Paper Marriage by Susan Kay Law


Twelve years ago, John McCrary was in a terrible car accident that left him comatose. His wife Ann had him placed in Cedar Ridge where he has lived ever since in a vegetative state. Ann believes in her wedding vows, for better and for worse. Since John's life has been placed on pause so has hers. But she still visits him every evening bringing her therapy dog Cleo and homemade goodies for the staff to insure he receives proper care at the nursing home. Her mother-in-law Mary is there diligently everyday waiting for a miracle to occur. While Ann has this constant reminder of her life that might have been she still lives in their house and keeps their business going. Cooking is what keeps her going as she suffers from insomnia and often cooking is the only way she can feel like she has a place in the world. Her world is on hold while everyone keeps living.


Meanwhile Ann's neighbor Mrs. Hillerman is moved into assisted living, and overnight her house was sold to former baseball star Tom Nash. He moves in almost immediately to get ready for his angry purple haired sixteen years old daughter Mer to come live with him. He's hired an interior decorator to create the perfect suburban home. He is clueless about life in the suburban jungle and what to do with a teen girl, whose has basically raised herself. Tom never married Mer's mother and has never really spent any time with her. So he has some years to make up for. He wants to do the right thing but is at a loss as to how to develop a relationship with his daughter.

Tom decides to get Mer a dog who promptly digs under the fence and gets Ann's dog pregnant. Ann befriends Mer and starts teaching her how to cook. Ann is definitely attracted to Tom but takes her vows to her husband seriously. Maybe too seriously if she listens to her mom or not seriously enough if she listens to her mother-in-law. But circumstances force Ann to look inside herself to find the right path.


I read about this on an email update I receive from Phoenix PL, this book was one of the 2008's best romances of the year. I can see why as the storyline is unique and not your typical romance. Yes there is sex but it is not graphically described and there are serious consequences because of it. This is a very believable story and offers a fun storyline to make this a good book for a vacation or something to read over a long weekend.

Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben

Introduces Myron Bolitar.

Myron Bolitar is a former basketball player who worked briefly (in an undefined capacity) for the FBI before becoming a sports agent. He is also a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. His secretary/ assistant Esperanza is an ex-pro wrestler. Partner and best friend is Win (short for Windsor Horne Lockwood III) who is hard to figure out as Myron keeps refering to Win as the accountant yet he is also a cold-blooded killer who uses dimdims bullets in his gun. He shoots first before even thinking of asking questions. So it was a bit disconcerting when that part of his character was introduced.

Myron has just landed his first big client, top rookie prospect quarterback Christian Steele. Everything is going fine until Kathy, Christian's assumed-to-be-murdered ex-girlfriend, calls him on the phone. It's all downhill from there, as Myron and his associates are thrust into the dark world of the sports business. We see lots of mafia influence and while Myron seems to be in the thick of it himself he is in it for the players.

I enjoyed aspects of this book but other parts were kind of convenient and crazy and I kept saying "What?". I will try the next one to see if we get a bit more depth to the characters as so far all are pretty flat. So at this point I'm pretty ambiviant about this series so far but am willing to read another before I say I like or dislike it.

Tourist by Olen Steinhauer

Milo Weaver used to be a tourist, one of the CIA's special field agents without a home or a name. Six years after leaving that career, Milo has found a certain amount of satisfaction as a husband and a father and with a desk job at the CIA's New York headquarters. The arrest of an international hit man and a meeting with a former colleague yank Milo back into his old role, from which retirement is never really possible.

We see a man who has been driven by paranoia, and secrecy his entire life. There are numerous flashbacks which help explain his current delimmas as he learns to keep secrets from his mother as a young child to only telling some of the truth to get by. It was a really facinating read as I love spy novels and enjoyed experiencing this other side to it.

Looking at the author's website it appears that this will be 1st in a trilogy and George Clooney has purchased the movie rights to make and star in the movie based on this book. Hmmm....

Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith

Book 10 in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series

Mma Ramotswe, is in mourning over her old tiny white van. The beloved vehicle is making terrible noises and is probably headed for the junk heap. The idea of parting from the van that has been an important part of her life for so long is breaking Mma Ramotswe's heart.

Meanwhile, the prickly and outspoken Grace Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe's assistant, has troubles of her own. Her arch enemy, the glamorous and scheming Violet Sephotho, has landed a sales job in the Double Comfort Furniture Shop, whose owner is Phuti Radiphuti, Grace's fiancé. It is obvious to the furious Mma Makutsi that Violet is determined to steal Phuti away from her.

While this book doesn't have as many mysteries to solve there is the case they are hired for by Mr. Leungo Molofololo, the owner of a losing football team, to find out why his formerly successful Kalahari Swoopers are suddenly doing so badly. So there is much time spent, traveling around and having tea and interviewing the various team members. Mma Ramotswe even goes to her first football game, taking her foster son, Puso who ends up helping her solve the case in the end. This book has a much more nostalgic feel as she tries to imagine her life without her white van, her husband and their foster children and even with out Grace and the apprentices.

It is such a satisfying read that I'm sad now that I've finished it. Perhaps this summer I'll go back and re-read all again. It's like visiting old friends. I've just started watching the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency on HBO and really enjoying it as well.

Keeping It Real by Justina Robson
Quantum Gravity, Book 1


The world changed in 2015, when the Quantum Bomb tore a hole in the fabric of reality and opened doors to other dimensions, Otopia (Earth) including Alfheim and several other dimensions where there are elves, fairies, demons, the dead, and elementals. Jump ahead to 2021 to where the story starts, when undercover agent Lila Black, part human and part combat machine, is hired as a bodyguard for an elven rock star. She finds herself getting emotionally involved with the lead singer, Zal, who is like no elf she has ever met. She discovers that he has gone over to the demons and there is a price on his head as the Elves want him dead.

I've been reading reviews about this series and thought it sounded intriguing. Maybe I'm getting too old but I found myself skipping ahead as I got kind of bored once she entered the Alfheim world. I enjoyed parts of the book especially the sections on how she became a cyborg and her relationships with the elves. I found some parts so vague that I didn't know what was happening, I think that there is potential here but it was just flittery for me that I just couldn't concentrate on it to appreciate the story.

In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming
A Rev. Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery

Clare Ferguson is the newly ordained priest of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in the small upstate New York town of Millers Kill. (Kill is a Dutch derivative meaning a stream that runs into a river, in this case, Millers Kill runs into the Hudson.) She is faced with not only an early December snowstorm and the bitter cold of her first Northern winter but also a conservative vestry, who apparently expended all their daring on hiring her, a female priest. When a baby is left on the church doorstep with a note designating that he be given to two of her parishioners, Clare calls in police chief Russ Van Alstyne. The foundling case quickly becomes an investigation into murder that will shatter the lives of members of her congregation, challenge her own feelings and faith and threaten her life. With her background as an army helicopter pilot, Clare is not a typical priest. Smart, courageous and tough, she is also caring, kindhearted and blessed with a refreshing personality.

Despite the philosophical differences, Clare and Russ find they are kindred spirits in having shared careers in the Army; Russ in Vietnam, Clare in Desert Storm and Africa. But also have conflicting ideals as Clare is the eternal optimist who looks for the good in everyone and every situation. Russ is the archetype of jaded, world-weary and cynical cop who can't imagine a god who would let such horrible things happen to his creation. There develops the backbone of the story as we see their development from working relationship to friendship hinting at sexual tension. The story finishes up with satisfactory twist and leaves me wanting to see how the future books deal with the sexual tension between the two. Plus I really wanted to curl up with some cocoa and a fire and it's reaching 100 degrees today!

Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

Written and illustrated by cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki.

This graphic novel features pudgy, Asian American, Skim (aka Kimberly Keiko Cameron, a goth girl in an all-girls school in Toronto, in the early 1990s). Skim (who isn't slim) and her best friend Lisa both feel like outsiders looking in and can't help but be affected by the recent suicide of a local boy. At first they are amused by the popular crowd creating this spirit club to support teens who might want to kill themselves. As this kind of drama will never be part of their lifes.

