Lavender Lies

(*I am not able to load the pictures right now but will return later and put them up when the picture thingy gets fixed.)

Lavender Lies by Susan Wittig Albert

(China Bayles Mystery)

(Publ 1999)

China is trying to get ready for her wedding which is coming fast. Her groom is acting police chief, Mike McQuaid. A local real estate man is killed. He was not a very nice person and had enemies all over town. It turns into a nasty complicated case. China and her friends decide to help out so the wedding and honeymoon don't get pushed back until the case is solved. Add to the situation  - a missing wedding cake, another murder, blackmail, crooked politics, a snatched child, and a hurricane or two.

I'd give it a - 6 1/2 .

My thoughts - I liked the story. It has lots of twists and turns. The story moved along quickly and it held your interest all the way.

The William Powell and Myrna Loy Murder Case

(*I am not able to load the pictures right now but will return later and put them up when the picture thingy gets fixed.)

The William Powell and Myrna Loy Murder Case by George Baxt  

(Publ 1996)

This story is set in the Golden Age of Hollywood with the big studios and glittering stars in them. A very popular Hollywood madam finds out she's very ill. She needs to find some money to leave her family after she's gone. She lets it be known she is writing her memoirs and thinking about selling her little black book. This sets the stage for a  couple of murders. William Powell and Myrna Loy know the madam and get involved with the investigation.

I'd give it a - 6 1/2 .


My Thoughts - there was a real feel of being back in the days of old when the famous stars were real and at their prime. I like old movies and know the old stars. I enjoy reading about the old scandals and secrets so I knew what was being refered to. I'm not sure someone who didn't know about the past in Hollywood would enjoy it as much. I enjoyed it and want to read more of the work of this writer. He has a whole group of books using old stars in them..

Bloody Bonsai

Bloody Bonsai by Peter Abresch

(James P. Dandy Elderhostel Mystery)

(Publ 1998)

Jim is still a rather new widower. His family pushes him to go on a vacation and take a class in bonsai. He meets many of new people at the motel, including a lady named Dodee Swisher and her elderly Aunt Alice. Dodee gets him into all kinds of unexpected adventures. They find a dead body in class before it starts, steal some sad bushes from the side of the road, uncover blackmail, and secrets all over the place. They get really familiar with the police department in the little beach town where they are taking the class.

I'd give it a 6 1/2.

My thoughts - The writer's first book. My first time reading his work. It had a very interesting setting, great characters, and it was very interesting to learn about bonsai. Story was funny in places and kept you involved. I want to read more by him.

Miss Dimple Disappears

Miss Dimple Disappears  by Mignon F. Ballard

(Publ 2010)

This story was set in war time - complete with ration books, shortages, threats of spies everywhere, yong men leaving town (and many not returning), and the dreaded telegram starting with the words "We regret to inform you...".

Charlie Carr, a young lady teacher, in Elderberry, Georgia gets involved with two big dramas at her school. First thing one morning, the school custodian is found dead near the school bell rope. The next day, the elderly Miss Dimple Kilpatrick disappears on her way to school. Add to this a little boy who spends all his time chasing spies around town, two possible romances with boys going into the service, a brother already overseas, muffins, a telegram and an odd assortment of characters all around the town.

I'd give it a 6.

My thoughts - This book was well done. You felt like you were back in history. There were well done characters and a nice paced story. I must admit, I like the "Angel" series, by the same writer, the best but this was a good book.

Murder is Binding

Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett

(A Booktown Mystery)

(Publ 2008)

Tricia Miles has one of the many bookstores that revitalized the town of Stoneham, NH. Her store is a mystery book store. Doris, owner of a neighboring cookbook store, is found murdered in her shop by Tricia. Angelica, the not-so-close sister of Tricia, comes to town to visit. Throw in a lot of suspects - including a strange insurance man, his mother in a nursing home, an irritating newspaper man, and a cold hearted real estate man,  Add to the mix a set of twins, a stolen expensive antique cookbook, and a very angry female sheriff.

I'd give it a 6 1/2 .

My thoughts -  I liked this book. It was another new writer for me to read for the first time. There are interesting characters - even the cat. There is a good setting that has a real feel to it. I thought the pace of the book moved along nicely.

Pane of Death

 Pane of Death by Sarah Attwell

 (Glassblowing Mystery)

(Publ - 2008)

Emmeline Dowell is a glassblower. She is asked to help with a project of setting up glass windows for a retired millionaire, she shows up one morning to find him dead and his million dollars worth of artwork gone. She becomes a suspect by her boyfriend, who is the chief of police. He shuts her out of the investigation and almost gets her killed. A lady FBI agent wants her help and her brother – a computer geek – to help, too.

I’d give it a - 6

My thoughts – This was my first time reading a book by this writer. It had a nice setting, interesting job, and fun characters. I would like to read more in this series.

Little Bitty Lies

Little Bitty Lies by Mary Kay Andrews

(Publ 2003)

My Blurb – This is a story about a lady in a neighborhood, where everyone seems to be getting a divorce. Mary Bliss McGowan thinks she has a good marriage until she comes home one day and finds a note from her skunk of a husband. He’s left her – not only left her but taken all the money in the back and mortgaged her house. She is flat broke and in a dire situation. Her best friend - Catherine, who is newly separated from her husband, too - comes up with a great plan to fake Mary husbands’ death down in Mexico and collect the insurance money. Of course, nothing goes quite as planned. Include in this story, a teenage daughter who is angry and having problems of her own, a mother-in-law who is meaner than a snake and living in a nursing home, a retired detective that is snooping around in her husband’s business and Mary’s life, and her trying to find new ways of earning money to survive.

I’d give it a 6 ½.

My thoughts – it was an interesting story with funny characters. It had an interesting ending.

Murder on the Oceanic

Murder on the Oceanic by Conrad Allen

 (George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield Mysteries)

(Publ.  2006)

This book is about a husband and wife detective team who work on ships. They like to work undercover, as single people, while they are on board. JP Morgan owns the ship line they are working for and is on board this trip. His personal head of security is murdered and several pieces of his art collection are stolen. Several other passengers get robbed as well. The detectives have to solve all these problems among hundreds of passengers including - an artist, his wife, and his model who have an odd relationship – a banker and his goofy wife – an engaged couple having problems – a ladies man who has decided to chase Genevieve – two lady writers – and the huge staff of the ship.

My thoughts – I really enjoyed this book. The characters were very interesting and the story moved along quickly.

I’d give it a 7.

Antiques Bizarre

Antiques Bizarre by  Barbara Allan

(a Trash ‘n Treasures Mystery)

Publ. 2010

 Brandy Borne has a lot going on right now. She is divorced with a teenage son who lives with his Dad. Dealing with the early stages of pregnancy isn’t easy (with a baby for her best friend). While living with a mother who is mentally ill, she must make sure her mother takes her medicines and doesn’t get sick again. This same mother drags her into helping set up an auction including a famous Fabrege egg. Add to this – three deaths, a new possible boyfriend, secrets about her own birth, and hundreds of people given food poisoning – well, you can understand her stress.

I’d give it a 7

My thoughts – This was my first time reading the work of this writer. I enjoyed it very much. There was certainly plenty going on and you really connected with the characters. I would like to read more of these cute books         

A Cat Under the Mistletoe

A Cat Under the Mistletoe –  Lydia Adamson

(pub - 1996)

My blurb – Alice Nestleton cat-sits for elderly actor. His cat acts up. When he’s called about it, he tells her to take cat to a pet therapist. When she arrives for appointment, finds the therapist dead. Once she starts to dig into the situation, she finds a May/Dec marriage that has a secret, several clients having their pets treated, and a connection to an old murder. Along the way she follows wrong clues and makes mistakes. Some of the clues she finds are aprons, photography, and blackmail. Alice must also deal with two possible ex-boyfriends where she’s not quite sure what their situations are now.

I’d give it a 6 ½

My thoughts – This is the first book I’ve read in this series. I liked the story but I was left with some questions about some of the characters – especially the boyfriends. It might be better to read these books from the series beginning to have better understanding of the characters and situations.

Malice Domestic – Vol. 2

(PB - 1993)

 – Mary Higgins Clark  – As It Was in the                                       Beginning (short opening)

        - Amanda Cross – Who Shot Mrs. Bryon Boyd - 5

        - Robert Barnard – Dog Television - 5

        - Gillian Roberts – Goodbye, Sue Ellen  - 5

        - Taylor McCafferty – Even Steven - 6

        - Sally Gunning – Water – 4 ½

        - Sarah Shankman – You Never Know – 6 ½

        - Gary Alexander – the Return of Ma Barker– 6 ½

        - K.K. Beck – A Romance in the Rockies - 6

        - Susan Dunlap – Checkout– 4 ½

        - Lucretia Grindle – the Nieman Marcus Body– 5 ½

        - Ed Gorman – Anna and the Snake People - 6

        - Margaret Maron - .. that Married Dear Old Dad – 4 ½

        - Carole Nelson Douglas – Parris Green - 5

        - M.D. Lake – Kim’s Game - 6

        - Jan Grape – Arsenic and Old Ideas – 6 ½

        - Frances Fyfield – Cold and Deep - 4

I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting assortment of stories - some good, some just OK, and some not so good. I liked it so much I've ordered several more in the series - which contain 10 or more by now. Sometimes it just what you need to read, if you only have a little amount of time.

Death’s Excellent Vacation

Death’s Excellent Vacation (multi-writers)

        - Two Blonds – Charlaine Harris– 6 ½

        - the Boys Go Fishing – Sarah Smith - 5

        - One for the Money – Jeaniene Frost - 6

        - Meanwhile, Far Across the Caspian Sea – Daniel      Stashower - 6

        - the Innsmouth Nook – A. Lee Martinez - 7

        - Safe and Sound – Jeff Abbott– 5 ½    

        - Seeing is Believing – L.A. Banks – 6 ½

        - the Perils of Effrijim – Katie MacAlister - 5

        - Thin Walls – Christopher Golden - 5

        - the Heart is Always Right – Lilith Saintcrow - 7

        - the Demon in the Dunes – Chris Grabenstein - 5

        - Home From America – Sharan Newman - 6

        - Pirate Dave’s Haunted Amusement Park – Tori L.P. Kelner– 6 ½

I made it to Spring Break and got to read a book !!! Actually, I read a couple of books. This was the first one I got to. I wanted to read some short stories and found this in the local library. I think the word "Vacation" jumped out at me since I was on vacation myself. I don’t usually read vampire kind of stories but this was surprisingly interesting. It just goes to prove that sometimes, if you do things that aren’t your normal cup of tea, it can be fun. I’m not going to give you my usual blurbs since I’m afraid I’ll give away too much of the stories since they are so short.

Rest in Pieces

Rest in Pieces - Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown

Publ - 1992

(My Blurb) Harry is newly divorced, so when new man -Blaire Bainbridge - comes to town everyone is trying to fix her up with him. Once murdered body parts start to appear all over town – Tucker finds a hand in an old cemetery - on land Blaire just bought, in the boathouse owned by Big Mim, and at the Harvest Fair – everyone is on edge and suspicious. The true insane killer is a surprise for everyone in town. Harry gets cornered in her barn and it takes all her animals to save her from being shot.

(My thoughts) I liked the story but the book felt a little “talky” to me. I was left with a feeling of too much “preaching” and unneeded details. I felt like the writer was trying to educate me instead of entertain me.

I’d give it –  7

We are having our second "Snow Day" here and I FINALLY have a chance to read a book. YAY !!!

Happy New Year Note

I have had a very busy holiday season and am glad to get things back to normal. I hope you had a great holiday and got all the things you wished for.
I hope your New Year is wonderful and full of great things.