January 2023 MBR The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

City of Fortune
Victoria Thompson
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593440575, $27.00, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/City-Fortune-Counterfeit-Lady-Novel/dp/0593440579

Synopsis: Wealthy but uncouth Sebastian Nolan has invited his lawyer, Gideon Bates, and his lovely new wife, Elizabeth, to attend the famous Belmont Stakes. Nolan is anxious for Gideon and Elizabeth to help his daughter, Irene, acquire a bit of polish, now that his venture into thoroughbred racing has allowed them entry into society. He is also hoping to find her a rich potential suitor. Elizabeth is not exactly the society girl Nolan believes her to be, but she is eager to attend the races. Her con artist family has made a lot of money at racetracks, although not from betting on the horses, and she enjoys the excitement of the track.

Irene Nolan seems more interested in horses than husbands, and she jumps at the chance to show Elizabeth her horse, Trench, and introduce her to his rider, Cal Regan. Elizabeth soon realizes there is more than just a working relationship between Irene and Cal. But she also knows that Irene's father would never allow his only daughter to marry a jockey. When Cal takes a terrible tumble injuring both himself and Irene's beloved Trench, Elizabeth and Gideon learn that the mishap was not simply bad luck -- but that the horse and rider are victims of sabotage.

It turns out that Sebastian Nolan has more than a few skeletons in his closet and someone is out to get their long sought-after revenge. Elizabeth knows that to help Irene and Cal, she is going to need some help in creating the quintessential con. With the ever honest Gideon at her side, she enlists those closest to her to come up with a scheme that will either ensure young Irene and Cal a first-place finish or have disastrous consequence!

Critique: Especially recommended to the attention of dedicated historical mystery and cozy mystery fans, "City of Fortune" by impressively talented novelist Victoria Thompson is an original and fun read from first page to last. While highly recommended for personal and community library Mystery/Suspense collections and reading lists, it should be noted that "City of Fortune" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Victoria Thompson (http://www.victoriathompson.com) is the Edgar and Agatha award-nominated author of the Gaslight Mysteries including Murder on Pleasant Avenue, and the Counterfeit Lady Mysteries including City of Scoundrels.

Death on a Winter Stroll
Francine Mathews
Soho Crime
c/o Soho Press
853 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
www.sohopress.com
9781641292740, $27.95, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Winter-Stroll-Folger-Nantucket-Mystery/dp/1641292741

Synopsis: Nantucket Police Chief Meredith Folger is acutely conscious of the stress COVID-19 has placed on the community she loves. Although the island has proved a refuge for many during the pandemic, the cost to Nantucket has been high. Merry hopes that the Christmas Stroll, one of Nantucket's favorite traditions, in which Main Street is transformed into a winter wonderland, will lift the island's spirits. But the arrival of a large-scale TV production, and the Secretary of State and her family, complicates matters significantly.

The TV shoot is plagued with problems from within, as a shady, power-hungry producer clashes with strong-willed actors. Across Nantucket, the Secretary's troubled stepson keeps shaking off his security detail to visit a dilapidated house near conservation land, where an intriguing recluse guards secrets of her own. With all parties overly conscious of spending too much time in the public eye and secrets swirling around both camps, it is difficult to parse what behavior is suspicious or not -- until the bodies turn up.

Now, it's up to Merry and Detective Howie Seitz to find a connection between two seemingly unconnected murders and catch the killer. But when everyone has a motive, and half of the suspects are politicians and actors, how can Merry and Howie tell fact from fiction?

Critique: This latest installment in critically acclaimed author Francine Mathews's Merry Folger series, "Death On A Winter Stroll" is an immersive escape to festive Nantucket, as well as a poignant exploration of grief as a result of parental absence. A thoroughly entertaining mystery that plays fair with the reader while keeping them guessing, "Death On A Winter Stroll" is an especially an unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery fans that "Death On A Winter Stroll" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Francine Mathews (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francine_Mathews) attended Princeton and Stanford Universities, where she studied history, before going on to work as an intelligence analyst at the CIA. She wrote her first book in 1992 and left the Agency a year later. Since then, she has written thirty books, including six previous novels in the Merry Folger series (Death in the Off-Season, Death in Rough Water, Death in a Mood Indigo, Death in a Cold Hard Light, Death on Nantucket, and Death on Tuckernuck) as well as the nationally bestselling Being a Jane Austen mystery series, which she writes under the pen name Stephanie Barron.

Devil's Delight: An Agatha Raisin Mystery
M.C. Beaton, author
R. W. Green, author
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250816160, $26.99, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Delight-Agatha-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/1250816165

Synopsis: Agatha Raisin and her assistant, Toni, are driving to their friend Bill Wong's long-awaited wedding, thinking of nothing more than what the beautiful bride will be wearing when a terrified (and nude!) young man comes running down the country lane towards them.

The encounter leads them to become embroiled with a naturist group, a disappearing corpse, fantasy games, witchcraft, an ice cream empire, intrigue and murder. In the meantime, Agatha's hectic life swirls along at dizzying pace, her private detective agency as busy as ever and her private affairs in turmoil, with old loves to contend with and a new suitor on the scene.

But when she begins to close in on a suspected murderer, she finds herself in deadly peril, as the sinister nature of the ice cream business leads her to a chilling conclusion!

Critique: Another inherently fascinating and impressively original 'whodunnit' cozy mystery from the mind, imagination, and storytelling talents of the late novelist M. C. Beaton (completed with the posthumous assistance of co-author R. W. Green), "Devil's Delight" is an extraordinary and fun read replete with memorable characters and unexpected plot twists, turns, and surprises. Highly recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of the growing legions of M. C. Beaton fans that "Devil's Delight" is also available in a paperback edition (9781250816184, $8.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781665037099, $29.95, CD).

Editorial Note #1: M. C. Beaton (1936-2019) won international acclaim for her New York Times bestselling Agatha Raisin novels and Hamish Macbeth mysteries. Her Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth titles have sold more than 21 million copies worldwide and have both been adapted into BBC television series. She has been hailed as the "Queen of Crime" by the Toronto Globe and Mail, and her books have been translated into seventeen languages.

Editorial Note #2: R. W. Green, a long-time friend of M. C. Beaton, has written numerous works of fiction and nonfiction. He lives in Surrey with his family and a black Labrador called Flynn.

The Game is a Footnote
Vicki Delany
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639101450, $26.99, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Footnote-Sherlock-Holmes-Bookshop-Mystery/dp/1639101454

Synopsis: Scarlet House, now a historical re-enactment museum, is the oldest building in West London, Massachusetts. When things start moving around on their own, board members suggest that Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, might be able to get to the bottom of it. Gemma doesn't believe in ghosts, but she agrees to 'eliminate the impossible'. But when Gemma and Jayne stumble across a dead body on the property, they're forced to consider an all too non-metaphysical threat.

Gemma and Jayne suspect foul play as they start to uncover more secrets about the museum. With the museum being a revolving door for potential killers, they have plenty of options for who might be the actual culprit. Despite Gemma's determination not to get further involved, it would appear that once again, and much to the displeasure of Detective Ryan Ashburton, the game is afoot.

Will Gemma and Jayne be able to solve the mystery behind the haunted museum, or will they be the next to haunt it?

Critique: A fun and finely crafted 'whodunnit' cosy mystery, novelist Vicki Delany's "The Game Is A Footnote" is the latest addition to her 'A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery' series. This original, clever, and inherently fascinating story is highly recommended for readers attracted to Amateur Female Sleuths. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape, 9781666628142, $22.99), "The Game Is A Footnote" will prove to be an enduringly popular contribution to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Vicki Delany (http://vickidelany.com) is the author of more than thirty novels/novellas in several of mystery's subgenres. Born in Manitoba and raised in Ontario, she is the former president of the Crime Writers of Canada, a member of Capital Crime Writers, and a member of Sisters in Crime.

Snuffed Out
Valona Jones
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639102051, $26.99, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Snuffed-Magic-Candle-Shop-Mystery/dp/1639102051

Synopsis: 30-year-old twin sisters Tabby and Sage Winslow own The Book and Candle Shop in Savannah. Sage is hot-headed and impulsive while Tabby is calm and collected, making them the perfect partnership. When one of their customers is found murdered, from a blow to the head, that partnership is put to the test.

