Death Cloud

By Andrew Lane

It is the summer of 1868, and Sherlock Holmes is fourteen. On break from boarding school, he is staying with elderly relatives in the country and expecting a tedious vacation. Instead, he finds himself in the midst of a shocking murder mystery. Two local men have died from symptoms resembling the plague. Soon it is clear they have not died from natural causes.

Heedless of danger, Holmes throws himself into an investigation of what and who really killed them. With encouragement from his American born tutor and the help of two new friends, he uncovers a diabolical plot. So begins his first battle of wits against a brilliantly sinister villain of exquisitely malign intent.

So. Young Sherlock Holmes. Well. Ahem. Alright I’ve stalled enough. How intriguing to put the world’s most famous detective into the awkward phase of youth. I began imagining a know-it-all kid who can’t stand to be around all the boring ‘normal’ people who are so blind to the details of life. I had a pretty clear picture (but was staying open-minded) of what I thought needed to happen. I was expecting a very independent kid who couldn’t stand to let a murder go unsolved simply because he knew that everyone was missing the important clues. Andrew Lane’s Death Cloud introduces us to a 14-year-old Sherlock Holmes, just getting ready for the summer holidays. A loner, but not okay with this, Sherlock is dismayed to realize he isn’t going home when Mycroft appears. It’s evident from the get-go that Sherlock has a hero-worship thing going on with Mycroft (which was weird). Sherlock’s personality is that of a kid who is uncertain and emotional, and far too normal. We are also introduced to Sherlock’s tutor who it is obvious is to be his detecting mentor (which I was also disappointed at. Sherlock Holmes doesn’t seem the type to have needed or wanted anyone telling him the way to do things.) The only reason why I was able to enjoy this book was the fact that I kept forgetting that this kid was supposed to be the Sherlock Holmes. It was decent for a young adult murder mystery. I’m not sold on it at all though. I saw the huge potential for the idea of a young Sherlock, but the choices Lane made seemed more geared toward the genre than the character.

I give it a 3 out of 5 It was fine, but not anywhere near Sherlock’s awesome potential

All the Wrong Questions: Who Could That be at This Hour?

By Lemony Snicket

In a fading town, far from anyone he knew or trusted, a young Lemony Snicket began his apprenticeship in an organization nobody knows about. He started by asking questions that shouldn’t have been on his mind. Now he has written an account that should not be published, in four volumes that shouldn’t be read. This is the first volume.

There isn't an author quite like Lemony Snicket when it comes to writing a book with a truly unique tone. In his distinctive and humorous writing, Lemony Snicket undertakes to write about his early adventures with an undisclosed organization. With caricatures of hilarious magnitude, Lemony finds himself in the middle of scrape after scrape, and he keeps asking all the wrong questions. His mentor is completely useless, and repetitively tells him not to be so repetitive! I was very entertained and snorting at the clever way Lemony is able to teach his readers new words and situations by being completely overt about it. It’s funny and intriguing and makes you want to know, who is the friend he was supposed to meet? What will his next adventure be? And what does this story have to do with the Lemony Snicket we know who writes about the Baudelaires? Or am I asking all the wrong questions?

I give it a 3.5 out of 5

Legion

By Brandon Sanderson

Stephen Leeds is perfectly sane. It’s his hallucinations who are mad.

A genius of unrivaled aptitude, Stephen can learn any new skill, vocation, or art in a matter of hours. However, to contain all of this, his mind creates hallucinatory people—Stephen calls them aspects—to hold and manifest the information. Wherever he goes, he is joined by a team of imaginary experts to give advice, interpretation, and explanation. He uses them to solve problems…for a price.

His brain is getting a little crowded, however, and the aspects have a tendency of taking on lives of their own. When a company hires him to recover stolen property—a camera that can allegedly take pictures of the past—Stephen finds himself in an adventure crossing oceans and fighting terrorists. What he discovers may upend the foundation of three major world religions—and, perhaps, give him a vital clue into the true nature of his aspects.

