The Fog by Adrian Blue [Review]

The Fog (Harvest Moon #4) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 1, 2026

Harvest Moon
1. Fieldwork
2. The Debt
3. Before the Frost
4. The Fog - Kindle
5. Aspen

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Elizabeth Ashworth arrives in Thornmere seeking nothing more than solitude and silence. What she finds is a cottage on the edge of a dark forest, terrified villagers, and a fog that moves with unnatural purpose. Every night it comes, seeping beneath her door, watching her with silver eyes that gleam in the darkness. The creature offers no safety, no promises, only hunger and the certainty that it will consume her. She should be terrified, but when the creature whispers that she'll never be alone again, Elizabeth knows she's far past saving.

Thoughts on The Fog: Moving to a small village far removed from London after the death of her husband (where she can grieve or not grieve, at her discretion), Elizabeth finds something dangerous and cold in the forest outside her cottage. The village folk aren't terribly welcoming and business hasn't even started to pick up, but that fog creeping in from the trees kind of makes up for it.

Mostly because it isn't normal fog. But I guess Elizabeth isn't a normal woman, because it fascinates her. She watches it and it feels like it watches back. And then one night she finds out it is, indeed, watching back. As it turns out, she's okay with that. She's also okay with all the other things it wants to do to her.

A little danger, a village on edge, a monster in the fog, and a lady who is willing to embrace the dark (or the, umm, glowing thing in the dark) when it reaches for her. *thumbs up*

Scales and Sensibility by Stephanie Burgis [Review]

Scales and Sensibility (Regency Dragons #1) by Stephanie Burgis
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 9, 2025

Regency Dragons
1. Scales and Sensibility - Paperback | Kindle
2. Claws and Contrivances

Stephanie Burgis
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Sensible, practical Elinor Tregarth really did plan to be the model poor relation when she moved into Hathergill Hall. She certainly never meant to kidnap her awful cousin Penelope's pet dragon. She never expected to fall in love with the shameless - but surprisingly sweet - fortune hunter who came to court Penelope. And she never dreamed that she would have to enter into an outrageous magical charade to save her younger sisters' futures.

However, even the most brilliant scholars of 1817 England still haven't ferreted out all the lurking secrets of rediscovered dragonkind...and even the most sensible of heroines can still make a reckless wish or two when she's pushed. Now Elinor will have to find out just how rash and resourceful she can be when she sets aside all common sense. Maybe, just maybe, she'll even be impractical enough to win her own true love and a happily ever after...with the unpredictable and dangerous "help" of the magical creature who has adopted her.

Thoughts on Scales and Sensibility: This book was really good and I absolutely enjoyed it, but MAN was I having a serious second hand stress reaction to the situation Elinor found herself in. I mean, between the potential discovery by SO MANY people and just the general jerkitude of her cousin and my worry over what would happen to the dragon she liberated, I was a mess. Which says it all, really.

Anywho. Elinor is grieving and kind and honest to a fault and she bites her tongue when her cousin treats her abominably (who then turns it around so it's all about how Penelope is treated terribly because she didn't get the things she thought she deserved) until Penelope goes one step too far. Now she's liberated her cousin's dragon (which was sorely needed because Penelope doesn't deserve a dragon AT ALL) and she's basically homeless. Then an errant wish comes true and now Elinor is heading back to Hathergill Hall wearing another woman's face with a man she admires probably more than she should considering they've just met.

Helping her cousin with her debut (as the other woman) wasn't on Elinor's to-do list, but a poor relation's gotta do what a poor relation's gotta do. Things get more complicated with the addition of new houseguests, some secrets that aren't as secret as one would hope, and another little wish that might put her aunt in danger.

Dragons, men who are willing to look beyond the surface, and a lady who is more than she believes herself to be. *thumbs up* despite the second hand stress it gave me.

