Middle Sister's November Reads

Hooray, I have a new job! But to deal with the stress of learning a completely new job, I stuck to comfort reads this month.

Five Golden Wings by Donna Andrews This is the 2025 Christmas murder mystery by Donna Andrews, who's given Meg Langslow quite a few holiday murders to solve. And I love them all! We've never been given a family tree of Meg's mother, we just know that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of Hollingsworths roaming the Virginia countryside, and they often descend en masse on Meg and Michael's house for holidays. This time, they are celebrating not only Christmas but two weddings. Two Hollingsworth cousins, competing with each other since childhood, have both decided to throw extravagant holiday weddings. Meg has kept herself out of the wedding shenanigans, by and large, but her mother is getting battered from all sides by the incessant infighting. Then the wedding photographer both brides had hired is murdered, and not only is there panic over the weddings, there's panic over who in their midst is a murderer? I enjoyed having some of the usually nameless cousins named and part of the story. Caerphilly is always a hoot to visit, and this book doesn't disappoint. 

Fellowship of Fear by Aaron Elkins I enjoyed this series when I worked in the bookstore and it was first published, so when I discovered that my library is getting digital vueriosns of some of these older books, I thought I'd begin at the beginning of this series. This is the first in the Gideon Oliver series. Gideon is an anthropology professor and forensics specialist whose ability to read the bones of recent and long-dead humans often comes in handy. In this first book, Gideon is undertaking a lecture circuit at US military bases in several European countries. He's been mourning the death of his wife, and this is the first work-related project that sparked his interest. On his first night in Germany, two men in black invade his hotel room and nearly kill him. The next day, Gideon finds out that the two previous lecturers both died mysteriously. Who would want to kill professors, and why? This story is more spy novel than later books in the series which are straight forward murder mysteries. There's some misogyny and dated male/female interactions which I didn't enjoy at all. But we are introduced to a secondary character who will reappear in later books. Not sure I'd recommend it except for fans of the series who  want to have read them all, like me.

The Sherlock Society by James Pronto Alex and Zoe Sherlock are trying to figure out a non-boring summer job they can do when they hit upon the idea of being detectives. Their first forays flop, but the two are soon joined by their grandfather and their friends Lina and Yadi. After Mom puts her foot down and tells them that they are not to try to solve any real life mysteries at all or they will be in serious trouble, the the pre-teens decide to solve a historical mystery and find the long-lost treasure of Al Capone.  After all, everyone involved in the story is dead, so it's not really like they are breaking their promise to Mom. But instead of long-lost treasure, they stumble upon a real-life case of corporate and environmental corruption that could cost them their lives. I found this YA story to be excellent--well written, with engaging characters, relatable relationships between the children and the adults and the between the adults themselves. 

Peril at End House by Agatha Christie Poirot and Hastings meet a charming young woman named Nick Buckley, who tells them of a few brushes with death that have happened recently. But she does not take any of them seriously. She lives in the ramshackle family homestead that is falling down around her ears, has no family fortune, and there's no reason anyone would want to kill her. But when one attempt to kill Nick occurs right in front of Poirot and Hastings, they urge her to take the situation seriously, and Poirot decides to protect her himself while finding out who is trying to kill her, and why. Nick lives in the ramshackle old End House, and several friends are visiting her, and it's clear to Poirot that one of those friends is out to kill her, but which? More strange accidents happen, and Nick is nearly poisoned by chocolates allegedly sent by Poirot, and then someone does die. Poirot takes these events personally and becomes personally involved in this incident, which is a bit unusual. The seance and contorted ending are a little far-fetched, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless. It is, after all, Dame Agatha, and even at her worst (and this is not her worst), she's far superior to most mystery writers.

Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie Rosaleen Underhay inherited everything when her husband of just a few weeks, Gordon Cloade, was killed in the London bombings. His family, who had never expected the determined bachelor to marry and who relied on him for money, are devastated that their financial lifeline has been cut off. Gordon always told them not to worry about money, that he would take care of them, and now he's gone. What will they do? Although Rosaleen is soft-hearted and willing to give her new family some financial support, her brother, David, is adamant that she not support them. Poirot, at his club during another air raid, listens to a story about a man named Robert Underhay who disappeared but whose body was never found. Could Robert still be alive? If he was, that would invalidate Rosaleen's marriage and make her inheritance null and void. A mysterious man names Enoch Arden suddenly appears and attempts to blackmail David, claiming to know where Robert is. But then, Mr. Arden is found dead, and things get complicated.

Fer de Lance by Rex Stout. In my continuing effort to read some series in order, I re-read the first Nero Wolfe. Nero is approached by Maria, who asks him to discover what happened to her brother Carlo. Carlo mysterious disappeared after suddenly coming into some money. How is his disappearance connected to the death of a college president? And who sent Nero Wolfe the deadly fer-de-lance snake? The characters are slightly different than in the later novels and Stout works his way through establishing their characters and quirks, but the bare bones of the recurring characters are there, even if unpolished and dated (some racism). Despite these few quibbles, I enjoyed the book.

Middle Sister's September Read

Why the backlog? Well, like hundreds of thousands, if not millions of USAians, I lost my job this year. And while reading was a welcome escape, I was working hard to find a job and working hard at odd jobs to support myself. So bear with me, Gentle Reader, as I get caught up on yet another draft that was waiting to published.

The Gift of the Magpie by Donna Andrews Magpie was last year's Christmas book published by a favorite author of mine. And since it was hot and dry, reading of another snowy holiday murder in Caerphilly hit a large number of comfort notes for me. This time, Meg and Caerphilly Helping Hands are helping a hoarder with cleaning and decluttering his dilapidated house. Harvey is a nice man, albeit a little shy, but his behavior is not like that of any hoarder any of us have been on TV. The hoarders exploited on distressing TV series are resentful of the attention, fight folks trying to come into their house, and are seriously emotionally upset when their things are disturbed, much less hauled away. Whereas Harvey just lets the well-intentioned ladies of Helping Hands box up all his stuff within minutes of meeting Meg and Caroline--unrealistic, even for a series in which I usually suspend disbelief at how kind and generous everyone in Caerphilly is (which I why I'd like to live there, but I digress). And as much as I love this series, there were, honestly, some parts that rang off: the hoarder not acting like a hoarder, the idea that the hotel would foster a few dogs that guests could check out to run with or visit with--who's going to administer that program? What about liability, for both parties, the hotel and the animal rescue? When dogs are released and transferred from one shelter to another, the process involves lots of paperwork. And you can't just stick them somewhere not approved for animal housing like a human hotel, where paying guests could be allergic or frightened of dogs. I did like how Harvey's murder was resolved, but Magpie was a weak entry in the series. I still want to live in Caerphilly, though. No. 28 in the series

Mockingbird Court by Juneau Black I loved Beatrix Potter's books when I child, and I loved the Cottage Tales series by Susan Witting Albert, and you've read in the past how I love the Shady Hollow mystery series by Juneau Black. They are warm, grown-up versions of an animal world where the animals are vegetarians, live in towns and hold jobs, and generally live in harmony except for the occasional murder. In Mockingbird Court, we not only are treated to another delightful and cosy murder, we are treated to learning more about our heroine, Vera Vixen. Vera's past has always been mysterious. We knew she came from the city, but we knew nothing of why she left, nothing about her family. We learn Vera's story, a very human one, when someone from her past is murdered, and Vera is the main suspect. Will she be able to prove her innocence, and will her relationship with Orville survive this murder investigation? If I were an animal, I'd want to live in Shady Hollow, eat at Joe's, and shop at Lenore's bookstore. Highly recommended. (Net Galley)

Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green This was one of two selections for the Governnerd's Book Club Sharon McMahon organizes, and what a fantastic read it was! One of my favorite books of 2025. This book is so well researched but written so thoughtfully and engagingly, with enough science to satisfy this scientist but not too much science to drive non-scientists away. It's an extremely compelling history not only of the disease, but our society's reaction to it medically, socially, politically, and economically. Once you read it, you will agree that yes, everything is tuberculosis. Highly recommended

