Middle Sister's Mid-Month Holiday Reads

This December, I am continuing with non-stop holiday mysteries. I enjoyed two of these cozy holiday mysteries, and I recommend them as a great way to start the festivities. The third I personally didn't like, but would recommend to certain genre readers.

Campion at Christmas by Margery Allingham Albert Campion may not be as widely known as Hercule Poirot or Lord Peter Wimsey, but he was a contemporary of theirs int he classic golden age of cozy mysteries. This anthology offers 4 short stories set at Christmas in England, but not all feature Albert, Amanda, and Luggs. Several were published rather late in Ms. Allingham's career, but she is still at the pinnacle of her skills as a writer and storyteller. If you're too busy for a full length holiday novel, the short stories herein can be read between baking and cleaning and merrymaking. (a long overdue NetGalley review)

Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany I am a fan of some of Vicki Delany's series and not so much a fan of others. This was the first Year-Round Christmas Mystery that I've read, although it's book 6 in the series. The series is set in Rudolph, New York, a small town that has re-invented itself as a year-round Christmas destination. It's the week before Christmas, and Merry Wilkinson, owner of Mrs. Claus' Treasures naturally has her hands full with the influx of holiday tourists, but this year, things are more hectic as her shop assistant, Jackie, is distracted by her performance in the community theater's presentation of a musical Christas Carol. Merry's mother, retired opera diva Aline, has agreed to perform int he play and serve as musical director. But the normal pre-performance tensions and ego clashes escalate wildly out of control and culminate in the death of the original Mrs. Cratchit. With Jackie as a major suspect, and her mother menaced by a ghostly phantom, Merry has to discover who is killing the actors and why. I really enjoyed the book. Merry, her mom, and her dad are charming and delightful people, and Merry's has a sweet boyfriend in Alan. The characters are relatable and fully fleshed out, the town of Rudolph seems like a fun place to live, and the cold weather and holiday hijinks in running a store are realistic. I also approve of Merry respecting the skill of the local police and there is never a single disparaging word about their competence--this, would be cozy writers, is how you weave your amateur detective into the story without making the police out to be bumbling idiots. I will absolutely look for more books in the series. I looked into it and while several are set at Christmas, one is at Thanksgiving and one is in the summer, and I hope the next story is also a non-Christmas week mystery, just so that I don't start worrying about timelines and break through the fourth wall when reading. 

Stalking Around the Christmas Tree by Jacqueline Frost This book is also set in a year-round Christmas destination: Mistletoe, Maine. It's a week before Christmas, and that means it's a week until Holly White marries her love, Sheriff Evan Gray. (Was it intentional to give them color names?) As part of this year's holiday celebrations, Holly's best friend Caroline's father, the mayor, has managed to get a regional ballet company to offer several performances of The Nutcracker. The ballet troop is participating in the holiday parade when the dancer playing Clara drops dead. Holly is determined to help Evan solve this so that their wedding can proceed unhindered. But that's not the only dangerous situation in town: Evan's sister Libby is being menaced by a stalker, and it's likely to be related to the mobster she testified against. This story line is very distracting. Although I thought this book was not written as well as "Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas:" there are weird words usages ("Hugged her abusively"--not sure what the author intended here), typos, and grammatical errors (Evan scrubs his hair when he's running, or rubbing, his hand over it to think; the word discontent used as a verb, etc.). I was reading a galley and there were quite a few missing hyphens and some formatting problems on the Kindle. My main objection was to Holly; by three-quarters of the way through the book, I actively disliked her. It's not just the complete disregard of Evan's requests to please stop investigating and let his team do their job, it was the concomitant implication that Holly thinks she's better at it than him. And the setting was too reminiscent of  a Hallmark Christmas movie for me--so saccharine that it was unbelievable. There are named Christmas stockings for all the guests hanging from the fireplace in the Inn; okay, they buy them in bulk so it's cheaper than you think and Holly adds the names herself. OK, Holly is the only employee at her family Inn and does all the cleaning, etc. herself and still has time to fill dozens of her online jewelry store business orders (I actually liked her having a second job when the book began; it sets the story very cleanly in a contemporary setting when so many people have online side gigs.). But she cranks the heater for warmth and then, in the same sentence, cracks the window open to inhale "the clean oxygen-drenched air." (insert grimace here at that description.) There are times when characters say things to each other that came across as patronizing to this reader ("That was smart of you." "I stood, unable to be cool, listen to Evan's advice, or ignore my instincts any longer."--which meant, that she abandoned her mother when her mother needed her emotional support in order to run after a suspect.). Apparently there is a murder here every Christmas, just in the Vicki Delany series; not sure anyone would want to visit at that time, then. The assumption by the local small townspeople that being from out of town is enough reason to be suspicious of them reminds me that small town living is not the paradise these cozy mysteries make it out  to be. I could go on and on (a calendar can be photographed, edited, printed, and mailed in one week--Christmas week? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!). But then I hate the overly-sweet Hallmark Christmas movies, so this book left me cold. Cozy mystery readers who want a fairly clean mystery (there's an implication that Evan spent the night, but the characters are aghast that Caroline might have slept with her new boyfriend and she's quick to assure them she hasn't) and a super-sweet ending will enjoy this book. I didn't, so I won't look for any others in the series. (NetGalley)

Middle Sister's November Reads

Honey Drop Dead by Laura Childs Yes, I read another book in a series I love to hate. Again, I love the premise and enjoyed the first few books in the series. Theodosia's tea shop in historic Charleston is a dream tea room to visit fictionally, in a great setting with tremendous atmosphere and great story potential. But Theodosia has evolved from being someone I'd have liked to be friends with, or at the very least someone whose tearoom I would have patronized, to someone I am almost actively hoping gets hurt. This story begins, as so many of the books in the series do, with Theodosia hosting a tea party of some sort, this time, an art show event for her friend, Holly. The party is interrupted by someone in a HAZMAT suit who sprays a toxic smoke around, sickening many of the guests and leaving thick, impenetrable clouds of smoke. When the smoke lifts, a local politician is dead. I love/hate recounting some of the more ridiculous escapades Theodosia engages in to show how ridiculous the series has become. This book starts the unbelievable Theo escapades right away: Theodosia, while everyone else is hacking and crying from the smoke, is able to run at top speed to chase the HAMZAT-wearing miscreant. When she finally catches up with him, she throws a vase which she snatched up from a table and ran through the woods holding at the person. They shoot the vase and aim at her, but Theodosia manages to grab a shard of glass and threaten the murderer. It was ridiculous. Later in the book, Theodosia thinks it's perfectly OK to steal the boat of an acquaintance of hers to go traipsing out to a suspect's cay to, what, confront him? We're not sure what her plan really was, but, as is typical in the TheodosiaUniverse, she suffers no repercussions when the friend's boat is rammed and severely damaged and nearly sunk. Without knowing at all what the police are doing, she's convinced they are not following leads and will not be able to solve the murder, so she has no choice but solve it herself. Pete Reilly, her boyfriend, again specifically asks her not investigate and she agrees. The ending to the book was rather abrupt, with Theodosia endangering the life of Drayton because she can't believe she was wrong in figuring out who the murderer was. I continue to really hate that she repeatedly lies to Reilly. He seems like a nice guy, but how does he not call her out on this? She's been lying to him through several books now, and I don't know anyone who would accept being repeatedly lied to. I know, I know, why do I keep reading this series? I keep hoping they'll get better, that the author will use a little talent to figure out a way to get Theodosia involved that doesn't involve her typical arrogance and lies, but she doesn't. Isn't that the definition of insanity? (Audiobook)

Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew (A California bookshop Mystery) I should have liked a book set in a bookstore, even if the location was Southern California. Scarlett has just broken up with her boyfriend, who had been her partner in opening a bookstore located right by a popular beach and tourist hotspot. Scarlett finds a dead body on the beach, and then discovers that she has inherited a large sum of money from a relative she never knew. Both situations throw her life into chaos. I really couldn't get into this new series. I didn't find Scarlett that interesting, and I found her relationships and interactions to be rather juvenile and superficial. The mystery and the murder were neither suspenseful nor difficult to solve. I'll give any future books in this series a hard pass. (Net Galley)

Birding to Change the World by Trish O'Kane Great nonfiction book that is so much more than a bird book. It's a fascinating read about her journey from losing everything to Hurricane Katrina and moving to Madison, Wisconsin, to go to graduate school after years of working as a social justice reporter in various countries. She stumbles into what she sees is a social justice issue when the small park across the street from her house in a working class neighborhood is slated to have the grassy areas and small wetlands paved and resurfaced for parking lots, soccer fields, etc. It's a great book about the intersection of the upheaval of her life with her discovery of the joys of birding and studying ornithology. As an urban birder myself, I loved the program she began bringing middle schoolers to the park and introducing them to the birds, the animals, and to standing up for themselves and their neighborhood. Great book, well written, and covering more than just birds, but how the birds around us can reveal so much about our society and how local policies can impact nature and our communities. (NetGalley; to be published in 2024)

Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Peggy Ehrhart, and Liz Ireland I am enjoying this series of short story novellas that center on a shared theme, previously a Christmas scarf, and this time, an Irish milkshake. Each auther gets to define what the Irish milkshake is made up of and how it figures into the murder mystery.  Peggy Ehrhart and her character Pamela are fast becoming favorites, and so her story was my favorite. Carlene O'Connor's story was the most rollicking of the three, with murder at an isolated hen party in Ireland, with boozy milkshakes and Irish dancers. I had recently read a full length novel by Liz Ireland that I enjoyed a lot, so I was delighted to meet Mrs. Claus and other residents of Santaland in this short story. The elves are fascinated by yet another holiday that April has told them about, St. Patrick's Day. I enjoyed  the premise of seeing what trouble the elves and Santa and everyone else gets into after the Christmas holiday is over. Fun book to be published late in December, and three great authors. I can't wait for the next themed mystery. (NetGalley)

Death of a Maid by M. C. Beaton (Hamish Macbeth Number 22) Hamish Macbeth has been gifted the services of a cleaning lady, Mrs. Gillespie, and while he's not thrilled, he leaves her to do what she can at the police station. When he returns, he finds evidence that she may have been snooping. Hamish goes to confront her and finds, instead, her lifeless body. Who would have wanted to kill the cleaning lady? The book is another charming visit to Lochdubh, where the quirky residents and humorous situations don't completely cover the ugly underbelly of human interactions that can be found anywhere. (Audiobook)

Highland Christmas by M. C. Beaton (Hamish Macbeth Number 16) Hamish's family is in Florida for the holiday, so Hamish is in Lochduch, working. But the problems aren't the most exciting: a missing cat and stolen holiday lights. But nothing is ever as simple as it seems in Lochdubh, and soon Hamish finds that there's more going on than he thought. But it's Lochdubh, so we know that somehow, Hamish will make sure that all is well just in time for Christmas. (Audiobook)

Murder by Invitation Only by Colleen Cambridge (A Phyllida Bright Mystery) The very competent Phyllida Bright, housekeeper to Agatha Christie, returns in this murder mystery. Agatha and Max are invited to a murder by their new neighbors, but as they are in London, Agatha asks Phyllida to attend the murder party in her stead. The invited guests are horrified when the murder tableau is real. Phyllida, as a witness,  jumps into the investigation, and it was amusing to read her reactions when other party attendees expect her to find the murderer based on her reputation. I chuckled when Agatha used this incident as inspiration for one of her own murder mysteries. And I enjoyed the staff's consternation over the newfangled vacuum cleaner--a small side story that helps to set the story in its time and place. I enjoy this series a lot. (Audiobook)

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie Well, after reading a book with Agatha Christie as a character, I had to read a book by the master herself. I don't think I've reread The Mystery of the Blue Train since I first read it when I was about 12, when I borrowed my aunt's copy at her bungalow one summer. This is a slightly more convoluted story, with a longer set up and character introduction before Hercule Poirot makes his appearance to solve the crime, than many of Ms. Christie's more famous books. But it's still a very good read, even after almost 100 years (it was first published in 1928).  

Buried in a Good book by Tamara Berry (By The Book  Mysteries 1) I've very much enjoyed books 2 and 3 in this series, so I tracked down book 1 at my library so I could meet Tess and Gertrude and learn more of their backstory. Tess is recently divorced, and her ex is ignoring their daughter, so to try and give them both some breathing space, and to try and give Gertrude something else to think about other than her father's lack of attention, Tess decides they should spend the summer at her grandfather's cabin. But they are greeted by a funny yet kind of gross explosion of fish and human body parts, which has to be one of the most memorable ways to start a book I've ever read. Kudos to Ms. Berry for her choice of murderer, a bold move. But despite that, I think I like books 2 and 3 better, which is a great indication that the author and her series are developing full steam ahead. I can't wait for book 4.  

Middle Sister's Mid-Month Review

Gentle Reader, you know how much I love the Seaside Knitters series by Sally Goldenbaum. You know how I would live to live in Sea Harbor and eat at Nell's on Friday night and attend the Thursday evening knitting dinners. I was so happy to hear there is a new title, A Twisted Skein, being published tomorrow, November 28, and I was delighted to be able to read an advanced reader's copy. Here are my thoughts.

One of the strengths of the series is that the view through which we approach the murder mystery changes with each book. Although all four protagonists help solve the mystery, who finds the body or knows the victim or is in the front lines varies. In this book, Birdie Favazza, the octogenarian member of the foursome, finds the body, and while all  four women uncover information that helps solve the mystery, she is at the center of this story. Birdie is my second favorite character, after Nell. It's so refreshing to have an 80-year-old woman play a central role, and she's such an active, energetic woman. Yes, she has aches and pains and has lost her husbands, but her optimism carries her through. She's a great role model.

The story is set in deep fall on Cape Ann, with blustery winds, early sunsets, steaming pots of chili, thick sweaters. Izzy is concentrating on a fashion show that is going to be held at her shop, and worrying about the timeline, the logistics, and if she should have trusted her former sales girls, twin sisters Jillian and Rose, and Lucky, the bar owner, to make the runway stage. But her worries about the show disappear when Birdie finds a fellow member of her birding group dead. Everyone liked Josh. Who could have killed him?

A tangential storyline follows Jillian and Rose, twin sisters we met many years ago when they worked in Izzy's shop with their aunt, Mae. They are now grown up, but the formerly close sisters are feuding as Rose tries to interfere with Jillian's romantic life. 

And I was delighted that a character who owns a tea room is introduced. Sea Harbor is now perfect: the Brandleys' bookstore, Izzy's yarn store, and now a tea room. And they have a birding group. As the world's worst but most enthusiastic birder, I thought as I read the cast of characters, "Well now, Ms. Goldenbaum has checked every box to make it the perfect holiday book for me." Truly Sea Harbor is now where I want to live. Retirement is 8 years away, and I've already started looking for a real Sea Harbor to move to. Suggestions welcome. No murders, please.

The atmosphere of the story is up to par with the rest of the series. The close relationships between Izzy, Nell, Birdie, and Cass is well developed, although Cass is not a major part of the mystery this time. But I was disappointed by two things, and spoiler alert here, Gentle Reader. Skip the next section if you don't want any reveals of anything at all.

We never are told how Josh is killed; he's found lying next to a stone wall but no mention is made of a head injury. The comment is made that he looks like he's sleeping. To me, that suggests that there is not a lot of blood, as you might expect if he had slipped and hit his head or been bashed in the head with a rock. Nor, when he murderer is revealed, are we told how they knew to find Josh at the campsite. 

 I kept searching on my Kindle for words like coroner and post-mortem, to see if I wasn't remembering a passage because I was so eager to visit Sea Harbor for a few nights. Just a few short paragraphs, even a couple of sentences, would clear these inconsistencies up.

I truly love Sea Harbor and the series. In fact, I'm re-reading them all in order right now, except for this new one. I still recommend the series and recommend this title, but because of this confusion, for me it's a weaker entry than most. 

Middle Sister's October Reads

October was a busy month, but I was able to spend vacation time visiting my favorite fictional town, Sea Harbor, and get more plane reading done while traveling to a conference. 

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: A Re-Creation by  C.L. Cook I don't like scary stories, but having grown up in the northeast, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a local classic. This cute re-telling makes all the characters cats, and has adorable illustrations. Short enough to read aloud to little ones before Halloween.

The Greek Coffin Mystery by Ellery Queen I had a bit of driving to do mid-month, so thanks to my local public library, I was able to listen to another audiobook of a classic mystery. The book begins after the death of Georg Khalkis, a Greek art dealer whose will appears to have disappeared after the funeral. After a fruitless search, the police, Inspector Queen, and Ellery decide that someone must have hidden it in the one place no one would search--the coffin. But they are not ready for what they find in the exhumation. Great read (or listen), with international intrigue, missing persons, a beautiful secretary who might be more than she seems, greedy relatives, and a late autumn setting in a New York full of gray skies and leaf-swirling windy days. I love reading classic mysteries, and this one, first published in 1932, is great.

Death Comes to Santa Fe by Amanda Allen (Santa Fe Revival Book 3) I love Santa Fe, and seeing a new-to-me series set in old Santa Fe of the early 1920s was a must-read. The author has clearly done a lot of research to make sure the basic underpinnings of the series are correct with re: who was mayor at the time, the history of the city, what it would have looked like then, etc. But I found the main character, Madeline Vaughn-Alwin, a little too much of something I can't articulate. The series really should be read in order, as there are allusions to recurring characters and what has happened to them in the previous books. It's not so bad that someone couldn't start in mid-stream, as I did, but perhaps I'd have liked the main character better if I'd seen her change or new her better. I still love the setting, but Madeline as a fledgling artist making her mark in a glitzy, roaring '20s Santa Fe just felt off to me somehow. The writing is solid, and as I said, the setting is one I love. (Net Galley)

Death by Cashmere by Sally Goldenbaum (Seaside Knitters 1) I've enjoyed the recent Sea Harbor books so much, I decided to go back and read the ones still in publication in order, even though I'd read several before. In Death by Cashmere, we are introduced to our four main characters: Nell, Izzy, Cass and Birdie. Izzy has just opened her yarn store in the small coastal town of Sea Harbor, and to help defray the costs of the mortgage on both the yarn store and her little cottage, she rents out the small apartment above the store that she used to live in. Angie Archer, her tenant, grew up in Sea Harbor, but was always a bit too ambitious for many in the town, which is why her her return too work in the Historical Society raised eyebrows. But Angie loves her work there, and has started dating Cass' brother Pete. Then she's found dead, and the heartbroken residents are further traumatized to learn she was murdered. Who on their sleepy little seaside town would want to kill one of their own? 