Blithe McAdam had been seen in a heated argument with shop clerk Gerard, which immediately makes him suspect number one. The twins are convinced of Gerard's innocence and start digging into Blithe's past. But no one is cooperating. The neighbor who found the body isn't talking, medical examiner Quig won't give any details about the autopsy, and nasty rumors begin surfacing about the drowning of Blithe's father years earlier -- evidence that could seal Gerard's fate.

Tabby and Sage dig desperately for the truth. But it's not only their friend who's in peril. With the clock ticking, the twins find themselves in the grip of an unseen and deadly energy that has seeped into their midst -- and in the sights of a ruthless killer!

Critique: A master of the cosy mystery genre, novelist and storyteller Valona Jones' "Snuffed Out" is a part of the author's simply outstanding 'A Magic Candle Shop' mystery series. Certain to appeal to fans of culinary/craft/hobby 'whodunnit' mysteries, "Snuffed Out" is a mystery lover's delight from cover to cover. While highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Snuffed Out" is also available in a paperback edition (9781639104499, $19.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666628166, $22.99, CD)

Editorial Note: Valona Jones (https://www.valonajones.com) writes paranormal cozy mysteries set in Southern locales. Her work blends mystery and the unexplained, along with a sprinkle of romance. A former scientist, she's drawn to the study of personal energy. She sharpened her people-watching skills as a lifelong introvert and thankfully had a bank vault full of personal observations when she began to write fiction.

Hidden in the Pines
Victoria Houston
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639101474, $29.99, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Pines-Lew-Ferris-Mystery/dp/1639101470

Synopsis: It's Lew Ferris's first day as the newly-elected Sheriff of McBride County, and already things are heating up in the Wisconsin Northwoods. The tragic drowning of a teenage girl draws an eerie parallel to the unsolved murder of another teen thirty years earlier, but one of Lew's new subordinates (Alan Stern, Chief of the Deer Haven Police Department) has ruled it an accidental death by drowning.

Neither Lew nor the girl's family accept the ruling, but Lew is up against a wall of sexism and subterfuge. Not only is Stern belligerent and dismissive of Lew, but he takes the word of the local coroner, Ed Pecore, who Lew believes is completely unqualified for the job.

Adding to Lew's headaches, an unwelcome interference in the case by a multimillionaire resident reopens a cold case that stretches back decades -- and could lead to an anguished relative taking justice into his own hands to avenge a crime the cops never solved.

And when Lew's dear friend, Dr. Paul "Doc" Osborne, finds himself witness to a sophisticated money laundering scheme that could threaten the lives of his daughter and her close friend, Lew finally feels like she's reached the breaking point.

The fish may be biting in McBride County -- but now, Lew is on the line to uncover the long-buried secret that could ensnare a killer once and for all.

Critique: A consummate 'whodunnit' novel of impressive originality and with more plot twists and turns than a Coney Island rollercoaster, "Hidden In The Pines" by novelist Victoria Houston will have a special appeal for readers with an interest in police Procedurals and small town fiction. While highly recommended as a community library Mystery/Suspense collection pick, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated suspense thriller fans that "Hidden In The Pines" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666628111, $22.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Victoria Houston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Houston) is the author of the Loon Lake Mystery Series set in the Northwoods of Wisconsin against a background of fishing. An award-winning author specializing in family issues, she has also written six non-fiction books.

Flight Risk
Cherie Priest
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
9781982168926, $27.00, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Flight-Risk-Novel-Booking-Agents/dp/1982168927

Synopsis: When psychic travel agent Leda Foley is approached by a man searching for his sister, she quickly agrees to help. The missing woman disappeared with a vintage orange car, a fat sack of her employer's cash, and a grudge against her philandering husband -- a man who never even reported her missing.

Meanwhile, Seattle PD detective Grady Merritt has temporarily misplaced his dog. While he's passing out bright pink "Lost" flyers at the Mount Rainier visitor's center, the wayward pooch appears -- with a human leg in his mouth.

Thanks to DNA matching, Grady learns that the leg has something to do with Leda's new client, and soon the two cases are tangled.

