And There He Kept Her

 

I found out about this author from my group The Killer Authors Club. As I was listening to the authors interview Joshua, he is talking about his 3rd book, I couldn't help but think "Oh no I have 2 books in front of these to read". And I usually don't go for the books that are a series. One can get caught up in a series and never read anything else. It's like a never ending catch up game. Although this author was describing his books, I was thinking yes sounds very intriguing. Even though Joshua said you could read the 3rd book first, I knew there would be recurring characters. So I started with No.1 And There He Kept Her. I am so glad I did.

Two kids break into a persons home. 1was killed, the other kept locked up. These kids went to steal drugs but didn't know it was the wrong house to pick.

Ben Packard moves into Sandy Lake MN to start new. The new Sheriff Deputy. He's just not a cop. He fits in to his community. That's what I like about him. His everyday routines some are up, some are down, and funny. Ben has a lot of character. Even though he carries some baggage of his own, he goes by his day to make sure everyone and everything is taken care of especially what happened to this kids.

Creepy is the word of the stuff when Ben Packard finds 1 of the kids. And what happened to the girl/women in the past as well.

For this thriller as 1 person said it's a turn around who dunit. We know as readers who did the crimes. It's just a matter of following the characters to see how they solve it. And help the Sheriff's dept. Each character has their unique role in helping.

I give And There He Kept Her 5 

for keeping the flow of the story going. Sure there were lulls but it flowed. I'm looking forward to reading the 2nd book

The Magnolia Palace

 

This isn't the 1st book I have read from Fiona Davis. I like her books. They are history with some fiction intertwined into a story.

Most of what she writes on is something I have seen, or heard of.

Of the two storylines I believe I like the one with Lily, who of her own bad luck ran away from something to accidentally wander and the staff thought she was there for a job. And got the job to be private secretary to daughter of Henry Clay Frick. His daughter, Helen was a hard one to please. As it turns out Lily was able to get along with her.

The house that they were staying at was the residence of Henry Frick in 1914. He was a steel magnate who collected and loved art. He built his home to one day leave, with the large art collection to the city as a museum.

Lily although got in trouble after the death of Henry Frick. She ran and married the person who helped her escape. Had a good life. In the very distant future she finally got her time to explain what really happened to Helen about her father. Some foal play I believe.

Mrs. Frick and Helen lived there til 1931 and than the house was renovated and opened in 1935 to become the museum it is today. There was also a Magnolia diamond it was said it was given to another daughter before she died. And are known for the Magnolia trees on the front lawn. Strange the diamond was said to be stolen but never a report on it. No one has seen it since.

The second storyline about Veronica Weber a model, was doing a shoot at the Frick mansion things got said back and forth and she was told she was done. Veronica wandered, being that there was a snowstorm and she couldn't go anywhere. She found secrets and hidden clues to the pink diamond called Magnolia diamond. As she did this, with the  help with a fellow she saw and learnt about the history of the building. This was in the 1960's.

The connection to these storylines is art. Being that Lily was a muse for artist and living in the Frick house that had an art collection. She learnt of the history of art and was appreciative of it.

As for Veronica, also a model found art collection intriguing .

With the relationship with Lily and Helen it gives me as the reader the original version how things came to be. That's why I prefer the first storyline over the second.

I give The Magnolia Palace (which the author named it) 5 

Hope to read more of Fiona's stories

The Overnight Guest

My first thoughts on this book were it took too long to get interesting, I was confused at first as to what this story was trying to say, and it was hard in the beginning to follow the two periods of time. Anyway it was toward the middle of book the events were getting clearer to understand.

Heather did a wonderful job lying out what the characters were about, doing, and the descriptions of things actually put you in the book.

I can understand why Wylie Lark changed her name. At the end it all comes together and you go "Ah I see now. She's been through a lot"

There are these three mysteries going on different times but linked together. I try not to try to figure it out. When I do I spoil the story for myself. Although the one I did figure it out. Now come on who doesn't question a person, Randy of why is he in the barn of people he hated? After answering that he wanted to help, please all of a sudden he wanted to help the people he hates? There was more to Randy as we see at the end of the story.

There are a lot of characters in this story to keep up with. A vibe of Agatha Christie going on there. She had a lot of characters in her books too. It gives the reader more to sink their teeth into of who dunit.

Scary that this takes place in a blizzard. Which I would never just go out to see where a sound was coming from, or someone out there that shouldn't be. I was frustrated with Josie because of that. For a true crime writer she was naive. Although Josie was a fighter. She wouldn't give up. Even for a friend that was still alive.

Some of things I do highlight that I saw worthy to connect me with the story more.

I give The Overnight Guest 4 

I though it confusing in beginning. I have another book of Heather Gudenkauf's and look forward to reading it.

 

The Gift

Heard a lot of chatter about this author. This was the 1st book I was able to read this year. Being a short story it only took me about 2 days to read.

To me it felt like a Tales of the Crypt kind of style. Didn't realize it was author's vision of The Gift of the Magi.

There was a lesson in there. How loving and caring for each other is greater than the stuff you have. Although Justin's way was sweet but with a motive just for Christmas. Then he would be gone.

Stella's way was more intent of losing her hair. However she really wanted to give Justin something nice she needed to be talked into it though. For all that they fought and it was not worth it after all.

All in all shows that sometimes it better to find the little things you have. You may find they are the bigger, sweeter ways of life.

Stella did take her power back but happiness ???

Author has written this story smoothly and tells it with no fancy words. You knew what each character was and what they stood for. Keeping towards the original work of O. Henry 1905

I give The Gift 5-------->

 

Towards Zero

 

This was an interesting story. A story that any character could be a killer. Each character had something going on in their lives that made them suspicious. Didn't realize this was Sergeant Battle's last showing. And so he had a lot of things to do. Things to show is nephew who was a policeman also. Although a brief section of Battle and his daughter was written, apparently Battle saw that that gave a break for him in this case.

This was a different read from Agatha Christie's books. More about mental abuse than just sinister murder, or was it? Especially between Audrey, Kay and Neville Strange that was some kind of sickness going on there

Interesting to solve a murder people begin with the murder. The murder is at the end. The story begins long before that. For this it takes a lot of research, questions, prodding etc.. A lot of characters as usual AC writes.

It was fun to read that Hercule Poirot made this story. Battle brought him up because with giving everything Battle and his nephew had with these murders at a party. There's nothing I can say or do like being in a trap and you can't get out. Battle thought about Poirot things not being quite symmetrical gets him worked up. Then he solves the case. So Battle goes about that way.

Finally in Poirot style, Battle gets everyone together and one by one rules each out. Sort of! And solves the case. First time for me that there was a romance at the end. Audrey falls for the person who helped her.

I give Towards Zero 5-------->