Tag Archives: murder mysteries

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In my quest to read the entire Marcia Talley series, I finished Done Gone this week.

Hannah and her husband are alarmed when their neighbors disappear, with dinner still on the counter, and the cat unfed. Then Hannah receives a phone call from Trish. She sounds scared but promises to tell Hannah everything and arranges to meet in the parking lot of the local mall. As Trish is explaining. a gunshot shatters the window and hits Trish in the head.

She is brought to the hospital, still alive but barely. Hannah, using the few clues Trish has given her, begins to investigate. Georgina’s new man (her husband died in a previous book) assists. Another excellent read.

I also read Murder in Williamstown by Kerry Greenwood, the new Phryne Fisher mystery.

I am a long time fan of these mysteries but I had mixed feelings about this one.

Phryne’s adopted daughters, as part of a school program, volunteer at the local institute for the blind. Jane, who is good with numbers, is asked to look at the accounts. When she does, she finds a pattern of embezzlement. Phryne becomes involved. This case takes up a significant part of the first half.

On a date in Williamstown, Phryne finds an opium pipe. Lin, her long time lover, advises her to let this alone. Then a Westerner who loves all things Chinese, is murdered and a group of men prevent Phryne from pursuing him. The Lin’s wife asks Phryne to search for her missing sister. This was by far the most interesting mystery in the book.

Finally, Phryne is dealing with a stalker.

The focus was diffuse and the more interesting mystery involving drug smuggling and the missing girl did not, in my opinion, receive the attention it deserved. So, a mixed review from me.

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This past week I read the most recent book in a series I love: the Sebastian St. Cyr series. Who cries for the lost.


When hostilities flare up in Europe with Napoleon’s escape from Elba, Sebastian frets at being kept home. He is convalescing from a wound that occurred in the previous title. A headless, handless body is pulled from the Thames and the evidence leads to Alexi Sauvage, Paul Gibson’s lover. Fearing that Gibson will be pulled into the accusations against Alexi, Sebastian begins looking into Sedgwick’s life. Sebastian quickly discovered that there are many who would have wanted the cruel and faithless man dead, including his wife, his mistress, the governess he seduced and many others.

Another excellent mystery. I did not see the twist at the end.

The second title, although completely different, was equally as good. Murder at the Jubilee Rally by Terry Shames is the latest in the Samuel Craddock series.

A motorcycle rally has come to town, upsetting the locals with the possibility of mayhem. Sure enough, a body is found behind the stage. The body turns out to be that of a local convenience store owner. Who would have wanted to murder a pillar of the community?

At the same time Samuel is investigating, he is hosting (and dealing with) defiant and rambunctious teenager who tests his patience to the utmost.

Another delightful mystery.

Gods and Goddesses of Bronze Age Crete

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From the preponderance of female figures on seals and in frescoes, archaeologists believe Crete worshipped a Supreme Goddess, probably a fertility Goddess from Neolithic times. (Similar to Astarte.)There is some dispute whether the statuary depicting women with snakes in their hands are representations of the Goddess or Priestesses engaged in a ritual.

note the tiered skirt, the short-sleeved jacket and the tight belt around the waist.

Besides the Supreme Goddess, there was a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. Poseidon, the God of the Oceans and Earthquakes, is one. (He was adopted by the mainland Greeks with almost no change.) Dionysus is another God, a very old one. A vegetation God, he is the God of wine as well as the Master of Animals. Unlike the Gods and Goddess of Classical Greece, Dionysus is not immortal. He is born each spring, grows to manhood throughout the year, and dies in winter.

One particularly interesting feature of Dionysus is his birth, in a cave and nourished by nanny goats. Sound familiar? The Cretan Zeus, a relative latecomer to the pantheon, is ascribed the same birth story. In Classical times, the same tale is told of Zeus’ birth, (although with a myth about the Titans surrounding it.) Zeus, of course, was elevated to the major God for the Classical Greeks.

The Goddesses are more complicated. Were they individuals or aspects of the Supreme Goddesses? Maybe a mix of the two? Aphrodite is connected to the Bronze Age and her name is pre-Greek. Artemis was a virgin, and the hunt was sacred to her, just as the Classical Greeks believed. Hera was another important Goddess. Shrines to her have been found in Crete. She was responsible for childbirth, a task she shared with Artemis. In the Classical Greek pantheon, she was reduced from being an important Goddess in her own right to Zeus’s jealous wife.

Britomartis meaning Sweet Virgin or Sweet Maiden, was worshipped by the fishermen. Her other name is Diktynna for the nets the fishermen used. I took her name and used the second half, Martis as the name of the protagonist in In the Shadow of the Bull and the sequels.

What about the Minotaur? Was the bull-headed man a God?We know that bulls were very very important in Ancient Crete. The statuary and frescos of bull leapers and the many representations of bulls is proof of that. But, was the Minotaur sacred? I choose to believe that the Minotaur was a creation of the Mainland Greeks, representing something they did not understand – rituals involving masked priests.

As excavations and study of this amazing culture continues, I’m sure we discover more about their religion.