This is ingenious. I love the idea of having a P.I.-like hero with hallucinations that help him solve cases. This novella was so down my alley. It’s a mystery with an intriguing hero who you’re not quite sure if he’s got some mental illness or if he has some secret power—and who’s to say they can’t be both? Certainly not Stephen! His aspects are equal parts humorous and clever as well as distinct individuals. The byplay between his aspects and himself (because he’s the only one who sees them) is so funny and witty on Brandon Sanderson’s part. This is one of those books that felt like it was meant for cinema as well. I could visualize things clearly and saw it as an action movie/mystery. If you like police or detective shows like Monk, NCIS, Castle, or the like, this is the novella for you. Loved reading it and am so excited for the second book.  

4.25 out of 5

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

By Arthur Conan Doyle

This is a gathering of some of the more notable cases of the world-famous Sherlock Holmes, written by his faithful friend, Doctor John Watson. Among the stories is “A Scandal in Bohemia” where we meet the American woman Irene Adler, “The Adventure of the Speckled Band”, “The Man with the Twisted Lips”, and many others.

 

There seems to have been an outpouring of Sherlock Holmes related media the past few years, which spurred my interest in reading the actual stories by Doyle. With the surprising Hollywood debut and sequel featuring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, I was certain that it would be a horrendous version that I would be sick at, but was surprised when I finally watched it that I loved it. Then came BBC’s absolutely genius modernized version that has many people in absolute agony while they wait to figure out how Sherlock survived his ‘fall’. That in and of itself is a brilliant re-imagined version, which is enhanced by Benedict Cumberbach’s manic energy and delivery of the famous detective, not to mention Martin Freeman’s incredible friendship and loyalty portrayed as John Watson. And, to top it off we have the recent adage of “Elementary” in America where Sherlock Holmes is, once again, a modernized character living in New York, a recovering drug addict that is just getting back into detective work. All three versions have their good points and bad, but all three are entertaining. Reading the original stories has been fun knowing the back-stories and having grown up with the Jeremey Brett episodes on PBS, which are more true to the stories than any other. I had fun reading stories that I’d never heard before, especially the engineer’s thumb and the man with the twisted lips. The blue carbuncle was actually quite funny, unless you were the antagonist of the story. I highly recommend reading the original stories if you are a fan of any of the above shows. After all, we all know that in the vast majority, the book is better than the movie!

I give it a 4 out of 5

 

Above: Elementary, New Sherlock and female Watson

 

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson

The Name of the Star

By Maureen Johnson

 The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper in the autumn of 1888.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man the police now believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

 So I was obsessed with ghost stories as a kid, and this book was like going back to those times. I really enjoyed the tone and the story of this novel, which can dip into the darker themes at time (it is a book about Jack the Ripper).  I appreciated the history of Jack-the-Ripper with the map in the front with the area of White Chapel, it helped ground me. Also, having the protagonist from the U.S. going to London helped me get a feel for London in much the same way I would if I went, being from the U.S. myself. I enjoyed Rory’s point of view of living in London and the way people were the same and different from what she expected. There were plenty of funny moments that lightened an otherwise potentially dark book. I really enjoyed the mystery and the paranormal element and look forward to the next book, hoping it will keep the same tone, light, fantastical, and a little edgy.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5 but it’s really closer to 4!

Midnight in Austenland

By Shannon Hale
When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.
Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love?


Bwahahahaha! I just felt the urge to do an evil laugh before I review this one...it just makes me smile and go all giddy. I didn't love Austenland, but this one was so much more my speed.  Instead of an obsessed Coling Firth fan visiting a weird regency amusement park, it's poor Charlotte Kinder. Divorced, and trying to find a way to trust another man. I thought I'd have a hard time sympathizing with the character, but Charlotte is awesome. She is a lady who is not just a mom and a businesswoman, but a woman who is lonely and in desperate need of a Jane Austen hopeful ending. The great thing about this novel was that it wasn't just a romance, it was a mystery too. How cool is that? While Charlotte is trying her best to fall in love, she's also trying to solve a murder that no one believes happened. This was a great feel-good novel to read and giggle at and even pull your heart-strings. Full of Hale's wit and humor, you'll be satisfied you took the time to read this one.  There is a few instances of language and some inuendo. Just as a warning. Uncomfortable at times for sensitive me, but really mild.

