146. Proud Sorrows

Proud Sorrows. (Billy Boyle #18) James R. Benn. 2023. [September] 365 pages. [Source: Review copy] [historical fiction; mystery; world war II; series book]

First sentence (from the prologue): It began as a glow in the night sky, a faint flicker barely visible in the swirling, low clouds and the pelting rain. Stephen Elliot saw it as he shut the door behind him and made for his automobile. 

Premise/plot: Billy Boyle, our soldier-detective protagonist, returns for his eighteenth mystery in Proud Sorrows. In this one, set in November 1944, Billy Boyle (and his friend, Kaz) are on leave and visiting the home/manor of his girlfriend, Diana Seaton. They are guests of her father, but not the only guests. Kaz's sister is a guest as well and recovering from her injuries gotten at a concentration/detainment camp. She was experimented on. (Also a guest, her full-time nurse, a long-time resident of the village.) Diana herself is home on leave at this time. It should make for a lovely holiday--even for war times. Surely the end is near--at least on the European front, right? But this holiday seems doomed...

It isn't too long before Billy Boyle is back hard at work on a case, drawn into a complex mystery involving several dead bodies. A BODY has been found--washed up in the Wash--in a German war plane. Not so mysterious until they realize--almost right away--that it is not the German pilot in the pilot's seat--but a long-missing resident of the village, Stephen Elliot of Marston Hall. HOW did his body get in the plane? What happened to the German pilot? Elliot's death was obviously murder--based on the evidence of his skull--but was the German pilot murdered too? WHICH of the village residents are suspect? 

The case keeps getting more complex as he begins to question everything and everyone....there are MANY secrets in the village. Not all relate to the murders, of course, but all must be investigated to sort out WHO had the motive and opportunity to commit what might have been a near-perfect crime.

My thoughts: I loved this one. I ABSOLUTELY loved, loved, loved it. I loved the small ("quaint") British village. I love how the village was peopled--the characterization was marvelous. I love how substantive the mystery was. I love how it hinted at history. (The victim was researching King John and how he lost his treasure when attempting to cross the Wash). I love all the side characters that we've come to know throughout the book series--Kaz, of course, Big Mike, Diana, etc. But I also love all the villagers. (Well, most of them.) The book had a WONDERFUL quality to it. This presents a different element of the war mystery. This isn't so much front-lines and battle zones (as some have been) but more home-front and behind the scenes. This doesn't mean that Billy is safe and that there are no dangers....after all the village has at least one murderer....

Highly recommend the whole entire series.

 

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

130. Wool Omnibus (Silo #1)

Wool Omnibus (Silo #1) Hugh Howey. 2012. 509 pages. [Source: Bought] [Adult science fiction, adult horror, adult mystery, dystopia]

First sentence: The children were playing while Holston climbed to his death; he could hear them squealing as only happy children do. While they thundered about frantically above, Holston took his time, each step methodical and ponderous, as he wound his way around and around the spiral staircase, old boots ringing out on metal treads.

My thoughts: I first read this one in 2013. I loved it so, so, so much. I never went back to reread it, however, until now. I saw that it was being adapted into a show/series. I may never see the adaptation, but I am so glad that I took this chance to reread it. It's been long enough that it was like reading it for the first time--which was glorious for the horror-mystery bits. I love the tension of this one.

Premise/plot: Set in the future. What remains of humanity is living underground in a silo--or silos, as the case may be. Generations have come and gone, hundreds of years have passed, those that live in the silo have only ever known the silo. It functions or malfunctions, as the case may be, by following or "following" rules and guidelines put into place. But what happens when little things trigger chain reactions? 

So this one is titled, "Wool." Those trouble-makers, those "law-breakers," if you will, are "punished" by being sent OUT. And one of their last responsibilities is cleaning. Cleaning cameras, viewers, windows? But one woman sentenced to this fate refuses to clean....and subsequently....well life in Silo 18 will never be the same.

Further thoughts: I definitely recommend this book. It's a little bit of everything--dystopia, mystery, suspense, horror, science fiction. It alternates points of view. But this is an instance where that is a great thing--used for building suspense.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

84. Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. Benjamin Stevenson. 2022. 384 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once. I'm not trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth, and when I was faced with writing this down, difficult as it is with one hand, I realized that telling the truth was the only way to do it. It sounds obvious, but modern mystery novels forget that sometimes. They've become more about the tricks the author can deploy: what's up their sleeve instead of what's in their hand. 

Preview of my thoughts: I WAS HOOKED by the opening sentences. So onto my library's hold list I went. It took its own sweet time to get into my hands, but it was so worth the wait! I enjoyed this one so much.

Premise/plot: This one is written in first person. Ernest Cunningham is the narrator. He's an author who writes books about how to write books. The novel starts out with him sharing Ronald Knox's 10 Commandments of Detective Fiction. They are as follows:

1. The criminal must be someone mentioned in the early part of the story, but must not be anyone whose thoughts the reader has been allowed to follow.

2. All supernatural or preternatural agencies are ruled out as a matter of course.

3. Not more than one secret room or passage is allowable.

4. No hitherto undiscovered poisons may be used, nor any appliance which will need a long scientific explanation at the end.

5. Author's note: Culturally outdated historical wording redacted. [If you should be curious and want to seek out why Stevenson decided to skip over commandment five.]

