Tag: Mystery

Wait Until Midnight

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Wait Until Midnight by Amanda Quick
Genres: Historical, Mystery, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Jove/Berkly/Penguin Group (USA)
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 0-515-13862-2
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Gentle Reader,

It could have been a scene from one of my novels. As a rule, respectable ladies do not accept calls from Mysterious Gentlemen on business of the most grave importance – but I confess that I was possessed of a lively curiosity. The past three years had been so determinedly dull, I hoped Mr. Adam Hardesty would offer a tiny respite from it. Indeed, upon first glance, Mr. Hardesty had such a formidable, thrilling presence, he quickly became the model for the villain in the sensation novel I was currently writing.

Imagine my shock and distress then, when Mr. Hardesty accused me of being party to a plot of murder, blackmail, and general villainy! I knew nothing of such occurrences, and proclaimed my innocence. Unfortunately, Mr. Hardesty left unconvinced, and I had an uneasy feeling over what his search would uncover. You see, Gentle Reader, though I live a most uneventful life now, my past contained a Great Scandal that would be ruinous if resurrected. To protect my secrets from Mr. Hardesty’s investigation, I concluded that I would need to conduct an inquiry of my own, and if that meant sharing my findings with Mr. Hardesty, so be it. And my course of action had nothing whatsoever to do with the illicit, passionate feelings that he aroused in me – feelings that propriety would definitely frown upon…

Yours most sincerely,
Caroline Fordyce

Personal & Info

While I only gave this three stars, it’s a good three stars. I consider books from this author to be comfort reads.

This stand alone book has psychical themes, but there are no real psychics in it. It simply takes place during a time when seances and psychic demonstrations were popular. They are all parlor tricks, so if you’re not into paranormal, it should still be fine for you to read this book.

The character list for this book is very long. I did my best to list all of the ones I feel are important, and the ones I recall making any kind of appearance that might be significant. There are more named characters than the ones I listed here. If I forgot to put them down, they likely were not important. Whether or not the murderer’s name is on the list, I will not say.

Characters

Caroline Fordyce is the leading lady. She’s a sensation novelist whose stories are published weekly in the Flying Intelligencer.

Adam Hardesty is the leading man. He comes from a poor background, which gives him a unique set of skills. Julia, Jessica, and Nathan are his adopted siblings.

Wilson Grendon is a wealthy, elderly widower. He took in Adam and his siblings and passes them off as his own distant relatives.

Emma is Caroline’s aunt and only living blood relative. She dresses plainly and presents a tall and severe appearance, with a matching personality.

Milly is Caroline’s aunt, but not a blood relative. She is short and wears brightly colored clothing, which matches her optimistic and cheerful personality.

Julia is Adam’s adoptive sister. She is married to Robert, the Earl of Sourthwood, with two children.

Robert is the Earl of Southwood. He is married to Julia, and they have two children. Robert is essentially a quiet and thoughtful man.

Mrs. Plummer is Caroline’s housekeeper.

Morton is Adam’s butler.

Elizebeth Delmont is the initial murder victim. She is spiritualist who hosts seances and spends time at the Society for Psychical Investigations.

Julian Elsworth is a fashionable practitioner of psychical powers. People consider him to be very attractive. He conducts his business in private homes in only the most exclusive circles.

Durward Reed is the President of the Society for Psychical Investigations and publisher of the newspaper New Dawn. He owns the mansion, Wintersett House, that the society uses as its headquarters.

Harold Filby is Adam’s fashionable and bespectacled man of business. He runs all kinds of errands and gathers information.

Ned is Adam’s coachmen. He’s worked for Adam for a long time.

Irene Toller is another spiritualist. She is Elizebeth Delmont’s rival in business.

Bess Whaley is Irene’s housekeeper and assistant.

Mr. Spraggett is Caroline’s publisher, described as a nervous, wiry, and balding man.

Gilbert Otford is a correspondent for the Flying Intelligencer. He wrote an article about Caroline claiming she has psychical powers.

