Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About James Leipfold

 

Title: The Leipfold Files

Series: Leipfold Mysteries

Author: Dane Cobain

Published: 2022

Genre: Mystery

My Thoughts: This third installment in the Leipfold Mysteries, is a collection of short stories from the life of James Leipfold starting with his first meeting with Jack Cholmondeley. Leipfold has lived a tough life, nothing ever seems to go quite right for him, but every time he tries to give up, life puts him back on his feet. The world needs James Leipfold. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was touched by some stories, and angered by others. I found Maile's "side quest" engrossing, and the hunt of the gnomes ridiculous. These stories add a depth and perspective to the series as a whole which helps to round out side characters, and explain main characters' motivations. 

Definitely a must read for fans of Leipfold and Maile. 

Rating:

Dating Fears Justified

 

Title: The Tower Hill Terror

Series: Leipfold Mysteries

Author: Dane Cobain

Published: 2020

Pages: 236

Genre: Mystery

Goodreads Blurb: Meet private detective James Leipfold, computer whizzkid Maile O'Hara and good-natured cop Jack Cholmondeley in the Leipfold series.

Putting their differences aside, and brought together by a shared love of crosswords and busting bad guys, Maile and Leipfold investigate. But not all is as it seems, as they soon find out to their peril.

My Thoughts: Big fan of Leipfold and Maile here. Cobain could write a book where they do nothing but crosswords, and I would read it. With two main characters so well established that they almost seem to step off the page, this story could be nothing but brilliant. And it was.

Definitely a grittier, more horrifying mystery. This time Leipfold and Maile, with the aide of Cholmondeley, investigate what seems to be a serial killer with a penchant for body mutilation. It's gross stuff. And when Maile's own roommate goes missing, it becomes downright terrifying. Thankfully, Leipfold and Maile are on the case.

As it becomes clear that the killers (yeah there's two) are choosing their victims from dating sites the mystery begins to feel a little too close to home. This could actually happen, and I don't have a roommate who works for a detective. 

Leipfold manages to save the day at the last possible second (best scene in the book), Maile and Kate can go back to living their "normal" lives, and the reader is forever scared of dating apps.

Highly recommend to fans of adult mysteries who don't mind the occasional swear word. 

Rating:

Solid Mystery, Superb Detective

 

Title: Driven

Series: Leipfold Mysteries

Author: Dane Cobain

Published: 2017

Pages: 247

Genre: Mystery

Goodreads Blurb: Meet private detective James Leipfold, computer whizzkid Maile O'Hara and good-natured cop Jack Cholmondeley in the first book of the Leipfold series. A car strikes in the middle of the night and a young actress lies dead in the road. The police force thinks it's an accident, but Maile and Leipfold aren't so sure. Putting their differences aside, and brought together by a shared love of crosswords and busting bad guys, Maile and Leipfold investigate. But not all is as it seems, as they soon find out to their peril...

My Thoughts: I love a good mystery. When I was young I read every Nancy Drew I could find. As a teenager I sped through all of Sherlock Holmes, and later in college I started to appreciate Agatha Christie. Yet, for some reason over the last few years I have forgotten my love of mystery and snappy detectives. I'm happy to report that Cobain's Driven has rekindled my interest in the genre, and given me another grumpy-yet-endearing detective to love. 

This mystery was woven together with great skill. In true Agatha Christie fashion, no one is quite what they seem, and everyone has motive. Throughout the story several themes prevail, I'll focus on three. First, desperation can drive anyone to recklessness; second, appearances don't necessarily belie personality; and third, humans are not solitary creatures.

In my experience reckless or rash behavior is often the result of someone who feels they have no other options. However, I have also found that there is usually always more than one option, you might just find it uncomfortable or degrading. For example, the death of Donna Thompson was the result of several people who were not willing to "work things out" due to their own selfish natures. Likewise, the kidnapping of a certain assistant, was the work of a desperate man who didn't fully process or problem-solve his situation. 

