2025 #42 The Fifth Woman - Wallander #6 (Mankell)

 

The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having been a fan of the series with Kenneth Branagh (we didn't have the opportunity to watch more than one episode of the original Swedish series), I was eager to compare the experience of reading one of the books. This did not disappoint. There's a lot happening. Lots of character development for Wallander, who is going through his own stages of grief. My only real complaint is that I wanted more of the catalyst to be involved in the plot. Instead, we get the trigger, and we know who the culprit is, but I was left feeling like the plot took a huge left turn, and used insanity as the defense. Still, there are truly interesting characters and it was a rich experience for a book that I'd normally designate as a "beach read" (nothing wrong with that, but this book was more intense and deep than anticipated!).

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2025 #24 The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (McCall Smith) - No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #13

 

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After a fairly long hiatus from this series, I'm not sure if absence made the heart grow fonder or what, but this installment had everything I was looking for. I missed Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi's shoes, Mma Potokwane, and all the sundry characters. This volume is particularly rewarding for devotees of the series, with a guest appearance of some significance (it is on the blurb on the back, people, but I'll not be blamed for spoilers). Mma Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe seem to have (mostly) comfortably settled in as ... associates, and this story shows how friends can band together, laying aside petty differences. The most charming and touching aspect of the book comes at the end, where we see that Mma Ramotswe's true gift is to find the value in most people and things -- maybe not Violet Sepotho, however. :-)

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2025 #19 The Burning Island (Young) - Charlie Cates #3

 

The Burning Island by Hester Young
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars


As with some other readers, I was surprised to find out that this was no.3 in a series of books that feature Charlie Cates, a journalist with gently paranormal abilities. Set primarily on the Big Island of Hawai'i (and a bit in Arizona), the story leads us to vulcanologist Victor Nakagawa and his family, as Charlie and her BFF Rae travel to Hawaii allegedly for some R&R and a bit of a workcation for Charlie, who is writing an article on Victor. Hester Young has a degree from University of Hawai'i at Mãnoa, so her descriptions are as lush and vibrant as the island itself.

There are a few red herrings, and the characters are generally fairly complex and multi-dimensional, which helps things stay interesting and not obvious. Charlie's inner dialogue occasionally felt tedious, but some of it helped provide backstory so the reader/listener doesn't feel the "series gap". Charlie can be a bit preachy, even just inside her own mind, but is generally strong-willed and a good protagonist. Rae, as the effervescent bestie, provides a good counterpoint without resorting to too much caricature. January LaVoy offers a solid reading, with a particular gift for voicing the surf-loving pothead bro.

I found myself a bit relieved to be wrong about how I interpreted one of Charlie's main visions--the one at the core of why she "takes the case"--although that relief was short-lived in that a related subplot covered the territory I was hoping to avoid. Still, it made for a dynamic story. I wasn't a fan of the ending, although I have to give Young major props for not tying everything up with a neat little bow. And while the ending does seem to hint at perhaps more to come in the series, it is not with a cliffhanger for the major plot points (thank goodness).

3.75 stars for me.

Serious About Series challenge 2025 (May)


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2025 #10 Council of the Cursed (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #19

 

The Council of the Cursed by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The historical backdrop for this installment is the Council of Autun (in present-day France)-- c. 670-- that was convened under Bishop Leodegarius (Leodegar) to regulate the implementation of Benedictine Rule. The Bishop is a character in the story. Most significantly, a central area of focus was banning the compatres (special companions/spouses) for monks, a practice we know from Fidelma was still accepted in Ireland (Hibernia), although not without challenge. In the historical note, Tremayne defends his interpolation of wives of clerics being sold into slavery, albeit citing much later actions by Popes Leo IX and Urban II.

Some of the characters felt a bit overwritten -- the imperious Abbess Audofleda and Lady Beretrude, especially. Valretrade, on the other hand, often faded into the scenery, which was unfortunate given her role in the story.

However, this particular volume excelled in parsing regional differences not just in beliefs, but also customs, not just between Celtic regions and France, but even Franks vs. Burgunds. King Clotaire (aka King Clothar III) is another historical figure, who Tremayne only gives voice to toward the end, but it is effective.

Returning characters include Abbot Segdae, and from the previous book, Verbas of Peqini, who some may recall did not part company with Fidelma on good terms.