Patterns in the Sand by Sally Goldenbaum (Seaside Knitters 2) Patterns in the Sand takes place a year after Death by Cashmere, with the summer tourist season in full swing. Monthly evening art exhibits at the Canary Cove art galleries have become extremely popular, but there are undercurrents between the resident artists. These undercurrents swell to the surface when one of the artists is murdered, and secrets start bubbling to the surface. As always, Nell is my favorite of the four women around whom the series centers. Cass and Birdie, who'll emerge to center future stories, are present but not the strong characters they will become in future books. The book did need a little editing--I started tracking the changing colors of Birdies hair: first a smooth silver cap, then gray, than sticking white. As a middle aged woman whose hair is turning color, these are most definitely different colors!

Buried in a Good Book by Tamara Berry I enjoyed books 2 and 3 in this series, which I read from Net Galley this year, so much that I had to get book one to read how Tess and Gertrude wind up in Winthrop, WA. This story did not disappoint. We meet Tess and her daughter as they are moving into Tess' late grandfather's cabin fora month. Tess' divorce is just 6 months old, and with her ex-husband having decided to completely disappear from their daughter's life, she's hoping that some distance and new experiences might help Gertrude make her way through that terrible hurt. But her plans are upended when, while standing on the porch of the cabin near the lake, they suddenly are showered by human remains that were blown up by someone doing some fishing by dynamite. Add in big foot and mysterious sightings of exotic animals, and Ms. Berry has created her signature blend of farcical outlandishness with reasonable explanations wrapped up in real human drama. The one irritating part was Tess' mental wanderings into what her Detective Gonzales would say or do, and the the tracking of the book she was writing based on these experiences, but the author backs off of those in books 2 and 3. Hopefully, there will be a book 4.

Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! by Donna Andrews Faithful readers know that Meg Langslow is one of my favorite characters, and Donna Andrews one of my favorite authors. In this year's Christmas book, Meg gets drawn into a reality TV show when her mentor, Faulk, is injured on the set of a blacksmithing challenge that he's participating in. Despite her misgivings, Meg agrees to take Faulk's place. She discovers right away that things are not as they seem, that tension not he set is high, and that some contestants will do anything to advance their chances to win the challenge. There've been numerous reality-tv-inspired mysteries, and I've read several; this is one of the best. The challenge is locate in the mock castle Meg's friend Ragnor, ex-metalhead, has built in the Virginia countryside, and I'm sad we didn't get to see more of the castle in the book. Michael and the twins are present, as are Meg's parents, but unlike other books, we hardly see them or Rose or some of her other family members. And that makes the series string--the author knows we might get a little tired of the same supporting cast, and introducing new folks for Meg to interact with keeps her fresh and entertaining in our minds. That, and there are fewer than usual references to her engagement book that is usually brought up more times that I care for. I enjoyed the mystery, and while I had figure out the whodunnit buy about 3/4 of the way through, getting Meg there was well plotted and well written. As always, highly recommended. (Net Galley)

Middle Sister's September Reads

September may be autumn in other parts of North America, but it was still hot out here in the desert. So, that meant, of course, holiday books were on the TBR pile. But first, a little self improvement. 

Happier Hour by Cassie Holmes, Ph.D. Dr. Holmes presents a very readable self-help book designed to help people increase the amount of happy hours they have in their days and lives. First, she takes the reader through some simple exercises, like this one she tasked her undergraduates with. How many weekly Sunday dinner have you had with your parents/loved one? How many will you have this year? How many can you expect to have after you move out (assuming you stay in the area)? Throwing in some curveballs, like what happens if you take a job on the other side of the country and can only have Sunday dinner twice a year if you come back for vacation? Realizing you may only have a couple dozen more Sunday dinners with your parents for the rest of your life might make you prioritize it. The second half of the book is dedicated to an exploration of what do you have to do (how many hours per week at your job) vs. what you like to do, and how to create a schedule that prioritizes what makes you happy and what you want to do. Very readable, with simple discussions of concepts like hedonic adaptation. (library)

Create Your Own Cozy by Liz Marie Galvan. Ms. Galvan has written several books based on her blog (full disclosure, I'd never heard of her or her blog before I read this galley), and this book, like the others, is based on the same. I thought the book would be a decorating book, but it's much more than that. Ms. Galvan has monthly lists of things to do around your home (cleaning chores, for example), although they are more for those living in a temperate or northern climate, and there are only a few references to what those of us living elsewhere should do instead. People trying to organize their busy lives may find these monthly chore lists helpful. There are decorating tips, her personal philosophy and outlook on life, and one of the final chapters is a statement of how her belief in God underscores her life. To be honest, the book read as someone trying to make the leap to national-level fame and money a la the Magnolia House people (who, frankly I can't stand; sorry, fans, it's all too perfect). It's laid out nicely, the photographs are nice, with a brown/green/white cozy calm theme. I guess many people find these books aspirational. I find them sometimes condescending, sometimes irritating (money for someone to come clean my house once a month? I wish!), most often too perfect. My life isn't perfect and I prefer not to be reminded that it falls short of these idealized lives. But for those wanting to reorder their lives and in need of step by step guidance, her monthly lists and 100 themes are perfect. (Net Galley)

A Year of Crochet Stitches by Jill Wright and A Year of Knitting Stitches by Tabetha Hedrick I'm reviewing both these stitch guides together because they will be published simultaneously by the same publisher. Like the popular stitch a day page a day calendars, these books present 365 different stitches for the crafter seeking more options for their own designs. Nicely illustrated with color photos, neatly presented instructions, with some patterns at the end as well as general crocheting and knitting information. I didn't test any of the patterns, but I read through quite a few and tried to match them to the photos, to see if I saw any errors, and didn't find any on the days I spot checked. These would be perfect gifts for the crafter in your life. (Net Galley)

Our Maine by Adam Calhoun, Malcolm Hunter Jr., and Kent Redford I love a good travelogue, and I've been wanting to visit Maine for years (certain people went on vacation there without me). This paean to the Pine Tree State is written by three Mainers, and their love for the state winds through their writing, no matter the subject matter. The book begins with a physical description of Maine, its geography (yes, I loved this part, geography and geology nerd that I am), and then moves on to chapters on its estuaries, its rivers, it summits, its fauna and fauna--everything you could want to know about Maine. Some might find it dry, but I found it charming, and am now more determined than ever to find my way to Maine someday. And to learn that my beloved Gazetteers were created by a Mainer--what a wonderful tidbit to open he book with. (Net Galley)

Mrs. Claus and the Trouble with Turkeys by Liz Ireland Delightful and charming cozy mystery set at the North Pole. Amy Claus has told so many of the residents of Christmastown about the joy of the holiday of Thanksgiving that the elves, the people, the reindeer and everyone have decided to hold their own first Thanksgiving holiday. But Gobbler, the live turkey Amy imported from down below, disappears, and then, at a pre-holiday dinner, Elspeth Claus, her husband Nick's cousin, eats one of Amy's hors d'oeuvres--and drops dead. Did Mrs. Claus really poison someone? Of course not, but since she's the main suspect, she springs into action and suddenly finds herself not just trying to solve a murder and find her turkey, but facing unexpected dangers. This series was new to me, and I have to confess that I found it charming and delightful. I have no problem suspending disbelief--of course Santa's reindeer can talk, and of course the elves are not all good workshop minions, and naturally Santa has to have a family. What a funny, clever, and charming series. I am definitely going to hunt down the others in the series, because I want to read how Amy met Nick Claus in Oregon (he was on vacation), and how she reacted to finding out he was part of the Claus family. Highly recommended and perfect for this time of year. (Net Galley)

Murder on Mistletoe Lane by Clara McKenna Another post-Downton Abbey series. Ms. McKenna has penned a number of books in the Stella and Lyndy series, but this was the first I've read. American heiress Stella and her previously penniless husband, Lord Lyndy, are celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple in Edwardian England. Stella is missing some of the traditions from her old Kentucky home, and her snooty and cold mother-in-law is making her life difficult by pressing them to have a baby. Stella's in-laws invite an old family friend and his wife and son to celebrate the holidays at Morrington Hall. But the cook disappears, Stella is menaced by a stalker, and then murder occurs. Stella, with a little help from Lyndy and the local inspector, determines to solve the mystery before the holiday homicides pile up. The main flaw of the series is that Stella, and some of the people around her, act and speak as 2005-era upper crust England and not people living in 1905. Stella may have a car, but the passages where everyone assumes the cook could have disappeared by driving off were ridiculous---it took me one online query to learn that there only 15,000 cars on the road in England in 1905. Many of the people in the book would never have seen a car, much less driven in one. Stella is very modern in action, speech, and thought (insisting on riding in the Point-to-Point holiday horse race, for example). I cannot believe anyone would just come out and ask Stella when she was going to get pregnant, although I do believe her mother-in-law would hint at it (but a stranger? Nope.). Lyndy is a bit of a fop in the worst sense, and I struggled to understand why Stella is so in love with him; perhaps he's drawn better in previous books in the series. I want my historical novels to take me to another time, but accurately; I don't want to hear people talking and acting in a modern manner when they lived in very different times, with different cultural codes of conduct. The series seems to be a favorite with some historical mystery lovers, but it doesn't meet my high standards for historical accuracy. On the other hand, it is an otherwise easy and fast read, and anyone just wanting to wile away some time over the holidays might find the mix of mystery and romance just the ticket. (Net Galley)

Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar by Kate Saunders Another historical series that was new to me, but much better than the Stella and Lyndy series in terms of walking a careful line between representing a more accurate view of the past while managing to make the people, language and culture recognizable. The book takes place in 1851 England, and Laetitia, the widow of a vicar, has commenced on a career of helping people and solving some strange occurrences. In this second book in the series, Jacob Welland, a wealthy man who is on his deathbed, has engaged Leatitia to find his brother, Joshua, and to deliver a letter to him, hoping to reconcile before he dies. Both men were in love with the same woman, and after a falling out, Joshua left college to live alone in the woods for decades. He's not a complete hermit in that the people of a small community know who he is and respectfully leave him alone. Leatitia manages to track down people who are in fairly regular contact with Joshua and leave the letter for him written by his brother. But then, just as Laetitia thinks her connection to Jacob and Joshua and the community are over, a murder occurs, and Laetitia must return and help her friends. This was a very good book, well written, and with enough historical accuracy in the way that people act and spoke that one was not torn out of the sense of time and place by jarring modern words or actions. I enjoyed the audiobook very much, and will read the rest of the series. (Audiobook)

Middle Sister's August Reads

Summertime, and the reading is easy.... Because our unseasonably hot temperatures continued for most of August, I escaped to one of my favorite places, libraries, this month, and started reading some of many holiday mysteries that start appearing now. 

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library (Lakeside Library Book 3) by Holly Danvers I had not read either of the first two books in this series, but lakeside seemed like a great place to be in our summer heat, and this book tied in to the recent theme of Midwestern mysteries of a few months ago. Rain Wilmot has found Lofty Pines, Wisconsin, and the Lakeside Library the perfect balm to recover from her tragic past, and as summer gets underway, she's ready to move on with her life, including, perhaps, romance. One of the new activities she's excited about is the new book club the library is sponsoring and which she is hosting in her home. No one expects one of the book club attendees to be murdered, and in a manner shockingly similar to the first book the group is reading. Rain and her best friend, Julia, begin their own investigation, despite the warnings of Julia's brother, Jace, a policeman working the case. And despite Rain and Jace'sgrowing attraction to each other. My verdict: meh. Rain and Julia are investigating for no good reason other than curiosity, they contaminate the murder scene  by walking around it (potentially jeopardizing any court case, I would think, or at the very least, compromising the investigation and potentially leaving evidence at the scene). When Rain and Jace's relationship heats up, and he says"Don't ever lie to me again. Do you understand?... Can you promise me that?" she does, and then immediately lies to him. I left a note to myself that I wished he dump her when he found out she lied to him after promising not to do that, but it's a romantic mystery, so naturally he doesn't. And she convinces Julia to lie to her brother to keep their investigation and what they think they've discovered to themselves. They uncover a crucial bit of evidence and keep that from the police. There is a weird instance with a boat owner being friendly and leaving them alone to snoop around his boat for no reason (would anyone do that?), but then the boat owner does a 360-degree about face in his behavior for no reason. At first I thought midwesterners were too nice and naive, then I thought they were too weird, and then I decided the author was at fault. The book was mediocre; it's squeaky clean, but everybody seems to punch each other in the arm (Rain and Jace do that, something I can see a 13-year-old boy doing to a girl her likes, but not a grown man), Rain and Julia slap and tap and punch each other, Julia and her husband do this--I started tracking how many times characters do this to each other because it was that common. If I were a drinking game kind of person, this would be a great action to track, but you'd be drunk by the middle of the book. All in all, I found the mystery a little too uninteresting, the relationships a little too juvenile, the writing a little too inconsistent. It's not bad, it's just not good. And not promising enough that I'll read any more in the series. (Net Galley)

Murder Checks Out (A Blue Ridge Library Mystery) by Victoria Gilbert This begins a multi-month theme of holiday mysteries, and because it's been a blast furnace of a summer, I'm starting with a Christmas mystery. I've read two in this series, and I thought I'd missed quite a few books until I checked. The last I read ended with Amy and Richard's wedding. In this book, published just a couple of years after that one, Amy an d Richard have 5-year-old twins. The author is not letting these characters age naturally, and I expect the twins to be dating and driving cars within a book or two, at this pace. They are unnaturally articulate and read as much older than they're supposed to be, and I found that disconcerting. It's Christmastime, and while Richard and the twins are busy preparing for The Nutcracker Suite, Amy is busy dealing with her mother-in-law, who has decided to spend Christmas with them. That stress is compounded by the murder of a real estate developer, and the main suspect is Amy's brother's husband, Ethan. I love how matter of factly this series deals with the gay couple; they're just family, and none of the characters make any deal about it. Amy's involvement in the investigation is handled much more deftly, and there is none of the insulting and arrogant behavior Rain in the abovementioned book exhibited: Amy tells the sheriff about what clues or gossip she hears. She's part of the investigation but not at the expense of making the professionals appear stupid and incapable, and I hate the mystery writers do that. Disconcerting twins aside, this is a far more pleasant series, and I think I need to catch up with this series. (Net Galley)

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson The explosive popularity of Marie Kondo's decluttering book meant that publishers immediately jumped on the decluttering book bandwagon. This short book is an interesting take on the concept, since it's basic premise is "You don't want to leave a messy house for your children to have to clean up after you die." So Margareta introduces the rest of the world to the Swedish idea of cleaning and decluttering your house as you approach the end of your life. It's a very practical concept a lot of Americans, as terrified of death as we culturally seem to be, what with our incessant worship of, and mad pursuit of, youth, youth culture, and staying young forever. But anyone who has had to clean out a parent's home will recognize the wisdom in her approach to appreciating minimalism as we age, and of making decisions to give away, donate, or throw away the many things we all acquire over a lifetime. 

The Vintage Knitting Book, by Future Publishing Collection of vintage-inspired knitting patterns from the 1930s through the 1980s, both large and small, and sure to please vintage fashionistas and knitters wanting to incorporate vintage-inspired projects into their wardrobe.

Murder in the Museum by (Fethering Mystery #4) Simon Brett I enjoy the Fethering mystery series a lot. Mr. Brett has created two very opposite characters in Carol and Jude. Fussy Carol, not particularly likable, and earth mother Jude, eminently likable. Next door neighbors, they have become unlikely good friends. They share parts of their lives (and murder investigations) with each other, but there remain parts that they don't share, and to which the reader is witness, that seems to this reader to be important. Carol is frustrated by not being privy to every part of Jude's life and past, but this is part of what the reader recognizes as a general unhappiness with her own life. And it makes the reader understand Carol even if we don't necessarily like her. In this book, Carol has been invited to be on the Board of Directors of a small museum devoted to the life of a post-World War 1 poet, and what should have been just a minor commitment becomes something else when an old skeleton is u earthed in the garden. When a modern murder occurs, Carol and Jude discover links between the two, and this discovery puts Carol's life in danger. This is an excellent series I recommend. (Audio book)

Death of a Green-Eyed Monster (Hamish MacBeth #34) by M.C. Beaton It's a little wearisome by now--Hamish falls in love at the drop of a hat. But this time, she falls in love with him, and wedding bells are in Hamish's future. I liked this change for Hamish, and I'm glad we finally got to hear why he broke his engagement to Priscilla off all those years ago. The revelation makes me wonder why Hamish has spent 33 books pining after her, though. Anyway, I found this to be one of the better entries in the series, satisfying in both the murder mystery and character development. Even if you've tired of the basic formula of a Hamish MacBeth mystery, I think you will find this book a fast, enjoyable read. (Audio book)

Myths and Mysteries of Archaeology by Susan Johnston Recorded lecture series from a class on archaeological frauds from about 10 years ago. I used to TA a class very similar to this in the 1990s, so I enjoyed the first half of the book, where she deals with common questions asked of archaeologists (what about Piltdown Man? What about Atlantis? etc.), but I disliked the chapter on ESP. Archaeologists deal with material culture, and there is no material culture associated with ESP. What was a competent treatise on frauds or misunderstandings perpetrated by popular culture (Erich von Daniken) took a wrong turn here, and the book didn't recover from it. (Audio book)

Learning the Birds by Susan Fox Rogers I read this book last year, but a search of this blog indicates that I never reviewed it. As a middle-aged female birder, I was naturally interested in a book by a woman who takes up birding in her middle age. But instead of just coming to greater appreciation of nature and of life, instead of working through life's inevitable disappointments, instead of growing, Ms. Rogers substituted an obsession for birding for what were probably unhealthy obsessions in the rest of her life. She falls into a relationship with a man with whom she shares nothing but birding. She obsessively birds, even to the point of faking fishing in order to get a fishing license to go birding on a reservoir, an action (and an attitude) that would have been anathema to the birding community. She compares her binoculars, bought at the Audubon shop in Tucson (where I've shopped myself) to the very expensive binoculars Peter, her new boyfriend, was using, and immediately decided that costlier must be better (chalk up another win for marketing and advertising making us feel bad and inadequate). And then, she recounts when she and Peter try to lure a bird (generally forbidden in birding circles); they go out for long jaunts without food and water (???). At one point, I realized that Peter has no life either (having tragedy in his past that he used birding to avoid coming to terms with), so in one sense, they deserved each other. I found neither of them particularly likable, but Ms. Rogers more so. I wanted to like the book. Ms. Rogers lived here in Tucson for a while, and she mentions local places, like the Audubon shop and the Santa Rita Mountains and Whitewater Draw, places where I have been, places where I have birded. But I didn't. It's self-indulgent, a sad revelation of a life spent lurching from one obsession to another, of someone dissatisfied with life and unwilling to face why that really is. (Net Galley)

Middle Sister's July Reads

July's mini theme for murderous mayhem was wedding bells. All those heightened emotions, all that stress around planning a modern wedding--it's a surprise there aren't real life murders walking down the aisle. 

