Middle Sister's Mid-Month Review

 In Too Steep by Kate Kingsbury I gave up reading Kate Kingsbury's Pennyfoot Hotel mystery series years ago because they were very formulaic and all starting to read the same, and plagued by that one thing I hate in historical mysteries--characters who act modern and speak modern despite the timeframe of the book. But I though I'd give this book, the second in the Misty Bay Tea Room series,  a chance because I adore tea and I am off to vacation on the Oregon coast in two weeks. And maybe with a modern series, and the passage of time, the author would have improved or been motivated by a new character and a new location. But I was disappointed again; the book was pretty dreadful. The mystery is very contrived;  the relationships are described in juvenile prose; there are inconsistencies in the way the characters act and speak. 

The main character, who is almost the same age I am, made the cardinal sin (to this reader, anyway) of thinking the police were stupid (while encouraging her employee to date the detective investigating the murder) and that she needed more evidence before she could tell them her suspicions. 

I found her personal quirks also a little irritating; we must have read the exact same sentence--that Vivian needed to make keys to the tearoom for her two employees--at least 7 or 8 times in various chapters. I was also not convinced by the basic premise, that Vivian felt so bad for the hermit that was murdered because he had no one to mourn him. People usually become hermits by choice; he's not homeless, he's purposefully chosen to live in the shack on the beach and eschew the company of people. I really doubt he would have cared that no one attended his funeral. It's not that I don't think Vivian was sympathetic to feel this way; it's a kind and admirable thought, but to seize it and use it as the excuse for her investigation, and the almost obsessive fixation she develops when there's barely any connection between her and the crime, was insufficient to establish the storyline. "Although she'd never met Lewis Trenton, she'd become so involved in finding someone to mourn him, she now considered him a friend." Without knowing anything about him at all. It just wasn't believable. We learn nothing about Lewis as a person because he's a complete nonentity in the book; he's an excuse, and a flimsy one at that. 

The denouement was also contrived--after multiple references to "the three rookies" and bringing Jenna and Gracie to all her interviews of her suspects, when she finally thinks she's identified the killer, Vivian makes a clear decision to go alone to confront the killer? Yes, she has to be alone to set up the ending as written, but we've spent the entire book with all three characters traipsing around and investigating en masse. It just made no sense for her to undertake this one investigation on her own. 

There were also a few glaring instances where it's really clear the author did no research for her book: there are strict laws about animals being restrained in cars in Oregon, and holiday-themed toys and pet costumes are a huge business in the US, yet Hal's pet store only has a a few because "dogs don't care about Halloween." Nope, that's true, they don't, but their humans do, and those humans spend a lot of money on holiday toys and costumes. Both of these glaringly obviously wrong sentences make it clear Ms. Kingsbury is banking on a steady stream of uncritical cosy lovers who don't care if her world reflects reality at all. But this reader does. I want enough realism to make the unrealistic premise of a cosy mystery--that an amateur can solve a murder mystery faster than the police--believable. Otherwise I get distracted by the errors and end up disliking the book.

I'm not sure if there will be a third book in the series, as it ends with Hal and Vivian making plans for a future that doesn't include the tea room, so maybe this was just a brief 2-book contract. But Ms. Kingsbury is writing too many series (I think this is number 5!), and they all suffer from lack of attention and time, so  her numerous books go back onto the TBA pile. TBR = To Be Read. TBA = To Be Avoided.

Middle Sister's March Reads

Spring has sprung! We've had some rain out here in the desert, but not at the right time to give us any spring flowers. However, given he decades-long drought we are in. I will happily take whatever rain I can get, whenever it comes. Rainy nights are great night to read.

The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger by Agatha Christie Yes, I am still reading Agatha Christie, and while I had hoped to read them chronologically, availability of titles has caused me too jump around a little. In this short story (which I listened to as an audio play dowloaded from my library, rather then a book read by one narrator), Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are drawn into international espionage, and Tommy is secured by Tuppence at the last minute. Research tells me Dame Agatha modeled the story on series written by Douglas Valentine. A mystery rabbit hole to explore further.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie My library has obtained a number of audiobooks that are apparently either radio recordings or books read and recorded as plays, with several actors portraying different characters. It had been a long time since I'd read And Then There Were None, although I  recently watched yet another version of it. This is deservedly a classic Christie that touches on self righteous behavior and self delusion, fear, and paranoia, and wraps it all up in a fast-moving, clever mystery.

