Review - The Jean Harlow Bombshell

I enjoy classic movies and the golden age of Hollywood, so this concept of a biographer and researcher digging up murder mysteries was catnip to me! This first book features Jean Harlow, the first blond bombshell and sex symbol.  She died at age 26.  Mollie Cox Bryan is the author of the Cora Craft's cozy mystery series as well.  Read on to see what my thoughts on this debut book were.

Author: Mollie Cox Bryan

Copyright: May 2019 (Midnight Ink) 336 pgs

Series: 1st in A Classic Star Biography Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Amateur sleuth

Main Characters: Charlotte Donovan, research assistant to Hollywood biographer.

Setting: Modern day, New York City

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

From the book cover: "Justine Turner is a world-famous biographer of Hollywood stars. She's also Charlotte Donovan's overbearing boss. So it comes as no surprise to Charlotte when Justine requests an emergency meeting related to her latest in-progress biography. It is a surprise, though, when Justine up and dies before their urgent discussion can begin.

In the wake of such a tragedy, all Charlotte wants to do is finish the Jean Harlow biography that Justine had started. Instead, she finds herself in grave danger—stalked both online and in person by a drop-dead Jean Harlow look-alike. Together with police sergeant Den Brophy, Charlotte uncovers shocking revelations. But will these revelations be enough to catch the killer?"

Charlotte Donovan is an excellent researcher dealing with Lyme disease and a dysfunctional family that she avoids.  She also has a habit of dating cops.  Police sergeant Den Brophy is the investigating officer and provides a challenge to Charlotte's will power because she promised to stay on a police dating diet.  He makes no secret of his growing affection for her.  There are a few other characters, but mainly these two.

Although the story takes place in modern New York, the research is brought alive with a mystery surrounding Harlow's sudden illness and death, effectively bringing Hollywood's golden age into the story as a setting too.  

The plot seemed a simple premise, but the added hint of there being foul play in Harlow's death and then perhaps playing a role in the current death of the biographer was a twist.  The pacing lagged at times, but my desire to see how it would work out kept me reading.  

The climax had some good thrills, but that was the only time I really felt some immediacy and emminent danger.  The Harlow look-alike sightings seemed more an anomaly rather than something sinister.

While I appreciated the diversity of having a sleuth who is dealing with Lyme disease, sometimes that took the focus away from the mystery and created problems for Charlotte that were outside the story.  In one chapter she is dealing with symptoms and then we see her investigating without the handicap of her illness in the next chapter.  That may work for some readers, but for me it pulled me out of the story too much.  

I really liked the details of Harlow's turbulent celebrity and pre-Hollywood life.  The killer was a surprise and made me read up on her death myself. I am looking forward to the next book which I hope to see the plot better developed because it is a great premise. 

Rating:  Good - A fun read with minor flaws, good but not stellar.

Review - Death in Kew Gardens

I haven't read the two prior novels in this series, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of this book at all.  But, now that I have read this one, I want to read the prior books to see how Kat and Daniel meet.  I was enticed to read this because of the below-stairs aspect  where a servant is the amateur sleuth.  Find out more below.

Author: Jennifer Ashley

Copyright: June 2019 (Berkley) 304 pgs

Series: 3rd in Below Stairs Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Cozy

Main Characters: Kat Holloway, a Cook for Lord Rankin (a Barron) in his London home he rarely visits.

Setting: 1881, Victorian London

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

From the book cover:  "In return for a random act of kindness, scholar Li Bai Chang presents young cook Kat Holloway with a rare and precious gift—a box of tea. Kat thinks no more of her unusual visitor until two days later when the kitchen erupts with the news that Lady Cynthia's next-door neighbor has been murdered.

Known about London as an "Old China Hand," the victim claimed to be an expert in the language and customs of China, acting as intermediary for merchants and government officials. But Sir Jacob's dealings were not what they seemed, and when the authorities accuse Mr. Li of the crime, Kat and Daniel find themselves embroiled in a world of deadly secrets that reach from the gilded homes of Mayfair to the beautiful wonder of Kew Gardens."

