The Dead Duke His Secret Wife and the Missing Corpse

Did the 5th Duke of Portland, noted for his eccentricity and reclusiveness, establish a second identity, that of T.C. Druce, prominent merchant in Edwardian London, and live two separate lives? That is the claim of Anna Maria Druce, who says that her deceased father-in-law was in reality the Duke and that T.C. Druce's death in 1864 was faked by the Duke as he had tired of the charade. If Druce's claim is true, the vast fortune that passed to a distant cousin of the Duke upon his death in 1879 properly belongs to Anna Maria's son as a direct descendant of the Duke.

This complicated true story of secret identities, mistresses, offspring both legitimate and illegitimate comes complete with secret passageways, court room drama and even a mysterious "Veiled Lady".

The author, [author:Piu Marie Eatwell|7259236] conducted meticulous research using newspapers, court documents and where possible personal correspondence in an attempt to discover the truth behind the many and various claims about the Duke, the Druce family and the fortune that hung in the balance. The result is an entertaining and informative expose of Edwardian England and the prejudices, hypocrisy and chicanery that impacted the lives of everyone -- from Dukes to scullery maids.

The Doppelganger Deaths by Edmund Glasby

Detective Inspector Gregory Vaughn and his right-hand man, Detective Sergeant Paul Tyler are faced with a series of gruesome murder scenes, each of which features a beautifully crafted, but decidedly creepy, porcelain doll.
What could have been a standard procedural crime mystery is improved by the originality of the motivation of the killer, and by the fact that Tyler is a true partner in solving the crime.instead of the stereotypical bumbling foil for the brilliance of the lead detective. As a fan of British crime TV programs like "Midsomer Murders" and the like, I settled in for a pleasant read, and Glasby delivered. For the most part.
On the down side, the writing seems a little self-conscious at times, as if adjectives were added for the sake of adding them. For instance, "Richard Greene, the bespectacled crash investigator". This character never appears again, so why the gratuitous description?
I wasn't crazy about the ending either. I found myself questioning the choices made here.
I enjoyed it, but not enough for 4 stars.

Farewell My Lovely by Raymond Chandler

Philip Marlowe, the original wise-cracking private detective, finds himself drawn into the search for a missing night-club singer and on the way meets beautiful and dangerous women, corrupt city officials, and a psychic who may be part of a jewel theft ring.

I was surprised to find that this story, written in 1940, featured hidden marijuana cigarettes and a somewhat casual attitude about their use: "On the other hand lots of tough guys smoked marihuana, also lots of band musicians and high school kids, and nice girls who had given up trying."

Even more surprising to me was Chandler's frank treatment of the blatant racism that existed with regard to crimes against people of color. I won't include a quote here but it's clear that Marlowe is not surprised to learn that the murder of a black person isn't going to get the attention that the murder of a white person would.

Sprinkled through this detective tale are the classic metaphors that are so much a part of our collective cultural memory as to become cliches. But when you remember that these are from the original source you appreciate  how they reveal the cynical but humorous aspects of Marlowe's personality and we begin to understand why this character is the basis of the stereotypical private eye.
Upon meeting a hopelessly alcoholic woman: "Uh-huh," the voice dragged itself out of her throat like a sick man getting out of bed." and She was as cute as a washtub.
When confronted with a tough guy: "He looked as nervous as a brick wall."

This was my first Raymond Chandler. I feel I have filled a gap in the cracks of my cultural reading wall.