Bats in the Belfry by E.C.R. Lorac #1937Club

🦇 I am familiar with English idiom of "bee in the bonnet", but "bats in the belfry" is a new one that I got to know only from this title by E.C.R. Lorac. It's the 12th book of Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald - a police figure of my favorite from Golden Age detectives.

🦇 Bruce Attleton, once a successful writer, but is now struggling, is missing from his house. Two of his guests at dinner party where he was last seen try to take the matter in their own hand. They suspect a man called Debrette who must be behind it, most probably a blackmailer.

🦇 Their investigation brought them to The Belfry - an old dilapidated building with a tower, where Debrette is said to stay. It's a spooky old house, but few days later Debrette, too, vanished. The amateur sleuths found Attleton's suitcase with his passport inside The Belfry. At that point, they involved the police, and... enter Robert Macdonald. The thorough searching resulted in the finding of a mutilated corpse inside the wall. Whose was it? Attleton? Debrette? Did the one murdered the other?

🦇 This is my third Lorac so far, and I think it's going to be my favorite. A spooky house, an over-zealous amateur sleuth in Robert Grenvile, a cute love story, identity confusion, and an intricate plot that leaves us guessing until near the end. Even MacDonald wasn't so sure of who commits the murder until the murderer was forced to make a desperate move.

🦇 All in all, this book possesses every aspect of a great and highly entertaining crime story. The presence of youngsters in the center of the mystery: Robert Grenvile (who wants to marry Attleton's ward), Elizabeth Leigh (the ward), and Neil Rockingham added a refreshing charm that melted even Robert MacDonald's usual formal manner, that he becomes more charming and less serious in this story.

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read this book for:

The 1937 Club

hosted by Simon @ Stuck in a Book & Karen @ Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings

Vintage Murder by Ngaio Marsh #1937Club

🍾 I know I have read Ngaio Marsh years ago in high school, but can't remember which one or how many, so I shall count this as my first introduction to Roderick Alleyn. The Chief Inspector is on holiday, and happens to be travelling on the same train with a theater company on their way to perform in New Zealand. Alleyn soon befriends some the theater members, though only reveals his true identity as Scotland Yard officer to Albert Meyer, owner of the company: Incorporated Playhouses.

🍾 Mysterious things start to happen on board the train: Meyer was nearly murdered after allegedly being pushed off the train. Then one of the female actresses lost her money. But things got really beyond control after their successful first night performance. Meyer wanted to surprise his wife, the famous actress Carolyn Decres, on her birthday, by a theatrical trope of a huge bottle of champagne falling down from the ceiling after she pulling down a rope. Well, she pulled the rope, but the huge bottle hit Meyer on the head instead, and killed him.

🍾 The incident happened, no doubt, because someone who knew about the arrangement - and everyone knew and were involved in it except Carolyn - had tinkered the contraption just before the party started. Who had opportunity and motive? Alleyn cooperates with local policemen to investigate.

🍾 This is a delightful old school Golden Age crime fiction involving a series of interviews, checking on alibis, and the intricately calculated plot. Part of the delight is the 1930s behind-the-stage theatrical life atmosphere which added a unique charm to this story. The company was inspired by the similar theater company Marsh had joined herself, and that's how it felt real.

🍾 I also loved the cultural touch of Māori in this story. One important clue is a tiki - a tiny statue with human images carved into wood, bone, stone, or other material - that Alleyn gifted to Carolyn Decres for her birthday. And a Māori Doctor is a prominent figure in this mystery. Allen's confusion of the local slang used by the police is quite hilarious and reminds us that the crime is happening in New Zealand.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read the book for:

The 1937 Club

hosted by Simon @ Stuck in a Book & Karen @ Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings

Preparing for the #1937Club

I am very refreshed today after a week of holiday, which I spent mostly with preparing for the upcoming #1937Club, hosted by Simon @ Stuck in a Book and Karen @ Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings. I have read the three books I was intended to read, and am now finishing review of the last one. Next week will be super tight for me, so it's better to settle everything by this weekend.

1937 was a glorious era for Golden Age Detective writers, there are so many titles to choose from, that I ended up reading two. The other one is an Asian middle-grade classic. I won't reveal the titles now, just wait till my reviews published!

