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| Final Rating: 2.8/5 |
Like many others I am drawn to illustrations of history that garner much
sympathy and my need to have a better understanding of certain maligned
figures has me pulled in different directions of research to learn all I
can at that moment. This year alone I have gathered knowledge and
pushed past the many romantic (even biased) curtains on Empresses, Czars
and various Queens across Europe. Their personal stories and preserved
words easily fascinate and when I stumble across a non-fiction work that
educates with hard facts with as little supposition as possible but
also brings an era and forgotten life alive through the pages, I know I
have found something to proudly display on my shelves and a book to
share; unfortunately Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey
won’t be joining my favorites. I will say this title was very easy to
read and there is a little less shadow now on the portrait of Lady Jane
Grey and her turmoil filled world but something just didn’t sit well
with me.
I hate to go against so many glowing reviews and I do
honestly wish I could speak more of the positives with this work but I’m
sorry there were too many assumptions, repetition of “colorful”
narrative sections that either seemed forced or were a little
unnecessary, modern explanations (that seemed summed down to “teenage
behavior”) and a few very uncomfortable tangents or gossipy portions
(ex: questioning if Henry Grey was inadequate in bed). I was also
disappointed with the total lack of any kind of family tree (even for
someone who is familiar with recurring names it can get confusing how
lesser figures were related to the key personalities) as well as no
photographs (even though sections throughout would refer to particular
paintings or later images of important places). Those last negatives may
be explained by my ARC version of this title (another helpful reviewer
has alerted me that the published purchase version has some lovely
pictures and family trees available) but I still think this book just
sadly reminded me of another disappointing popular royalty biography I
read last year and like that one it may be more suited to those looking
for an introduction to the complex brutal games of politics and religion
that dominated 16th-century Europe. If it gets someone reading and
interested in history, I’m all for it but at the same time I think I
will try Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery by Eric Ives or The Sisters Who Would Be Queen by Leanda de Lisle both look very promising.
*I would like to thank Pegasus Books and NetGalley for the opportunity
to read Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey
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| Final Rating: 5/5 |
The One and Only…
Agatha Christie has been called "The Queen of Crime" and the brilliantly executed And Then There Were None (also known as Ten Little Indians & etc.)
rightly supports that shining crown. Simply this is a book perfect for
anyone who loves a good crime thriller or has been searching for a
puzzle of personalities and consciences that can’t be solved or will go
cold and stiff within a couple chapters. Published in 1939 the original
title has changed a few times and to the modern reader certain late
events can be predictable (especially with the occasional jigs of
foreshadowing in sections) but it has stood proudly in the shelves and
continues to gather a following of different audiences each passing
year. I don’t wish to give too much away of what can be found in these
short powerful pages but this is the one and only mystery that can be
seen as the clever blueprint to ALL contemporary mysteries, you are sure
to come across pieces in this yarn that “just remind you of something”
but in this humble reader’s opinion, no one these days on the silver
screen or crowding the lists can create a diversion or throw a red
herring like Dame Christie and And Then There Were None is the perfect place to start your own special collection of mystery and entertainment.
- purchased and read on nook
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| Final Rating: 3.8/5 |
A third ample helping of delicate inquiries and designs of murder most foul
These
days the ugly ravages of black spot on her celebrated roses or missing
The Glorious Twelfth are not the only concerns daunting Lady Montfort’s
waking thoughts, she also has the unpleasant fear of impending war that
can rip the comforts of family and home away forever. The year 1914 is
sure to hold more than one challenge for her ladyship and country but in
the meantime a much needed distraction presents itself in the form of a
plea from a displaced cook who has quite the story to
tell and says she has been wrongly accused of the worst kind of
negligence of service. With interests piqued that the case has been
considered closed for months but troubling questions still remain that
no one seems willing to explore, Lady Montfort sets out with her ever
observant housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson to a remodeled ancient castle that
holds a society of rose enthusiasts and shadowy passageways of secrets
from upstairs and downstairs that may not smell so sweet in the end.
For this reader, A Death by Any Other Name (Lady Montfort #3)
channeled all the right styles of favorites. It contains echoes of Dame
Christie with all of the clever simplicity of plot, solution and a
grand house full of interesting suspects that all have something to
conceal. Sadly this novel was not exactly unpredictable overall, the
dialogue could be seen a little stiff and there were one or two confusing
mentions of time that didn’t match up but the attention to other details
especially toward the central focus of hybrid tea rose cultivation
along with prominent grafting of always popular upstairs and downstairs
with historic events (and actual figures of history) were all very
impressive. I would still say, Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman (Lady Montfort #1) continues to be my choice in this cozy mystery series but A Death by Any Other Name
is a close second. Maybe like Lady Montfort I needed a distraction and
this novel certainly provided that, it did have its unfortunate flaws
but this is one series that is a pick above the ordinary variety mystery
set.
*I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
for the opportunity to read and enjoy A Death by Any Other Name (Lady
Montfort Mystery #3)
Title Released: March 14, 2017