The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse by Alan Bradley [Review]

The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse (Flavia de Luce #6.5) by Alan Bradley
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: July 23, 2025

Flavia de Luce
1. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
2. The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag
3. A Red Herring Without Mustard
4. I am Half-Sick of Shadows
5. Speaking from Among the Bones
6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches
6.5. The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse - Kindle
7. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust
8. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd
9. The Grave's a Fine and Private Place
10. The Golden Tresses of the Dead
11. What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust

Alan Bradley
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Murder! the letter says, Come at once. Anson House, Greyminster, Staircase No. 3. How can Flavia de Luce resist such an urgent plea? After all, examining a dead body sounds like a perfectly splendid way to spend a Sunday. So Flavia hops upon her trusted bicycle, Gladys, whose rubber tires hiss happily along the rainy road, and arrives at her father’s mist-shrouded old school. There, a terrified boy leads her to the loo where, sitting in a bathtub, is what appears to be a statue. But, no: To Flavia’s surprise, the thing is in fact a naked dead man. Save his face, he seems to have been carved out of copper. Never one to shy away from the macabre, Flavia gets to work—only to find that when an investigation begins with a metallic cadaver, ever more curious twists are to be expected.

Thoughts on The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse: This is little snippet of a mystery where Flavia is summoned to the scene of a crime and has to deduce the hows and whys in a relatively short amount of time. Given her passion for chemistry (among other things), she has the background knowledge to also sort through who would have access to the needed chemicals to do the deed.

But that's getting ahead of the mystery. First, Flavia receives a desperate call for help and immediately sets out for the local school where she finds a corpse in a most unusual state of being. Flavia being Flavia, she doesn't balk at the examination of said corpse. And after a few probing questions to the person who summoned her, it isn't long before she's figured out what happened.

Short, but fun. As all Flavia's cases seem to be. *thumbs up*

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley [Review]

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd (Flavia de Luce #8) by Alan Bradley
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: July 17, 2025

Flavia de Luce
1. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
2. The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag
3. A Red Herring Without Mustard
4. I am Half-Sick of Shadows
5. Speaking from Among the Bones
6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches
6.5. The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse
7. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust
8. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd - Paperback | Kindle
9. The Grave's a Fine and Private Place
10. The Golden Tresses of the Dead
11. What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust

Alan Bradley
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

In spite of being ejected from Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Canada, twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is excited to be sailing home to England. But instead of a joyous homecoming, she is greeted on the docks with unfortunate news: Her father has fallen ill, and a hospital visit will have to wait while he rests. But with Flavia’s blasted sisters and insufferable cousin underfoot, Buckshaw now seems both too empty—and not empty enough. Only too eager to run an errand for the vicar’s wife, Flavia hops on her trusty bicycle, Gladys, to deliver a message to a reclusive wood-carver. Finding the front door ajar, Flavia enters and stumbles upon the poor man’s body hanging upside down on the back of his bedroom door. The only living creature in the house is a feline that shows little interest in the disturbing scene. Curiosity may not kill this cat, but Flavia is energized at the prospect of a new investigation. It’s amazing what the discovery of a corpse can do for one’s spirits. But what awaits Flavia will shake her to the very core.

Thoughts on Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd: No lie, it's been a while since I spent any time in Flavia's world and BOY have things changed for the crafty sleuth. Well, those at the house still seem the same, but Flavia's circumstances have taken a turn. To be fair, I missed the books where she was shipped off to Canada (and that's mostly what I'm talking about), but she was and now she's been shipped back home and she's in an odd mental space upon arriving.

To start with, her father's in the hospital when she arrives home and Flavia keeps missing the chance to visit him. So she distracts herself (as only Flavia can) by running an errand for a friend and stumbling over a body. While this is decidedly a bad situation for the dead man, it's exactly what Flavia needs. She throws herself into investigating the deceased and the things she's finding don't quite line up. So she looks deeper. And things line up even less.

Which means Flavia has to call on old friends, do some research, engage in a little B&E, listen to a performance (which tests every bit of patience she has), deal with her family with all their quirks, and otherwise unravel the tangled threads she's finding. And if things take a turn and become a little dangerous? Well, that's just a day in the life of Flavia de Luce.