Shown from Skim's diary and point of view we see her sour relationships with her parents and her best friend Lisa who are exploring Wiccan, tarot cards and trying to find themselves. Lisa and Skim spend a lot of time in the forest talking and being one with nature. It also becomes her private space to meet with Ms. Archer, her drama & English teacher. Suddenly Skim starts to fall in low with Ms. Archer, an affection only briefly requited before the teacher leaves without explanation. Skim feels more and more isolated as her friend Lisa seems more interested in finding new friends and not interested in having Skim go with her. The forest starts to represent Skim's deeper depression and sense of isolation.

At first you think that Skim will not survive the depression. But we see Skim find her inner strength to befriend another girl, Katie (exgirlfriend of the boy who killed himself) who is also suffering. Their developing friendship brings Skim out of her depression and helps her find some inner joy. The ending is haunting as while we see Skim moving on with her life, her former friend Lisa is show walking alone back into the forest.

Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron

Ivy and David Rose, happily married high school sweethearts, are trying to clear out the junk the previous owner left in their glorious Victorian in Brush Hills, Mass., before the birth of their first child. They have a huge garage sale and among the bargain hunters shows up Melinda White, a high school classmate who's also pregnant. At first neither Ivy or David remember her but they vague memories come back. But Melinda seems almost desperate to create a connection with Ivy who gets more and more uncomfortable with her. When David offers to show Melinda the inside of their house Ivy is relieved and thinks no more about it.

Then when the police show up to report that Melinda has disappeared and no one can remember seeing her leave the sale, the evidence suggests the couple murdered her. Evidence keeps mounting against them until Ivy is almost convinced that her husband may have actually killed Melinda. We start seeing the cracks develop in their perfect marriage as Ivy alone must figure out what is real and not. Plus the actual reality of the story is much more devious than what first appears to be the mystery.

This book was impossible to put down, I read it in one day as I just had to know how this ended up. The ending really didn't surprise me as I suspected the twist that came but still it was well done. There are many ethical issues that are brought up and not really resolved but then I think that is how life is too. While the book ends - it leaves many unanswered questions - most of all will their marriage survive the truth.

Good book for vacation or business trip.

I discovered these books while exploring online. These came up on the New York Times Best Illustrated Books of 2008


Black book of colors in Braille by Menena Cottin and illustrated by Rosana Faría and translated from Spanish by Elisa Amado


How do you describe the colors of the rainbow to someone who cannot see them? This inventive picture book relates the ways to experience colors—through smell, taste, touch, and hearing. The descriptive, sensory text, which incorporates white type and Braille, combined with an innovative design makes the experience how to look at the world in whole new way. I love how the illustrations are etched on the page forcing you to feel the book. It is truly innovative and original.

Little yellow leaf by Carin Berger

The story focuses on a single leaf that is just not ready to leave the branch of its great oak tree. While other leaves swirl down, this leaf keeps holding on as fall turns to winter. The amazing and inventive collage-based illustrations range from a closeup of the leaf that reveals words and letters on it to an image of the sun that seems to have been formed from a mosaic of bricks. It is not until the leaf spies a scarlet flash high up on an icy branch that it can contemplate the next step. Over the final pages the two leaves soar through the sky, together. The illustrations show landscape by incorporating lined paper, graph paper, newspaper articles, and water bills. It is a truly lovely book about fall and independence. It makes me look at trash in a whole new way.


Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein; art by Ed Young


When visitors come to Kyoto, they ask the cat’s owner the meaning of her name; Wabi Sabi. When she hears that it’s hard to explain, Wabi Sabi sets off on a journey to find the answer. Each animal she visits gives a piece of the complicated puzzle. Still, the cat is confused. But the more she looks, feels, and sees, her new affinity for the simplicity of nature and the elegance of what is brings her to her own poetry—and understanding.


Ed Young is one of my favorite illustrators and I'm always interested in what he is doing next. This book was fun yet though provoking and I so enjoyed the journey.

Crack Shot by Sinclair Browning


Trade Ellis series set in Tucson - 4th book

Trade is part cowgirl, part Apache, and part-time private eye. When a friend asks her to meet someone in a bar who has a case it doesn't seem like a very big deal. But then when she meets her actual client a Grandmother who is trying to track down her missing grandson, Eddy Gallegos. Eddy is on the run from a local youth detention center that he broke out with a couple of his compardres. Because Grandmother is a friend of a friend Trade agrees to look into it even though there is no way she can ever be paid for the job.

When one the compadres is killed, the case is now tied to a local Senator as the killed boy is the Senator's stepson. The case gets even more complicated as the Senator's wife was murdered a few weeks before by a break-in gone wrong.

Trade spends a lot of time meeting with several homeless youth who are connected with Eddy. Since I've lived in Tucson and have family there it was interesting to read a story set there. There are side stories of a fellow rancher dying and seeing the funeral march, illegals battling with the other ranchers who own property on the Mexico border. This book was written in the early 2000's and a lot has changed with illegal immigration so I'm curious to see how she encorporates this with her newer books.

A lot happens in this book but I have to say I found her relationships more interesting than the actual mystery. The author is quite the storyteller and obviously loves the Southwest ranches and Tucson. I also did not start at the first book so am looking forward to reading one of the earlier ones to get a better feel for the characters.

Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

"When a dog is finished living his lifetimes as a dog, his next incarnation will be as a man." Enzo, a shepherd-poodle-terrier mix, is ready. Raised from puppyhood with his best friend Denny Swift, a mechanic who's training to race cars, together they watch countless hours of race footage. As he gets older he spends his daytime hours watching TV while Denny is at work. So Enzo knows about the world beyond the Swift home near Seattle. I love all the descriptions of how he relates life to various movies and actors.

The book begins and comes full circle with Enzo old and facing death. The rest of the book is his time to remember. Denny loves Enzo like a son. Denny eventually falls in love with Eve, who becomes his wife and then comes along Zoe, their daughter. Enzo isn't happy about sharing Denny but he becomes dedicated to Eve & Zoe. Then Enzo smells something bad happening in Eve and you know that it can't end well. But I couldn't have anticipated the suffering Denny & Enzo would face together. Bad things do really happen to good people in real life and in this novel, and then worse things, and soon I had to remind myself that this is just a story!

Thankfully there is a happy ending and Enzo's greatest dream comes true. But you'll have to read it to see what it is. But if you don't cry buckets of tears at the end then I don't know what to tell you!

I read this for my book club that I belong to with some other librarian friends. I had heard about this book but it would probably not been one I would have read as I knew it would have a sad ending. So I listened to it on CD during my commute and really did enjoy it, had to sit in the parking lot with tears running down my face at one point. Who wouldn't want to have a dog like Enzo? I know that I have a cat, Tigger, who is right up there.

Watchmen by Alan Moore

This was originally published by DC Comics as a monthly installment. So it does have that serial feel to it as each chapter offers a specific focus on one of the characters, yet advances the overall narrative. Additionally, each chapter is followed by a "non-comic" section that develops more of the backstories.

Set in an alternative American in which Nixon is still president in 1988.

It begins with the Comedian being pushed from his apartment to the street below. With the police having no leads, costumed vigilante Rorschach decides to probe further. Rorschach discovers a plot to kill off and/or discredit costumed adventurers, and sets out to warn four of his retired comrades. Then it seems that someone is killing off or discrediting the former Crimebusters. The remaining members end up coming together to discover the who and the why behind it all, and the payoff to the mystery is most satisfactory. On the surface this seems a basic concept but there is a depth of both the characters and their respective subplots: Dr. Manhattan dealing with his responsibility to humanity given his god-like powers; Nite Owl having trouble leaving his secret identity behind; Rorschach being examined by a psychiatrist after he is put in jail.

The subplots offer many layers to this complicated graphic novel. One is parallel thread of pictures superimposed throughout many chapters of Watchmen from a darkly-violent pirate comic being read by a young man sitting on the ground near the news stand where he borrowed it, drawing the ongoing anger of the stand's owner who nonetheless enjoys the company. This interwoven thread at times mirrors action in real time as the Watchmen find themselves the target of a campaign to kill or force them into hiding.

It is interesting to read how each main costumed hero got his/her start and where they finish up. We learn that while the costume or mask may protect their physical identity it does not change who they really are. I am not the biggest fan of graphic novels as I find them hard to follow with dialog overlapping but with all the good reviews about the movie I thought it was important to see what it was all about first and then see the movie. I was surprised by the serious yet subtle undertones. We see race, sexual orientation and just life in general from this point of view. Now I'm ready for the movie.

Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn

Ella Minnow Pea is a girl living happily on the fictional island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina. Nollop was named after Nevin Nollop, author of the immortal pangram, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” One day the letter Z falls from a memorial statue of Nevin Nollop and the island's Council takes this as a sign from Nollop himself to no longer us it. At first it seems like no big deal as how often do you use the letter Z but one by one more letters fall. And the Council encroaching totalitarianism's is bringing a more terrifing future to light. You have 3 strikes before you are forced to leave the Island, and take over your property if no family member is left. Ella is one of the few not to say or write the forbidden letters as one after another from the islander is forced to leave the island or face death. She stands alone as she struggles to find a shorter pangram before the deadline given by the Council.

As the letters progressively drop from the statue they also disappear from the novel. It is truly amazing as we read Ella and other's from the island try to communicate without one letter than another until they must resort to using the remaining letters to phonetically sound out the words. We get a rather one sided view as the entire novel is set in stories from character to another. At first it seems so innocent but by the end you feel the pending doom awaiting those left on the island.

I read this several years ago and this book has stayed with me as an example free speech and how quickly government can take over one's life. Plus who doesn't remember with fondness letters written by hand you got in the mail or found in your lunch box from your mom? I just re-read this for my bookclub at work and am interested to see how people responded to it.

Last Place by Laura Lippman


Book 7 in the Tess Monaghan, Baltimore PI series


Tess has a past that haunts her. Her ex-boyfriend was killed years prior (read the 1st book - Baltimore Blues) and she continues to suffer from occasional nightmares, reliving his death. Plus she has issues with anger management, which are portrayed in the opening chapter as she deals with a potential child molester. After beating him unconscious and covering him with depilatory cream, then leaving him in a public place so he'll be too ashamed to do it again. She is arrested and sentenced to court ordered anger management counseling. We see her progress through her weekly sessions as she tries to move on with her life.

Tess's wealthy friend, Whitney, offers her a private investigator assignment which involves reviewing old, unsolved domestic abuse murder cases in order to help bring about lobbying for funding and training for small town cops handling domestic abuse situations. Whitney is part of a group of several non profit foundations that have joined together and are in search of ways to reduce the number of domestic-violence homicides in their state. Though Tess's old archenemy, Luisa O'Neal, is somewhat involved in the group, Tess accepts the assignment with the understanding that Luisa is not an active member of the board.

There is a list of five unsolved cases for Tess to investigate. She was not hired to search for the killer but rather to check into the specifics of the police investigations on each file. Initially, the cases do not seem connected but then Tess begins to question whether or not they are in some way. She always begins to wonder if Luisa O'Neal had more involvement in this project than Tess was told about, or anyone was told, for that matter. Soon Tess is questioning everything and everyone looking for the link.

I really enjoy this series and it is a treat read to this one as it was really different because so little of it took place in Baltimore but rather the small towns around it. After chasing down several of the cases Tess can't figure out why she was brought into investigating these cold cases as there are no simliarities until she meets retired cop, Carl Dewitt, and together they come to the chilling realization that there is a serial killer on their hands. To throw some more excitement into the mix are the alternative chapters from the killer's point of view and we discover way before Tess, that Tess is his latest target.

Where the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman


Introduces Dr. Alex Delaware


Dr. Alex Delaware is an adolescent psychologist is in a funk. During the first 1/3 of the book we learn his background - by 24 he has his PhD in child Psychology and has been practicing ever since. In the last few months a child molester is arrested and Alex spends his time helping the children and their families deal with the trauma. Just as everyone seems to be getting better he discovers the body of the molester dead in his office. After weeks of apathy Alex knows he's in trouble, but there is really no one to turn to. He can barely function when cop Milo shows up to question him about the suicide. From his own military experiences Milo recognizes Alex's symptoms and does what he can to help. Talking to Milo about the case sparks Alex's interest and he starts finding his way back into an active life.


Then Milo calls for him for help. He has a grisly double murder to solve and a possible witness is a seven year old girl. Milo wants Alex to question her hoping he can get information without further traumatizing the child. Trying to help the child leads Alex to suspect many more children like her are at risk as he investigates the bazarre past of several well respected men who are linked to the crime.

I have have heard a lot over the years about Kellerman's series featuring Alex Delaware but have never read one before. Since I had to wait over 4 hours for my car to be fixed I had a lot of time to quickly read this book. It had many interesting elements but I found it almost exhausting to get through. I found myself saying "What?!?" when the crazy twist came about 3/4 way through the book as all these people were suddenly tied together and made it a convenient way to end the book. But I did enjoy the interactions between Alex & Milo which I would have enjoyed more of. So I'm thinking down the road to try a more recent one in the series.

A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie

First in the series featuring Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Sergeant Gemma James of Scotland Yard

Kincaid is taking advantage of a vacation at a timeshare in Yorkshire which his cousin has offered him. He is looking forward to the time away from Scotland Yard and it is his first experience at a time-share along with several other guests. But he quickly finds his holiday anything but relaxing, as when he arrives at the elegant estate, he overhears a heated argument between the snobbish caretaker and her sarcastic assistant manager. Later that evening, the assistant is electrocuted in the Jacuzzi. Since Kindcaid is the first on the scene he assumes an active role in the investigation, to the consternation of Yorkshire police. When two more deaths occur it is a race for Kincaid to discover who the murderer is and to figure out how these murders are connected and why the murders are happening.

We are introduced to Sgt. Gemma James, a pragmatic single mother, who works with Kindcaid as he calls upon her to dig for additional clues in London about the other guests. You can sense the chemistry between them even though both are trying to be professional.

I find this series fascinating as the author is from Texas yet gives such an authentic British feel to the series. I have read various books and have kept meaning to re-read this one so I listened to it on CD and really enjoyed it. It's nice to read a British murder mystery that doesn't take place in a country town or in London so it feels very original. Plus we see how a police officer has to deal with death in his own backyard and with people he knows while still trying to keep a professional attitude to getting the job done.

Case of the Missing Library Books by Iam Samson


Mobile Library Mysteries


Israel Armstrong is one of those people who doesn't stand out. He's a bit chubby, nervous, clumsy, headache prone, and very much an underachiever. After only a phone interview he is hired to be a librarian in small, rural Northern Irish town of Tumdrum and boy does he stand out. Maybe it's because he is obviously a city boy from London or that he is half Jewish and half Irish (from his long deseased Father's side) or a vegetarian. After a series of missing connections and miscommunications, he finally arrives to his new town to find no one to pick him up and his housing is really a farm's chicken coup on a working farm. The news just keeps getting worse, as he discovers that the library is closed and his position retitled "Outreach Support Officer" and driver of the decrepit mobile library. But the books he's supposed to fill it with have disappeared. Worse yet, his new boss will accept his resignation only if he finds the missing books first. Between Israel's inept sleuthing and the general unhelpfulness of the locals, it looks as if he'll be in Tumdrum a long, long time.

But as he combs the countryside for overdue library books he begins to connect with the locals and finds some literary souls to talk about books with. Many of the locals have unmet dreams so he begins to connect with them as he wonders trying to find the missing library books. The ending was a bit confusing but satisfactory as Israel finds himself more attached to these people in a strange town. Obviously it is a series as I've seen at least a sequel on Amazon. Not sure at this point if I'll read it but maybe in a year or so as I felt a bit depressed after I finished it.

Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz

Book 5 in the Arcane Society series

Ex-cop Luther Malone, lifelong member of the secretive paranormal organization known as the Arcane Society, is waiting to meet Grace Renquist. Hired as an aura-reading consultant in the quest for a murder suspect, she’s got zero field experience. She’s from tiny Eclipse Bay, Oregon. She’s a librarian, for heaven’s sake.As for Grace, she’s not expecting much either from Malone, who walks with a cane and isn’t so good with a gun. Nice résumé for a bodyguard .

But even before they reach their hotel in Maui—where they’ll be posing as honeymooners—Grace and Luther feel the electric charge between them. Problem is, they need to remain vigilant day and night, because it soon becomes clear there’s more going on here. Rogue sensitives—operatives for the underground group Nightshade—are pouring into the luxury resort like there’s a convention. Grace recognizes those dark spikes in their auras. She saw the same pattern in someone else in another life—a life she hasn’t revealed to Luther or anyone else. And she understands how dangerous these people can be . . . especially with those para-hunters at their sides.

While the pair’s employers at Jones & Jones scramble to get them backup, Luther and Grace have to think on their feet. The criminals in their midst aren’t just high-level sensitives: They’ve enhanced their talents with a potent—and unpredictable— drug. And as Grace knows all too well, if you don’t control your powers, your powers will control you.

I enjoy all of Krentz's books and liked how this one incuded some interesting secondary characters that I can see her developing more later.

Caldecott Award winner
The house in the night / written by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Beth Krommes
A timeless good-night book for the very young, inspired by the pattern of the traditional poem, "This is the key of the kingdom”. What a lovely bedtime book, the illustrations were really amazing and I love the use of color (yellow) to highlight something in the darkness.


(Theodor Seuss) Geisel Award Winner
Are you ready to play outside? / by Mo Willems
Elephant and Piggy adventure. This adorable reader have to deal with a rainy day which at first seems like they won't have any fun but then becomes more fun than a sunny one. Mo Willems is excellent as always - he really knows the voice of preschoolers.


Newberry Award Winner
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The story begins with a man named Jack who has just murdered 3 people and is looking for the 4th, a just walking toddler who escapes to the graveyard at the top of the hill. The ghosts of the graveyard protect the boy and name him Nobody Owens. Bod grows to be an unusual boy who is the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians' time as well as their timely ghostly teachings-like the ability to Fade. But when he tries to not stand out in the real world he finds it more difficult than he thinks it will be. Plus he is determined to find out who murdered his family.

Gaiman has this way of telling a story that is part horrific yet draws you in to find out the ending. I listened to this on CD and it was told by Gaiman and he did an excellent job telling the story. I liked the music as well as it has this folk like touch.

Life as we knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer

It's almost the end of Miranda's sophomore year in high school, and her journal reflects the busy life of a typical teenager: conversations with friends, fights with mom, and fervent hopes for a driver's license. When Miranda first begins hearing the reports of a meteor on a collision course with the moon, it hardly seems worth a mention in her diary. But after the meteor hits, pushing the moon off its axis and causing worldwide earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, all the things Miranda used to take for granted begin to disappear. Food and gas shortages, along with extreme weather changes, come to her small Pennsylvania town; and Miranda's voice is by turns petulant, angry, and finally resigned, as her family is forced to make tough choices while they consider their increasingly limited options.

Told in diary entries we see the shock and fear that develop when the world seems like it is coming to an end. Is there hope or even a chance of life going back to normal? Who knows? How would you react if the same situation? Would it be only yourself first or would you help others? This book really makes you think about what would happen if I was in her place? What really matters is one keeps their humanity yet still survive.

I had read about this book before and found the story really intriguing. Because of the diary entries the fear and horror of death is distant but yet it is there on the edge creeping in. This is for both teens and adults as it is something that could be our future.

Whose body? by Dorothy L. Sayers


When Lord Peter Wimsey is called in by Her Grace the Dowager Duchess (AKA Mother) to help extricate the timid Mr. Thipps from a case of body in the bathtub he finds himself embroiled in for far more than he has bargained. For one thing, the church architect's excess body, naked except for a Gold pince-nez, appears to be inexplicable. When it turns out that Sir Reuben Levy, an important financier is missing, the police become convinced that the body is that of Levy, and seize Thipps and the maid as the guilty party, despite all evidence to the contrary. Now Wimsey must work quickly with his friend Inspector Parker to solve both crimes and save both Thipps and the leaking church roof.

Accompanying Lord Peter is his most excellent manservant Bunter, who served with him in the war and has become a loyal and true companion. Bunter is the straight man for many of Wimsey's quips and quotes, but has a wry wit of his own, and is probably the first forensic photographer in detective fiction. Lord Peter's other aide in this and ensuing tales is Inspector Parker who is of the same age and equally bright in his own right.

This was the first book to introduce Lord Peter Wimsey and it is very different that than the later books. But is interesting to see just a taste of his character and know what he will become. The ending is a bit strange and really you could have no clue as to the outcome. I listened to this on CD and it was very well done.

Vanishing act by Thomas Perry

Jane Whitefield is half Native American and is in the business of helping people disappear. She has spent the last ten years of her life hiding people with the full knowledge that if they can disappear, without leaving a trail, and stay hidden for two or three months, the chance of ever being found drops considerably. Her clients run the gamut from wives escaping spousal abuse to informants escaping the mob -- all innocent people who cannot be suitably protected without some kind of help. Jane is considered a "guide". She guides people out of their fragile situations with the aid of her network of willing accomplices who help her with new identifications and transport for these runaways.

Now an alleged new victim has invaded Jane's upstate New York house: John Felker claims that he's a cop-turned-accountant, is being framed as an embezzler and has a contract out on his life. Almost immediately, the men chasing Felker appear, and Jane leads him to Oregan so he can build a new life. But as they go along she introduces him to people who help her hide people and tells him more than she should. After he seems to have left for his new life she quickly discovers that John is not who he says he was and people are starting to die, people she led him to. Now she must hunt him down before he kills her.

This book had many flaws as Jane seems too trusting of John for someone who helps people disappear. But the time period is in the mid-1990's before everyone had computers and it took a lot more effort to establish someones identity. I did find the connection she feels for her native american side as she has to look inside herself for the strength to finish the job.

I would definitely read more as I know that this series has more and I'm curious how it has developed.

Second Sight by Amanda Quick (aka Janye Ann Krentz)

#1 in the Arcane Society series

Photographer Venetia Milton considers herself a spinster in Victorian London. Economically strapped, she's also the sole support of her aunt and younger siblings. Things start to look up when she is chosen to photograph a collection of artifacts belonging to the Arcane Society, a 200-year-old clandestine organization founded by an alchemist. The collection is housed in an isolated gothic mansion, and Venetia finds herself there in the company of handsome and mysterious Gabriel Jones. Deciding that it's now or never for love, Venetia seduces him, only to lose the man of her dreams in a fire set by an unknown enemy.Venetia resourcefully moves on, opening a portrait shop and assuming the persona of Gabriel's grieving widow. Venetia, now the talented photographer, Mrs. Jones, has becomes the toast of London, when her dead husband shows up her doorstep very much alive. Now she has to figure out how to adapt herself to this latest turn of events.

As usual Amanda Quick (aka Janye Ann Krentz) is great at merging suspense, romance and some good old fashioned paranormal in the mix for a fun historical romance novel.

I'm more found of her more science fiction romance books she writes under the name Jayne Castle but I had heard about this series so thought I would give it a try. Of course it seemed familiar as I realized I had read it just over 2 years ago right before I moved back to Phoenix. But I read it again anyway, just to freshen my memory. She is a fun and easy read.

Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton


Spoken in Frankie's voice we introduced to the friendship of the Wednesday Sisters.


The story revolves around no-nonsense, athletic Linda, super smart Brett, quiet Frankie, Southern Belle Kath & shy Ally, friends who first meet every Wednesday in the park for play time with their kids, but where they eventually start to discuss what books they've been reading and the general small talk of forming friendships. Later, they discover that each has had a small desire in one way or another to become writers, so the Wednesday meetings change to writing critiques, as they each try to help the other into becoming better writers. We see their hopes, dreams and challenges of young families and budding friendships. We get a glimpse into 5 years of their friendship and watch through their eyes as the world is changing around them (the story starts in the summer of 1967) and how they themselves grow as individuals with the rest of the world.

It is an interesting view into a slice of American history we don't hear much about. Late 1960's in Palo Alto, CA before the computer & big dot.com boom. You really feel like you are living their lives as they meet weekly to support one another and each one in their own way become writers. Some more successfully than others. We see them struggle to find their own identity of the world is changing for women and Americans. Each friend has their own struggle, some physically and some emotionally but they are there for each other through it all.

I found myself really drawn into this story that at first I thought would be really superficial but ended up being thought provoking and enjoyable.

Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs


Popular Cooking with Gusto! host Augusta Gus Simpson, a widowed mother of two adult daughters who's about to turn 50, is tiring of her many obligations, which include throwing an annual birthday bash for herself. But to add to her worries is that her show is not as popular as in the past and there is a risk of it being canceled! When she is told she has to do a live taping of her show she decides to do her best and go with it. Throw into the mix the introduction of saucy former beauty queen and YouTube star Carmen Vega as Gus's cohost: Carmen is younger, hotter and very tight with the boss. Plus she films the show with her adult children and other friends to help balance it out. But the battle lines have been drawn between Gus and Carmen.

