Past Crimes: A Compendium of Historical Mysteries by Ashley Gardner

Past Crimes: A Compendium of Historical Mysteries Reviews

• 
  Sophia

  This is a lovely tasting tray of three novellas that showcase three of the author's historical mystery series: Ancient Rome for one and Regency England for the others. I'm always happy to give new to me historical mysteries a try so I was eager to dive in and sample them all.
  
  Soupcon of Poison #.5 Kat Holloway Series
  I enjoyed this introductory novella to the series that showcases Regency era cook, Kat Holloway and enigmatic 'more than he seems' jack of all trades, Daniel McAdams work a clever murder in which Kat is the prime suspect.
  There was background on Kat and just enough a teaser to the characters to get the reader eager for the rest of the series. It worked. The characters were engaging and the plot good. I'm ready for more.
  
  Blood Debts #1 Leonidas the Gladiator series
  
  A mystery set in ancient Rome was most welcome especially when the protagonist is a freed, retired gladiator named Leonidas and he must defend his innocence with the help of his bright and intelligent slave, Cassia. The author described the world so well and I loved both world-weary Leonidas who isn't impressed with his own fame and his exact and orderly Cassia. I can't wait for more mysteries in this series.
  
  The Necklace Affair #4.5 Captain Lacey series
  Captain Lacey is called upon to locate a stolen necklace and get an innocent maid freed of the charges. What seems at first more of a pathetic domestic squabble between rival women turns into something more as a crime lord, a tarnished French aristocrat, and an angry husband all approach Lacey adding further developments.
  I enjoyed my first introduction to the Captain Lacey series set in post-Napoleonic War Regency England for wounded former cavalry-man trying to make his way in life.
  
  So, I cannot believe my luck to stumble across not one, but three new series I want to devour now. I like the author's writing style, her attention to historical setting, and the clever mysteries. I can recommend this compendium of samples from three different series to other historical mystery fans.
• 
  SheLove2Read

  Three historical mysteries from author Jennifer Ashley (written under her pseudonyms).
  
  A Soupçon of Poison - (Kat Holloway Victorian Mysteries) - 5 stars
  I really enjoyed this one! Our heroine, Kat Holloway, is a 28 year old cook who is highly sought after by the Ton and royals alike. When she is framed for a murder she didn't commit, the mysterious Daniel McAdam comes to her rescue and helps her to solve the mystery. I liked that Kat wasn't perfect, and that Daniel is not who he says he is. It made the mystery that much more compelling. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
  
  Blood Debts - (Leonidas the Gladiator Mysteries) - 4 stars
  How often do you find yourself reading about characters set in Ancient Rome?! Leonidas is a former gladiator who has won his freedom - and a slave assistant named Cassia - from a mysterious benefactor. A man who owed him money was murdered, and Leonidas is a prime suspect, but with the help of Cassia, he clears his name and discovers the true villain. You can tell that Cassia is just a slave in name only as far as Leonidas is concerned. He feels protective of her in ways he doesn't understand. Cassia herself is an anomaly. She's a slave, originally from a Greek family, that knows how to read and write and she is wicked smart as well. I will definitely be on the lookout for more in this series.
  
  The Necklace Affair - (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries) - 3 stars
  While the writing is stellar, I didn't enjoy the plot or like the characters as much as the two previous entries.
  
  
• 
  Ted Tayler

  "Let the past stay in the past"
  
  At first, this seemed a reasonable method of introducing readers to the attractions of historical novels. Take three widely differing eras and produce examples/excerpts to encourage people to purchase one of the series. I don't profess to understand why this author felt the need to write under different names? That's just confusing, as the writing style in all three stories was clearly by the same hand.
  Historical fiction isn't everyone's cup of tea. The books need a good deal of research to make them feel genuine and of the period. I didn't spot any 'howlers' but truth be told, I got bored with the format in the end. Maybe, that's because I prefer coffee to tea? This compendium will have its fans, no doubt, and the author will achieve her goal of new readers, but by the end of the Regency period I was done with history.
• 
  Nina

  Three novellas written in the context of three different historical periods: Victorian, Ancient Rome, and Regency. Each one had the customs of the era down pat. Well researched! And each demonstrated how crimes could be solved at that time. My absolute favorite was the freed gladiator in Rome, although apparently there is only one full length book about him. My next favorite was the Victorian cook, but there's only a few books with her. There seem to be many, many books with the retired British army captain in the regency period. The novella about him was ok, but definetley not the best of the bunch. There is a promise of more tales of Leonidas the gladiator, so I'll watch for those.
• 
  Barbara Monajem

  This book includes three novellas, each of which introduces a different series. My favorite was the first one, A Soupçon of Poison. The main character, Kat Holloway, is the cook in a wealthy Victorian-era household. She’s a wonderful character, a joy to read, and her counterpart, a mysterious male, is delightfully intriguing.
  
