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The Frangipani Tree Mystery
The Frangipani Tree Mystery | Ovidia Yu
19 posts | 11 read | 16 to read
First in a delightfully charming crime series set in 1930s Singapore, introducing amateur sleuth SuLin, a local girl stepping in as governess for the Acting Governor of Singapore. 1936 in the Crown Colony of Singapore, and the British abdication crisis and rising Japanese threat seem very far away. When the Irish nanny looking after Acting Governor Palin's daughter dies suddenly - and in mysterious circumstances - mission school-educated local girl SuLin - an aspiring journalist trying to escape an arranged marriage - is invited to take her place. But then another murder at the residence occurs and it seems very likely that a killer is stalking the corridors of Government House. It now takes all SuLin's traditional skills and intelligence to help British-born Chief Inspector Thomas LeFroy solve the murders - and escape with her own life. 'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life, without ever getting in the way of a classic puzzle plot. But what's a setting without a jewel? Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while.' Catriona McPherson 'Charming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels.' Rhys Bowen
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Laughterhp
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Pickpick

This is a low pick. It was one of my Book Riot TBR recommendations. I love historical mysteries and this one was unique to me, set in 1930s Singapore. Su Lin has a limp from polio and takes a job secretly helping the police as a nanny to the acting governor. I will be giving the 2nd book a chance.

#DecadesReadathon - 1930s
#Booked2022 - Murder mystery
#20in4 - finished yesterday

Cinfhen It does sound like an interesting character and time period. Hope book two is even better!! 2y
Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 2y
57 likes2 comments
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Laughterhp
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#BookReport - Finished 4 books this week. 2 were novellas on audio but all were great!

Currently reading the tagged book and am 100 pages into it. Should finish before the end of the month.

#WeeklyForecast - I‘ve “slacked off” this month and haven‘t read either of my February #LMPBC books, so that‘s up next!

Cinfhen It‘s l👀king good 2y
53 likes1 comment
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MallenNC
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Pickpick

This book, the first in a series that I wasn‘t familiar with, reminds me a bit of Sujata Massey‘s Perveen Mistry series. Like that series, it features a smart young woman who wants a life that is outside the usual of her time and culture. The mystery itself took a while to get to its conclusion so the real appeal is the setting and the MC. I would like to read another in the series to see how it unfolds.

This was my #BookSpin for September

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Smarkies
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Pickpick

A decent start to this mystery series set in 1930s Singapore. A bit leisurely at times but I liked how the mystery unfolded as well as the setting.
Looking forward to reading the next book as well as the progression of the amateur sleuth, Su Lin from mission school girl to nanny / potential housekeeper to secretary of a detective should be an interesting one.
#cozymystery

i.besteph Looks like a fun read. The cover is beautiful. 3y
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rockpools
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#deardecember #treesinthetitle

A cozy mystery set in 1930s Singapore. In all honesty, I read this less for the plot, and more for the setting and main character, an independent young local girl and amateur sleuth who works alongside the police.

Sadly, I felt the portrayal of the teenager with learning difficulties could have been (lots) better.

I would, however, give her books another try sometime.

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Tiltedwhirled
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Pickpick

This historical mystery set in Singapore during the wind up to World War II leaves enough bread crumbs along the way that the end isn‘t a complete surprise.

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DGRachel
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Mehso-so

A decent mystery, but painfully slow, that was almost comically predictable. I liked the MC, a young woman who aspires to a career, not an arranged marriage and children. I know the racism is part of the story - how the British treated natives of their colonies, like Singapore, but at times, Chen Su Lin‘s meekness and willingness to overlook the slights of her “superiors” was troubling. 2 1/2 stars and I probably won‘t read more in this series.

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DGRachel
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Starting this tonight as my bedtime reading because I cannot handle Dark Age. I‘ve only managed to finish the first two prologue chapters and I was so tense through the second that I almost threw up. Oh, and I bawled through several pages. So - I am hoping this will be a little lighter and easier. #Bailey is already snoring and has no patience for my nonsense. 😂
#dogsoflitsy #pitbullsoflitsy #snuggles #readingbuddy

Lreads Pet Bailey and feel better. 💕🐶 5y
cariashley Gah Dark Age is that intense?? I shouldn‘t be surprised, I guess. I haven‘t had the fortitude to pick up Iron Gold yet myself. 5y
DGRachel @cariashley I knew it was going to be bad. Pierce has been hinting for months and he does such a skillful job of creating tension. I assumed, going into this, that it was going to be on par with Golden Son, which was my favorite of the books so far, but also the one I found the hardest, emotionally, to read and the one that crushes my spirit the most on rereads. 5y
78 likes3 comments
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DGRachel
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Today‘s #libraryhaul brought to you by Crime Writers of Color on Twitter (tagged book) and a Book Riot Newsletter. I have three books I hope to finish this weekend and then I can start my library books. 😊

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Jen2
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Pickpick

A bit rough but looking forward to reading the next one.

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Jen2
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Pickpick

A bit rough but looking forward to reading the next one.

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Lynnsoprano
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A few months ago I posted a picture of our frangipani tree, even though it was bare at the time. I promised @Christine11 that I would post pictures when it bloomed. It‘s just starting to bloom and hasn‘t filled in completely yet, but here‘s a closeup of a bloom. Ours is kind of an unusual color, and I love it.

