Louisiana Bigshot by Julie Smith introduces african american Talba Wallis, budding PI, computer genius and by night the Baroness de Pontalba, a glamorous poet and performance artist. Talba was introduced in a Skip Langdon mystery 82 Desire. After totally her car, Talba gets a massage from friend Babalu who asks her to investigate her fiance who she fears is cheating on her. Talba gets the dirt on the boyfriend and four days later Babalu is dead of a heroin overdose. Is it suicide or murder? Babalu's boyfriend is convienced that it is murder so hires Talba to find out who would wand Babalu dead. Talba find out family secrets that go all the way up to the governor's elections.
Talba also unearth's some family secrets of her own. She finds out she has a younger sister and tracks her down to unsatisfactory conclusion. A lot happens in this mystery set in New Orleans. There is Talba's relationships with her family, her boss, Eddie Valentino and a host of other interesting characters. I enjoyed reading it but wouldn't put it on my list of favorites. I would read the next one just to see.
Thursday, April 24, 2003
Learning to Fly by April Henry The chaotic scene of a huge, fiery chain-reaction car accident leaves Free Meeker in the possession of someone else’s bag and the hitchhiker she has just picked up dead. By the next morning, 19-year-old Free, daughter of aging hippies, has discovered that the bag contains nearly a million dollars - and that the hitchhiker’s body has been identified as hers. Fate seems to be handing her the chance to make her life over. But when the owner of the drug money realizes it didn’t burn up in the fire, things get complicated. And things only get worse when the hitchhiker’s stalking husband decides that Free must be some do-gooder hiding his wife. It is an interesting story plus it it told from several different points of view including Free's.
I really like April Henry's books - not just because we share the same first name. Her other titles are fun because she uses vanity license plate as the ending for each chapter. It is sometimes a challenge to figure out what each one stands for and how it pertains to the chapter.
I really like April Henry's books - not just because we share the same first name. Her other titles are fun because she uses vanity license plate as the ending for each chapter. It is sometimes a challenge to figure out what each one stands for and how it pertains to the chapter.
Monday, April 21, 2003
Time Stops for No Mouse by Michael Hoeye which features Hermux Tantamoq, an average mouse who works in his watch shop. Nothing extraordinary every happens to him until one day when Linka Perflinger, daredevil aviatrix, drops off her watch to be repaired. Little did he know that his lfie would be changed forever. This book for children has adventure and a little romance. A lovely book. I will definitely read the sequel.
Sands of Time The adventures of Hermux Tantamoq, mouse and watchmaker, continue. When the museum in Pinchester announces a show of visionary portraits of cats, the mayor vows to shut it down. When a mysterious chipmunk claims to have a map to the royal library of an ancient kingdom of cats, he recruits Hermux to help him find it.
Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo is an odd and engrossing fairy tale. Follows the story of a smaller-than-usual mouse with large ears, Despereaux, in love with music, stories and a princess named Pea. This tiny hero faints at loud noises but gathers the courage to fulfill his dreams. With character and plot far more complex than the traditional fairy tale, separate stories introduce Despereaux, condemned for talking to the princess; the evil rat, Roscuro, who loves light and soup; and Miggery Sow, a farm girl with royal aspirations. The lyrical language of this distinctive tale is as savory as the palace soup. All of which become entertwined into a lovely story. It has won the 2004 Newbery award. I read this in just a few hours and enjoyed every moment.
Sands of Time The adventures of Hermux Tantamoq, mouse and watchmaker, continue. When the museum in Pinchester announces a show of visionary portraits of cats, the mayor vows to shut it down. When a mysterious chipmunk claims to have a map to the royal library of an ancient kingdom of cats, he recruits Hermux to help him find it.
Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo is an odd and engrossing fairy tale. Follows the story of a smaller-than-usual mouse with large ears, Despereaux, in love with music, stories and a princess named Pea. This tiny hero faints at loud noises but gathers the courage to fulfill his dreams. With character and plot far more complex than the traditional fairy tale, separate stories introduce Despereaux, condemned for talking to the princess; the evil rat, Roscuro, who loves light and soup; and Miggery Sow, a farm girl with royal aspirations. The lyrical language of this distinctive tale is as savory as the palace soup. All of which become entertwined into a lovely story. It has won the 2004 Newbery award. I read this in just a few hours and enjoyed every moment.
Sunday, April 13, 2003
An Artistic Way to Go by Roderic Jeffries features Inspector Alvarez. British art dealer Oliver Cooper lives on Mallora with his beautiful young wife and adoring friends. When his car is discovered at the edge of the cliffs Alvarez is brought in for a missing persons case. alvarez discovers that there are many people who would want Oliver dead, from his wife that is having an affair to the neighbor's who never got along. When Oliver is found dead with his head bashed in a few days later who will be the one who killed him? This is a short mystery but packed full. I have never read any books by this author and will try to go back and find some of the early titles as this one is #19. You really get the local flavor of this island and the culture with a mystery to boot. Olé!
Thursday, April 10, 2003
Aunt Dimity Mysteries by Nancy Atherton
Aunt Dimity's Death is the first in the series that introduces us to Lori Shepherd and the ghost of her Aunt Dimity. Suffering from her recent divorce, her mother's death, and an erratic income, Lori Shepherd receives notice from a prestigious Boston law firm she then discovers that Aunt Dimity (who had been the heroine of her childhood stories) had recently died that she must travel to England in order to meet the requirements of a will. While at the cottage she discovers the ghost of Aunt Dimity and helps her heal the grief that they both have over loss. Makes you want to curl up with a cup of tea with your cat.
Aunt Dimity and the Duke - #2 in the series features Emma Porter, fortyish computer nerd and gardener, who goes to England after being jilted by her longtime lover. At another garden she meets the Pym twins who send her an introduction to see the Penford gardens. As she arrives she is suddenly given the job of restoring the long neglected gardens and becomes entangled in a mystery involving the Duke of Penford. Aunt Dimity herself appears only in name-but no matter for the rest of the characters are delightful. A very entertaining read.
Aunt Dimity's Good Deed - #3 in the series featuring Lori Sheperd and her family and friends. In this installment Lori, feeling like her marriage is on the rocks, arranges a 2nd honeymood to go back to England and stay at Aunt Dimity's cottage. At the last minute Bill cancels but has his father, William, to go with Lori instead. Once they are settled William leaves a cryptic note and leaves for parts unknown. Luckily Aunt Dimity makes an appearance and helps Lori and her friend Emma's 12 year old daughter, Nell, (introduced in Book 2) figure out where he is headed. They discover many family members, secrets and murder. But the biggest mystery of all is will Bill realize what he is missing and come to the rescue. Another fun read in this series.
Aunt Dimity Digs In - #4 in the series. Lori and her husband Bill and new parents of 3 month old twin boys. Lori is running on empty when the Pym twins, Ruth & Louis, introduce them to Francesca Sciaparelli to be their nanny. When the local busybody Peggy Kitchen declares war upon the vicar because he gave the church schoolhouse to Adrian Culver who is doing an archaeological dig in the village Finch, Lori is put in the middle to bring peace to the village. But with both sides very passionate about their cause and scandals abound who will win the war? As usual Aunt Dimity has the answers but only Lori can bring peace to everyone.
Aunt Dimity's Christmas - #5 in the series. It is Lori's first Christmas for the twins and she decides she is going to do it right. She is having a grand Christmas party on Christmas eve and has organized all kinds of parties, decorations and gingerbread making. But when a deretict collasps in their drive way everything changes as she an attractive Roman Catholic priest try to discover the idenity of the tramp named Kit. Once again Aunt Dimity pays a crucial roll in this nostalgic non mystery. A fun read, and brings more awareness of family and hope. We see all the characters change for the better because of one man's plight to gain his dead father's forgiveness.
Book #6 Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil. Lori takes a break from her toddler twins to evaluate a rare book collection. She sets out for Wyrdhurst Hall, and encounters the newlywed owners and a charming, handsome stranger. She falls under Wyrdhurst's spell when she unearths a cache of World War I letters that tell of a doomed love and hidden treasure. It will take all of Dimity's supernatural skills to help Lori solve the puzzle. I listened to this on CD in the car and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately a few of the CD's were scratched so I missed some parts. This was the first one I read in the series but I will go back and read the others.
Aunt Dimity, Detective # 7 has it's first true murder in this cozy mystery series. The twins are now 2 years old and the entire family had spent three months in Boston with Bill's family. On their return they find that there has been a murder in Finch, their idyllic Cotswold village. Prunella Hooper "Pruneface" to most villagers was found dead of a blow to the head in her home, Crabtree Cottage. Given her malicious nature, the residents of Finch aren't surprised by her death; in fact are very closed mouth about it. Lori with the help of handsome Nicholas go door to door to discover who hated Prunella enough to kill her. Aunt Dimity mysteries are always a fun read but I'm getting a little tired of Lori's wondering eyes as there always seems to be a handsome stranger to tag along plus what about her kids? She always is willing to leave them with someone. The emphasis is always on the relationships rather than the mystery. But no matter, fun never the less.
Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday is the latest in this supernatural series. I just couldn't read this. It started with the usual drama but this time from the usually calm neighbor Emma pounding on the door saying that someone is going to kill her husband she just knows it. So I will return it back to the library and try to read in a few months. I think I have just read too many Aunt Dimity novels lately.
Aunt Dimity, Snowbound Lori Shepherd is overtaken by the blizzard of the century. Fortunately, she's soon safe and dry with two other stranded backpackers in Ladythorne Abbey, the fabulous home of the late Lucasta DeClerke. Or is she? In the abbey's cloisters and passages there still lingers the haunting presence of Lucasta, a mysterious madwoman -not to mention the danger posed by an unstable caretaker. It was better than the previous Dimity book, as I enjoy it when there is more of a supernatural aspect which there was this time. The mystery wasn't particularly difficult to figure out but it had an interesting twist.
Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin
Lori Shepherd, feeling a touch world-weary, decides to become a volunteer at the Radcliffe Infirmary, where she can spread a little good cheer in the community. There she meets Elizabeth Beacham, a kind, retired legal secretary with no family except a brother who has mysteriously disappeared.
Lori is saddened when Miss Beacham passes away suddenly after only a few visits. But when she receives an envelope containing a set of keys and a letter Miss Beacham wrote to her just a few days before her death, it becomes clear that there was much more to the gentle invalid than met the eye. Notices start arriving around the village of the large bequests made before her death. And Lori finds that Miss Beacham’s flat is filled with priceless antiques—an inheritance too precious to remain unclaimed. Armed with a few clues and Aunt Dimity’s help, Lori begins to unearth Miss Beacham’s secrets and, ultimately, the surprising truth about her next-of-kin.
This was one of the better stories as it gives Lori some humility which she really needed.
Aunt Dimity's Death is the first in the series that introduces us to Lori Shepherd and the ghost of her Aunt Dimity. Suffering from her recent divorce, her mother's death, and an erratic income, Lori Shepherd receives notice from a prestigious Boston law firm she then discovers that Aunt Dimity (who had been the heroine of her childhood stories) had recently died that she must travel to England in order to meet the requirements of a will. While at the cottage she discovers the ghost of Aunt Dimity and helps her heal the grief that they both have over loss. Makes you want to curl up with a cup of tea with your cat.
Aunt Dimity and the Duke - #2 in the series features Emma Porter, fortyish computer nerd and gardener, who goes to England after being jilted by her longtime lover. At another garden she meets the Pym twins who send her an introduction to see the Penford gardens. As she arrives she is suddenly given the job of restoring the long neglected gardens and becomes entangled in a mystery involving the Duke of Penford. Aunt Dimity herself appears only in name-but no matter for the rest of the characters are delightful. A very entertaining read.
Aunt Dimity's Good Deed - #3 in the series featuring Lori Sheperd and her family and friends. In this installment Lori, feeling like her marriage is on the rocks, arranges a 2nd honeymood to go back to England and stay at Aunt Dimity's cottage. At the last minute Bill cancels but has his father, William, to go with Lori instead. Once they are settled William leaves a cryptic note and leaves for parts unknown. Luckily Aunt Dimity makes an appearance and helps Lori and her friend Emma's 12 year old daughter, Nell, (introduced in Book 2) figure out where he is headed. They discover many family members, secrets and murder. But the biggest mystery of all is will Bill realize what he is missing and come to the rescue. Another fun read in this series.
