Vivian Conroy's Deadly Treasures (Tuesday Intros & Teaser Tuesday)

I have to say that I'm going to be completely and utterly smashed if Deadly Treasures is the last of Vivian Conroy's Lady Alkmene mysteries. It's the third that I've read since September and the thought of being without new adventures for Alkmene and Jake gets me a bit misty-eyed. 

As has been the case with the others in the series, it's a fabulously told story that constantly had me guessing. Of course, it also doesn't hurt at all that I have an enormous book crush on Jake Dubois. I may have a wee crush on Alkmene, too. Each book sees her a bit more confident and bit spunkier and I love the back and forth between her and Jake (and, well, her and anyone who may underestimate her!).

This latest installment, due out November 21st, sees Alkmene and Jake in Cornwall at the site of an archaeology dig being run by a childhood friend of Alkmene's. He's suspected of murdering someone at the dig site and it's all potentially tied in to an old story of missing gold that may or may not have ever existed.

"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. 

Amazon Description

Lady Alkmene Callender has little interest in marriage, especially when her father is up to his matchmaking tricks, but when the opportunity arises to visit an archaeological dig she cannot resist.

However, when she arrives to find her potential groom under arrest for murder Lady Alkmene begins to wonder if she isn’t in the right place at the right time.

Putting her extensive sleuthing skills to good use, Lady Alkmene along with reporter Jake Dubois, starts to investigate hoping to uncover the real killer before she too ends up six feet under…

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!

Vivian Conroy's A Proposal to Die For (Book Beginnings & Friday 56)

Friday 56 (share from the 56th page or 56% mark) is hosted at Freda's Voice (today 56% on the Kindle app) 
& Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader

Amazon Description

With her father away in India, Lady Alkmene Callender finds being left to her own devices in London intolerably dull, until the glamorous Broadway star Evelyn Steinbeck arrives in town! Gossip abounds about the New York socialite, but when Ms Steinbeck’s wealthy uncle, Silas Norwhich, is found dead Lady Alkmene finds her interest is piqued. Because this death sounds a lot to her like murder…
Desperate to uncover the truth, Lady Alkmene begins to look into Ms Steinbeck’s past – only to be hampered by the arrival of journalist, Jake Dubois – who believes she is merely an amateur lady-detective meddling in matters she knows nothing about!
But Lady Alkmene refuses to be deterred from the case and together they dig deeper, only to discover that some secrets should never come to light…

******

I wasn't sure when I first saw this on NetGalley if I was going to request it. After all, how many mystery series do I really need to be reading set in the 1920s? Obviously, more than I was. This is the first of a series of at least three books and I'm already hoping for more! Alkmene has just the right amount of fun and spunk and Jake has just the right amount of hunky gruffness. It's a fairly short read, but has the quality that makes up for the quantity ... and sometimes the shorter books are the perfect books for otherwise potentially dreadful computerless shifts at work.