The mystery itself follows a fairly common formula (used several times in the series) wherein Fidelma is called to investigate a murder that seems obvious, but is not in the least (hence, a story). The reveal at the end was blissfully short relative to Fidelma's usual dramatic and drawn out conclusions, and Tremayne seems to be getting more comfortable in allowing the main protagonists (we can include Eadulf, sometimes) to be in harm's way as the series progresses.

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2025 #9 Bones of Echo Lake (James) - Jake Cashen #3

 

Bones of Echo Lake by Declan James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This had moments that are riveting, and another great performance by Alexander Cendese. By now, in the third installment of the series, James has settled in to some of the recurring characters, so they are less contrived and more dimensional --this particularly applies to Gemma, Jakes's older sister, who still occasionally becomes a caricature, but is definitely more likeable. Anya, on the other hand, is less sympathetic than I would have expected, especially given her role in this particular story.

Unlike the other two that have a niche area of interest at their core (wrestling for no. 1, and hunting for no. 2), this one feels a bit more like an old-fashioned mystery (in a good way) -- human remains are unearthed and we have a town with lots of secrets to hide. This one involved introducing considerable backstory and James does it fairly well, although it did get a bit tiresome trying to keep track of the victim's various "involvements." But throw in some juicy scandal and there's a great story.

As for the culprit? I was sure I had it figured out from the get-go, but let's just say I was very, very close. And that's good -- I don't like to be right in this case (and the actual murderer was plausible, as opposed to bringing in a bunch of material right at the end to justify it). I'm looking forward to Red Sky Hill up next.

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2025 #6: Dancing with Demons - Sister Fidelma #18 (Tremayne)

 

Dancing with Demons by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This particular installment of the Sister Fidelma series digs into the tensions between the "old ways" and the "New Faith" with much more detail than the previous books. While occasionally tedious to hear it explained via audiobook, the additional context adds a complexity and richness to the world of Fidelma that is more than just Druids vs. Christians. The plot, however, is very slow, and the reveal (in typical Fidelma fashion) takes almost 40 minutes in the audiobook. The motive itself does provide some twists and turns, but the answer to "whodunnit" was so complex and full of weird afterthoughts that I wasn't that interested in the end. This is often the case when there's an "obvious" murderer at the outset -- in this case Dubh Duin, chieftain of the clan Cinél Cairpre, who cannot unfortunately provide any defense or otherwise since he seems to have taken his own life after seemingly killing the High King Suchnussach in his bedroom. All is, as you might guess, not what it seems. This is the situation in which Fidelma finds herself.

Happily, in terms of character development, we start to see an increase in Fidelma's self-awareness, particularly of her treatment of Eadulf, who also seems to be coming more into his own.

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Series About Series Challenge 2025 no. 2 February

2025 #4 Wayward (Crouch) - Wayward Pines #2

 

Wayward by Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really a 3.5 - 3.75 for me.
The second installment of the Wayward Pines trilogy is better than the first, as it is has more dimensions and sub-plots. While it is possible to read the second without the first, I don't advise it. The story is terrific, full stop. What isn't terrific is the weird amount of kink whenever it comes to most of the female characters (and their interaction with Ethan). The big "reveal" scene between Ethan and Teresa almost made me stop listening. Teresa's characterization is inconsistent, and Pam is WAY overwritten (the audiobook probably exacerbates this, but to no fault of Max Meyers, who does a great job).

The insertion of Adam Hassler as a character provides a lot of intrigue and tension, and Crouch deftly interwove that element into the book. I do have to say that I approach the third installment with some trepidation as I enjoyed the not-knowing when it came to Hassler, and I'm hoping that the third book does not rely on tired tropes.

The ending is an excellent cliffhanger and has the intended impact -- I will absolutely finish the series.

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Serious About Series Challenge 2025 - January

2024 #53 The Twist of a Knife (Horowitz) - Hawthorne and Horowitz #4

 

The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did not know when I started that this book was part of a series. I got to know Anthony Horowitz's work through the PBS/Masterpiece Magpie Murders, which I enjoyed so much I watched it twice (second time through for my husband's benefit). So when I saw this in a Little Free Library, I picked it up. The front cover gives no indication that it is part of a series, but I'm also happy to report that it didn't matter much, and I love that. Hawthorne is, presumably, a fictional detective, but Horowitz writes himself into the stories--I imagine with a fair bit of truth. As this is the fourth book in the series, references are made to the other three books, by title, within the narrative. This creativity with narrative is what I loved about Magpie Murders so I was happy to see that it seems to be a trademark.

