Middle Sister's July Reads

 The heat continues, unabated. Luckily, I can travel somewhere cooler and greener through my books.

Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie The story begins with Jennifer and her mother visiting Jennifer's uncle Bob at his posting abroad in the Middle Eastern country of Ramat. Political unrest is brewing, and Julia and her mother have to suddenly and urgently leave the country. Bob and Prince Yusuf fly out days later, but are killed when the plane Bob is piloting crashes. It's a tragic accident, but Julia returns to her boarding school, Meadowbank. A couple of new teachers and a new gardener have joined the prestigious girls school. Among the new students is Shasta, a cousin of Prince Yusuf. As school begins, Miss Bulstrode the headmistress begins contemplating retirement, and which of the teachers she thinks should succeed her. One of the teachers is murdered, and Jennifer's friend Julia begins to suspect that something is not right at Meadowbank, and that someone sinister is after something or someone hiding at the school. Another great Hercule Poirot, with Dame Agatha deftly weaving a revolution with murder at a girl's school. Perfect summer escapism. 

The Clocks by Agatha Christie When Sheila Webb, typist for hire, arrives at her afternoon job, she walks in to find a dead man and runs screaming out of the house, straight into the arms of Colin Lamb, Special Branch agent. Miss Pebmarsh, the blind homeowner where the dead man was found, insists she never called the secretarial agency for a typist. The police cannot identify the dead man and seem stumped. Then one of Sheila's coworkers is killed, and Hercule Poirot is faced with a very difficult mystery, full of mistaken and hidden identities, secrets buried for years, and plenty of red herrings to fool even the savviest of Christie fans.

The Nightingale Before Christmas by Donna Andrews (No. 18) Time to escape to Christmas in Caerphilly! Caerphilly's annual Christmas celebration has a special attraction this year--a competition among several local decorators, each of whom will decorate one room in an empty house with a holiday theme. The public will get to view the rooms and soak up inspiration, and a winning room will be chosen by committee. Meg's mother is decorating one of the rooms, which means Meg gets to see and hear the fierce competition and backstabbing amongst the designers firsthand. Clay Spottiswood, the snidest and meanest of the decorators, is found murdered. Was one of the decorators so obsessed with winning that they would kill for it? 

Before Midnight by Rex Stout Contestants all over the US are participating in a riddle contest sponsored by Pour Amour, a popular perfume. The final round of clues is about to revealed to the five remaining contestant, who have all come to New York City for the grand finale. The documents with the answers disappear. from the wallet of the man who created the riddles while he was at a party with the contestants and the advertising agency. Did one of the contestants steal the riddles? Pour Amour's company wants to hire Nero to find the papers before word gets out that and the competition compromised, but Nero is not interested. He finally agrees, but tempers flare when he fails to find the riddles, and Wolfe is fired. And then rehired instantly. And then one of the advertising executives is murdered in Nero's own office. 

Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews (no. 10) Luckily for me, Donna Andrews has written several Meg Langlsow mysteries that occur during the holidays, so I can escape to snowy and cold Virginia multiple times during a hot desert summer. Meg and Michael's house outside Caerphilly proper is the perfect staging point for the town holiday parade. This year, the theme is a live action Twelve Days of Christmas, with real animals (including camels and camels) and humans dressed as animals, floats, a nativity scene with a very pregnant Mary, and Santa in a sleigh, creating a maelstrom of merriment. Ralph Doleson, town curmudgeon, is playing Santa again, because he looks the part, but Meg is worried that his brusque manner will ruin the parade for the towns' children. It looks like the parade will proceed without a hitch until Meg's nephew Eric whispers that "something is not right with Santa." Someone has killed Ralph, and since just about no one in town liked him, there are plenty of suspects. 

Middle Sister's June Reads

 It's hot, very hot. So I escaped with favorite authors again.

Round Up the Usual Peacocks by Donna Andrews (No. 31) There's another wedding in the Langslow household, and Meg again is roped in to help. This time, her mother wants strolling peacocks to add charm and color. The problem: the peacocks that are part of the extended family menagerie are molting ahead of their usual molting time, and they couldn't be more unpicturesque if they tried. So Meg gets sent off a mission to rent some peacocks. In the meantime, her nephew Kevin asks for her help. He and his friend started a podcast that examines cold crimes in Virginia. And it looks like one of their latests episodes has stumbled onto something because someone has tried to run over Casey. But Kevin and Casey aren't sure which of their latest podcasts may have upset someone, and they need Meg's help to figure out which one. Ms. Andrews again combines pop culture (the popularity of true crime podcasts) with zany Langlsow craziness (the first Meg Langslow mystery was set during a crazy wedding, too) and the warm and funny extended Langlsow/Hollingsworth clan. 

