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 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 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 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.