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie [Review]

The Mystery of the Blue Train (Hercule Poirot #6) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 4, 2025

Hercule Poirot
1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles
2. The Murder on the Links
3. Poirot Investigates
4. The Murder of Roger Akroyd
5. The Big Four
6. The Mystery of the Blue Train - Paperback | Kindle
7. Black Coffee
8. Peril at End House
9. Lord Edgeware Dies
10. Murder on the Orient Express
11. Three Act Tragedy
12. Death in the Clouds
13. The ABC Murders
14. Murder in Mesopotamia
15. Cards on the Table
16. Dead Man's Mirror
17. Dumb Witness
18. Death on the Nile
19. Appointment with Death
20. Hercule Poirot's Christmas
21. Sad Cypress
22. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
23. Evil Under the Sun
24. Five Little Pigs
25. The Hollow
26. The Labors of Hercules
27. Taken at the Flood
28. Mrs. McGinty's Dead
29. After the Funeral
30. Hickory Dickory Dock
31. Dead Man's Folly
32. Cat Among the Pigeons
33. Double Sin and Other Stories
34. The Clocks
35. Third Girl
36. Hallowe'en Party
37. Elephants Can Remember
38. Curtain

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

A mysterious woman, a legendary cursed jewel, and a night train from London to the French Riviera -- ingredients for the perfect romance or the perfect crime?

When the Blue Train stops, the jewel is missing, and the woman is found dead in her compartment. It's the perfect mystery, filled with passion, greed, deceit, and confusion.

Is Hercule Poirot the perfect detective to solve it?

Thoughts on The Mystery of the Blue Train: Happenstance (and some bad luck for the person committing the crime) has Hercule Poirot aboard the Blue Train when a murder is committed. Add in a young woman who has just come into a tidy inheritance and who is both observant and practical and the bad guys really don't stand a chance.

But before Poirot works his magic with his little gray cells, the crime has to happen. The setup is complicated (or is it?) and involves an unhappy marriage, priceless jewels, infidelity (on more than one count), and some big players. It really is only luck (of either the good or bad variety depending on who's looking at it) that puts Poirot and Katherine in the right place at the right time to become part of the investigation.

A whole lot of planning, a little theatrical flare, danger, potential romance, and one wily detective who can't seem to stop investigating when crime happens around him. *thumbs up*

Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie [Review]

Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Miss Marple Mysteries #13) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 13, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories - Paperback | Kindle

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Described by her friend Dolly Bantry as “the typical old maid of fiction,” Miss Marple has lived almost her entire life in the sleepy hamlet of St. Mary Mead. Yet, by observing village life she has gained an unparalleled insight into human nature—and used it to devastating effect. As her friend Sir Henry Clithering, the ex-Commissioner of Scotland Yard, has been heard to say: “She’s just the finest detective God ever made”—and many Agatha Christie fans would agree.

Thoughts on Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories: First things first - short stories are REALLY hit or miss with me. I either love them or I hate them. To be fair, I think I tend to veer more toward love when I already know the characters (although there are definite exceptions to that), so Miss Marple and her quirky village parallels did already have a leg up in that regard.

Frankly, these shorts rocked. Hard. Miss Marple and her fluttery, fluffy brilliance kept me smiling. From the Tuesday night club where several individuals try to stump one another with complicated crimes (and which Miss Marple figures out every time) to her *knowing* who did the deed and putting her trust in Sir Henry's hands to make things stick, Miss Marple is her usual gentle, sharp self. She might ramble a bit when trying to explain, but she always knows who committed the crime. Good stuff all around.

Nemesis by Agatha Christie [Review]

Nemesis (Miss Marple Mysteries #12) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 7, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis - Paperback | Kindle
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

In utter disbelief, Miss Marple read the letter addressed to her from the recently deceased Mr. Rafiel—an acquaintance she had met briefly on her travels. He had left instructions for her to investigate a crime after his death. The only problem was, he had failed to tell her who was involved or where and when the crime had been committed. It was most intriguing.