Death Knells and Wedding Bells (Lighthouse Library book 10) by Eva Gates I've read several Lighthouse Library books, and they are pleasant, with nice characters with whom you enjoy spending time. Importantly, while some story elements arc across the novels, they also function as stand alone books. Librarian Lucy Richardson is finally marrying her long time sweetheart, Connor MacNeil, mayor and dentist, and the whole community is ready to celebrate. I really loved that Ms. Gates started the story at the reception; she didn't suck the reader into the melodrama that television and social media would have us believe attends modern weddings. Unfortunately for Lucy, one of their guests is found dead, and it soon is established that the death was a murder. Also unfortunately for Lucy, her friend the sheriff is not heading the investigation, but the new homicide detective in town is, and he is not appreciative of her efforts to help solve the murder. This a great summer read. Lucy and Connor are a nice, normal couple, and the interjection of their extended families into the mix provides nice relief to the usual library staff who get involved in Lucy's escapades. Fast paced, the story takes place over just a few days, and is paced well. The Outer Banks setting plays a slightly more prominent role this time, and as I love a well developed setting, I enjoyed that very much. Recommended (NetGalley)

Dedication to Murder (Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery book 9) by Maureen Elliott From a library setting I moved on to the bookstore setting. I've read one book in this series before, and I don't remember anything about it, so I suspect I didn't enjoy it that much. But I like to give series a second chance because they and their authors can grow, and my tastes change. But I'm still not really liking this series, which is unfortunate since a bookstore setting would be a natural love of mine. The book opens at the wedding of bookstore owner Addie Greyborne and Dr. Simon Emerson when every bride's worse nightmare happens. I won't say more, but unlike the happy wedding of the previous book, this wedding is beset by drama. The wedding drama, the mystery Addie investigates--both are interesting plot devices  on their own, but their execution by the author just didn't sweep me away, as I'd hoped. This is more of a romance with a little murder thrown in than a murder mystery, so if that's what you like, you'll probably enjoy this book much more than I did. And I should add that I dislike melodrama intensely, although it's clear I'm in the minority these days, when melodrama, real and fictional, permeates daily life, mass entertainment, and politics and religion. I do, however, give props to Ms. Elliott for a most unusual murderer; nice twist. (NetGalley)

The Mystery Traveler at Lake Fortune by Cathie Pelletier This is a wonderful YA book about Charlie and his sister, Clarissa, who are very disappointed when their parents announce they are going to Lake Fortune to camp for two weeks in the summer. Worst part: no electricity and no cell phones. How will Clarissa survive without her cell phone? But when Charlie finds a jar with a mysterious message in it, the pair get drawn into discovering the clues left by the Mystery Traveler. Will they discover who the Mystery Traveler is before vacation is over? Great coming of age book, in which Charlie and Clarissa redefine their relationship as siblings, their relationship and understanding of their father (who summered at the lake as a boy), and come to appreciate the differences that life can hold. Lovely ink drawings. Recommended. (NetGalley)

Tales of Terror and Mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle Interesting collection of short stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle that blend mystery, terror, and science fiction. While some of the short stories are superior to the others in terms of premise and plotting, it's very interesting to see another side of the creativity that spawned Sherlock Holmes. (Audiobook)

 

Middle Sister's June Reads

June saw the continuation of May's food mystery theme. I've got a bunch more that fall within this subgenre to read, so look for those in a future post. 

The Kielbasa Killer (Kielbasa Queen No.1) by Geri Krotow I'm half Polish; did you honestly believe I would pass on a series called the Kielbasa Queen and a title like Kielbasa Killer? Although she has several series in print, this was a new author to me. In this first Kielbasa Queen murder mystery, we meet Lydia Wienewski, who lives in a very Polish community near Buffalo, NY. The story is set in 1982, a time I remember well (I was 17 in 1982, and grew up in a very Polish community in northern NJ; see why I had to read this book?). Lydia has recently returned home from attending baking school out of state, and her father has recently suffered a stroke, so she's deferred her plans to open her own bakery and is running the family butcher shop. Kudos to Ms. Krotow--except for one fact, she nailed what it's like to live in a Polish family in a Polish town. She even got the cross-cultural marriages correct: in that part of the country, and in my own family, several Poles married Italians, just like Lydia's Italian grandmother married her Polish grandfather. The one mistake: Poles do not eat meat on Holy Saturday, and the author has Lydia and her family eat lasagna that night; she specifically does not say meatless lasagna. It's a Polish thing: we don't eat meat Good Friday or Holy Saturday, and we don't eat meat Christmas Eve. Other than that, I could have sworn I was reading about my family and neighborhood in New Jersey. As to the mystery, it's not the hardest to solve. Minor typos: Chapter 1, it would be a cinch to do it, not a clutch to do it. Minor inconsistencies: Chapter 5: she's just found a dead body and for some reason, she thinks her family are the main suspects (there's no way in heck they are, despite the location of the dead body upon discovery, but again this is used as a weak ploy to get our amateur detective investigating), and all she can do is barely resist the urge to swivel in a vinyl chair? We get it, Ms. Krotow, you've got all the details right, you don't have to hit us over the head with actions like this that would make no sense to someone really panicking over fear of an imminent arrest. I also disliked her assumption that the reason she was being told she shouldn't investigate the murder was because she was a woman when it's because she's a civilian; again, another weak plot point in my eyes. But despite these and a few other little things, I enjoyed the book. It's so evocative of a time and place I know well, and remember fondly, that it was taking a time machine back with Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher.   Recommended (Net Galley)

Misfortune Cookie (Noodle Shop Mystery No. 9) by Vivien Chien I really enjoyed the one and only other Lana Lee mystery that I read. One thing mystery writers have trouble with as series go one is finding ways to have their amateur detective get involved (the Cabot Cove effect). In this entry, the author solves that problem by having Lana sent by her mother to attend a restaurant convention in California. Since her auntie lives there, Lana's sister comes with her and the two hope to have a mini reunion with their aunt. They are attending a convention party when someone dies. It looks like suicide, but did Lana really see a shadowy figure up on the roof? The previous book I read was laugh out loud funny, and I think that was because Lana's roommate was a big part of that mystery, while her sister, while present and an important part of a subplot, was not prominent. I enjoyed the sister dynamic, and while the mystery was pretty easy to figure out, it was still enjoyable. A well written summer escape. Recommended (Net Galley)

Middle Sister's May Reads

This month I began a theme of books with food in the title which will continue into June, but I was a little distracted by reading a financial self help book that I had reserved at the library and which finally came in. My sister and I also read the same advanced reader's copy at the same time; it'll be interesting to hear what she thinks of the Tamara Berry book.

The Great Money Reset by Jill Schlesinger I enjoy listening to the Jill on Money podcast, so thought I'd read her latest book. It's not a book that outlines financial concepts, discussed the Federal Reserve, or anything like that. It presents the summarized stories of callers to her podcast, and how they made major changes to their lifestyles. Those major changes were made possible by money resets: either changing jobs, retiring, going back to work, etc. While a large number of the stories she recounts concern people financially better off than me (even if not wealthy by our current overinflated concept of that term), the concepts and strategies on how to plan a major change are useful for anyone, regardless of income level. 

Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie by Sarah Graves Sarah Graves wrote 16 books over 17 years in the Home Repair is Homicide series starring Jake Tiptree. Jake was involved in some shady dealings in her life in the big city, but when things got too close, she and her son took off for a small town in Maine. Over the series, Jake worked on remodeling her house, raised her son, made a best friend in Ellie, and fell in love. After a few years' hiatus, Ms. Graves reintroduced Jake and Ellie, but in a new series, one centered on a chocolate bakery opened by the best friends. I admit that I had fallen behind in the home repair series and didn't realize there was a new one, but kudos to Ms. Graves--this a great way to take familiar and well-known characters and yet challenge them (and herself as a writer) by putting them in a new situation. Not entirely new, as they are still in Eastport, Maine, and Jake and Ellie still find themselves embroiled in mysteries, but a great way to shake things up. In this book, number 6 in the series, Ellie's daughter has requested a chocolate and marshmallow pie for her birthday. While trying to create a new recipe, the two friends are worrying over a new chocolate shop in town that is directly vying for their patrons. Then Ellie finds the competition dead, and things get very complicated, very quickly. With Ellie's arrest imminent, Jake is determined to find the real killer. I love the Maine setting, and I loved that the characters actually have to do things like open their shops, cook and burn recipes while experimenting with versions of the birthday pie, fall in the woods while hiking, they do things normal people do. The lack of gore means this is considered a cozy mystery, but the writing is top notch, the trials and tribulations the characters face are real and relatable, and I think this series is one of the best series in the genre. Recommended. (Net Galley)

