Vivian Conroy's Diamonds of Death (Tuesday Intros & Teaser Tuesday)

I don't typically read mystery series installments close together. I typically stagger them out so I can savor them and not have to so extended periods of time longing for another installment. Of course, this tends to get me into issues of being ridiculously far behind with things so when the second of Vivian Conroy's Lady Alkmene Callendar mysteries popped up on NetGalley I jumped on the request button -- in spite of the fact that I had only read (and hugely enjoyed) the first one just over a month ago.

Once again we see Lady Alkmene team up with reporter Jake Dubois to solve a murder. I loved the first book in the series and I've loved this one just as much and possibly even more. Alkmene's character is stronger here and, even though he's not as front-and-center, I felt that we get to know a lot more about who Jake is, as well.  

Anyway, Jake wants to solve the murder in question because he knows the accused -- a cat burglar who literally fell over the body while attempting to steal a safe full of jewels. He admits that Mac is a thief (and a talented one, at that), but believes that he wouldn't have killed Lord Winters even if caught in the act. He enlists Lady Alkmene's help in gaining entry to the house -- which shouldn't be too difficult since Lord Winters had been married to her mother's half-sister. Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Aside from the occasional unanswered correspondence from her cousin, Anne, Alkmene didn't associate with the family and had never met them. For Jake, though, I have a feeling that she would do just about anything -- especially if a little detective work is involved.

"First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" is the first paragraph (or two) of a book being read now or in the future and is hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea.  "Teaser Tuesday" from Books and a Beat asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read. (This week the tease is from the 10% mark.)

From the get-go things are uneasy at the Winter estate. Luckily, Jake is there with her posing as her driver so it isn't all dreadful. I love the relationship between Jake and Alkmene. They had a pretty rough start of it in A Proposal to Die For, but their relationship grew into a fun friendship and partnership and it's only strengthened during Diamonds of Death. They tease each other relentlessly, but also show signs of genuinely caring about each other. This is especially important here because there's still a murderer lingering about and, quite frankly, Alkmene's family is a bit on the whackjob side. Without Jake there, I'm not sure she would have survived the ordeal! There are so many secrets that come tumbling out about them all and it's difficult to discern who's being honest and who isn't. It seems as though spending any amount of "quality time" alone with them could turn anyone a bit crazy .... or dead ....

Once again, Vivian Conroy kept me guessing and kept me riveted to the very end. There's one more Lady Alkmene (and, of course, my book-crush Jake Dubois) book due out in November and certainly hope that there will be many more to come after that!