Kat Holloway is a cook in a wealthy home, so she is unique in investigating without soirees and elaborate dances with expensive gowns. She relies on her fellow working class associates to gather information.  she also has a child that she supports who lives with a couple caring for her.  She is mature and cautious with romance.  Daniel McAdam, who has a sixteen year old son, is a mystery who seems to be able to influence the police and acquire jobs in the investigation center to be on the inside.  He has made it clear he likes Kat and in this story he pushes to see if she might regard him affectionately too. I am waiting for Kat to figure out his secrets!

Lady Cynthia, sister-in-law to the Barron, is the lady of the house whose taste for dressing in men's trousers and such is tolerated because of her wealth.  She loves getting into the investigation herself.  Mr. Thanos is a brilliant mathematician who has feelings for Lady Cynthia and perhaps she for him, but he is socially awkward and theirs is a slow moving romance too. Tess, Kat's assistant and protegee, is a great character and I will enjoy watching her grow with the series.  Mr. Davis the butler reminds me so much of Downton Abbey.  He is another I will enjoy watching grow with the series.

Victorian England with its fascination with botany and China are highlighted in this book, which hasn't been covered much in other books so that was a pleasant set up for the mystery.  The Kew Gardens are a delightful setting for murder and greed among such natural beauty.  

The basic plot is that Kat won't let Li Bai Chang be the easy scapegoat for murder because of prejudice and grows from there with a tale of greed.  There are a few subplots including a new housekeeper who is a tyrant...and maybe even a drunk.  Kat and Daniel's growing relationship and the interaction between Cynthia and Mr. Thanos all keep the story interesting when not focused on the investigation. 

The killer confrontation has some exciting moments in the Kew Gardens which were well done.  The wrap up was a satisfying end and leaves you missing the characters and wanting the next book.

It is a slow burn of a tale, with quite a lot of character building and English setting plus the below stairs issues.  With this book the journey is as enjoyable as the mystery.  I appreciated the character of Li Bai Chang and the depiction of how Chinese were treated, it was handled very well indeed.  The subtle romances between the two couples taking time feels natural for the time period.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it, it had a good grip on me! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list 

Here is a short video about the modern Kew Gardens in London that will give you a taste of the setting for some of the action and climax in the book:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioG_Vfh0Kxw

Review - The Right Sort of Man

When I read Anna Lee Huber, one of my favorite historical mystery authors gave high praise to this book ("Utterly fabulous! Vivid historical detail, gorgeous prose, and witty, unforgettable characters all combine to make The Right Sort of Man one of the best books I've read this year"), I had to read it.  This is the first in a new series in London right after World War II.  Here is an interview with the author (click here).  See what you think.

Author: Allison Montclair

Copyright: June 2019 (Minotaur) 325 pgs

Series: 1st in Marriage Bureau Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Amateur Sleuth

Main Characters: Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge owners of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau

Setting: Post World War II London England

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

From book cover: "In a London slowly recovering from World War II, two very different women join forces to launch a business venture in the heart of Mayfair—The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Miss Iris Sparks, quick-witted and impulsive, and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, practical and widowed with a young son, are determined to achieve some independence and do some good in a rapidly changing world.

But the promising start to their marriage bureau is threatened when their newest client, Tillie La Salle, is found murdered and the man arrested for the crime is the prospective husband they matched her with. While the police are convinced they have their man, Miss Sparks and Mrs. Bainbridge are not. To clear his name—and to rescue their fledging operation’s reputation—Sparks and Bainbridge decide to investigate on their own, using the skills and contacts they’ve each acquired through life and their individual adventures during the recent war.

Little do they know that this will put their very lives at risk."