Crouching Buzzrd, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews Back to the beginning of the series, as my library has started filling in missing titles. Meg and Michael are searching for a new place to live in, one that will be large enough for the two of them, but Caerphilly has a sever drought of affordable and decent houses or apartments. The search for a home is stressful enough, but Meg's been roped in to serving as business manager and switchboard operator for Mutant Wizards, her bother's computer game company. Mutant Wizards has grown very quickly, and Rob, in typical Rob fashion, doesn't want to, maybe doesn't even recognize, the managerial issues that have been building up and which Meg gets to address. First issue: the one-winged buzzed that lives in the office lobby. Second issue: Michael's mother's dog, Spike, who likes no humans and to whom has mother is allergic, so Spike is now living with Meg and Michael and terrorizing everyone at Mutant Wizards.  Third issue: the company's popular computer game has inspired crazy fans and possibly industrial spies to try to steal their way in every day, and it's up to Meg to chase them out. The company is staffed by brilliant and kooky computer geniuses, who as a lark have laid out a track for the mail cart to follow automatically. Then on one sweep through the office, the mail cart is carrying an extra package--a dead colleague. Highly recommended. No. 4 in the series

Cockatiels at Seven by Donna Andrews Given my library's non-sequential catalog of Meg Langslow titles, I had to jump forward several titles from Buzzard to Cockatiels. Newlyweds Meg and Michael are still renovating their new house when Meg's old friend Karen stops by. She's in desperate need a babysitter for her son, Timmy, for a couple of hours, and begs Meg to help her out. Meg, of course, does agree, but when four, then five, and then six and more hours go by and Karen hasn't returned for her son, Meg is worried that Karen has been in an accident. But it's worse--Karen seems to have disappeared completely. Poor Timmy has no food, no clothes, and his favorite toy needs repair, and Meg is suddenly afraid for Karen's life and afraid of her own reactions to the sudden, temporary childcare roll. Rob is acting very mysteriously, and Meg's dad and grumpy zoologist Montgomery Blake are involved in some animal welfare project Meg worries will land them in jail. Meg's worries heighten when it becomes clear that some dangerous men are after Timmy, and will stop at nothing to get him. Highly recommended. No. 9 in the series

Owls Well That Ends Well by Donna Andrews Sure, I could order these sequentially, but I write about the books in the order that I read them, so, Gentle Reader, join me in another jump through fictional time. Meg and Michael are excited at their new home, a rambling Victorian mansion owned by the late Edwina Sprockett. They haven't moved inlet, however, since of the reasons they got such a good deal on the house was because they were going to have to clean it out. And Edwina was nothing if not a collector. Their solution: a giant yard sale, and they're delighted by the local interest, but not delighted by the would-be treasure hunters showing up at 5 am to try and sneak in to find the best items before everyone else. Too bad everyone had the same idea. Among the treasure hunters are Edwina's distant relatives, who have decided that maybe they wrong in agreeing to sell the house and all its contents as is, and now are trying to prove that Meg and Michael hoodwinked them out of large inheritance. Endangered barn owls living in the ramshackle outbuildings add to the general confusion. When Meg spots someone sneaking into one of the off-limits outbuildings, she hurries over to herd them back to the yard sale, and finds one of the antique dealers, dead. Would someone really kill someone over Edwina's junk? Highly recommended. No. 6 in the series

We'll Always Have Parrots by Donna Andrews And let's step back one more time, Gentle Reader! Meg and Michael are attending a fan convention for Porfiria, Queen of the Jungle, a cult TV show that Michael has a minor role in. But now that he has a stable position int he Drama and Theatre department at Caerphilly College, Michael would like to leave Porfiria behind. But not everyone wants him to leave the show, especially the star and executive producer, and when she's found murdered, Michael is just one of a number of cast and crew under suspicion. The series rarely leaves Caerphilly, so it's always a treat when Ms. Andrews finds a way to get Meg and Michael away. And the loony, besotted, sometimes weird fans are a funny substitute for Meg's eccentric family. Highly recommended. No. 5 in the series

Why Didn't They Ask Evans by Agatha Christie Bobby Jones is the vicar's son, and he's at loose ends and avoiding making a decision about what to do with his life. What better thing to do than play golf? Until he hits his ball over the edge of the cliff, and running to see if it's visible, he finds instead a dying man. Bobby is perplexed by his last words: "Why didn't they ask Evans?" but a search of the pockets reveals just a photograph of a beautiful young woman. Bobby and his childhood friend, Frankie, aka Lady Frances Derwent, daughter of the local lord, are intrigued when the deceased is finally identified as Alex Pritchard and his sister claims to be the woman in the photo, despite the lack of any similarities between the young beauty in the photo and the middle-aged sister. Then the photos is published, and it's a different photo than the one Bobby had seen and replaced in the dead man's pocket. And that's when Bobby and Frankie realize that something sinister is going on. Highly recommended.

Agatha Christie: an Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley Lucy Worsley has written a new biography of Agatha Christie and filmed a television biography show on the BBC. Ms. Worsley spends a little bit more time tracking down clues to Ms. Christie's mental state during and after her famous disappearance, looking through old phone books to identify psychologists the author may have consulted that were located near her London apartment. Ms. Worsley found a brief interview I'd never seen referenced before in which Dame Agatha herself talks about her mental state during and after the breakup of her marriage. While that's the only new information in the book, there is more on her marriage to the archaeologist Max Mallowan than most biographies report. I knew it was a happy marriage, but the excerpts from their letters made my heart glow that a such a broken heart was able to be healed by love again. Recommended.

Murder Takes A Vacation by Laura Lippman When I first read the description of the story, I thought, well, this sounds like fun. Muriel Blossom, middle-aged widow and former employee at a private investigative form, wins  a lottery and decides to take a Paris river cruise. This middle-aged reader would love to win something like that. Too bad the book was so dreadful I had to stop reading it. She's a former private investigator who worked with Ms. Lipman's other series character, Tess Monaghan, and yet makes the most naive and stupid decisions ever: she accepts a gummy from a stranger in the airport to help her sleep not he flight to Paris--hunh? He doesn't wake her up when their flight arrives so she misses her connection--hunh? She then lets him make reservations at a hotel for them? Lets him convince her not to follow her carefully planned itinerary? Hunh? Then she makes out with him and lets him stay in her room while she sleeps? What?? Then she gets to Paris, meets a young man she lets paw through her clothes and claim to be her son when. body is found--and that's just the first 2 chapters! I chucked it. Completely unbelievable. Completely stupid behavior. I hated every character by the end of two chapters--that is not a good sign. I was delighted to learn later that someone in my online mystery book club had disliked it as much as me. Avoid at all costs.

Middle Sister's August Reads

My goodness, I had several drafts of monthly posts waiting to go, but never finished and hit the publish button. So let's go back to last summer and get caught up on my reading.

August was hot but dry, the second month of a very dry summer. So I kept trying to escape by reading books set in winter.