The story is an entertaining, fairly "cozy" mystery, and Horowitz manages to blend enough naivete, self-deprecation, but also a sort of good-natured crankiness (if that can be a thing) into himself as the narrator, and the characters have enough tried-and-true cliches to be memorable, but not completely predictable. No doubt those familiar with the series will enjoy certain characters and interactions even more (such as those with Cara Grunshaw), but Horowitz really does a great job of bringing the uninitiated up-to-speed without resorting to that backfill that mars many a good story. Theater references abound, but again, not to a saturated level at which one feels they are missing out on all the inside "wink-winks". Truly entertaining, and I didn't even mind the big clichéd "reveal" at the end because it was a self-conscious nod to the age-old practice in mystery writing.


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2024 #52 Pines (Crouch) - Wayward Pines #1

 

Pines by Blake Crouch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The premise is great, typical of Blake Crouch. However, the chapters upon chapters of Ethan running and rock climbing I could have done without. I almost gave up, but luckily all is revealed and I'm in for the trilogy.

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2024 #44 Yesternight (Winters)

 

Yesternight by Cat Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Slow in the beginning, but it picks up quite a bit of speed. What was refreshing in the audiobook (and the print version, I suppose, since some of it is the language) is that the characters have modern relevance--there is no false 1920s affect--they are just people living their lives. Rebecca and Michael, for example, could easily be a twenty-first century pair of exes. Voiced by Xe Sands, with only a bit of artifice when it came to the male voices, the story traces the journey(s) of Alice Lind, a young itinerant child psychologist whose assigned to administer psychological tests to school children. In the small coastal town of Gordon Bay, Oregon, she encounters seven-year-old Janie O'Daire, a math genius who holds secrets and truths that force Alice to confront her own assumptions and beliefs.

Certainly it is a haunting tale, and the subtext of Alice's challenges as a woman in male-dominated field sometimes comes crashing through without subtlety, but it does help shape her character. I found some of the descriptive detail superfluous, ranging from an obsession with the weather to a rather graphic encounter in a hotel room, made tedious because I didn't much care for either character enough to be privy to their intimacy.

That the ending is unresolved and we are left wondering what the future holds was actually refreshing. There are a few annoyances around the name "Nel" and at least one of the possibilities doesn't even seem to be an intentional red herring (Eleanor - "Nell"). That's not really a spoiler. There's also an exponential increase in speed in the last quarter of the book, which I found a bit aggravating. Having invested so much in Alice, her story moved far too quickly for me once Janie's was "settled."

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2024 #43: Do Not Disturb (McFadden)

 

Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Honestly more of a 2.5 - 2.75 for me. For the first 25 chapters I kept thinking, "Psycho called and wants its story back." I'm all for troping the classics, but it didn't feel clever or original enough to be an interesting take on Psycho, OR, as was often the case with the wonderful TV series Supernatural a tongue-in-cheek parody, which I would also have welcomed. That said, for such a quick listen, I wasn't about to declare it DNF, and was happy that things started to take a turn in Chapter 26. But then....things got a bit wonky--as if the plot was being improvised on the spot. I've read other reviews applauding the "twists and turns" and for me it felt more like a windy road under construction with detours that warranted other detours, until finally arriving at an "Epilogue" which reveals a major plot point, and somehow inexplicably turns it into part of a happy ending tied up with a bow. The detours also don't explain the road we start on when Claudia is first narrating, unless I missed something. I'm just not clear on how a character can narrate actions in one way, only to have them be something else. And I'm being intentionally vague here so I don't give any spoilers. The reason given for the "something else" was all fine and good, but that reason wouldn't cover the early Claudia chapters. Also, loose ends---just one, but I'm unclear on Naomi's raison d'être. There were also long tedious passages that read like the author had attended a writing workshop focused on scenic description of the banal --who knew a TV antenna warranted so much prose? See also: wet socks.

Now, adding to the problems is the audiobook narration. A random chapter given over to a presumably male actor was weird and jarring after habituating Holly Adams's "male" voices. I found her voicing of Quinn to be very grating (and I know I'm not alone in this), and as others have noted, there was a very unique pronunciation of "masseuse" that was not French, nor was it even Franglish. That, however, was a very small issue. Also, Greta, described in the narration as having a "very slight accent" sounded like every stereotypical depiction of a Romani fortune teller since the dawn of depiction of fortune tellers.

