trading services I use and decided the premise sounded good and appropriate for the G author. This is the first in a series of books with forensic anthropologist Jo Beckett. Jo's job is to complete a psychological autopsy on a recent death. She soon discovers that the victim was wrapped up in what would be called "the dirty secrets club" and one by one the members are being stalked and killed. The thread of dark and dirty secrets lead Jo down some literal and figurative dirty paths. The suspense part is some chases scenes by a creepy club master that give you chills as you can imagine would make a great thriller movie. I had been acquainted with forensic anthropology in other series, but never through a psychological perspective. Without giving away the plot twists, Jo is brought into the underworld of sexual secrets and the clash of conscience and what people will do to protect loved ones. Jo is a smart character and likeable and a bit of a superwoman in more ways that one. I find myself wanting to read more in this series. The mystery part was interesting and a significant plot twist at the end was a total surprise. This would be a great beach read and also available as an audio. Check this author out and be prepared for a suspenseful ride.

The Five Bells and Bladebone confusing choice

"The Five Bells and Bladestone" by Martha Grimes made it as my "G" book simply because it was on my bookshelf. Originally, I had picked it up at a book sale because I had heard of the author vaguely and there it was when I needed it. This book published in 1987 is ninth in the prolific series featuring protagonist Richard Jury and his friend, wealthy Melrose Plant. In spite of that it was fairly easy to follow the story and realize who the characters were from other books. It was an engaging but confusing read. To tell the truth, I really still don't know who exactly either the victim or the killer was and I thought I knew half way through the book. I found the characters to be fairly stereotypical: gay antique dealer, ornery aunt, lovely but not quite available female interest, crotchety bar tenders, etc. All of the novels in the series are named for English pubs, a fact which initially intrigued me. In this one, the chapters are all named for lines in a poem. Twenty-three years later, Grimes is still publishing mysteries so I feel at some point I will try another one.
An interesting side note is, that although my blog partner and I usually surprise each other with our choice of alphabetical authors, this time we both chose Grimes. Can't wait to see what she has to say.

"A Child's garden of death" by Richard Forrest

This book by author Richard Forrest caught my eye on many levels. The main character is Lyon Wentworth a children’s book author who lives near the eastern Connecticut shore and his wife Bea Wentworth who is a CT state senator. These two features alone were enough for me to give the well-worn book another glance. The story begins with the excavation of some farmland that is due to become condos. Three bodies are unearthed, including the body of a child holding a Sonya Henie doll. The investigation begins from there. The characters look back in time to a crime that took place in the 1940’s. This book was written in 1975 and has none of the crime solving bells and whistles that you see in a mystery or crime novel set today. The other main character is Rocco a police officer and friend of Wentworth who work together to solve this mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the old-fashioned crime solving style which included Wentworth’s use of his hot air balloon to survey the crime scene. Wentworth and Rocco investigate the 'old days' of union activities and explore how Jewish immigrants were exploited during war years. The characters travel throughout areas of CT that I know well and that enhanced the story for me. Of the books I have read so far, this is the first book that I read in almost one sitting. This is the first in a series by this author that ran from the mid 1970’s through 2006 just after his death. I can’t wait to read the remaining books of this series and feel that I have truly found a gem. I took this book out of the Worcester Public Library and the care worn condition of this book lead me to believe at one time this was a popular novel and series. Check out Richard Forrest’s mysteries and you may find a new favorite.