Meanwhile, I will share books published in 1937 that I have read so far:

Golden Age Crime Fiction:
Three are from Agatha Christie: Death in the Nile, Dumb Witness, and Incredible Theft. The other is from J. Jefferson Farjeon: Mystery in White.

Classics:
- The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)
- Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)
- To Have and Have Not (Ernest Hemingway)
- Jane of Lantern Hill (L.M. Montgomery)
- The Turn of the Screw (Henry James)

Graphic Novel:
The Broken Ear (Adventures of Tintin #6)

Will you join #1937Club? What will you be reading?

The Miller's Daughter and Captain Burle by Émile Zola #Zoladdiction2024

Starting this year I will try to read more of Zola's short stories, as I have read all but one of the Rougon-Macquart series. For #Zoladdiction2024 I have read two stories, with mixed outcome.

THE MILLER'S DAUGHTER

🔷️ This one is set in a small French village of Rocreuse during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. Pere Merlier, the miller, is the mayor. He owns a picturesque Mill which he loves almost as much as his love for his daughter, Françoise. When the German troops entered their village, the French army picked the Mill as their fortress. It breaks Pere Merlier's heart while his beloved mill received shots after shots. Françoise' fiance, Dominique, is not a French; he came from Belgium. But he shoots the German to protect Françoise, and that's why the German captured him to be executed. I won't tell you the end, but it's quite suspenseful.

🔷️ But what made me fell in love with this story is Zola picturesque description of the Mill and its surrounding. I imagine he really found that beautiful corner, and captured it just as a painter would paint it, Zola painted it using his pen as brush. And he presented that artful and poignant suspenseful story in just 40-ish pages. Just amazing! Writers... that's how you do a short story!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


CAPTAIN BURLE

🔷️ Compared to the above first story, this one is, unfortunately, rather flat though quite interesting, and of a different vibe. Captain Burle had had a brilliant military career before he resigned to do administration job as a Quartermaster. But one thing never changes, his nickname is "Petticoat Burle" and women is his weakness.

🔷️ Major Laguitte has served under Captain Burle and maintained a friendly terms with the family. He witnessed how the Captain was more and more captivated by the widowed owner of a "cafe". Then one day he found discrepancies in the Captain's bookkeeping. And that would be the downfall of the honor of the family's name as well as the army's. Something must be done, but what?

🔷️ This story talks about respect, honor, dignity, and friendship; expectation as well as disappointment. Madame Burle, who had high expectation of her son to marv on military career, was hugely disappointed, and so she put her efforts into making her grandson Charles - a tender child - to be what his father failed. Poor Charles! I really admired Laguitte's loyalty to the Burles. And Zola really excelled in manipulating emotions in each character. Not a bad story, but not as poignant as I have expected.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2

The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor by Agatha Christie #AgathaChristieSS24

🔫 Poirot was asked to investigate the death of a Mr. Maltraverse, who had bought a life insurance policy for a huge amount only two weeks ago. He was found dead in the grounds of his house, Marsdon Manor, with a rook rifle near his body. Cause of death from the doctor is of internal hemorrhage.

🔫 Poirot and Hastings then interview the local doctor, Mrs. Maltraverse, and a young soldier who had visited the Manor few days later. From them Poirot found a discrepancy, upon which to build his case. Was it death by natural cause, or suicide? Or worse, could it's been murder?

🔫 Despite of the rather dry premise, I actually enjoyed this story. I could guess how it had happened, though narrowly missed to guess the perpetrator. It's a simple plot, but without Poirot's brilliant deduction and knowledge of human psychology, it would take longer to solve the mystery. The way of denouement is very clever on Poirot's side. And as usual, Hastings is conveniently there solely to guide us, readers, to wrong conclusion. If you ignore him, you would get nearer to the truth!

🔫 Regardless of that, I still love the dear old Hastings, because when he's around, the story becomes more charming. And I always cherish Poirot-Hastings hilarious banter like this one:

"And what do you think of Dr. Bernard, Hastings?"
"Rather an old ass."
"Exactly. Your judgements of character are always profound, my friend."
I glanced at him uneasily, but he seemed perfectly serious. A twinkle, however, came into his eye, and he added slyly:
"That is to say, when there is no question of a beautiful woman!"
I looked at him coldly.