Story & Thoughts

This book took way longer than I intended to read. No fault to the quality, I’ve just had a lot going on. As with most books by this author, this is a murder mystery. The murder is introduced at the beginning and the whole book is a romance based around the investigation.

It’s actually pretty interesting, because the majority of books I read by this author are about psychics. Psychics with actual talents, I mean. This book is only about frauds, psychics who use tricks and mechanisms to make people think they have powers. It’s an interesting flip from the usual content.

The book also follows the author’s standard storytelling formula. There’s both a murder and a backstory issue. Both get resolved by the end of the book. Some people don’t like writers who have a consistent formula for their stories. If that’s you, then consider this your warning so you know this author, and all her other pseudonyms, uses a consistent formula. I think that’s one of the things that makes them feel like comfort reads, but I understand not everyone relates to that.

The whole of the story is pretty straight forward, so I don’t have much to say about it. I do think it’s important to note that I had no idea who the villain of the story was until the story pointed them out. While it’s not always a bad thing to know who the villain is early, it’s nice to be surprised at the end. It really had me going, thinking I knew who the culprit was, then threw a curveball. Although, the more I think about it, the more I realize there were clues that pointed to them that I didn’t connect until after. So, there is the possibility to figure things out earlier than I did.

I think the most amusing thing in the story is how fixated Adam gets on the fact Caroline finds him inspirational for the villain of her novel. He doesn’t read her novel, but he can’t help thinking of the villain as literally himself whenever someone talks about it. It offends him to no end, and he can’t help interjecting possible hopes for the character or disgust for any unjust actions. The whole situation had me giggling whenever it came up, and during the first half of the book, it’s quite frequent.

Can You Just Die, My Darling? Vol. 1

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Can You Just Die, My Darling? Vol. 1 by Majuro Kaname, Sousou Sakakibara
Series Name: Can You Just Die, My Darling?
Genres: Horror, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Thriller
Intended Age Group: Mature
Publisher: Kodansha
Edition: ebook
ISBN: 9781642122725
Rating: 4/5
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Description

Neat freak Taku Kamishiro has a crush on his childhood friend, Mika Hanazono. Unfortunately for him, so does everyone else in town. After an incident outside his home, Kamishiro finds his romantic feelings have become murderous. Kamishiro fights to control his new urges in this morbid and gory romance.

Personal & Info

I got this for free from a massive BookWalker sale. I don’t normally list them in my links, but because that’s where I got this ebook, I will be including them in the listing. They had a sale not that long ago where you could get a ton of volume ones for free, so I have a huge list of them I can read when I need to post something and haven’t finished what I’m working on.

I have nothing against BookWalker. It’s just that my personal preference tends to be print books, so I usually only list links where people can find print editions. BookWalker is purely ebooks from what I can tell. If you like your manga and light novels digital, maybe check them out sometime.

This book has four stars as the rating because I docked one for the gore and general content I don’t usually enjoy. I thought everything else in the story was well done and amazing.

Characters

Taku Kamishiro is the main character. He likes cleaning for no reason, and has a sister who seems to wear her shirt backwards frequently. People call him captain clean, because he is always cleaning.

Mika Hanazono is Kamishiro’s childhood friend and crush. She seems mean and abusive hitting and kicking him all the time. It seems like she was mean to him when they were kids too.

Koji Shinomiya is captain of the soccer team. He is considered handsome and smart, and he wears a unique earring. Like everyone else, he has a crush on Hanazono.

Ms. Tanaka is Kamishiro’s neighbor.

Koki Atsumi is Hanazono’s homeroom teacher. He is popular with the students because he is kind and earnest.

Yamada is the ace pitcher of the baseball team. I don’t think we get his first name.

Story & Thoughts

Okay, so this book is…something else. I’m typing this shortly after finishing, and my nerves are just…definitely rattled. The thriller part of the story is definitely done well. The finale of the volume put me on the edge of my seat.

I didn’t know what to expect going into it, but it certainly was not what I got. There are numerous gory scenes. I don’t normally read or watch things with substantial amounts of gore. Despite the unsettling content, the story is actually more engaging than one would expect. I don’t plan on reading more of the series, but if I came across more volumes for free, I would probably read them. That’s saying a lot for something outside of my usual genre preference.

This book gives me similar vibes to zombie fiction, but it’s a little different. Basically, there is some kind of contagion that causes people to have murderous impulses. They seem to be directed at those they care about most, but not exclusively. The side effects also include super human strength, among other things. I get the feeling it’s more like an increase on all of the body’s base abilities, like making a murderous super soldier.

I cheated a little since I don’t plan on getting any more volumes. The ending of this one was a huge punch in the gut and I needed some answers, so I looked for an answer to one specific question just to quell my curiosity. If I end up reading more later, knowing this answer is not going to spoil the story for me. I just really wanted to know this one thing. If you have read this volume, you probably know what I looked up.

Ghost of a Chance

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Ghost of a Chance by Jayne Ann Krentz
Genres: Ghosts, Mystery, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Mira
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 1-55166-524-7
Rating: 2/5
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Description from the Book

It was time to lay some ghosts to rest…

Anne Silver’s brother had been working to expose a clever ring of swindlers when he was struck down by a car – a clear case of attempted murder. Now Anne’s determined to finish what her brother started. But she can’t do it without the help of ex-CIA agent Julian Aries, a man who once betrayed her.

With Julian as an unwilling conspirator, the couple goes undercover to face ghosts old and new – an unsolved murder and a clever gang of fake psychics. But as Anne and Julian put their lives on the line, the icy chill of danger and a powerful desire they can no longer deny force them to confront the greatest unsolved mystery of all…their unlikely love.

Personal & Info

Jayne Ann Krentz (and all her other pseudonyms) is one of my favorite authors. Her books always feel comfortable to read, so I am amassing a collection. This one is a 250 page stand alone.

I purchased this novel from my local used book store for a dollar. Apparently it’s out of print. I think you can still find some audiobook or ebook versions if you don’t want the hassle of locating a print edition. The links I provided SHOULD lead you to some print editions if that’s what you want.

Characters

Anne Silver is the leading lady. She works at a university as a research assistant, and her brother Micheal is a reporter.

Julian Aries is the leading man. He is ex-CIA, and, in my opinion, there is absolutely nothing charming about him.

Prue Gibson is the housekeeper of the house they will be using to ensnare the ghost hunters.

Thomas Craven is the lead ghost hunter.

Sara is the “sensitive” that can sense and communicate with ghosts. She claims to have no last name.

Dan Hargraves is Craven’s assistant. He handles all the notes and research regarding their ghost hunting adventures.

Story & Thoughts

I think the most important thing to point out starting out is the fact this book is from the 80s. There are themes and opinions involved that definitely show the perspective of the times. The date in my book says it was published in 1984. If you don’t like to see consent disrespected, or how men would think or act in the 80s, you might not like this book. If you do like that, then you might also like Serpent in Paradise by the same author.

The story itself is okay. I don’t have any issues with that. Anne and Julian plan to trap some ghost hunters who use their profession to rob houses. That’s all well and good. The plot even wraps up nicely, though I’m not surprised about the plot twist at the end. I actually had my suspicions early on.

The biggest issue in the whole book is Julian. I have pages of notes about how horrible Julian is. I cannot stress enough how frequently he disrespects consent. There is technically no rape, however a significant amount of consent is in a very gray area, or in the badgering category, which does not really count as true consent.

Julian tries to find sexual meanings or responses in practically everything. He does not understand simple human compassion, and he is delusional enough to mentally justify all of his actions, even if his justification completely goes against something he was told. There are no redeeming qualities about him. He is a toxic person, and Anne should not like him at all. Any sweetness at the tail end of the book does not make up for the entirety of the book before it, nor does it change anything about him. Julian basically ruins the whole book.

Aside from all the Julian garbage, there are only two more things I think are worth mentioning. Anne doesn’t stand up to Julian nearly enough. She lets him manipulate her too much. The last thing isn’t related to the story, but there seem to be a significant amount of typos.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 7

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The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 7 by Natsu Hyuuga, Nekokurage, Itsuki Nanao, Touco Shino
Series Name: The Apothecary Diaries (Manga)
Genres: Drama, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-120-1
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

Proving herself indispensable yet again by saving Jinshi from a horrific fate, Maomao is given the chance to explain her rash behavior during the holy ritual. But when she continues her investigation into the foiled plot, a bizarre outcome awaits, leaving the plucky apothecary impressed by the sheer nerve of the culprit behind it. But admiring the exploits of another won’t get Maomao very far when Jinshi tasks her with a feat of her own – to present him with blue roses at the needling of the eccentric La Kan! How will Maomao respond to this provocation from the man she despises the most?

Personal & Info

I wasn’t able to get this on release day, but I was able to get it before a major snow storm hit. I didn’t read it during the storm, but I had the option. It’s not terribly late, though. This review is only posted a little over a week after the release. It’s a little later than I wanted, but the site was down on my usual post day.

Volume eight doesn’t come out in English until May. That’s a big sad gap with no Apothecary Diaries.

Characters

Maomao is still her eccentric amusing self. She is one of the reasons I love this series.

Jinshi feels like a solid character at this point. We’ve seen enough of him to have a good grasp on his character and his general feelings about Maomao. It’s unclear if it’s romantic or platonic, but it’s clear he cares for her.

Lakan is getting more depth as we learn more about him and his past. It doesn’t change how unlikable he is.

Lihaku is becoming regular enough that I think he and Maomao can be considered friends.

Other characters from earlier volumes appear here again as Maomao returns to the inner court. It’s nice to see them again.

Story & Thoughts

This volume starts off with Maomao waking up after the events of volume six. She explains her suspicions of the culminating events to Jinshi and Gao Shun. As the drama of the attempted murder comes to a close, the group looks into a possible suspect, and the methods used in the disaster. This only takes up the first chapter.

The mysteries for this volume aren’t as elaborate as most of the ones before. They are mostly observations Maomao notices and resolves, or unusual tasks that turn out to be rather simple, though time consuming.

For the most part, this volume seems to focus on character backgrounds. Jinshi’s speculations about the past, Gao Shun’s family history, Lakan, even the physician in the Inner Palace. After the exciting events of the previous book, this one can be considered a bit of a lore dump.

In Chapter 34, we learn more about Gao Shun and his relationship with Jinshi. Gao Shun is more closely connected to him than just an assistant. One could consider them honorary family based on their history.

Jinshi also spends time speculating about the past regarding consorts and the royal family. There have been possible hints about Jinshi’s identity in the series up until now, but the story isn’t going to give us any solid answers about who he is, yet. We will have to speculate a while longer.

We start to learn a little more about Lakan and why he is the type of eccentric he is. It doesn’t justify anything he does, but it helps to understand him better. Based on the preview at the end, it looks like the next volume is going to show us more of his history, and our first look at Maomao’s mother.

Deep and Dark and Dangerous

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Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn
Genres: Ghosts, Mystery
Intended Age Group: Middle Grade
Publisher: Sandpiper/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-0-547-07645-4
Rating: 2/5
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Description from the Book

Just before summer begins, thirteen-year-old Ali finds an old photograph. She recognizes the two children. One’s her mother, the other her aunt Dulcie…but who is the third person, the one who’s been torn out of the picture? Ali will have two months to figure it out, since she’s spending the summer with her aunt and her cousin in the same house her mom and aunt used to visit when they were kids.
Then Ali meets Sissy. Sissy is mean, spiteful, and determined to ruin Ali’s summer. Sissy also has a secret. Could it have something to do with the old photo? Ali is dying to find out. Though, if she’s not careful, that’s exactly what might happen to her – die, that is.

Personal & Info

I picked this up cheap with a few other spooky books. This is the last of those for me to review. My edition appears to be older than the ones currently available in stores, so the links lead to the current available edition.

Characters

Ali is the main character.

Dulcie is Ali’s aunt. She’s an artist, specifically a painter.

Claire is Ali’s mother. She seems to have a lot of problems. She’s sensitive emotionally, and for some reason overly protective of her daughter to the point Dulcie says Claire owns Ali.

Emma is Dulcie’s daughter, and Ali’s cousin. She’s about four.

Pete is Ali’s dad. He seems to be the reasonable parent. When Claire is overprotective, Pete advocates on Ali’s behalf.

Sissy, the girl they meet at the lake, is mean and temperamental. I think they said she appears to be nine or ten, but small for her age.

Story & Thoughts

I generally don’t like stories with blatantly mean people in them. This book, and Wait Till Helen Comes, which is by the same author, are both like that, though this one isn’t as bad. This one is tolerable in comparison, but there are other issues.

The story is too bland for me. There is no blatant haunting danger. It’s more manipulation and bullying than anything. Granted, it’s not a bad story. It’s just not for me.

I hate how Dulcie and Emma act throughout. Emma’s behavior makes sense due to her age and lonely upbringing, but Dulcie has no excuse. Dulcie seems straight up unreasonable in some parts. Like, yeah, it’s Ali’s fault that Emma sneaks out the window during nap time because she wasn’t watching her, because that makes sense (This is sarcasm). What’s she supposed to do, sit in Emma’s room with her for every nap and bed time? At some point the child is to blame.

If you don’t like your ghost stories to be scary, and want something a little more mysterious, maybe check this out. Nobody dies. The ghost doesn’t blatantly try to murder anyone. It’s about finding the truth so the ghost can rest.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 6

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The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 6 by Natsu Hyuuga, Nekokurage, Itsuki Nanao, Touco Shino
Series Name: The Apothecary Diaries (Manga)
Genres: Drama, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-086-0
Rating: 5/5
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Description from the Book

When the ever-luminous Jinshi asks for her help in disguising himself to see to a matter beyond the palace walls, Maomao must dig deep to mar her employer’s divine allure! And to make the ploy believable, Maomao herself is roped into a spot of theater right alongside her master. But the “business” at hand takes the pair right to the gates of the Pleasure District, leaving Maomao to wonder if all her hard work has been for a mere assignation or if there’s yet another mystery afoot…

Personal & Info

I made sure to get this one on release day this time. No repeats of what happened with volume five. I’m going to try to get them quick every time.

Every volume I am reminded how beautiful the art is. The cover image, the gorgeous color page at the start, and all the panels, seeing them fresh with a new volume makes me feel like Maomao when she sees a rare medicinal plant. If this ever gets an anime, I really hope they live up to the art of the manga.

Characters

Maomao is still her eccentric amusing self. She makes me love the series so much. We learn some important details about her.

Jinshi is as important as ever, and he sees a face on Maomao he hopes he never sees again. No spoilers. Make of that what you will.

Lakan, the “odd duck” tactician always pestering Jinshi. We learn a lot more of his significance.

Other characters from the previous book are also present, but they don’t play significant roles.

Story & Thoughts

This volume is amazing. There are so many huge story bombs being dropped, some suspected, others not. Events from the entire series so far culminate to a climax so enthralling, I hung on every panel. I am so upset I have to wait until December for the next book.

Any-who, this one starts off funny. As the synopsis says, Maomao is asked to change Jinshi’s appearance. She has a little too much fun with it, but totally worth every second.

Seeing Jinshi shirtless for the first time is…well, let’s just say I’m not complaining.

Jinshi works his way around to asking Maomao the question Lakan wouldn’t answer. There appear to be all kinds of motives and strings all over that. It’s cruel of Lakan to have Jinshi ask, but I understand from a storytelling perspective.

As far as mystery goes, I think there’s only one in this volume. The whole thing encompasses one solid plot. There are some small questions and curiosities throughout, but definitely just the one big mystery as far as I can tell.

I want more information on Maomao’s nightmare. There has to be more information coming on that in later volumes. I will be surprised if there is not.

There’s sort of a cliff hanger ending. It’s not a blatant cliff hanger. It’s more of a dramatic, “okay, crisis over, now what,” kind of thing. I hate that I have to wait to see what happens next, but it could be far worse.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 5

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The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 5 by Natsu Hyuuga, Nekokurage, Itsuki Nanao, Touco Shino
Series Name: The Apothecary Diaries (Manga)
Genres: Drama, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-074-7
Rating: 3.5/5
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Description from the Book

Forced to the leave the Inner Court, Maomao finds herself in the employ of none other than Jinshi, the seemingly ever-present thorn in her side. Immune to her new master’s charms, Maomao instead sets her mind to her work and to learning the ways of the Outer Court, where government ministers and military officers go about the daily business of running the country. Far from being fearful of her new surroundings, however, Maomao has her insatiable curiosity piqued by the forbidden, soldier-occupied East Wing. And when yet another mystery beckons, Maomao is unable to resist…

Personal & Info

At this point, I’m most definitely hooked on the series. I tried to buy this volume on release at my small local bookstore, because I prefer to shop there when possible, but someone had already taken it by the time I went. I had to wait a couple weeks for more copies to come in.

Characters

Maomao has a new job, in a new place, with new bullies. Women always seem angry because of her presence, even though she makes the extra effort to look bland and scrawny.

Jinshi and Gao Shun come and go. Jinshi appears to be very busy, but he still makes time to be nosy.

Suiren is Jinshi’s head maid. She is in her fifties, and apparently tends Jinshi’s residence by herself.

Ba Sen is a military officer Gao Shun assigns to escorting Maomao in this volume. I have some suspicions about him. I won’t say what they are in case they prove to be correct.

Li Haku, the soldier whom originally gives Maomao a hairpin in volume two , is around. The military quarters is not far from where she works.

Loulan is the new Pure Consort. We know nothing about her, but my impressions are she is aloof, bored, and indifferent. She is the same age as Maomao.

Lakan is a tactician whom apparently visits Jinshi regularly, despite Jinshi’s distain for the man. I have a feeling he is a story villain getting his introduction. He certainly does not sound like a good person.

Story & Thoughts

Maomao starts her new job in the Outer Court. She is back to being a maid, because she fails an aptitude test, and it’s apparently hard to get back into the Inner court after you are let go. She does briefly get to go back as a teacher for a day, though. That part is rather amusing.

The first mystery of the volume is in the third chapter. The first two chapters consist of Maomao getting comfortable in her new position, and fulfilling a request to teach a class for the Principal Consorts in the Inner Court. The last three out of five chapters all have their own individual mysteries to solve, only one of which involves poison of any kind. The series definitely has that Detective Conan/Case Closed vibe comfortably established.

I keep thinking Maomao should speak her mind more, but then she does, and it gets her into trouble. Maybe she needs to learn what to say out loud, and what not to, instead.

I keep forgetting to say it, but I love how Maomao is always portrayed as a cat.

Maomao is absolutely obsessed with the caterpillar fungus Jinshi presented her upon buying out her contract. She keeps circling back to it with renewed excitement after work and mysteries are complete. It makes her so happy to think about, that she accidentally smiles full on at Jinshi, and it appears to be a traumatic experience for him, considering the way their relationship works.

Lakan leaves us with a bit of a cliff hanger. He chooses not to finish telling his story, and instead implies Jinshi should ask Maomao for answers. This certainly can’t lead to anything good. I’m almost positive Lakan is going to be a new villain for the story.

This volume feels like a slight dip in rating, but it’s understandable because Maomao is in a new place and meeting new people. I’m sure it will find a good rhythm again once everyone important has their introduction done.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 4

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The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 4 by Natsu Hyuuga, Nekokurage, Itsuki Nanao, Touco Shino
Series Name: The Apothecary Diaries (Manga)
Genres: Drama, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-073-0
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

The trail of the garden banquet poisoner leads Maomao to the Garnet Palace! Aiming to uncover the identity and motives of the culprit who nearly succeeded in turning the festivities into a tragedy, the young apothecary-turned-lady’s maid temporarily takes up there at Jinshi’s behest. Home to Lady Aduo – the consort with the longest tenure in the Emperor’s affections – the Garnet Palace harbors many intrigues, some more shocking than even Maomao could have imagined! Will solving the mystery at hand lose Maomao her job…and maybe even her life?!

Personal & Info

This series is going strong for quality. I love Maomao. The story is great, and every volume makes me laugh.

Characters

Maomao’s life takes some turns in this volume.

Jinshi and Gao Shun seem important in each volume. Jinshi is a main character, and Gao Shun is his aide, so they are always around.

Xiaolan seems briefly present in each volume to pass gossip to Maomao that forwards the story or gives her insight she isn’t already aware of.

We learn more about Lishu and Aduo, some facts, and some speculation.

Luomen, we finally have a name for Maomao’s dad. This volume addresses some of the mystery behind his time at the inner court. We got brief implications in previous volumes that he may have been there.

Fengming is the head lady-in-waiting at the Garnet Palace. It would be hard for Maomao to visit and not associate with her.

Story & Thoughts

It’s two months after the garden banquet, and the investigation into who the poisoner is, is coming to a close. Approximately half the book is spent on this investigation. I think this volume has the most intrigue, so far.

Jinshi seems to be trying to turn Maomao into a detective. The favor he asks in this book has absolutely nothing to do with her apothecary skills. I think he just values her opinion and likes to test her.

The gross gossip about the tastes of the previous Emperor from volume two comes up again. As disgusting as it is, it’s only used in Maomao’s speculations. Nothing inappropriate is shown. If the sheer mention of this stuff offended you in volume two, you might be displeased to come across the subject again here.

There are some deeper mysteries going on around a few characters and their histories. All we have to go on are some observations and speculations from Maomao about possibilities. There’s no evidence or information to truly support any of it. Her speculations do make sense, though, so it makes me wonder if we’ll find out the truth later.

Maomao and Jinshi have some sweeter moments in this volume. Two are for sure sweet, but there is also one where I’m not sure if he’s flirting or tormenting. Maomao finds amusing ways to get revenge against him for torment now. Their relationship, whatever kind it is, has seen a lot of growth up to this point. I’m curious to see how it will continue to develop.

Maomao should probably speak her mind more often. The things she neglects to say seem to be things she should actually say.

Someone should do something about Lishu’s ladies. I can’t help feeling sorry for her.

I haven’t said this in other reviews, but I love the bonus comics in the back. They tend to have scenes that are extended parts from events that happen in the book, and they are always funny.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 3

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The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 3 by Natsu Hyuuga, Nekokurage, Itsuki Nanao, Touco Shino
Series Name: The Apothecary Diaries (Manga)
Genres: Drama, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-072-3
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

After putting on a successful and sensual (?) show of food tasting at the garden banquet, Maomao is the talk of the palace! But she soon discovers that notoriety isn’t the only thing the party has granted her! Her collection of hairpins from the event brings the young herbalist a brief window of freedom beyond the palace walls, as she returns to the pleasure district for the first time in nearly a year! But while reunions with her father and her friends await, so too does another mystery…

Personal & Info

I bought this at the same time as volume two, because I didn’t want to have to wait to keep reading, like I did after volume one. Four wasn’t out at the time. I love this series, and can’t get enough of it.

Characters

Maomao’s character is building nicely. We see more sides of her in each book as new problems present themselves and she flexes her brain. Apparently, bluffing is in her skillset, but knowing how to read people, not so much.

Jinshi seems to be full of mystery. We’re getting tiny bits of information about him at seemingly random times.

Li Haku gives Maomao a hairpin in volume two. He does her a favor in this book, and is hardly seen. He is both significant and not, more like a plot device to keep things moving in the direction Maomao wants to go.

We see Maomao’s Pa in this volume. I don’t think the book gives us a name for him. He seems like a kind old man, always teaching his daughter the family business whenever opportunity arises. It’s obvious where Maomao gets her apothecary talent from.

Story & Thoughts

Maomao’s friend Xiaolan explains the use of the hairpins from the garden banquet. She apparently doesn’t do a good job and oversimplifies it, though, because the context of everyone else’s reactions implies something far more romantic than Maomao has in mind. Li Haku is the only guy from outside the inner court she has a pin from, so he is unanimously the man whom Maomao asks a favor.