Soon she is faced with a new crime—the ultimate crime—murder. It seems someone is adamant that past evils remained buried. . . .

Thoughts on Nemesis: The unflappable Miss Marple has been asked to investigate a crime that happened years ago. The catch? The person requesting her help, Mr. Rafiel, has himself recently passed away and he gave only the vaguest hints as to what he wants from her. In fact, Miss Marple is given barely anything to go on regarding the crime in question (including what the crime actually was) and only her sharp mind and belief in Mr. Rafiel's plan (which is entirely unknown to her) keeps her moving in the right direction.

As it turns out, trusting Miss Marple to figure things out is pretty genius. She sees things others might overlook and she puts these random events in order with surprising ease until the big picture reveals itself. Even with the barest of clues and no idea of the actual crime committed, Miss Marple begins to unravel the mystery that affected more than one life.

Miss Marple might be slowing down physically as the years catch up with her, but her mind is as sharp as ever. And she's not one to let an injustice lie. I always enjoy spending time with Miss Marple and her gentle investigations and this was no exception.

At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie [Review]

At Bertram's Hotel (Miss Marple Mysteries #11) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 4, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel - Paperback | Kindle
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

An old-fashioned London hotel is not quite as reputable as it makes out to be.…

When Miss Marple comes up from the country for a holiday in London, she finds what she’s looking for at Bertram’s Hotel: traditional decor, impeccable service, and an unmistakable atmosphere of danger behind the highly-polished veneer.

Yet, not even Miss Marple can foresee the violent chain of events set in motion when an eccentric guest makes his way to the airport on the wrong day.…

Thoughts on At Bertram's Hotel: Unfortunately for those trying to crime, Miss Marple happens to be spending a holiday soaking in the old-world charm of Bertram's Hotel. While it's highly possible to police would have caught up to said criming eventually, Miss Marple and her keen eye and even keener ability to make connections between events moved the timetable up on the catching.

Because Miss Marple sees things. More than that, the parallels she can draw between individuals she meets and individuals in her village makes her wickedly good at anticipating what's coming. And when you team up a sharp-eyed investigator with Miss Marple? THINGS HAPPEN. And by that I mean, the big picture begins to reveal itself rather quickly.

Some serious crime, a hotel that oozes charm, coincidences that are too coincidental, and Miss Marple doing that thing she does. Which means the bad guys don't stand a chance. *thumbs up*

A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie [Review]

A Caribbean Mystery (Miss Marple Mysteries #10) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 27, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery - Paperback | Kindle
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

As Miss Marple sat basking in the Caribbean sunshine, she felt mildly discontented with life. True, the warmth eased her rheumatism, but here in paradise nothing ever happened.

Eventually, her interest was aroused by an old soldier’s yarn about a murderer he had known. Infuriatingly, just as he was about to show her a snapshot of this acquaintance, the Major was suddenly interrupted. A diversion that was to prove fatal.

Thoughts on A Caribbean Mystery: Miss Marple is enjoying a much needed rest in the Caribbean thanks to her nephew Raymond West. He, of course, wanted her to relax, soak in the sun, and enjoy herself as only a lady of gentle means can. He likely didn't expect her to end up solving some crime and be at the heart of stopping a murderer from striking again.

But, then, Miss Marple has never been one to sit idly by when bad things happen. She steps in and looks around and see things that maybe others wouldn't consider. And in her gentle, fluttery way she begins to put things together.

This time around, she does have an ally of sorts. A man who is quick and smart, but limited by what his body can do. She and Mr. Rafiel team up after she surprises him with her insights and together they manage to solve some crime. Good stuff all around!

The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side by Agatha Christie [Review]

The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side (Miss Marple Mysteries #9) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 21, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side - Paperback | Kindle
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

One minute, silly Heather Babcock had been babbling on at her movie idol, the glamorous Marina Gregg. The next, Heather suffered a massive seizure, poisoned by a deadly cocktail.