6. No accident must ever help the detective, nor must he ever have an unaccountable intuition which proves to be right.

7. The detective must not himself commit the crime.

8. The detective must not light on any clues which are not instantly produced for the inspection of the reader.

9. The stupid friend of the detective, the Watson, must not conceal any thoughts which pass through his mind; his intelligence mus be slightly, very slightly, below that of the average reader.

10. Twin brothers, and doubles generally, must not appear unless we have been duly prepared for them.

The premise of this one is that the Cunningham family is having a reunion at a ski resort (in the middle of a big storm, it turns out). A Cunningham extended-family reunion. The family is not known for getting along; Ernest Cunningham is on the outs with his family for testifying against his brother at his murder trial. But this reunion is set to celebrate his brother, Michael, getting released from prison. But this reunion may just turn deadly...

 This one features plenty of flashbacks as Ernest reveals just how everyone in his family has killed someone....

My thoughts: The narrator won me over. It has DOZENS of twists and turns. Plenty of reveals. And plenty of twists lurking in those reveals. By the end, it's been quite a dance. In case you couldn't tell, this one has a dark sense of humor. But if you enjoy dark/dry humor....then this one has plenty to satisfy. I liked seeing how everything unfolded. 

GoodReads says this is "Ernest Cunninham #1." Could it really be the first in a series??????? Just checked and apparently there is a second book coming called EVERYONE ON THIS TRAIN IS A SUSPECT. Squeal!!!! Isn't that a great title!!!!!!

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

60. Wrong Place Wrong Time

Wrong Place Wrong Time. Gillian McAllister. 2022. 402 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Jen is glad of the clocks going back tonight. A gained hour, extra time, to be spent pretending she isn't waiting up for her son.

Premise/plot: What's a mother to do when she witnesses her teenage son murder a stranger (or stranger to you)????? This mother, Jen Goodbrother, somehow, someway, manages to live life BACKWARDS after this traumatic event as she scrambles to prevent the crime that will utterly ruin their lives. This isn't a proper time-loop premise. Jen isn't living the same twelve to twenty-four hours over and over again--a loop. But it does feature Jen experiencing time backwards--falling through time, slipping through time. She'll have unique opportunities to experience her life again--make change after change after change. Her perspective changes day by day as she wrestles with the meaning of it all. These close encounters with her immediate family--her husband, Kelly; her son, Todd; are different seen 'from both sides now.' She's actually getting to live her life with hindsight. But how many days, weeks, months, years, decades must she slip--relive--in order to "fix" or "course correct" the tragic event of that October night???? 

My thoughts: Obviously premise-driven. But it didn't fall short on characterization or action. There's some contemplation and reflection. There's plenty of suspense and action. It perhaps isn't a thriller in the traditional sense or any sense. So don't expect direct danger and gore. (You won't find it). Do expect some mental anguish as a woman wrestles with big questions of how, where, when, why, and what. 

There are alternating chapters. But I won't be spoiling who's doing the narration on those alternate bits. The less you know the better.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

57. All Good People Here

All Good People Here. Ashley Flowers. 2022. 312 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The residents of Wakarusa, Indiana, could spin gossip faster than a spider spins its web. 

Premise/plot: Dual timelines. Multiple murder victims. That is the shortest way to sum up this one.

Margot Davies (our 2019 heroine) is a crime reporter for a newspaper. When she was a child, her next door playmate, January Jacobs, was murdered. Police suspect it was the mom. But there's no conclusive evidence--enough to bring a case--because the crime scene was handled so messily. The murder has haunted her for decades. Haunted the whole town really. Everyone has thoughts, ideas, opinions about the crime. Margot can't help making mental connections between January's tragic death and every other kidnapping/murder case in the surrounding areas. For better or worse, she can't help thinking that January's murderer is still out harming children. She returns to her hometown to care for her uncle with dementia. She arrives around the time of a new kidnapping/murder in a small town just eight or ten miles away. Once again, she's snapped back to January's case. But are the cases connected? Margot goes into full detective mode without thought or consideration to her own safety. 

Krissy Jacobs (our 1994 heroine, though we progress through the years with this one) is January Jacobs' mother. She has MANY, many secrets...but is being a murderer one of them???? 

My thoughts: There are about three thousand red herrings in this murder mystery. For better or worse. I don't know if it's more annoying or less annoying to have so many. Maybe I exaggerate slightly. I do think the author is purposefully trying to trick/fool readers into making wrong guesses with every page or two. And I'm not sure a second reading would work. (Though maybe I'm wrong about that). 

I don't expect mystery novels to automatically be 'clean' in terms of content--language, sex, etc. So don't expect it to be squeaky clean, it isn't.

My first thought is that Margot isn't the brightest amateur detective. In that she puts herself into situations that seem risky--at least to me. She's so determined to tell the whole story and to uncover/discover new facts that will help solve the murder(s), that she doesn't really ever think am I risking myself trying to unmask this murderer? If the murderer is still in town, still living in the midst of us, still active as a serial offender, then am I going to be his NEXT victim?  Is she trusting the wrong people? 

I personally HATED the ending. I don't know how others feel about it. It has two endings--in a way. The epilogue from the murderer...and Margot's ending that comes right before. With that ending, it is almost impossible for me not to have my impression changed...on if it's something I'd recommend.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews