A SURREY STATE OF AFFAIRS (Ceri Radford)

I am SO far behind with writing this blog that I feel I will never catch up!  I'd better write this while the book is fresh in my mind.

If you are looking for a light, funny read, look no further.  A Surrey State of Affairs is written as a series of blog entries.  The author is a technologically challenged, 53-year-old wife and mother whose main concerns in life are proper etiquette, cleanliness, maintaining a beautiful home for her lawyer husband, Jeffrey, the well-being of her children, Rupert and Sophie, her parrot, Darcy, and her hobby, bell-ringing.  Her blog is more of a personal diary, not meant for the public, and it usually doesn't occur to her until AFTER she has posted that maybe she ought not to be letting all of her private thoughts and feelings out into the blogosphere.

Connie is what most of us would think of as clueless.  She is exasperated by her ineffective Eastern European housekeeper, Natalia, who keeps leaving her underwear, presumably to dry on the radiator, in Jeffrey's office.  Her son Rupert resists her constant efforts to find him a nice girl to marry, finally spreading a rumor that he has leprosy in a desperate attempt to fend off one of his mother's more ardent fix-ups.  Daughter Sophie surreptitiously auditions for and wins a part on a tawdry TV reality show while pretending to be spending her gap-year summer on an ecology project.  Still, Connie manages to maintain her her dignity and decorum, always wearing a crisp linen blouse and maintaining her hair and home to exacting standards until, one by one, the people and traditions that she holds dear begin to crumble around her and she is forced to make difficult choices about what is really important.

I know that you are probably thinking that Connie doesn't sound like too appealing a character.  Who wants to read the musings of an uptight, middle-aged woman who seems oblivious to the realities of life around her?  What keeps Connie from being a caricature and makes her so endearing as a character, in my opinion, is her great love for those around her.  She would do anything, give anything, to see her family and friends happy and fulfilled, even if it is on HER terms, but she comes through every crisis and revelation with flying colors because of her love.  It's a treat to be inside her head.

HISS AND HERS (M.C. Beaton)

Is it my imagination, or is Agatha, a 50 something retired PR executive who has retired to a charming Cotswolds village, beginning to mellow?  In this, Beaton's  23rd Agatha Raisin mystery, Agatha is again in love, this time with handsome (but one -legged!) gardener George Marston.  George is a notorious ladies' man and Agatha can't quite seem to catch a break in her pursuit of this popular local Lothario.  Suspects abound after Agatha, searching for George when he fails to show up as promised for a local charity ball, discovers his body buried in compost, his head encased in a plastic garbage bag.  It soon becomes apparent that there are MANY suspects among George's former, current, aspiring, and rejected lovers and Agatha is determined to solve the crime.

Beaton's wonderful cast of characters, including Mrs. Bloxby, James, Sir Charles Fraith, Roy, and Agatha's usual investigators, all appear in Hiss and Hers, and even the enigmatic and frustrating James seems to be a bit more amiable and appealing than usual.  Maybe I'm just getting older!  In any case, if you have been following Agatha's adventures, or even if you haven't, you will enjoy this latest one.

UNDER THE DOG STAR (Sandra Parshall)

A large number of missing pet dogs, a mysterious feral pack of canines attacking livestock during the night, and one prominent physician with his throat ripped open wouldn’t ordinarily add up to a compelling, can’t-put-it-down reading experience for me, but this time they did!  I am generally more of a cozy, crafty mystery reader.  Give me an amateur sleuth with an English accent or someone who bakes or knits in a sweet small town and solves crimes on the side and I’m good to go.  Sandra Parshall, however, is a genre unto herself, and she knows how to write a mystery!  From the Appalachian setting, to the developing relationship between Sheriff’s investigator Tom Bridger and veterinarian Rachel Goddard, to the intricately laid out web of clues, suspects, and sub-plots, Parshall’s Rachel Goddard series is wonderful and, I think, worthy of notice from the most discerning mystery fans.  This is the fourth Rachel Goddard mystery and number 5 is waiting for me in my living room.  I usually need to take a break between different novels in a series and this time is no exception, but I have a feeling that I won’t be able to resist reading her next, Bleeding Through, for long.  If you haven’t discovered Sandra Parshall yet you have a treat in store!  Start with Heat of the Moon.  You won't be sorry!

STILL LIFE (Louise Penny)

I think I am in love with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and I can't wait to read the rest of Penny's award-winning series!  Gamache is a unique literary sleuth in his intense humanness, but he does remind me in some ways of Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti: he devotes his mind and his body to his work, but his heart and soul belong to his wife and family.  In Still Life we are introduced to the community of Three Pines, where the much-loved but unfortunate  Jane Neal, a retired teacher and aspiring artist, has been found dead in the woods, killed by an arrow through her heart. Gamache and his team, including devoted second-in-command Beauvoir and the irritating rookie agent Nicole, set up shop in Three Pines to investigate the unusual death.  Was it a hunting accident, as many believe, or a deliberate killing?  Why would anyone want to rid Three Pines of the the beloved schoolteacher who meant so much to so many?  Could her untimely death have anything to do with the recent acceptance of her painting, Fair Day, in the local art show?  Why has no one ever seen Jane's living room and what is her niece and supposed heir, Yvonne, up to?

Two of the best things about Still Life are the incredible sense of place and the wonderfully drawn and developed characters.  I felt as if I could smell the autumn air and hear the dried leaves underfoot.  Penny draws the reader into the life of Three Pines as surely as if we were sitting at the Thanksgiving table with her  characters.  We feel agent Nicole's awkwardness and Beauvoir's frustration and his concern for Gamache as a partner and friend. We understand Gamache.  He is a dedicated, upstanding man who is also human and compassionate.  He cares, so we care.  I understand from talking to others who have read some of Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series that a surprise twist at the end is one of her signature touches.  It works well, and so does this series.  I can understand why she keeps winning Agatha awards year after year!

THE WINTER SEA (Susannah Kearsley)

Author Bernard Cornwell describes The Winter Sea as "engaging" and "compelling," and I couldn't agree more.  From start to finish I was enthralled with the alternating stories of Sophia (1708) and Carrie (present time) and the beautiful setting, Cruden Bay in the north of Scotland.  Carrie McLelland is a novelist whose current work focuses on the struggle of the Jacobites to restore King James to his rightful throne in Scotland during the early 18th century.  When Carrie sees Slains Castle for the first time she is drawn to the area and inspired to include it in her story.  Her agent and good friend, Jane, suggests that her novel might be enriched by including a character from whose point of view the story is told, so Carrie chooses a female character that she names after her several-times-great grandmother, Sophia Paterson.  Suddenly Carrie is creatively inspired beyond her wildest dreams and Sophia's story flows swiftly from her fingers.  During conversations with her father, a genealogist, and through historical documents provided by a local retired physician, Dr. Weir, Carrie discovers that the story she is writing about Sophia is, for the most part, true.  Dr. Weir introduces her to the concept of genetic memory, the theory that memories, like physical traits and personality, might be passed down randomly through the generations.  As coincidences continue to pile up Carrie seriously considers that her writing may in fact be Sophia's actual memories rather than fiction.

Kearsley's sense of romance and love of history are evident in The Winter Sea.  The reader roots for happy endings for Sophia and John and for Carrie and Graham. Kearsley expertly weaves together the present and the past, leaving the reader feeling every emotion, almost experiencing firsthand the dedication and desperation of the Jacobites.  I couldn't put to wonderful book down and the one thing I regret about reading it is that it had to end!  Kearsley uses chapters of Carrie's novel, interspersed with Carrie's own story, to tell a magical, compelling story that I will not forget for a long time to come.  I've already read The Rose Garden and Mariana. Now I'm desperate to read more!

ALYS, ALWAYS (Harriet Lane)

Frances Thorpe is a nondescript, competent book reviewer relatively unconcerned with her appearance or with decorating her apartment.  She is at that age where she is considered "on the shelf" in terms of romance and her company is rumbling with rumors of downsizing.  One icy winter night, while driving home to London from a weekend at her parents, Frances spots a light in the distance and discovers an overturned car occupied by a woman, whom she can hear but not see.  She calls emergency services and comforts the woman until help arrives, then continues home.  As it turns out, the woman, who did not survive, is Alys Kyte, the wife of a celebrated author, Lawrence Kyte, and mother of 2 grown children.  At the family's request, Frances eventually meets with them and tells them a lie, that Alys's last words were, "Tell them that I love them."

This novel is described as a "psychological thriller, " but I didn't quite see that.  If it had ended differently, it could have become a Lifetime movie, but there were no psychotic breaks or frenzied killings.  Instead, we are guided through Frances' realization that her association with Alys's death has made her a "person of interest" to important people in the literary world, and she decides to take advantage of her new reality by developing a deeper relationship with Alys's family, particularly with Alys's daughter, Polly, and her widower, Lawrence. Frances is subtle, patient, and not always honest in her quest transform herself from uninteresting Frances Thorpe to a woman of mystery and compassion, sought after both personally and professionally by people who count.

Lane's first novel is a fascinating psychological study of an opportunist, a woman who takes advantage of a tragedy to transform her life.  I kind of hope that there is a sequel because I keep wondering if Frances will eventually be exposed or if her transformation is so complete that she becomes real, like the velveteen rabbit!