It seems likely that the cocktail was intended for the beautiful actress. But while the police fumble to find clues, Miss Marple begins to ask her own questions, because as she knows—even the most peaceful village can hide dark secrets.

Thoughts on The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side: There are new owners in the Bantry's old manor and the entire village turns out to welcome them to the neighborhood (or more like the entire village shows up to get a look at the beautiful movie star and her doting husband). When one of the guests ends up dead, Miss Marple has to use her village-know-how and keen insight to figure out the whos and whys of the death.

It seems likely that Marina Gregg was the intended victim, but the deeper Miss Marple dives into her world, the more she starts to wonder why someone would want her dead. An old feud? A soured love affair? Something else? Following the clues, Miss Marple starts to unravel the mystery and figure things out. (And along the way, she ends up finding a housing/companion situation that suits her to a T, so that's a plus since Miss Marple deserves to enjoy living in her own home.)

4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie [Review]

4:50 From Paddington (Miss Marple Mysteries #8) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 18, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington - Paperback | Kindle
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

For an instant the two trains ran side by side. In that frozen moment, Elspeth McGillicuddy stared helplessly out of her carriage window as a man tightened his grip around a woman's throat. The body crumpled. Then the other train drew away. But who, apart from Mrs. McGillicuddy's friend Jane Marple, would take her story seriously? After all, there are no other witnesses, no suspects, and no case -- for there is no corpse, and no one is missing.

Miss Marple asks her highly efficient and intelligent young friend Lucy Eyelesbarrow to infiltrate the Crackenthorpe family, who seem to be at the heart of the mystery, and help unmask a murderer.

Thoughts on 4:50 From Paddington: I liked this one a lot. Mrs. McGillicuddy saw something unbelievable which she has no proof of, but she's sure happened. While she does her due diligence and reports what she saw, she doesn't have much faith that anything will come of it. So she does what any self-respecting lady would do and makes sure Miss Marple is aware of what she saw.

Miss Marple, of course, believes her. When no body is reported, Miss Marple does some investigating on her own and puts together a scenario that is wild, but conceivable. Bringing in the wonderfully competent Lucy Eyelesbarrow to be her eyes (and feet) on the ground, Miss Marple sets her to looking for several specific things. When those things are found, well, Miss Marple then sets about putting together the clues on who did the deed.

Like I said, I liked this one. A crime that was only witnessed by happenstance and is brought to justice because of Miss Marple's dogged determination. *thumbs up*

A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie [Review]

A Pocket Full of Rye (Miss Marple Mysteries #7) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 16, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye - Paperback | Kindle
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Rex Fortescue, king of a financial empire, was sipping tea in his “counting house” when he suffered an agonizing and sudden death. On later inspection, the pockets of the deceased were found to contain traces of cereals.

Yet, it was the incident in the parlor which confirmed Miss Marple’s suspicion that here she was looking at a case of crime by rhyme. . . .

Thoughts on A Pocket Full of Rye: A suspicious death happens and Miss Marple isn't on the scene. In fact, it takes another two deaths before the inimitable (and unflappable) Miss Marple puts in an appearance. Her personal connection to one of the deceased gives her a reason to look into things and it isn't long before she connects the manner of the deaths to an old nursery rhyme.

Which isn't to say she solves it quickly. As with any mystery, Miss Marple has to sort through the clues and learn about those involved. This includes both the victims and the deceased. The more she learns about all of them, the clearer things become. Until, as you might have guessed, Miss Marple solves the crime and uncovers the motive. *thumbs up* 

They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie [Review]

They Do It With Mirrors (Miss Marple Mysteries #6) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 13, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors - Paperback | Kindle
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Miss Marple senses danger when she visits a friend living in Stoneygates, a rehabilitation center for delinquents. Her fears are confirmed when someone shoots at the administrator. Although he is not injured, a mysterious visitor is less fortunate—shot dead simultaneously in another part of the building.

Pure coincidence? Miss Marple thinks not, and must use all her cunning to solve the riddle of the stranger’s visit … and his murder.

