The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James.

I’m on a bit of a 1920s kick in my fiction reading, and grabbed this one from the library mostly because of setting. I hesitated slightly because I wondered if the paranormal elements would be too disturbing for me, but decided to give it a shot.

On the plus side, none of the details about the ghost bothered me (and I have a *very* low tolerance level for creepy content). Sure, if I’d actually lived through some of the events described, yeah, that would have been freaky, but the text never let me forget that I was simply reading a story and none of it was real. No worries about me needing to put it aside unfinished.

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Site Unseen by Dana Cameron.

A mystery series featuring an archaeologist? Perhaps not all that realistic – I don’t know of that many archaeologists that stumble over recent murder victims, unless they’re of the forensic archaeologist variety. Emma Fielding is the more traditional archaeologist, and dead bodies are NOT typically part of her work.

Assuming you’re willing to buy in to the unlikely premise behind the book and some other, highly coincidental occurrences, the book is a fun and easy read. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a literary standout, but Emma is an enjoyable character and I liked her relationship with her husband, even if most of it takes place over the phone in this book.

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Messenger of Truth: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear

The fourth book in the Maisie Dobbs series of historical mysteries. I’ve enjoyed the series overall, but found this book was a let-down and it has me reconsidering if I want to continue reading additional books featuring Maisie.

I love the setting – England in the early 1930s, and the war that ended more than a decade ago still plays a role through its long-lasting impact on Maisie and the country. I appreciate how Winspear brings the setting to life so well, and how she resists the urge to drop inappropriate hints about the upcoming conflict as a way to make one of the characters seem especially prescient. (Can you tell that I’ve come across that in other books set in that time period?)

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Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Another book club pick, and my very first Christie. Considering my love for mysteries, I’m not entirely sure why I’ve never read any of her books before.*

While it took me a few pages to get into the story, once I did I was hooked. I liked Poirot’s character, and I liked the methodical approach to his investigation.

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