Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
In the fourteenth installment of the Hamish Macbeth mystery series, readers find the town of Drim, Scotland, center stage for a television adaptation of Patricia Martyn-Broyd's book. Rumors surface that the scriptwriter for the television adaptation, Jamie Gallagher, has completely changed Martyn-Broyd's character from a respectable woman to a wild hippie from the 1960s. Police Constable Hamish knows trouble when he sees it, and he can only think of bad things happening in Drim. Tempers flare on the set, and pretty soon three deaths take place, making Hamish hard at work again finding the killer or killers.
I absolutely love the Hamish Macbeth series. Over the years, patrons have recommended the series to me, and when I started reading the books a few years ago, I have been hooked since. Each book in the series is a quick read and a very interesting and at times comical look at the townsfolk of Lochdubh. Hamish seems to have a brilliant mind, though he is a self-proclaimed unambitious soul with no intention of making his mark in the police world. Beaton has created a delightful mystery series, one that cozy mystery readers will adore. If you are not familiar with the Hamish Macbeth series, I would suggest starting with the very first in the series, Death of a Gossip. Beaton also writes the Agatha Raisin mystery series and books under her real name, Marion Chesney.
Reviewed by Jessica
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
Cambridge, England in the 12th century is rocked by a serial killer targeting young children. The people of Cambridge, thinking no one else is to blame, target the Jews of the town, killing the most prominent moneylender and his wife. The other Jewish townspeople are locked up in the castle, guarded from the mob by the sheriff. King Henry II, hearing of the childrens' deaths, asks the King of Sicily to send his best "minister of the art of death," or coroner. Unknown to Henry II, the best "minister" is actually Dr. Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar, a doctor from the well-known medical town of Salerno. As tensions mount in Cambridge, Adelia, along with the help of Simon of Naples and Mansur, uses her skills to track down the murderer. She also crosses paths with Sir Rowley Picot, a knight whose demeanor and attention to her every move makes her wonder about his true intentions. Can she discover the murderer's identity before he or she strikes again? Filled with twists and turns, this captivating historical novel will keep the reader guessing until the very end.
I really enjoyed the intriguing mystery of the book. With so many plot twists, I was pretty surprised with the the novel's outcome. The storyline was engaging, with some very unique characters. There are some anachronisms (or using a person, place or thing in a time period when it did not exist) thrown into the storyline. The language at times was a little hard to follow, and I found myself slowed down a bit in the reading. Franklin's research of 12th century England becomes apparent in the novel; if you are not a historical novel reader, you may not like this novel.
For a taste of CSI in the 12th century, read this book!
Reviewed by Jessica
Format: Book
Cambridge, England in the 12th century is rocked by a serial killer targeting young children. The people of Cambridge, thinking no one else is to blame, target the Jews of the town, killing the most prominent moneylender and his wife. The other Jewish townspeople are locked up in the castle, guarded from the mob by the sheriff. King Henry II, hearing of the childrens' deaths, asks the King of Sicily to send his best "minister of the art of death," or coroner. Unknown to Henry II, the best "minister" is actually Dr. Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar, a doctor from the well-known medical town of Salerno. As tensions mount in Cambridge, Adelia, along with the help of Simon of Naples and Mansur, uses her skills to track down the murderer. She also crosses paths with Sir Rowley Picot, a knight whose demeanor and attention to her every move makes her wonder about his true intentions. Can she discover the murderer's identity before he or she strikes again? Filled with twists and turns, this captivating historical novel will keep the reader guessing until the very end.
I really enjoyed the intriguing mystery of the book. With so many plot twists, I was pretty surprised with the the novel's outcome. The storyline was engaging, with some very unique characters. There are some anachronisms (or using a person, place or thing in a time period when it did not exist) thrown into the storyline. The language at times was a little hard to follow, and I found myself slowed down a bit in the reading. Franklin's research of 12th century England becomes apparent in the novel; if you are not a historical novel reader, you may not like this novel.
For a taste of CSI in the 12th century, read this book!
Reviewed by Jessica
Monday, July 2, 2007
Trigger by Susan Vaught
Age Level: Teen
Format: Book
Jersey Hatch can remember very little about his life before the accident. He has spent the past year of his high school life in a rehabilitation center, trying to put his shattered existence back together, piece by painful piece. He can't remember how to hold a conversation. He can't remember why his best friend hates him. He can't remember why he tried to kill himself. Now the true test has come. It's finally time for him to leave the rehabilitation center and head back into as normal a life as is possible for him. Somehow he needs to relearn algebra, repair lost friendships and graduate high school.
The reader travels with Jersey as he tries to piece his life back together. The reader sees the struggles he goes through and struggles along with him. It navigates the triumph of family, depths of despair, and humor in life's most mundane details.
It's a very compelling read.
Reviewed by Sara.
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