Critique: Of special appeal to fans of women sleuths, magical realism, police procedurals, and 'whodunnit' mysteries, "Flight Risk" by Cherie Priest will prove a welcome addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Flight Risk" is also available in a paperback edition (9781982168933, $17.99), a digital book format (Kindle, $10.00), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781797148427, $39.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Cherie Priest (https://www.cheriepriest.com) is the author of "Boneshaker" which was nominated for a Nebula and Hugo Award, won the Locus Award for best science-fiction novel, and was named Steampunk Book of the Year by steampunk.com. She is also the author of "Dreadnought", Boneshaker's sequel, and of the near-contemporary fantasy Fathom. She debuted to great acclaim with a trilogy of Southern gothic ghost stories featuring heroine Eden Moore which included "Four and Twenty Blackbirds", "Wings to the Kingdom", and "Not Flesh nor Feathers".

Punishment of a Hunter: A Leningrad Confidential
Yulia Yakovleva, author
Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp, translator
Pushkin Vertigo
c/o Pushkin Press
www.pushkinpress.com
9781782276791, $16.95, PB, 400pp

https://www.amazon.com/Punishment-Hunter-Leningrad-Confidential/dp/1782276793

Synopsis: 1930s Leningrad. Stalin is tightening his grip on the Soviet Union, and a mood of fear cloaks the city. Detective Vasily Zaitsev is tasked with investigating a series of bizarre and seemingly motiveless homicides. As the curious deaths continue, precious Old Master paintings start to disappear from the Hermitage collection. Could the crimes be connected?

When Zaitsev sets about his investigations, he meets with obstruction at every turn. Soon even he comes under suspicion from the Soviet secret police. The resolute detective must battle an increasingly dangerous political situation in his dogged quest to find the murderer -- and stay alive.

Critique: A deftly crafted suspense thriller novel of the first order, "Punishment of a Hunter: A Leningrad Confidential" by gifted author Yulia Vakovleva is ably translated into English for an American readership by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp. The result is a simply riveting and original novel that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for dedicated international mystery buffs that "Punishment of a Hunter: A Leningrad Confidential" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note #1: Yulia Yakovleva (https://pushkinpress.com/our-authors/yulia-yakovleva) is a writer, theatre and ballet critic, and playwright. She is particularly known for two types of historical fiction set in Stalin-era Leningrad: the award-winning children's chapter book series The Leningrad Tales that confront Soviet history, and the thrilling new series of detective novels about Leningrad police investigator Vasily Zaitsev. Yakovleva received her MA from School of Creative Arts of the University of Hertfordshire. She lives in Oslo, Norway, with her husband and son.

Editorial Note #2: Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp (https://ruthahmedzaikemp.com) translates literature from Arabic, German and Russian into English. Her work has been short listed for many prestigious prizes including the Helen & Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize.

The Den
Cara Renard
www.carareinard.com
Thomas & Mercer
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781542039765, $16.99, PB, 335pp

https://www.amazon.com/Den-Cara-Reinard/dp/1542039762

Synopsis: Nothing brings the four Fox siblings together like their detestable father's heart attack -- and a hefty inheritance to be divided equally. At his deathbed is his oldest daughter, Valerie; her irresponsible sister, Lucy; and their two embattled brothers, Christian and Jeremy. Even the former housekeeper, Marian, who's been with the family for forty years, is on watch. All Valerie hopes for is an amicable reunion, despite the damages of the past.

By punishing means, Stefan Fox raised his children to be competitors. The cruel lessons now serve them well in a game of life and death. When it comes to the family fortune, the rules are simple: fewer siblings means a bigger share.

After a suspicious accident, Valerie knows the worst is yet to come -- and that confiding in the wrong person could be the most dangerous thing she's ever done.

Critique: A deftly crafted novel of psychological suspense by an author with a genuine mastery of the genre, as well as having an impressive flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling talents the keep the reader's compulsive and riveted attention from first page to last, "The Den" by Cara Reinard" is an especially recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Den" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781713656098, $19.99, MP3-CD).

Editorial Note: Cara Reinard (www.carareinard.com) is an author of women's fiction and novels of domestic suspense, including Into the Sound and Sweet Water.

Rough Justice
Burt Weissbourd
Rare Bird Books
https://rarebirdlit.com
9781644283097, $20.00, PB, 232pp

https://www.amazon.com/Rough-Justice-Callie-Cash-2/dp/1644283093

Synopsis: "When you get out of jail, don't ever come back here."

Callie James thought those were the last words she'd ever speak to Cash Logan. Two years later, in Danger in Plain Sight, Callie and Cash become an improbable, incompatible team that faces down money launderers, weapons dealers, and professional hit men -- all while unraveling a conspiracy and ultimately saving her business and their own lives.

With the publication of "Rough Justice" by Burt Weissbourd, Callie and Cash are back, and their now shared lives are about to be shaken to the core. It's been a year since they had to take on unexpected, lethal adversaries. Having lived through twists and turns, drama and life-threatening danger together -- they realize they are wildly in love.

The smooth sailing abruptly ends when a half-Algerian female guest, twenty-five-year-old Sara, appears at Callie's restaurant with a shocking, unbelievable story. Someone is trying to kill her, and they've stolen her identity. Desperate for Callie and Cash's help, she shares a stunning, life-changing secret.

Called to action, Callie and Cash assemble their unconventional ragtag family - including peg-legged Andre, and Itzac, "The Macher." Together, they go to war with formidable adversaries to attempt to save Sara, putting their own lives on the line. The fierce, global battle leads to Cuba, where they launch an audacious offensive that's shocking even to themselves... and will absolutely take your breath away.

Critique: As a novelist, Burt Weissbourd is a master of the Amateur Sleuth/Crime Thriller genre and his newest story, "Rough Justice" continues to demonstrate his genuine flair of originality and the kind of riveting and narrative driven storytelling style that makes for a truly entertaining and memorable read from first page to last. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49), "Rough Justice" is unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: From 1977 until 1986, Burt Weissbourd (https://burtweissbourd.com) developed screenplays working with screenwriters including Frederic Raphael (Two for the Road), Alvin Sargent (Ordinary People), Andy Lewis (Klute), Stewart Stern (Rebel Without a Cause), and many others. He also worked with actors including Robert Redford, Lily Tomlin, Goldie Hawn, Sally Field, Diane Keaton, and Al Pacino. During this time he produced films such as Ghost Story, based on the novel by Peter Straub and starring Fred Astaire, and Raggedy Man, starring Sissy Spacek and Sam Shepard.

Truth is a Flightless Bird
Akbar Hussain
Iskanchi Press
https://www.iskanchi.com
9781957810034, $25.00, PB, 300pp

https://www.amazon.com/Truth-Flightless-Bird-Akbar-Hussain/dp/1957810033

Synopsis: Nice (real name, Theresa) has just arrived Nairobi airport where she will be picked up by her old friend, Duncan, an American pastor for a small evangelical denomination. Duncan cannot know that Nice is fleeing her life choices, and her UN job in Mogadishu.

She believes she is too innocent-looking, too nice, for anyone to suspect that she is smuggling drugs. But Nice has not contended with her drug-dealer Somali boyfriend having an associate in the Kenya Police Service.

Duncan's car crashes on the way back from the airport. Duncan awakes after the car crash, to find himself captive to the sociopathic policeman, Hinga, and the charmingly amoral Ciru. Nice is gone. Plucked from his expat bubble, Duncan must plunge into the moral complexities of the under-city to get Nice back.

But how deep can Duncan go, without destroying his faith, and himself?

Critique: A deftly crafted and riveting read from first page to last, "Truth Is A Flightless Bird" by novelist Akbar Hussain is an impressively written crime thriller with more unexpected twists and turns that a Coney Island roller coaster. The stuff of which movies are made (and this one is soon to be a major television series), "Truth Is A Flightless Bird" is highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists of suspense/thriller fans that "Truth Is A Flightless Bird" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: A lawyer and co-founder of a successful fintech startup, Akbar Hussain (https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B09TL4G223/about) lived in Nairobi for 7 years and currently resides in New York.

Nature's Bite
Mark Anthony Powers
www.markanthonypowers.com
Hawksbill Press
9781737032946, $16.99 Paper/$6.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Bite-Novel-Phineas-Mann/dp/1737032945

In Nature's Bite, Dr. Phineas Mann is no ordinary physician, but is assigned to investigate a novel asthma drug treatment developed by the pharmaceutical corporation SynMedical. It's a drug too many will die for in more ways than one, as Phineas and fellow doctor Marie Porter find out the hard way.

Deeply wound into the story are the political struggles and conflicts of a Republican president in his final year in office, the climate change warming that is triggering increases in asthma and other medical issues, and the special forces that have led the FBI to Dr. Mann's doorstep.