Miss Iris Sparks is single with a highly classified background in the war, perhaps even spying. She seemingly has no fear and rushes in where angels fear to tread, relying upon her "unique skill set".  Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge is still grieving her husband's death, but doing better than she had when she was institutionalized by her inlaws for a breakdown during her grief, when they also took custody of her son.  

These two need each other and their fledgling business venture to give them hope, direction, and emotional as well as financial support.  Through this adventure they really come to rely upon each other and bond.  Gwen's mother-in-law is one of those self-righteous women you love to hate, so you cheer for Gwen as she struggles to show she is emotionally strong and she will have her son back.  Iris's romantic interest is less-than-perfect.  

The post World War II London England setting is great, since so much attention has been given London during the war and air raids.  But the harsh struggle for London and its inhabitants to rebuild with rationing of most everything and the realities of life this creates is seamlessly integrated into the story.

The plot starts out simple, Iris and Gwen seek to prove that the man they matched Tillie with isn't the killer and thereby save their fledgling business.  But they are soon in the middle of much bigger schemes and crimes that Tilly was trying to escape.  The writing style created a fast paced and consuming story that kept me riveted to the story.

The killer reveal was a surprise and exiting, so kudos there!  The wrapup even had a surprise besides providing some hope for Iris and Gwen personally.

I absolutely love the witty banter between Iris and Gwen that runs throughtout the story.  It provided humor and a light-hearted touch countering the depth plumbed with the characters.  

Rating: Near Perfect - Couldn't Put it down. Buy two copies, one for you and one for a friend. 

Guest Post - Jon Land and Jessica Fletcheer

Murder She Wrote dominated television ratings from 1984 to 1996 and continues in reruns around the world.  But when the show ended, the books continued Jessica Fletcher's legacy in print.  Donald Bain began (as the co-author with Jessica Fletcher *wink-wink*) writing the series in 1989 until he passed away in 2017. 

After Donald Bain's passing, author Jon Land was approached to take over the series as he was working on completing Bain's A Date with Murder (47th book in the series) anyway. Land agreed to continue the series.  Please welcome Jon Land as the secret guest author today.

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT JESSICA

FLETCHER

The publication of MURDER IN RED marks the 35th anniversary of the eternal Murder, She Wrote series which debuted on CBS in 1984. But did you know that Angela Lansbury wasn’t the first choice to play Jessica Fletcher? It was actually Jean Stapleton, who’d fabulously played Edith Bunker on All in the Family. With that in mind, and to celebrate MURDER IN RED, let’s take a look at some other things you might not know about Jessica Fletcher.

§ Speaking of Angela Lansbury, the fact that Jessica never got her driver’s license mirrors the fact that Angela who never got hers either.

§ Jessica was president of her Delta Alpha Chi sorority at Harrison College in Green Falls, New Hampshire where she majored in journalism.

§ Jessica first met her future husband when they were both volunteering for a production at the esteemed Appleton Theater. But Jessica was so bad at set building, she never volunteered again.

§ When her husband Frank was still alive, and they were raising their nephew Grady, Jessica was a substitute English teacher at Appleton High School.

§ The death of the Appleton High principal became the first murder Jessica ever solved.

§ On that investigation, she worked with Amos Tupper, then Appleton’s only detective who’d go on to become sheriff at Cabot Cove.

§ Jessica and Frank purchased their beloved home in Cabot Cove from real estate agent Eve Simpson who would go on to become a close friend of Jessica’s. The night Eve showed them the house at 698 Candlewood Lane also marked the first time Jessica ever met Dr. Seth Hazlitt.

§ Upon moving to Cabot Cove, Jessica got a job teaching English full time and went on to mentor any number of writers who came back for visits during the television show’s twelve-year run.

§ Writing as J. B. Fletcher, Jessica has published over 40 books from The Corpse Danced at Midnight to The Corpse Danced Alone.

§ She celebrated publication of The Corpse Danced at Midnight at a costume party put on by her publisher Preston Giles in the pilot for the series during which, of course, someone is murdered and Jessica ends up cracking the case. (The episode was called The Murder of Sherlock Holmes).