It's soon apparent on the set that this new situation isn't working, so the everyone is packed off to a corporate team-building weekend, complete with New Age guide. When the resort's head chef calls in sick, a team-building opportunity presents itself. There is much sexual tension between various relationships plus between Gus and Carmen on their cooking style. We see each others point of view by alternating chapters from each other's point of view.


Now this book is a bit over the top in some ways but I enjoyed the slight digs to reality TV and Food Network. I watch a lot of Food Network and Bravo reality shows so caught quite a few of the references.

I listened to this on CD and at first found it a bit annoying but got used to the reader and just enjoyed the ride.

Silver Master by Jayne Castle (aka Jayne Ann Krentz)


Part of the Harmony series

Celinda Ingram is a professional matchmaker and has been living in Cadence for four months. Her particular paranormal ability as a para-resonator makes it possible for her to feel whether two people are compatible and would make good candidates for a full Covenant Marriage. She lives in the Old City part of town with her dust bunny Araminta and just wants to get on with her life after the horrible scandal in Old Frequency, her hometown.

Davis Oakes is the owner of Oakes Security and is a fourth generation descendant of a ghost hunter family. His is able to produce silver light which allows him to have special abilities, and while his ties to the Guild are strong he is not a ghost hunter himself. After suffering a traumatic experience while rescuing a kidnapped child, he cannot afford to pull any ghost light because his ability comes from a spectrum of color unknown to most people. Using it has unusual and possibly deadly consequences.

They meet when Davis is on the hunt for the powerful relic that Celinda supposedly bought as a toy for her pet dust bunny. When her dust bunny runs off with the relic it soon becomes apparent that this no plastic toy but some kind of psychic tool that Celinda resonates with. But she is not the only one who can use it as their lives quickly become in risk and the chase is on.

Lots of references in the final section of the previous books. Again the dust bunnies are important to the storyline but thankfully in not such an obnoxious way as in some of the previous books. A fun, quick read. Good chemistry between the main characters and the baggage does not feel contrived but something could happen to anyone.

Writing Class by Jincy Willett

Amy Gallup, is the teacher of the Writing Class. She is overweight and plain and bordering on agoraphobic. In her early twenties, she published a successful novel, but from there, her career went steadily downhill. Teaching an adjunct university writing class is her salvation, but she doesn't know it yet. She'd much rather stay at home with her basset hound, Alphonse, who doesn't like her much. Amy's students run the gamut from professional writers to those who are there to meet the opposite sex. Several are extremely talented.

The first two student excerpts, one about how to choose the rope you will use to commit suicide, are incredibly good. Amy's suggestions are usually right on the mark, especially when she tells her class not to assume the writer of the suicide poem is writing about her own life. When she discovers that one of the students writes nasty commentaries on other students work Amy isn't sure what to do. When the nasty comments turn to personal harassment Amy decides to cancel the class as she can't risk something worse happening. The writing class decides that the class will go on by meeting at one of the classmates homes as they won't let anyone stop their experience of becoming a better writer. But when one of the classmates is killed it is apparent that the nasty commentator is really a sociopath and who knows who will be next!

We get to read the murderer's letters and diary entries, as well as his/her comments on student papers. This lets us participate in trying to find the killer. There's some humor as well, most of it centering on Carla, a student who has taken Amy's class five times. It is a really interesting way of approaching a murder mystery plus I really enjoyed the various writing assignments the students had. Willett is a very gifted writer and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 1) by Charlaine Harris

Sookie Stackhouse is an ordinary waitress in small town Bea temp, Louisana

It is a world very much like our own - except for one difference, 4 years ago Vampires "came out of the coffin" and are now a legal part of USA society. In this way it's somewhat like the situation in the Anita Blake (author Laurel Hamilton) novels.

Sookie herself is unusual with a disability, she's a telepath, and that makes dating a virtual impossiblity until a vampire comes to town and she discovers he's her (almost) perfect man. Unfortunatley, at the same time people start getting killed, which most of the locals see as an unlikely co-incidence, and in a small town that can almost be deadly itself.

Full of Southern charm and very erotic prose Harris finds a way to make being the undead fun. I've been watching the series True Blood on HBO and was impressed by how closely the series follows the books so far. I'm looking forward to catching up with this fun series.

Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews

Newly divorced, Eloise "Weezie" Foley, from blue-blood architect Talmadge Evans III, but she still living in a carriage house in the backyard of their restored mansion. But to add insult to injur she suffers the indignity of having her ex's sexy fiance, Caroline DeSantos, living in the main house Weezie restored herself. As a "picker," Weezie earns her living foraging for discarded treasures in Dumpsters and at estate sales. She enjoys the thrill of the search and the indepence it offers her. But her main goal is to find that piece of junk is really a rare antique and get enough cash to open her own store. She is starting to find her own network of influencial friends too.

During one of her stakeouts Weezie discovers Caroline's corpse in a historic manor house and now Weezie is the prime suspect in her murder. To compound her quandary, Weezie's attorney her closeted Uncle James, an ex-Catholic priest is having an affair with a man from the DA's office. Factor in her on-again, off-again romance with old high school flame Daniel Stipanek, counterfeit antiques and her mom's alcoholism Weezie has a very complicated life.

Not a terribly complicated mystery but honestly I did not see the real murder so I guess that is one up on me. I will probably read more down the road.

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

22 essays featuring Sedaris ramblings about his memories and life in general and how he observes it. I really enjoyed the section how he quit smoking and we find out how he got the title for the book. I listened to the CD which featured 4 live recordings which were really interesting to hear the audience laugh along with me. All 22 essays were read by Sedaris which at first was a bit disconserting but got used to his speech patterns pretty quickly.

He isn't for everyone so if language and talking about sex and gay people are offensive then he is not for you but if you are like me and often wonder inappropriate things while observing life happening around me than give him a try. I have not read any others books by him except his Holidays on Ice which I enjoyed about half the stories so I can read a book of his maybe every couple of years.

The Official 411 Degrassi generations by Kathryn Ellis

This book takes us behind the scenes of "Degrassi: The Next Generation, Degrassi High, Degrassi Junior High," and "The Kids of Degrassi Street." We find out from the past and present actors and crew what it's like to be a part of one of TV's most successful teen series.

This was one of my favorite teen shows I watched in the 1980's on PBS. I loved everything Degrassi, I'm sure it was because I could live vicariously through their mistakes. I read the books, followed it online once the internet came along. The only thing I have not done is watch the Degrassi: the Next Generation or purchased any of the DVD's which I know have come out. But when I saw this at my local library I had to check it out just so I could read more about some of my favorite characters from the original show. I enjoyed reading about how the show came about and where the characters are now but I guess I've gotten too old to appreciate the DNG.

So I then tried to read one of the manga books "Turning Japanese: Degrassi Extra Credit #1 (Degrassi: The Next Generation)" and it was just too much. Maybe I'm past all the teen angst or problems they have I don't know but I just skimmed it turned it back into the library.

Wolfsbane and Mistletoe


A short story collection featuring stories about werewolves and Christmas by Charlaine Harris, Donna Andrews, Simon R. Green, Dana Cameron, Kat Richardson, Alan Gordon, Carrie Vaughn, Dana Stabenow, Keri Arthur, Joe Konrath, Patricia Briggs, Nancy Pickard, Karen Chance, Rob Thurman and Toni L. P. Kelner.


The holidays can bring out the beast in anyone. They are particularly hard for lycanthropes. Whether wolfing down a holiday feast (use your imagination) or craving some hair of the dog on New Year’s morning, the werewolves in these frighteningly original stories will surprise, delight, amuse, and scare the pants off readers who love a little wolfsbane with their mistletoe.

This was a really fun read, not all the stories were the best but I did enjoy reading such variety. I was amazed by how they could make Christmas and Santa Claus so dark and creepy. Some I had read other works and many I had not so am looking forward to trying some new authors out.

