Book Review: Murder by Degrees by Ritu Mukerji

 

From the publisher:

Philadelphia, 1875: It is the start of term at Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. Dr. Lydia Weston, professor and anatomist, is immersed in teaching her students in the lecture hall and hospital. When the body of a patient, Anna Ward, is dredged out of the Schuylkill River, the young chambermaid’s death is deemed a suicide. But Lydia is suspicious and she is soon brought into the police investigation.

Aided by a diary filled with cryptic passages of poetry, Lydia discovers more about the young woman she thought she knew. Through her skill at the autopsy table and her clinical acumen, Lydia draws nearer the truth. Soon a terrible secret, long hidden, will be revealed. But Lydia must act quickly, before she becomes the next target of those who wished to silence Anna.

Murder by Degrees by Ritu Mukerji was published October 17th, 2023 by Simon & Schuster. 

My Thoughts: This is an enjoyable historical mystery. I really liked Dr. Lydia Weston. She was smart and sympathetic. She worked well with the police. I appreciated that she didn't do much investigating on her own. i liked seeing how the attitude from some of the police changed over the course of the book. It was notable that they chose to consult her in the first place. I liked that not all the men she encountered treated her in a condescending manner.

The plot moved along at a good pace The twists worked well. I was surprised at the ending. The details of her actions as a doctor and investigator made it more real. Overall, it is well-written. 

I gave it 5 stars out of 5. I would definitely recommend this book to people who like a good historical mystery with a strong female protagonist. I look forward to seeing where Ritu Mukerji takes Dr. Weston from here.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #438: Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes

 

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:

From the diabolical imagination of Edgar Award–winning novelist, playwright, and story-songwriter Rupert Holmes comes a devilish thriller with a killer concept: The McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts, a luxurious, clandestine college dedicated to the fine art of murder where earnest students study how best to “delete” their most deserving victim.

Who hasn’t wondered for a split second what the world would be like if a person who is the object of your affliction ceased to exist? But then you’ve probably never heard of The McMasters Conservatory, dedicated to the consummate execution of the homicidal arts. To gain admission, a student must have an ethical reason for erasing someone who deeply deserves a fate no worse (nor better) than death. The campus of this “Poison Ivy League” college—its location unknown to even those who study there—is where you might find yourself the practice target of a classmate…and where one’s mandatory graduation thesis is getting away with the perfect murder of someone whose death will make the world a much better place to live.

Prepare for an education you’ll never forget. A delightful mix of witty wordplay, breathtaking twists and genuine intrigue, Murder Your Employer will gain you admission into a wholly original world, cocooned within the most entertaining book about well-intentioned would-be murderers you’ll ever read.

Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes is expected out February 21st, 2023 from Avid Reader Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the sound of it being witty, twisty, intriguing, and original. "Rupert Holmes brings his wickedly clever storytelling talents to this outrageous and darkly comic mystery set in a secret, idyllic campus where students learn how to “do in others as you would have others do you in.”

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman

 

Magic happens whether you want it to or not. Sally doesn't want anything to do with magic and especially the family curse. She raised her daughters this way. They had no idea what was going on when the curse activated. And that opened a Pandora's box of events. 

I looked forward to visiting with these characters. I was not disappointed. I pretty much loved them all. I liked that many, if not all of them, experienced growth in this book. 

Parts of the book were slower than others, but it suited the story. By the time you get to the end it was flying. 

I liked the continuation of the difference between the Owens natural magic and the darker magic that was found in the book. And I liked the way the author tied up all the loose ends in the series in this finale.

I gave this book 5 stars. I enjoyed reading it and will miss the characters. If you have read other books in the series and enjoyed them, this one is a must read. If this is your first book in the series: it could be read as a standalone, but reading the other books first will make it a richer experience. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Teaser Tuesday: The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Though Jet didn't work in the library officially, she was a great favorite with the young patrons. She had the ability to know what people were thinking, and therefore understood that boys who were rude were usually fearful and that quiet girls often had a lot to say. She frequently stopped by to help young people choose books, guiding them to stories that contained magic of the best sort, practical magic that was folded into the everyday world, tales in which people stumbled into enchantments, often while walking down the street in their own hometown, or when they stepped into closets that contained other worlds, or waited for a train that would take them to a place they'd never before imagined.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The last rule stopped Franny cold. “How is this possible?” she asked. “We’re cursed.” 

“Anything whole can be broken,” Isabelle told her. “And anything broken can be put back together again. That is the meaning of Abracadabra. I create what I speak.” (p. 58)

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman was published October 10th, 2017 by Simon & Schuster.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!