Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

This is an amazing book that actually mixed the occult with murder and mystery without offering the standard story line people normally expect. All chapters were short but always ended either with an ominous tone or a suspenseful phrase that made the reader want to proceed to the next one. It also weaved the story of several families - a widow with 2 kids, a mother from a different century, a couple whose stash were found in the house, an artist and her photographer husband, an unstable woman and finally a "witch" whose presence have caused all the havoc that brought these lives together. Creepy but well told.

Under My Skin by Sabine Durrant

The start had the narrator mumbling some random thoughts that I believe tended to confuse rather than explain the main character's present situation. However, after the dead body is found during her walk, things pick up quickly. As the story progress, I start getting impatient with the lady for her lack of perception on what seems to be very obvious. And the trauma she had to endure! This is, however, explained at the very end. Everything falls right in place with the way a secondary character explains what has really happened . The beauty of it all was how the truth was clarified in print (Yes, folks! In print!) and how it actually paved the way for the success of "the master plan" ! Ah! Revenge is so sweet and to actually get away with it! Such bliss! To me - unscrupulous individuals just deserve death!

No Time to Say Goodbye by Barclay Linwood

25 years ago a very recalcitrant teen name Cynthia Bigge, comes home defiantly in a drunken stupor only to wake up to the surprise of her life. Her whole family vanishes without a trace ! Twenty-five years later she is now a married woman raising a daughter with her husband, Terrence Archer , who teaches in one of those undesirable schools . Her husband is so intrigued by what has transpired in the past that he took upon himself to contact a TV station to reopen the case and search for clues. This has then opened a can of worms and starts haunting Cynthia again.

The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

This  is a collection of novelettes made by famous writers with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as central characters. May I point out one well known author, Mr. Stephen King , who was included in this anthology. I owe Mr. King an apology when I thought he has copied another writer's story line with "The Doctor's Case". Fortunately one mystery enthusiast who frequented another mystery forum informed me that the reason it sounded familiar was because it was already published in King's other collection , "Nightmares and Dreamscapes".

The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard

Okay! Do not be thrown off by this pathetic title. This is actually an excellent murder mystery by Nancy Pickard. Though I wasn't  thrilled with her previous work, I have to admit I was pretty impressed with this one. The story starts in 1987 during a blizzard. While rounding up newborn calves , the sheriff of Small Plains and his teenage sons, Rex and Patrick, discover the naked frozen body of a beautiful teenage girl. Recognizing the dead girl and fearing that the killer is someone they know and need to "protect", they bash the girl's face with the help of the town's doctor and leave her in the snow to be later "discovered" by someone.

Murder on the Cliffs by Joanna Challis

This novel features a young Daphne Du Maurier in a fictionalized murder mystery. Her future husband is included in the storyline though a romantic atmosphere is not yet created. I suspect the author is planning a sequel which would gradually address their romantic relationship in future stories. But then again, that is only my opinion.

Hello and welcome to my Murder Mystery Blog!

I had a wonderful blog that was supposed to showcase my thoughts on several mystery novels and suspense-filled movies that entertained me in the past. However, to make a painful story short, I accidentally deleted my old blog as I was carefully (in my dreams) transferring it to my google account. Alas! I had to redo it!