Bodyguard by Christy Tillery French


Natasha Chamberlain - Nattie to her friends - is a young woman with many skills. She is efficient and has a quick mind and wit plus served her time keeping Investigative Services, Inc. in Knoxville Tennessee running smoothly for three years. In her off hours she plays soccer with a go-for-the-jugular mentality. Both on and off the soccer field, Nattie can dish it out as well as take it. She has a feisty way about her, and a hair trigger temper. Nattie has two goals in life: to become a crack investigator and to climb her sexy and mysterious boss like a tree.


Jonce Striker is the founder of I.S.I. He's a man blessed with intimidating size and power, of Cherokee lineage, who keeps his secret past to himself. Nattie has had a crush on him for three years but never dared to make her feelings known. When he agrees to let her guard a wealthy client, the fur begins to fly.


Roger Valentine is a nerdy billionaire who hires I.S.I. to protect him when his life is threatened. Roger is seriously lacking in social skills. When this lonely, isolated man with an overbearing mother meets up with Nattie and her colleagues, his life is changed in more ways than one. His bodyguards soon become the friends and family Roger never had, and their friendship humanizes a once nerdy recluse.


The action is intense as the bodyguards track more than one evil doer out to kill Roger. Nattie's courage under fire, coupled with her zany personality, both impresses and infuriates her boss, adding humor to the mix. And the simmering sexual chemistry between Striker and Nattie finally ignites with mixed results for all concerned. Can they keep their mind on business long enough to save Roger's life?

I had read some reviews of a later book in the series so thought I would give this a try. Not a difficult read but not as good as I hoped. I guess I just felt like the relationships were convenient and a bit contrived. I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't enjoy this book more. I will look for others in this series to see if it improves.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

'Tis the Season! by Lorna Landvik

The story starts with tabloid coverage of Caroline Dixon, an heiress who's lost her way and thinks she finds roadmaps in alcohol and bad behavior. We see her world crumble as she goes from one drunken brawl to another alienating herself from her friends.

We start to see the story via three other characters from Caroline's past and present who eventually connect with her to help her find a better way back. It's written entirely in e-mails and letters which is a bit disconserting at first but does help the story flow. This has some romantic overtones as several of the characters connect romantically but it is not the main focus of the story.

I found myself smiling as I read the emails sent to and fro and friendships develope by chance. It is Christmas after all!

Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton (aka Marion Chesney)

The book that introduced the world to Agatha Raisin!
Putting all her eggs in one basket, Agatha Raisin gives up her successful PR firm, sells her London flat, and samples a taste of early retirement in the quiet village of Carsely. Bored, lonely, and used to getting her way, she enters a local baking contest. Despite the fact that Agatha has never baked a thing in her life, she is sure the pie she has secretly bought from an upper-crust London quicherie will make her the toast of the town. But her recipe for social advancement sours when the judge not only snubs her entry - but falls over dead! We are introduced to the major characters of this series, Harry Wong, Mrs. Bloxby, Roy Silver and meet James Lacey (who is much more promident in the next book).

Agatha Raisin is one my favorite series that every few years I re-read. I decided to listen to this on CD in the car and it was a fun and fresh as the first time I read it back in 2001. I love re-reading favorite series as it's like visiting old friends.

Dark Light by Jayne Castle (aka Jayne Ann Krentz)

Book 5 in the Harmony books

Years ago a mysterious curtain opened in space and a new planet was discovered. The people of Earth named this new planet Harmony and began to travel there and to colonize it. The atmosphere and conditions were very much like Earth. Then, without warning, the curtain closed again and the colonist on Harmony were stranded. Now, two hundred years later, they exhibit unusual paranormal abilities which not only allow them to survive, but to thrive.

Sierra McIntyre is a reporter for a tabloid newspaper, the Curtain, even though she has no experience in journalism. But, of course, she is writing investigative, hard hitting stories, not like the other stories which appear in the Curtain, and she wants some serious questions answered by the new Crystal Guild boss, John Fontana. Fontanta is the new Guild boss, the man in charge of all the "ghost hunters" who have the paranormal power to control ghost energy found in the catacombs below the city. So Fontana immediately sees the advantage of joining forces with this reporter (who has been a true nuisance for him since he took over as Guild boss) so he proposes that they enter into a Marriage of Convenience in order to investigate these problems together. So after being in the same room with each other for about one hour Fontana asks Sierra to enter into a Marriage of Convenience (not a permanent Covenant Marriage) with him and she agrees! Even though her family views the Marriage of Convenience as little more than a legalized affair, she still just says, OK, sure, why not!

We find out that Sierra moved to Crystal City to get away from her family of overachievers. She considers herself an underachiever so she wants to start over someplace where she will not be compared to her other family members. Of course her being ruthless about getting stories about the Guild wouldn't be considered being an overachiever would it? ha ha.. Fontana is an actual bastard as his father never entered any kind of formal relationship (CM or CM) with his mother. This plays a very minor role in the story has his father's family has to come to him to save the family company. Fontana also can produce Dark Light which is invisible and stronger than any normal light produced on Harmony. Then we learn more about this ultra-violet light that is alien technology, blah, blah, blah.

In this series of stories each heroine has a dust bunny, which in my mind was this kind of Trible (like from Star Trek) looking animal. Her dust bunny is named Elvis and for some reason very prominent in this story. Of course it plays into a rescue scene later in the book but I'm not sure why Elvis had to be so played up. He even wears sunglasses and a cape. Oh, well, comic relief I guess. I'm thinking Krentz maybe had so many people asking her questions about the dust bunnies that she decided to give this one more personality.

Now this was not one of the strongests books by Krentz but it was interesting to see more of Harmony. I think a big part of the problem is that there were several plots going on and none were very strong so I think it conflicted and made it hard to really care for any of the characters. Now I'll keep reading more of Krentz/Castle/Quick's books but probably only check out from the library instead of buying it.

Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon

Father Tim novel

Enjoying retirement and his life in Mitford, North Carolina, Father Tim receives a letter postmarked from his home town. The letter contains only two words: Come home. Although it's been 38 years since he was in Holly Springs, Father Tim and his loyal canine companion Barnabus set out from Mitford, to the small Mississippi town of his childhood.
During his re-discovery of Holly Springs we share his memories and learn why his father was so bitter and angry, why his mother was so sad and why Father Tim became the person he is now.

We see a life similiar small town with Father Tim making new acquaintances easily as well as reacquainting with past ones. The final third of the book is heartbreaking and real and done so eliquently.

I've listened to most of the Mitford books on tape/CD in the car and loved the reader. So this was a bit jarring to hear a different much younger male voice reading Father Tim. But by the end of the story I had forgotten to be annoyed by it. The reader did a great job of making the voices sound real.

One hopes that we'll see more of Holly Springs.

Sugar House by Laura Lippman

Tess Monaghan series - book 5

Glue-sniffing teen Henry Dembrow goes to prison after confessing to killing a young Jane Doe found with a small rubber hose tied in a bow around her neck. A month later he, too, is dead. Coincidence? Ruthie Dembrow, Henry's sister, has her doubts and asks former Baltimore reporter Tess Monaghan, to investigate. Tess agrees only because her father, Patrick, says he owes Ruthie one. Going over the facts of the crime, Tess realizes that she needs to identify the victim and to learn how the victim came to know her alleged killer.

Another great installment of Tess series and it is fun to learn more about Tess's father and background. We see more development of Tess and her boyfriend Crow's relationship.

When the Sandpiper Calls : a cozy mystery by Peggy Darty

Christy Castleman is the local "mystery lady" of Summer Breeze, a town on the Florida Panhandle. Her first mystery novel is a success, and now Christy faces a looming deadline for her second, which keeps her at her computer at all hours. Then she discovers an antique green bottle on the beach with a note: "Call the police. Someone is trying to kill me." Is this a joke? Or is something more sinister going on in Summer Breeze? And what's happened to aggressive realtor Marty McAllister, who has suddenly disappeared from the town? A real murder mystery is brewing right in Summer Breeze, and Christy is in the thick of it.

When a homeless man and then another resident who had protested the realtor's aggressive development on his island are arrested, Christy worries that the real murderer is still on the loose. A further development in the case comes when a jewelry heist in New York back in the 1980s is tied into the murder. The ending is unexpected a bit more violent than I anticipated for a cozy mystery.