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE MURDER (Joanne Fluke)

Joanne Fluke just cannot go wrong with her Hannah Swenson series.  This was our August selection for the Christie Capers book club and we were as pleased with the recipes as we were with the mystery!  When Rev. Bob Knudsen and his wife Claire finally take a honeymoon in Hawaii, Rev. Mike, who spent his teenage years in Lake Eden. arrives to take over pastoral duties at the parish during their absence.  Grandma Knudson remembers Mike and his cousin Paul from their youth and soon raises some concerns with Hannah about Rev. Mike's actual identity.  What happened to his chocolate allergy?  Why does he "remember" her couch as being a different color than it actually was?  Is he really who he says he is?  Are the sacraments he is performing really valid?

Hannah and her sister Andrea investigate Rev. Mike and come up with logical explanations for the changes in him, setting Grandma's mind at ease.  Hannah, however, is agitated as a new dentist, Dr. Bev, joins Norman's practice.  Bev was once engaged to Norman, Hannah's devoted boyfriend (well, one of them), and Hannah suspects that Bev is looking to rekindle the relationship.  When Hannah discovers Rev. Mike dead in the parish office, though, Norman willingly turns his back on Bev and joins Hannah in investigating the apparent murder.

Fluke provides some interesting twists and turns in the 14th Hannah Swenson mystery and her recipes are mouthwatering. Try the Butterscotch Bonanza Bars.  They are easy to make and absolutely delicious!  Oh, and read the book, too.  You'll want to go back for seconds!

THE CORPSE OF ST. JAMES'S (Jeanne Dams)

Dorothy Martin, American ex-pat, and her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, are invited to Buckingham Palace to attend the presentation of the George Cross to Alan's friend Jonathan Quinn.  Jonathan is a retired police officer who was severely wounded during an act of heroism.  After the ceremony they discover the body of a teenage girl under the shrubbery in Saint James Park and Jonathan later admits that he recognized the vistim as the daughter of his childhood friend Jemima.  Against Alan's better judgment, the trio decides to investigate on their own rather than immediately informing the police of the girl's identity in hopes of protecting the girl's mother, who works at the palace.

As usual, Dorothy's investigation runs into twists and turns and roadblocks, but both her husband and the local police have come to realize that her reputation as a superb amateur sleuth is well-deserved and they value her insights even when they are exasperated by her involvement.  I love Dorothy's hats and her bad knees (now greatly improved due to knee replacement surgery).  She is such a lovable character, more worldly than Miss Marple and more down-to earth than Agatha Raisin.  She and Alan enjoy occasional love scenes that fade out in a pleasingly old-fashioned way and their home in the shadow of the Sherebury Cathedral s is the perfect English cottage.  As usual, I recommend this series highly.  The mysteries are always good and the sense of place is wonderful!

THE SECRET LIFE OF OBJECTS (Dawn Raffel)

Have you ever looked at a simple, everyday object and really thought about its history, the stories associated with its travels through various lives?  I recently bought a beautiful antique Limoges plate at a flea market.  It has lilacs, my favorite flower, on it and gold trim and I wonder if it was part of a set of wedding china, or a special memento that someone purchased on a trip, or perhaps a treasured decorative object displayed lovingly in an elderly woman's living room.  Maybe it was used to serve delicious cakes with tea or filled with cucumber sandwiches at a bridal shower.  Someday it will have memories for me and, perhaps, for my family.   I also have a little teapot that I bought for a couple of dollars at a shop in Bellows falls, VT and I wonder about where it came from and if someone loved it and used it, or if it was a cute gift that eventually took up room better used for something else. I have it displayed with my teapot collection in my kitchen.

What Raffel has done in this wonderful little book of essays (recommended to me by my good friend Helen) is to  look at various objects and reminisce about the people and events linked to them that have been significant in her life:  her mother's death, a trip, the loss of her engagement diamond, an eccentric relative.  There is some sort of magic in Raffel's writing, bringing memories ans experiences to life through the objects that defined them.  I can relate to this and, quite frankly, I wish I had written this book.  My only complaint is that I didn't really enjoy the illustrations.  I don't require photographs, but some of the drawing just didn't evoke the feelings that they should and it kind of detracted from the experience of reading it.  Other than that, though, it was wonderful and I recommend it highly!

THE ODDS: A LOVE STORY (Stewart O'Nan)

Sustaining a marriage for life can be a difficult task, and dealing with poor decisions, financial problems, infidelity, and the physical problems of aging can make loving one person for life seem like an insurmountable task that may not be worth it.  Art and Marion Fowler have reached such a point in their marriage.  After years of dedicated service to a financial institution, Art has been unceremoniously downsized.  The big fixer-upper that turned out to be a money pit is on the verge of foreclosure.  The affair that Art had 20 years ago still weighs on Marion's mind and emotions, but she has never confessed that she herself has dallied.

The couple decides to determine the fate of their marriage, literally, on a gamble.  They return to Niagara Falls, their honeymoon destination, taking all of the money they have in the world with them.  Their plan for their second honeymoon is to see the sights, perhaps rekindle their passion, and to either lose everything ( to return home to divorce and build separate lives) or to return home with enough casino winning to begin life, and their marriage, anew.

Quite frankly, Art and Marion's vacation is awful.  Long lines, stomach troubles, fatigue, and too much alcohol  create a sort of little vignette of their miserable life back home, but somehow they work as a team toward their goals.  Will love (and luck) triumph?  Think about the title, then read and find out!

SUMMER BREEZE (Nancy Thayer)

I was expecting Nantucket, often Nancy Thayer's locale of choice, but Summer Breeze takes place near Amherst, MA in a wonderful lake community populated by interesting characters at various decision points in their lives.  Slim, elegant Natalie Reynolds is an artist, house sitting for her Aunt Eleanor for a year while trying to figure out if she can really make a living with her talent.  Her brother Slade, an antiques dealer, is based in Boston and irresistible to women.  Bella Barnaby, a teacher, has returned to Dragonfly Lake to temporarily run the outdated family gift shop, Barnaby's Barn, while her Louise, her mother, recovers from a broken leg.  Bella is on the verge of engagement to handsome architect Aaron, but is resistant to his dream of a career in San Fransisco.  Bella's brother Ben is an attractive scientist and professor living in Amherst who may have Asperger's (my conclusion, not part of the story!).  Married couple Joel and Morgan O'Keefe live in an impressive lake-front home, with a life-style designed to impress potential investors in Joel's company, but Morgan, despite loving many aspects of stay-at-home motherhood, misses her career in bio-safety and is lonely in the too-big, too fancy house.

As usual, Thayer does a superb job of building friendships and allowing her characters to naturally evolve in terms of relationships.  They make mistakes, they jump to conclusions, they think that they desperately want things that turn out to be temporarily satisfying.  Natalie, Bella, and Morgan form a strong relationship and work together to mutually support each others' goal and dreams.  If you enjoy first class women's fiction with appealing characters and a plot that keeps you interested, try taking this book on vacation.  You won't regret it!

HEARSE & BUGGY (Laura Bradford)

We are in the middle of remodeling our kitchen and, as a result, I do not seem to be able to read as much as usual!   This is the first in Bradford's new Amish mystery series and, if this debut is any indication, we will be seeing many more.

Claire Weatherly, still hurt and uncertain after a failed marriage, has moved to Heavenly, PA to stay with her Aunt Diane at her charming B&B, Sleep Heavenly.  Claire's new business, Heavenly Treasures, features gifts and household items handmade by local Amish artisans.  The shop that Claire rents was formerly occupied by Walter Snow, who left town owing money to Amish furniture makers whom he had cheated.  When vandalism occurs at the Shoo Fly Pie Shop next door, Claire finds it hard to fathom why anyone could be deliberately targeting its Amish owner, gentle Ruth Miller. Nor is she inclinded to believe, as many in the commun ity do, that Ruth's younger brother Eli could be guilty of murder when Walter Snow is found strangled in the alley between the two shops. 

No cozy mystery is complete without the potential for a little romance!  Jakob Fisher, shunned by the Amish community, has returned to Heavenly as a police detective.  Old rivalries and a longing for contact with his Amish family add depth and interest to this character, a potential future love interest for Claire.  With Claire's unresolved relationship issues from her marriage, her attraction for Amish widower Ben Miller, and her newly discovered talent for sleuthing, a future relationship between Claire and Jakob promises to be intriguing.

Laura Bradford has done a thorough job of researching Amish customs and practices and with this series she manages to transport the reader to the heart of Amish country and, more importantly, into the Amish way of thinking.  Aside from a credible, entertaining mystery, which Bradford definitely delivers, one of the most important facets of the cozy genre is the creation of genuinely interesting, likeable characters who are firmly woven into the fabric of the setting and plot.  Bradford has accomplished that, and this visit to Heavenly, PA leaves the reader looking forward to the next installment!

SUMMER HOUSE (Marcia Willett)

Reading Marcia Willett always takes me to a more peaceful place.  This one is a little different than some of her novels, because it includes a bit of a mystery involving childhood memories and unexplained nightmares.  Somehow I didn't find it quite as satisfying as Summer in the Country or A Week in Winter.  I felt like it was a little bit incomplete, like I was on the outside looking in at a story that I couldn't quite be a part of and characters whose emotions I couldn't quite get to the heart of.  Did I dislike it?  Not at all.  Willett creates an ambiance reminiscent of Rosamund Pilcher and her characters are endearing, if a bit remote.  Milo and Lottie, with their decades old friendship, are an odd couple that is not actually a couple.  Milo's old lover, Venetia, appears frequently and seems rightly oblivious to any romantic threat from Lottie, while Lottie's sister Susanna, ex-wife of Milo and mother of Nick, remains on the periphery of the story, embittered, impatient, and demanding.  Mark and Imogen are the grown children of the late Helen and Tom, whose lives intertwined over the years with Milo's and Lottie's.  Each in the middle of their own crises.  Introspective Mark is unable to commit to a relationship and suffering from a lack of inspiration after writing a hugely successful first novel.  New mother Imogen and her husband, Jules, are unable to come to a meeting of the minds regarding where to live, and Nick adds another layer of complication to their already strained existence.

