This week I went for something light. I read a Murder She Wrote novel, Gin and Daggers. These books are written by Donald Bain and are based on the Murder She Wrote series that ran for many years in the 80s and 90s. They're what are called "cozy" mysteries, meaning they have very little violence or sex and focus on whodunit. The protagonists are often women who are more or less amateurs but somehow manage to solve the mystery anyway because of their natural talent at detection. The books are formulaic, but satisfying in that they give their readers what they want.
Gin and Daggers was no exception. It was actually much better than I thought it would be (once I got used to the somewhat unnatural sounding dialogue). It really helps to envision Angela Lansbury's character acting out the part, especially since I always liked that show and others like it (e.g. Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, Matlock, Monk). I recommend it to those who enjoy a fast, fluffy mystery.
This week I'm continuing the latest Laurie R. King mystery, Pirate King, featuring Sherlock Holmes' wife, Mary Russell. That series is delightful--the main character is very appealing and the plots are complex and historically accurate (for the most part). This one deals with some malfeasance at a British film studio in the 1920s.
Maybe following my foray into genre fiction, I'll get back to some non-fiction.
Meet me here next week for my report!
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