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 October Reads

Still unemployed, still reading. But undertaking my usual holiday-themed reads. Why not? The stores have had Christmas decorations for over a month by October.

Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Peggy Ehrhart Another holiday-themed trio of short stories from Kensington Books, which regularly publishes these for different holidays. I enjoy the format, especially during the busy time of the year. In Christmas Card Murder by Leslie Meier, Lucy Stone and her husband Bill find a Christmas card with a threatening message inside their bedroom wall during renovations. In searching to find out the story behind it, Lucy confronts the long-term ramifications of lying, decades later, a moral we all to remember. The subplot related to the murder of a young Tinker's Cove girl decades before is heartbreaking. With the story of Philip Radcliffe, Ms. Meier shows how her cosy, small-town series can deftly address nuanced situations. In Death of a Christmas Carol by Lee Hollis, audacious flirt Carol Waterman sends unappreciated Christmas cards and is later found dead, which is not what anyone was expecting under the mistletoe. To be honest, I found this story the most forgettable of the three. Death of a Christmas Card Crafter by Peggy Ehrhart features Pamela Paterson and her daughter Penny, who are heartbroken when Penny's high school art teacher is found murdered at the holiday craft fair. Karla's handmade holiday cards provide clues that Pamela and the Knit and Nibble Club use to find her killer. 

Middle Sister's January Reads

Happy new year (very, very belated, lol)! I started the year reading some old friends. 

Might as Well be Dead by Rex Stout Nero Wolfe is hired by James Herold to find his missing son, Paul, but everyone is startled to find that Paul Herold, under a different name, is on trial for murder. This was a great start tot he new year, as I enjoyed this Nero Wolfe a lot. I thought the pacing was good, the story interesting, and the characters a little more fleshed out than normally for this classic series. 

In the Best Families by Rex Stout Nero Wolfe refuses to take on Mrs. Rackham's case when appeals to him. She wants to know where her younger and penniless husband has suddenly money that he's flashing around as it hasn't come from her. She doesn't want to confront him; she doesn't want a divorce. She just wants to know where the money is coming from. Nero finds this case too salacious and not his style at all, so Archie volunteers to help Mrs. Rackham out. Then Mrs. Rackham is murdered while Archie is at an event with her, and Nero Wolfe finds himself involved in the case after all. I enjoyed this one, too, as the originating premise was a bit of a twist (of course, it's a Nero Wolfe--we know someone is going to die). 

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie  (1969) Ariadne Oliver is attending a Hallowe'en party when one of the children attending is found dead. Mystery writer Ariadne is convinced it was murder and not an accident as the police conclude. She enlists her friend Hercule Poirot to find out what happened. In some ways, this is one of Agatha's darker mysteries as it centers on the murder of a child, but Mrs. Christie never shied away from killing people the reader likes. I always like Ariadne Oliver short stories, so I enjoyed this mystery a lot. And I had no sympathy for the murderer whatsoever, which I sometimes do with some Christie murderers. This one is villainous through and through. If you think Agatha Christie mysteries are all tame country house murders, think again.

Towards Zero by Agatha Christie Lady Tresillian invites her nephew and his second wife to her house, Gull's Point, for their annual holiday. But his first wife, Audrey, who is very fond of Lady T of whom Lady T is quite fond, is also there on her annual visit. This is a most uncomfortable arrangement and an arrangement ripe for something unhappy to occur in.  A visitor to the area, Mr. Treves, is delighted to discover that Lady T lives nearby as he knew her late husband. Lady Tresillian is equally delighted and invites Mr. Treves to dinner, and the two have a lovely evening reminiscing. Thomas Royce, longtime family friend, is in England on holiday after years away and staying nearby, and he attends the small dinner party, and then walks Mr. Treves back to his hotel. The next day, Mr. Treves is dead, and although at first it's not suspicious (he did have a severe heart issue), Thomas begins to wonder if the mysterious "Oout of Work" sign on the elevator was deliberately put there to make Mr Treves take the stairs. Mr. Treves had regaled the party with a dinnertime story of a young child who killed another child accidentally with a bow and arrow. Is one of the party that child, now all grown up?  

