Six years ago Oscar De Muriel was wondering where his books ended up once purchased. I sent him a photo taken outside my house when I lived near Cwmcarn Forest of these two.
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The Strings of Murder: Frey & McGray | 
Six years ago Oscar De Muriel was wondering where his books ended up once purchased. I sent him a photo taken outside my house when I lived near Cwmcarn Forest of these two.
bailedI‘m setting this one to one side for now. I like the concept of mismatched detectives investigating weird shit in Victorian Edinburgh but the humour‘s a bit too silly and it‘s draaaaaaaaging. I may come back to it, but it‘s a bail for now.
pickBit of a different book to what I would normally read, but the terrifying twists of this Jack the Ripper story kept me turning the pages and I will definitely read the sequels!
pickThis lively Victorian murder mystery jaunt is a soft pick.
Consigned to Edinburgh to work alongside superstitious Detective "Nine-Nails" McGray, Ian Frey finds himself embroiled within a series of violin-related disembowelments.
This book felt less anachronistic than other modern mysteries I've read set in the Victorian period.
One downside: I disliked the portrayal of a certain medical condition. I won't say more to avoid spoilers.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
My baby dragonlets modelling my December murder stack 💕 @wordslinger42 @Branwen - you may like these!! 😄
I've already started The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel for #cloakanddaggerchristmas (Victorian mystery) - so far it's great... I was surprised to see it had
@vivastory #cloakanddaggerchristmas
Victorian era: The Strings of Murder
Bilingual detective: Murder in Mesopotamia
Amateur sleuth: The Honjin Murders
Golden age: Mystery Mile
Translated mystery: Murder in the Crooked House
Private detective: The Real-Town Murders
New to me series: Death in August
Now all I need is a mystery starring a great team 🤔 Hmm... that's trickier. Do I have to go back and read The Secret Seven 🤭 Any ideas?!
pickA book I was not expecting to love but now plan to read the whole series. The mystery of the murders was intriguing and I love two main characters that don‘t get a long but have to. It makes for some laughable moments. I would not have picked this book up if it weren‘t for #booked2020 and #tartannoir. There was a hint of supernatural thoughts throughout, so total points for #teamharkness is 136 years #scaratholon2020 #screamathon #doublespin
Started my #bookspin pick today and continued listening to Threadbare. Loving both of them! Also got to watch Hocus Pocus tonight, so 5 points for #teamharkness (total of 6 points today). My #cyoreadathon is now up to 3:20:37 and The Strings of Murder is kicking off my #screamathon reading.
#5 of my year and I was supposed to read this last year but I still have to order book 2 lol so I‘m just going to read it and order the rest of the series on Monday. I have books 1 & 3 I think lol
Thank you for everything @Tiffiney ! I can't wait to read the book & I will definitely be snacking on Heath bars as I drink coffee out of my new mug this evening.
Thanks to @MaleficentBookDragon for hosting another fun swap!
#allhallowsreadswap
pickWhen a violinist is brutally murdered in his locked room in Edinburgh, Scotland Yard sends inspector Ian Frey to investigate alongside the very Scottish Detective McGray. McGray's division investigates the supernatural and Frey is a sceptic. This story had exactly what I was looking for in an October read: atmosphere, insanity, a cursed musical instrument, devil lore. It was spooky at times, funny at others, and intense.
pickThis started a bit clunky but about halfway through it started to grow on me, though the over abundance of Scottish vernacular can be annoying, it seems unnecessary at times. Apart from that, it was a wild romp through 1880s Edinburgh, with the forced pairing of a witch believing Scottish Detective & a dogged English inspector, investigating the string of deaths connected to an old violin. #Scareathlon #TeamSlaughter 3points #PointsTotal-66
Onto Ch13 in Bk1 of the McGray&Frey mysteries by Oscar de Muriel. It‘s not bad but the overuse of Scottish “vernacular” is a bit much. Other than that I‘m enjoying it, though reading it on my iPad is making my eyes hurt.I‘ll finish a few more chapters before watching a scary movie then switching to a print book. If I keep doing that, I should get through it without a migraine! #Scareathlon #TeamSlaughter 1point #PointsTotal-52
I‘ve had to switch the settings on this ebook to night, I was starting to see double! This is Bk1 in the McGray & Frey series about two detectives in Edinburgh investigating cases with a paranormal twist. So far I like it. Not loving it yet, but it‘s early days. Leaving the rest of the #Scareathlon journaling for tomorrow to catch up on some reading with a side of Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla tea. #TeamSlaughter 1point #PointsTotal-44
When I realised The Darker Arts was Bk5, I went back to my library‘s website to find the first 4. Unfortunately they only have Bk1 & 3 as ebooks on BorrowBox & Bk2 as audio with Bk4 print. So I‘ve managed to get the first three on borrowbox & put a reservation on Bk4. I really hope they live up to the hype after all this! A mix of crime, history & horror, set in 1888 Edinburgh. #Scareathlon #TeamSlaughter 1point #PointsTotal-30
pickThis mystery was really good! It was a little gruesome, it was creepy and very atmospheric. It is set in Scotland during the Victorian era. Same time period as Jack the Ripper. The PM is afraid their is a copycat in Scotland.