  The second novella takes place in Ancient Rome, another era I like to read about. The hero is a retired gladiator, and his female counterpart is brilliant. I hope this develops into a long series. The third novella intros the Captain Lacey series, of which I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few.
• 
  Delta

  Free today on Amazon, B&N, and iBooks. 06-21-18
• 
  Marty Tool

  Three mysteries that range from Nero' s Rome with a gladiator and his "slave" solving a murder, to Recency and Victorian Britain using a cook and ex-soldier solving the mysteries. Each novella gives you a good mystery with likeable characters, you will feel like you are there with them while they travel their cities and solve the crimes. I do read this author already, however these would have made me look for her work to follow these characters. Much research was done on the time period, cities, and life for each of the main characters. Very enjoyable.
• 
  H.L. Carpenter

  Very well written set of three complete mystery novellas featuring three very different characters: a Victorian cook, a retired Roman gladiator, and a Regency ex-soldier. Hard to say which was more enjoyable, though that gladiator might just edge out the other two...reader with a soft spot for principled men here... :) Lovely enjoyable sample and beautiful introduction to each series. No hanging endings here (sorry, that has been a pet peeve lately with multiple books).
• 
  Atiye Chappell

  I love mysteries, always have and the idea of historical mysteries did catch my eye when I saw the title of this book, but despite the time periods I didn't find anything memorable about these stories.
  
  Past Crimes fell flat for me - a good mystery should draw you in and hold your attention to the very end and that just doesn't happen here.
• 
  Kathy

  3.5 stars
  Three novellas with different characters. Each good in its own way.
• 
  Jadetyger Sevea

  Blood Debts--Ashley Gardner
  
  This collection, titled "Past Crimes", is a collection of introductory novellas to each of Ms. Gardner's series. This review is for her 'Leonidas the Gladiator' mysteries. I'd previously read the other offerings in the book, so they are not 'new' to me.
  
  I gave "Blood Debts" a 3-star rating, but it's really more of a 3.5. I enjoyed the story, and Gardner's writing is strong, as always. That being said, there were a few places where words in the middle of a sentence were dropped. I suspect this may have happened when the ebook was created from the original manuscript. I point it out because such errors are unusual to see in work from such a polished author. Someone should have checked the ebook copy one more time before releasing the book.
  
  I enjoyed this tale overall, enough to get the audiobook version of the first novel in the series. I've been a bit leery of mysteries set in ancient Rome--firstly, because there are so many of them, and secondly, because I've struggled with the Falco mysteries, which seem to be highly regarded in the genre. Which is an odd reason not to pick up a book in that setting by another author, I know, but there you are.
  
  First, the characters:
  
  Leonidas--The story is told from his perspective, in first person narration. Despite that, I felt that there were times where he felt flat, for lack of a better word. This is a novella, so the format may somewhat be to blame, but I did feel that Leonidas lacked...something.
  
  However, I did like him, and I enjoyed seeing Rome through an ex-gladiator's eyes.
  
  Cassia: My favorite character so far. She's very smart, and is clearly the brains of the operation. Not to say that Leonidas is stupid--far from it. It's just that he isn't as familiar with day-to-day things, like budgeting and finances. Cassia does all that. She's a bit of a savant when it comes to numbers, which I found to be an interesting character trait.
  
  The one glitch here is that Cassia is Leonidas' slave, 'given' to him when a mysterious benefactor freed Leonidas from his life as a gladiator(his status as a former gladiator, and his thoughts on that life were interesting, but too involved and spoiler-filled to discuss here).
  
  Cassia as Leonidas' slave sets up a weird power dynamic that I'm not really comfortable with. She does have an amazing amount of leeway, and Leonidas would be lost without her(similar to the relationship between Pepper Potts and Tony Stark in the first Iron Man movie).
  
  Now, could Cassia be in a worse position? Yes. Leonidas is a decent human being, and would not even think to raise a hand to her, or abuse her in any way. However, that does not change the fact that he *owns* her according to Roman law. As I suspect the relationship will turn romantic, this power dynamic will be...not great. Unlike Pepper, Cassia cannot resign from her position.
  
  And lastly, this 'mysterious benefactor'. Gardner has used this trope before, in the Capt. Lacey mysteries, although Denis isn't so much a 'benefactor' as 'criminal who finds Lacey useful at times'.
  I'm hoping the situation with Leonidas and Cassia will be different, as I'd hate to see a retread of the Lacey and Denis storyline.
  
  
  
• 
  Clive Gerrard

  Three historical novellas in this trilogy. The first set in Edwardian/Victorian London, the second set in ancient Rome and the third during the Regency period, also in London.The quality of the stories varied considerably in my opinion.
  
  The first, about a cook was awful! The characters were cliches of their time: the butler stealing the silver, a single parent cook, struggling to survive and a master who bullies everyone (yawn!). The hero, who we never seem to know anything about, is able to obtain seemingly everything at will in half an hour and expects no payment (even out of season fruit and veg) and this is frankly absurd! and from that moment on, I found the whole scenario ridiculous.
  
  The second, and the best story, is about a 'Freed' Gladiator called 'Leonidas' (named after the Spartan King at Thermopylae) and his slave 'Cassia'. who endeavour to solve the murder of a money-changer. I felt this story was historically accurate and led to the characters being believable and the plot then lends itself to the intricacies of Roman life. His skill as a Gladiator are put to good use and his reputation precedes him in his (and Cassia's) quest. As you can tell, I quite enjoyed this story.
  
  The third, about a former cavalry officer endevouring to find a missing necklace, was okay but a disappointment after the previous story, which was a shame. The plot line needed more and I felt the understated Lesbian relationship between the two female protagonists and they're relationship to the master of the house (wife and mistress) who again is cast a 'Bully' was straight out of a Victorian Melodrama . Yes, the plot was weak and the ending lacked any drama or tension.
  
  So something of a 'Curate's egg' of a book for me.
• 
  Sharon

  I read and thoroughly enjoyed
  The Hanover Square Affair, so I was excited about this collection of short stories. I liked the Kat Holloway mystery, "A Soupçon of Poison," and thoroughly enjoyed "The Necklace Affair," which brought back the Captain Lacey of "The Hanover Square Affair."
  
  In the first, Kat is suspected of murder and has to figure out how to clear her name. In the latter, Captain Lacey is asked to help find a missing diamond necklace .. and winds up embroiled in far more complications than he expected.
  
  The third tale, which is the middle one in the book, was "Blood Debts," featuring a gladiator called Leonidas. He's out trying to collect monies owed to him and comes across a dead body -- and is, of course, a suspect.
  
  Honestly, this one left me a little cold. It wasn't about the period (I know quite a bit about it) or that it was poorly written. It just wasn't my particular cup of tea.
  
  This is a very good sampler for those unfamiliar with Ashley Gardner's writing.
• 
  Birgit

  Three "samples", i.e. shorter stories, of three of this author's series of more or less willing crime-solvers from the past, without the help of today's technology, and I loved them all!
  In the Victorian Era, Kat Holloway, a young cook, gets involved in a murder case and has to clear her name, with the help of the mysterious Daniel McAdam, so she goes out and looks for the murderer herself.
  Rome at Nero's times: Ex-Gladiator Leonidas and his slave Cassia have to solve the murder of a money lender, as Leonidas is the prime suspect in this case.
  Regency Era: Captain Lacey agrees to help find a stolen necklace for an elderly lady, only to find that all is not what it seems.
  All three stories are told with a very good sense of humour, witty dialogues, and strong protagonists who take on what life throws at them, with dignity (more or less), intelligence, and stubbornness.
  These are not full of nail-biting tension, but so captivating that I did not want to put them aside and interrupt my reading.
  I want more of this author, definitely!
• 
  Christopher Taylor

  This is a collection of three short stories, mysteries set in different historical eras.
  
  The first is the story of a cook in Victorian England accused of murdering her aristocratic, handsy boss. The second is of an ex-gladiator in Nero's Rome who finds a dead banker, and the third in post-Napoleonic War England of an ex-Army captain who associates with the aristocratic types investigating a theft.
  
  All three are well written stories rich in historical and cultural context, and the cook's story the most amusing and entertaining. All three feature at least one strong, intelligent women who do most of the crime solving even when merely side characters. All three have weak, annoying men, the first none of whom are pleasant or decent.
  
  It was a fair introduction to the author's skill and style, for free off Amazon, so it was a decent deal but the style didn't prompt me to want to read any more of her writings.
• 
  Sharen

  Really 3 and a half stars from me
  
  I really like historical novels, and I hate to give anything like a negative review...because every book suits someone and has an audience. This author just does not especially suit me. She has a VERY good writing style. But, what turned me off was that...while there was no graphic sex (thankfully), too many authors seem to dwell too much on the “master of the house has absolute control over his wife and his female employees and can do whatever he wants with them” aspect. And while I will agree that was prevalent back then (and to an extent still is), I just don’t want to dwell on it in my reading material. Captain Lacey seems like an entertaining character and I may look into one of her books about him. None of these three books in the “compendium” were the first books in each of those series...so, sadly, there was a lot of missing backstory about the lead characters.
• 
  kathie

  This is a great deal on Amazon. Today (7-24-21) it is $0.00 and it has been for quite a while. It is a collection of three of Ashley Gardner/Jennifer Ashley mysteries. Each one is available separately as a novella and they each cost $2.99. The three are:
  
  Blood Debts-Leonidas the Gladiator Mysteries
  A Soupcon of Poison-Kat Holloway Mysteries
  The Necklace Affair-Captain Lacey Mysteries
  
  I had already purchased and read the Kat Holloway and am very familiar with the Captain Lacey series. It was Blood Debts I was most interested in. I wasn't sure how I would like a book about a Roman gladiator but, to my surprise, I liked it very much. I have since read the two complete novels in that series that have been published.
  
  I am coming to realize that I love just about anything Jennifer Ashley writes....except the paranormal perhaps. As I said, this is a great deal and a good way to see if you might like any of the three mystery series.
• 
  Jefrois

  MY OPINION:
  
  
  The First Book.
  One of the author’s LESSER efforts….
  .
  .
  “…The hope in his eyes was unmistakable. There was no shame in a man lying in bed with another man….”
  
  I did not know that.
  
  Author seems to keep coming back to this idea.
  
  THIS BOOK IS ANNOYING.
  
  Contains “sips,” and “mouthfuls,” and “chewed,” and “around [a] mouthful,” and “washed it down,” and other highly annoying “literary” devices.
  
  MOST ANNOYING!!!
  
  Again: I was apparently shown how and why a woman is smarter than any ol’ dumb caveman male, and why her correct opinion is ALWAYS needed.
  
  “You are always sleeping, Leonidas,” Cassia said without rancor. “One day, you will have to wake up.” “One day, I will,” I said. “I have your word?” “You do.” I might be infamis, but I honored my promises, and Cassia knew it. “That’s all right then.” Cassia turned her face to the road.
  
  .
  .
  The Second Book:
  CARRIES THE ENTIRE BATCH….
  
  Good Book.
  
  
  The Third Book:
  
  Bad book.
  
  I could not follow it and quit reading very early.
  
  I thought it stunk.
  .
  .
• 
  Jennifer Macaire

  Fantastic trio of mysteries - I was hooked from page one. The first features a cook as a the heroine, and I loved the way the mystery tied in with the food (poison, of course!) and how the mystery was solved. The characters were wonderful, really a great start to a terrific series. The second story was my favorite - book I in the Leonidas the Gladiator Mysteries -and here Ms Gardner shows her flair for creating unusual characters in unusual settings - and making everything work. The research was terrific, and it really helped the story along, making it incredibly realistic even though it was set in ancient Rome! Kudos! The third story was (in my opinion) the weakest, but it was still a page-turner, with a stolen necklace, a love triangle, and an ex-soldier detective who is wonderfully drawn. All in all a great read. I'm thrilled to have discovered this author!
• 
  Holly

  Enjoyable trio of novellas
  
  I took a chance on this collection of novellas despite some negative reviews and I'm glad I did. The writing style is similar in all three, not always true with these e-books. Each features a different main character, time period, and setting. Not all involve murder but all are mysteries to be solved. You get just enough background on each main character to read the novella, but to learn more you must read the books in that series. Each novella completes its story, though, no cliffhangers. No bad language or sex and any violence is pretty tame. The writing is competent. It's a light, enjoyable read that kept my interest through the three stories and I may just read more in each series.
• 
  Italo Italophiles

  I had that feeling with each story: Yes, but...
  
  The cook's story was cute but the crime had similarities to themurder in the film Gosford Park.
  
  The one set in Ancient Rome was interesting, but the first person narration made the many explanations of Roman customs just come across as odd. 3rd person narration would have been better, since a narrator from the period would have no need to explain things to a contemporary reader.
  
  The Captain Lacey story was the one I enjoyed the most, for the interplay of the characters, but it was written to come between two of the many novels in the series, not as an introduction to the series, like the other two stories, so I felt like I was joing something mid-way.
  
  So, yes, I enjoyed them well enough (despite some typos), but...