This is not Willett's best effort, in my opinion, but I'm glad that I didn't pass it by.  It left me feeling like there is another book left unwritten out there somewhere, but perhaps that's a story that Willett is reserving for the future.  The sense of place and strong emotional bonds between the characters are very appealing and it did leave me thinking about what what might eventually happen in Mark's life.  In my book, any novel that makes me want more can be considered a winner!

SPRING FEVER (Mary Kay Andrews)

Mary Kay Andrews' novels are always relaxing and fun, with just enough quirky characters to to pique your interest without being too unbelievable.  In Spring Fever, Annajane Hudgens is attending the wedding of her ex-husband, Mason Bayless, who is also the brother of her best friend Pokey.  The problem is that Annajane has never quite fallen out of love with Mason despite her recent engagement and her plans to move out of state.  She has worked for years for Quixie, the North Carolina soda company owned by Mason's family, but has recently sold her loft and accepted a position with a PR firm in Atlanta to make a fresh start and be closer to her fiance, Shane.  Mason's wedding to the despicable Celia, who is eager to push Annajane out of the company and out of the Bayless family's lives, is the impetus that Annajane needs to move on with her life.  When Mason's daughter Sophie has an attack of appendicitis, though, the wedding is brought to a screeching halt and Annajane is caught in the middle of yet another Bayless family crisis.

One of the things that I found very enjoyable is the sensible way Annajane and Mason conduct their lives and relationship.  There are no hysterics, no wild car chases, no murders.  There is a hastily rescheduled wedding (will it take place?), an unplanned pregnancy, and some intriguing corporate shenanigans, though, so don't worry about being bored by good sense.  Celia is obviously a gold-digger, Davis is a jerk, and Sallie is a snob, so there are plenty of colorful characters to go around and there are a couple of nice twists near the end..  I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Celia's trailer-trash family, but overall, this book was a delight from start to finish.

TILL DEATH DO US PURL (Anne Canadeo)

Like Sally Goldenbaum's Seaside Knitters, the Black Sheep Knitters are all about friendship, but I think that Canadeo's characters are more true-to-life.  We were lucky enough to have Author Anne Canadeo visit the Windsor Locks Public Library last Friday to talk about her career as a writer and how she develops her wonderful characters.  Anne admitted that she is not an expert knitter (but she has friends who are) and she develops all of the recipes in her novels herself.  The flourless chocolate cake in this one is delicious, by the way!

When bride-to-be Rebecca Bailey's society wedding is moved forward to accommodate deadlines at her in-law' chemical business, she asks Maggie Messina and the Black Sheep knitters to help her complete the unique wedding gown that she has been knitting. Then, just 2 days after the nuptials, an explosion at the At-Las laboratory tragically takes the life of brilliant young scientist Jeremy Lassiter, Rebecca's groom.  The town of Plum Harbor is stunned, especially when doubts are raised about the actual circumstances of Jeremy's death.  Could bride Rebecca be implicated?  What about Jeremy's own father or his former business partner, Lewis Atkins?  When Maggie's car is vandalized it becomes evident that someone doesn't want the Black Sheep knitters investigating!

As usual, the characters are what draw the reader into Canadeo's series.  The mystery is excellent, but it is the  Black Sheep knitters that give the reader that warm and fuzzy feeling and make you want to come back for more.  Maggie, widowed and a little lonely, is a giver who shares her knitting expertise and sympathy without reservation.  Lucy, still wary after a divorce, left her law practice to find peace and a new life in Plum Harbor. She also finds handsome veterinarian Mat!.  Suzanne, with her large family and busy real estate career, still finds time to knit and dish out creative snacks, and college student Phoebe, with her multi-colored hair and rock-star boyfriend, proves an able shop assistant, tenant, and friend to Maggie.  Psychologist Dana always has some insight into the criminal mind. Together, with the addition of sundry locals who come and go in each novel, they make up the Black Sheep knitters.  I want to be friends with these women!  This series is highly recommended for the characters, plot, and excellent writing.  Great job, Anne!

A FATAL FLEECE (Sally Goldenbaum)

While Sally Goldenbaum's Seaside Knitter mysteries are wonderful cozies, they are mostly about close friendship and community.  Nell, Ben, Izzy, Sam, Birdie, Cass, and the rest are, in many respects, too good to be true:  They exercise faithfully, eat abundantly without ever gaining weight, and they age gracefully without worrying about excessive sun exposure, senior moments, or retirement funds.  You will not find an edgy mystery here, but you will find an intriguing group of people who support and love each other while relentlessly investigating crimes against cherished friends and neighbors.  I would consider this series to be inspirational in tone.

Francis Finnegan is an eccentric old man who owns a piece of prime Sea Harbor real estate.  Since the death of his beloved wife, Moira, he has let his beachfront property become unkempt and overgrown and has developed a reputation for being surly and uncooperative, especially when it comes to those who propose developing his land.  Trespassers and potential buyers are not welcome.  His contentious relationships with his adopted daughter, Beverly, and Sea Harbor Councilwoman Beatrice Scaglia add to the tension, and when Finn, as he is called, is found dead on his beloved property there are numerous suspects to consider, even lobster woman Cass, who is his unexpected heir.  Why was Beverly cut out of the will?  Why was Finn so determined to keep people off of his land?  What is  Birdie's visiting brother-in-law, Nick Marietti, up to and why was he seen arguing with Finn just before he was killed? There are some interesting and unexpected twists and turns here that blend so seamlessly into the plot that most readers would think, "Of course!  That makes sense!" without ever having suspected the truth ahead of time.

If you are in the mood for a gentle mystery, this one might be for you.  This time around, for me, the characters in this series just seemed TOO perfect, their lives TOO well-ordered and their relationships TOO supportive.  However, Goldenbaum creates a wonderful sense of place in Sea Harbor and the sleuthing that takes place is clever and subtle.  I actually would love to live there and know these people, especially if I were invited to the Friday night barbecues on Ben and Nell's deck! You don't have to be a knitter to enjoy reading this one.

MARIANA (Susanna Kearsely)

For the past 24 hours I have been trying to pick up Mariana and continue reading, but I can't because I've finished the book and now I feel like I've lost a good friend.  I don't know what makes Kearsley's writing so compelling and her characters so unforgettable.  They are just ordinary people (well, except for Geoff, who is a millionaire) thrust into extraordinary situations, caught between two vastly different lives and searching for meaning in both. I believe that Susanna Kearsley must have lived a past life.  I can't think of any other explanation for her ability to absolutely transport her readers through time!

"I first saw the house in the summer of my fifth birthday."  As this novel begins, Julia Beckett is speaking of Greywethers, the house that she would eventually buy in her thirtieth year.  After moving into this house she begins to experience brief periods of life as Mariana Farr, a young woman who lived in England's treacherous Jacobean era, when Charles Stuart was on the throne and the plague devastated Europe.  As Mariana, Julia has no memory of her future existence as Julia, but when she returns to the present she remembers Mariana's life and becomes obsessed with learning why she has such a strong connection to the past.  As Mariana she falls deeply in love with Richard DeMornay, ancestor and image of her neighbor, Geoff deMornay, the current squire of Crofton Hall.  There is, it seems, no record of Richard in local historical or burial records, yet Julia is sure that his role in Mariana's life has significance for her in the present.

Susanna Kearsley has populated the village of Exbury, present and past, with richly drawn personalities and romance.  Originally published in 1994, Mariana preceded The Rose Garden by many years.  The author's talent has grown, if possible, over time.  I can't wait to see what comes next!

THE BODY IN THE BOOKCASE (Katherine Hall Page)

It's funny how a couple of years away from an author causes you to notice little things that you never did before!  I love Page's Faith Fairchild series.  Faith Sibley is a native New Yorker, daughter of a clergyman, who falls in love with handsome Tom Fairchild before she realizes that he is exactly what she had hoped to avoid, a man of the cloth like her father.  She and Tom marry and settle in Aleford, MA, a suburb of Boston, where they raise their two small children in the vicarage while Tom tends to his flock and Faith tends to her catering business, Have Faith.  Faith, in the grand tradition of cozy mysteries, manages to stumble upon a dead body every couple of months and cannot resist investigating.  Here she has a personal stake in solving the crime:  her neighbor, gentle retired librarian Sarah Winslow, has died  during home invasion and thieves with the same MO have burglarized the vicarage, making off with many Sibley and Fairchild family heirlooms, jewelry, and sentimental trinkets. 

Since the police seem rather casual about attempting to find and recover her family's stolen goods, Faith, enlisting the help of neighbors, friends, and even the reluctant Tom, takes matters into her own hands and begins combing pawn shops, auctions, and other places that might lead to clues as to who burglarized their homes and killed Sarah.  Business as usual must go on, however, and Faith is also caught up in planning food for demanding bride Samantha Bullock's society wedding and rehearsal dinners (this is a culinary series, after all!).

I suddenly realized while reading this that Faith has a certain Lucille Ball-like quality that I had never noticed before, keeping details from her husband and putting herself into situations that are both dangerous and comical.  Though she is a devoted wife and mother, I kept wondering how she could endanger herself and her family life by getting too closely involved with the investigation, but I guess that's one of the things that define a cozy.  She does, to her credit, enlist the aid of her state policeman friend John Dunne in critical decisions.  

One of the things that is so endearing about Faith is that she is a real woman, one whom most of us could identify with.  She is not a hilarious caricature like Agatha Raisin (M.C. Beaton) or Helma Zukas (Jo Dereske) or a wealthy philanthropist like Olivia Limoges (Ellery Adams), or even a cheerful crocheter/events organizer like Molly Pink (Betty Hechtman), although I LOVE all of these characters.  Faith is a working small-town mother who has left behind a more glamorous life in new York City to raise a family as the wife of a small-town vicar.  She worries about child care, picks her kids up at nursery school, and worries about Tom's sermons.  Page does an excellent job of making Faith a real (despite the Lucille ball moments), mother and wife.  She is someone that might live on my street, except for the murders!  I like her.

READING TO HEAL (Jacqueline Stanley)

Bibliotherapy as a means to improve life and psyche is not a new idea. Most avid readers probably engage in therapeutic reading on a regular basis without even realizing it: to deal with stressful jobs or home situations, solve relationship dilemmas, examine faith issues, analyze family relationships, etc. Professional therapists use bibliotherapy to help patients deal with illness or emotional issues, but it can also be used by individuals to enhance everyday life. Stanley, who is a lawyer, not a mental health professional, discusses bibliotherapy here as an art rather than as a science. Although dated (published in 1999), this book would a valuable resource for anyone interested in using reading as a means to gain insight and make positive changes to their behavior or attitudes. I am toying with the idea of presenting a program on fiction bibliotherapy at our library, but that will take some time to develop. I'll keep you posted!

Stanley covers all of the basics of reading both fiction and nonfiction as a means to heal, including how to find books, the benefits of bibliotherapy (things like awareness that others have similar problems, learning practical skills, escape and diversion, reinforcement of self-worth), and what to look for in different types of novels. She also makes some very valuable and practical suggestions for getting the most out of what you read, overcoming problems that stand in the way of reading, and personalizing a reading plan. One of my favorite quotes that Stanley includes sums up what I believe to be the basis for all reading: "The only important thing in a book is the meaning it has for you." (W. Somerset Maugham). Thinking back, when I was very young I was eager to fill my mind with historical adventures and family dramas written by Elizabeth Enright, Louisa Mae Alcott, and Frances Hodgsen Burnett. As I grew into adolescence I immersed myself in the classics (Thomas Hardy and George Eliot were my favorites!) and, of course, toe-curling horror by authors like Bram Stoker and H.P. Lovecraft. As I matured I enjoyed exploring topics like the mysticism of Carlos Casteneda and the pop psychology of Marilyn French. Medical and legal thrillers were my main literature of choice during those years when my husband and I were nearly overwhelmed by the realities of trying to raise two wonderful kids while making ends meet after a job layoff and big drop in income. As my parents and in-laws aged and we took on new roles as their caregivers and decision makers, I have found myself most drawn to cozy mysteries (Elizabeth Lynn Casey, Anne Canadeo,or Maggie Sefton, for example), funny chick-lit (Hester Browne, Katie Fforde, Isabel Wolff), or to women's fiction that often features people dealing with similar issues in life (Joanna Trollope, Marcia Willett, Barbara Delinsky) I can see distinct patterns in my reading habits over the years and I can, in many cases, see why I have chosen certain authors at specific times in my life. Of course, sometimes a good book is just a good book! I think that bibliotherapy is fascinating, though, and I'm looking forward to reading more on the subject.

SHEER ABANDON (Penny Vincenzi)

Jocasta, Clio, and Martha meet and become fast friends while traveling to Bangkok during their gap year in 1985. Martha, the quiet daughter of a vicar, plans to study law. Clio, plump and pretty, has her sights set on medical school, while beautiful, blonde Jocasta is thinking about a career in journalism. Thailand and similar environs have never appealed to me and Vincenzi does an excellent job of confirming my desire NEVER to travel there. It's amazing to me that British parents would send their 17-year-olds alone to experience the drug and sex saturated culture of Thailand for months on end, but I guess I am also flabbergasted by the idea of sending an 8-year-old to boarding school! Obviously I'm not British!

Well, I'm getting off track here. Nearly a year after meeting, one of the girls (who remains unidentified for a good part of the novel) gives birth and abandons her baby at Heathrow Airport, then we fast forward 15 years and find that all 3 of the girls have grown into women with issues. Clio is a physician specializing in geriatrics, engaged to an overbearing surgeon who believes that she should give up her career to support him in his. Martha is an extremely successful solicitor who focuses 24/7 on her law career until she meets a much younger man, Ed, and is chosen by the new Centre Forward party to run for political office. Jocasta is a journalist working for a tabloid-like paper and in love with commitment-shy Nick, also a journalist. Jocasta's brother, Josh, who was also in Thailand with the girls, has been unfaithful to his his wife multiple times and is trying to save his marriage. At this time the reader is also introduced to Kate, a beautiful 16-year-old adopted by Helen and Jim after being found abandoned at Heathrow. Kate is desperate to find out where she came from and why her mother abandoned her. Much drama ensues, of course, as our basic cast of characters reconnects. What is especially interesting is how different British politics, law, medicine, and family life are from ours here in the U.S.A.

One of my complaints about Vincenzi's excellent novel, The Best of Times, which I read last month, was that there was no listing of characters to remind the reader of who was who. She does provide that in Sheer Abandon and I have to confess that I referred back to it frequently. I love Vincenzi's imagination, her language, her ability to juggle multiple threads of a story and bring them all together in a way that seems uncontrived and logical. I do believe, though, that if she could have cut this novel to about 2/3 of it's 626 pages it would have been a big improvement. I almost gave up and I did read ahead because I wasn't sure I could make it to the end! I did, and I'm glad that I did. It was worth it, but i have to warn you that you'd better set aside a good chunk of time for it!

THE ROSE GARDEN (Susanna Kearsley)

I originally chose this book because it had two of my favorite elements: an ancient family mansion on the coast of Cornwall and mysterious voices from the past. I was a great fan of both Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt back in the day and I still remember the Cornish prefixes, tre-, pol-, and pen-, and the magic associated with Cornwall. The main story takes place at Trelowarth, an estate in the fictional Cornish town of Polgelly and the scene of many happy childhood memories for Eva Ward. It is currently the home of Trelowarth Roses, a business originally started by George Hallett, a friend of Eva's late father. Eva's old friends Mark and Susan Hallett and their step-mother, Claire, welcome Eva to Trelowarth with open arms when she returns after 20 years in North America to scatter her sister's ashes from the Cornish cliffs.

The first line of the novel immediately sets the mysterious mood: "I lost my only sister in the last days of November." Kearsley's writing is magical and the sense of place that she creates is haunting. I wasn't sure about the time travel aspect of the story. I normally associate time travel with fantasy and science fiction, but here it felt so like something understandable and right. Trelowarth is located on a ley line, a supposed alignment of ancient sites that has, in modern times, been adopted by New Age occultists as a source of energy or supernatural power. When Eva suddenly starts noticing disappearing paths that did not exist before and a strange man standing on the lawn at Trelowarth, a lawn that is strangely changed, she begins to doubt her sanity. She comes to realize that she is glimpsing snippets of life at Trelowarth nearly 300 years ago and eventually begins interacting with Daniel Butler, the owner of Trelowarth in 1715, in his time. One of the most delightful things about Daniel Butler and his friend, Fergal, is that they accept that Eva is from the future and react to her with kindness and curiosity instead of fear.

Eva has no control over when she travels through time and is always caught unaware, which adds a bit of an adrenaline rush to the experience of reading The Rose Garden. Clothes that she wears in 1715, courtesy of Daniel, are old and worn when she returns to the present in them and, while she researches the Butlers and the history of the time with the help of her friend Oliver, she is careful while in the past to avoid doing or revealing anything that might change the course of history.

Kearsley has produced a phenomenal novel. it is, in many ways, a typical love story, but the author brings it to the next level by allowing her readers to feel as if they are experiencing the sights and sounds of 1715 along with Eva. This book is enchanting. When I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it and longing to return to the past with Eva. Kearsley provides a couple of unexpected twists near the end of the story that i absolutely loved. You may not be as delighted with this novel as I was, but it couldn't hurt to try it out. I recommend it wholeheartedly!

THE SHOEMAKER'S WIFE (Adriana Trigiani)

I'm not Italian, but my mother-in-law was, so my husband and children all possess robust northern Italian genes. This story makes me wish I did, too! Trigiani's wonderful novel is a story of enduring love and strength, family ties, sacrifice, and freindship.

Enza Ravanelli is a gifted seamstress and the eldest daughter of a close knit family and Ciro Lazzari is a young man who has been raised by nuns, along with his brother, after the death of their father.  The two meet briefly and fall in love as teenagers in Italy.  Unbeknownst to Enza, Ciro is soon sent to live in America after being banished by the unscrupulous local priest.  Eventually Enza and her father also travel to America to earn money to build a home for the family in their village in the foothills of the Alps. Throughout the ensuing years, the two meet several times as Ciro masters shoemaking and joins the army during World War I and Enza sews costumes for the Metropolitan Opera Company, including the great Caruso.  Eventually the two marry and settle in Minnesota, building a new life and a new family.

Trigiani manages to fill every page of this novel with color, texture, and historical ambience.  Based on the lives of her grandparents, Lucia and Carlo, the novel transports the reader into pre-war Italian village life, the trenches of France, the glamour of back-stage life at the Met, and the streets of Hoboken and little Italy.  The Shoemaker's Wife is a testament to family love and inner strength and is filled with characters that are both admirable and endearing.  Please read it!

MAN DOWN (Dan Abrams)

Man Down: proof beyond a reasonable doubt that women are better cops, drivers, gamblers, spies, world leaders, beer tasters, hedge fund managers, and just about everything else...
Finally, a man has the guts to admit the truth!  In this tongue-in-cheek series of short essays, Abrams quotes studies and statistics from around the world that support his assertion that woman really are the superior sex in most respects.  He describes Adam as a sort of test model that God used before finally perfecting his creation in the form of a woman.  In general, women are better looking, more compassionate, more successful competitive eaters, they vote more, sleep better, run longer, endure pain better...the list just goes on and on. Not that every woman is superior to every man, but as a gender we have been undervalued for years,  apparently.  Abrams paints a rather bleak possible future for men, who most likely will be consigned to roles as househusbands and clerical workers as women's success in education, business, and politics continues to burgeon.  This nifty little tome is humorous, to be sure, but it does inspire one to wonder why men have been in charge of so much for so long while obviously under-performing when compared to what women could have achieved.  "Behind every great man there is probably an even greater woman..."  Abrams, an attorney, presents some compelling evidence here.  Food for thought!

A KILLER PLOT (Ellery Adams)

Ellery Adams Books by the Bay series is a little different from some of the cozies that I have read, less humorous and more introspective.  Main character Olivia Limoges has a secret, vulnerable side and the kind of thoughtful intelligence that make the reader want to get to know her better.  In A Killer Plot, first in the series, she has recently returned to Oyster Bay, NC, the home of her painful childhood.  Wealthy and community-minded, she runs a successful restaurant and is landlord to many thriving local businesses.  Olivia's greatest love is her wonderful dog, Captain Haviland, the smartest and best-trained poodle I have ever encountered in the pages of a novel (or in real life!), but she is lonely for human company and in need of social contact despite her long history in the town. 

When Olivia discovers the Bayside Book Writers group, she is drawn to one of the group's members, Camden Ford, a charming, talented, and very flamboyant writer (I picture him as Carson Cressley).  Camden is visiting the town to do research for his novel, a thinly disguised take on the life of Oyster bay's prominent Talbot family.  An aspiring author herself, Olivia offers the group the use of her dilapidated lighthouse cottage as a meeting place and then proceeds to refurbish and redecorate it for the next meeting.  When Camden uncharacteristically fails to show up to hear the group's critique of his work, they decide that something is amiss.  Camden's body is discovered behind a local dive along with a seasonal haiku painted on the wall, leading Olivia to conjecture that the killer they are dealing with is both literate and likely to strike again.  With the help of her newfound friends and gentlemanly police chief Sawyer Rawlings, Olivia finds herself involved in the investigation.  Check out this series! You won't regret it.

DIFFERENT... NOT LESS (Temple Grandin, PhD)

Inspiring Stories of Achievement and Successful Employment from Adults with Autism, Asperger's, and ADHD.

Temple Grandin has compiled the personal success stories of fourteen people with Asperger's, Autism, and ADHD into a wonderful, inspirational book that should be required reading for, well, everyone. Most of us will have to admit that, despite our best intentions, we have at some time minimized someone who seems a little "weird" or decided that it wasn't worth the effort to include a coworker or acquaintance who is a little too overbearing or too withdrawn for comfort. Dr. Grandin's book gives us the opportunity to see the world of those who are "different" from the inside and in their own words. Being bullied, failing in relationships, experiencing near constant anxiety, and struggling to earn a living can be the norm for those of us whose brains are wired a little differently.  We "neurotypicals" have a great opportunity here to learn something that could make us more compassionate and understanding people.

ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART (Jane Green)

I read with interest some of the Goodreads reviews on this novel and I tend to agree with the people who mentioned "old Jane" and "new Jane."   There has been a definite change in Jane Green's writing and themes over years, from earlier chick lit novels like Babyville and Bookends to her more recent publications, which remind me much more of Barbara Delinsky or Nancy Thayer than Sophie Kinsella and Helen Fielding.  Maybe it has to do with growing older (as we all do) or moving to America.  I tend to like the chick lit phase more, I have to confess.

Overall, I did not dislike Another Piece of My Heart, but I found it to be a bit too angst-filled for my taste.  Andi and Ethan met and married after his divorce from Brooke, an out-of-control alcoholic who shares custody of their two daughters, Emily and Sophia.  Longing for a family of her own, Andi enthusiastically embraces her role as stepmother to sweet 8-year-old Sophia and Emily, who is a sullen teenager.  Despite their commitment, things go from bad to worse for Andi and Ethan as they battle infertility and Emily's constant competition for Ethan's attention.  Emily's disruptive behavior and Ethan's guilt at his daughter's unhappiness drive a wedge between the couple, and Andi has almost reached her breaking point when Emily's pregnancy at 17 becomes a further stress in their lives.

Emily is a deeply troubled drama queen, for sure, and I still cannot quite fathom why her parents decided to forego individual or family counseling.  It might have ruined the plot line, but it might have made a big difference for this poor family. Fortunately, they work it out in the end.  You'll have to read it to find out how!

THE BEST OF TIMES (Penny Vincenzi)

Where has Penny Vincenzi been all my life?  Interestingly, I choose most of the fiction at the library where I work and I have discovered that we own at least five of her novels, all purchased by ME!  I wonder why I never noticed them before?

The Best of Times is a long book (593 pages) with a LOT of characters whose lives intersect dramatically on a hot August afternoon when some of them are involved in a tragic multi-vehicle accident on the M4 just outside of London.  Jonathan and Abi are bitterly ending a brief affair, Georgia is desperately trying to get to the audition that might result in her big break as an actress, and Mary is on her way to the airport to meet Russell, with whom she shared a war time romance.  Toby and Barney are late for Toby's wedding and Patrick, whose truck goes out of control and causes the accident, is just trying to get home to his family.  Will Grainger witnesses the accident from his farm adjacent to the highway and his life slowly becomes entwined with the heroes and victims of the crash.

Full of intrigue, suspense, and romance, Vincenzi's novel is a must-read as far as I am concerned.  I loved it.  A The only thing I could suggest to make it better would be a list of characters to refer to.  It does get confusing at points!

BY HOOK OR BY CROOK (Betty Hechtman)

Molly Pink stumbles on yet another crochet-related murder! Molly is the events organizer at Shedd & Royal Books, where her local crochet group, the Tarzana Hookers, meets weekly.  When she comes across a strange filet crochet piece at a local festival, left deliberately at the Shedd & Royal table, Molly begins to wonder what the strangely designed squares mean and who wants her to decipher the message.  When Molly finally tracks down the crocheter, the owner of a local dance studio, she discovers that the woman has died after eating marzipan apples.  Much to the chagrin of her detective boyfriend Barry, and to the apparent amusement of her lawyer friend Mason, Molly and her friends quickly become involved in solving yet another murder.  The investigation takes them from Tarzana, CA to Catalina Island and back again, all with the background rhythms of Molly's mother and the She La La's, in rehearsal at Molly's house for their big comeback audition.


Hechtman's Tarzana Hookers series is fun.  Molly is a 40-something widow trying to build a new life and enjoy friends, career, and maybe a little romance, putting up with frequent interference by her parents, sons, and romantic interests.  Her friends are likable with well-developed backgrounds and personalities, although they don't figure as prominently in this novel as in some of the others.  I love all of the knitting mysteries out there, but I love crocheting more, so I'm thrilled with this series.

GOSSIP (Beth Gutcheon)

Lovey French, Avis Binney Metcalf, and Dinah Kittredge Wainwright meet at Miss Pratt's, an exclusive Connecticut high school  (presumably a thinly disguised Miss Porter's) in 1960.  Gutcheon's fabulous book traces their lives throughout the next 50 plus years, with Lovey acting as the inadvertent conduit for the confidences and gossip that define and sometimes direct the course of their lives. All of us wonder "what if?" at various times in our lives.  Gutcheon allows the reader to imagine what might have been over the course of these 3 women's lives if someone had made a different choice, spoken up, corrected a misconception, encouraged a confidence, or simply given in.  All three women are successful: Lovey as an exclusive boutique owner and fashion consultant, Avis as an art buyer, and Dinah as a writer.  Lovey is the common bond between Dinah and Avis, who are polar opposites, until their children, Nick and Grace, fall in love and marry.  The book alternates points of view among the three women.

How would I describe Gossip?  Compelling, elegant, subtle, insightful, and frightening are all words that come to mind.  How fragile are our human bonds, how sacred the trust between friends.  I'm still thinking "What if?" long after finishing this wonderful novel.  Each of us is entrusted with confidences that could change the course of others' lives.  When should we share and when should we respect the trust?  We may not even be aware of what we should just forget we heard and when we should have spoken up, and we may feel guilty about the times that we decided that something is "none of my business."  I always think that one of the signs of a good book (aside from not being able to put it down) is not being able to stop thinking about it when you are done reading.  This is a good book!

KING PEGGY (Peggielene Bartels & Eleanor Herman)

On hold for the moment!  Very interesting memoir by a DC secretary who becomes King of her village in Ghana....

HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE (Meg Donohue)

A cruel (and untrue) remark by Julia St. Clair, made to impress a boy in high school, set off a series of events in Anna Quintana's life that ultimately resulted in her suspension from school and delayed her acceptance into college.  A short time later Anna's mother, Lucia, died of an aneurysm, leaving 18-year-old Anna  alone in the world.  Lucia had fled Ecuador as a pregnant 16-year-old years before and found work as a nanny and housekeeper for the St. Clair family.  As a result, Anna and Julia were raised as sisters and best friends in the St. Clair mansion until the differences in their social status and Julia's lie tore their relationship apart.  Now, 10 years later, Anna has been hired to cater the dessert for a charity luncheon at Lolly and Tad St. Clair's mansion, where she encounters Julia for the first time in years.

Stories about foundlings or servant's children raised together with the children of wealthy can often end badly (remember all of the problems between Darcy and that bounder Wickham in Pride & Prejudice, or Heathcliff's nasty behavior towards Catherine in Wuthering Heights?).  Sometimes, however, the children in question can end up owning a business together!  The question then is how much the bitterness, lies, and  recriminations from the past will get in the way of a happy ending.  Both Julia and Anna are nice people and Donohue throws a little mystery and some hidden agendas into the mix that add a bit of adrenalin rush to the story.  The best part of this novel, though, is the cupcakes!  I would love to taste some of the flavors that Anna comes up with.  Yum!

MISSING CHILD (Patricia MacDonald)

Patricia MacDonald writes terrific domestic thrillers and this one is no exception.  Caitlin Eckart is happily married to Noah and is a loving stepmother to 6-year-old Geordie, but she has a secret.  Nearly four years ago her 16-year-old brother (and ward) James was the driver in a hit-and-run accident that killed Noah's first wife, Emily.  James died of a drug overdose before Caitlin could convince him to turn himself in to the police.  At a memorial service for Emily a year later, Caitlin's intention is to introduce herself to Emily's widower, Noah, and confess her brother's role in the tragedy and her own failure to report her knowledge to the police.  Instead, she falls in love with Noah and the right time for confession never seems to come.  Now part of a happy, loving family with a son that she thinks of as her own, Caitlin still worries about her deception and how it could destroy their happiness.

Everything falls apart one autumn day when Geordie disappears from school without a trace.  Emily's parents, Westy and Paula Bergen, her brother Dan, ex-sister-in-law Haley, and Noah's sister and mother, Naomi and Martha, are consumed with fear over Geordie's fate, and suspicions grow and fester within the family.  When James' old girlfriend Karla, who has been born again, stops by Noah and Caitlin's house after seeing news of Geordie's disappearance on the news, she discusses Emily's fatal accident with Noah, inadvertently revealing Caitlin's "secret" and throwing the family into turmoil.  Of course, this new information prompts Noah and the police to question Caitlin's character and motivations and to wonder what else she may be hiding.

I stayed up until 11:30 last night finishing this novel.  I was shocked at the outcome, but it made sense.  These are two of the marks of a good thriller, in my opinion: you can't wait to get to the end and when you do you are simultaneously shocked and wondering why you didn't see it coming.  MacDonald is good, very good.  She gets my vote as the current queen of domestic thrillers!  Read this!

DANCING ON BROKEN GLASS (Ka Hancock)

What can I say about this novel?  I feel like my emotions have been shredded and scattered into the wind over and over again.  Ka Hancock's powerful story left me drained, yet weirdly and freshly hopeful about life choices and death.

Lucy and Mickey are madly in love, completely committed to each other and to a marriage made fragile by bipolar disorder and cancer. Years before, just days before he was killed in the line of duty, Lucy's police officer father promised his then 5-year-old daughter that there are three things that are true about death: that it is not the end, that it doesn't hurt, and that if you are not afraid you can watch for it and be ready.  Lucy soon sees death, a comforting, feminine presence, and understands that she is there for her father, not for her, not yet.  Twelve years later, when Lucy is 17, death comes for Lucy's mother as well in the form of breast cancer, which had also claimed Lucy's grandmother and aunt.  Lucy and her sisters are left to face life together, wondering what the future holds for them.

When Mickey was 12 years old his severely depressed mother took her own life and soon after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Struggling to manage his illness over the years, Mickey is a successful club owner by the age of 29, when he falls in love with Lucy.  They decide to marry despite the trepidation of Lucy's sisters, Priscilla and Lil, choosing to live and love, dancing on broken glass with each other despite the terrible possibilities that lurk in the genes that eventually betray them.

I am trying not to say too much about what happens to Lucy and Mickey as their story progresses because this  is a book that you should feel on your own as you read it.  The two tell their own stories and their devotion to each other shines through on each page, as does the anguish they face when forced to choose between two impossible paths.  This is a love story, a tear-jerker, a learning experience.  I confess that I feel more confident about life and possibilities after reading Dancing on Broken Glass.  Bravo, Ms. Hancock!

KNIT ONE PEARL ONE (Gil McNeil)

Gil McNeil's knitting series is a pleasant way to spend a lazy spring weekend.  If you have read her earlier books, you know that Jo McKenzie is a widow (her husband crashed his car into a tree just after announcing that he was leaving her for his mistress) and the mother of 2 rambunctious boys plus Pearl, a toddler.  Jo owns a seaside knitting shop in England and, with the help of her Gran and the lovable Martin, her carpenter, sometimes boyfriend, and son of Elsie, her shop assistant, she is making a go of her business and raising her fatherless boys.  Thanks to movie-star knitting student Grace she has enough income to keep the shop and her classes going, and thanks to good friends Connie and Mark she also has opened a cafe next to the shop.  When Pearl's father, Daniel, reappears in their lives, he seems, surprisingly, to fit comfortably into the mix.

The Beach Street Knitting Society series (I still can't figure out why it is called that!) doesn't offer car chases, crimes to solve, or impossibly passionate romance.  In fact, McNeil reminds me a bit of Marcia Willett and Rosamund Pilcher, who write about the business of coping with everyday life, family, and friends.  It's not that there is no excitement here, but it's the same sort that you or I might experience - familiar and personal, but with a lot of yarn thrown in!  It was a pleasure.

I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER (Sophie Kinsella)

I'm experiencing very conflicting emotions now, because I have just finished a delightful novel.  I listened to the first 10 chapters (great job, Jayne Entwhistle!) and read the last 1/3 of the book or so and now I am wishing for more, but I wouldn't change a thing about the way it turned out.  The thing about Sophie Kinsella is that she completely engages your emotions under the guise of fun chick lit.  At first glance, her main character, Poppy Wyatt, would appear to be a somewhat superficial young woman marrying into a family of wealthy intellectuals.  Her fiance, Magnus, finds her charming and sexy and a little bit inferior to him.  She can't believe that someone so wonderful has chosen her to be his wife and overlooks the strange behavior of his parents and wedding planner, Lucinda, a hyperactive, demanding friend of the family who constantly complains about how burdened she is with the wedding preparations.

Poppy's life changes when her phone is stolen and she finds an abandoned mobile in a trash bin.  The reader is treated to the her hilarious handling of various dilemmas, the development of her relationship with gruff businessman Sam Roxton, the owner of her new phone, and to the gradual and completely endearing emergence of Poppy the person: intelligent, caring, helpful, and insightful.  She will completely capture your heart as she almost single-handedly brings down a complicated plot to discredit a respected businessman and take over Sam's company, White Globe Consulting, in the process.  To me, one of the things that makes a novel worth reading is wanting more at the end, and I do!

SWEET POISON (Ellen Hart)

Ellen Hart's Jane Lawless series falls under the category of gay literature, and it is done pretty well.  Jane is a Minneapolis restaurant owner in a long distance relationship with a college professor, Kenzie Mulroy.  Jane's best friend Cordelia is also gay, with a partner who lives in an adjacent building within yelling distance.  Other gay characters include Jane's former partner, Julia, Jane's father's campaign IT guy, and a minister who has been the victim of a serious gay-bashing crime.

Some of the Christie Capers were decidedly not pleased with this choice and I believe that for some of them the general plot (more gritty than cozy) along with the gay theme and large number of gay characters were simply not appealing.  For others, including myself, the novel was fine, but I did find myself, like Joan Cusack fleeing that bar in her wedding gown in the movie "In & Out," thinking, "Is everybody gay?"

Jane's father, Raymond Lawless, is running for governor of Minnesota when Corey Hodge is paroled from prison just before the election.  Corey has always proclaimed himself innocent, but took a plea bargain on the advice of Ray Lawless, his lawyer, and served 10 years in prison.  Now he is accused of another, similar crime when one of Ray Lawless' campaign volunteers is found dead after being seen with him.  In addition to the press frenzy over Hodge's connection with Ray Lawless, campaign headquarters is plagued by computer problems and Ray has been suffering some perplexing health problems that he is trying to conceal until the election is over.  Jane is not as involved in "investigating" as I would have expected, but she is supportive of her father and worries about the impact of all of these factors on his bid for governor.

I read an interview with Ellen Hart in which she talks about her books being somewhat marginalized by the mainstream literary world because of their gay theme, so I went into this mystery with the expectation that the main character being gay would be a primary focus, as it was.  I admire the author for providing a good solid series in a genre that is obviously in demand and often difficult to find. I think that perhaps readers like me, who are not gay, might have a hard time identifying with Ms. Hart's novels because the number of gay characters seems out of proportion with the general population.  For someone gay who is looking for a mystery with characters with whom they can identify, though, this would be a good choice.  If Ms. Hart changed her series to appeal more to the mainstream, she might sell more books, but I think she would leave a void in an area of literature that she fills quite well as is.

