Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library , by Amanda Chapman

 

Publication August 26, 2025

First, an admission. I clicked to review this thinking it was a follow-up to another book I'd recently read where Agatha Christie was a very alive character set in her time frame. Imagine my surprise to discover that Christie, who actually plays a much larger role in this book then the one I'd read, is a, well, ghost. Oops. My mistake. One I'm glad I made. I found myself much more caught up in this story than I'd imagined I'd be and enjoyed it a great deal. Ghost Christie is still on top of her sleuthing game, not to mention remembers all her poisons well. She's someone I wouldn't mind knowing, even if I had to settle for the ghostly version.

I won't delve deeply into the plot. It's in that book blurb I neglected to read.  It involves a ghost showing up in Tory Van Dyne's beloved Mystery Guild Library and saying she's bored in the great beyond and is there to help Tory solve a murder, one that hasn't happened yet. Unfortunately, whatever knowledge of the murder she may have had in the great beyond doesn't follow along to the library's dedicated Christie room. Of course, there's a murder. Next thing you know Tory and Christie are being joined by one of the most unlikely sleuthing groups you could imagine. There's Tory, of course, her quirky, self-absorbed socialite/actress sister Nic, Tory's snarky librarian friend, a poorly dressed (in Tory's opinion) NYPD detective, and, no lie, an eleven-year old computer wiz with a father who not only isn't fazed by his daughter's new friends but looks like Colin Farrell. There's even a romance brewing, albeit it's set on slow burn given Tory's own demons. As for the spirited Christie, who is visible to all and quite physically there, she's both listener and sharer of info, not to mention quotes from her books. 

That's all I'm saying other than, no surprise, there's another murder.  Nic seems to be a likely target and, surprisingly, shows a side of her that hasn't really been visible until near the end. I liked these quirky, less than perfect characters. Heck, even the wealthy Van Dyne family's chauffeur is personable,. As for Agatha Christie, let's face it, while unsure of who she is, all the others find her quite comforting with her ability to listen and offer concern. The setting was fun, both the library room created to mirror Christie's real-life office, and the New York setting added fun as we tackle how to get around in one of the most crowed cities in the world. You'll even get to meet library "cats" Patience and Fortitude. If you don't know about them, you will when you finish. Thanks to #BerkleyPublishingGroup for giving me this unexpectedly delightful early look. Hoping this is the start of a series. Well done!

 

N Is for New York City, by Adina Oberman, Volha Kaliaha (illustrator)

 

Publication August 1, 2024

Even though I've never been to NYC, I found myself nodding in approval at each letter choice. They're largely easily identifiable with the city and the illustrations used matched them perfectly. I don't want to give away the choices, albeit the cover gives some big hints. Oh, okay, we've all heard of the Yankees, so there's the "Y". The "Z" was a pretty cool choice, too, and so NYC. I liked the diversity, variation, and use of color. Little reading aside from the matching word(s) for each letter, so an easy, fun one to skim through, then go back through time and time again. If you're planning a trip to NYC, this would be a great preview, I'd say. Fun filled and captures the city nicely. Thanks #NetGalley and #Familius for this early peek at the city that truly seems never to sleep.

That's So New York: Short (and Very Short) Stories about the Greatest City on Earth, by Dan Saltzstein

 

Publication March 12, 2024

Illustrations by Emily Carpenter, design by Jon Glick

Anything can and does happen in New York. Some are improbable, like the person stepping on a rat and getting a sort of skateboard ride, or having Sting sit down beside you at a club show. I've never been to NYC but have friends there and have, of course, visited virtually many times via the screen, most recently an upscale area hosting the show "Only Murders in the Building". I'm leaning toward thinking I'd be more at home in the "In the Heights" area, however. I do have friends who frequent NYC and based on their stories and photos would have to say this book captures the reality, good and bad, and humor nicely.

It definitely does an excellent job of capturing random moments, both in words and artwork. To be honest, I was probably more captivated by the seemingly always in motion, colorful, diverse illustrations. The colors and vibes seemed to almost jump out at you at time. The accompanying blurbs/captions were often humorous and to the point, whether capturing street scenes or riding the subway. It was definitely interesting to discover that having a bladder of steel might be a must qualification for subway operators. And, oh, my, the stories from the woman involved in pest removal. Rats! Let's just say, rats seem to be a dominant thread of NYC memories. 