I kept listening partially out of incredulity and morbid curiosity. The major plot twist was more like a restart, and the epilogue was cloying, and ultimately rather disturbing. I'm not sure I could come away liking a single character in the story, with maybe the exception of Scott, but everyone seems to have a pretty broken moral compass. I've read reviews that say many of the author's other books are better and I will be happy to try another because I did get a sense that she has some good ideas and writes vivid characters (even if they all wind up rather unlikeable). I'm also going to read the next one in print, because I feel the issues with the audiobook tarnished the experience. But it was a freebie on Audible, so...I'm not sad I tried it!

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2024 #37 The Outlaw's Tale - Sister Frevisse #3 (Frazer)

 

The Outlaw's Tale by Margaret Frazer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third installment of Margaret Frazer's Sister Frevisse series, The Outlaw's Tale is the best of the first three. This is my first time going to an audiobook for a volume in the series, and the experience was overwhelmingly positive. Susan Duerden's reading is excellent, and her voicings make the characters come alive.

Particularly striking in this book are the female characters who, very much beholden to their time, still manage a subtle defiance that flies under the radar. Frazer* doesn't resort to a clichéd feminist who is self-righteous and outspoken (not that it is a problem, but it gets tiresome as a trope), but instead illuminates what must have been much more common behavior in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. After all, when faced with a sword, even the most strong-willed might step aside if not equally armed. (
*Frazer = sadly deceased Gail Frazer with Mary Monica Pulver/aka Monica Ferris)

Sister Emma grates on our nerves and I did find dragging out her illness to be a bit tedious, but the audiobook really brought out the subtle and dry wit that accompanies much of Dame Frevisse's inner thoughts, particularly in regard to Emma. After the last book being VERY obsessed with the sickness that had taken over the convent, I was not enthused about a constant return to Sister Emma's "rheume."

There are some wonderful descriptions, including that of Dame Frevisse's uncle who has a "look about him that he belongs where he was." For whatever reason, the audiobook seemed to highlight these particular moments of character definition and description, and it is delightful.

Dame Frevisse has more opportunity for character development here because she's away from the convent, and she becomes embroiled (embroils herself, really) in a situation involving her cousin. There is a lot of self-reflection in regard to the choices she makes and that helps give her more dimensionality than was revealed in the previous two books.

I'm more excited to continue the series than I was, and I hope that the rest of the series continues with the same level of character definition and plot complexity. Unlike book 2, The Servant's Tale, which had so many characters it was hard to stay focused, this story does a much better job of focusing on a few key characters, with a good pacing of introduction to new ones, and actually threw me off the scent of whodunnit, so brava!

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2024 #36: Orphan X (Hurwitz) - Orphan X #1

 

Orphan X by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I bought this on a whim (and also because I was looking for a book title that had the letter X), and, well, it was good fun. Evan Smoak is a bit of James Bond meets Jack Bauer/Jack Reacher, and the book sets up what hopefully is a riveting set of thrillers. Smoak has the requisite mysterious past, and Hurwitz gives us just enough to be sated for the time being, but knowing that we will need to know more soon (and the end of the book helps with that).

Not surprisingly, the thriller is quite violent, bordering sometimes on the edge of gratuitous description, but there's a lot of substance too, particularly in the dynamic nature of the "cat and mouse" scenario(s). Hurwitz keeps us on our toes in terms of characters too--who is to be trusted? Even Evan seems to have trouble deciding. A young character, Peter, and some sundry members of the Homeowner's Association, bring some levity and charm to the cast, with an occasional outright chuckle. Evan himself is at his most endearing as he attempts to navigate the vagaries of human sociability. And yeah, there are gadgets and guns galore, if that's your thing.

Scott Brick does a great job with the voicing, although I much preferred Candy McClure and Mia Hall to the other woman whose name I've already forgotten because I found "her" voice so cloying. But overall, a great ride for the genre, and I'm likely to continue the series because sometimes that level of escapism is what's needed.

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2024 #32 The Good Daughter - The Good Daughter #1 (Slaughter)

 

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A really good example of the genre, The Good Daughter has all the right pieces in terms of characterization and secrets. The plot stalls in a few places in service of lengthy dialogue between characters (some of the characters don't say much to each other, but when they do, it is several pages of dialogue).
There are some moments I found predictable, some secrets obvious to the reader before they are obvious to the characters. That said, there are some surprises too, and Slaughter paces these really well. The two sisters, Samantha and Charlie, are well-crafted in character and there are several characters who really trigger ambivalence, something I actually like.
Content warning as there is graphic description of sexual assault, and murder, but that's not unexpected for the genre.
The book also rests on some stereotypes of rural life, but is relatively gentle in its condemnation, painting with a medium width brush, let's say, assigning the worst to specific characters.