Between a Flock and Hard Place by Donna Andrews Gentle Reader, you know that I love the Meg Langslow series. I love her extended family, I love the small town she lives in where everyone knows everyone else, and no matter how eccentric they are, are kind and tolerant of each other. Number 35 in this long-running series, Yorktown residents Mr. and Mrs. Smetkamps are having a major renovation of their house completed by a television reality show, Marvelous Mansions. A temporary halt is necessary when a huge number of feral turkeys descend on the property. If you've ever met a randy turkey looking for love, like I have, you know to respect the turkey flock. Most of Caerphilly turns out to help capture the turkeys and take them to Meg's grandfather's rehab facility and zoo. But in the midst of the midnight turkey capture escapade, Meg finds a dead body, and she and her family and friends are on the case. Full of the usual quirky characters and hijinks that typify a Meg Langslow book, but the solution is, as  always, grounded in a real and sobering situation. The series is silly enough to make you laugh, but well written and with a murder and clues that will keep you engaged in trying to solve the puzzle before Meg. I never do. The real mystery for is me is how and where did Rose Noir learn to cook such huge meals so quickly? Highly recommended. No. 35 in the series

A Smoking Bun by Ellie Alexander I was interested in this series, which takes place in fictional Ashland, Oregon, a part of the US I love. Jules Capshaw owns the town's bakery, and while she and her team are busy making holiday pastries for everyone, her husband Ramiro's family is visiting from Spain. One local festivity no one ever misses is a contest where teams create a dummy that is strapped to skies and sent down the local resort's ski jump. Except this year, local guide Fitz is found dead near the ski jump. I wanted to like the book, but there were just too many characters who aren't really introduced with any backstory. There is an assumption that the reader has followed entire series. Well, this was my first book in the Bakeshop Series and I was confused about many characters and their relationships for too much of the book. Jules' character is heavy into introspection, too much I thought, but I did wonder if that is that typical for this character? As for the denouement, the murderer and the reason for Fitz's murder came almost out of nowhere-- there was just one throwaway line that tangentially applied to the reason he was murdered. That left me feeling like it wasn't a legitimate reason for the murder. And honestly, there was too much saccharine perfection--work is perfect, relationships are perfect, Jules is physically perfect--it's too much. I like my character to have faults and crazy hair and zits and wear old clothes and have grumpy mornings--like me, so I can sympathize and feel like I am they when I am reading. I never felt like Jules. One more thing-- the serving of impossible meat substitute to an entire party of New Year's celebrants without them knowing what they were eating--unforgivable! What if someone was allergic to the contents on the meat substitute? These are supposed to be culinary professionals. I know a woman who has had breast cancer who won't go anywhere near tofu because of its estrogenic compounds and her genetically-caused cancer, which is in remission. She'd be furious if she was unknowingly served a tofu meal without her knowledge. Anyway, I was disappointed enough in the book that I don't think I'll be looking for any others in the series. (Net Galley)

Rockin' Around the Chickadee by Donna Andrews Fair warning, Gentle Reader--life is so stressed right now that I have decided to go on splurge of reading Meg Langlsow mysteries. There are dozens, and since the first was published over two decades ago, I think, I don't remember any of the earlier ones. I thought I'd re-read in order, but my library didn't have all of them, so I'll be jumping around. And since it's hot, that means it's time for another Christmas mystery! Chickadee was Ms. Andrews' 2024 publication. This year, Christmas is even more special because Meg's sister-in-law, Delaney, is just days away from giving birth. And while the extensive clan is in town, instead of staying with Meg and Michael, the relatives are at Meg's parents' farm, so the big rambling Victorian house is unusually quiet. But things are still busy: Meg's grandmother has helped organize a legal conference focused on helping the wrongly convicted (or the presumed wrongly convicted) be proven innocent. There's one obnoxious conference attendee who manages to rile up a lot of people, so it's no surprise when he's murdered. As usual, Meg has a lot on her plate, but the whole extended clan and friends help solve the murder, and yes, a babe is born. Highly recommended. No. 36 in the series

Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers I've started listening to the Shedunnit podcast, and under discussion was the classic Murder Must Advertise, so naturally I re-read it. Wells actually, I listened to it, as my library is getting a lot of new or re-released audiobooks. There's nothing new I can say about the book except that if you've never read Sayers, this is a pretty good one to start with. It clearly shows that the 1920s/1930s were not staid and boring, as a modern reader might think. Highly recommended.

A Patchwork of Clues by Sally Goldenbaum Regular Gentle Readers know how much I love Ms. Goldenbaums' Seaside Knitters series. I've been aware of her other series for a while, and finally gave the first in the Queen Bees Quit Shop series a read. It follows her standard approach: 4 women of varying ages and backgrounds brought together by their love of a craft, herein quilting. Portia Paltrow is  a regular quilter at Selma Parker's fabric and quilt shop in the small college town Crestwood, Kansas. Her life is placid and on an even keel, although she still mourns her late husband, but she has no desire to move from the people and places they both loved. So she is shocked when she stumbles upon the murdered body of Owen Hill, professor and antiques store owner, on the back step of the quilt shop. The police assume the location is not accidental and that Selma, who had regularly opposed Owen at the small business association meetings, is their main suspect. Portia and the regular quilters put their heads together to save their friend while stitching an anniversary quilt for Selma's shop. I didn't find this as engaging as the Seaside Knitters (full disclosure, my mom quilted, so it's not an unfamiliar craft to me although not one I do).  I'll probably read the other two books in the series, but not with the relish I read the knitters' books.

And because I Have extra time on my hands and am on a no-yarn-buying goal for the year, I took out two books from my library: Rustic Modern Knits by Yumiko Alexander and The Best of Jane Austen Knits by Amy Clarke Moore. Rustic Modern Knits had a lot of shawls and several mitts and hats. Lovely photos, no obvious pattern mistakes although none interested me enough to start, so don't berate me if mistakes are found. Best of Jane Austen Knits has many lovely designs sure to please the heart of any Austen fan (myself included), with shawls, sweater, even a manly vest. Although different styles, both were lovely eye candy. 

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

Autumn is subtle in the desert. The air begins to dry out and the view to the mountains becomes clearer. It's still hot, but overnight temperatures start to drop slowly, so that one can stand outside under the inky black sky sprinkled with stars, and breathe. My flagging energies are always renewed this time of year. Reading comes less of an escape from oppressive heat and more a simple delight.

In the Shadow of Vesuvius by Tasha Alexander I often listen to audiobooks while doing other things around my house or while driving. My library's collection is ever increasing, but they don't often have series in their entirety, so I often jump into a series well in its arc. Such happened this month with In the Shadow of Vesuvius, the fourteenth book in the Lady Emily series, a series of which I had never heard. The brief description mentioned murder in Pompeii and archaeology; I was sold. I'm not sure I like Lady Emily; she's strong and late twentieth-century modern yet falls back into simpering nineteenth-century femininity by turns, so she and several of the other women in the novel, set in 1902, are not convincing in their presentation. I truly dislike when authors and publishers set stories in historical settings and yet then have the characters speak as if they were walking around today: "turns out" and "you lot" used by a convent-educated woman, for example, seemed incongruous. The constantly shifting point of view, between 1902 and 79 AD, was handled well but the ancient story was so predictable that it detracted from the murder Lady Emily  and Colin were investigating. The character of Kat was as annoying as one might expect, but did demonstrate some character growth that will make her less of a distraction in future books. The mystery was intriguing: while touring Pompeii, Emily, Colin, and Ivy, Emily's friend, discover a modern body encased in an ashy cement and posed between the remains of humans killed during the ancient volcanic eruption. The investigation is handled well enough considering the author set her story in time long before telephones and instant access to information. I may read another in the series to see if they are more interesting as straight-up mysteries. While many like shocking family secrets, I am not a fan of melodrama and soap operas, and there was a lot of that in the background. The narration was adequate. (Audiobook)

From Here to There: The Art and Science of Finding and Losing Our Way by Michael Bond I used to use and survey maps for a living, which (only partly) explains my love of books with maps. A book about how humans navigate sounded fascinating to me, and it was indeed engrossing. Mr. Bond started off with a detailed but not too esoteric background on the biological basis of how our brains map spatial data, and then moved on to some cultural differences between different human groups and their perceptions of space and how they learn to perceive locations. Particularly poignant were the stories of people who got lost and died, reminding us all that even in the day of GPS on our phones and watches, there are still wild areas where one can get dangerously lost. I would have to agree that current reliance on GPS is causing some humans to lose their navigating abilities. I worked with someone who, for an entire week, took the same wrong turn because the GPS told him to. Well written, fascinating and recommended.