A Is for Arsenic by Kathryn Markup As long as I was reading Christie, why not read a book about Christie? This book takes an unusual slant by focussing on some of the poisons Dame Agatha used to dispatch her victims. Ms. Markup does an admirable job of summarizing the chemistry of each poison and its affects on the body, the availability of the poison at the time the book in which it appears to help shed light on how easily Christie's murderers could have obtained that poison for their dastardly intentions, and then summarizes the actual Christie novel, with a brief discussion on the victims and what poisonous effects appear in the Christie story. Real life murders using those potions are also presented, although in some cases these would probably not have neen known to Dame Agatha and therefore didn't serve as inspiration, although other real cases surely did. A novel concept, and I enjoyed the book. The nerdy scientist in my liked the actual chemical structure of each poison being included, and also given their own appendix. I also enjoyed the appendix that listed all the different ways that victims were killed in all the books and short stories. One quibble--the book ended very abruptly. There is no final chapter, however brief, that sums up the book. The last poison is discussed and then the appendices and a select reference list is presented. Some neat tidying up, some summary conclusions, something would have been better than turning the page to see the book was done. But enjoyable overall, especially to Christie aficionados.

Hot and Sour Suspects by Vivien Chien Volume 8, Noodle Shop Mysteries. I read Hot and Sour Suspects as an advanced reading copy from Net Galley, and the series was brand new to me. What a winner! I loved everything about this cosy mystery. I love the characters; Lana Lee and her mixed race family reminds me exactly of my ethnically and racially mixed family. The secondary characters, no matter how infrequently a part of the narrative, are so skillfully sketched that the reader immediately gets a sense of their personality and the relationship dynamics (e.g., Lana's grandmother). The dialogue and relationships between Lana and her sister, Lana and her roommate, Lana and her boyfriend the policeman, etc. are all very realistic and engaging. I adore the fact that the author was creative in how she gets Lana involved in the murder. Rather than relying on Lana simply pumping her boyfriend Adam for information he shouldn't tell her as he's a policeman working the case, Lana (and the author) respect his professionalism and keep him out of the picture. After last month's disaster Bear Witness, where the police investigator slept with the amateur detective/suspect and told her police information she should never had been told, to have Lana and Adam's relationship treated so professionally, so respectfully, so realistically, was delightful. Kudos, Ms. Chien! The story itself moves along at a pace fast enough to keep reader interest despite Lana doing things like actually working at her job (I hate it when the main character is able to drop everything to go haring after clues, as if jobs and commitments didn't exist) and having Sunday dim sum with her family. Absolutely enchanted with this series, and I will absolutely be looking for the rest of the Lana Lee books to read. Net Galley.

100 Great American Parks by Stephanie Pearson Beautifully photographed new book published by National Geographic that present 100 of the many amazing natural wonders, historic sites, seashores, and wildernesses across the United States. This was a galley from Net Galley, and unfortunately, only 7 parks were included in this sample for review. From what I saw, the layout is nice (large format color photographs, many full page), with fairly engaging text and side bars with additional information. It's divided geographically, and as the entire list of parks is not presented not he Table of Contents, it's impossible to tell if the book focuses on the most popular national parks and monuments, or if it details some of the smaller and less well known parks. This is the first time an advanced reader copy obtained from net Galley did not include the entire book for review, and I must say I'm disappointed. It's National Geographic, so we can assume the quality is high, but if you opt not to provide the entire book, why not just rely on your reputation alone/ And full disclosure--I worked on projects funded by National Geographic, although that was over 30 years ago. Net Galley

The Supper Club Murders by Victoria Dowd Smart Woman's Mystery, Book 3. Well, I'm a pretty smart woman, so that series name appealed to me (smart intellectually, smart mouthed? Either sounded intriguing), and I read this galley hoping that I'd find a second new-to-me series to add to my TBR pile. The book and author were described as being along the lines of an Agatha Christie--a supper club in a lonely, deserted part of England is stranded during a terrible storm, the roads are flooded, the phones are out, and then, someone is murdered. Sounds like perfect reading material. It was not. The reader is immediately thrust into a series of conversations amidst the protagonists (the smart women) that revolve around what happened in previous novels with little to no explanation, so the reader is left confused and bewildered. Now, that might work to an author's advantage as a deliberate plot device to increase tension, if we were supposed too identify with the main protagonist, but I could never get a real handle on the protagonist, Ursula, and what happened to her and why she was reacting as she was, and there was no elucidation that alleviated my confusion. What the heck happened with Mirabelle and how does it relate to these women and why won't someone tell me the reader what the heck is going on? I should be drawn into caring for these people; instead, I started to be heartily irritated by Ursula, Pandora, Aunt Charlotte, the hairless cat, everyone. This made me very testy as I read on. The writing style was unusual: "The whites of his eyes had a dirty, tarnished color to them, as if they'd see too many things they regretted." An attempt at noir, maybe, it just reads as dreadful. "Torches cast only moments of light into darkness." "Threads of water made their way down my neck..." Rivulets of water, streaks of water, trickles of water I can see, but threads of water? The rain "...typed with fast efficient fingers on the stone cobbles." "The room was so taut I could hear the high note of tension ringing in my ears." Sorry, but these descriptions are laughable, although I don't think they were meant to be. There is a paranormal element to the story, and I dislike paranormal mysteries, so I was unpleasantly surprised by his appearance. The book did not live up to its description, and though I didn't hate it as much as the few others panned over the years, I will not be reading any others in this series. Net Galley