Warning: There are a LOT of typos and missing words. I don‘t know if it‘s because it‘s Scotland dialect, or not good editing.
I‘m going to continue this series, but there better not be as many typos!
Gah! There are so many typos or missing words in this book and I don‘t know if it‘s just me or supposed to be that way!?!
To me, this should say, “it is common for violinists to exhibit a reddish mark ALONG the chin and neck.”
This just says “mark a the chin and neck.”
There is also a lot of “I said” missing and instead just says “said” with no I.
It‘s very annoying! 🤪
But I am loving this mystery!
My latest library book haul! Like I needed more books 🤪
I‘m going camping this weekend so I‘ll probably only bring the tagged book with me. I‘m also bringing the Poppy War, not shown but also a library book I‘m currently reading.
But I really can‘t wait to read all of these!
#bookhaul #librarybookhaul
pickI loved this book so much. The characters were great and had such likeable traits. They're a perfect partnership. The way that the Scottish dialect was built in was fantastic as well. Loved it so much I'm going onto Book 2 in the series 🤓🔎🗡
Welcome back to the Premier League! Wine and a great book... 🐻⚽️🍷🍷
Absolutely love the way that all the dialect and local phrases are built into the storyline of this book.
Enjoying this one which Bear chose for me for my birthday. Loving the Scottish dialect and references to Edinburgh which I love so much 🐻❤🌆🎻📚🗡
pickI enjoyed this book well enough to pick up the next in series. It had a spooky element but not enough to give me nightmares, which I appreciated.
Called into the Risca Library, South Wales this morning and they had a book that I have actually read on their Quick Choice section. Normally they don't have the authors that I like. Strings of Murder by Oscar De Muriel
pickOnly about 50 pages in but I am really hooked. 1880, a potential Jack the Ripper in Scotland and a 'disgraced' CID has been sent to solve the case. So far it's a pick from me- let's see how it progresses!
pickForgot to post this yesterday. Books with a focus on music always win my heart, and this one added an unlikely pair of investigators in the mix. I‘m glad this is a series, because I‘m really interested in what Frey & McGray will be up to in the next installments.
Starting this Sunday off with 4h 50min and 2 books down for #8intwo. Next up is Ninefox Gambit!
Thanks @brilliantglow for the tag. tried to fit a paperback into the spread, but it didn't work. I need better skills
1. Butler and Percy (paperback is the linked book)
2. 5 years, and week away from 2 years
3. Butler will only let me carry him like a loaf of bread resting on my forearm. Percy will calm if I sing him the Skye Boat Song
4. I don't know who has been tagged so far, so taking a shot here @emily_m_tubb
#PetsAndPaperbacks
A perfect book for fans of Edgar, Sherlock & Old Classic Mysteries 😊
Stumbled upon this book when buying something else but glad I did...
Its a fantabulous read🤗😏
Binge-watching all three seasons of Penny Dreadful last week left me craving more historical murder. 📚🖤☠
I borrowed this from my friend Ellen at church and never have gotten around to reading it because of the massive to be read stack I have sitting on my night stand. One day. Sorry it's taking so long, Ellen!! @RealLifeReading #booktober #Day7 #SomethingBorrowed
so-soWhew - finished this one with only a few hours left! I enjoyed McGray & the Scottish supernatural investigative unit but the mystery itself couldn't hold my interest and the protagonist was pure British bore.
pickFun historical crime thriller set in 1880s Edinburgh. Great dialogue.
Enjoying this. Not least because the murder happens in the street I lived in until I was 6!
Book mail today. This sounds like Clue set in Victorian Scotland. A violinist is murdered in a music studio locked from the inside. The maid claims to have heard three musicians in there before his body is found alone... Count me in.