Most of the story for this volume takes place in the pleasure district during Maomao’s visit home. Two people get poisoned in a closed room of one of the brothels, and though unnecessary, Maomao speculates what happened to cause it. It appears to be well planned, with Maomao herself being the only unexpected factor. This section feels very similar to a Detective Conan episode.

We see Maomao do a lot of smart and successful things in the series, so I think what we don’t realize is she is always learning. She is trained in her craft, but there are still things she doesn’t know, or overlooks. Her father is still better at the job than she is, and he is constantly helping her learn. Maomao sees him for the first time in ten months, and he automatically tries to teach her by quizzing her to help her hone her craft. While she is smart, and has much success under her belt, she is still capable of making mistakes and missing details.

I think we actually get to see Jinshi be jealous, how surprising. It’s becoming unclear how he sees Maomao. At first, the story implies she’s essentially a toy for his amusement, but now it’s hard to be sure. He clearly cares for her in some way, though it’s not clear if it’s romantic or not. Her chastity seems to matter to him, but is she a toy or a crush? Only time will tell.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 2

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The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 2 by Natsu Hyuuga, Nekokurage, Itsuki Nanao, Touco Shino
Series Name: The Apothecary Diaries (Manga)
Genres: Drama, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-071-6
Rating: 4/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble Crunchyroll ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

When word of her accomplishments falls on the ears of His Imperial Majesty, Maomao finds herself tasked with a direct request from the throne. Turning down the emperor is out of the question for the former(?) apothecary if she wants to keep her head! But while acquiescing to the emperor is expected of all subjects, Maomao is about to discover that ladies-in-waiting have still more taxing duties to which to attend, as preparations for the garden banquet get underway! Concocting an aphrodisiac might be second nature to Maomao, but smiling prettily for the officials of the court could prove far more difficult…

Personal & Info

Originally, I purchased volume one from my local book store, and I read it that same evening. The store was closed the following two days, so having fallen in love with the series, I had to wait a few days to go back for the next few volumes. Yes, I could have just ordered them, but I prefer to buy locally, if I can.

Characters

Maomao shows off her more aggressive side and proves she can be intimidating. Apparently, there are poisons she actually LIKES. I still love her as a character. She can be hysterically funny in unexpected ways, and uplifting in others.

Jinshi seems to be a bit more hands off in this volume. He isn’t seen as much due to the garden banquet, however, we do get to see a more tender moment with him.

Gyokuyo seems like she will be important as an ongoing character, since Maomao currently works for her. She doesn’t always involve herself in Maomao’s business, but she’s definitely around.

Lihua may be more kind than the first volume seems to imply.

Consorts Aduo and Lishu, the remaining two of the four principal consorts, get an introduction.

We finally learn the names of all four of Gyokuyo’s ladies-in-waiting. We don’t learn all the names through the story in volumes one and two. There is a list of the four ladies in the back, which also includes personality descriptions to give us a better idea of their characters.

Story & Thoughts

In the first chapter, we get to see how consort Lihua is doing after the poison incident in the first book. This is also the first look into a different palace. We’ve only seen Gyokuyo’s Jade Palace residence until now. Lihua lives in the Crystal Palace, and she has many more ladies-in-waiting than Gyokuyo. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are more efficient at the job, though.

The story in this volume is much simpler. Three of the four chapters are concerning the garden banquet, so there seem to be less mysteries. Instead, Maomao learns how the banquet works, and more information about the other consorts is given. I think all three chapters contain one mystery. It’s like a long special.

The previous Emperor apparently had some sketchy preferences. There’s a section where Gyokuyo’s ladies-in-waiting are gossiping with Maomao about it and they actually bleep out part of it. Worry not, though, they don’t approve. Maomao even says it makes her want to throw up. It’s just gossip information, and does not appear to have any significant baring on the story aside from lore about a few people. It’s a small section, and I don’t think readers should let it affect the overall enjoyment of the volume.

Are you wondering why Maomao’s freckles are missing on the cover? Is she wearing makeup? I was certainly curious. You’ll find out when you read the book.