3  3/4 out of 5

Farewell My Lovely

By Raymond Chandler

Philip Marlowe is about to give up on a completely routine case when he finds himself in the wrong place at the right time to get caught up in a murder that leads to a ring of jewel thieves, another murder, a fortune-teller, a couple more murders, and more corruption than your average graveyard.


Hardboiled fiction; just makes you smile thinking of the mob bosses, the sarcastic PIs, and the dangerous dames. This was my first walk through the park with a hardboiled mystery book instead of a movie. I gotta say, while it makes me laugh to read the sarcastic remarks of Marlowe, I was asking myself why I finished this book. It felt so incredibly disconnected and fantastical. Basically it's Marlowe gets beat up to an inch of his life, barely makes it out alive, drinks, goes back for more, gets his gun taken, drinks some more, gets knocked out, drinks some more...etc. I was not engaged at all, and didn't really care who did it, I just wanted out of that mess. This genre has it's charms, sure, but I doubt I'll ever traverse it again.

2 out of 5

Murder in Mesopotamia

By Agatha Christie


When Nurse Amy Leatheran agrees to look after American archaeologist Dr Leidner’s wife Louise at a dig near Hassanieh she finds herself taking on more than just nursing duties – she also has to help solve murders. Fortunately for Amy, Hercule Poirot is visiting the excavation site but will the great detective be in time to prevent a multiple murderer from striking again?


Have you ever read an Agatha Christie novel? Grew up watching Poirot like I did? She is a master of the "Whodunnit". I absolutely love how she allows the reader to try and put things together as she feeds you the clues. I love even more that I can almost never completely figure it out. This was a lot of fun for me to read, but I was a little surprised at the lack of depth in the characters. They were all there to move the plot forward and get you to the main point: who killed Louise. Not to say that this is a drawback, just was giving fair warning for the people who like character developement over plotline. Didn't bother this character-crazy reader at all. Just wallowed in the joy of figuring out a grusome murder. :)

3 1/2 out of 5 (because it's Agatha, and I had it almost pegged!)

The Graveyard Book

By Neil Gaiman


Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn’t live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy—an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer.
But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under the attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod’s family…


This book was pretty cool. A kid who grows up in a graveyard with ghosts for parents? Talk about interesting reading. The fun thing about this book is it reads like a series of clips taken from Bod's life and experiences as he ages. It's only about 300 pages, but it feels like Mr. Gaiman took pains to make Bod's character sure. It covers Bod's experiences with goul gates, hounds of god, ghosts in general, hauntings, and fear. Body's story is both coming of age with a twist, a mystery, and a perpetual adventure.  It's a great spooky story about a kid who has to figure out what a living means while surrounded by the dead. Perhaps Bod knows what living is better than anyone else...

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

By Avi


Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago. Be warned, however: if strong ideas and action offend you, read no more. Find another companion to share your idle hours. For my part I intend to tell the truth as I lived it.


This was a fun story by Avi full of mystery and adventure on the high seas. This is a novel about a young girl (13 if I read correctly) that, through a set of strange circumstances, travels alone on a merchant ship from England to her home in America after having finished school to join her family. Her trip is a growing and learning experience. Should she trust the gentlemanly captain of the ship, or should she trust the black cook Zackarias who is rough but friendly? There are many hints and clues that there are things that aren't right on the ship Seahawk- like the men who ran away from the ship on the docks, or how Zacharias thinks Charlotte needs a knife to protect herself, or how the captain asks her to spy on the crew...
This is a fun read that taught me a lot about ships and sailing. There are diagrams in the back so you know what she talks about when she mentions the forelock and the galley. It is an intense read with murder and mystery abounding. I was actually surprised a few times while reading it; you'll enjoy Charlotte's voice.