After reading The Plot Thickets last month, I decided I had to read the first two books in the series. Pruning the Dead by Julia Henry is the first entry in the Garden Squad series, and it's here that the Garden Squad forms and begins its clandestine beautification projects around Goosebush. Lily's husband died two years ago, and she's been living in a fog since then. But her friends have managed to convince her that her beloved garden needs her tender care, and that a garden party would be a gentle way to rejoin Goosebush society. It's a huge success and Lily begins to slowly emerge from her widowhood, only to find that some changes in town have happened over those two years that she doesn't like. But what she really doesn't like is when her ex-husband's wife is murdererd, so Lily decides to find out who the real murderer is. One note: Roddy is introduced here with an Irish accent, but later books say his accent is English; one notices little things like this when you read three books back to back. All in all, it's a good first book, with a mystery that's not too intricate for the reader to guess but which is a pleasant introduction to the small town and the loyal friends who make it special.

Tilling the Truth by Julia Henry I love Lily Jayne's best friend, Tamara; she's bright, funny, and in a wonderful marriage. But someone is out to destroy Tamara's reputation as a realtor by playing nasty pranks that ruin her open houses. Tamara is determined to sell a coveted beach house despite the pranks, but it may not be just the commission she loses when the woman who lives next door is found dead, with Tamara standing over her. The entire Garden Squad swings into action to help save one of their own from being falsely accused of murder. The mystery in this series is secondary to the warm, considerate, kind cast of characters that Ms. Henry has created in the people that surround Lily. Goosebush is a pleasant place to visit, despite the murder rate. I envy the close and supportive relationships this group have with each other, and that's really the draw for the series for this reader. 

Dashing Through the Snowbirds by Donna Andrews I guess I'm in a sentimental frame of mind, wanting to vicariously live in either a town like Goosebush, where strong friendships have created a fictive family that takes care of each other, or in Caerphilly, where the extremely large Langslow family, with its dozens of cousins and aunts and uncles, constantly pour in and out of Meg's kitchen and life, always ready to pitch in and help with the task at hand, whether that's cooking for a crowd or solving a murder. Meg Langslow has so many relatives that pepper her mysteries that sometimes I get confused over who is who, but that's not the case this time, in the latest book in this long running series. It's Christmas in Caerphilly, and Meg's house is overrun with the employees of a genealogy company her brother's company is in the process of buying. There's a deadline looming on the project they are all working frantically on so that they can return to Canada for Christmas. But then the boss is murdered, and everyone's plans change. Ms. Andrews has this formula down to an art, yet somehow manages to make each book read fresh, and this is no exception. Meg's large family is still present, but their involvement in the murder investigation is scaled back from other books in the series, which means the cast of characters is not unwieldy and their oft-crazy shenanigans don't upstage the murder. I wish I had a big family that was always underfoot, like Meg, so a visit to Caerphilly is always wonderful. This soon-to-be-published book is a great holiday read, and I recommend it (and the whole series). Net Galley

Mystery at Magpie Lodge by Clare Chase I know there are a number of Eve Mallow mysteries in print, but this is the first for me (number 7 in the series). I love a mystery set in a small English village, and I loved that the protagonist of this series, Eve, is a fifty-plus woman with a career, a secret lover, a dachshund, and a life she's comfortable with. The black sheep of a local prominent family returns, down on his luck and desperate for money. He starts leading tours around the village, but he focuses on the scandals the locals would rather were forgotten. When he is murdered, there are several villagers who are happy he's no longer around to stir up trouble, but Eve is troubled. She liked Emory and found him sincere, and she is determined to find out who killed him. I figured the whodunnit out about three-quarters of the way through, which is much later than usual; Ms. Chase did a good job of sprinkling her clues and red herrings about. I enjoyed this book enough that I may have to back track to read more about Eve and how she came to the little town of Saxford St. Peter and her clandestine romance. Net Galley

Middle Sister's October Reads

 It's time to start holiday reading! Continuing from last month, I read a holiday book and a book that would make a great gift for the dog lover in your life. 

Christmas Candy Corpse by Rosemarie Ross The popularity of reality shows has resulted in several mystery series that revolve around reality TV shows, some more successfully than others. This was a new series to me, although this is the third in the Courtney Archer series. Courtney is a chef and cooking show hostess whose network has tapped her and her co-host to record a holiday-themed cooking contest. This is a great boost for her show and career as well as for the contestants, but from the start, things go off the rails. One of the judges, Shannon, keeps disappearing from the set, and one of the contestants is refusing to wear the aprons supplied by the show because they are part of a line of products developed by Shannon. Tempers flare and everyone is on edge with a condensed shooting schedule. But things take a serious turn when the assistant director is murdered, and Courtney finds herself trying to film two shows while figuring out whodunnit before they strike again. The book is well written overall, although there are some glaring grammatical mistakes and weird word choices and typos, and the pace is fast. But this is apparently the third murder in just a few months involving the same crew and show at the same resort, and I cannot believe that the network would not have cancelled this program as fast as possible. Ms. Ross really needs to move the show and introduce characters not related to it as suspects because the resort as the setting for yet another murder involving the exact same group of people is mentioned several times, which underscores that this is either lazy writing or unimaginative writing. Why not send them on location? Why not have Courtney stumble on a murder while on a publicity tour for her show? Why not have Courtney involved with publishing a book of the show's recipes, and someone is killed who is unrelated to the show--a bookstore owner, a restauranteur in another city, an editor, or a network executive is murdered  when she's visiting HQ? How about a murder while she's on vacation? There was also a major story line that irritated me--Shannion's multiple disappearances throughout the day. Several times Courtney sees Shannon in a place she shouldn't be, many times Courtney talks to her coworkers or herself about how Shannon is not acting like herself, yet it takes the entire book for her to just ask her what the heck is going on? Shannon is supposed to be her good friend, yet Courtney treats her like a stranger and avoids trying to help her. Very irritating. Fans of cooking shows and baking contests will enjoy the book, but I won't read another unless the book jacket assures me it doesn't take place at the resort and on set. Recommended. (Net Galley) 

Adventure Dogs by Fern West Dog lovers will enjoy this book that celebrates a variety of activities that Fido and their human can enjoy together. Full disclosure: I work part time as a dog trainer and am heavily involved with Pet Partners, the oldest therapy dog registry in the world, and used to volunteer with a breed rescue. So I love dogs. And I love doing things with my dogs. I'd love to receive this book as a gift. It's lavishly illustrated, with the author's own dog starring in some of the adventures. The book is broken down into categories of activities, with guest essays accompanying many of them. Places to visit and stay, activities to try, advice for beginners and those already expert at a sport will all find some fun new things to try with their canine companion. And if all the reader wants to do with their dog is snuggle on the couch while looking at the photos, that's covered here, too! This would be a great holiday gift for the dog lover in your life. Highly recommended. (Net Galley)

Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews Meg's husband Michael, the drama professor, is staging the Scottish play, and their family home is overrun with actors and drama and history department professors, while a group off medieval re-enactors has camped in the woods. Someone is disgruntled and has been playing nasty jokes on people, nasty jokes that are increasing in ugliness. And then someone is murdered, and the underlying tensions crisscrossing the actors, the re-enactors, and the academics explodes. The cast of characters is much larger than usual in a Meg Langslow mystery, but Ms. Andrews keeps the list of possible suspects small enough in number to be tracked but disparate enough to have these different groups under suspicion. There is always a lot of humor in the series. and this one is no different. I'm sorry that Meg's parents, who are two of my favorites characters, make barely an appearance, but we do get to spend more time than usual with Rose Noire and meet another nephew, Kevin, who takes on the role of tech geek that Meg's brother usually fills. I'd love to be part of Meg's huge and lovable and eccentric family, and that is high praise indeed. Highly recommended (Net Galley)