DIVA RUNS OUT OF THYME (Krista Davis)

Sophie Winston is an event planner & domestic diva based in the Washington, DC suburb of Old Town Alexandria VA .  Sophie and her ex-husband, Mars, are good friends and no more, but Mars' current love, Natasha, Alexandria's answer to Martha Stewart, considers Sophie her biggest rival on both professional and personal arenas. It doesn't help that their respective mothers keep incorrectly referring to Natasha as the woman who stole Mars from Sophie and  plotting to get Sophie and Mars back together despite the fact that they are happily divorced.

Sophie's and Mars' families are all in town for Thanksgiving and to attend the finals of a stuffing contest at a local hotel, but tragedy strikes when Simon, the contest organizer, is found dead.  Unfortunately for Sophie, it is she who discovers the body and becomes the chief suspect, especially since she recently stumbled on another murder, that of a PI who just happened to have a picture of her in his truck.  Wolf, the handsome police officer with a mysterious past and an obvious interest in Sophie, seems convinced that she is a common element in both crimes.  Sophie knows that she is not guilty, but who is?  Could it be her sister Hannah's new fiance, Dr. Craig, or Mars' old friend Bernie?  What about Simon's chauffeur, Clive, or Mars' brother, Andrew, who was cheated in business by Simon?  The Colonel, whose granddaughter died as a result of a botched stunt on one of Simon's TV shows, or even Natasha could have had motive or opportunity.  With the help of neighbor / best friend Nina, Sophie sets out to wade through the suspect pool and prove herself innocent of two seemingly unconnected crimes.

Davis has created an entertaining cast of characters in this Domestic Diva series.  I wish that I had read this one before Diva Takes the Cake.  I would recommend reading them in order, but it is not strictly necessary if you have a good head for keeping track of characters.  This series is hilarious, filled with twists and turns, dead-ends and surprise clues, and adorably quirky neighbors and side characters.  Each chapter opens with a bit of Sophie's or Natasha's domestic wisdom, which serves to highlight he contrast between the two woman.  Read and enjoy!

THE DRESSMAKER (Kate Alcott)

 Fed up with domestic service and longing to develop her talents as an expert seamstress and designer, Tess  Collins sets off from Cherbourg, France on the Titanic as the hastily hired assistant to the famous couturier Lady Lucile Duff Gordon. The dramatic, volatile Madame Lucile and her husband, Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon, are on their way to New York to present her new fashion line and are serendipitously (for Tess) in need of a maid/assistant just as Tess arrives looking for work.  When the supposedly indestructible ship sinks, Tess escapes into one of the last lifeboats while the Duff Gordons, along with 3 other people and 7 crew members (including Tess's friend Jim Bonney), depart in Lifeboat One, a boat designed to hold 50 people.  After the survivors (about 1/3 of the total on board) are rescued and transported to New York on the Carpathia, U.S. Senator Smith conducts a series of hearings to investigate the cause of the disaster and the actions taken in its aftermath, including reports that the passengers in Lifeboat One, at the insistence of Lady Duff Gordon,  refused to pull additional victims from the icy waters of the Atlantic.


The Dressmaker is perfectly timed to take advantage of the popularity of "Downton Abbey" and the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster.  Rather than focusing on the disaster itself, Alcott writes about its emotional toll on the survivors and the impact of class and wealth in determining who escaped from the ship.  The year 1912 was a time of change in the United States, with the suffragist movement in full swing and class barriers being broken down, and fashion reflected changing attitudes in and toward women.  Tess is caught up in this  new, exciting world, caught between servitude and ambition and torn between two very different men.

As a historical novelist, Alcott presents the reader with an unusual view of the Titanic incident.  I have said in the past that I enjoy real historical figures being used as characters in fiction.  Here, the Duff Gordons were real as was the incident with Lifeboat One, but I feel that Alcott has taken a little bit too much liberty with the Duff Gordons' involvement, mixing fact and fiction a little too freely.  There are some interesting accounts of their experiences available in Encylopedia Titanica at http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/lady-duff-gordon.html,.

Another issue that I had with the novel is that it seemed to fall a bit short on focus.  I would have liked more detail on the hearings, or more of an emotional connection (aside from Lucile's hysterics) to the loss of the Titanic.  Almost no one seems to have suffered from PTSD or had lingering after-effects from their near-death. I think that perhaps the reader needs to keep in mind, though, that the title is The Dressmaker and that Tess' reactions and experiences are probably in keeping with her station in life, her upbringing, and the time in which the  novel is set.  In this modern age we are so used to political correctness, media frenzy, over-reaction, and litigation that acceptance and deference as reactions to a tragedy may seem almost foreign to us.  This is a book written from the point of view of a young woman moving from a restricted, class-oriented world to one of new freedoms and opportunities.  Overall, I enjoyed the novel very much and would recommend it.

DEATH OF A KINGFISHER (M.C. Beaton)

Constable Hamish MacBeth is in good form, as usual.  He is now sharing his little police station with Dick, an older and very lazy  constable with an incredible talent for game show trivia.  Hamish still lives in fear of his station being closed down and being forced to leave Lochdubh and move to Strathbane or another larger village.  He is still battling the incompetent and small-minded inspector Blair (and still getting the better of him!) and still falling in love with the wrong women at every turn.

When a local glen is turned into a tourist attraction, complete with tour buses and fairies, can murder and mayhem be far behind?  Besides Mary, the beautiful (and married) manager of the glen, Hamish has to contend with an amorous female cop, a sour old woman, her creepy grandchildren, and Dick's obsession with game shows.  When a kingfisher is strung up at the glen Hamish is ridiculed for reporting it as a "murder," until it leads to a tangled maze of money, murder, and family greed that only the clear-thinking Hamish can navigate.

M.C. Beaton never disappoints when it comes to Hamish, a tall, red-headed, exceedingly handsome constable.  While this was not Hamish's finest adventure (I like to see the locals more closely involved in the the story), it was certainly well worth reading, especially if you are a long-time Hamish MacBeth fan.  Now if Hamish and Elspeth would just get together!

DISTURBING THE DEAD (Sandra Parshall)

Rachel Goddard has started a new life in Mason County, Virginia, leaving the traumas of the past and the people the that she loves behind.  In Heat of the Moon, where we last saw Rachel, she was working in a veterinary clinic run by fellow veterinarian Luke Campbell, who had become her lover.  Now she has moved on, opening her own practice in Mason County and befriending Tom Bridger and Holly Turner.

When a set of human bones is discovered on a remote hilltop, Tom Bridger is convinced that there is a connection to the unsolved disappearance of Pauline McClure, Holly's aunt.  When Rachel and Holly, who is staying with her, become the targets of a series of violent attacks, the cold case heats up.  The remains of a second body turn up on the mountaintop and Tom begins to suspect that Holly's mother, Jeanne Turner, who has not been home to Mason County in years, might have been involved, but the Turner family is not cooperating.  Tom's research dredges up old questions and and suspicions about his late father, who was in charge of the original investigation, but why are Rachel and Holly being targeted and is it connected to this case or Rachel's past?  Is there a connection between the bones and Holly's father's criminal activities?  Will Tom and Rachel fall in love?

I love Parshall's Rachel Goddard series. The only complaint that I have is that there seems to be a whole series of life changing events for Rachel that took place between the first and this, the second, book.  Someone on Facebook suggested that we need a book 1 and 1/2 to fill in the gap.  I would enjoy that, but I seem to enjoy everything Parshall writes!  Under the Dog Star, the fourth in the series, is on the NEW shelf in our library right now and I am thinking seriously of checking it out this week, but I may have to wait.  So many books, so little time!

AS THE PIG TURNS (M.C. Beaton) ...Revisited...

It appears that I was just in a weird mood the first time I attempted to read the latest Agatha Raisin mystery.  With the assurances of co-worker and fellow fan Patty, I tried again and found  that I enjoyed Agatha's latest adventure tremendously.  Poor Agatha is a brilliant, intuitive woman when it comes to solving crimes, but she is incredibly needy emotionally.  I love her relationship with Mrs. Bloxby, the vicar's wife, who is the only steady influence in Agatha's life.  Yes, Agatha sometimes tends to use Mrs. Bloxby, but she truly appreciates her and it is unusual to see a true friendship between a hard-nosed, self-involved business woman and a lovely, selfless woman who always puts others first.

When Agatha notices a tattoo on the main entree at a pig roast in Winter Parva, she realizes that a human torso, rather than a pig, is roasting on the spit.  In the meantime, obnoxious police officer Gary Beech has disappeared.  Is there a connection?  When Beech's former wife Amy hires Agatha to investigate her former husband's disappearnce, she uncovers a tangled web of intrigue involving infidelity, murder, and the mob.  With the help of Roy, Charles, and former husband James, Agatha risks life and limb to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Beech's murder.  As usual, the local police minimize Agatha's contribution, but she ultimately uncovers the solution.  you'll like it!

FREE RANGE KNITTER (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee)

I will just make quick mention of how entertaining Pearl-McPhee's essays continue to be despite the fact that I am not a knitter.  As a crocheter I do have a yarn obsession, so I can identify with the author on that subject, but her witty and insightful observations of life are spot on and have universal appeal.  You don't need to be a knitter to read this book!  Through a series of chapters named for the progression of steps involved in knitting, Pearl-McPhee expertly tackles such topics as knitting as a cure for depression, motherhood, how knitters are perceived by non-knitters, self-esteem, and how to escape from your family.  You will laugh out loud or maybe cry a little, but if you are a woman you could not fail to identify with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.

