Reckoning at the Riviera Royale by P.J. Fitzsimmons

Anty has been summoned by his mother to join her on the Riviera. Since her two sentence missive has more emotion than he's ever seen from the woman, he immediately sets out. It's there that he learns of the death of Malandrino the Magnificent. He was the main draw of a small circus but it seems hew was killed by the elephant, Thumpy. Now the circus owner is going to try and make money by executing the elephant. Anty is not in love with the idea. 

While there, Anty also meets the wife of his mother's brother and her amazingly beautiful daughter, Chadwick. He is immediately in love with her and proposes marriage. He also encounters any number of suspects, both in the circus (including the man's brother and the circus owner) and out (two women who were in love with the charismatic murder victim for many years) and even Anty's own mother who was seen with the victim.

Anty is more Bertie Wooster than ever in this story. While this mystery may not have been as well put together as previous stories (and we still don't know what happened to his father), it was still an enjoyable story.

Three and a half stars

Anty Boisjoly #5

This book came out November 29, 2022

Follows The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse

The Case of the case of Kilcladdich

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse by P.J. Fitzsimmons

Once again, Anthony "Anty" Boisjoly is on the road. His club's steward, Carnaby, is missing and that is throwing Anty off. Especially when he finds out that Carnaby left after receiving a telegram that warns that a curse is once again alive.

So Anty follows him to Hoy and meets none other than Inspector Wittersham on the train down. This time, the two actually have a nice conversation. When they get to Hoy, they discover that there are castle Carnabys and town Carnabys. Basically a thems-that-has and thems-that-hasn't. Except that the castle Carnabys don't have any money while the town Carnabys are doing more than fine. 

Those at the castle are especially riled because the local fog has taken the recent bride of the current head of the family. No fewer than six people saw her at the edge of the river, the fog come in, and then she was gone; and there was no way that anyone could have possibly done it. 

Four stars

Anty Boisjoly #4

This book came out November 30, 2021

Follows The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine

Followed by The Reckoning at the Riviera Royale

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine by P.J. Fitzsimmons

Anthony "Anty" Boisjoly's reputation is getting larger. Another of his old school chums has asked for his help. This time, it's to prove who died first in a duel where both men died. It seems that the two were of the generation of the Tenpenny family and it was to the survivor that the riches of the family tontine would pay out. But who actually gets the money will depend on who died first.

Again, very funny but more than a little convoluted.

Four stars

This book came out November 30, 2021

Follows The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning

Followed by The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning by P.J. Fitzsimmons

Anthony "Anty" Boisjoly decides to make this book somewhat even more amusing to listen to as he goes to visit his Aunty. She has an extreme aversion to being anywhere in public but hers are the only footprints in the snow leading to her neighbor's house. The same neighbor who is now dead. 

Inspector Wittersham once again appears in this story and agrees with the local constable that Anty's aunty does seem like the most likely murder suspect as she has been spending time with the retired major and it is possible that something went wrong between them. The biggest problem that Aunt Azalea is facing is that the major was seen in the local pub after the snow started pinning her as the only suspect.

The solution is a bit convoluted and all of the townspeople have secrets that come out in the end but it was overall a very enjoyable story.

Four stars

This book came out July 1, 2022

Follows The Case of the Canterfell Codicil

Followed by The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Case of the Canterfell Codicil by P.J. Fitzsimmons

The description for this book was that it had a protagonist similar to Bertie Wooster so I thought it might be interesting. And I agree that the humor is very much like P. G. Wodehouse. The prose got a little overly flowery in the end and the mystery was a little too convoluted but overall a very fun story.

Antony "Anty" Boisjoly has just buried his father and gets called to help out his old friend Evelyn "Fiddlesticks" Fairfax whose uncle is dead by defenestration. On the train up, he meets a man in a trenchcoat; the man turns out to be the Detective Inspector Wittersham assigned to the case. That inspector is also focused on making Fiddly the bad guy. But Anty was on crew with the man and knows he couldn't be the murderer. Anty's not adept at solving murders but he was helpful in school so Evelyn is counting on him to save the day and hopefully so Evelyn can then live happily ever after with the visiting young woman.

Four stars

This book came out October 30, 2020

Followed by The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own