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2024 #29 Kill Season - Jake Cashen #2 (James)

 

Kill Season by Declan James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As I mentioned in my review of the first of the Jake Cashen series, I'm so impressed with Alexander Cendese's reading, that it is enough that I'm sticking with the series via audiobook. James wisely refrains from building too much upon the first book, so there are no spoilers, but there are light references--nice for those reading the series, but vague enough to entice readers to hit up Murder in the Hollows if they haven't already.
Wrestling does not take a front seat here, thankfully, but hunting does, so those who do not approve of hunting in any form are likely to want to pass on this one. There's a lot of testosterone that gets thrown around in this series, but my favorite character is actually Sheriff Landry, who is a great character and she is beautifully voiced by Cendese. In this particular book I found myself losing patience for hearing the killer's thoughts, but at the end it does help make us more convinced of the killer's mental state. I was less than thrilled with Jake's treatment of "Birdie" (Erica), the younger sister of his friend Ben--he was patronizing at best--so the insinuation at the end of the book does not make me look forward to seeing her character in the next book.
As a mystery it works well---James sets up the typical red herrings and didn't rest on the gambit he used in the first book. With Cendese's reading, the book is more of a 3.5 for me, and I'm looking forward to Bones of Echo Lake.

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2024 #26 The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections (Jurczyk)

 

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this up on a whim because I figured it would appeal to my librarian alter ego. While the "Mystery of the Missing Manuscript" might not appeal to everyone, anybody who has any experience with the politics and personalities of academia will find something to enjoy here. Jurczyk writes with a dry humor that befits her protagonist, Liesl. Liesl is an interesting character -- full of inner desires and hopes, but moves through her life with a wry smile and grudging utilitarian tolerance for the fools (all men) she must suffer to keep her job. There is definitely a subtext here, but it is written with a complexity of character that lends the book an intricacy and intellectual heft. There is also a message about how well we know the people we work with--the assumptions we make, the choices as to how close to get...when one becomes a "friend" beyond a "colleague." It is a puzzling novel in that if you were to describe the basic plot to me, I probably wouldn't think it would go far, but Jurczyk does an admirable job of building dimensionality into the characterization and the plot so that the reader can't help but be interested.

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2024 #24 A Prayer for the Damned -- Sister Fidelma #17 (Tremayne)

 

A Prayer for the Damned by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

People have gathered far and wide for a wedding in Cashel.
The story is fairly political at the outset--we learn about a group of Saxon brothers (Noavan, Berrihert, and Pecanum) seeking asylum and refugee status and Eadulf is asked to vouch for them. The main antagonist is Bishop Ultan, a misogynistic zealot who is very much against conhospitae and any other more progressive interpretations of Christianity. Most interesting is that we learn more about Fidelma's own views of her faith and choice to be a Sister. There are more elements of character development and intrigue than in some of the earlier installments of the series.

Tremayne also fills in details of medieval Celtic law that he has introduced in earlier volumes, such as the troscud, the ritual fast "to ensure the defendant accepts judgement." We are given details about the nuanced process--if the defendant agrees to settle and the plaintiff is notified and continues to fast, that forfeits the claim! These little legal details actual come to play an important part in the story. Funeral rites are also explained in detail as are cultural details tied to the Fenechus, the Brehon law system.

As Fidelma herself notes, it is an interesting case because there are so many suspects with a motive, at least for the first murder. That said, the actual culprit seemed a bit far-fetched for me and it relied upon a lot of information not revealed in the book. Still, definitely a good read and rewarding for those who are reading the entire series.

