This week, if you’re even able to read, I hope you found an escape. I’ll admit yesterday was a terrible day for me. So, I picked up something that will have humor, a mystery, and some Christmas. I’m going to need that kind of book for the next four years.
I reserved Jenn McKinlay’s A Merry Little Murder Plot at the library. It’s the fifteenth Library Lover’s Mystery, and the first one set during the Christmas season. During the most wonderful time of the year, famous author Helen Monroe arrives in Briar Creek to be the writer in residence, but her “bah humbug” attitude excludes her from the many holiday celebrations the town residents enjoy. To try to spread some Christmas cheer, library director Lindsey Norris invites the new writer in town to join her crafternoon club. Helen politely refuses and when an altercation happens between Helen and another patron, Lindsey begins to suspect the author has been keeping to herself for a reason. Another newcomer, Jackie Lewis, reveals she’s visiting Briar Creek to be near Helen because she believes they are destined to meet. Having dealt with a stalker in the past, Lindsey feels compelled to tell Helen about Jackie, as she suspects that Helen is unaware her “number one” fan is in town. When Jackie’s body is later discovered in the town park beneath the holiday-light display with a copy of Helen’s latest manuscript in her hand, the reclusive novelist becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her self-proclaimed mega-fan. Helen’s frosty demeanor melts when Lindsey offers her help, and now the librarian and her crafternoon pals must prove the author innocent before “The End” becomes Helen’s final sentence.
So, what about you? Are you reading this week? Let us know, please.
I’m quite concerned about the next four years myself.
It’s been a strangely busy week over here, full of time-consuming errands of various kinds. Therefore I’ve only been able to finish one book.
MURDER IN HIGHBURY by Vanessa Kelly
A cozy regency mystery featuring several characters from Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’, taking place not long after that novel ends.
Emma Woodhouse and George Knightley have not yet been married for a year, when Emma and her friend Harriet come across a dead body. Unlikely though it is, their acquaintance Miss Bates is accused of the murder by Dr. Hughes and Constable Sharpe. As these two men seem particularly inept, and because she wants to prove the innocence of Miss Bates, Emma naturally takes matters into her own hands as she attempts to uncover the identity of the true murderer – much to the distress of her poor husband George.
The author does a great job of making us feel we are simply reading a continuation of Emma’s life – the tone and the characters’ foibles and ways of speaking are so similar to the original novel; and it’s fun to meet all of them again and see how they end up contributing to the story. There are several suspects and red herrings galore. I enjoyed the book, and there were many witty lines and passages. Sometimes things got a teeny bit repetitive and long-winded but
over-all it was a fun, light read.
Oh, and it’s not necessary to have read the original ‘Emma’ as the author explains things perfectly along the way.
Hello, all. Yes, it’s a disturbing time, to say the least. But I have to say that the week started with some good news for me. In my meeting with the spine doctor on Monday, I learned that I can indeed shed both my neck brace (which I have worn night and day for 12 weeks after my accident) and the back brace which I had to put on again about a month ago. The neck and spine are healing well, so I’m free! I can’t wait to get a haircut next Monday. My sweaters are now much easier to get on (the neck brace made it difficult), and I feel I have a lot more freedom to do tasks around the house. The doctor even said I can drive short distances, although I don’t yet have a new car. I’m sure my son will be relieved when he doesn’t have to drive me everywhere, although he’s been great about it. I’m not exactly looking forward to driving again (a nurse told me I would have PTSD about the accident), but it will certainly be more convenient. I’m thinking it will be at least a couple more months before I’m hopefully back to normal, as I still have an aching back and a lot of stiffness, but progress is being made.
I just (within the past 15 minutes) finished my third book this week:
There’s nothing like a Steve Cavanagh legal thriller to keep me glued to the words on the page (or in my case, the screen on my iPad Kindle app). In WITNESS 8, Cavanagh continues to exert his wild imagination to come up with a tense, compelling story with some familiar characters. Eddie Flynn, a con man-turned-defense attorney, faces particularly long odds in his 8th adventure, as the overwhelming evidence against his client seems unimpeachable. John Jackson is a greatly admired pediatric brain surgeon, living a privileged life with his supportive wife in a neighborhood that includes only the very wealthy. With no apparent motive to murder a woman who lives in the neighborhood but with damaging evidence against him, he relies on Eddie to determine what really happened and identify possible suspects. Eddie is a street-smart lawyer with a unique, impressive team that takes on only clients they consider to be innocent. He isn’t afraid to insinuate himself into potentially dangerous situations as he doggedly pursues the truth to exonerate the defendant. But the real star of the story is Ruby, who describes her painful early days and her current situation as nanny and housekeeper for the residents of this exclusive neighborhood. How does she figure in how the plot plays out? You have to read the book to find out, as I it would be unforgivable to spoil it for you It’s a story full of crooked cops, killers-for-hire, social dynamics, mental health, and almost unbearable excitement. I will definitely keep on looking for new novels by Steve Cavanagh. (March)
Susan Mallery’s latest, BEACH VIBES, is set in beachside Malibu, but the title is misleading. The story has little to do with the setting (except for some surfing scenes) and much more to do with family dynamics. Beth and Rick are siblings who were briefly in foster care when their inattentive mother, a devoted adventurer and risk taker, died, and they were later taken in by their aunt and now-deceased uncle–Beth still lives with Aunt Agatha. Rick is now a brilliant physician, while divorcee Beth, who once saved money for culinary school, is the successful owner of a popular sandwich shop. Jana is a single mother and part-time community college student who lives with her brother, a widower with three lively children, while dreaming of going to nursing school. When Beth and Jana meet when volunteering at a local food bank, they gradually become fast friends, but when each meets the other’s family, it leads to heightened emotions, romance, and unexpected betrayal. In my own family (going back a couple of generations), two brothers married two sisters, but it doesn’t go nearly as smoothly in this story. Even though the conclusions are telescoped early in the plot, it didn’t ruin the ending for me. The main characters are well drawn and mostly empathetic, although one is devious and cold, with little chance for redemption. I loved the four children, who behaved as children would at their ages. I particularly found 12-year-old Magnolia engaging, as she tries to take on the role of substitute mother for her younger siblings. Although this isn’t my favorite Susan Mallery novel, I found it engrossing and sometimes surprising, which is always a good thing. (March)
In Elise Hooper’s novel, THE LIBRARY OF LOST DOLLHOUSES, Tildy is the dedicated head curator at the Belva Curtis LeFarge Library in San Francisco, and it’s her job to know everything about the library. So she is shocked, one day, to find a secret room she never knew existed. In it she discovers a large, intricately detailed dollhouse, a miniature of the Paris home of library founder Belva LeFarge, including tiny copies of some of the paintings currently hanging in the library. A second dollhouse is even larger, in the fashion of a British country estate. Tildy is excited , imagining that a display of these dollhouses might help bolster the library’s dwindling funds, but she is taken aback when she finds, in the LeFarge dollhouse, a small portrait that is instantly recognizable as her own deceased mother. What follows is the tale of Tildy’s attempt to look into the history of the dollhouses after discovering that the artist was Cora Holt. The story is told in two timelines–present day and the early to mid-20th century. Cora’s life takes many fascinating turns, including interactions with real-life celebrities, travel, war, a celebrated painting, and romance. But dollhouses are her greatest passion, as she aims to incorporate in each one the hidden stories of its owner’s life. We follow the lives of both Tildy and Cora and their families in alternating chapters, and it makes for a breathtaking, entertaining read. On one hand, I enjoyed following both women in their quests and their character development. But I equally enjoyed reading about the details of each dollhouse, which are beautifully described by the author, who based the story loosely on her research. I highly recommend it for readers who are looking for something unique. (April)`
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that you’re healing well. That must have been a great day indeed when you could take off that neck brace. I don’t know how you coped. With any of it.
I quite like the sound of The Library of Lost Dollhouses and have immediately added it to my list of wants.
I’m about a quarter of the way into WE THREE QUEENS, the latest Royal Spyness book from Rhys Bowen. As usual, she’s slowly working up to the murder. We’ve got a house of uninvited guests and a Hollywood studio using Georgie’s house for exteriors for a movie. Should be interesting once it really kicks into gear.