The Twelve Jays of Christmas by Donna Andrews Do not visit Meg Langslow and her family at Christmas. They are a magnet for murder any time of the year, but the holiday season is particularly dangerous in Caerphilly. This time, Meg and Michael are not just hosting her crazy, extended family; they are also hosting wildlife artist Roderick Castlemayne, who is bunking down in the library after Meg's grandfather kicked him out of the zoo. Roderick is painting 12 different bird species for a book her grandfather is writing. He prefers to draw from live specimens, but has the bad habit of letting them loose, perhaps not so accidentally, so he's been banished to Meg's. He's unpleasant, arrogant, and a terrible houseguest, and it's no surprise when he gets murdered since everyone who knew him hated him. As the Gentle Reader knows, I've been enjoying revisiting Meg and her clan, and always recommend them.

The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews More Meg shenanigans, although this is one from early in the series. Meg and Michael are still renovating the rambling Victorian house they bought, but the basement hasn't been addressed yet so they let Meg's dad house some penguins from the Caerphilly Zoo. The zoo is suddenly bankrupt, and everyone in the county has been stepping in to house and feed some of the animals while the erstwhile zoo director is tracked down. No one has seen him for several days, and everyone thinks he's skipped town to avoid the mess. Meg's dad decides to dig a small pool in the dirt floor of the basement to build a pool for the penguins. Naturally, he finds a body, and Dr, Meg's Dad, a devoted mystery reader, admits to being unseemingly delighted to have finally found a murder victim of his own. Meanwhile, Meg and Michael are planning a secret elopement to avoid the big wedding both their mothers want.  

Death on the Downs by Simon Brett This is the second in the Fetherington series, with Carol Seddon and Jude Nichols as our unlikely amateur detectives. The two neighbors and friends are as unlike each other as night and day. Much of the stories is usually told from Carole's perspective, and I don't really like her--she's very set in her ways, she's judgmental, she's unimaginative, but she has a dog and Jude likes her. Jude is impulsive, free spirited, and mysterious in Carole's eyes. Their friendship fascinates me. In this book, Carole is exploring the downs when a sudden downpour sends her scuttling to find whatever shelter she can find. That turns out to be a ramshackle, abandoned barn. While Carole is waiting for the storm to end, she's horrified to discover human bones falling out of an old bag. Is the body that of a young local girl, Tamsin, who disappeared many months ago? When Jude and Carole uncover the identity of the dead person, will Carole become the desperate murderer's next victim?   

I'd recommend all of these books to any mystery devotee. All are well written, engrossing, and while some are lighter in tone than others, they are all excellent.

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 Mid-Month Read

 It's that time of year, when my favorite series publishes a new book. I was very fortunate to be able to read a galley of Sally Goldenbaum's latest Seaside Knitters Society Gull and Bones. For those unfamiliar with the series, it revolves around four friends--one octogenarian, one sixty-ish and her niece in her 30s, plus another 30-something young woman. Which woman spearheads the 'investigation' into a mysterious death changed in each book in the early entries in the series, but in the last few, it's been a concerted effort of 4 minds to solve the crime, often with Nell being the one to weave all the tidbits each has found into a resolution.

It's clear Ms. Goldenbaum is, understandably, still processing the death of her own husband last year, while she was writing the previous book. In both, the murder victim is someone we the reader like, and in one instance, someone who has been a familiar face in previous books. That saddens me in a way, but is understandable, of course, especially given her own loss. Creating 5 or 6 new characters and a backstory for each and why someone would want to murder them may just be too much right now. Exploring characters she knows so intimately after a dozen years might be easier, and challenging in its own way. But the murder of an old friend is a little harder to read. There are a few new characters, but most are ones we've met in previous books. Annie is the one new character that is a central focus, although her past and her motivations are not fully revealed despite a lot of discussion about her by our knitters. This book also features a lot less knitting than usual, missing the cosiness that time spent in the studio and fleeting discussion of different yarn types and weights brought to other books.

