Alphabet in Historical Crime Fiction - B

Here is a second installment of the Alphabet in Historical Crime Fiction. I'll only be listing a few here, not comprehensive by any means. For a more thorough accounting, you can go to www.crimethrutime.com.

~B~

TF Banks

Henry Morton of the Bow Street Runners, in Regency London, England

• The Thief Taker (2001)


• The Emperor’s Assassin (2003)

Stephanie Barron

Jane Austen, a famous author in Regency England

• Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor (1997)


• Jane and the Man of the Cloth (1997)


• Jane and the Wandering Eye (1998)


• Jane and the Genius of the Place (1999)


• Jane and the Stillroom Maid (2000)


• Jane and the Prisoner of Wool House (2001)


• Jane and the Ghosts of Netley (2003)


• Jane and His Lordship’s Legacy (2005)


• Jane and the Barque of Frailty (2006)

Standalones:

• A Flaw in the Blood (2008)


• The White Garden: A Novel of Virginia Woolf (2009)

Simon Beaufort

Sir Geoffrey Mappestone, a knight during the time of the Crusades

• Murder in the Holy City (1998)


• A Head for Poisoning (1999)


• The Bishop’s Brood (2003)


• The King’s Spies (2004)


• The Coiners’ Quarrel (2004)

Albert Bell

Pliny the Younger, a wealthy young aristocrat in 1st century Rome

• All Roads Lead to Murder (2002)


• The Blood of Caesar (2008)

Rhys Bowen

Molly Murphy, an Irish immigrant in early 20th-century who wants to be a private investigator, in New York City

• Murphy’s Law (2001) 2001 Agatha Award for Best Novel


• Death of Riley (2002) Finalist 2002 Agatha Award for Best Novel


• For the Love of Mike (2003)2004 Anthony Award for Best Historical Novel, Finalist 2004 Macavity Award for Best Novel


• In Like Flynn (2005) Finalist 2006 Macavity Award for Best Historical Novel


• Oh Danny Boy (2006) 2007 Macavity Award for Best Historical Novel, Finalist 2007 Barry Award for Best Novel


• In Dublin’s Fair City (2007)


• Tell Me, Pretty Maiden (2008) Finalist 2009 Bruce Alexander Award


• In a Gilded Cage (2009)


• The Last Illusion (due March 2, 2010)

Lady Georgiana, minor royalty in 1930s England

• Her Royal Spyness (2007) Finalist 2007 Agatha Award for Best Novel, Finalist 2008 Macavity Award for Best Historical Novel


• A Royal Pain (2008) 2009 Macavity Award for Best Historical Novel, Finalist 2008 Agatha Award for Best Novel, Finalist 2009 Bruce Alexander Award


• Royal Flush (2009)

Emily Brightwell

Inspector Witherspoon, a policeman, and Mrs. Jeffries, his housekeeper, in Victorian London

• The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries (1993)


• Mrs. Jeffries Dusts for Clues (1993)


• The Ghost and Mrs. Jeffries (1993)


• Mrs. Jeffries Takes Stock (1994)


• Mrs. Jeffries on the Ball (1994)


• Mrs. Jeffries on the Trail (1995)


• Mrs. Jeffries Plays the Cook (1995)


• Mrs. Jeffries and the Missing Alibi (1996)


• Mrs. Jeffries Stands Corrected (1996)


• Mrs. Jeffries Takes the Stage (1997)


• Mrs. Jeffries Questions the Answer (1997)


• Mrs. Jeffries Reveals Her Art (1998)


• Mrs. Jeffries Takes the Cake (1998)


• Mrs. Jeffries Rocks the Boat (1999)


• Mrs. Jeffries Weeds the Plot (2000)


• Mrs. Jeffries Pinches the Post (2001)


• Mrs. Jeffries Pleads Her Case (2003)


• Mrs. Jeffries Sweeps the Chimney (2004)


• Mrs. Jeffries Stalks the Hunter (2004)


• Mrs. Jeffries and the Silent Knight (2005)


• Mrs. Jeffries Appeals the Verdict (2006)


• Mrs Jeffries and the Best Laid Plans (2007)


• Mrs. Jeffries and the Feast of St. Stephen (2007)


• Mrs. Jeffries Holds the Trump (2008)


• Mrs. Jeffries in the Nick of Time (2009)


• Mrs. Jeffries and the Yuletide Weddings (2009)

Fiona Buckley

Ursula Blanchard, Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth I

• To Shield the Queen (1997)


• The Doublet Affair (1998)


• Queen’s Ransom (2000)


• To Ruin a Queen (2000)


• Queen of Ambition (2001)


• A Pawn for a Queen (2002)


• The Fugitive Queen (2004)


• The Siren Queen (2004)

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Cleaning: not a happy thing

Not much going on today other than cleaning and other chores. I've gotten pretty much most of the tv room done -- Steve has to clear out a chair. Working on the bathrooms and such. Just got done walking Tug. Will have to remember to put the turkey in the frig to begin the thawing process. I'm going to request that Steve get dinner tonight and maybe we can watch the DVD of Up. I'll need incentive to get through the afternoon. The house really needed a good cleaning as it had been too long since the last time and it always feels and looks much better afterward .... for as long as it lasts. :)

In the personal book world, I've been using some paperbackswap.com credits to get some of Margaret Frazer's Dame Frevisse books I don't own but have already read. They're starting to show up in the mail which is always fun.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

TGIF!!!!!

