Peg Herring

Review from Badelynge.
Being a massive fanboy of Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) for the last four decades or so, a book featuring a dead detective should be an attractive prospect for me. I'm not comparing them though as they are two quite different beasts when all is read and done. Peg Herring's Dead Detective is a guy called Seamus who operates from a limbo between life and death cunningly incorporated as a swanky ocean liner. At the behest of the newly dead he takes on cases that resolve the show more recently deceased's unfinished business, in this case the suspicious death of a rich business man called Dunbar. This time he has to take along a headstrong female rookie called Mildred to help in his investigation. Dead for the Money is solidly written with well fleshed characters but is sabotaged from within by its own format. The Dead Detective goes about his business by hiding in the minds of the likely suspects or witnesses. In a way he inhabits the same sort of perspective as the reader and he's almost as helpless to influence events. In fact ninety percent of the time it's easy to forget Seamus and Mildred are part of the narrative at all. Ghostly gumshoes aside, the story still has a lot going for it; Dunbar's grandchildren Bud & Brodie are engaging and the story does build up to a thrilling finale.
This review is from a Goodread's giveaway. show less

1546. When one of her maid is killed presumably by the same person who has killed before, 13 year old Princess Elizabeth decides she wants to investigate. With the help of the physician's son Simon Maldon and Captain of the Guards Hugh Bellows, they question all who they can, including the suspects, and pool their answers to determine the guilty party.
I enjoyed this historical mystery, a good solid start to the series, and look forward to reading the next one.

This was a nice light read. It had few areas that were a bit slow and a few historical errors. I feel what irritated me at times was the reminders that these were 'children' solving this crime. The character development was complete and there was no need to be reminded, which was done in an interrupting way at times. It had a few nice turns, likeable characters and a quick pace.

It's not often that you stumble across a book that takes you completely by surprise. This is one of those few and far between books. Peg Herring created a wonderful new series with such an array of interesting and quirky characters.

I have great hopes for the rest of this series and am eagerly awaiting the next installment. And to my joy, there are two more books in this series waiting to be read.

The prptagonist was a highly unlikely character. Loser is homeless and she only speaks 30 words show more a day. It made solving the mystery quite a challenge. show less