In many ways, Phineas is just a country doctor. He's operated away from the political quagmire that has overtaken the country and cultivates a rich home life with wife Iris, a foster beagle, and the more laid-back job a 70-year-old physician should be enjoying as a teacher supervising interns and residents. The last thing he should be doing at this point in his life is tackling a medical conundrum that holds its roots in politics, climate crisis, and subterfuge. But, thankfully for readers, he does.

And Mark Anthony Powers's attention to details of personal and political milieus carries readers into the story with a vigor and attraction that mystery genre formula writing productions too often lack. Phineas may be a senior citizen now, but he's clearly not ready to hang up his medical expertise or investigative skills.

Both are demonstrated in a story replete with exquisite action, solid attention to the details and conundrums of a personal lifestyle that butts heads with an edict to investigate a new drug, and the ethical and moral issues which arise as he uncovers new truths that place him in uncomfortable positions both personally and professionally.

Powers has created a medical mystery that goes above and beyond the usual medical dilemma to add a special focus and flavor surrounding the ironies and inconsistencies of politics. Its special blend of satirical reflection and heart-pounding action makes Nature's Bite not just a cut above the ordinary for mystery libraries seeking medical thrillers, but worthy of recommendation to book club readers. This audience will find much food for thought and discussion, providing opportunities to contrast its world-changing themes with other genre approaches to medical suspense writing.

The Whispering Woman
Trish MacEnulty
Prism Light Press
9781737575177, $17.99 Paper/$4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Whispering-Women-Delafield-Malloy-Investigation/dp/1737575175

The Whispering Woman pairs the investigative activities of Louisa Delafield and Ellen Malloy, two young women who never saw themselves as investigators, much less connected to one another by circumstances beyond their control.

Author Trish MacEnulty presents a satisfyingly original take on the mystery and murder thriller genre from the start in creating historical fiction set in New York's Gilded Age and tackling the concurrent themes of class, gender, and economic status. These work alongside puzzling events that reach out to grasp the story's main characters and their readers alike.

The turn of the century world of 1901 opens with a headline reporting the murder of an ex-pillar of society (now financially bankrupt) whose body is discovered in a hotel room. The scene quickly moves to Louisa's consultation with a lawyer who informs her that the family's inheritance money has been exhausted. Louisa readily admits that she hasn't been paying attention ("Too busy with work, she had told herself, but the real reason was that she didn't want to face the truth. She much preferred the illusion that their small well of money would magically refill itself the way it seemed to do in all the wealthy families."). Nor has she been paying attention to the fact that her station in life has been dipping steadily, and that the Delafields are now poor.

Marriage, the usual solution to maintaining one's wealth, is not an option because her father's actions have tarnished the family name, as well. Given all this, the relationship that evolves between Louisa and Ellen, who comes from a different social class herself, is unexpected and unusual, fraught with insights each faces as conundrums force them to work together under extraordinary circumstances.

MacEnulty's ability to contrast these disparate personalities and their experiences to bring forth the underlying strengths and attitudes of each character is one facet that sets this historical mystery apart from many others. The social, political, and investigative story makes for thoroughly engrossing reading, powered by two equally capable young women who find their lives changed by their association, actions, and their consequences.

Also especially thought-provoking is the fact that other opportunities belay the usual mystery's focus on non-investigators who are somehow intrinsically drawn to the life of a P.I. In this case, the women are reluctant participants who also have other choices, as in Louisa's contemplation of her other options: "It seemed that her readers enjoyed hearing about the seamier side of life. She supposed she could find more topics like that, and the raise had improved their financial situation somewhat. She should be satisfied. There was no need to go chasing after doctors and abductors."

The result offers more of a flavor of history and psychology than most stories about women sleuths, injecting realistic and thought-provoking insights about not just their investigative prowess, but the kinds of options they face in re-envisioning their lives.

The Whispering Woman is described as a "Delafield & Malloy Investigation," which also defines not a newfound career path so much as a course of action. It will attract beyond the usual genre of women investigators with its special focus on social status and the struggles turn-of-the-century women faced, and is highly recommended for libraries seeking exceptional acquisitions in not just mysteries, but women's literature.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review