It is always interesting to journey along with Hercule Poirot and see things the way he does. This is a compilation of short mysteries, each of which is set in a different interesting setting. I did this as an audio book on CDs and while I did enjoy it, I think I would have enjoyed it more had I done it as an actual book and been able to do it at a slower pace.

Wow. What a story! AS you read this book, you may think you know what is going to happen next, but trust me you will not see these sharp turns coming! I sounds simple; a man is sold a liquid, by a traveling salesman, that when applied to mirrors makes the person reflected in the mirror, look better. Not perfect or amazing, just a little more full of life and with the rough edges smoothed out. No big thing, right? Wrong!

In this story about women who go missing and then have their dead images appear in paintings, Isles does an excellent job in developing the characters and their connections to one another. And this is important because the subject matter here is often harsh and without this development of characters, it would simply be a brutal story. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and liked the ending.

A great book

A fun academic mystery in a beautiful location. Great cast of characters to spend a little time with in the summer.

While the writing was not terrible, the trouble is that while the author had a lot to say, there really is no story here. A 40-year-old woman loses her mother and is so distraught that she cannot get beyond it. The setting is Spain and all the character talks about is seducing men. The only interesting part was the epilog which was very articulate and summed up thing well.

This was a fun story about a boy’s youth as told by his point of view. It is set in 1964, which for me is a time I can relate to. Unlike many stories about children growing up that focus on hardships, this one is set in a middle-class family and focuses more on fun and experiences than challenges. It’s a good read. My only problem is that based on the way the title was written, I was expecting something less polished, but I was pleasantly surprised

This book follows the 2 daughters of the man who was responsible for people seated on the throne of England in the 1400's. It follows the 2 girls through their lives and does a beautiful job of following their changing view of the position of Queen from their childhood until their death. It is a wonderful, albeit at times a grim, look at the life of powerful women during that time period.

I would classify this as a cozy Mystery, although there isn’t much of a mystery here, except to the main character. Still, I enjoyed the book, and I continue to enjoy the “Maid Mystery” series. In this Christmas tale Molly, the maid and central character begins to think that her boyfriend and love of her life Juan Manuel may be cheating on her. But her inability to see situations the way others do makes her the only one surprised when he surprises her with the very best gift.

At its heart, this is a police procedural. But the characters are so well explored within this context and the circumstances so bizarre, that the story, though bloody and twisted, is very interesting. If you like cop drama, you will definitely enjoy this one.