Christy has a loving extended family, ranging from her benevolent pastor father to a kid brother who is off in Australia trying to "find himself." One of the most enjoyable characters is Jack, a fisherman and at one time her future father-in-law, with whom Christy maintains a delightful relationship. Christy's almost-too-good-to-be-believed Granny provides respite in the form of country cooking, deep faith, sage advice, and her own wisdom about the murder. Her Granny is hoping Christy will find romance, and it isn't long before Christy meets the handsome war hero Major Dan Brockman, who seems intent on sweeping her off her feet. However, Christy's heart is still aching from a tragic love affair in the past, and she's unsure if she's ready for another man in her life. The Sassy Snowbirds, a fun group of "red hat" women over 50, are Christy's biggest supporters and add color and a bit of help with figuring out some clues. One of the most realistic parts of the book is her relationship with her mother, which shows the emotional complexity between them, while loving, are always marked by a bit of tension. So I enjoyed the variety of characters the author brought to life.

Breaking Cover by J.D. Rhoades

Story unfolds with a newspaper story of two young boys who have been kidnapped from a rural North Carolina town. Tony Wolf lives a reclusive life, but has gotten noticed nevertheless for being such a mysteryman. While driving home from doing errands he spots a white van and sees a terrified young face screaming out the window. He follows the van and discovers the kidnapped boys. He is torn between doing nothing and doing everything. He takes the kidnapper out and calls 911 leaving the boys behind to be rescued by the local cops. But too many questions are left unanswered. He is recognized on a surveillance tape from the local gas station, and suddenly the FBI is very interested. His cover is blown.

Undercover FBI agent Tony Wolf had infiltrated a meth-dealing biker gang until his cover was blown; since then, he's been living under an assumed name outside Pine Lake, N.C. Not even his wife or his employers know where he is. Wolf was believed dead after his cover was blown 4 years ago. When a local reporter comes to his house he knows it is just a matter of time before his enemies come knocking. Now his location is known and he is on the run. To those who have been watching and waiting for him to reappear—drug-crazed bikers thirsty for vengeance, FBI agents hoping to either rescue or silence him and an aggressive local reporter. Wolf proves to be the sort who, once cornered, is far more deadly than his pursuers could have imagined.

While this book had some very violent sections, so I had to skim read those parts, it was a very exciting read. The characters are believable and engaging. It leaves you wanting to know more. I have not read this author before but am curious now to what his previous books are like.

Visions in Death by J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts)

Set in the year is 2059, NCY Detective, Eve Dallas is called to Central Park to investigate the murder of Elisa Maplewood. Arriving in an expensive gown and heels, Dallas has to balance her private socail life with her life as a police detective. But death is not neat and tidy and Dallas cannot forget that. The killer had gone to great lengths and taken unnecessary risks in order to stage the scene...the victim was displayed on the rocks near the lake, herhands posed as if in prayer, with a single red ribbon around her neck. Upon closer examination, Dallas discovers the most alarming, as well as, the most telling clue, the eyes had been removed with surgical precision.

When Celina Sanchez, a licensed, registered psychic offers to help with the investigation by sharing her disturbingand surprisingly accurate visions, Dallas is less than receptive to the idea. However, after an extensive background checkand some cajoling, Dallas and Peabody pay Celina a visit at her home. Despite following up on all leads, exhaustive searches and Celina's visions, more bodies were discovered with the killer's grotesque signature.

It doesn't take long for Dallas to determine that the killer hates women and is fascinated by his own strength and domination over women. So she agrees to an interview with the press, reporter NadineFurst, in order to bring the killer out into the open. While Dallas was right about his reaction, she miscalculated the target of his rage. She had anticipated, as the lead investigator, the killer would come after her, instead her partner, Detective Peabody was viciously and mercilessly attacked.

During the hunt for this psychopath, she is forced to deal with abuse issues from her childhood that she has spent a life-time trying to bury. Dallas finally tells Peabody about her past and her battle with demons that she fights every day. It is always interesting to see how Dallas will handle her personal life and friendships. Interesting twist at the end that made the storyline more believeable.

China Lake : an Evan Delaney novel
by Meg Gardiner

The story begins with a religious cult jeering at an AIDS funeral in Santa Barbara, California attended by Evan Delaney. When Peter Wyoming and The Remnant start spewing their hatred the better angels of her nature require her to get in this guy's face. She assumes he is just a bigot, but Evan under estimates this guy, and quickly discovers that Tabitha, her sister-in-law, is a member of The Remnant. Tabitha is still married to Brian, Evan's brother, but she left several months ago and it has been Evan who ended up raising their six-year-old son Luke while Brian was away on carrier duty. Evan's immediate fear is that Tabitha will want Luke back, and she is determined to protect the boy. Fortunately as a Navy brat, a lawyer, and the author of a science fiction novel "Lithium Sunset" featuring the heroine Rowan (the novel is apparently quite popular in high desert cowboy bars), Evan has resources to go alone with her stubbornness and intelligence.

This is a very fast-paced story but I have to say I rolled my eyes a lot. Every situation just seemed so contrived to me and I felt annoyed by it. Even the start of the story with the funeral being picked by this religious group who just happens to have a member who is married to her brother. Of course we find out much more personal stuff is really going on. Plus both Evan and her brother, Brian, are ready to just do whatever they want without thinking of any kinds of consequences. Personally I don't think if the police pulled me over that I would do any of the stuff that happens but that is just me.

Interesting enough the author lives in London but grew up on Southern California. I might read more but I need some distance between myself before I try again.

Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan

Set on the last day of business of a Connecticut Red Lobster, we see the story from the manager, Manny DeLeon's point of view. He is a conscientious, committed restaurant manager any national chain would want to keep. Instead, corporate has notified Manny that his—and Manny does think of the restaurant as his—New Britain, Conn., location is not meeting expectations and will close December 20. On top of that, he'll be assigned to a nearby Olive Garden and downgraded to assistant manager.

It's a loss he tries to rationalize much as he does the loss of Jacquie, a waitress and the former not-so-secret lover he suspects means more to him than his girlfriend Deena, who is pregnant with his child. On this last night, Manny is committed to a dream of perfection, but no one and nothing seems to share his vision: a blizzard batters the area, customers are sparse, employees don't show up and Manny has a tough time finding a Christmas gift for Deena. Lunch gives way to dinner with hardly anyone stopping to eat, but Manny refuses to close early or give up hope.

This short book is really packed with great dialog and descriptions of people who work and eat at the Lobster. I read this for my bookclub and we had our discussion at a Red Lobster. You really see a small part of the working class America.

The Young Widow by Cassandra Chan

Phillip Bethancourt and Jack Gibbons Mysteries

Jack Gibbons, an ambitious Scotland Yard detective sergeant, investigates the fatal poisoning of successful businessman Geoffrey Berowne, aided by his best friend from university days, Phillip Bethancourt, who's a wealthy man-about-town with a nose for crime. The chief suspect is Berowne's attractive wife, Annette, whose previous two husbands, both much older than she, also died under odd circumstances. When Gibbons rather predictably starts falling for Annette, he seeks another solution to the murder, despite everything pointing to the young widow as the killer.

A cross between Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christy set in modern day but it had that kind of feel. It was a lot more complicated that I thought it would be but I did enjoy it. I'm looking forward to another endeavour to see how this duo works out.

Eye of Jade by Diane Wei Liang

Formerly a high-ranking member of the Ministry of Public Security, Mei Wang now works for people who need things or persons found in Beijing. (Private investigators are illegal in China, so semantics is employed to get around that hurtle.) Mei has her hands full when she is hired to locate a jade seal from the Han dynasty, previously believed to be destroyed, by an old family friend, Uncle Chen Jitian. Mei and her assistant, Gupin, follow slim leads to a shady dealer who might have connections to the same museum collection supposedly incinerated by the Red Guard. When her mother has a stroke Mei's investigation brings her surprising insights into what her mother had to endure during the harsh Cultural Revolution. The murder of an unimportant man plays a minor role in this provocative novel dealing with what truth is and how our personal perceptions cloud reality.

Liang wrote a memoir about her childhood in the Chinese labor camp and her participation in the Tiananmen Square demonstrations. She gives an interesting perspective to a part of history I am not that familiar with. Personally I found the mystery part not that interesting as it almost seemed to conflict with the relationship between Mei and her family. The mystery just kind of fizzled out at the end but I am curious to see how this charachter is developed.