The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly Ms. Connolly writes five series, and this is book three in the Victorian Village series. The premise is intriguing, but the execution leaves much to be desired. Kate Hamilton has left her job and returned to her hometown because her childhood friend has convinced her to help resurrect the dying town. Asheboro had only one real industry, and when that folded, a long, slow economic decline began. But because no other industry was present, the Victorian houses that were built during the town's heyday are still intact, if in need of remodeling. Kate's idea is to start with a remodel of the home of the town magnate who'd become a recluse in his home for years, and create a living history village that would attract tourists. After finally finding a contractor who shares her vision of remodeling the mansion, the murder of a sub-contractor and the discovery of a skeleton hidden behind a wall threaten to derail the project before it has even begun. Full disclosure--I've worked in an industry that includes historic preservation, and Kate getting a huge grant to finance this, without any background in historic preservation or conservation, is, frankly, not realistic, but I try to suspend my disbelief when reading mysteries. But even someone without any background in preservation would recognize instantly that the timeline Kate sets is utterly fantastical, and she is a terrible project manager. There are a thousand things to do, the reader is told, yet she spends hours reading a diary because she feels an intense connection with and fascination about the late owner. And that is part of the rub of why I didn't enjoy this book as much as I would have liked: Kate is in love with the idea of the project and the romance of the project, but she (and the author) have no idea of how such a project would be actually unfold, and so therefore neither does the reader become invested in this project. Perhaps the author has too many series that she's responsible for, and the quality may be suffering from her scattered attention. But I doubt I'll return to Asheboro to see what happens with this project. The title reminded me of Nancy Drew books, which I loved as a girl, but I can only recommend it with the caveat that it's not dreadful, it's just not great. Recommended (Net Galley)

Middle Sister's September Reads

September was overall a good reading month for me this year. I listened to two amazing books while dog walking and cleaning, and they have helped solidify my enjoyment of the medium (although I still miss maps and photos and footnotes, so audiobooks will never take the place of a book in my life). 

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben The Hidden Life of Trees combines synopses of current scientific research findings with an almost romantic appreciation of the beauty and strength of the forests and trees. Mr. Wohlleben combines his experiences as a forest manager in Germany of many of many years, and the many insights into trees he has gained over those years, with a deep appreciation for the many lessons the trees can teach us about helping our neighbors, weathering storms, fighting disease, and dying gracefully. This is a unique blend of science and romance, data and personal observation, that only a few times strayed into anthropomorphism and near mysticism. I love forests, I love walking through, camping, sleeping in, and just observing forests and the trees and animals that live in them, so I share the author's view of the forest as a living, breathing, vast interconnected being. I enjoyed hearing about European research into trees, fungi, and other topics covered herein. But mostly, I just enjoyed hearing and feeling the love Mr. Wohlleben has for his forest come through in his words and the poetic imagine of forests and trees he created. Recommended. Audiobook

Gods of the Upper Air by Charles King Amazing book, and on my list of best books of 2020. Mr. King traces the beginnings of anthropology as a scientific discipline ("the master science," which accolade I loved) with brief mentions of some of the big names of the late nineteenth century. He focuses on Franz Boas, and traces his career from Germany to the United States, with all its up and downs until he eventually lands at Columbia, where he trains the earliest female anthropologists, including Margaret Mead. When I was in grad school for anthropology, Boas' contributions were cited and acknowledged, but focus immediately shifted to Mead. I didn't really learn where Boas did his research and how he came to his revolutionary stands on race. Mr. King's book corrects that and spends several chapters on Boas in the field. The book then introduces Mead and Ruth Benedict, Boas' first female grad student and arguably (at least in my opinion) a far better anthropologist than Mead, and traces their personal and professional lives. Benedict was given a lot of attention in my grad school career, so she has not been overshadowed professionally by Mead, the only anthropologist most civilians can name. I was excited to learn about Ella Cara Deloria, an anthropologist and linguist who worked with Boas and whose name I had never heard in my intro classes in school; learning about her was a highlight for me. Zora Neale Hurston is the fourth female Boasian in the book, and this may be the finest summation of Hurston as an anthropologist I've read. Many books address Hurston the writer, but all too often they ignore her anthropology schooling. The book is particularly timely, given Boas' famous anti-racist and anti-fascist beliefs, both of which seem to be on the rise in the US right now. My hope is that a very small number of people who believe these are just emboldened to speak. But the parallels between Boas' society and ours are strong and unfortunate, and the final chapters are unsettling in these times. An excellent book, highly recommended. Audiobook

A Briefer History of Time by Stephen Hawking This book focuses on just some of the science and theories so masterfully presented by the brilliant scientist many years ago in his Seminal work, A Brief History of Time. I enjoyed it very much, but this may be one book that is better read than listened to. While the narration was fine, I had to replay so many sections so that I could comprehend them that I wish I had read this rather than listened to it. I was last in a physics class nearly 40 years ago, so there was a lot of new-to-me science in here. Graduate degrees aside, this may explain why my degrees are not in a natural science. Recommended. Audiobook

Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody by Barbara Ross  Jane Darrowfield is a recent retiree who enjoys helping her friends with small problems because she is forthright and willing to cut to the chase and say what needs to be said. She is drafted by a friend to help the manager of a senior community deal with cliques that are upsetting the harmony of the community. When someone is murdered, Jane jumps in to help the police because the suspicious seniors are reticent to talk to outsiders; that is, until they discover Jane is helping the police. All in all, a pleasant mystery; easy to solve and the murderer and motive are easy to spot. Jane is a little officious, which is why her sudden moments of emotion are so jarring, and frankly, I'd have liked to see her a little more befuddled entering the dating world after so many years alone. But it's nice to see a group of seniors represented in all the diversity that group entails--not all are befuddled or sickly or have reverted to childlike irascibility. Although I must say, the closer ti get to that age group, the more worried I get about what I'll find among my contemporaries. Jane wouldn't be a close friend of mine, but she's an acquaintance I'd certainly eat lunch with. Recommended. NetGalley

The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews My library is getting in the way of my reading all the Meg Langslow books in order by not having all the Meg Langslow books available on audiobook (and they have only recently moved to curbside pick up of titles; another pandemic fallout). But NetGalley gave me the chance to jump ahead and read the latest Meg mystery. The twins are 11 (11!) and don't figure nearly so prominently in this book. Hey, I like kids, I just like them to be tertiary characters in my murder mysteries. This time, Meg and Family are participating in a Renaissance Faire, and murder makes an appearance one stormy night when the most disagreeable cast member is killed. I liked the send up of Ren Faires (I know folks who love them!) and enjoyed having Cordelia and Meg's grandfather represent the family rther than the boys. And do we ever learn er grandfather's name? Cordelia is never called grandmother but Cordelia, another strong woman in the family who overpowers the men in her orbit. It's not that I don't like Cordelia, but I adore Grandfather. He's warm while she's cool; he's interested in everything while she's interested in things that she decides merit her attention and not interested in anything else. He's rumpled and funny and she's a bit domineering and scary. No wonder their marriage didn't last long. Another winner in the Meg Langslow series, this was fun to read, with more entertaining characters entering the Langslow Orbit (Faulk and Tad--I want more of Tad in particular). Recommended. NetGalley

Silver Hair, the Handbook by Lorraine Massey and Michele Bender I've dyed my hair three times, in my twenties, and all three times the new color was just a slightly more vibrant and shiny version of my natural hair color. I had long ago decided to embrace whatever hair color changes came as I got older. Well, now in my mid-fifties, the gray and whites have taken over the front while my slightly ruddy brown curls remain in the back. Lorraine Massey, who taught me so much about how to care for my curls, now has a primer on how to care for your silver or gray or while hair, and embrace it. There are lots of great photos and uplifting stories that will surely inspire some who are loathe to face that most visible sign of aging, seen daily in the mirror. But even those of us comfortable in our skin can use tips on how to care for our changing selves, and Lorraine is the ultimate hair cheerleader. Recommended

Middle Sister's August Reads

August was a very hot, long month, and I tried to hide inside, reading as much as possible. I'm not sure if the never-ending summer is what made me cranky, or if the characters that ticked me off would be as annoying to anyone else as I found them to be, but I found myself writing extensive notes to address a lot of annoyances and irritations, large and small, in this month's books.