A Clue in the Crumbs (Key West Food Critic Series 13) by Lucy Burdette Earlier this year, I read the  eleventh entry in this series, A Scone of Contention, and enjoyed it enough that when I saw this advanced reader's copy on NetGalley, I immediately read it. Coming this August, the Scone Sisters of Book 11 reappear in this story. After they won the scone contest in England, they starred in a British cooking show, and they and their show have come to the US to film the show with US contestants. They convince the producers to start the competition in Key West so they can visit Hayley and Gloria. The series includes characters that appeared in earlier stories, it seems from a brief perusal of the earlier titles, and I imagine that just like other long-running series, the author could run out of ways to get Hayley involved in murders that don't result in people running from her as soon as she steps foot in their restaurant for a review. The characters are likable enough, although I found Nathan's reluctance to do things Haley likes to do a little annoying. When he's working his police detective job, he can't go to dinner, but the fact that he doesn't like fancy meals, he doesn't want to go on the evening cruise with the Scottish visitors, and other instances make me wonder how much this pair has in common. Granted, I've only read two books in the series, but still, I wonder. In this book, the baking contest is close to collapsing when one contestant's husband is murdered and she withdraws, leaving only two competitors whose baked goods are not quite edible to do culinary battle. The murder and the reason for the murder are realistic, but the mystery surrounding the Scone Sister's agent seemed a little farfetched. But it's a pleasant enough series with pleasant enough characters, and that makes for a good beach read. (Net Galley)

Murder Off the Books (By the Books Series 3) by Tamara Berry Just published this week, this is the third in a great new series that I started reading this year. A few months ago, I read the second book, On Spine of Death, and I loved it. I mentioned to my sister how much I enjoyed it. The publisher is one of her company's clients, and so she decided to read it with me. In this entry, Tess' bookstore is ready for its grand opening. Gertrude is busy catering the event for her mother, and Tess is busy with all the other details. The last thing she needs is the unexpected appearance of her mother. What she needs even less is the man her mother has in tow--a much younger man who is suspected of committing three other murders but who has not been arrested because of a lack of evidence. Following the two is a popular podcaster, Neptune Jones, who is convinced that Tess' mother will be the next victim. But Neptune is wrong. It's Levi, the suspected widow killer, who is murdered, and it's Tess' mom who is under suspicion. Tess immediately sets out to clear her mother. Her investigatory attempts are thwarted at most turns, and that makes this book a little different from the second in a welcome way. Tess is trying to honor the sheriff's request that she not investigate and put herself and her loved ones in harm's way. This time around, even though she shares information with Sheriff Boyd, she still makes the connections to solve the murders before him. I enjoyed this book just as much as the the other I read (and I have the first on hold at my library). The story is engaging, the characters are well constructed and fleshed out, and the reason Tess gets embroiled in the mystery is realistic. With a big dash of humor and a minor bit of slapstick comedy relief, this is a well-written and enjoyable series. Recommended. (Net Galley).

Middle Sister's Mid-Month Review

 Warning: stay away from this book! 

It's is not often that I completely pan a book, but this mystery was absolutely dreadful. 

I tried, I really did. I gave it 6 chapters and the first murder. But the dialogue, the reactions of our amateur detective and her aunt to finding a dead body literally on the door step of her business, the repetitious conversation of Marci's aunt--all annoyed the heck out of me. 

Aunt Barb is like a 12-year-old girl whose best friend has a boy that Barb thinks has a crush on her friend and that's the only thing she can talk about. Aunt Barb, upon learning that a woman who was in the bakery the day before has been murdered outside their door, doesn't gasp with horror, doesn't say "Oh no, poor thing!," doesn't say "Marci, are you OK? You just found someone dead; here, sit down, let me get you some tea or a shot of whisky." No, Aunt Barb say "you should ask the detective out. You have the hots for him, admit it. He has the hots for you. You should ask him out." And she repeats this conversation about 7 times in the pages following the arrival of the police. We haven't even had the body removed from in front of the shop yet, so it's been what, an hour or two in fictional time?

Marci, bakery shop owner and pastry chef whose baked goods are said by everyone in Paris, KY, to have magic in them (the first customer we meet wants to buy something because she's heard as soon as someone buys one of Marci's pastries, they find their true love. Insert eye roll here.) gets caught by the detective (you know, the one that has the hots for her) with evidence that she removed from the crime scene and Marci asks herself if she should lie and not tell him. Because--why? Presumably because he is the boss of the Frenchman who was the murder victim's ex-boyfriend and Marci muses to herself that she should call the boss and ask him about the murder, because--why? Because that's definitely the way to impress someone you have the hots for, by lying to them? 

Why does Marci think she might be a suspect? She met the victim once for 5 seconds in her bakery. Surely the 'lovesick' detective wouldn't find that a convincing reason to suspect her. Why does Marcy vacillate between swooning over the detective's dreamy brown eyes and the Frenchman's attractive accent within the same paragraph? Why does she fall head over heels for the Frenchman at first sight? I'm not adverse to love at first sight, but there was no description of a sudden onslaught of tingly feelings down to her toes, no feeling that all the breath had left her lungs, no sentence that time stopped when Antoine smiled at her, none of the tropes bad romances or even good ones use to describe the instant attraction one might feel to a stranger. Nope, just the writing style of a 13-year-old girl writing in her diary about two boys she has crushes on and the vapid discussion about them in the locker room with her best friend, and oh yea, someone was murdered in front of my door, but let's ignore that because he's dreamy...

Do not read Macarons Can Be Murder by Rose Betancourt. Do not waste your time or your money. The author lists 15 or so series in the front matter that are written under various pseudonyms, and clearly that shows. Dreadful. Avoid at all costs.

Middle Sister's April Read,

April was a hodge podge of varying genres, in which I also sampled some long-running series I had never read before. Let's get to it. 

Cozy Coastal Knits by Rosann Fleischauer I love knitting and crocheting and I love any coast. Ms. Fleischauer presents a collection of mitts,  headbands and hats, bandanas, shawls, and ponchos named after bodies of water, a clever idea on its own. I was, however, disappointed by the book. There is one men's sweater, one sleeveless women's tank, and one skirt, but six ponchos. Six ponchos out of a book of twenty-one patterns is too many. I reviewed the Net Galley ARC (advanced readers' copy), and there is one major error: the Atlantic and Pacific ponchos appear to be the exact same pattern; same description, same special stitch, same instructions. I'm not sure if there was meant to be a difference between these and an editing and layout mistake was made. Overall, the book is laid out nicely, with lots of tropical photos for the location shots, and contains written patterns but no charts with simple schematics. But the duplicate pattern, whether an accident or intentional, means this book has to receive a poor review. (Net Galley)

National Monuments of the USA by Cameron Walker, Illustrated by Chris Turnham Adorable mid-century inspired artwork by Chris Turnham makes this children's travel guide to select national monuments a delight. The book is divided geographically, and presents some of our most popular, most famous, and most recent national monuments in an engaging manner that is sure to interest both adults and the children for which the book was written. Colors are slightly muted but very pleasing, with postcard-sized sidebar illustrations of fun facts about the flora, fauna, and history of the monuments. The book starts off with the Statue of Liberty, but then goes to Stonewall, one of our newest national monuments. The explanation of why Stonewall was deemed important enough to become a national monument is low key and child-appropriate; it simply says in 1969 certain people were discriminated against and in 1969 at Stonewall, people started an uprising. Ultra conservatives may find the use of LGBTQ+ and the inclusion of Stonewall reason to ban the book, but I think it's a fantastic choice and well handled by the author and the illustrator. Rousing applause for the diversity and inclusivity in this book. Adults and children of all colors are represented, and there is a very subtle illustration of a gay couple (one black, one white) on the Stonewall page. The civil rights movement and monuments in Birmingham are featured, but so are archaeological monuments like Pipestone, Montezuma Castle and Bandalier, and amazing natural landscapes like Rainbow Bridge and Muir Woods. We learn about historic houses, insects and bears and fish, even dinosaurs, and famous and some not-quite-as-famous but just as important people who helped make American history. An absolute gem of a book. (Net Galley)

The Most Beautiful Places in the World: UNESCO Natural Heritage Sites by Christopher Woods This beautiful coffee table book takes readers around the world to visit some of the most spectacular landscapes and vistas that have escaped development. The book is divided into large continental sections. Each heritage site has text that describes the location, the date it became a world heritage site, and iconic flora or fauna that inhabit it. Beautiful two-page spreads are accompanied by a page of photos that concentrate on close-up shots of plants and animals. This is a terrific book for an avid traveler, national park geek, or nature photographer. I've only been to one of these heritage sites, and as much as I'd like to visit many of them, that seems unlikely. But this book allowed me to discover the unknown beauty of places like Croatia and Iran as well as more famous locales such as Ngorongoro. The book also serves to remind us why preserving nature and these heritage sites is so crucial to maintain biodiversity and the health of our home planet. (Net Galley)

