Reading in Reykjavík

Originally published in July 2004, on my original 52 Books blog. Author: Deborah Simmons Year published: 2003 Pages: 320 Genre: Romance, historical (Regency period) Sub-genre(s): Mystery Where got: Public library The cast: Christian is a hero to die for: handsome, charming, witty and talented, with a self-depreciating sense of humour and oodles of sex appeal. Abigail is a bit harder to figure out - until you discover what drives her and why she is so repressed. The secondary characters are unfortunately flat - pretty much the standard usual suspects found in many mysteries. But they don’t really matter that much, they are just there to provide suspects in the haunting, which, while an important plot element in bringing together the hero and heroine, nevertheless takes second stage to the love story. The story: Former lady’s companion Abigail Parkinson has inherited a country mansion that she doesn’t want, but the sale of which will bring her financial independence ...

Year of publication: 1983 Series and no.: Brother Cadfael, # 7 Genre: Historical mystery Type of mystery: Robbery and murder Type of investigator: Monk Setting & time: Shrewsbury, England, 12th century A young travelling jongleur and entertainer is hunted down by an angry lynch mob bent on administering justice after a goldsmith is attacked and - they think - murdered on the night of his son's wedding. He manages to reach the sanctuary of the abbey church and when questioned, adamantly denies having had anything to do with the robbery. The goldsmith has survived the attack, but a robbery of that magnitude is punishable by death, so the young man is no better off. Cadfael's impression is that he is innocent, and that indefatigable sleuth sets off to investigate the crime. As always, love rears it's shining head, and the mystery seems impenetrably tangled. This is the best of the Cadfael books I have read so far. It not only has Peters' characteristic comfortabl...

Year of publication: 1981 Series and no.: Brother Cadfael #5 Genre: Historical mystery Type of mystery: Murder Type of investigator: Monk Setting & time: Shrewsbury, England; 1139 A wedding is to take place at the Shrewsbury abbey church, between an ageing knight and a young woman, the heiress to a great fortune who is being forced into the union by her greedy guardian. She loves one of her groom’s squires, and he her, but she is well guarded and escape is impossible. It becomes even more so after her young swain is accused of theft and barely escapes the clutches of the sheriff. When the groom is brutally murdered, suspicion naturally falls on the young man, but Brother Cadfael has reason to believe him innocent and sets out to investigate the matter thoroughly. Meanwhile, the fugitive plans to spring his ladylove from her guardians. This is one of the best of the 5 Cadfael books I have read so far, but not THE best. This opinion probably comes from my having suspected, with...

Warning: If you want to be surprised by this mystery, don't read the Wikipedia entry on it. American title: The Woman in Black Year of publication: 1913 Genre: Mystery Type of mystery: Murder Type of investigator: Amateur (artist) Setting & time: England, just before World War I. Story: An American business tycoon is found dead in the grounds of his English country house and it could be either murder or a bizarre suicide. A newspaper publisher calls in Philip Trent, an artist who has a knack for solving mysteries. He methodically sets about solving the case, using scientific methods and eliminating the suspects and theories one after the other. Review: This is a thoroughly old-fashioned mystery, and yet surprisingly fresh. According to some sources I have found on the web, Bentley wrote it in answer to Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, in order to contrast a detective who was human and fallible with the methodical and never-wrong Holmes, and perhaps to show the how s...

This is the first volume in the four book story arc within the Lord Peter Wimsey series that describes his developing relationship with Harriet Vane, from first meeting to honeymoon. Two of the books are on the top mysteries list, but I will be reading them in order of publication to get the story as it should be read. Year of publication: 1930 Series and no.: Lord Peter Wimsey, no. 6 Genre: Mystery Type of mystery: Murder Type of investigator: Semi-pro Setting & time: (mostly) London, England, 1930 Story: Mystery author Harriet Vane stands accused of murder, but Lord Peter, who has fallen in love with her at first sight, does not believe she is guilty. When a hung jury results in a mistrial (meaning the case will have to be tried again), he sees a chance to investigate the case more thoroughly, and does so, revealing a fiendishly clever and well-planned murder plot. Review: SPOILERS One of the drawbacks of doing research before you read a book is that it can take away some ...