Reading Challenge: Virtual Mount TBR

Books that I don’t own but that I borrow from somewhere, have their own challenge.

  • Challenge Website: Link
  • Goal: 12
  • Challenge Post: Link

Galapagos Gone

LauraLeave a Comment on Galapagos Gone
Galapagos Gone
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, Book # 6
Poisoned Pen Press
April 14th 2019
eBook
152
English
December 11, 2022 December 22, 2022
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When Detective Virginia Holmes and her plucky assistant take on an investigation in the Galapagos islands, they quickly find themselves embroiled in a dispute that goes back generations … and leads to more than a few grisly revelations. Secret clues, giant tortoises, and a few murders will keep the world's greatest detective busy while she's piecing together the truth!

For curious readers new to the Virginia Holmes series, this is the PERFECT book to start your adventures with Detective Virginia Holmes and Samantha Fox!
(my comment about the last sentence: please don't, read them chronologically)

What I think

Nice, too descriptive, but understandable given the place where we are. Some things were easy to understand before the final explanation, (also because a fact was taken up by Bones or rather that part was also in Bones so the solution was clear to me).

Scarecrow Calling

LauraLeave a Comment on Scarecrow Calling
Scarecrow Calling
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, Book # 5
Poisoned Pen Press
January 29th 2019
eBook
99
English
December 8, 2022 December 10, 2022
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The past has come to haunt Detective Virginia Holmes as the infamous Scarecrow Killer strikes again … and this time, Holmes is the victim! With poison running through her body and only hours to live, she'll need to employ every trick in the book if she wants to solve this case!

What I think

Hmm that the beginning is always the same, the author who always says to go and read the previous books, is a pain in the ass! Especially in this 5th story. Especially when you’re reading the complete series in one book. Sure she wrote them and maybe published them at different times but what a bummer!

The case could have been interesting but I find certain ideas of the author, childish. First of all, if Fox says metaphors and no one understands them in the book, you must at least write in such a way that the reader doesn’t understand them either or, else, someone in the book understands them, because like this, the characters all look like idiots.

Second, if the poison has damaged Holmes’s stomach, she can’t get well right away…

And then it was clear that the killer was *** (spoiler, so I’m not saying). It would have been 5 stars if it weren’t for these things.

Iced Out in Iceland

LauraLeave a Comment on Iced Out in Iceland
Iced Out in Iceland
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, Book # 4
Poisoned Pen Press
December 7th 2018
eBook
180
English
December 1, 2022 December 7, 2022
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When a grisly murder occurs in a remote Icelandic town, it's up to Detective Virginia Holmes to fit together the pieces! But with no leads and only a few clues, she'll have to dig deep into the town's history. What she finds is almost as explosive as the volcano threatening to erupt at any moment …

What I think

Nice, but nothing special. Yep, really small review.

Deadly Odds

LauraLeave a Comment on Deadly Odds
Deadly Odds
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, Book # 3
Poisoned Pen Press
September 1st 2018
eBook
159
English
November 9, 2022 November 12, 2022
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An ancient chalice. A missing man. A mysterious death ...

Retired detective Virginia Holmes arrives in Las Vegas and quickly finds herself taking on more than she bargained for! With the help of her plucky assistant, she'll need to uncover the mystery of an ancient artefact if she has any hope of finding an important executive who's gone missing in the Sin City. But the closer they get to the truth, the faster the bodies pile up.

And if she's not careful, Holmes will be next!

What I think

I liked the story. That “that person” **** (sorry spoiler) was obvious but at least it wasn’t the usual story of disappearance. I enjoyed the background story and maybe, just like Holmes, I also like the cases set in history.

The Vanishing Spy

LauraLeave a Comment on The Vanishing Spy
The Vanishing Spy
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, Book # 2
Poisoned Pen Press
August 1st 2018
eBook
152
English
November 13, 2022 November 22, 2022
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A murdered French butler. A missing skeleton key. For retired detective Virginia Holmes, this case should be no problem. But when Holmes and her assistant travel to France to investigate, the sleuths find themselves embroiled in a far deeper mystery that leads all the way back to the French Resistance of World War II. Spies. Nazis. Deception. And a town that may hold a terrible secret.

What I think

As for the first book, also this story is very well done. We are in France during the Second World War and the occupation of French soil by the Nazis. Our protagonist is a Jew born in France but who studied in England and is part of the French resistance.

Holmes and Fox have been called by the son of the resistance’s second-in-command to find a key.

Women investigate and find much more than just a key.

I liked the chapters alternating between the present and the past, I liked how the final result was discovered and even if not rich in descriptions, the story is not too fast and turned out well.