Death by Arts and Crafts by Alexis Morgan Although the series is new to me, this is the sixth in the Abby McCree series. Abby lives in a small town, Snowberry Creek, WA, where she inherited her aunt's home. In this entry, Abby, newly elected to the city council, is acting as liaison between the council and several artists who will be participating in Snowberry Creek's first art festival. The weekend before the festival, Abby and her friends attend an art fair so that Abby can meet the artists and be sure that there are no special requirements that have been overlooked in the planning phase. Not so surprisingly, a murder happens at the fair, and Abby finds herself reluctantly drawn into the investigations. I liked that Abby genuinely seemed to not want to get involved after her previous encounters with murder investigations. I also like that whenever she thought of something that had occurred to her and she wondered off the police knew, she immediately reminded herself that of course they had thought of that. I quibble a bit with her remembering things that she didn't tell Ben or Gage, the police investigator and local sheriff, both of who are her friends, but the author had to to have her withhold that information to make the story process, even if it didn't accord with Abby's desire to remain outside the investigation and help her friends out. What I didn't like was her 'romance' with Tripp. We are reminded several times that he won't tell Abby what he is studying in college; why not? How can you contemplate a serious relationship with someone who withholds such a trivial fact from you? I understand he has PTSD after his 20 years as special ops in the military; I even get why he'd not tell her what he saw in combat. But what his major is? I also heartily dislike his patronizing attitude; at one point he says he warned another potential suitor off and that he's "protecting what's mine." Ugh. I like Ben much more as a romantic suitor; he worries about Abby but doesn't patronize her, and respects her intelligence and integrity. Not sure I want to read any more of these if Tripp is going to remain an important secondary character (hey, wouldn't it be a twist to let then break up permanently?). There are only 3 suspects and it was very easy to figure out which was the likely murderer. While tension does build as threats to Abby and her friends escalate, and the whole story really does take place over the course of just a couple of weeks, the middle section dragged for me. Overall, the writing was good and I would have liked to have more on the setting, another one of those idyllic little towns where everyone knows each other and happily adopts the newcomer into their lives. NB: the editing in this ARC was bad  int he second half (multiple times main characters' names were mistaken). (Net Galley)

Death by Spiced Chai by Alex Erickson A bookstore cafe mystery series. Sounds great. I love bookstores, and while I don't drink coffee, spiced chai is a tea and we all know how I love my tea. This is the tenth in this series, although this series was new to me. Bookstore and cafe owner Krissy Hancock is at first annoyed by what seem to be pranks, but then becomes very concerned when it becomes evident that someone is targeting her. And the clues indicate that she's been targeted because of her past involvement in murder investigations (so earlier books are referenced, and without having read them, I was a little puzzled). Krissy make some questionable choices as she investigates (no, don't go talk to your main suspect and tip them off!), and the author makes some questionable choices as backstory (I still don't understand the paragraph about chipped mugs at location 1275 on a Kindle). Another irritant to this reader: Krissy is dating Paul the policeman, and seems irritated that he won't tell her about his boss' investigation in the murders in which she is a main suspect. Hello, Krissy, he could lose his job over that! Paul's character is clearly tormented by these two things pulling on him, but Krissy's lack of understanding and concern for his career annoyed me. As did her assumptions that the police were not doing their jobs simply because she remained a suspect and no one was telling her who they were investigating besides herself. A few inconsistencies in plotting (e.g., one person comments that nobody walks around her neighborhood but then suddenly remembers that actually there was somebody passing by her home at least a dozen times over two days and that didn't cause any suspicions--really?) and what I felt was a thin reason for the murder meant that I didn't particularly enjoy this book. I doubt that I will seek out further in the series. (Net Galley)

Love, Nature, Magic by Maria Rodale OK, I've subscribed to Prevention magazine for decades, and was mildly curious about a book written bye the granddaughter of the man who started the business, so I chose to read this book strictly because of the author. Ms. Rodale brings the reader with her on a series of shamanic journeys during the pandemic that revealed and cemented her relationship with nature. I felt some of the shamanic journeys were a bit too woo-woo for me, although I certainly respect animal and plant intelligence and heartily agree with many of the author's conclusions about what humans are doing to our home planet. (Net Galley)

Middle Sister's March Reads

Midwestern murder! The people may seem nice, but murder lurks under all that wholesomeness...

Death Checked Out (A Larkspur Library Mystery) by Leah Dobrinska A small town librarian solving cime? Sounds straight up my alley. Greta Plank is the new librarian in Larkspur, Wisconsin, and like the doctor in last month's Scottish mystery, she is haunted by something in her past that the author takes three-quarters of the book to reveal. Honestly, but the time Greta's secret came out, I didn't care, and when I learned what it was, I cared even less. Mountains out of molehills, indeed. I'm assuming this is the first in a new series, so here's your synopsis: Greta's hermit-like neighbor is found dead, and while it looks like an accident, Greta is not convinced it was. When she finally manages to convince Larkspur's new detective that he was murdered, she finds herself as the number one suspect. Greta and her two library colleagues set out to uncover the murderer. I did like Greta's happy and healthy relationship with her parents, whom I'd have liked to see more of (they are more interesting that her, to be honest). No blood or gore or cursing or sex, for those who like their mysteries squeaky clean. (Net Galley)

Bake Offed (Five Ingredient Mystery) by Maya Corrigan I'd not read any books in this series, but I was tickled by the idea that a young woman and her grandfather were the amateur detectives. I started reading this on a flight to Washington DC. and was delighted to find that the book was set in Maryland. Val is helping her friend host a mystery convention, with one of the highlights a baking contest, and Grandad is one of the participants. Someone slips a warning message in his conference tote bag, and then one of the participants is found dead by Val. It's not a difficult mystery to figure out, but the characters were pleasant enough to spend some time with, and I do like the idea of a multi-generational amateur detective team. I won't go out of my way to track down any more in there series, but if one comes my way, I'll probably read it. Another squeaky clean mystery. (Net Galley).

On Spine of Death (By the Book Mysteries 2) by Tamara Berry After all this midwestern mayhem, I ended the month in one of my favorite states, Washington, and the fictional town of Winthrop, where mystery writer Tess Harrow and her daughter Gertrude have settled  down permanently after Tess' divorce.  Tess is remodeling her grandfather's hardware store when a body is found, and then a second body, and soon Tess realizes that the murders are eerily familiar. Funny and delightful, with engaging secondary characters, a realistically healthy yet imperfect mother-daughter relationship, and a small town full of very quirky inhabitants make for a very fun read. Yes, I figured out the whodunnit pretty early on, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I want to read the first in the series now, and hope I don't have to wait too long for Tess and Gertrude's next adventure. (Net Galley)

Out to Canaan by Jan Karon I needed an audiobook for some car time, and I remembered how popular these were in the 1980s when I worked in a wonderful independent bookstore. Father Tim and all the secondary characters and the setting have held up fairly well, although readers will think it takes places further in the past than it does given the lack of technology. Gentle stories about ordinary things, which I generally like, but I couldn't get into the series when it was first published and this one still left me cold. I think everyone is just a little too bland for my liking. 

Middle Sister's February Reads

 I spent much of February, fictionally speaking, in the British isles.

An American in Scotland (A Scottish Isle Mystery) by Lucy Connelly I love a mystery set in Scotland or England, and a mystery set in a small town in Scotland sounded perfect. Except it wasn't. Dr. Emilia McRoy has moved to Scotland to be the local doctor, and no sooner does she land there than she is embroiled in a murder mystery. First off, the name Sea Isle sounds more California or Florida than Scotland. The author very slowly spins out how Emilia got this jobs and even more slowly draws out what tragedy in her own life caused her to want to move halfway across the world. Coincidences run strong in this novel, so if you find a multiplicity of these an indicator of lazy writing, you will be slightly irritated by how many move this story forward. The state of the art facility Emilia finds herself in is unbelievable, and when we find out the whys and hows and who behind her job, the unbelievability of the story skyrockets. And I'm always irritated when the protagonist's sole reason for investigating the murder is that they are a new person in town and therefore they assume everyone else thinks they're the murderer. Oh, and also when they withhold evidence from the police or here, the constable. Who asks her stupid questions like "Wouldn't the rain have washed away ay evidence?" Did he not go to constable school? It should be obvious by now that I did not find the premise of the story believable, and without that, frankly, you've lost me as a reader. (Net Galley)

Book Clubbed to Death (Mystery Bookshop 8) by V. M. Burns Sam is celebrating, not without trepidation, the publication of her first Wickfield Lodge mystery. A bad storm knocks out electricity to a large part of North Harbor, Michigan, and the public library is damaged. Sam offers to help out by hosting a local mystery book club in her mystery bookstore, and she's excited to discover that the Mystery Mavens include a published author and well-known reviewer. Then the reviewer is found dead in her bookstore, and Sam finds herself the number one suspect in a real life murder mystery. One that could have deadly consequences if she can't uncover the real murderer before she's arrested. I like Sam and her mom and the secondary characters, but the trope of having her subconscious figure out the clues and the mystery while she's writing her book is wearing mighty thin. We've read chapters of her mystery within the books, and frankly, they kind of stink, so the accolades upon publishing are hard to swallow. I'd suggest limiting this plot device to once or twice in the course of a Mystery Bookshop story, as its prevalence in just about every other chapter is tedious and every time Sam is tired and can't sleep, which seems to be every night; she needs to see a sleep doctor. (Net Galley)

The Hanging in the Hotel (Fethering Village Mysteries 5) by Simon Brett I really like the village of Fethering and I'd love to be friends with Jude, although I'd probably avoid her neighbor and friend Carole as much as possible. In this entry in the series, Jude's old friend Suzy asks her to help out temporarily at a private event being held in Suzy's Hopwicke Country House Hotel. When one of the attendees at the Pillars of Sussex dinner is found dead the next morning, everyone assumes it was suicide. Except Jude. Meanwhile, Carole's son introduces her to his new fiancee, and Carole uses their engagement as an excuse to do some sleuthing at the hotel. Well written and genial, Mr. Brett's mysteries harken back to the Golden Age of Christie with the deeper psychological and social aspects modern readers prefer. I recommend the Fethering series to all lovers of cosy mysteries; these are some of the best. 