Aunt Dimity Digs In - #4 in the series. Lori and her husband Bill and new parents of 3 month old twin boys. Lori is running on empty when the Pym twins, Ruth & Louis, introduce them to Francesca Sciaparelli to be their nanny. When the local busybody Peggy Kitchen declares war upon the vicar because he gave the church schoolhouse to Adrian Culver who is doing an archaeological dig in the village Finch, Lori is put in the middle to bring peace to the village. But with both sides very passionate about their cause and scandals abound who will win the war? As usual Aunt Dimity has the answers but only Lori can bring peace to everyone.
Aunt Dimity's Christmas - #5 in the series. It is Lori's first Christmas for the twins and she decides she is going to do it right. She is having a grand Christmas party on Christmas eve and has organized all kinds of parties, decorations and gingerbread making. But when a deretict collasps in their drive way everything changes as she an attractive Roman Catholic priest try to discover the idenity of the tramp named Kit. Once again Aunt Dimity pays a crucial roll in this nostalgic non mystery. A fun read, and brings more awareness of family and hope. We see all the characters change for the better because of one man's plight to gain his dead father's forgiveness.
Book #6 Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil. Lori takes a break from her toddler twins to evaluate a rare book collection. She sets out for Wyrdhurst Hall, and encounters the newlywed owners and a charming, handsome stranger. She falls under Wyrdhurst's spell when she unearths a cache of World War I letters that tell of a doomed love and hidden treasure. It will take all of Dimity's supernatural skills to help Lori solve the puzzle. I listened to this on CD in the car and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately a few of the CD's were scratched so I missed some parts. This was the first one I read in the series but I will go back and read the others.
Aunt Dimity, Detective # 7 has it's first true murder in this cozy mystery series. The twins are now 2 years old and the entire family had spent three months in Boston with Bill's family. On their return they find that there has been a murder in Finch, their idyllic Cotswold village. Prunella Hooper "Pruneface" to most villagers was found dead of a blow to the head in her home, Crabtree Cottage. Given her malicious nature, the residents of Finch aren't surprised by her death; in fact are very closed mouth about it. Lori with the help of handsome Nicholas go door to door to discover who hated Prunella enough to kill her. Aunt Dimity mysteries are always a fun read but I'm getting a little tired of Lori's wondering eyes as there always seems to be a handsome stranger to tag along plus what about her kids? She always is willing to leave them with someone. The emphasis is always on the relationships rather than the mystery. But no matter, fun never the less.
Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday is the latest in this supernatural series. I just couldn't read this. It started with the usual drama but this time from the usually calm neighbor Emma pounding on the door saying that someone is going to kill her husband she just knows it. So I will return it back to the library and try to read in a few months. I think I have just read too many Aunt Dimity novels lately.
Aunt Dimity, Snowbound Lori Shepherd is overtaken by the blizzard of the century. Fortunately, she's soon safe and dry with two other stranded backpackers in Ladythorne Abbey, the fabulous home of the late Lucasta DeClerke. Or is she? In the abbey's cloisters and passages there still lingers the haunting presence of Lucasta, a mysterious madwoman -not to mention the danger posed by an unstable caretaker. It was better than the previous Dimity book, as I enjoy it when there is more of a supernatural aspect which there was this time. The mystery wasn't particularly difficult to figure out but it had an interesting twist.
Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin
Lori Shepherd, feeling a touch world-weary, decides to become a volunteer at the Radcliffe Infirmary, where she can spread a little good cheer in the community. There she meets Elizabeth Beacham, a kind, retired legal secretary with no family except a brother who has mysteriously disappeared.
Lori is saddened when Miss Beacham passes away suddenly after only a few visits. But when she receives an envelope containing a set of keys and a letter Miss Beacham wrote to her just a few days before her death, it becomes clear that there was much more to the gentle invalid than met the eye. Notices start arriving around the village of the large bequests made before her death. And Lori finds that Miss Beacham’s flat is filled with priceless antiques—an inheritance too precious to remain unclaimed. Armed with a few clues and Aunt Dimity’s help, Lori begins to unearth Miss Beacham’s secrets and, ultimately, the surprising truth about her next-of-kin.
This was one of the better stories as it gives Lori some humility which she really needed.
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