Double Identity

By Margaret Peterson Haddix


As Bethany approaches her thirteenth birthday, her parents act more oddly than usual: Her mother cries constantly, and her father barely lets Bethany out of his sight. Then one morning he hustles the entire family into the car, drives across several state lines—and leaves Bethany with an aunt she never knew existed. Bethany has no idea what’s going on. She’s worried her mom and dad are running from some kinds of trouble, but she can’t find out because they won’t tell her where they are going.
Bethany’s only clue is a few words she overheard her father tell her aunt: “She doesn’t know anything about Elizabeth.”


Margaret Peterson Haddix is an author I haven't read much of, so I saw this one and decided to give it a try. It was interesting, but sadly it was pretty obvious what was going on and I figured out the whole story simply by reading the summary. I didn't put the whole summary up top because it tells the entire plot and outlines the book. So, if you do read this, DO NOT read the summary on the back. I myself could never not read summaries, but try not to if you want to be at all surprised. Pretty run of the mill when all is said and done.

Nancy Drew: The Spider Sapphire Mystery

By Carolyn Keene

Thrilling, dangerous adventures confront Nancy Drew while on a safari in East Africa with a group of American college students. Excitement runs high as the teen-age detective delves into the theft of a fabulous sapphire formed by nature millions of years ago. The mystery starts in Nancy’s home town. Her lawyer father’s client, Floyd Ramsey, who fashions beautiful and unusual synthetic gems, is accused of stealing the magnificent spider sapphire and exhibiting it as his own creation. Mr. Ramsey’s enemies blackmail him and by their vicious acts try to deter Nancy from going on the safari.
How the daring young sleuth uncovers a nefarious scheme and also solves the strange disappearance of an injured jungle guide will keep the reader breathless with suspense form first to last page.

So I loved Nancy Drew when I was in elementary and was looking for some nostalgia and I really think that I read a different Nancy Drew because this was very...well boring. I'm sorry, that's just how I felt. Everyone was a little too prim and propper and it was strange. I suppose that comes from the time period some, but I still don't think they were that straight-laced even then. I don't think I'll read another for a while unless I find the ones I think I got into when I was younger. I know they were set in more modern eras. My opinion is also probably because I'm not a fan of mysteries. I overdosed as a child and am still getting over it!

Imprints

By Rachel Ann Nunes

A young woman is missing. In desperation, her parents turn to Autumn Rain for help. Autumn reads imprints-emotions mysteriously left behind on certain treasured objects. But will this ability enrich her life or destroy it?
Autumn isn’t sure- her life has become far from normal- but for people whose loved ones are missing, her talent might mean the difference between life and death. Even the infuriating Detective Martin has asked for Autumn’s help, though at times she feels more like a suspect than a consultant. Too often Autumn finds herself retreating to her antiques shop and the company of her best friend, Jake Ryan, to avoid notice.
But soon more than one woman is missing, and Autumn teams up with private eye Ethan McConnel to investigate their disappearance. Ethan’s attraction to her is a pleasant change from Jake’s frustrating offers of friendship, but once Autumn takes that first step, she sets in motion a series of events that risk not only her own life but the lives of those she cares most about.

This is the first mystery-like book I've read in a while. It was pretty good, a little strange because the main character was the child of a hippie-which was weird for me to read. She was always talking herbs and natural stuff, and didn't wear shoes. It was a little strange. The book seemed more like a romance that happened to have a mystery embeded into it. People who enjoy the girl looking for a guy will like this book. It's centered around the disappearance of two women who are both connected with a cult-like group that live togther at a place called Harmony Farms. Autumn goes undercover at the cajoling of attractive Ethan in hopes that she can both help and maybe start up a new romance in her life. I wasn't surprised at the ending, though there were a few surprises along the way. It was well-written, but not the best book I've read.

A Study in Scarlet

By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

This is the first of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. An introduction to the world's most famous and greatest detective. Come on an intelectual journey of mystery as Holmes solves a mystery dating back decades on the American continent...