Middle Sister's February Reads

I continued my hunt for knitting inspiration into February, but the death of Thich Nhat Hanh inspired me to seek out some of his writings. I also wasted precious hours reading one fo the worst mysteries I've ever read. From sublime to terrible, what a roller coaster.

The Best of Jane Austen Knits by Amy Clarke Moore There were several Jane Austen-inspired knitting books published in the early 2000s. This book, published by Interweave Press, presents 28 Regency-inspired shawls, sweaters, baby knits, and gloves. The styles are classic enough that they add a sense of romance to modern fashion without looking like costumes.

The Long Road Turns to Joy by Thich Nhat Hanh I first found Thich Nhat Hanh and his walking meditation and mindfulness essays several years ago. His death, and the perilous times we live in--a worldwide pandemic that has been going on for two years and the naked aggression exhibited by Russia's invasion of Ukraine this month--pushed my overly stressed life and constant worrying to the limit. The teacher's gentle prose and clear guidance provided a welcome interlude of peace and rejuvenation. I have been trying to incorporate more of this in all my daily activities, not just my walks, because now more than ever we need this clarity.

Bear Witness by Lark Jensen I began this book with great anticipation when the author revealed that her protagonist, Stacie Calder, Alaskan tour guide, had a degree in wildlife conservation management from the University of Arizona (full disclosure--I have two graduate degrees from the University of Arizona, have taught at the University of Arizona, and am currently employed in academic administration at the University of Arizona). I also loved the husky depicted on the cover and was looking forward to a vicarious vacation in Alaska. Unfortunately, this is one of the worst books I've read in years. This book really needed an editor for so many reasons: style, plot, character development. The writing is juvenile, indeed, downright odd: Liam had "...deep brown eyes that appeared to want to dive right into my skull and check out my brain." Huh? That makes Liam sound like a psychopath, not a handsome romantic lead. While the author repeatedly (ad nauseam) tells us that Stacie has to investigate the murder because it involves her bosses and her livelihood, she doesn't come across as particularly likable when "I answered the questions he asked me honestly but briefly without saying what I felt or disclosing anything I'd learned about Trust." Well, that means she lied to the Liam, so no, that's not honestly answering his questions, and no, that doesn't make me like her or think she's clever. It makes me think she's an annoying twit. She alludes in several chapters to prizes that she gives, presumably to the passengers on the tour boat, but we never see her distribute them nor are we told how and these prizes are awarded. An entire paragraph is wasted on Chapter 10 describing how Stacie was amused by how different the employees all look while wearing the same uniform, which comes in only 2 colors. That level of detail (only 2 colors) is not needed, and that internal musing makes Stacie sound shallow, and these are just two examples of where an editor was greatly needed. But worst of all is how Stacie's participation in the investigation of Truitt's murder is handled: the state police tell her to investigate this murder (that would never happen), tell her certain privileged details (that would never happen), invite her to be present at interrogations (that would never happen), discuss privileged case information in a crowded bar (that would never happen), and investigator Liam sleeps with Stacie, who is technically a suspect and part of an ongoing investigation even if she is not a main suspect (that would really never happen). The level of annoyance at these large plot failures is exacerbated by many plot failures and poor writing, e.g., the author's use of the full name of the tour company, ClemTours, every time she needed to mention where Stacie works, one of the tour boats, one of her employers--I would wager that name appears 150 times throughout the book. I desperately wanted to stop reading by Chapter 4 and only continued because I was reading an advanced reader's copy from Net Galley and was responsible to them for a review. Had it been a library book, I'd have given it the heave ho. The romance with Liam is described in juvenile terms, and I admit I was surprised Ms. Jensen had the two sleep together (dry and clinical, so people who like steamy romances will not be satisfied and those who are ultra conservative will find the rapidity with which they have sex so soon after meeting to be disgusting--was this the author's attempt to show that her main character is a 'modern career gal' and that her book was 'of the moment?') I don't really care if characters in the books I read have a sex life, and I admit I prefer few details about said encounters. But I do hate it when the professionalism of the investigator is thrown out the window by his sleeping with a suspect-that's just wrong, wrong, wrong. Do these people not watch any of the thousands of murder shows on TV? Everyone knows that means the investigation is tainted and the case could get thrown out of court. All in all, a terrible book. I think I've only advised people to avoid a book a handful of times since I started reviewing books for Net Galley, but sadly, this is one of them. Steer clear, matey--this tour is terrible.