For Duck's Sake by Donna Andrews (No. 37) Meg's brother Rob, his wife Delaney, and their new baby have moved into their new house, conveniently located right next door to Meg and Michael and their family. Perfect for when they need Meg to do them a favor (which she's happy to do). This time, they need Meg to supervise the excavation of the duck pond. Meg is happy to escape the chaos at her house, where the first ever Caerphilly Mutt March is down to its final hours of organization. Meg has managed to avoid being involved in organizing the march, and it's easier to stay out next door at Rob's. But then the excavators uncover a skeleton with a bullet in its cranium. Then the elderly, original homeowner of Rob's house disappears, and Meg and Chief Burke and the Langslow/Waterstone/Hollingsworth clan jump in to solve the mystery and find Iris before it's too late. 

Trouble in the Brasses by Charlotte MacLeod RCMP Madoc Rhys is visiting his father and mother and is drawn into murder in this re-release originally published in 1989. Madoc is the only member of his family with no musical talent whatsoever, much to the dismay of his conductor father, but that doesn't keep Madoc from attending a performance, even if he can't appreciate it. One of the brasses becomes terribly ill, stumbles off stage, and collapses. Made and his parents and the main orchestra members must fly to their next appearance despite the tragedy. A terrible storm blows them far off course and necessitates an emergency landing. Stuck the wilderness at a closed summer resort with little food, no electricity, and no way to communicate with the world is dire enough. And then, one of them is murdered. A modern country house-type murder mystery with the dry-witted and patient Madoc, my favorite Mountie. 

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei Brilliant graphic nonfiction autobiography of George Takei and his family's years in Japanese interment camps during WWII. Trenchant and extremely topical in today's political climate, when we are doing the same thing to innocent people. Highly, highly recommended. 

A Delicious Deception by Lucy Burdette Food critic Haley Snow is 9-months-pregnant. But when Detective Darcy Rogers asks her to do a favor and supervise the exchange of a child from one parent to another right outside the sheriff's station, Haley agrees, even though her policeman husband protests. But what could go wrong, Haley argues. But it does all go wrong--something spooks the child's mother, who disappears a the drop-off location, and the soon-to-be-ex-husband just leaves the child with Haley. Haley brings the girl to her friends' house while she and Detective Darcy try to find the mother. But things go from bad to very much bad when the little girl is kidnapped. I found the whole premise of this story unbelievable: from why Darcy asked Haley to supervise the exchange to the actual investigation and unfolding of the story. The only thing I liked is that the author pulled no punches at the end of the story, with both heartbreak and joy. This is the second or third in the series I've read, but I suspect I will not go further with it. 

A Fatal Yarn by Peggy Ehrhart To cleanse the palate from the previous book, I jumped back into another comfort series, the Knit and Nibble series. I enjoy this series because it's set inter part of New Jersey where I grew up, so the setting feels like home. And since I had fallen behind in the series (but have the lates on my TBR pile), I thought I should catch up. Pamela and the Knit and Nibblers are surprised to walk out of their homes one day to find that someone has knitted 'sweaters' around trees all over Arborville. They soon realize that not all of the trees are swaddled--only those that had been marked for removal in order to keep them from affecting power lines. Everyone is curious, and Pamela, after looking at the yarn used in several pieces and tracing it to the yarn store it was likely purchased at, thinks she has identified the phantom knitter. Arborville's mayor is murdered, and Roland, one of the Knit and Nibblers, is arrested. Pamela and Bettina are determined to prove Roland's innocence.

Middle Sister's May Reads

I did a lot of gardening in May so listened to a lot of audiobooks. And this is the start of summer in the desert, when we hunker down and avoid going outside whenever we can. Books a'plenty were read! 

