Review: The Black Swan Mystery

The Black Swan Mystery by Tetsuya Ayukawa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have no idea why it would be called the Black Swan Mystery, since the Black Swan is seldom mentioned and doesn't seem to occupy any sort of pivotal spot or anything.

Plus the train schedules and stations just confused me. It probably would've been a lot more interesting if I were more familiar with the trains and stations, or at least with how they were back in 1959.

The ending was somewhat satisfying, with a smart villain.


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Review: L'assassino è all'ultima pagina

L'assassino è all'ultima pagina by Elena Molini
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A murder mystery for book lovers. If I had the time I'd love to read through it again in detail knowing what the goal of the "Frankenbook" was. I'm also amazed at how much time must have gone into creating this.

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Review: New Tricks

New Tricks by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Still fun and still funny. David Rosenfelt does not disappoint.



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Review: Troppi assassini per una cena

Troppi assassini per una cena by Giulia Gambazzi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok, I always have the issue, with murder mysteries, of keeping the characters straight. I was proud of myself for keeping them straight in this novel (and the author did a good job of portraying them), but then the murder mystery "personas" started taking over, and criss-crossing back and forth, and it became way too much. I bookmarked the page with each person's character, but it was still a lot. I'm guessing that was part of the point.

Otherwise it was good, with twists and turns I didn't really expect, although some of them seemed a bit stretched (and we still use "cenci" here in Tuscany!)

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Review: Aunty Lee's Delights

Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In many ways this is a cute murder mystery, complete with an Auntie Lee is is very nosy and meddlesome and it also always cooking and talking about food.

But in other ways it was just too simplistic and stereotypical, and the plot seemed like a stretch just slapped together at the end.

I'd give it three stories, since it is fun to read, but I can't really recommend it.




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Review: Il Triangolo Estivo

Il Triangolo Estivo by Piero Severi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun book. I was in Bologna and wanted a book by a local author, which is always a gamble.

This was interesting, not predictable, and kept me interested throughout.

A couple of things though:
Maybe I watch too many police TV shows or something, and I'm not all that familiar with Italian law, but I was surprised the author would have the police chief interrogate two people in the same room at the same time. We all know they need to be separated!

Plus the journalist tampering with evidence, removing evidence and constantly interfering with the investigation should totally have been arrested for obstruction or something, if not being an accessory after the fact.


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Review: The Final Curtain

The Final Curtain by Keigo Higashino
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was more than a murder mystery, but I'm not sure what it was. It tied in Detective Kaga's past, and in the end was a story of redemption and upbringing. Someone mentioned this is the final book in the Detective Kaga series, so that may be why.

Regardless, it definitely stands on its own as a murder mystery, with some interesting twists and turns, but in the end all of that becomes secondary. Still, a great novel.


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Review: The Match

The Match by Harlan Coben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fast-paced. A tad far-fetched, but good and engaging.


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Review: Strange Pictures

Strange Pictures by Uketsu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An excellent and original mystery/thriller. I have no idea why I had this in my wish list, but I'm really happy I did.

A multi-part mystery novel involving several crimes, where the clues are all in the pictures (be sure to consult them). This is how a detective novel should be. You have the clues, so how long will it take for you to figure everything out?

If you find this book, pick it up.



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Review: L'angelo di Monaco

L'angelo di Monaco by Fabiano Massimi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Surprisingly interesting book. I can't remember why I had this in my wishlist; I believe it was because I saw the author speak at the Taipei book fair and he spoke about Umberto Eco, so I assumed the book would be in an Umberto Eco style. It isn't, but it was still a great murder mystery - historically accurate and tackling the real murder of Geli Raubal, Hitler's niece.


I look forward to reading more by the author.



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Review: Una lezione di rivalsa (Il delegato di polizia Ezechiele Beretta Vol. 5)

Una lezione di rivalsa (Il delegato di polizia Ezechiele Beretta Vol. 5) by Dario Galimberti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is exactly what I'm looking for when I want a "giallo" from Ticino. A smart mystery, taking into account not only Lugano, and not only a historically accurate Lugano from the 1940s, but also real events that occurred during that time (explained in the final section). Complete with map and glossary of terms (in dialetto) and places.

I look forward to reading more by the author.


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Review: La bambina nel bosco. Un caso per il commissario Malfatti

La bambina nel bosco. Un caso per il commissario Malfatti by Andrea Bertagni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't have any in-depth knowledge of the Swiss criminal system or police procedures, but some of the facts in this story didn't seem to hold much water, such as not blocking off and guarding the crime scene, letting all the witnesses leave town, having an officer with his past handle the case, and, especially, not protecting the victim who fled from the assassin once they were found again (I'm really trying to avoid spoilers here).


Having said that, the pace was fast and it kept me interested and vested throughout.


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Review: Death on Gokumon Island

Death on Gokumon Island by Seishi Yokomizo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another excellent Kindaichi mystery. I may have enjoyed this more than the other ones, despite it being a bit far-fetched.


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Review: I Will Find You

I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good. Fast-paced. A bit far-fetched I guess, but up to the usual Harlan Coben standard.



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Review: The Mill House Murders

The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Entertaining and interesting. I didn't see the twist ending coming.



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Review: Call for the Dead

Call for the Dead by John Le Carré
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first John Le Carré novel, so I decided to start out the George Smiley series. This was good and hit all the marks. I can't say it was earth-shattering, but it was a good steady whodunnit. It will be fun to read others in the series.



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Review: The Dark Vineyard

The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun book, taking place is the French countryside. 3.5 stars.

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Review: Il re dei giochi

Il re dei giochi by Marco Malvaldi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another fun book filled with Tuscan dialog and a mystery that kept me engaged until the end. Definitely better than "il gioco delle tre carte", possibly better than "La briscola in cinque". Regardless, I'll be looking for more of his books.

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Review: Dead Center

Dead Center by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was perfect as a light mystery novel. I forgot how much I enjoyed the Andy Carpenter series. Dry New York (New Jersey) humor combined with a fast-paced detective novel, keeping things up in the air until the end. I admittedly sort of figured out who the killer was early on, but I still enjoyed it. 

4.5 stars

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Review: The Village of Eight Graves

The Village of Eight Graves by Seishi Yokomizo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm not sure why but I didn't enjoy this as much as the other Kindaichi novels I read. 

The story annoyed me in the sense that the two lovers could have run away (as they finally did) earlier. And why didn't they run away together? 

I thought I liked how the narrator told his own story and Kindaichi just popped up here and there, but in the end I'm not sure it really worked well. 

Anyway, too bad. I'll be taking a break but I'll probably read another Kindaichi mystery at some point. 

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