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reviews_musings's review
4.0
Oh, a good old time mystery book, is a good way to end the weekend. I love mysteries, Agatha Christie is my favorite, in fact I chose this book because it is historic mystery, you get a feel of the 1930s.
Two detectives want to indulge in their hard earned holiday on new year’s eve abroad a ship when work comes calling. They end up on the wrong side investigating missing documents instead. To make matters worse, there is a murder. Will they be able to solve the mystery before it goes public?
This is the crux of the story. It is a very well written captivating mystery. I loved it.
Two detectives want to indulge in their hard earned holiday on new year’s eve abroad a ship when work comes calling. They end up on the wrong side investigating missing documents instead. To make matters worse, there is a murder. Will they be able to solve the mystery before it goes public?
This is the crux of the story. It is a very well written captivating mystery. I loved it.
desdeeo's review
4.0
This was such a fun who-done-it mystery! While I was reading, I felt like I was actually watching a PBS/BBC period show that was set in the 1930s. Frances, Jack and Uncle Sal were supposed to be having a wonderful New Year's celebration with Frances' Aunt Mildred. Instead, they end up having to help solve a mystery at her house where classified papers have gone missing. Frances and Jack sign up to be "the help" while they investigate who could have done it. However, during their investigation, the crime ups to murder which puts them on a shorter timeline to solve the mystery. Can they find the papers and uncover who the murderer is before all the guests leave?
I really enjoyed the depth of the characters, the different locations they visited, and how they all worked together to develop a trap in which to catch the killer/thief. The dialogue between the characters was well thought out and drew me in to how their minds were working to solve the mystery. In the end, I was surprised who it was, but looking back it made sense!
This was a very well written book that kept my interest until the very end!
I really enjoyed the depth of the characters, the different locations they visited, and how they all worked together to develop a trap in which to catch the killer/thief. The dialogue between the characters was well thought out and drew me in to how their minds were working to solve the mystery. In the end, I was surprised who it was, but looking back it made sense!
This was a very well written book that kept my interest until the very end!
way2gosmartguy's review
3.0
Death under Palm Trees is the 4th book in the Jack and Frances mystery series by Carmen Radtke. It is the first I have read by this author (and the series) and it wasn't for me. The book was well written, and had a good story line, but I just couldn't get into it. I struggled to finish the book, and mainly did so, because I wanted to know who the spy was. There were too many characters for me to develop strong feelings about them. Jack, Frances and Uncle Sal are the main characters, and I liked them- but all the people in the house were hard for me to keep straight. I didn't feel like it grabbed me as much as it should have, being a murder mystery. I did like the old feeling- you could tell it took place in the 30s, and I liked the references to pre war. While this book can be read as a stand alone, I suggest reading the others in the series first. Based on the other reviews, I feel like that would have given me a stronger feeling for them. I did like that the mystery remained until the very end, it wasn't a book you figured out right from the get go.
arthistorygirl's review
4.0
Death Under the Palm Trees: A Jack and Frances 1930s mystery by Carmen Radtke is the fourth book in the Jack and Frances Mysteries series. This is the first book I have read in this series, but I enjoyed it despite not having read the previous books. The book is a delightful cozy mystery set in 1930s Nice, France. It had the feel of classic mysteries written by Agatha Christie and others. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. The setting was luxurious and glamourous but with some less than honorable people. I liked the twists in the story and how Jack and Frances interact with each other. The dialogue is witty and clever. I will now read the previous books in this series and look forward to more from this author.
katie_83's review
4.0
Death under Palm Trees
By Carmen Radtke
4 stars
After reading the second book in this series I was really looking forward to reading more from this series and I wasn’t disappointed at all - it was such a brilliant read – I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. The authors descriptive language was amazing – I really could imagine exactly what I was reading – such vivid detail! I love the characters; they are just so easy to read about and I loved being on this journey with them and because of the authors attention to detail as mentioned before I definitely felt like I was on that journey with them at times. I really like the time setting for this series – so interesting to read about. There were some really good twists and turns to the story too that kept me on the edge of my seat and the pages turning. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.
By Carmen Radtke
4 stars
After reading the second book in this series I was really looking forward to reading more from this series and I wasn’t disappointed at all - it was such a brilliant read – I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. The authors descriptive language was amazing – I really could imagine exactly what I was reading – such vivid detail! I love the characters; they are just so easy to read about and I loved being on this journey with them and because of the authors attention to detail as mentioned before I definitely felt like I was on that journey with them at times. I really like the time setting for this series – so interesting to read about. There were some really good twists and turns to the story too that kept me on the edge of my seat and the pages turning. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.
gdildine's review
5.0
Death under Palm Trees by Carmen Radtke is set in the 1930’s and a classic whodunit story. The story is very well written and intertwines the characters is a way that makes you feel like you are there – watching from the outside, looking in on all that is happening. Jack, Frances and Uncle Sal are the main characters and they, unknowingly, are up for a grand adventure at the villa in Nice. There is no shortage of twists and turns throughout the book and the suspects are limited – ending with an intense reveal kept me on the edge of my seat, page after page. I have to admit – I was thrown off on who I thought was the actual villain!! I have not read any other books by Ms. Radtke but I enjoyed her writing and will certainly be picking up more of her works in the future!! This was definitely a fun read and kept me enthralled from the first page.