Knit of the Living Dead by Peggy Ehrhart I thought I'd spend the month reading things taking place in cool climes or other seasons. The Pamela Paterson series takes place in northern New Jersey, my old home. I'd read the first and enjoyed it enough that I thought I'd read the latest offering. Pamela is probably in her 40s, a widow with a daughter in college, and lives alone with her two cats, is a copy editor, and organizer of her local knit night. Sounds like me, so I'm exactly the reader the author and publisher want. She has a couple of very good friends who are also older, and they form the core of Knit and Nibble, the premise around the series. Knit of the Living Dead opens on Halloween, when fictional Arborville's civic Halloween party is ruined by murder. Unfortunately for this reader/knitter/middle-aged woman, the author's tendency to either cut and paste, or limited descriptive skills, began to irritate me so much that I started tracking how many times the same phrase was used. Tell me once that Pamela had decided after her wedding to use the china they were given. I love the idea of living beautifully on a budget and using your stuff. Once tells me all I need to know about Pamela--that she loves pretty things but has a practical streak and a romantic side. Do NOT tell me every single time Pamela has a cup of coffee that she uses her "wedding-china cup." And food is put on her "wedding-china plate." Would you like to know how many times that phrase was used in a book 271 pages long? Seventeen. Yes, 17. That means, on average, every 16 pages we read that description. We also read, in detail, multiple time, the exact same way she makes coffee with her carafe. Look, I love detail, and descriptive evocations of scenes are a delight to me, because I like to visualize what I'm reading as I'm reading. But badgering me with the same descriptions over and over just makes me start to dislike the book and character, when what I really dislike is the author's limited vocabulary. This book would have benefited greatly from a tight edit to weed that issue out, and tighten other aspects (she's an editor at a fiber magazine, but I don't need a treatise on every topic she's reading about. In fact, the author spends way too much time on certain unnecessary things--an entire long paragraph on what a ham and Swiss on rye sandwich looks like?) Also, does the author actually knit, or is she writing a description of knitting she's found elsewhere? Llama and alpaca wool was thriving in the real world knitting community prior to the pandemic, and Germaine could have easily found a shearer in NJ, especially if there were as many llama farms in the area as Jordan said there were. My friend with llamas has no trouble finding a shearer to come to her place once a year. And please, enough with the old-fashioned and not at all realistic stereotype of female professors as frumpy, allowing their hair to go gray and wearing shapeless clothes. Has Ms. Ehrhart been on a college campus lately? This former professor can attest that tattooed and pierced profs are as common as tattooed and pierced undergrads (and we're capable of and expected to clean our own coffee mugs in the faculty lounge). Oh, and at least in Essex and Passaic counties in NJ, where I and my family lived/still live and pretty much exactly where this story takes place, fallen leaves have to be bagged, not just piled at the curb, for municipal collection (a pile would just blow around, Ms. Ehrhart, and Pamela and her neighbors would be out there 24/7 doing nothing but raking leaves so as to avoid getting a ticket and fine from the city). Readers of this blog know how much I detest this attitude in my amateur detectives "But we could look into it too. Sometimes the police put people off, or they don't ask the right questions" (Nell). Yes, probably true, especially at the forefront in readers' minds in 2020, but I hate this supercilious attitude. Who asks if  you eat doughnuts with a fork or fingers, and all landscapers speak Spanish (ugh), and the abstracts for each article Pamela reads for Fiber Craft are sometimes interesting but I feel sometimes they just take up valuable space (we get it, Pamela is an expert in everything)--my list could go on of things that need to be tempered or eliminated. The author wastes too much time on these details and not enough on making the mystery better--I knew who had done it as soon as the murderer's character was introduced.  The other suspects were just not as suspectful or legitimate enough, and what happened with the anonymous letter? I really want to like Pamela and the series, but I would hate to visit her knit night, and her lifestyle is just too formal and stiff. Why did I spend so much time nitpicking? Because the editor should have done this. (NetGalley)

A Study In Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas I was torn by this book. I loved the premise--that Sherlock Holmes was based on a very clever woman who could not operate as a consulting detective in Victorian England because of the social mores of the time. I didn't care for the execution: I found Charlotte Holmes a bit insipid and her contrivance to escape her family's home wrong for someone who's supposed to be so clever. I was quite confused with the beginning half of the book, because it's not made clear until halfway through how Ashburton and Charlotte know each other. The revelation that they were friends as children, as such close friends, flies in the face of the overprotectiveness of her parents, which is hammered home again and again.  I cannot see them allowing her the freedom and ability to form such a close friendship with a boy, even one fro a noble family. I did love Mrs. Watson as the widow of John Watson (even more that she was older than him and an actress) who finances Charlotte's career as Sherlock. In fact, I really liked Mrs. Watson and wished she'd been the main character. Warning: child sexual abuse figures in the story. Conan Doyle's Sherlock can be viewed as someone perhaps on the spectrum; Charlotte Holmes appears to have Asperger's syndrome and is unable to relate to even her own sister. And that makes her close friendship and romance with Ashburton the more illogical and disappointing and for this reader, annoying. She cannot express love for her sister and confidante, but she can experience such passion for Ashburton?  I was amused by the physical difference to Sherlock--Charlotte is blonde and girly and ultra feminine and fond of flounces; I like that dichotomy between the two fictional characters. The author set up this character and let the reader think Charlotte's going to be independent and clever and make her own way; but in reality, she's financed by someone else (and id have been disappointed but since I like Mrs. Watson I'd have found this less troublesome), and only where she is because a man pulled strings to help her in just about every possible way. I wanted Charlotte to be smart enough to do this on her own, and she wasn't. Ugh. There are several books in the series that seem to build an each previous title; I will not be pursuing this series. 

Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation by Bill Nye I admit it--I was in graduate school and I still watched Bill Nye the Science Guy on PBS. What a great show, and what a wonderful explanation of science to children, bounded by respect for their curiosity and intelligence. I knew Mr. Nye had taken on creationism, even debating their main proponent, and this book sprang directly from that experience. An absolutely delightful book, and I recommend you read it as I did, by listening to the audiobook, so you can hear Bill Nye make his own jokes and speak with all the passion he feels for science and all things scientific.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein What a fun young adult book! Mr. Lemoncello creates the most popular video games, and Kyle loves all of them. Mr. Lemoncello expands and re-opens the town library, and organizes a real-life game for the kids to play while locked in the library over the weekend, without any adults. I wished I could be part of Kyle's team because that library sounds amazing (as does the AI technology in the library). Kyle and his friends successfully solve the mystery using clues found in books in the library stacks (hooray for the Dewey Decimal System, which is a star in the book), and it was great fun to see so many familiar and many new book titles peppered throughout the story. 

Murder With Puffins by Donna Andrews I continued to read the Meg Langslow series in order, and this is the second in the long-running series. Meg and Michael are now a romantic couple, but the action takes place immediately after Murder With Peacocks. They decide to get away from the crazy summer they've just been through and spend some quiet, romantic time together in Meg's aunt's house in Maine. Unfortunately, so does her family, and unfortunately, someone gets murdered, and the main suspects are Meg's dad and aunt. The story takes places over just a few days, with a major hurricane threatening mayhem and destroying clues and serious birders running roughshod over the island and getting in the way. I remembered reading this one years ago, but luckily, not many of the details, so it was just as enjoyable. A little dated, since again, this takes place in pre-cell phone days, but this spin on a country house murder mystery is a fast, fun, well-written story with engaging characters. I'd be happy to be stuck on a small island with no electricity with the Langslow extended family circle.