In Gull and Bones, the entire town of Sea Harbor is getting ready for a giant celebration for the 100th birthday of Angus MacPherron, the town's "old man of the sea." But the celebrations haven't even started when a murder occurs. I'll admit that this time, I knew who had done it, and why, early in the story, and I also knew what the final reveal would be, also very early. Spoiler alert--dollars to doughnuts, I also know what the boy baby will be named when he arrives. Despite that, and the slightly depressed tone of the novel, I enjoyed Gull and Bones and spending time with Nell, Izzy, Cass, and Birdie, and their families and friends, as I always do. I wish Ms. Goldenbaum continued strength as she journeys forth. There was no preview of the next book, which I'm a little worried about. Is it an indication that we will no longer visit Sea Harbor in future books? 

Middle Sister's Mid-Month Review

Last Wool and Testament by Peggy Ehrhart This has been one series I always returned to fondly, largely because it's set in a New Jersey town like the one I grew up in. The main character, Pamela Peterson, is almost too perfect, although I find her hands-off relationship with her own daughter a little weird. She never asks Penny about her date, or her plans; their relationship seems quite unaffectionate and distant. Pamerla's house sounds lovely, and she has an envious job. Her best friend and next door neighbor, Bettina Fraser, is overall a relatable character, and her husband Wilfred is a delight. I wish we saw more of him in the stories, and a little less of the overbearing Bettina we have in this story. If my best friend was as pushy about my dating life as Bettina is with Pamela, I'd tell her to back off.

But the author has a few peccadilloes that are usually annoying but bearable. This time, however, those peccadillos are downright irritating. Before I go into details, a summary. I absolutely loved how the book began, with the murder already having taken place, an unusual plot device that worked well. How many times can our amateur detective find a body? And as amateurs, it gets difficult trying to find new ways to get them involved so they can solve the mystery. However, I found the involvement of Pamela and Bettina In this mystery just too contrived this time. It felt forced and didn't ring true. Coco's instant reliance on Bettina and Pamela as her best confidants just felt weird. The coincidence of Ingrid's planner being right there for Pamela to see was also a bit contrived and it's never addressed in the ending. A simple sentence that Ingrid must have taken the planner out when talking to Nestor would have sufficed, but as it read, it was just odd that a 1985 planner was the only planner in Ingrid's house. And honestly, would anyone really tell strangers that they could just take whatever they wanted from her dead mother's house? They didn't even know her mother. 

The murderer and the reason why the murder took place were easy to figure out early on in the book, but I usually enjoy visiting Arborville, so I continued reading. And that's when the author's reliance on repetition really started bothering me. In past books, she has overused phrases like "wedding china cup" or "Pamela's serviceable compact car" far too many times throughout the story. This time, the same sentence and situation that are used over and over and over is Pamela looking through the lace curtain on the oval window of her front door to see Bettina's crimson hair. That same situation with almost the exact same wording must appear about half a dozen times in the book. Why not try "Pamela opened the door to see Bettina waiting impatiently" or "Pamela lightly ran downstairs to answer the door. Bettina sailed into the house carrying a pastry box high like a prize," or something, anything, else. 

But the reason I have to pan the book is because the author spent 6.5 pages describing exactly how Pamela made her dessert for the Knit and Nibble night she hosted at her house. Six and a half pages! This is not a cookbook, it's supposed to be a murder mystery. Literally every step was described in excruciating and needless detail. I could not believe that this scene went on as long as it did. Where was the editor? I recommended this series to someone last month as a comfort read, and if they pick up this latest book to read, they will probably never ask me for a book recommendation again. 

There were other things that irritated: Roland has become distinctly unlikeable, and you'd never get me over for knit night no matter how scrumptious the desert Wilfred made if he's coming. And for the first time, other family members are mentioned offhandedly, and with just one sentence. Pamela reads an email from her mother; we didn't even know she had a mother who was still living, and then a sister is mentioned. With Penny moving to grad school near where Pamela grew up out of state, the author is clearly setting up the next book to take place there, with secondary characters to replace Bettina, Wilfred, and the knitters. But it was a surprise to see those characters mentioned in just one sentence each, with no previous mentions in earlier books. Pamela has always been a lone person, and for me, that's been a little bit of her appeal. 

I'll read the next book in the series, I'm sure, but the publisher really needs to get an editor involved. And Roland needs to lighten up. (Net Galley)