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.

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