Cottagecore Galore by Katie Vaz Adorable adult coloring book with charming cottage themes. The images aren't sophisticated, but are cute. Interiors, plants, bugs, crafts--all are represented. Cottagecore was a new term to me with his book, and it is indeed a romanticized, idealized set of images that are cozy and calming and sure to delight anyone yearning for a simpler or more traditional life. No outhouses, though. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Middle Sister's January Reads

January 2022--the beginning of year 12 of this book blog, and what a lovely set of books that rang in the new year. 

No Stopping Us Now: The Adventures of Older Women in American History by Gail Collins Gail Collins is one of my favorite columnists in The New York Times. In this book, she addresses how women and aging have been perceived by American society. As an aging woman myself who lives history and social commentary, how could I not read this book? Ms. Collins begins with the lives of woman in the early seventeenth century, when their lives were short, hard, and likely full of medical issues But a surprising number of women found successful lives as ministers, midwives, and even authors as society changed during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The pressure to be beautiful and appear young becomes more urgent even as a small number of professional opportunities arose in the twentieth century. Ms. Collins introduces the reader to many famous and should-be famous women of history, and IO enjoyed the book very much. I listened to the audiobook, and I wish Ms. Collins had read more than her prologue; I found the narrator's style sometimes annoying, The book, however, was fascinating. 

After the Funeral by Agatha Christie I listened to audiobooks while walking this month, and I was happy to find my library has acquired audiobooks of several Agatha Christie short stories. Cora thinks her brother's death was not an accident, but it's not until her murder that her suspicions are taken seriously. Hercule Poirot is hired to find out the truth. Enjoyable as all Agatha Christie stories are, and personally delightful to me to find some Hercule Poirots that I don't remember. 

The Gate of Baghdad by Agatha Christie Parker Pyne appears in several Agatha Christie short stories, and in this one, Mr. Parker Pyne his traveling in Syria when one of the passengers on the bus is murdered. As much as I love Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, I enjoy stories that rely on her other detectives like Mr. Parker Pyne or Ariadne Oliver. Another engrossing short story enjoyed as an audiobook while walking.

The House by Raelyn Drake Everyone is scared of the abandoned house at the end of Gracie's street. Part of the mystery surrounding the house is that every Halloween. candy appears on the porch for trick or treaters brave enough to venture close. Gracie and her friends decide to investigate and solve the mystery of the house be bravely spending an entire night there, alone. Wonderful, atmospheric story for young tweens, with engaging role models in Gracie and her friends, and a heartwarming mystery behind the abandoned house.

Vanishing Fleece: Adventures in American Wool by Clara Parkes Clara Parkes is well known in the fiber arts world. In Vanishing Fleece, she tells the story of her year-long adventure to turn a 676-pound bale of wool into yarn. Ms. Parkes begins at the beginning, at the merino sheep farm and the very sheep from which her wool was shorn. She documents the process that fleece undergoes and how the wool industry, once dominant in certain parts of America, has dwindled to just a few producers and a number of mills that can be counted on one hand. Wool lovers and crafters will be fascinated by the journey of the raw material, but historians will find the book a useful summary of the history of wool production in America.  

Wendy Knits Lace by Wendy D. Johnson Charming book of knit lace patterns by designer Wendy Johnson. Beautiful photos illustrate patterns for socks, shawls, and even a couple of sweaters. 

Closely Knit by Hannah Fettig Hannah Fettig is popular knit designer on Ravelry whose Featherweight Cardigan pattern has been knit 10,176 times as of this writing, so it makes sense that her popularity would lead to a publication of her patterns. Closely Knit features 32 patterns for adults, children, and the home.

Knitting Classic Style by Veronik Avery Prolific knit designer Veronik Avery has published several books of patterns. As the title implies, those published in this 2007 compilation stress classic lines for men, women, and children.

Middle Sister's December Reads

December was a busy month, but I did get to eat some really good books that I am delighted to recommend. 