Deader Homes and Gardens by Joan Hess I love Joan Hess' Maggody series, which is funny and full of quirky characters and odd incidents. I've never liked the Claire Malloy series as much, even though I wanted to. Claire is a single mom when the series starts, trying to make a go of an independent bookstore and rebuild her life with a typically sullen teenaged daughter. I hadn't read a title in the series in years, but it was never critical to have done so before, so when I saw this one (published in 2014), I thought "Let's see where Claire is these days." I wonder if Ms. Hess has grown tired of the character, because the book is sloppy in details and Claire is annoying and oblivious and I wound up hating her. Yes, hating her. And because of that I kept copious notes of everything that irritated me, and yes, I'm going to include them all here. Examples of sloppy details first: the tax assessor's assistant--how does she look the property up with incomplete information? Lots are listed by Township, Range, and Section, and the book mentions only Section and Township, and lists them incorrectly by the way (why yes, I did have to use TRS locational data in my former job almost every day). Why did I hate Claire: her obsession with the house is so far over the top that it leaves realistic behind almost immediately and makes Claire act in callow, illegal, inconsistent ways. And I call it an obsession because that's what it is. She lies to get it (she tells Terry Kennedy that her daughter is sick and needs to recuperate in the country and insists that is why Terry has to sell his house to her, spinning this lie after he's told her he's not interested in selling it). "Fine line between optimism and pessimism?" No, fine line between obsession and downright crazy. And since when is 48 hours too soon to report someone missing? Not in real life, only on TV. The snark she voices to Pandora when they first meet is completely uncalled for (think it, Claire, don't say it out loud), especially after the encounter is described by Ms. Hess as Claire politely declining to dance and politely asking if she can drive on by. Why I hated Claire Reason no. 2: Terry Kennedy agrees to travel from Florida to talk to Claire about the house, gets poisoned in front of her, and she is told by the police that they are not sure if he will survive and the very next day she tells her husband that all she cares about is moving into that house, and should they get a rental unity to store their stuff (without a lease, without a sale, and with the owner dying in the hospital). Not one word of concern for Terry. Real sympathetic, Claire. Then what does she do? Calls Terry's lawyer and says that "he told you he was going to lease the house to us" and tries to strongarm the lawyer into letting her have the house. Again, it's all about Claire, dying Terry be forgotten. When Billy, Terry's friend, finds out Terry's in the hospital and wants to visit him, Clair says "He's in a coma. There is no reason to breach hospital protocol" to visit him. But Claire can go enter Terry and Winston's house to look around, look for clues, and that's not a breach of any ethics or protocols at all. But woe betide her daughter, Caron, when the daughter breaks into the dead woman's house! That's illegal and you could wind up in jail! "The police have archaic rules about civilians interfering" she tells a 14-year-old. Nice way to adult, Claire.  And there's more examples of do as Claire says, not as Claire does, because Claire advises Mattie to let the police handle things, the exact opposite of how Claire feels about her own 'investigations.' And what the heck is Claire doing when she threatens Charles that he had better talk to her by saying her husband Peter, the deputy sheriff, would listen to her and if they had to go to the police station then rumors would like like he had brought in for chid porn? Extortion, Claire? Claire just comes and goes from her dream house as if she already owns it, snoops through desks and furniture, all to solve the murder before her husband returns from a business trip. She doesn't own the house, she doesn't rent the house, the oner is dead, the owner's husband who inherited the house is now dead, there is a legal dispute over ownership of said house now, but she just trespasses and enters (breaking and entering, because she doesn't have a key). What made me laugh out loud was when Claire says that she's out of her comfort zone going to Angela's house to break in, yet she happily and without any concern enters Winston's (now Terry's) house many times, snoops through his stuff, etc. Difference? Claire wants Winston's house and Claire will happily do whatever she wants to get what she wants. Four times Claire is deep into investigating and in a potentially sticky situation and discovers that her cell phone battery is near empty (four times!). Claire must be incredibly incompetent after the first life-threatening, dead-cell-battery incident if she can't even plug the dang phone in the wall while she takes a shower. This takes place in 2014, not 1990 when cell phones were a lot less common. And then she blames technology for her cell phone battery not being charged when the reason it's not charged is because of Claire's stupidity not charging it. And finally, her relationship with Jorgenson, the policeman, is ridiculous--she does not respect him and yet he lets her get with anything she wants. He tells her to leave what is happening alone; she won't; he tells her to go to the tavern to meet him, she decides not to. And yet, he lets her sit in on Jorgenson's interrogation of Donny. What? A civilian just sitting in while the police question a suspect, and when Donny rightly questions this, Jorgenson says "well, it's hard to explain" is ridiculous. It's unprofessional on Jorgenson's part, and if Donny were the killer, would be the technicality that would get him off free and clear.  Ynez, her daughter's best friend, whom she's known for years, has two wisdom teeth removed and "Claire felt obliged" to offer her a little sympathy. Obliged? Claire has to pretend to feel sympathy that this young woman, whom she has known for years, fed, driven places, had sleep over in her own home, is in pain? Another near rage-inducing moment: when Claire thinks "Trespassing was no more than a minor breach of etiquette." It's actually illegal where I live, but why quibble? The inconsistencies in Claire's behavior, her selfish disregard for anything other than getting that dream house because she wants it, her inability to be the role model for her daughter she should be (and claims to be), her inability to recognize that her actions could affect her husband's professional standing, her lack of compassion when Terry is poisoned, and the ease with which she gets over the one pang of guilt she feels when she realizes he would not have died if he had not come to town to talk to her--all this made me actively hate Claire. I think Ms. Hess may, too. You know, it's okay to just stop writing a series when your contract is over. Claire has married the wealthy, gorgeous man of her dreams--end the series and let her ride off into the sunset. Instead, I've come to actively and vehemently dislike a character I initially felt ambivalent towards. 

Death in the Sound by Rhen Garland Every year or so, I try to read a paranormal or fantasy book, which are not my usual genres, to shake things up and get me out of my comfort zone. Death in the Sound sounded like it might be of interest to me, combining an historical period with an exotic locale, New Zealand. However, I wound up putting the book down about a quarter of the way through. I found the beginning to be very confusing--not the paranormal portion of the first chapter, but the subsequent introduction of character after character after character and their multiple points of view. Some of the dialogue left me confused, as if I'd walked into a conversation halfway through, and no one whispered a summary of what was going on to me. I also found it very hard to understand what the Versepellis is/are, their duality (over time and space?), and how they came to be here and now in the world of the book. I've decided that I can give up this self-imposed insistence on stretching my literary leanings every so often by picking up something so completely different. Reading to me is a pleasure, and 60 plus pages of confusion and feeling lost is not a pleasant experience. I defer any review of this book to others who enjoy paranormal and fantasy genres.

Middle Sister's July Reads

July was the month of Donnas, and another very hot desert summer plus COVID-19 pandemic-caused cabin fever meant I wanted to escape--to someplace I've always wanted to visit, to a similarly tumultuous and frightening period in our history, to a big, raucous, loving family as mine has contracted sharply and sadly.

Duck the Halls by Donna Andrews I love Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow series, and one that takes place in a cold, snowy Christmas season is perfect. However, as much as I love the bird puns, and the silly situations that weave in and out of the events that transpire, and as much as i have a teeny fictional crush on Meg's husband Michael, I have to say--the three-year-old twins were way too precocious. They were incredibly articulate, and listening to and following adult conversations, to which they responded. None of the three-year-olds I know have really done that, although they will keep up a conversation you start directly with them, and occasionally catch a word for something they know and love, like cake. I actually found the twins a little off-putting this time around. Really, Josh sat there and intently watched his father perform the entire A Christmas Carol? I'm not sure if I'd be able to do that without a desperate need for a bathroom break. As usual, the mystery is believable, the secondary characters delightful, and Carphilly a wonderful place to spend the holiday. Recommended

Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews So after listening to Duck the Halls, I decided to see what my library had available and start this series at the beginning again. I was sure I had read the first few books in order, but it's been over twenty years, so that means it was like reading a new book. A couple of criticisms I have to get out of the way: I've been a maid of honor twice (in the late 1990s to boot, same era as the book), and I was not responsible for anything Meg did for her friend, mother, and brother's fiancee. What bride lets someone else pick out her wedding dress? Completely unrealistic! And who writes thank you notes before the wedding? Who even opens the gifts before the wedding (Id think that was bad luck, personally). Second criticism: I listened to the audiobook, and the reader gave Meg's father a very high, feminine voice. There are a lto of characters in these books because Meg has a huge extended family. My advice? Just read in your natural voice--Ms. Andrews generally does not have long passages of dialogue that would be hard to follow without weird voices.  Meg is delightfully thickheaded about Michael's interest in her in this book, and her father may be one of the most romantic men in fiction. The mystery is enjoyable, puzzling enough to entertain, and the wedding shenanigans don't take over the narrative. Recommended.