And I mean it. Oy, I took 32 calls today. I'm tired of my own voice and I'm tired of talking. But I'm also proud I only had to ask for assistance on dealing with a situation a couple times. Otherwise, I was able to figure out what the deal was with the claims. Next week we start our normal scheduled which means I start work at 7:30.

Actually the worst thing today was when I ran an errand to the post office at lunch. I was the first car waiting at a red light when the b**** who fired me last fall walked right across in front of me and made eye contact and didn't break it for the five or seconds it took to finish passing me. The good news is that I didn't step on the gas at that moment though I wanted to. The bad news is that I didn't flip her off or anything. I just stared back.

So tonight I will read emails I didn't get to yesterday and new ones from today. I probably won't get to everything. I'll also try to read a little bit. I'm so not breaking any speed records in that department.

This weekend will be focused on more cleaning: bathrooms and tv room and anything else I can get to.

Tug is zonked out here beside me. I'm sure I won't be far behind in a little bit.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

No, I'm fine, why do you ask?

Quite a few emails to read and the night is not young so this will be short tonight.

We finally got on the phones today at work. I took 23 calls: only one rather rude person, one guy called me sweetheart, one guy in his 70s told me he loved me and I was in the right job. :) It makes the time go much faster and I love helping people; having been in the same predicament for over a year I know exactly what they're going through.

After work I stopped by World Market who had advertised a turkey brine I wanted to try but I couldn't find it and was finally informed that they had sold out. Sheesh. Then went to the madness of Walmart. I was hoping to catch the store well stocked before the weekend but I still couldn't find things either because they were out or not carrying it or hiding it somewhere in the building. So I'll have to go to Albertsons sometime in the future. I picked up Quizno's for dinner and I'm very full right now.

We watched Survivor tonight. This season was intially rather boring but now that the tribes have merged it has gotten extremely interesting with who and how they're voting people off. I hated Russell in the beginning but now I'm not so against him. I hope they keep up this level of interest.

So tonight I'll hopefully catch up on my emails and then read some more of my book. I'm about halfway through I think. Like I mentioned in an earlier post: November will not be a record reading month for me. This job and having do rather a lot after work is resulting in not a lot of reading time.

Tomorrow is Friday!

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Ramble through the 'Net

Just squeaking this post in -- it's after 9pm. I finished watching America's Next Top Model finale (the girl I've liked from the beginning won and the girl I liked almost as well came in second) and Glee -- good music.

Work is going well however all us trainees are chomping at the bit to get on the headsets and do our own live calls. Today and yesterday were sloooooooow because we're all just waiting around for our turn on the calls. Tomorrow we're supposed to do a few more calls at our own cubicles but sounds like we won't be solo until Monday. Ugh. Put us in, coach!

Tomorrow Steve will have to walk Tug; I'll be heading to Walmart to get some groceries. A lot to do with only one week left until Feast Day. :)

I hope to get some good reading in on FEAR IN THE FOREST after this entry. I've got Ghost Hunters on so we'll see which happens. Somehow, I'm not as tired out as compared to the last couple nights. I have, however, woken up the past few mornings an hour before the alarm goes of and I tell myself I have another hour to sleep but I don't think it's "restful." That is frustrating.

Okay, maybe I am a little tired because I think I'm rambling aimlessly and boringly here. Sorry about that.

Go forth and read good books....

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Tuckered out Tuesday

Sorry, very tired again tonight. Each of the five trainees took three live calls today and our performance on each call was critqued. I did very well and the trainer wrote that I had a "wonderful phone voice." More again tomorrow.

Currently reading FEAR IN THE FOREST by Bernard Knight. This is 7th of 13 in series featuring Sir John de Wolfe, the crowner (coroner), in 12th century Devon. Here's a description:

Much of the county lies under the iron rule of the Royal Forest laws, with all hunting reserved to the King. The penalty for killing a deer—mutilation or death. These harsh laws are rigorously upheld by the King's foresters, notorious for their greed and corruption. June, 1195. A horse gallops into the sleepy village of Sigford, the broken shaft of an arrow protruding from its rider's back. The embroidered badge sewn on the dead man's tunic identifies him as a senior officer of the Royal Forest. With the victim's purse still full of money, the motive for murder is a mystery. But when a second forest officer is violently attacked, county coroner Sir John de Wolfe begins to uncover evidence of a sinister conspiracy.

It was published in 2003 and has 410 pages.

Watched V on tv this evening and then went to Target to get a turkey platter. Mine was broken about three years ago and haven't had the need for another until now. Going to finish up here and get ready for bed and maybe read a couple pages.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Stooopid-tired Monday

I'm so very tired tonight. My eyes are burning tired and my brain is apparently malfunctioning: Steve wanted brats tonight but I grabbed the hot dogs. Not a big deal but when your mouth is hankering for one thing and you get something else, it's not so good. So, I've scanned some email and blogs but now I think I'll read for the little bit I can and then I'm sure I'll be lights out before 9:00.

G'night! Hopefully a better post tomorrow.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster