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..

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.

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 !!!

Sugar Cookie Murder

Sugar Cookie Murder – Joanne Fluke

publ  - 2004

(My Blurb) Hannah Swensen runs the local bakery called “The Cookie Jar”. She has arranged for the entire town of Eden, Minnesota to have a cookbook of local recipes. They are having a Christmas party to showcase all the recipes. The group is stranded at the community center during a blizzard and, of course, someone ends up dead. Hannah sure wishes the Killer hadn’t decided to use the expensive, antique, carving knife she had borrowed from her mother. To add interest - one of her sisters is late having her baby, her mother has a new boyfriend, and Hannah has two boyfriends at the party.

(My thoughts) I like this writer. Only half this book was story, the other half was full of tasty sounding recipes mentioned in the book. I like recipes so this didn't bother me but I do wish the story had been longer. It was a nice short story.

I’d give it – 6 ½

Birthday Party Murder

Birthday Party Murder – Leslie Meier

publ – 2002

 (My Blurb) Lucy Stone is the mother of 4, two of which are in college. One of the college kids is having bad grade problems. One of the at-home kids wants to have a sleep-over of teen boys and girls for her birthday.

Lucy works at the local small newspaper so her friends think she’s an investigative reporter. One of these friends asks her to look into the death of her husband’s law partner. The police decide it’s a suicide and resent Lucy getting involved.

Add to this - the huge 90^th birthday party for the retired town’s librarian -  Miss Tilley -  the friends are planning. Unfortunately, suddenly Miss Tilley’s long-lost relatives come to town and move in with her. Things look suspicious with that, too.  

(My thoughts) I liked this book. It was fun and quick moving. No slow spots. I like the way the writer told the story and developed all the characters involved.

I’d give it a  - 7

The Five Bells and Bladebone

The Five Bells and Bladebone – Martha Grimes

publ - 1987

(My Blurb) This is a story of a man being murdered and stuffed into an antique desk in the English countryside. A Scotland Yard Inspector – Richard Jury - is present, by chance, when the body was discovered at an antique store. Back in London, a woman is killed next to the river. The Inspector knows the murders are connected in some way. He just has to figure out how.

(My thoughts) I really didn’t like this book. I usually like books set in England but not this one. It was set in modern times but the feel was a “Jolly Old England” kind of book. A reader from England - or someone extremely familiar with the country -  would enjoy it more, possibly. The writer used a style of writing I don’t care for. She wrote a little bit about one story line, started another, and still another one. The reader is left holding all those threads of stories and trying to figure out how they all fit together. The main character didn’t have a lot of details to me. He just wandered in and out of scenes asking questions. Maybe he is better defined in other books that I haven’t read yet. This was my first book by this writer. I was also left with lots of questions after the book was finished -not something good for a mystery story. 

I’d give it a – 4

Outlaw Mountain

Outlaw Mountain – J.A. Jance

Publ – 1999

(My Blurb) Sheriff Joanna Brady has a lot going on in her life right now. She is a young widow with a daughter to raise. Her best friend is grieving over the death of one of her twins and thinking about quitting her job as a minister.

At work, she is dealing with a rather sadistic murder of an old lady in the desert, her two fighting adult children, and the missing boyfriend/husband of the lady.

She has to handle an older, mentally-challenged man, someone deserted at a local church during a craft fair.

Throw in a person dropped out of the witness protection program and probably in great danger, another murder, environmental protesters, crooked politicians and developers, a suicide, a surprise engagement, a car trunk full of rattlesnakes, a country club set - who are into drugs and wife-swapping, and you have a pretty busy time in her part of Arizona.

(My thoughts) It started out as a rather dark, depressing story but it got better. I liked this writers way of telling a story. She kept it moving along at a good pace and kept it interesting. Not a lot of gory details or unneeded violence.

I’d give it a – 7 ½  

Murder Shoots the Bull

Murder Shoots the Bull – Anne George

Publ – 1999

These books are about two older sisters – Mary Alice and Patricia Anne – who live in Birmingham, Alabama and the troubles they get in.

(My Blurb) Poor Patricia Anne is having a busy time right now. She’s trying to help start a ladies investment group, has a sick dog, and has family troubles. Her son and daughter-in-law are having a hard time. The daughter-in-law comes to stay with them for a little while. Adding to this, Patricia Anne’s next door neighbors - Mitzi and Arthur - get involved with a real mess. Arthur’s first wife comes to town and gets poisoned. Arthur is named the manager of her estate which puts him in danger. Of course, Patricia Anne and Mary Alice get involved and try to help.

(My thoughts) This is the kind of book I like to read for fun. It’s called a “cozy” mystery, I think. It’s got funny spots but still interesting. I really like the way this writer tells a story. No blood-and-guts, just a cute story. I didn't know "who done it" until near the end.  I have heard this writer has passed away, so there won’t be any more books, besides the small group she already has out. That’s a shame.

I'd give it a - 7

Who in Hell is Wanda Fuca?

Who in Hell is Wanda Fuca? – G.M. Ford

Publ - 1995

(My Blurb) A lower class detective is asked by an old mob boss for a favor. He wants the detective, Leo Waterman, to find his granddaughter and make sure she’s not in any kind of trouble. Leo is a drunk trying to stay sober. He uses a group of old men, from a bar he knows - who are one step from being homeless – in the same vein as Sherlock using the Baker St. urchins – to help him with his cases. Throw in a case of environmental terrorists and a scary family of psychos, and you have a pretty good story.

(My thoughts) This was a better book than I expected. It had the feel of a real “guy” book with the old-fashioned “gum shoe” detective but it had a much more interesting story than that type of book usually has. You really get a chance to care about the assorted characters and their problems. The writer managed to make you feel the danger of the bad guys. There was some swearing but it seemed to fit the characters and situations. It didn’t jump out and offend me. There was a little graphic violence but not in excess. I had never read anything by this writer before. I would like to read more of his books.

I’d give it a -  7.

Miss Zukas and the Library Murders

Miss Zukas and the Library Murders – Jo Dereske

Publ – 1994

(My Blurb) Miss Helma Zukas shows up to work one morning and there is a dead body in her library. Heaven Forbid. She does not allow untidy things like that in her tightly controlled life. Things start happening to her that may or may not be clues in the murder. She can’t be sure, so she hesitates to tell the police about them. Soon there is a second murder. A man she’s seen several times in the day or so after the first murder. It takes all her brains, plus the help of her friend – Ruth – a free spirit of an artist – to figure out what is going on. It’s a race to see if they can understand what’s going on - before they are killed, too.

(My thoughts) I have never read anything by this writer before. It was a nice book. Not a great book, but not a bad one, either. There seemed to be a lot of characters that weren’t developed very much in the story. Since this is the first book, maybe they are more rounded out in later books. I do think Helma and Ruth had pretty clear characters and depth. I must admit I didn’t know “who done it” until well into the book.

I’d give it a - 5 ½