Death on the Lanai by Rachel Eckstrom Courage My mom (and I) were big fans of the TV show The Golden Girls, so when Discovered on NetGalley that there was a series of books featuring the girls, well, naturally, I had to read it. Ms. Courage does. a good job mimicking the characters and presenting them to the reader as they were presented on the television screen. The voices in my head as I read dialogue were the voices of the actresses and the characters, and I found that very comforting. The mystery, however, was not enthralling and relied a little bit too much on coincidence. But if you loved the Golden Girls and are looking for some light reading to amuse you, this will do the trick. (Net Galley)

Birder, She Wrote by Donna Andrews Everyone knows I love the Meg Langslow series, and my library has been slowly acquiring the series in both audiobook and e-book format. I'e been trying to re-read in order, but acquisitions aren't always sequential, so I've been doing some jumping around. In Birder, She Wrote, book 33 in the series, Meg's father convinces her to let him add to the beehives that he has installed on her property. As she helps Dad with his latest enthusiasm, Meg learns that some of the newcomers to Caerphillly, who live in big McMansions, are finding that the rural idyll they sought is actually home to rural farmers and their farms and livestock and life ways, and the smells and delays are not what they expected. Now some of the newcomers are making waves, trying to make some of the less picturesque aspects of rural living go away, like bees. Who swarm and hum and sting when they get angry. Randall asks Meg to be the go-between with the newcomers and their complaints. Then Meg's grandmother, Cordelia, arrives and with her, a young reporter for a southern lifestyle magazine who wants to write a feature on Cordelia. Meg, Cordelia, the reporter, and Deacon Washington go looking for a list African-American cemetery, and find a not-so-long-lost corpse. As always, an excellent read. Or in this case, listen; the audiobooks narrated by Bernadette Dunne are very good.

Whose Body in the Library by Eva Gates Kudos to the author for coming up with a novel way to address how to charge up a long-running series, keep the characters people like, but inject fresh characters, fresh points of view, and new situations. The Lighthouse Library series has 12 previous books in it, through which we've watched Lucy arrive to her new job, settle in, make friends, fall in love, get married, and have children. And Ms. Gates decided to shake up a successful formula in a way that successfully keeps the characters, the setting, everything we like, but makes it probably more fun for her to write. The library director has retired, Lucy has been promoted, and so the library now needs another librarian. Enter Nichelle, a fifty-something woman with a brand new MIS degree and a strong desire to start over somewhere new. Nichelle is hired to join the Bodie Lighthouse Library staff and will move into the lighthouse apartment, just like Lucy did. But she discovers a dead body on the steps of the lighthouse when she arrives on her first day on the island. Nichelle doesn't quite understand how and why Lucy investigated mysteries, but she finds herself entwined in this one, and like Lucy, she uses her librarian skills to help solve the crime. I enjoyed having a main character more similar in age and life experience to me. I thought the inclusion of Lucy as a secondary character and the new dynamics between the staff and Nichelle and each other was well done. Recommended.

Middle Sister's April Reads

I continued to indulge myself this April by looking at lovely knitting pattern books and reading an old favorite author, happily republished, as well as one by a current favorite. Together, these made April a great book month,

The Religious Body by Catherine Aird I first came across Catherine Aird working in a bookstore in the 1980s and 1990s, and while I read several, I don't think I'd ever read the first Inspector Sloan book before. I like her books very much; they have great plots and stories, without the emphasis on gore that many modern police procedurals employ. The intelligent and deliberate investigation by a seasoned police inspector hints all the notes for a golden age mystery despite this being 40-plus years too young. This was an audiobook read by a gentleman with the right plummy English voice for Sloane, and I enjoyed how he acted, not just read, the various characters and incidents. But I disliked his heavy sighing and jaded approach to Sloan, who I don't think is jaded at all, just saddened by all that he's seen over his career.  There's lots of audible lip smacking and swallowing and Sloan drawls, as if he's seen it all and investigating is just too much to do, a bore. That is not the Sloan that I hear in my head when I read the books, so I advise anyone wanted to read Aird to avoid the audiobooks and track down the book to read Sloan in her voice, which is vastly superior. 

Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod Charlotte MacLeod was one of my favorite authors 40-plus years ago, and her books are being re-released, which makes me happy. While the Gurb-and-Stakers mysteries written as Alisa Craig were my favorite, I was happy to see the first Peter Shandy mystery available at my library. I can't remember ever reading the first book, in which Peter meets Helen, his wife the later books. Academic mysteries are one my favorite subgenres, and these books take place in the college years of old: pre-cell phone and computer technological revolutions. When things, looking back from today, seemed so innocent. The story does not suffer at all from not having the modern techno trappings. And it takes place in the dead of winter, so if it's hot and steamy where you are, dive into this book and slog through snow drifts with Peter. MacLeod was a top notch author, with charming characters and well-plotted mysteries. Highly recommended.

Bubble, Bubble, Tea and Trouble by Vicki Delany The latest Tea by the Sea book, published in July 2026, is not set at Halloween although this would make a good seasonal read. The Victoria Bed and Breakfast Lily's grandmother Rose runs next door to her tea room is full, partly because several woman on a tour of paranormal Cape Cod are checking in. They are waiting for their tour leader to arrive, but she's apparently been delayed, so her sidekick/second in command begins the tour. After a ghostly seance, they find that while the B&B is not haunted, the house next door is. Following the spirits to Matt's house, the group is horrified to find a dead body at the bottom of the cliff. Evil seems to be stalking the group, and things are not as they seem. Stormy nights and unsettled spirits are the least of the problems Lily has to deal with. I really enjoy this series, and it remains strong with this 7th entry in the series. 

Stashbuster Knits and Mastering Color Knitting by Melissa Leapman Melissa Leapman is a well-known knitting designer, and int here two books she shows why. It's become quite popular the past two years to offer patterns that use op leftover skeins from other projects, and in Stashbuster Knits, Melissa presents her patterns that will make a dent in your stash: mittens and blankets and sweater and an adorable purse and tote bag, and even some cute thick bracelets. In Mastering Color Knitting, Melissa provides ample instructions on intarsia, stranded, double knitting, and reverse color work in language and with illustrations that are clear and easy to follow. Simple and complicated patterns ensure that there is something for everyone. This book is a great reference that should have a permanent place in a knitter's library.

Middle Sister's March Reads

Still trying to reach back to series I haven't read in a while while reading new titles in preparation for the book festival season.

Bran New Death by Victoria Hamilton While I had read other books in the series, I'd never read the first, so I was glad to finally read Merry wWinters backstory: the death of her husband Manuel, a little bit about her parents and the uncle she inherited Winter Castle from. I can't remember if she's like this in later books, but in this first one, Merry is kind of a little full of herself. When she finds out the parentage of a tertiary character she thinks "but none of that news was the kind of thing I could pass on at the moment, so I kept my mouth shut." Yes, keep your moth shut, Merry--you're a newcomer to the town and are having a hard time making friends. Spreading gossip would be a surefire way to make sure none of the like or trust you. And no, you should ever pass on that kind of information as it's none of your business. And unfortunately this book has some of what I hate most in a mystery: lazy writing. In order for the amateur detectives to find out critical information, the author has Merry and Bunny sneak into the construction office and just turn on a computer and, voila, private files right there to be read. Really, the computer is not password protected? Frankly, Merry's comment "and Dotty is dotty" is just so rude about an old woman who may be senile or have Alzheimers that I started to dislike Merry very much at that point. The book includes obvious editing mistakes, such as in Ch. 3 when Merry agrees to make 2 dozen muffins for old folks' home and in ch 6 is making 4 dozen to be delivered at the old folks' home. I  want to like the series as it's set in upstate NY (a place I like), and has a great baseline of how Merry overcomes losing her career and starting over, remaking her inherited castle into a successful business, but I'm not sure I want to re-visit Winter Castle. I'd give this one a C. 

Not Quite Dead Enough by Rex Stout Published in 1944, Not Quite Dead Enough is composed of two novellas, Not Quite Dead Enough and Booby Trap. Not Quite Dead Enough is unusual in that Archie, through whom we follow the Nero Wolfe stories, is in the Army and has not been working with Nero for a long time. He is enlisted by the Army to convince Nero to help the Army in a war effort. Archie is surprised to find, upon his return to the brownstone, that Nero and Theodore have been working out for a mysterious purpose Nero will not divulge. Immediately Archie is framed for the murder of a young woman in order to lure Nero back to work. Booby Trap is also set during WWII. An experimental grenade kills a colonel in his office, and Archie, who had left the grenade with the colonel, and Nero have to work through Army bureaucracy and stonewalling to find who killed the colonel in a story that blends a whodunnit with wartime intrigue.