§ The books gave Jessica a romantic interest in Chief Inspector George Sutherland of Scotland Yard, who’s introduced in the very first book in the series, Gin and Daggers. But the closest she ever came to a love interest in the TV series was Preston Giles, a flirtation that lasted only until Jessica revealed him as the killer in the same episode. In a subsequent episode years later, Giles is murdered himself. (Sutherland returns in Murder in Red!)

§ Jessica left Cabot Cove for a time to teach criminology at New York’s Manhattan University where she lives in Manhattan at the Penfield House Apartments, 941 West 61st St. She ultimately gave up the position because she missed Cabot Cove too much.

§ The Murder, She Wrote series boasts more books than either Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes (4 novels and 56 short stories) or Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot (45 novels).

§ Speaking of Agatha Christie, Angela Lansbury also played her famed sleuth Jane Marple in the 1980 film The Mirror Cracked.

SPOILER ALERT! A number of the factoids above are drawn from A Time for Murder, #50 in the Murder, She Wrote series that will be published this coming November and will introduce Jessica as a younger woman, twenty-five years in the past, for the first time ever in books or television!

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I don't know about you, but I still watch an episode occasionally.  This was great information and fun to get back into the Murder She Wrote world.  

Here is an episode to watch...staring a very young George Clooney!  So many stars were on the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8k1kbODS5s

Guest Post - Allison Montclair

Please welcome Allison Montclair to M&MM.  She grew up devouring hand-me-down Agatha Christie paperbacks and James Bond movies. As a result of this deplorable upbringing, she became addicted to tales of crime, intrigue, and espionage. She now spends her spare time poking through the corners, nooks, and crannies of history, searching for the odd mysterious bits and transforming them into novels of her own.

The Marriage Bureau Idea
For the past two and a half years, I have been living in 1946. I am the author of The Right Sort of Man, the first of a new mystery series set in post-war London, featuring Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, the proprietors of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau.

This came about when Keith Kahla, my editor at St. Martin’s Minotaur, alerted me to the existence of a real-life marriage bureau that was set up and run by women beginning in 1939. The idea of a marriage bureau was a novelty, and a business founded by women was even more so. It was not a time and place with which I was overly familiar, but I am someone who likes diving headlong into eras in search of the odd and the obscure, so the prospect of tackling this was intriguing.

I knew immediately that I wanted to shift the time to the period after the war. I didn’t want to have a war-time setting, with our intrepid heroines sneaking around after curfew, tiptoeing through the Blitz and so forth. The post-war period was a fascinating time, particularly for women in England. Many had taken over for the men in a variety of settings, and while some would cede their new lives to the lads returning from demobilization, enough did not or resented the prospect so as to mark another step in the long march to women’s equality. There was also a shift in the political climate of the country, which brought in Clement Atlee and a Labour Party government, and of European politics in general with the Cold War picking up where the shooting war had left off.

I wanted both of my ladies to have come through the war damaged. Not much is written about the aftermath on the women of WWII. Many British women died for their country, and many more lost loved ones. I wanted Iris and Gwen to find each other as friends, and for their fledgling business to be a source of strength and healing. And when it is threatened by the murder of one of their clients, allegedly by the man they had set her up with, for them to draw on hitherto unsuspected resources in finding the truth.

The research has been great fun. Rationing, a fact of life back then, played a major role in this first book, and the myriad ways it affected daily life were fascinating. I have also enjoyed learning about the fashions of the period, and how designers worked within the limitations placed on the amount and types of fabric used, the ornamentations, and so forth. I also learned that no man knows the meaning of the word “peplum,” but all women do!

The second book is written and turned in. The writing of the third has commenced, and I have been signed for a fourth. I look forward to see what happens to Iris and Gwen next.

And I look forward to 1947!
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THANK You Allison.  I will have a review coming shortly to this unique new mystery series, so stay tuned.