Willies – the ghosts of Young Girls

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After Arge dies, poisoned as she stands at the altar on her wedding day, she returns as a spirit to ask Martis for help in identifying the killer.

Willies, spirits of young girls who were murdered before they married or had children, were a common feature of ancient myth. Sometimes they were good, sometimes not, but almost every myth includes the haunting of the family by these willies, usually for many years. Seven or nine seem to be the usual numbers. It was necessary for the families to perform the proper rituals to prevent disaster.

Fertility – both of people and livestock, was important for the health of the community. One reason for this is the danger associated with childbirth. One estimate I read of maternal death in childbirth was put at between 40 and 50%. Infant mortality was as high, and of course of those who survived birth, a large percentage did not make it to their fifth birthday. But I digress.

In Martis’ case, the spirit of her sister Arge is helpful. The question is this, is the spirit Martis sees truly a ghost of is it the voice of Martis’s subconscious? The reader has to decide.

I chose Arge because, in this way, Martis can have help figuring out what she’s seen and heard without involving someone who might be a suspect.

Currently Reading

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I missed a few Mondays because I went on a vacation to Europe. I always find it interesting to walk the streets of France, Germany, or any of the Scandinavian countries. Houses built 500 or even 1000 years ago are still in use. Humbling. Because of my passion for history, I take many excursions. (Although I admit I quickly tire of the plethora of churches).

But I digress. I read three books while traveling. On the plane to Amsterdam, I read Storm Watch by C.J. Box.

On the trail of a wounded animal, Joe Pickett comes upon a small nondescript building in the middle of the woods. The building is humming with fans and, stuck into one of them, is a man with the top of his head sheared off. Joe takes pictures and then heads home, to avoid the blizzard settling down on the mountains. But when he shares the photos with the Sheriff and they investigate, they do not find the dead man. Murder mixes with cryptocurrency, Chinese spies, and political corruption. Another winner!

I also read Murder off Stage by Mary Miley.

This is the fifth Jessie Beckett Roaring Twenties mystery. Jessie has gone from a vaudeville actor to a movie script girl who works with Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. In this offering, Jesse and her good friend Adele Astaire attend a play. Unfortunately, when the actress shoots the actor, he falls down dead. The actress is immediately assumed to have murdered her colleague, but Jesse isn’t convinced. She just can’t figure out how this murder, and several others as well, were committed. Jessie is almost murdered herself before she solves the case.

I’ve read all five and enjoyed them. Miley says this one will be the last – sadly. I thought this one was the best so far and I wish she would continue the series.

Finally, I read Footprints to Murder by Marcia Talley.

To help out a friend, Hannah attends a Big Foot convention, populated by true believers. The descriptions of the characters are captivating even before the body of the murder victim is discovered. There are no shortage of suspects, the victim is nasty to all and has humiliated several of the attendees.

Is there really such a thing a Big Foot? Certainly some people firmly believe. Even without the mystery, this would be a charming novel. I have only a few left in this series and I will be very sorry when it ends. I feel I know Hannah and her family.

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Death Among the Ruins is Susanna Calkins seventh Lucy Campion Mystery. (And I have read the entire series!)

Lucy Campion is a printer’s apprentice, quite a step up for a servant in the Middle Ages. She is engaged to Adam Hargreaves, the son of the family she served, although she is quite nervous about the marriage because of the difference in their stations.

Death Among the Ruins begins with a rag picker approaching Lucy because she has found a dead body. Lucy accompanies her to the ruins, some of the many left by the Great Fire of 1666. It is immediately apparent the rag picker has not told the entire story.

An expensive dress leads Lucite the Mobley family, and the sickly daughter Charlotte. Lucy quickly realizes that all of the family members have secrets. But is any one of them the murderer?

Calkins’ real strength is her depiction of the 1600s in London. The descriptions, the characters, even the writing style puts you right there. Highly Recommended.

I have been a fan of Simon Brett for many years, right from his beginning with the Charles Paris mysteries. Mrs. Pargeter is one of his newer series. Mrs Pargetr’s Patio, which will be released later this month, is number seven.

Mrs Pargeter is enjoying the fine weather on her patio when one of the stones cracks, and reveals a human skull. What to do?

Fortunately, the now deceased Mr. Pargeter knew an array of dodgy characters that will gladly assist Mrs. Pargeter until it is the right time to call the police.

Funny as usual. Even the names: Concrete Jacket. Fixin’ Nixon, Truffler, are amusing. Fun.

Makeup, Hairstyles and Clothing for Minoan Women

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What do we know about the cosmetics used by the women in Ancient Crete and the clothing they wore? Because we have no written records, archaeologists (and writers like me) are forced to rely on interpretations of murals, statuary and other art work.

Cosmetics were commonly used in the Ancient World: Egypt, the Middle Ages, and Asia. In Egypt and Mesopotamia, they were used by both men and women and all classes. Kohl was the most commonly used cosmetic. Kohl was made from galena, a dark gray ore and crushed charcoal, mixed with gum or water to make a paste. Cosmetics were so important cosmetic palettes were found buried in gold with the deceased’s grave goods.