Thoughts on They Do It With Mirrors: Miss Marple is on the road for this mystery and she doesn't have her usual neighborly cohorts to call on, but that doesn't stop this sharp observer of human nature in figuring things out. She just has to figure out who to trust and trust that SHE will get to the bottom of things before her friend meets a terrible end.

When a visitor is found dead, Miss Marple uses her quick mind to sort through the facts as she knows them. Then she uses her sweet, unassuming self to ferret out more facts. It isn't long before Miss Marple has seen through the lies and subterfuge and gotten to the bottom of the mystery.

I honestly enjoy watching Miss Marple work through the clues and figure out who did the deed (and figure out why they did it). Good stuff all around.

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie [Review]

A Murder is Announced (Miss Marple Mysteries #5) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 12, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced - Paperback | Kindle
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn, including Jane Marple, are agog with curiosity over an advertisement in the local gazette which read: 'A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6:30 p.m.' Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, a crowd begins to gather at Little Paddocks at the pointed time when, without warning, the lights go out ...

Thoughts on A Murder is Announced: This one was fun (and I actually remembered most of the whos and whys this time, so that's a treat) and had a whole bunch of suspects who seemed unlikely on the surface. You know, until Miss Marple wanders in and started unraveling lies and alibis one person at a time.

This time around, we were given an invitation to a murder in the local newspaper. Which, quite naturally, everyone is all atwitter over because it's not a REAL murder. Right? Except someone does end up dead at the proclaimed time, another ends up winged by a bullet, and the motive behind it all doesn't quite line up.

But mysteries are Miss Marple's bread and butter and she is quick to make connections between the clues and all the things people say they saw and what REALLY happened. A little subterfuge and some gentle sleuthing and soon the villain is unmasked and Miss Marple has solved another crime. Which is exactly why I'm reading these books.

Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie [Review]

Sleeping Murder (Miss Marple Mysteries #4) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 11, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder - Paperback | Kindle
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Soon after Gwenda moved into her new home, odd things started to happen. Despite her best efforts to modernize the house, she only succeeded in dredging up its past. Worse, she felt an irrational sense of terror every time she climbed the stairs.

In fear, Gwenda turned to Miss Marple to exorcise her ghosts. Between them, they were to solve a “perfect” crime committed many years before.

Thoughts on Sleeping Murder: Oh, I liked this one. A murder, witnessed through the eyes of a child, that Miss Marple and the now-grown child and her husband are investigating 18 years later. Gwenda's imperfect recollections of the half-remembered experience are triggered by an unsettling scene from a play and things snowball from there. With Miss Marple along to guide her through the scant clues (although Miss Marple, admittedly, tries to get Gwenda to let sleeping murder lie so as not to put herself in danger), Gwenda and her husband uncover what happened years ago.

Which isn't to say it's easy. The woman Gwenda believes she saw deceased has never been reported missing and a body had never been found. As it turns out, Gwenda's own father believed he'd been the one to do the deed, but Gwenda (and Miss Marple) aren't so easily convinced. Old memories and nearly forgotten events are mined and examined until the truth comes to light.

A solid mystery which (once again) I didn't have a clue as to who did it. Even though I've read the darn book before. Go figure.

The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie [Review]

The Moving Finger (Miss Marple Mysteries #3) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 10, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger - Paperback | Kindle
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Lymstock is a town with more than its share of scandalous secrets—a town where even a sudden outbreak of anonymous hate mail causes only a minor stir.

But all that changes when one of the recipients, Mrs. Symmington, commits suicide. Her final note says “I can’t go on,” but Miss Marple questions the coroner’s verdict of suicide. Soon nobody is sure of anyone—as secrets stop being shameful and start becoming deadly.

Thoughts on The Moving Finger: Miss Marple is doing her thing again and this time it's in a small town near St. Mary Mead. Which means she's slightly out of her element, but not REALLY since this is Miss Marple we're talking about.