THE DIVA TAKES THE CAKE (Krista Davis)

Set in Old Town Alexandria, VA (where we spent our vacation last year with fellow Christie Capers moderator Janet and her husband), Davis' Domestic Diva series is fun and packed full of quirky, likable characters.  Based on comments from the Christie Capers discussion group, Diva Takes the Cake is not the best of this series, at least as the first to read.  Because the venue for this mystery is a wedding, there are a few too many characters to keep track of, especially when you add in the aliases!  I have to confess that I kept confusing Natasha with Nina and Phoebe with Jen (I can't explain that one) and I had to keep reminding myself of who was related to whom and how.  I even was getting the various animals confused!  That being said, I loved the tongue in cheek quality of Davis' writing.  Nearly every chapter, it seemed, ended with a surprise: a wedding disaster, an intruder, an accident, a dead body.  My advice would be to start with the first book in the series, Diva Runs Out of Thyme, to get familiar with the characters and their background before you read this one.  Although Davis did introduce everyone adequately, the sheer number of people and activity make it difficult to follow it all if you don't already have some background.  Once you get done with the first, though, I think you'll want to keep on reading.  Oh, and the book covers are wonderful!

THE VILLA OF DEATH (Joanna Challis)

In the summer of 1927 aspiring author Daphne du Maurier is 21 years old, in love with a man who is engaged to someone else, and anxious to write and publish her first novel.  Her friend Ellen is about to marry the father of her 10-year-old daughter after years of separation and Daphne is part of the wedding party traveling to Ellen's family estate, Thornleigh.  Daphne is dismayed to find the object of her affection, Major Browning, and his beautiful and aristocratic fiance at the festivities.  Groom Teddy Grimshaw is found dead soon after the ceremony, precipitating a series of apparent attempts on Ellen's life and compelling Daphne to investigate.

I don't know about you, but I particularly enjoy well-done fiction featuring real historical or literary figures.  This is the third in Challis' Daphne du Maurier mystery series.   I wasn't so sure about it at first, but after I read up on du Maurier's life it sparked my interest.  Challis does a good job with the period details (old money vs. people who work, family estates, moral issues) as well as with the mystery itself.

DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY (P.D. James)

Has Jane Austen been reincarnated as P.D. James?  This wonderful continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is a joy from start to finish.  It is 6 years after Elizabeth Bennett's wedding to Mr. Darcy and Sister Jane and her husband Mr. Bingley live near Pemberley.  Wayward sister Lydia's husband, Mr. Wickham, is "not received" at  Pemberley due to his history with Darcy's sister, Georgiana.  It is the week of the traditional Lady Anne's Ball at Pemberley and Elizabeth and Darcy are busy preparing for the annual event when a coach careens up the drive and halts at the door. A hysterical Lydia emerges and screams that Wickham and Captain Denny have disappeared after exiting the carriage in the woodlands and that she fears murder.  SO begins the story of "Death Comes to Pemberley."

What is most memorable about this novel is not the mystery, but James' style, which to me is dead-on Austen.  Some may disagree, but the language and ambiance transported me immediately into the world of Pride and Prejudice.  I have to admit that I haven't read all of Austen's works and that the most recent was Northanger Abbey, not Pride and Prejudice, but I've seen all the movies (I admit that this is a bad thing for a librarian to admit!) and it was very easy to visualize this novel.  I am not an Austen scholar, just a fan, and P.D. James has done a great job imagining Darcy and Lizzie's world at Pemberley.  I loved it!

I AM HALF-SICK OF SHADOWS (Alan Bradley)

Flavia de Luce strikes again!  With every new adventure I marvel again. at Bradley's imagination and insight into the mind and heart of an 11-year-old girl.  Flavia is precocious and conniving, a highly intelligent amateur chemist who still believes in Father Christmas and yearns for the love of the mother she lost 10 years before.

In desperate financial straits, Mr. De Luce rents Buckshaw to a film company at Christmas time.  Popular star Phyllis Wyvern agrees to perform at Buckshaw to help raise funds for a new church roof, but a snow storm during the performance strands the attendees at the De Luce home.  When Phyllis is found strangled with one her own films, Flavia is on the case. She has also embarked on a quest to prove the existence of Father Christmas through the magic of chemistry.  As faithful readers will anticipate, chaos ensues with Flavia inevtiably at its center.  As always, Bradley has done a perfect job and Flavia is irresistable.

THE HEAT OF THE MOON ( Sandra Parshall)

Imagine that a chance encounter with a young girl, rain-soaked and crying with worry over her injured dog, triggers in a young woman long-ago memories of  her younger sister, frightened and looking for their mother in a violent thunderstorm.  Young veterinarian Rachel Goddard finds her world spinning out of control when she begins to experience unexplained flashes from her past that makes no sense to her.  In this award-winning thriller, Parshall's first mystery, the author weaves together the enticing story of a family haunted by past tragedies and secrets that threaten to destroy the delicate balance of their lives.  A prominent psychologist with a controlling personality, Judith Goddard was widowed tragically at a young age, but has raised her two daughters, Rachel and Michelle, to be confident and successful women.  In her intense grief over the loss of her husband, Judith has trained her daughters to put their painful past behind them and refuses to share details of life with their father or of his death.  She has lovingly and relentlessly used her professional skills to shield Rachel from the pain of a past that she claims might be too much for her to bear, suggesting that delving into the circumstances of her father's death when she was five and Michelle was three years old might stir up guilt strong enough to destroy Rachel's emotional balance.

I found Parshall's characters just a little bit stilted and stereotypical, but by the time I was halfway through the book I didn't care!  This is a page turner!  Parshall has a wonderful talent for drawing in the reader right from the start.  I couldn't wait to get back to this novel when I was otherwise occupied and I hated to put it down.  I would highly recommend it!

BROKEN PLACES (Sandra Parshall)

This is actually the 3rd in Parshall's Rachel Goddard series, but I didn't find any difficulty in enjoying this terrific mystery despite a lack of knowledge of the main character's background (see my review of The Heat of the Moon above).  It is a little unusual, though to refer readers to a previous book to fill in details that have been unearthed by a character in this one.  It didn't detract from the story, though; it just made me curious to read the other book!

Veterinarian Rachel Goddard has moved to rural Mason County, Virginia (Oh, no!  Now I have to read book #2, also, to figure out how she ended up here!) where she has become romantically involved with native Deputy Sheriff Tom Bridger. A few hours after Rachel "witnesses" the murder of Cam Taylor (she hears the murder takes place and discovers the body), the body of Cam's wife, Meredith, is found in their burning home.  Rachel's close friend Benicio Hernandez, an artist known professionally as Ben Hern, becomes the chief suspect.  After a contentious encounter with Cam at his home, Ben was seen again arguing with him on a remote country road shortly before Cam was shot.  Tom's former love, Lindsey Taylor, returns to Mason County to bury her parents and to stir up trouble.  Determined to bring her parents' murderer to justice and to rekindle her romance with Tom, Lindsey attempts to intimidate Rachel and incriminate Ben.  All of the Christie Capers agreed that they never saw the denouement coming, yet it made perfect sense.  I hope that Parshall develops the following that she deserves.  She certainly has a new devoted fan in me!

YARN HARLOT: THE SECRET LIFE OF A KNITTER (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee)

Well, I love Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and you can certainly expect me to be reporting on her future collections of observations on knitting and knitters.  Unfortunately, I was too ambitious in ordering interlibrary loans and taking out interesting sounding books from my own library and I ended up having to send this one back to the owning library.  Never fear, though!  I ordered another copy and will be reviewing it in the coming weeks!

...Now that I am done with this wonderful collection of essays I can say that it was well worth waiting for.  As I have said before, you don't have to be a knitter to enjoy Pearl-McPhee's life wisdom.  One of the most memorable essays here is the story of her friend and fellow knitter Lene (I may have the name wrong, but I don't have the book with me!), who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and has finally reached the point where she can no longer knit.  Stephanie and their mutual friend Ken go through Lene's stash of yarn with her, a sad undertaking, and each take home a selection of wonderful wools.  During the  next couple of years they knit the yarns and always gift them with a note that they are from Lene, a wonderful tribute to a friend who can no longer experience the joy and peace of knitting.  This particular essay, focusing on carrying on a task for someone who needs help, was heart-warming and a true reflection of how life and friendship should be.  It was inspiring!

A HOLIDAY YARN (Sally Goldenbaum)

I was a little confused when I started reading because I didn't realize that A Holiday Yarn actually come BEFORE The Wedding Shawl.  Now I feel better and less confused about Izzy and Sam's relationship!

Nell, Ben, Izzy, and the whole Seaside Knitters gang are knitting in preparation for Christmas and the opening of Mary Pisano's new bed-and-breakfast, converted  from her family's ancestral home in Sea Harbor.  Not everyone is thrilled about the new business in the area, however.  When Mary's glamorous cousin Pamela, a magazine publisher, is found dead of on the porch of the B&B after a family meeting, it appears to be suicide, but murder seems more likely, especially after another suspicious death occurs.  Is someone trying to stop the B&B from ever opening its door or did someone from Pamela's past hold a grudge for past wrongs against them? Much of the evidence points toward amiable chef and friend Kevin, so, as usual, the Seaside Knitters get involved in tracking down answers before some else gets hurt.

I have to admit that I guessed the murderer on page 182, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of this great little cozy.  Goldenbaum comes through again!