Bleh. That is what I say. I have a major complaint and hatred towards this story. Okay…maybe hatred was a bit strong, but it really ticked me off. So this book had its roots within the story of the Mormons. Being Mormon myself, I was intrigued at first, and then horrified, then genuinely fiercely angry. The information is blatantly wrong and puts Mormons up there with murderers and cult-like beliefs with plural wives that are forced into matrimony to satisfy the men’s desires. I was appalled at not only the story, but the false depictions of actual men in history whom I hold a deep love and respect for. I balked at the fact that people probably read this and thought the worst about Mormons and held that belief their entire lives. Yuck. I would recommend never reading this particular Sherlock Holmes mystery from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt and hope that if he had more resources at hand, he would never have falsified Mormons like he did. His other stories, by the way, are wonderful fun to read and I highly recommend them!

Lemon Tart

By Josi S. Kilpack

A recipe for murder!

5 families living on Peregrine Circle
1 flowered curtain tieback
1 missing child
1 body in the field

Mix with a long list of suspects and top with two very different detectives. Increase heat until only the truth remains.

In this debut volume, cooking aficionado-turned-amateur detective, Sadie Hoffmiller, tries to solve the murder of Anne Lemmon, her beautiful young neighbor-a single mother who was mysteriously killed while a lemon tart was baking in her oven. At the heart of Sadie’s search is Anne’s missing two-year-old son, Trevor. Whoever took the child must be the murderer, but Sadie is certain that the police are looking at all the wrong suspects-including her! Armed with a handful of her very best culinary masterpieces, Sadie is determined to bake her way to proving her innocence, resucing Trevor, and finding out exactly who had a motive for murder.


I hadn’t read a murder mystery in probably oh 5 years when I picked this culinary cozy up. To be honest, I used to be addicted to mysteries, but got really sick of them after a major overdose as a teenager. This book was fun for a mystery, having an older lady as the sleuth. I also really enjoyed the recipes scattered throughout the novel and was actually pretty excited to try a few of them out. As for the story and the mystery, I think lots of mystery lovers would really enjoy this new spin on the genre. There are currently 3 books in this little series; the next being English Trifle, and Devil’s Food. As for me, I didn’t much care for it. That was mostly the result of the depressing nature of murder mysteries because they contain, well, murder among other nasty things that I’d rather not dwell on. To me, mysteries seem to pull out the worst things that humanity is capable of and flaunting them so people think it is ingenious how others pull the wool over their eyes and “get away with it”. Yikes. That’s just my opinion though. If you like mysteries and have no problems with them, then absolutely and definitely read Lemon Tart.

The Legend of the Jewel

By N.C. Allen

Isabelle Webb is a spy. One of the few female spies in the United States in 1865. After the assassination of President Lincoln, Isabelle is pained with her failure to a man she knew and loved. Taking a much needed holiday to exotic India, Isabelle and her young Ward Sally Rhodes meet James Ashby, who is looking for his brother who is caught up in a search for an ancient Jewel. Isabelle and Sally form a friendship with James and they offer to help him find his lost brother. In the process things spiral out of control, and the search becomes a deadly one. And not only that, but she finds that she is looking at James quite more than she should…will their ending be happy, or entirely too short?

This book was given to me for Christmas, and I just finished it today. It was interesting enough, and a very quick read, and fast-paced. I found it lacking in many ways, one of which was the caliber of the writing, which seemed a little novice and perhaps was published a little too soon. For a mystery it was fairly obvious. I wanted more of the gospel in it, versus the few references to James being Mormon and the mention of praying. I did however enjoy the romantic parts of it, though they were very cheesy. But I like cheese! The characters were good, but I found a little too much contradiction and not enough depth to many of them. To be honest (sorry Emma) I didn’t much care for this book. But since it is a series, I suppose it has the potential to get better. It left a little too much open-ended for my tastes. Oh, well, it was fun enough to read.

FYI: N.C. Allen wrote the Faith of Our Fathers series, so if you have read them and liked them, you may enjoy this book and its series. (I have not read them so I can't say one way or the other.)