Two things with this book. #1: I actually remember reading it previously, but didn't remember who did the deed until nearly the end of the book (it's a thing with me, don't ask). #2: Miss Marple doesn't make an appearance until a good way into the book. Which works somehow because recuperating pilot Jerry Burton (along with his sister) are in town (for his rehabilitation) picking up clues.

That said, it isn't until Miss Marple is brought in to help Jerry see that he has all the answers that things come to a head. In her gentle, almost flighty way, Miss Marple assembles what's been discovered and builds the picture of what led to the crime and why it was committed. *thumbs up*

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie [Review]

The Body in the Library (Miss Marple Mysteries #2) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 6, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage
2. The Body in the Library - Paperback | Kindle
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

It’s seven in the morning. The Bantrys wake to find the body of a young woman in their library. She is wearing an evening dress and heavy makeup, which is now smeared across her cheeks. But who is she? How did she get there? And what is the connection with another dead girl, whose charred remains are later discovered in an abandoned quarry?

The respectable Bantrys invite Miss Marple into their home to investigate. Amid rumors of scandal, she baits a clever trap to catch a ruthless killer.

Thoughts on The Body in the Library: Jane Marple is at it again applying her observational skills to a baffling case. This time she's called in my her good friend Dolly, whose library has been unfortunate enough to have a body found in it in one early morning. Miss Marple might have an idea about why the crime was committed once she starts to put the clues together, but having hard proof for the police takes time.

So she investigates in her quiet way. And in the course of investigating, she observes plenty of happenings. Drawing parallels between the events she's observing and happenings in her small town, it isn't long before Miss Marple has a pretty good understanding of the big picture and who might be in danger next.

I must say, Jane Marple and her gentle investigation is pretty darn fun. And the mystery of the body in the library? A little twisted and very satisfying. *thumbs up*

The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie [Review]

The Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple Mysteries #1) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 5, 2025

Miss Marple Mysteries
1. The Murder at the Vicarage - Paperback | Kindle
2. The Body in the Library
3. The Moving Finger
4. Sleeping Murder
5. A Murder is Announced
6. They Do It With Mirrors
7. A Pocket Full of Rye
8. 4:50 From Paddington
9. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
10. A Caribbean Mystery
11. At Bertram's Hotel
12. Nemesis
13. The Complete Short Stories

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Miss Marple encounters a compelling murder mystery in the sleepy little village of St. Mary Mead, where under the seemingly peaceful exterior of an English country village lurks intrigue, guilt, deception and death.

Colonel Protheroe, local magistrate and overbearing land-owner is the most detested man in the village. Everyone--even in the vicar--wishes he were dead. And very soon he is--shot in the head in the vicar's own study. Faced with a surfeit of suspects, only the inscrutable Miss Marple can unravel the tangled web of clues that will lead to the unmasking of the killer.

Thoughts on The Murder at the Vicarage: We're switching gears (from the abundance of Poirot books I've been reading) and heading into the small town of St. Mary Mead where Miss Marple resides. As it happens, Miss Marple's house is right next to the vicarage where a body has recently been found. Small towns, man. They're dangerous places to live.

Anywho. The vicar is understandable perplexed by said dead body. While he knows who he is and there are plenty of suspects who might have wanted to do him in, the fact the crime was committed in his study is the perplexing part. Fortunately, Miss Marple and her keen eye for details are around to help guide him (and the police) in the right direction.

As the vicar and police work through the clues (and suspects), Miss Marple is out gathering her own clues. She might know who did the deed, but she has to figure out the hows and whys before she's comfortable letting everyone else in on it.