When Leipfold first sees Maile he makes a guess of her character based on her appearance, which turns out to be completely wrong. Throughout the story characters such as Donna's mother and the theater manager portray themselves as prim and proper out in public, but become quite different in their personal lives. In a similar way Leipfold sees himself as a sort of curmudgeon, toxic to other people, and best left alone. However, as both the reader and Leipfold warm up to Maile, we learn this isn't the case. Which leads us to theme four.

Leipfold works alone. Possibly due to his rather prickly exterior, possibly due to preference. But, it isn't going well, his business is failing, his health is degrading, and he isn't happy. It isn't until he "hires" Maile that his life takes a turn for the better. Maile's computer skills alone could have saved the business, but she doesn't do anything halfway. I loved the interactions between these two as a competent yet unusual crime solving duo. Sometimes just because you can do something alone, doesn't mean you should. 

The only off-putting part of this book was the cursing. I recognize this was the author's choice and that swear words have different functions depending on location. I, however, could have done without them.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Driven and look forward to reading the rest of the Leipfold Mysteries series. I would recommend to adult mystery lovers.

Rating: 

In 'Death at Friar's Inn,' Rob Keeley weaves a stimulating mystery against a legal backdrop

Title: Death at Friar's Inn

Author: Rob Keeley

Published: March 10, 2022

Pages: 107

Genre: Mystery

Buy Death at Friar's Inn

What Goodreads has to say:

Dinner at an Inn of Court takes an unusual turn when a corpse falls onto the Benchers’ Table. A battleaxe and a rubber glove are found at the scene. A trophy has been stolen. But who could have wanted the Porter dead – and why?

Aspiring barristers Tom and Becca set out to investigate. But another murder isn’t far away...

Rob Keeley is an established award-winning author of children’s novels, short stories and picture books, including the Spirits series. Other credits include the award-listed stage play Mr. Everyone, and Chain Gang and Newsjack for BBC Radio. Death At Friar’s Inn is his first novel for adults and draws on his own experiences training as a barrister.

What I have to say:

Who doesn't love a good mystery? Whether it's Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie, the best mystery writers present complicated characters and intricate webs of unraveling deception in atmospheric settings. And we love them for it.

Rob Keeley's Death at Friar's Inn checks all those boxes: a murder mystery set at a historic inn, featuring a cast of characters who all have something to hide. 

This may be the author's first book for adults, but it's definitely not his first mystery. After Childish Spirits--a mysterious MG ghost story that I absolutely adored; and The Treasure in the Tower--a MG story about a treasure hunt, it's no surprise that his first book for adults is a murder mystery in a historic setting.

When aspiring barrister (that's a type of lawyer, you're welcome) Tom decides to investigate a death he witnessed at a prestigious student dinner at Friar's Inn, he may get more than he bargained for. Not only does Tom himself end up falling suspect because he, you know, was caught holding the evidence at the scene of the crime; he also has to deal with Becca: a gorgeous but devilishly sly fellow law student who's already bested him in a mock trial, not to mention exacerbated his allergies with a scented tissue. 

It's funny, well-paced, and had enough twists and turns to keep me  guessing. Just about every character fell under suspicion at some point, which is just how I like it. And while I can't say the final reveal completely blindsided me (I had my suspicions but was by no means certain), it did take me by surprise, and there may even have been a slight intake of breath. 

I'm giving this one three trees (good), because while it was a very fun read and a clever, well-structured mystery, the author has set a high standard for his own books to live up to. While the character dynamics, especially between Tom and his roommate and Tom and Becca, were fun, I didn't fall in love with the characters the way I did in the Spirits series, and while I loved the historic setting, I felt it could have been played up a bit for more atmosphere, which I know the author can do very well because he's done it in, again, the Spirits series. (I guess if you get nothing else from this review, you should take my recommendation to read the Spirits series.)

Also, I feel like I'm getting too lax with the 4 and 5-tree ratings, and we need to vary things up. 

But at the end of the day, would I recommend this as a stimulating, slightly spooky but not too scary mystery? Absolutely.