The Glass Universe by Dava Sobel  The Glass Universe, written by one of my favorite science writers, is a riveting and fascinating biography of the unsung heroines whose groundbreaking work at the Harvard College Observatory helped create modern astronomy. Painstakingly working with glass photographic plates of the stars, under often punishing conditions, they were the human computers who analyzed data, creating classifications and catalogs of stars that were used by astronomers for decades. I took an astronomy class in college, and had no idea of the contributions of Cecilia Payne, Annie Jump Cannon, Willamina Fleming, Margaret Harwood, Antonia Maury, and the other women whose work was the underpinnings of what I was studying. But Ms. Sobel has brought their brilliant contributions to light, and looking up at night will never be the same for me. Much of the scientific rigor and theoretical underpinnings of the entire discipline of astronomy began at the Harvard Observatory, and while it may have been run by men, the money that made it all possible provided by women, Anna Draper and Catherine Wolfe Bruce. If you are interested in science, woman in science, or astronomy, or just love a well-researched book, The Glass Universe is highly recommended. I am so glad that some of them were recognized during their lifetimes for their contributions, and even happier that all of them, and their contributions, are now recognized and celebrated. Just one quibble: in Chapter 13, Ms. Sobel is talking about Miss Fairchild and she mentions that she has a Ph.D. in astronomy. I would have preferred she be called Dr. Fairchild--she earned that degree at a time and in a field when that was incredibly difficult. 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman The Thursday Murder Club was mentioned by several contributors to the Mystery Reader's Journal as an excellent first mystery novel, and the premise intrigued me: a set of retired seniors in England set about to solve a murder that takes place under their noses near their retirement community. The core group of retirees (or pensioners, as this takes place in England) are quite diverse in their backgrounds but united by their interest in mysteries. The group's weekly investigations were captained by a retired intelligence agent whose illness has escalated, affecting each of her friends. The story is told largely from the point of Joyce, a retired nurse; her voice is that of the average person. We need Joyce to explain the increasingly convoluted incidents and relationships that characterize the story. I enjoyed the book; it was well written and fast paced, but did every scene need to be its own chapter (there are more than 100 chapters in the book)? There were things to which I objected: police or intelligence people planting evidence, the stereotypes of some people and classes, and the overwhelming reliance on coincidence to solve the various murders and mysteries and make them all interconnected. And I have to point out one glaring factual error this archaeologist cannot overlook: the skeleton in the grave is radiocarbon dated to 1970. Radiocarbon dates would never work on such a recent specimen to begin with, and any carbon dates from 1945/1950 onward are suspect because the atomic bombs in 1945 wreaked havoc on the natural carbon decay rates. One would never submit a 50-year-old sample for radiocarbon dating (sorry, Sir Austin, you got it wrong). Enjoyable, and hopefully the reliance on coincidence to tie disparate story lines together is not relied on to such an extent in the rest of the series.

A Surprise for Christmas by Martin Edwards Delightful anthology of Christmas mysteries published by British Library Crime Classics. Martin Edwards' prologues to the British Library Crime Classics anthologies introduce modern readers to genre authors from the golden age of mysteries, many of whose novels have been long out of print. I love this series, from the wonderful art work of the covers to the short story selections included. I recommend this series to any fan of Christie or Sayers. What a great book to curl up with on a dark winter's night, mulled cider at hand and soft holiday music in the background. (Net Galley)

It Takes Two to Mango by Carrie Doyle One of the reasons I've always enjoyed the Agatha Raisin mysteries is because she's not completely likable, but there's enough in her to make her sympathetic to the reader. Carrie Doyle has created another wonderful, flawed main character, Plum Lockhart. She's annoying, she's oblivious and self centered, and when the book opens with her getting fired, the reader thinks "yup, she served that." The only job Plum can find is on a gorgeous tropical island, but she's so determined to spend as little time there as possible that she continues the same behaviors that got her in trouble in New York City, until, that is, a murder happens in a property Plum was responsible for, and suddenly Plum realizes that she has to care and make an effort or she'll lose her job (again) and maybe her life. I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. Plum herself grows as a character and this reader found herself liking her as the story went on. The setting, Paraiso, is gorgeous, snd reminded me of many places I've traveled in the tropics. Plum's new coworkers are set up perfectly to become integral to future mysteries, and the potential love interest is perfect--adult, no jubilee high school hijinks, and realistic. The pace is fast and maintained steadily throughout the novel, and the writing is mature and flows. I am looking forward to the next set of scrapes that Plum gets herself into. (Net Galley)