Oddly enough, while negative memories were frequent shares, that actually made the book all the more powerful. Heaven only knows there are plenty of commercially prepared raves about not just NYC but just about any local. The negatives somehow seemed to blur into a blurred memory of mixed feelings. Maybe a sense of "Yeah, we got rats. So what? They're our rats." Overall, of course, the book is positive, maybe not quite a love letter to New York City but definitely a positive remembrance. I mean, even Sully doing an emergency landing on the Hudson River was somehow initially momentarily viewed as an "Are they filming a movie?" scene. Yes, definitely only in NYC could a large passenger plane landing on a major river be seen as just another movie scene. Thanks #NetGalley and #ChronicleBooks for the unpredictable virtual tour. I still want to hear more about Molly Jong-Fast's haunted childhood home, of course.

In Sunshine or in Shadow: A Molly Murphy Mystery (Molly Murphy Mysteries, 20), by Rhys Bowen , Clare Broyles

 

Publication March 12, 2024

On the surface, the plot seems rather straightforward. Who killed the wannabe husband of Mira? There are multiple suspects and Molly Murphy Sullivan, albeit pregnant and relatively retired from her detective business, is on the spot to investigate. It's much more than that, however.

While the murder investigation is intriguing, the various facets of the plot are equally so. The expectations and roles of women in 1908 and discrimination against Jews are prominent. The relationship between Sid and Gus, aka Elena and Augusta, isn't spelled out but is clear. So, too, is their support of the women's movement and environmental issues. Then there's the history aspect of the earliest formation of what might be called a Jewish enclave in the Catskills of upper New York. The early idea of building get-away homes/cabins is addressed. 

In other words, there's much to take in while pondering whodunit.It's actually been awhile since I've revisited Molly's world but I immediately felt comfortable as I caught up on past events, including her current pregnancy. The authors' descriptions of characters and the settings were lovely, especially in contrast to Molly's usual location in NYC. I could just imagine bouncing along in a horse drawn carriage in the beautifully described areas, much of it park land. You'll also sense Molly's unease at what she's gotten herself into when she stumbles into an environmental protest in the middle-of-nowhere. For someone determined to take it easy this pregnancy, she does have a way of forgetting. Husband Daniel, of course, makes an appearance, partly to help the local police and partly because, quite frankly, he misses his wife and family. I mean, he sent them away to his mother's to avoid the spread of typhoid in the city but Molly still manages to endanger herself. 

I won't detail the plot as it's quite interconnected and I don't want to give away anything. The history aspects of the story, of course, appealed to the ol' history major in me as did the well rounded characters. Rhys Bowen and daughter Clare Broyles' collaboration works well. I won't stay away as long next time. Thanks #NetGalley and #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for this sneak peak. I enjoyed my trip to the then rustic Catskills.

Only in New York, by Heather Alexander , Joseph Moffat-Peña (Illustrator)

 

Publication Sept. 26, 2023

Wait! What? Whoa! Do you know what Einstein related item is stored in a safe-deposit box in NYC? Answer at end.

What a fun, fascinating read. As I often do, I found myself idly flipping through twice, enjoying the illustrations and any odd facts that seemed to leap to my eyes. That was fun but so was actually reading the book. I've never been to New York, alas, so this was a bit of a perfectly guided virtual tour for me. Beautifully illustrated with info provided in an easy to read format, usually in individual boxes near the related illustration. There's a map, too, at the beginning of our journey that gives you a perspective on locations. Index at the end, too.

I was fascinated. Let's face it, even those of us who've never been to the state know bits and pieces of its storied history and sites. Even so, I found myself taking endless notes as I flipped and then read through more carefully, notes for me to keep, not for this review. Oh, okay, I'll share a few things. Did you know New York is the only state to border both an ocean and Great Lake? Or, and this one will come as a surprise to those who assume if you've seen NYC you know the entire state, 61% of the state is covered by forests? How about the lion statues guarding the entrance to the NY Public Library? Do you know their names? Or how many states you can see from the 102nd floor viewing platform of the Empire State Building? What museum is on a ship? 

Nope, not telling. You're going to have to read this one to find out the answer to that one and so many, many others. For a book targeting children as an audience, it's amazingly well-researched and full of information on everything from the state's history and culture, to its trees and flowers, people, both famous and otherwise, food, and, well, so much more. I definitely appreciated that the people showcased as notable were diverse and covered a wide range of contributions, from political to the accidental "invention" of soft serve ice cream. And, oh, a fact I appreciated living in Alaska, which is prone to earthquakes. New York's strongest quake was in 1944, a 5.9 one. That's nothing to shrug off, trust me.

Bottom line, loved this and will be looking for more on the rest of our diverse, vast nation. Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #QuartoPublishingGroup - #WideEyedEditions for giving me this fascinating virtual tour. And, oh, for those who scrolled down to the answer to my opening question: Einstein's eyeballs!!!