Kohl was used for lining the eyes, like modern eyeliner. It offered health benefits in the form of protection from disease, bugs and sun rays. Red ochre clay was ground up and mixed with water to create a paste to paint on the lips and cheeks.

The murals also show the hairstyle fashionable at that time. Locks of hair were brought over the front of the shoulders. Most of the hair was drawn back from the forehead and decorated with pearls, gold beads or gems. Both sexes wore their hair in this manner.

Note in the graphic above the white ribbon at the back of the women’s necks. This was a sacral knot worn by the priestesses.

Finally, the murals and statuary depict a certain style of dress. All the women wear long skirts, usually ruffled or arranged in tiers, with a short short-sleeved jacket. Opinions vary about what women wore under the jacket. Were they nude or did they wear a blouse? It is difficult to tell from the artifacts available to us.

Below, a statue of a goddess or priestess holding snakes.


Minoan statue

Notice the elaborate belt around her wasp waist. Apparently, tiny waists were also the fashion and tight belts were worn to accentuate it. These wasp waists and tight belts were worn by men as well as by women.

This is the setting I use for In The Shadow of the Bull, a mystery set in Bronze Age Crete. Martis’s preference for more comfortable clothing, and only a loincloth when she is bull leaping, is frequently mentioned. As she grows up, she too adopts the tiered skirt with its tight belt and the short-sleeved jacket.

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Chertsey Park is the fourth in the Sophie Burgoyne series by G. J. Bellamy.

In this outing, Sophie and her intrepid crew focus on the evil Stokely. Servants are requested from the Burgoyne Agency, giving Sophie and the others an opportunity to spy on Stokely.

Sophie’s investigations lead her into danger – from the police as well as from Stokely’s crew. While following one of his thugs, Sophie almost witnesses a murder, coming upon the body seconds after the murder has occurred.

When she is questioned by the police, Sophie refuses to give her name or any other pertinent information and ends up in a cell. Penrose has to give her a false name and spring her from jail.

This series is many things: a mystery, historical fiction, a spy thriller and it is all wrapped up in a cozy package.

Long but great fun.

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First, a note. I will probably not post on Monday. I will be attending Bouchercon in San Diego. I hope I see some of you there.

The first book I read this week was Exiles by Jane Harper.

Aaron Fulk travels to southern Australia for the christening of an old friend’s baby. One year ago, Kim Gillespie tucked her sleeping baby into the carriage and disappeared. Several people claimed to have seen her walking around the festival grounds or riding the Ferris wheel. But no one has seen her since. No one saw her leaving by the front entrance or the back. The local cop is stumped.

As Aaron finds his way into the tight knit group, he discovers that all of them have secrets. The group is more fractured than it appears from the outside.

And Raco, Fulk’s good friend, is sure something is off about Kim’s disappearance. He keeps looking into it.

But it is Fulk, who comes to it with fresh eyes, who realizes the truth, not only for that case, for another cold case involving a hit and run. These cases also bring about a life changing decision for Aaron Fulk.

Although I found the beginning a little slow moving, by the time I was halfway I couldn’t put this book down. A great read!

The second book I read was Lies: Secrets can kill by Linda Lovely.

When the body of Dirk Black was fished out of the Mississippi River, The corrupt small town sheriff, Chief Dexter vows that Black’s wife Catherine will hang for the murder. She swears she’s innocent, and Dexter’s associate says he’ll help her. But Cat has plenty of secrets of her own, even if she didn’t murder her husband.

Some of the common tropes of detective fiction are present here: the corrupt small town sheriff, the beautiful blonde with secrets and the small Southern town. But the thirties setting and the appealing style shine. Recommended.

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I finished Fatal Legacy, the new Flavia de Luce, and it was amazing. To recap: she’s hired to prove a so-called freedman is just that, not a slave. The determination of this is tied up with the question of who owns an orchard. No one can find the will from the original purchaser.

Well, the case grows more and more complicated with many characters and several plot threads. The elopement of Costa Sabatina with the young heir of the opposing family, gives Flavia the break in the case she needs to finally understand what happened and what the dispute is truly over.

A long ago murder, adultery, and the original question of who among the cast of characters is free are all parts of this intriguing story. Highly Recommended.

The second book I read is Death of a Fox by Linda Norlander.

This is the fourth in the cabin in the woods mysteries. In this one, Jamie is hired to write the memoirs of an elderly woman living alone in the ruins of an old TB hospital. Jamie quickly realizes that the job is bigger than she thought because of the number of secrets Nella is hiding. As Jamie reads through them, though, many of the secrets are revealed. This is a really interesting part of the book.

Two of Nella’s cousins have arrived, supposedly to care for Nella, but Jamie soon discovers they are looking for money. Judd, Bella’s half-brother, spent his later years grousing about how much Dr. Fox owed him, No surprise when one of the cousins is found dead in the old hospital.

To make the matter more complicated, Jamie’s husband Andrew turns up with plans to take half her cottage or otherwise squeeze money from her.

Originally, Linda Norlander saw this as a series of four. I have really enjoyed all of them and I hope she finds a way to continue. They are very enjoyable cozies with a appealing protagonist and an unusual setting.