Sometimes it is a nice change of pace to read a novel set in a by-gone era.

I have been reading Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy Mystery series since they were released in the early 2000s.  The latest, released in Nov 2015 , Away in a Manger, is Book 15.

Molly is a woman ahead of her time.   She’s an Irish immigrant in New York City with no family ties but determined to support herself by solving problems.   Now married to a police detective she finds herself struggling to be the respectful dutiful wife and mother to a baby boy.

This is a cozy mystery with a social conscience.
Molly finds herself compelled to rescue two young children from the cold streets of NYC as Christmas approaches.
Megan & Tig are British, well-spoken, living in a boarding house waiting for their mother to return. They find Sid & Gus taking them in and helping Molly find their mother and possibly other family in America.
Daniel is shot trying to stop a young policeman attempting to arrest the Italian crime boss.
Daniel’s mother holds the household together & prepares for Christmas while Molly heads out of Manhattan to the estates in Long Island in search of family for the abandoned children.
Typical Molly getting in over her head but solving two homicides & preventing another.

My newest series is a Net Galley find from Bethany House Publishers.  A company that publishes Christian reading material.

I am impressed with the way living a Christian life is handled by this writer.

Playing The Part, book 3 in the series “A Class of their Own” by Jen Turano. The release date for this book is March 1, 2106.

A delightful reading experience.
Luceetta Plum’s past in the Old South, a decade after the end of the civil war, has her determined to look after herself, even if it means she is a stage actress, and a very in-demand actress at that.
When her stepfather arrives to inform her that he has lost her in a card game to Silas Ruff, a man Lucetta detests, she flees the city with her elderly friend and landlady, Abigail Hart.
Abigail’s grandson, Bram Haverstein, lives in a castle in upstate New York, complete with a rag tag collection of animals and misfit staff.
The humor in this novel is heartwarming. The descriptions are so funny. When Lucetta faints on the lawn, after two dips in the moat, being set upon by dogs, having a canon fired at her, and then coming face to face with his mother, Bram struggles to carry Miss Plum to the castle and up three flights of stairs.
There are no preachy messages here, just life examples on being the best person you can be by allowing God to temper your responses and reactions to those he sends across your path. Instead of firing disagreeable staff, Bram prays for them. A good reminder, and encouraging life lesson.
Secondary characters are lovable and provide more humor in their quirkiness.
Lucetta’s former rescued roommates, Millie and Harriet, from the first two books in this series, make an appearance near the end of this book.

I have purchased book 1 – After a Fashion and saving for Book 2 – In Good Company

 

Rhys Bowen authors another series set in the 1930s – Her Royal Spyness featuring Lady Georginia of Rannock.   This is a lighthearted look at being a Royal so far down the lineage line that it is more a hindrance than a help.   If you are looking for a quick fun read, this is the series to find.

Please be encouraged to read, and write about what you read.

Until next time: Happy Reading!