Hello and welcome to 'A First Class Murder.'
There's actually a rather fetching selfie of me, too. . . .
Thankfully Halloween is now over, and we can sleep a bit easier in our beds at night without explosions going off and frightening the village children and kittens for whom, it is alleged, the fireworks are meant to impress and delight. Frankly, I was not at all either of those things.
Anyways, with such things over, Mrs H's best white Egyptian cotton 800 thread count sheets, (she won't have silk as she says it is highly impractical and not as nice to sleep on or in between) that were borrowed from the washing line by persons, cats or spirits unknown, have been returned to her anonymously. Alas, whilst the dried cream and pumpkin juice stains will wash off, the eye-shaped holes will take some sorting; looks like I'll be doing some darning over the coming weeks, MOL. Next year she has decided to save the laundry till after the ghostly apparitions have done their turns about the village.
OK. So, in between checking the DNA of the cat hairs found stuck to the sheets, we've been thinking of travel, and adventures old and new and across the globe. What brought this on, you may ask? Well, we've been reading the 3rd Murder Most Unladylike mystery adventure called: First Class Murder. And this time I am pleased to say that the title is the same in the USA as in the UK, though the book covers are so very different.
This adventure finds our two friends, Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong taking a trip on the Orient Express along with Hazel's father. What should have been a fun, educational and sightseeing tour of Europe in pre-war days – and definitely crime-free – turns out to be the girls' third adventure when an heiress with a decidedly expensive ruby necklace and a rude and loud husband, is found murdered in her compartment. The ultimate locked-room mystery ensues.
For the greater part, the adventure stays within the train's luxury carriage and focuses on a rather interesting set of guests, most of whom seem to have a motive and the opportunity. They include: the elderly Russian Countess Demidovskoy, who had to sell that very same ruby to escape the Russian Revolution and makes no bones that she'll be having it back; Il Mysterioso – a very skilful magician with a secret he needs to keep at all costs, and Madame Melinda, a medium and the heiresses spirit-guide to her departed mama. Melinda doesn't seem to have a good word to say about anyone, least of all the deceaseds husband, and has talents beyond those she shows.
Join the girls as they duck, dive and curtsey around the passengers, avoid Mr Wong's reproving eye and forbading words, and out-detect a rather inept and conceited Dr Sandwich, who takes on the role of detecting the case but soon goes off the rails!
Oh, if the murder was not enough, there's also a German spy on board, as well a British secret service agent.
I've always wanted to be able to say 'and who knows where this will end?!', but of course the train is headed to Belgrade, so that is known. What we don't know until the final pages, is whether our two intrepid sleuths have got it right, and more importantly, will they be believed and save a travesty of justice?
What do we think?
This is a marvellous variation on the 'locked room' mystery and a truly great nod to Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. As an introduction to the genre, I have to say that you could not find a better example. Readers both young (ages 8+) and older will enjoy this adventure, and I think they will find this a thoroughly enjoyable intro to the series if they haven't already read the two before. Definitely a 10/10 read, and middle-grade fiction that will stand the test of time – maybe even as long as Agatha herself!
So it just remains to say: All aboard the Orient Express for another fine murder mystery adventure!
If you would like to know how this fiendishly clever mystery ends, then please do book your ticket right now by forming an orderly queue at your local bookshop. If you just can't wait to climb aboard, then please book online at Amazon or similar stores, where you should find a dining car's worth of mystery and a silver service full of blind alleys and poached fish (red) at the click of the button.
Anyways, enough of book reviews for this week, here's my selfie!
Till next time, when we will be giving you the low down on the fourth book – assuming Mrs H isn't off doing her version of CSI Much-Mousing, we wish you all a
safe, happy, and well-read week!
Till later, Toodlepip and Purrs!
ERin
800 count????? WOW!
ReplyDeleteWe love your selfie, Erin!
Purrs.
Tama and Genji
That was a terrific review and such a sweet selfie too sweet Princess!
ReplyDeleteThat book sounds awesome, Erin! We are goingh to order it right now!
ReplyDeleteAnd we love your beautiful selfie. Hugs to you and Mrs. H! XO
That is a gorgeous selfie. And a great review. XO
ReplyDeleteNice review Princess! Your selfie is just adorable today.
ReplyDeleteActually, We would love to read about Mrs H's version of CSI: Much Mousing (mol) - almost as much as We like your selfie, Erin.
ReplyDeleteSweet selfie!
ReplyDeleteExcellent image of you, Erin! A bit 'come hither', with some super side-eye!
ReplyDeleteInteresting book; thanks for the review.
Wow, Erin, what a great selfie this week! Looking kind of coy?? Hmmm, are you trying to butter up someone?? MOL!
ReplyDeleteThat book sounds like a fun lets read it all at one sitting kind of read:)
Heavenly Purrs!
AngelsWBS
A great review and this will be added to our list. Goodness our list is long
ReplyDeleteThat is a lovely selfie, and the book sounds good too.
ReplyDeleteI adore your book reviews and bookish selfies too!
ReplyDeleteERin we haz seen manee a selfee oh ewe N yur gorgeouz self but we gotta say thiz onez
ReplyDeleteone oh de best ;)
N sew doez mizzuz H haza cloo bout her own miss tree with de sheetz !!! ???? ☺☺☺ ♥♥♥
I sure enjoy your book reviews, Princess. That plot reminds Mom of a Sherlock Holmes mystery she saw on the black moving screen not too long ago. It revolved around a large diamond that went missing while being transported on a train. Purrsonally, I think us pussycats are the real jewels of the world and worth far more. Tee hee hee.
ReplyDeleteLoves and kisses from your floofy Prince
Did your Human read the book to you? My Human is always reading but she never reads aloud to me. And maybe that's just as well since she reads a whole lot of boring stuff. But this book sounds pretty good. I think I'd like it.
ReplyDeleteInquiring minds want to know ... do you read the book yourself, ERin or does Mrs. H read it to you? OR do you have some kind of book custody sharing protocol such that you both read it separately?
ReplyDeleteAhh, well there you have it and maybe yet do not.... As a feline I do of course feel every blow; every turn of the screw and nuance of plot twist, squeak and turn. Mrs H sees somethings yet I see the all, for what they are. As to book custody, well, if there is to custard with anything then I have first dibs. Do you???
DeletePurrs
ERin