In the Spirit of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge This is Book 4 in the American In Paris series, which follows the adventures of Tabitha Knight and her good friend Julia Child as post-war Paris. In this outing, we learn more about Tabitha's uncles' experiences in the war. Paris and its denizens are, several years after the defeat of the Germans, trying to move on and rebuild, but some secrets refuse to stay hidden. A well-written historical series. 

Wendy Knits Lace by Wendy D. Johnson And a little more knitting content, following on last month's indulgent perusal of lovely pattern books. Wendy Knits Lace has a plethora of the lovely shawl patterns Wendy D. Johnson is known for, as well as socks and some designs appropriate for beginner lace knitters, such as a cowl, scarves, and some mittens and gloves. 

Middle Sister's February Reads

There was a mini-theme of knitting this month, but scroll down to find some more classic mystery books as well as the latest from one of my favorite authors.

Cast On, Kill Off by Maggie Sefton  I decided to re-visit this old series, which was part of the original wave of the subgenre of mystery books centered on knitting. This was the tenth book in the Knitting Mystery series centered on the House of Lambspun and Kelly Flynn. Kelly is very excited as her two friends are finally tying the knot, and she and her ex-boyfriend seem to be tentatively finding their way back to each other. But when the seamstress who is finalizing the wedding and bridesmaids dresses, it looks as if there may be major problems getting everything ready in time for the ceremony. Everyone assumes that the seamstress' abusive and soon-to-be-ex husband killed her in one his fits of rage, but Kelly stumbles into information that the easy solution is not the right one. Set in Colorado, and House of Lambspun is based on a real yarn shop. Not too much knitting info, although I was very surprised that by this time and after 10 books, Kelly didn't know how to block her wedding shawl. A solid although perhaps uninspired read, I'd give this one a B.

New Lace Knitting by Rosemary Hill Rosemary (Romi) Hill is a well-known knitting designer whose expertise lies in lace knitting. For any non-knitter reading this, lace is very fine weight yarn, and it can be a challenge to knit. Romi presents lovely patterns beyond the more usual shawl patterns for lace weight yarn. The patterns are laid out well, with lovely photographs. The book may be over 10 years old, but the designs are timeless. 

Inspired to Knit by Michele Rose Orne Knitting patterns inspired by the seasons are presented in this nicely illustrated book. From a wedding skirt to a winter coat to a beautiful autumn jacket of intarsia leaves to summer halter tops, there's a wide variety of patterns for the adventurous knitter.

Classic Knits by Marianne Isager In this book, well-known designer Marianne Isager presents her take on classic knits, which often include her signature modern color work. Zigzags and color blocks can be found on many of the patterns, which are classic in style but contemporary in color, fit, and technique.

Closely Knit by Hannah Fettig A variety of hand knit patterns that would make great gifts are presented by Hannah Fettig in this book. Thirty-two patterns range from home decor (a mat and pillows) to a teddy bear and clothes for a toddler or baby to adult-sized sweaters and a vest, as well as the ubiquitous socks pattern. A little bit of something for everyone.

Mockingbird Court by Juneau Black  The latest mystery in one of my favorite series finally brings to light how and why our intrepid heroine, Vera Vixen, landed in Shady Hollow. Previous books have made very slight allusions to a scandal in her past, but now, that past has finally caught up with Vera, and it threatens her new life and her romance with Orville Braun. This book has a lot more introspection that previous stories in the series, but don't let that put you off. The series regulars are still there, and they help Vera solve the mystery and emerge sadder but wiser.

Middle Sister's December 2025 Reads

 Yikes, still trying to get caught up!

A Wonderful Christmas Crime by Jacqueline Frost (Christmas Tree Farm No. 6) Molly and her husband Evan are expecting a baby, so this Christmas season is even more special in Mistletoe, Maine. The residents get together for a town-wide holiday dinner, and Molly and Evan expect a good meal with good friends. They don't expect someone to try to steal an antique ornament, nor do they expect to find a dead body. The series is adequate, in my opinion. The mysteries are not terribly difficult to figure out, and the almost saccharine romance and now marriage of Molly and Evan is part of the story that I don't enjoy but which other readers will enjoy. I'd give this one a C; it's not memorable, but it's not bad.