Crazeedi Wow Lynn, what a beautiful flower, so unusual!❣ 5y
Lindy I can just imagine the gorgeous scent. 🌸 5y
8little_paws Oh that's so cool! I've never seen that kind of flower before 5y
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Tamra Lovely color! 5y
Tonya_Bross My favorite! 💕 5y
GypsyKat Beautiful! 5y
julesG One of my favourites. Wish I could get them here. 5y
Eggs Breathtaking 😮 5y
Christine11 That is honestly stunning! It looks so perfect and the colour is beautiful 😍 5y
TNbookworm That is beautiful! 5y
Erofan 😍 5y
RiverKScottWrites Beautiful wow!! 😮♥️ 5y
69 likes13 comments
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jhod
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Thanks Christine for the next #lmpbc book! I love the card (Grayson Perry), pen and notebook as well - thank you!
@Christine11

squirrelbrain That‘s all so pretty! ❤️ 5y
Christine11 Glad it arrived safely and you‘re welcome! 💛 5y
69 likes2 comments
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Christine11
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1. I‘m reading The Frangipani Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu as part of our #lmpbc!
2. Ravenclaw 🦅
3. Modern Family

#WeekendReads @rachelsbrittain

rockpools I just started my #lmpbc read today as well! Do you think we need a new hashtag, now we‘ve gone rogue?? Hope you‘re having a good weekend! 5y
Slajaunie We share 2 and 3! 😁 5y
Christine11 @RachelO I definitely think we might need a new hashtag and I‘m loving the idea that we‘ve gone rogue! 😅 Maybe #RogueLMPBC ? I hope you‘re having a nice weekend too! 💛 5y
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Christine11 @Slajaunie Yay! Modern Family is always such a fun show to watch isn‘t it? 😊 5y
rachelsbrittain Thanks for joining in 💙💙 5y
45 likes6 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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@Christine11 this is my frangipani tree right now, in winter. They are deciduous, but I love the structure even without leaves and blossoms. It won‘t blossom until late spring; I‘ll try to remember to tag you when I post pictures of it in flower. I almost always do, because this is the view from my favorite reading spot on our patio.

rockpools How lovely! I wondered what they looked like. 5y
BookBabe It‘s beautiful even bare! 5y
Crazeedi Beautiful! I'll bet the fragrance is awesome 5y
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Lynnsoprano @BookBabe I‘ve developed a tour that I lead as a docent at the botanical garden where I volunteer based on the architecture and structure of trees. It was inspired by bare frangipani trees and an old sapodilla that‘s so twisted it reminds me of the whomping willow near Hogwart‘s. 5y
Christine11 It‘s a gorgeous shape - I can‘t wait to see it in full bloom! Thanks for showing me what it looks like! 💖 5y
Lizpixie I love my frangipani tree too! They‘re everywhere here in Australia, mine was started 26yrs ago when my dad gave me a cutting from his tree. I just whacked it in the ground and let it grow, now it‘s over 6feet tall & very dense. It looks amazing when it flowers, it‘s all green at the moment in our Sydney summer.🌞 5y
Lizpixie We actually need to trim ours coz it‘s grown so close to the path, I‘m planning on starting cuttings for whoever wants one with the offcuts 5y
Lynnsoprano @lizpixie I actually trimmed a bit off this recently. And ours, too, started as a cutting that a friend rooted for us from her tree. From a stick that didn‘t reach my knee 9 years ago, now we have this behemoth 😄 5y
70 likes8 comments
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Christine11
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Your parcel arrived today @ShookBelf ! Thank you for the extra treats and for sending the book on 😊 I‘m interested to read this one as it‘s really not the sort of thing I would pick and it‘s good to read out of my comfort zone occasionally! The cover is lovely too 💛

Lynnsoprano I need to read this if only because I have a frangipani in my backyard 😄 5y
mabell This mystery sounds intriguing! 5y
batsy What a pretty cover 😍 5y
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Christine11 @Lynnsoprano That‘s so cool! I don‘t think I‘ve ever seen a frangipani tree! 😊 5y
Christine11 @mabell It does - doesn‘t it? 😊💛 5y
Christine11 @batsy I think it‘s lovely too! 💛 5y
50 likes6 comments
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ShookBelf
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@Christine11 - I apologise for the delay in getting this next #LMPBC book to you. The two week Christmas/New Year break really broke my reading schedule. This will be in the post to you today.

Thank you @RachelO for sharing your choice.

#LMPBC #52in52-2019 #FarEastAsianauthor #popsugar2019 #amateurdetective #ReadHarder #cosymystery #LitsyAtoZ #Y

rockpools Ha! That met a LOT of challenge prompts! 5y
ShookBelf @RachelO It sure did - it was a GREAT book for that! 5y
Christine11 Don‘t worry about it at all - I was a few days late sending mine too! 😊 That time between Christmas and new year always mucks up my reading schedule because I think I‘ll have loads of time to read but then I‘m super busy with friends and family so I don‘t! Hope you‘re having a nice January so far! 💛 5y
ShookBelf @Christine11 It's nice now that kids and hubby are back at school and work 🤣🤣 5y
28 likes4 comments
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howjessicareads
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Pickpick

This cozy-ish mystery is set in 1936 Singapore, and I really enjoyed the setting and the main character. Full review coming for Shelf Awareness. #jesshowreads2018

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BookLoves
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Pickpick

Such a fresh diverse read based in Singapore/Malaya in the 1930's!