The Hen of the Baskervilles by Donna Andrews Meg, the Queen of Organization, is assistant director of the Carphilly Un-Fair, the county's response to the cancellation of the Virginia State Fair. There are giant pumpkins, and baby lambs, and an unusual twist with an emphasis on heritage livestock. When someone starts damaging the arts and crafts entries and smashing the produce and stealing the heirloom chickens, Meg swings into action. She almost has to jump into this mystery, as the fair is located on land that straddles Clay County and Carphilly, and the Clay County sheriff's department is being ornery and unhelpful. Although this book immediately preceded Duck the Halls, the twins are not nearly as unnaturally articulate as they are in Duck. Another fun entry in the series.

Deady Nightshade by Cynthia Riggs  I read a Victoria Trumbull mystery years ago, although I can't remember which one, and I like the idea of a 92-year-old female lead character. I love the Martha's Vineyard location, a place I have long wanted to visit. Victoria is the most naive 90-something I've ever 'met'. It's very easy to identify the murderer, but Victoria's disbelief that the murderer was who it was simply because of certain things which were blindingly obvious to the reader made me want to shake Victoria. Except that I couldn't yell at my elders and she's too frail, probably, despite being so active. The clear social strata and tensions between the old white folks and the Black newcomers, as exemplified by Domingo, adds an interesting element. In fact, Domingo and his wife were two of my favorite characters, and I look forward to reading more of his encounters with a city council that cannot believe he cannot be blackmailed. Recommended

Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon Guido Brunetti is one of my fictional crushes, and I love him, his family, and coworkers. At first this book depressed me, concerning as it did an assisted living facility for lonely old people. And Signorina Elletra was not as likable and funny in this entry as in other books. One of the best things about a Guido Brunetti novel are the meals he shares with Paola and their children, or that he eats with colleagues, but there was hardly any food in this book. Just as i was worried about the ending, Guido and Ms. Leon saved it for me, and I was very happy Guido fell on the side of what is right as opposed to what is just. The older people were very sympathetic, some were sad and heartbreaking, but all made me worry a little for my own solitary future. Recommended

1774 by Mary Beth Norton An excellent history of the year 1774 in the American colonies, focussing on an unusual perspective in American Revolution histories, that of the Loyalists. Dr.Norton does an exhaustive job of setting the scene for the year with enough background to inform the events, and similarly an exhaustive job of following the events and their repercussions throughout the thirteen colonies, and even how they were perceived in London. There were an enormous number of parallels between 1774 and what was going on the American society with what is going on in American society today, in 2020. I am hopeful that we were able to overcome these arguments and differences before and will do so again. Excellent and recommended. (NetGalley)

An Excellent Mystery by Ellis Peters The Brother Cadfael mystery series is well known for its excellent writing and very evocative depiction of medieval England. Ellis Peters' series can always be depended upon for a great mystery. An Excellent Mystery was true to form, and while I knew the secret at the heart of the story early on, it did not disappoint. If you have never met Brother Cadfael, read the series and watch the excellent adaption starring Derek Jacobi.

The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes I gave this book several chapters, but I did something unusual for me and stopped reading after about 5 or 6. Louisa's stepfather and his intention to sell her sexual services to someone he owes money to, her paralysis and inability to tell her mother what was going on was all just too distasteful. This book could be triggering to anyone who has been sexually abused. I shouldn't have been surprised--I hated Downtown Abbey and couldn't get beyond the first season. Not recommended.

Middle Sister's Mid-Month Review: Merry Murder!!

A certain television station is known for showing nothing but holiday movies starting around Halloween, it seems, and pretty much spoiling the holiday season for those of us who long for its return to the month of December. But I was inspired to tackle a similar mystery theme for this month. So here is this bookworm's literary version--a stocking full of holiday murder mysteries.

Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan A snow-bound mansion in the idyllic English countryside, an observant and unlikely amateur detective, a likable young couple whose romance is in jeopardy, a middle-aged spinster with a secret--this is the perfect holiday murder mystery! I adored Mordecai Tremaine, our slightly bemused yet kind amateur detective. The writing was perfect--tight and evocative. The suspense built rapidly, and matched the pace of the book, which occurs over just a few days. I admit I may have enjoyed this book even more because I read it after several other Christmas cosies, which were poorly written, poorly plotted, and poorly formatted. But I don't think so; I think I'd have loved this book regardless of comparing it to the others. And I will now seek out other Francis Duncan novels. Readers who love the Golden Era of mysteries are left bereft after they finish all the Christies, all the Sayers, all the Allinghams, all the Marshes. But rejoice and be glad, for I bring you tidings of a re-released series that will delight the mystery lover.

Holiday Murder by Leslie Meier Holiday Murder contains two reissues of Lucy Stone mysteries, Mistletoe Murder and Christmas Cookie Murder. Mistletoe Murder is the second Lucy Stone mystery, published in 1998; Christmas Cookie was published in 1999. I thought after reading last month's Turkey Trot Murder, the latest Lucy Stone, that I would try this one. Lucy's life has changed over the series--a fourth child and a new job among them, so I thought maybe the character had changed and I might like the earlier Lucy Stone more. Nope, I didn't. I still found her annoying, hypocritical, naive, and melodramatic. On the plus side, Meier's depictions of Lucy's kids are perfect--as they age, they assume teen attitudes and while they may also be naive and cute in their voice, they at least rebel and act like real teenagers. Unlike most small towns in the mystery series I read, I would not like to live in Tinker's Cove, and I wouldn't want Lucy as a neighbor. I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but Lucy's penchant to jumping to judgments and conclusions is irritating, and these two early books demonstrate that she learns nothing from her experiences and doesn't grow as a character over the arc of the series. There were also numerous typos, and that makes me like a book less.

How the Finch Stole Christmas by Donna Andrews The latest Meg Langlsow is another charming visit with her extended family and their intertwined lives which intersect often with murder and mayhem. One of the reasons I love these books is that the secondary characters are so skillfully drawn, and while they may make only brief appearances, the reader smiles when they arrive on the page and misses them when they depart. In this book, Meg's father and grandfather are important participants in the mystery, and they have officially joined the ranks of my fictional crushes. While there were no surprises as far as the mystery was concerned (I spotted the murderer as soon as the character appeared) and this is not the strongest mystery in the series, Finch is an enjoyable book to cozy up with as the snow piles up outside and in the pages.

Middle Sister Mid-Month Review: Die Like an Eagle by Donna Andrews

Die Like an Eagle by Donna Andrews  Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow series is well known for its zany characters, zany situations, and laugh-out-loud zaniness. Yes, that's a lot of zany, but truly, the earlier entries in the series were hilariously funny and chock full of quirky characters. This latest book seems to have lost Andrews' zany touch. Meg is now happily married and the mother of twins, and I'm not sure if it's this domestic tranquility that has sapped the series of its charming eccentricity. Don't get me wrong, even a bad Donna Andrews (which this is not) is far better than your average cosy mystery, but I didn't laugh out loud once during this book. I spent time wracking my brain to remember if there had been an inkling in earlier stories that Meg's whole family loved baseball, and what, if anything, had been on the farm where there was now a baseball diamond. The whodunnit was a minor surprise, and the setting and characters remain consistent with what has come before. I am left wondering exactly how many cousins Meg has. The lack of laughter makes this one of the weaker entires in the series for me, but I would still recommend it. (NetGalley)