Rating:

Rob Keeley's 'The Treasure in the Tower' is exactly the right kind of MG story--and awakened my inner Anglophile

Title: The Treasure in the Tower

Author: Rob Keeley

Genre: MG mystery

Buy The Treasure in the Tower

What Goodreads has to say:

A school trip to historic Deanchester becomes more exciting when Jess and her friends discover the city hides a secret treasure. Local historian Dr. Joseph Pyrite left a series of clues scattered around Deanchester’s landmarks, which Jess, Mason and Kessie are determined to solve. But they only have three days. And they have competition. A series of increasingly cunning tricks awaits Jess and her party as they try to beat Perdita and Thomas to the treasure.

What I have to say:

I always know a book by Rob Keeley will be fun, heartwarming, and full of twists--and The Treasure in the Tower was no exception. This middle-grade story about a group of students who decide to hunt for a long-lost treasure while on their school fieldtrip is a delightful adventure that kept me guessing and smiling. 

Sometimes MG books like this are just the kind of read you need: charming, breezy, and exciting without getting too intense. I was caught up in Jess's search for the treasure and amused by the various mishaps she and the others got into, but I didn't have to worry that serious harm would befall any of my favorite characters. (The worst thing that happens is someone gets doused with cold tomato soup.)

The characters are fun. Jess is determined but ethical in her pursuit of the treasure, whereas her arch nemesis Perdita, for all her sense of superiority, is not above cheating. Perdita's accomplice Thomas might have been my favorite, even though he's technically "the enemy." Though he is working against Jess for most of the book, it's only because he gets pushed around easily and Perdita ropes him into it. And unlike Perdita, he does feel bad about cheating. Mason, Jess's "evil twin" is also a fun character.

Also, can I just say how much I love seeing illustrations in chapter books? I love collecting illustrated novels and really think we should bring that trend back. The Treasure in the Tower has simple, whimsical black and white drawings by Simon Goodway that add yet another layer of charm to the story.

Unlike Perdita, I may be above cheating, but as an American, I'm not above being an Anglophile, and I guess there's something enchanting to me about a group of school children on a treasure hunt in a historic English town (even if I had to put up with a few Briticisms along the way). It makes me want to take another trip to England--and maybe go on a treasure hunt myself if the opportunity presents itself.

Rating:

"Kill Order" a Short Story prequel to "Death by Midnight"

 Kill Order

by Nicole Nadeau

Kill Order by Nicole Nadeau is a short story prequel to her novel Death by Midnight. The story gives the reader a front row seat to Ivan Komarov's inner turmoil over being the son his father wants, and being himself. 

The story begins with Ivan trailing a woman through the streets of a town in Siberia, Russia on December 23rd. He feels nothing as he tracks her movements, and eventually aids his father's goons in her kidnapping. To him she's just another jump he has to make to please his father, until he's asked to end her life. Suddenly Ivan isn't sure about his father's rules, the gun feels heavy and cold in his hands, and he stares with numb horror at the woman sobbing on the ground. It's at this pivotal moment that Ivan chooses himself over his father's commands. He lowers the gun, only to watch the woman be murdered by his father. 

The narrative continues as Alexei (Ivan's father) advances with his plan - a meeting with a blackmailed doctor who believes he is getting his wife back in return for a briefcase filled with an unknown item. The switch takes place on Christmas day, illustrating just how little Alexei cares for others, including his own son. While Christmas is usually a time for family and joy, the Komarovs' is filled with death and deceit, anything to bring Alexei closer to his revenge. 

I thought the story did a good job of further showing how different Ivan is from Alexei. They may be related, and have many of the same ideals, but Ivan is not his father. Ivan has not yet murdered an innocent in cold blood. Even though he has been raised to be a carbon copy of his father, Ivan is not. He is uniquely himself, and he can be redeemed. 

Ivan definitely has some Draco Malfoy vibes going on, although I feel that Lucius is a much better father than Alexei, which is saying something. Maybe having a living wife helps. 

Rating: 4/5 trees. An excellent prequel to an excellent story.