Isabel Puddles Abroad (A Mitten State Mystery) by M. V. Byrne This book started out in Michigan, but most of it took place in London and Mousehole, Cornwall. I mention that because in March, I spent most of my fictional time in the Midwest, so this was a great bridge to tend the month on. Isabel Puddles is generally a likable middle-aged widow who finds herself, a la Jessica Fletcher, involved in mysteries wherever she goes. In this entry in the series, Isabel takes her first vacation and her first trip outside Michigan to England, to visit Teddy Mansfield, the famous mystery writer Isabel had met when he was in Michigan. Teddy is busy writing, and his housekeeper Tuppence is busy perfecting her scone recipe for a baking competition that the Duchess of Cornwall is going to attend. Tuppence's delicious scones are ruined before the competition, and when a murder occurs, she's just one of the many suspects. Isabel solves the mystery, of course, surrounded by a nicely-fleshed out cast of suspects and enough red herrings that it took me about three-quarters of the book to figure out whodunnit. A very pleasant book perfect for summer vacation. (Net Galley)

New Year, New Kindle! Middle Sister's Mid-month Review

 It's here! After a four-week wait, my Kindle Oasis has arrived. Unlike my Voyages, which were immediately comfortable and seemed like part of my arm, I am still getting used to the Oasis, it's one thicker side, it's square shape, but it's a relief to be able to get back to my galleys. As much s I love my Mac Book Pro and my iPhone, I don't like reading on them unless I have to (hence last month's diversion to library books instead). But now, back to where we left off in early December, when my Voyage ended its journey.

Comet Madness: How the 1920 Return of Halley's Comet (Almost) Destroyed Civilization by Richard J. Goodrich. This is not just a book about the most famous comet ever, although it is. This is not just a book that traces the development of scientific investigations into Halley's Comet, although it does. This is, at its base, a book about how media plays into, exacerbates, or just plain fabricates stories that play on the frail human psyche, and that play on them for a profit. Because if you think fake news and lies being presented as facts that "everyone knows" is a recent phenomenon, you're wrong (although richly displayed the last 6 years on our political stage). When Halley's Comet made its return trip into our part of the galaxy in 1910, the media twisted what scientists said about the event to sell more newspapers, and in the process, destroyed lives around the world. Mr. Goodrich traces how the return of the comet moved from an event of interest only to astronomers to a front-page story with headlines that screamed about the imminent destruction of the planet. He details how even respectable newspapers published stories lifting what the astronomers were saying out of context, or, in some cases, attributing complete lies to them. This may seem like an uninteresting historical anecdote, but these screaming lies caused panic around the globe. Mr. Goodrich quotes extensively what the scientists were saying versus what the newspapers reported, and documents instances where people, convinced that the end of the world was coming in May 1910, sold everything they owned to enjoy their last few days in luxury. But worse then that, he provides details on people who were driven so distraught at the published news articles that the world was ending that they killed themselves rather than face being poisoned by gases from the comet or immolated when it crashed into the earth. The destruction of a scientist's name and career by these newspaper lies is less horrific in comparison, but no less sad. So this is not just a book about Halley's Comet, but the restoration of the reputation of Camille Flammarion, the serious and famous French astronomer whose words were twisted and shredded in the name of profit. Mr. Goodrich makes no analogy to the times we live in, but astute readers will not fail to see the many similarities between how the newspapers lied in 1910 and how media outlets in the 2020s have been blatantly doing the same. This is an excellent read all round, for science and astronomy buffs particularly, but sociologists, anthropologists, and indeed anyone interested in media and its influence on culture will find it fascinating. (Net Galley)

Middle Sister's December Reads

December was a busy month, but I had two weeks of vacation and was looking forward to reading, and reading a lot. And I did. And it was wonderful! I hunkered down and spent good quality hygge time in my want-to-be-home, Sea Harbor, MA. But tragedy struck December 8--my beloved Kindle Voyage died! Amazon made the wrongheaded decision 4 years ago to cease production of the Voyage, even though many of us Kindle diehards thought it was the best Kindle ever made. I tried to live without a Kindle but broke down within  a week and ordered an Oasis, which will be delivered soon. I hate reading on my phone, so most of the books read this month were audiobooks or library books. A Net Galley ARC was interrupted by the tragedy, but I will resume reading Comet Madness as soon as Fred the Fourth arrives.

A Dark and Snowy Night by Sally Goldenbaum Years ago this series was published by one of the mass market publishers, and I fell in love with it when I discovered it early on. After several books, the publisher decided not to pursue the series, but luckily for us, Kensington Publishing picked up the author and the series continues. Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, is a small coastal town, but it's home to a large number of great businesses I'd patronize if they were real. Chief among them is the Seaside Knitting Studio, owned by Izzy Chambers Perry. The series began years ago with Izzy opening up her yarn shop and over the books, she knits deep relationships with three women in town. They are all very different, in age, in lifestyle, in experience, but they bond over their shared love of knitting and their lives become interwoven. Over the series, their lives change, but the friendships and love stay strong. I would love to be best friends with Izzy, Nell, Birdie, and Cass, and have Thursday night knit-ins and Friday night dinners with them. The mystery is almost secondary for me. I love escaping to this cosy, beautiful town full of caring and conscientious people and set in a gorgeous, sea side locale. But, a mystery series this is, so someone does get murdered, and each investigation is spearheaded by a different woman. I had just read two of the Seaside Knitters mysteries in November, and I didn't want the happy glow of living in Sea Harbor to dissipate, so I immediately jumped into my third consecutive book, which is also the most recent. This time around, the mayor's holiday party is marred by a murder, and the victim is discovered by Nell, Izzy's aunt (and personally my favorite of the four women). With Christmas and the holidays looming, the women decide to solve the murder so the town can enjoy the festive season without worrying that a murderer lurks in their midst. I love this series, and passed this book on to a friend to read on her vacation, and she is now a convert and fan, too. What better way to celebrate the season than with this wonderful trip to my favorite place.

Black Orchids by Rex Stout This audiobook has two stories, Black Orchids and Cordially Invited to Meet Death. As all fans know, Nero Wolfe never leaves his townhouse, but the one thing that might get him to leave his home is a rare orchid, and this is not just a special rare orchid, it's a black orchid. When Archie Goodwin discovers a dead body at a flower show, Nero is drawn into a complex mystery that centers on an exceedingly rare little bloom. The black orchid reappears in the second story, in which a society matron receiving poison pen letters tries to get Nero Wolfe to find out who is sending the letters to her. Wolfe turns down the job, and then regrets it. This audiobook is literally just the old cassettes now in a digital format, complete with "end of cassette 1, please turn the cassette over." But the wonderful Michael Prichard and his gravelly voive are perfect for Nero Wolfe, so less than perfect presentation aside, I love these audiobooks.

The Capture of Cerberus and The Incident of the Dog's Ball by Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot read by David Suchet. There is nothing more to be said. Perfection.

Knot on Your Life by Betty Hechtman years ago, I gave up on Hechtman's other series because, as detailed in other reviews on this blog, the stories are simplistic, the writing often juvenile, and the mysteries unsatisfying. But, sometimes it's hard for a reader to know if some of the fault lies with the publisher, who demands a certain kind of mystery for a certain audience, and constrains the author with requirements and limitations. So when I found that Hechtman had another series out there, I thought I'd give it a try. Casey Feldstein has created a career arranging yarn retreats in Vista Del Mar, but the resort idyll is not without its evils. In this, book number 7, her nemesis, the resort manager, has started arranging retreats, trying to poach on Casey's success, but his attempts leave his first clients, a Silicon Valley tech company, unsatisfied, and they reach out to Casey to save their retreat. But it's not a restful retreat when someone dies, and Casey decides to solve the murder herself. Gentle Reader, I had so many issues with this book, it's hard to list them, but here are some, and they are my last straw pet peeves: why does Casey think she is a better detective than the police, because she worked as an assistant to a detective long ago? Why on earth does her boyfriend, the cop, tell her things that could get him fired if his boss knew he was telling her these things? Why does she let him do this? And why the heck is a 30-something woman afraid to date a man in the open? Does she really think the locals will gossip nonstop about them? Casey, you're neither that important nor that interesting. The juvenile romantic relationships Hechtman always has make the bad mysteries absolutely unreadable for me. It's insulting to Ms. Christie and Mr. Stout to read something like this right after reading their classic and well-written mysteries.

AlterKnit Stitch Dictionary: 200 Modern Knitting Motifs by Andrea Rangel Fantastic stitch dictionary of modern and unusual motifs for the adventurous knitter who wants to move beyond diamonds  and chevrons into dinosaurs, robots, and 3-D inspired motifs, among others. This is a great addition to any knitter's library. Nicely illustrated, but only charts.

And there you have it. The 69 books I read in 2022. On to 2023 and adventures with my new Oasis.