A solid mystery with plenty of interesting small town characters. *thumbs up*

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie [Review]

Poirot Investigates (Hercule Poirot #3) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 1, 2025

Hercule Poirot
1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles
2. The Murder on the Links
3. Poirot Investigates - Paperback | Kindle
4. The Murder of Roger Akroyd
5. The Big Four
6. The Mystery of the Blue Train
7. Black Coffee
8. Peril at End House
9. Lord Edgeware Dies
10. Murder on the Orient Express
11. Three Act Tragedy
12. Death in the Clouds
13. The ABC Murders
14. Murder in Mesopotamia
15. Cards on the Table
16. Dead Man's Mirror
17. Dumb Witness
18. Death on the Nile
19. Appointment with Death
20. Hercule Poirot's Christmas
21. Sad Cypress
22. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
23. Evil Under the Sun
24. Five Little Pigs
25. The Hollow
26. The Labors of Hercules
27. Taken at the Flood
28. Mrs. McGinty's Dead
29. After the Funeral
30. Hickory Dickory Dock
31. Dead Man's Folly
32. Cat Among the Pigeons
33. Double Sin and Other Stories
34. The Clocks
35. Third Girl
36. Hallowe'en Party
37. Elephants Can Remember
38. Curtain

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

First there was the mystery of the film star and the diamond... then came the “suicide” that was murder... the mystery of the absurdly cheap flat...a suspicious death in a locked gun room... a million dollar bond robbery... the curse of a pharaoh’s tomb... a jewel robbery by the sea... the abduction of a prime minister... the disappearance of a banker... a phone call from a dying man... and, finally, the mystery of the missing will.

What links these fascinating cases? Only the brilliant deductive powers of Hercule Poirot!

Thoughts on Poirot Investigates: A collection of short stories which are fun because we get to see Poirot solving a bundle of crimes in a short period. HOWEVER, the short format does mean that you skip a lot of the little details that make Poirot's investigations so intriguing.

To be fair, short stories are hit or miss with me, so others might be delighted to dive into quick Poirot mysteries. Personally, I like the longer, novel-length books better. Still, they were quick reads with mysteries that ran the gamut from robbery to murder to a sort of treasure hunt for a will. They were all good, I just prefer my mysteries with a little more meat.

The Big Four by Agatha Christie [Review]

The Big Four (Hercule Poirot #5) by Agatha Christie
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 29, 2025

Hercule Poirot
1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles
2. The Murder on the Links
3. Poirot Investigates
4. The Murder of Roger Akroyd
5. The Big Four - Paperback | Kindle
6. The Mystery of the Blue Train
7. Black Coffee
8. Peril at End House
9. Lord Edgeware Dies
10. Murder on the Orient Express
11. Three Act Tragedy
12. Death in the Clouds
13. The ABC Murders
14. Murder in Mesopotamia
15. Cards on the Table
16. Dead Man's Mirror
17. Dumb Witness
18. Death on the Nile
19. Appointment with Death
20. Hercule Poirot's Christmas
21. Sad Cypress
22. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
23. Evil Under the Sun
24. Five Little Pigs
25. The Hollow
26. The Labors of Hercules
27. Taken at the Flood
28. Mrs. McGinty's Dead
29. After the Funeral
30. Hickory Dickory Dock
31. Dead Man's Folly
32. Cat Among the Pigeons
33. Double Sin and Other Stories
34. The Clocks
35. Third Girl
36. Hallowe'en Party
37. Elephants Can Remember
38. Curtain

Agatha Christie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Framed in the doorway of Hercule Poirot's bedroom stands an uninvited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man stares for a moment, then he sways and falls. Who is he? Is he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what is the significance of the figure 4, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper?

Poirot finds himself plunged into a world of international intrigue, risking his life—and that of his "twin brother"—to uncover the truth.

Thoughts on The Big Four: The inimitable Hercule Poirot is chasing his biggest case yet and the perpetrators keep slipping through everyone's fingers. Even his. Which doesn't sit well with the M. Poirot.

So he applies himself to finding connections between seemingly random crimes and the people involved in them. He uses his little gray cells to get into the minds of the people he's chasing and he slowly builds a picture of each of the members of the Big Four. Sort of. One of them remains frustratingly elusive and that vexes Poirot. Which means he doubles down and does whatever he needs to do to find the elusive number four.

A solid mystery with a group of criminals that nearly gets the best of Poirot. Nearly because he's, well, Hercule Poirot. And even a hive mind of bad guys can't stop him from finding justice. *thumbs up*