fish3718's review
4.0
Who doesn’t like a cozy mystery to curl up to? I am not new to the genre but I am new to the author. This book and its time frame piqued my interest. Setting in the 1930’s it is full of danger, theft, and murder. Ms. Radtke did a wonderful job writing in this time period. I felt that I was right there with the characters in my mind’s eye. Jack, Frances, Uncle Sal, and Aunt Mildred take us to the party where unbeknown to them there are some missing documents. They need to find the answer to where the missing documents went before it goes public. I highly recommend this book. It is a fast read, but make sure you leave enough time because you are not going to want to put it down.
bwagner's review
4.0
This is a mystery solving story that I enjoyed. This is a new author for me and I look forward to seeing what is next for her. This is a well written story that takes place during the 1930s. Three people are invited as guests to a party but unknown to them their host needs their help to solve a mystery of missing documents. Will they figure out this mystery before it goes public? I enjoyed the characters and what they brought to the story. They pulled me into the story almost from the beginning. It is fast paced in parts and engaging in others. I also enjoyed the growth of the plot throughout the story. This is a great story that I highly recommend.
penguingirl's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this author's writing and it was a first time read of their work for me! I for sure will be goin back to read other things they have written. This cozy mystery, was a fun read as well as very well put together. I loved the comfort of the storyline and the characters certainly made it fun to read this!
The mystery was very much more than delightful. I needed a nice cup of hot cocoa to enjoy as I read this in all truth and honesty. Personally I grew up loving the board game named "Clue" and this book was literally the board game for me. As in my mind, I enjoyed playing along the side of our beloved characters to figure out who the murderer was. I was suspicious for the ending, but I can admit I was not a good sleuth and was wrong haha. I loved our characters who were working to solve the mystery under the true investigators noses, and the story time line was really awesome in the sense, as it made things very fun!
The story was very much well put together. It had its moments where the time line fit in so well that I felt I was living in the moments of the characters as they found something out that would and did lead them to the next. The book was a fast read for me, but fun and sweet all in the sense of what I would hope for in a cozy mystery, This one certainly took the cake though! It was very much enjoyed by this reader!
If your looking for a cozy mystery that satisfies your wants and has its own adventurous quirkiness then you need to look no further. It was certainly a fun and delightful read. I had a ray of sunlight providing fun, smiles, enjoyment and even a few gasps along the way! The author did a wonderful job on this book!
The mystery was very much more than delightful. I needed a nice cup of hot cocoa to enjoy as I read this in all truth and honesty. Personally I grew up loving the board game named "Clue" and this book was literally the board game for me. As in my mind, I enjoyed playing along the side of our beloved characters to figure out who the murderer was. I was suspicious for the ending, but I can admit I was not a good sleuth and was wrong haha. I loved our characters who were working to solve the mystery under the true investigators noses, and the story time line was really awesome in the sense, as it made things very fun!
The story was very much well put together. It had its moments where the time line fit in so well that I felt I was living in the moments of the characters as they found something out that would and did lead them to the next. The book was a fast read for me, but fun and sweet all in the sense of what I would hope for in a cozy mystery, This one certainly took the cake though! It was very much enjoyed by this reader!
If your looking for a cozy mystery that satisfies your wants and has its own adventurous quirkiness then you need to look no further. It was certainly a fun and delightful read. I had a ray of sunlight providing fun, smiles, enjoyment and even a few gasps along the way! The author did a wonderful job on this book!
aims2read's review
5.0
Let me preface this by saying that I wasn’t planning on indulging in a mystery novel this month. My life has been very, very busy with appointments, and work, so much so that I believed that I was unable to read something that required dedicated attention to detail. I didn’t think putting my sleuth hat on just was in the cards. I am absolutely delighted that I decided to pick up this 1930’s mystery by Carmen Radtke. It was exactly what the doctor ordered.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Jack and Frances, their relationship, as well as dear old Uncle Sal and Aunt Mildred. The plot thickens about halfway through the novel, as we discover that though this case started out as one without any casualties, we should have known better. Unfortunately, what started off as a case of the missing documents, turns into a whodunit, much to the groups dismay. For me, I found the writing to pull me in and not let me go until I was lacking sleep to the point, I fell asleep a few times during my lunch break. Jack and Frances Mysteries series will be one I revisit soon, and very much look forward to it. Thank you, Carmen Radtke, for this escape from the real-life complications. Highly recommend.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Jack and Frances, their relationship, as well as dear old Uncle Sal and Aunt Mildred. The plot thickens about halfway through the novel, as we discover that though this case started out as one without any casualties, we should have known better. Unfortunately, what started off as a case of the missing documents, turns into a whodunit, much to the groups dismay. For me, I found the writing to pull me in and not let me go until I was lacking sleep to the point, I fell asleep a few times during my lunch break. Jack and Frances Mysteries series will be one I revisit soon, and very much look forward to it. Thank you, Carmen Radtke, for this escape from the real-life complications. Highly recommend.