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2024 #23 The Servant's Tale - Dame Frevisse #2 (Frazer)

 

The Servant's Tale by Margaret Frazer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good second installment in the Sister Frevisse series, probably more of a 3.5 or 3.75 for me. The servant, Meg, works for the nuns at St. Frideswide as a scullery maid. Her husband, the drunken Barnaby, is allegedly killed in an accident when his cart collides with a troupe of actors. Soon to follow are two more deaths, and the acting troupe is in the frame. Frazer highlights the social and class biases at play against the troupe and we get more character development of Sister Frevisse and the head of the convent, Domina Edith, as well as Dame Claire, the apothecary/medical person for the convent. I found the development slow, as many pages are given over to sitting around dead bodies, although this does prove important to the story. It is probably best read in just a few sittings to keep track of some of the smaller details, not all of which necessarily lean toward the "whodunnit" aspect, but provide a lovely and clever sense of connectivity. Motives seem weak for all possible suspects, and that is a bit frustrating as we don't learn the actual motive until the very end, which always seems a bit of a cop-out to me. There are not a lot of clues in this one--but plenty of deception.

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2024 #21 Master of Souls - Sister Fidelma #16 (Tremayne)

 

Master of Souls by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I do recommend NOT studying the list of principal characters too closely before reading the book, although I don't know that it really spoiled much for me. This volume picks up after the events in The Leper's Bell, and the series as a whole seems to have more continuity now. Unfortunately, my own read of The Leper's Bell was a good long time ago, so I probably should have reread it...it isn't totally necessary, but I would have had a stronger connection to some of the characters, such as Gannica. I'll leave off too much plot description because it could very easily lead to spoilers, but the political strife between the Uí Fidgente and Cashel continues, despite the fragile peace under Donennach.

On the whole, the character development continues to mature. Tremayne uses Fidelma and Eadulf to show varying perspectives on Christianity--Fidelma is tolerant of the old ways, making space for "finding God in his own way" (203) in deference to the proud Pagan Gáeth. Eadulf, on the other hand, has the fervor of a young convert, and tends to be judgmental and one-dimensional in his thinking (occasionally).

I was particularly interested in some continuity of what seemed to be minutiae. Tremayne revisits a chant "Regem regnum rogamus in nostris sermonibus" which is sung in two languages to a "Gallic" chant melody, and this same song also appears in The Monk who Vanished, supposedly composed by one Colmán moccu Clusaif/mac Uí Clusaim who helped his people during the threat of the Yellow Plague. I was unable to find an actual historical person by this name, but my guess is that there is a model here for Tremayne. These little details, however, keep me coming back for more. I've started a list of concordances that I may turn into a wiki at some point.

The copyediting and editing is still not great, however (some library patron took to the copy I read with a pencil, thankfully). We also get unnecessary repetition, such as when we are told "Eadulf, who knew something of the healing arts..." (193) when that has already been on display earlier in the book. There does seem to be a little less repetition of Fidelma's status as a dalaigh, qualified to the level of anruth, and when she can sit in the presence of a king, etc. etc within a single volume now, so that is an improvement.

The development was slow in this one, but things get moving rather quickly once Fidelma, Conrí, and Eadulf set sail for an island. The details regarding the scriptorium and copying are interesting, and there are some more colorful characters including Slébéne, chief of the Corco Duibhne. I'm very glad that Conrí, who we first meet in Badger's Moon, I believe, seems to have a returning presence in the series. He is one of the more complex characters in the narrative of the Uí Fidgente.

Overall a really good installment and I'll looking forward to learning more as the political intrigue is bound to return.


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2024 #15: Murder in the Hollows (James) - Jake Cashen #1

 

Murder in the Hollows by Declan James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I care not a whit about wrestling, so I could have skipped that aspect of this book, and I also had the murderer figured out very early in the game, but still, this was very entertaining. Alexander Cendese does a terrific job of voicing the protagonist Jake Cashen. The first book in any series is important because it either is going to hook us for the long haul, or it won't. This one did, mostly through the protagonist who navigates both his demons and the quirky characters of his small town with a certain amount of earthy skepticism and hard-won good-naturedness.

I'm in for the next in the series, although the preview makes me fear that I'm in for more wrestling. However, the first book sets up enough characters that I already felt empathy (I do like how the crime happens almost immediately) knowing who dies in the second. I hope that all the books get audiobook versions with Cendese, because now that is how I hear Jake Cashen and all the other fun characters--his overbearing-but-ultimately-loving older sister, his cranky-but-ultimately-loving grandpa, the very cool sheriff, Jake's more-observant-that-she-seems high school sweetheart, and more.

Declan James's former career in law enforcement serves him well. The policing narrative is smart, and entertaining as it is seen through the critical eye of Cashen, who bemoans the idiocy of his partner, rather than parading procedure around in flattened dialogue meant only to show that the author knows his stuff.

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