🔫 It's a banter like this that makes Hastings one of my favorite sidekicks, though he is a terribly unreliable narrator!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Club Dumas (1993) by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

📚 I must thank Simon @ Stuck in a Book who inspired me to challenge myself in A Century of Books, without which I wouldn't have found, let alone read, this book, first published in 1993. It's a book-about-books, so I thought there's a fat chance I would like it. And, it's about Alexandre Dumas too, one author I always admire for his brilliant story writing. Plus, it's available on Everand (previously Scribd), where I mostly read e-books or listening audiobooks from.

📚 The Club Dumas is a literary mystery-thriller in the antiquarian bookish world, set in Spain. Our literary detective is Lucas Corso, a middle-aged book mercenary whose job is to hunt down rare editions for wealthy bibliophiles. When a book collector was found dead hanging from the ceiling, a part of handwritten manuscript of The Three Musketeers was on the floor nearby. Corso, who's hired to investigate its authenticity, seemed to be plunged into Dumas' fictional books, where he meets vilain characters such as Milady and Rochefort.

📚 Paralel to that, another client hired him to find rare editions of an occultist book, The Nine Doors (fictional), which is believed to contain instructions to summon Satan! There are three editions left in the world, which led Corso to dangerous adventures in Toledo, Prague, and Venice, while a beautiful young girl who insists to be called Irene Adler (from Sherlock Holmes' universe) follows him everywhere as his guardian. Is she an ardent lover or a mysterious enemy?

📚 Any bookish person, especially those who adore classics, would be thrilled to read this book. There are many mentions of great works, besides those of Dumas, such as Moby Dick (Lucas and his friend called themselves The Brotherhood of Nantucket Harpooners), Sherlock Holmes (Irene Adler's address in her passport is 221B Baker Street), and many more. If you are fan of Dumas, this is a book you'll definitely enjoy.

📚 But if you love books, art, and puzzling mystery, this book will make you happy, regardless of the Dumas effect. The occultist book, The Nine Doors, contained nine paintings, which Corso found slightly different in each original edition he investigated. It's like "find five differences in this picture" kind of game. And the paintings are quite lovely.

📚 The story itself is engaging and fast-paced. You'll feel that there are two parallel mystery, the Dumas and The Nine Doors, and it leaves you wondering whether the two are separate cases or one complex case? Because aspects of the one often appear in the other. The truth is quite unpredictable, and, in a way, rather underwhelming. This book is also nostalgic; bringing me back to the 1990s, when floppy disks are used to save data. It reminds me of our family's first computer. The thriller isn't perhaps really my cup of tea, but I cherished the 1990s atmosphere it brings!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

The Owl Prowl Mystery (2024) by Diana Renn

Thanks to Regal House Publishing and NetGalley for providing me review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

🦉 Backyard Rangers is a group of four middle grade students who has concern for wildlife protections. After rescuing turtles in the previous adventure, now they are back with another fun project involving owls.

🦉 Bella is the new celebrity barred owl in Marsh Hollow, where the kids live. Birdwatchers and wildlife photographers from neighboring towns come rushing to meet the super friendly owl who, so friendly it seems to be, that it often appears near human beings apparently without fear. But Miles, one of the rangers, found clues which led them to believe that someone has actually baited the owls - a practice which endangered them. It is now up to these four kids to bring the crime into spotlight, and save the owls' wildlife future.

🦉 As I love birds, lately I've been trying to read more books about birds. So, when I saw this title in NetGalley, I knew I have to read it. And it pays off - it's a fun wildlife adventure/mystery to read. Hopefully more fiction under this eco-mystery genre would be published in the future, especially for middle-grader. It's a good way to promote love for nature in younger age.

🦉 The birds, birdwatching, and everything around birding are aplenty in this novel, but they're not all. There's the real personal struggle in each character, to balance with their eco-sleuthing. Their studies is one thing, but there are mentions of health problem (Delaney suffers from scoliosis), personal disability (Miles with his ADHD), family problem, and others.

🦉 Other than wildlife conservation idea, this book also warns us that appearances can be misleading - in animals as well as human beings. I think this adventure gives Miles and co. the foundation to be better eco-sleuths in the future. Will there be a third book? Please say yes, Diana! Meanwhile, I'll try to get a copy for the first!🦉

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

**The Owl Prowl will be published in 13 August 2024**