Three Bags Full : a sheep detective story by Leonie Swann

When shepherd, George Glenn, is found in his field with a spade driven through his body, the sheep he leaves behind takeit upon themselves to solve the murder. The victim's habit of reading to his flock has rendered the animals unusually intelligent,and each sheep contributes his or her own talent as they observe the villagers of Glennkill in hopes of uncovering the mystery.The best detectives in the flock appear to be the brilliant Miss Maple, smart enough to avoid the trivial "Smartest Sheepin Glennkill" contest, the bold black ram Othello, and the all-remembering (and all-eating) Mopple the Whale. As the sheep piece together clues and debate motives, they find that there's no shortage of suspects: "Bible-thumping Beth" paid George frequent visits, George's wife Kate was unhappy, the neighboring shepherd Gabriel has a strange flock of non-fleecy sheep, and the flock's favorite human to place under suspicion, Ham the Butcher, always smells of "screams, pain, and blood."

This story has an interesting premise and I found it rather facinating. The sheep have a particular view of the world and try to associate everything to what they know. The confusion with "grass" is a prime example of what it means to humans versus the sheep. The novel is not fast paced and the ending comes to a satisfying conclusion as they discover that murder does not mean someone else did it. There is a nice addition of the sheep drawn on the bottom of each page, if you flick the pages the sheep gambol, which is cute.

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

2nd book in the Sookie Stackhouse series.

The last thing Sookie wanted was to find Lafayette Reynold's body in the back Andy Bellefleur's car. Lafayette was the cook at Merlotte's Bar, where Sookie waited on tables. Andy was a police detective who left his car at the bar because he was too drunk to drive it home. Now Bon Temps, Louisiana is a small rural town, where murders are mercifully rare. However, anything like this is bound to be a major headache for Sookie, who is telepathic, and whose boyfriend is Vampire Bill, the town's major predator. Make that ex-predator; Bill is one of the good people, getting his nourishment from artificial blood these days. As does any vampire who wants to fit into the mainstream world.

But a simple murder case is not enough. Before Sookie and Bill can look into Lafayette's death, Eric, the local vampire leader, summons them to Shreveport. Eric has agreed to send them to Dallas, where Sookie's telepathic talents are needed to solve a disappearing vampire problem. Even before they get to Shreveport, stuff happens. Sookie has a run in with a maenad, who wants tribute from Eric, and decides to write him a note about it on Sookie's back. Bill barely gets Sookie to Eric's lair, where she can be healed. Don't expect Dallas to be any better. There, Sookie finds herself kidnapped by the local anti-vampire club, 'The Fellowship of the Sun,' and scheduled for sacrifice.

Two very different storylines going on in this story. I was impressed by how well it all tied together. Of course lots of sexual tension and blood sucking a long the way but hey it is a romance! I read the first book years ago and haven't really tried any for a long time. But with the series on HBO - Trueblood which is based on this series I thought I would give it another chance. A lot more fun than I remember it being.

In a Strange City by Laura Lippman

Tess Monaghan mystery series

Book 6

Every January 19th, in honor of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, a loyal clique waits in the small hours for the "Visitor," also known as the "Poe Toaster," to approach Poe's tomb. He wears a formal cape and carries three blood-red roses and a bottle of cognac as tribute. For some reason the press keep their distance, as do bystanders. This year, for the first time, PI Tess Monaghan is present, too, along with her boyfriend, Crow. Tess has been comissioned to discover the identity of the Poe Toaster by a would-be client, Tess awaits the coming of the Visitor in the freezing winter night. Suddenly, two caped men with roses and cognac show up. A shot rings out one man lies dead, the other runs off. Tess tries to piece together what happened with red herrings and partial truths.

This is a much more complicated story than previous Tess novels. So I really enjoyed the complexity of it and enjoyed the ride. Laura Lippman has really become one of my favorite authors as I really enjoy her storylines and her character developments.

No Human Involved by Barbara Seranella

As far as the Venice PD is concerned, the murder of lowlife dealer "Flower George'' Mancini is a clear case of AVA, NHI- - "asshole versus asshole, no human involved.'' So it's no big deal when Mancini's daughter Munch, the chief suspect in his killing, gives Sgt. Mace St. John the slip and disappears into the San Fernando Valley. But when the gun that shot Mancini is linked to a grisly series of dismemberments, Mace wishes he'd paid closer attention to Munch's moves while he had the chance. Even though he squeezes some personal details of her horrible life (her father got her hooked and repeatedly sold her for drugs) out of her attractive probation officer, he has no way of tracing her. As she has reinvented herself as Daisy now working at Happy Jack's Auto Repair, as a lippy mechanic and assiduously building the new paper trail that will bury her old identity for good. While Mace is wrestling with his own father's problems--a series of strokes have left Digger St. John sadly addled--another break in the case links the killings to a deadly, penicillin-resistant strain of gonorrhea, and puts Mace on Munch's trail once again. But does he really want to catch this gamine druggie when she's finding Jesus, going to NA meetings, and trying to make good and old wrongs?

Interesting story, set in the late 1970's in Los Angeles, we see the darker side of free love and drugs era. Munch short for Munchkin as she used to work for the Wiz as an auto mechanic. I enjoyed how the story switched from Munch to Mace until at the end the story overlapped you had a hard time seeing who was saving whom. Munch's character is not someone to feel sorry for as she is a survivor and finding her way out of a life that has no regard to human or animal life. Mace on the other hand is working as a police detective and finding his path filled with roadblocks from work to personal with his dad's declining health. I love at the end how he ends up adopting 2 dogs when he doesn't even want one. Seranella really shows a person's depth by the small details. Definitely worth reading more of her books.

Heroines by Eileen Favorite

On a picturesque acreage near Prairie Bluff, Ill., 13-year-old Penny Entwistle, and her mother, Anne Marie, run a retreat where literary heroines seek temporary refuge from their tragic destinies. Franny Glass, Madame Bovary, Scarlett O'Hara, Catherine Linton and others find respite from their varied crises, but must return to their books eventually and suffer the fate that awaits. Penny, in the first throes of teenage rebellion, has little patience for her mother and the heartbroken or otherwise distraught women Anne Marie refuses to counsel (lest she change the course of their stories). But when a mythical Celtic knight arrives, searching for his lost heroine Deirdre, Penny gets caught up in a web of deception that lands her in the loony bin. While the staff diagnoses her fabulous story as an attempt to deal with the long-ago death of her father, her mother commits Penny as a means of protecting her from peculiar goings-on at the house, and Penny must rely on the very fictional characters her mother favors to help her.

I liked the original premise of the story, heroines who need a break from their story come to a country bed and breakfast. The story takes place in the 1970s and you can see how naive people were back then. We get most of the Anne Marie's & Penny's back story while Penny is is institutionalized. It is heartbreaking as Anne-Marie does nothing to save her daughter and appears so frustratingly passive throughout the story. She seems more like the pothead than her daughter with her inability to deal with situations constructively. Penny, like most confused early adolescent girls, pushes her mother away while craving her attention, while Anne-Marie seems incapable of taking care of anyone but her heroines.

This book almost felt like two books put together so the story just didn't flow well. I'd like to see the author re-write it into two or three books as I think it would be much more satisfying read.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyers

Headstrong, sun-loving, 17-year-old Bella declines her mom's invitation to move to Florida, and instead reluctantly opts to move to her dad's cabin in the dreary, rainy town of Forks, WA. She becomes intrigued with Edward Cullen, a distant, stylish, and disarmingly handsome senior, who is also a vampire. When he reveals that his specific clan hunts wildlife instead of humans, Bella deduces that she is safe from his blood-sucking instincts and therefore free to fall hopelessly in love with him. The feeling is mutual, and the resulting volatile romance smolders as they attempt to hide Edward's identity from her family and the rest of the school.
There is a lot of buzz about this intense vampire teen series in libraries and bookstores. So I finally decided to give book 1 a try. Meyers does a great job with the dialog and creating the erotic tension between Bella & Edward. This book reads fast and leaves you feeling satisifed at the end, but open to sequels if any appear. Of course we know that there are 2 so far with book 4 coming out in August and the movie coming out later this year. So I'll check out book 2 soon. I'm a big fan of vampire books and found this book satisifing and am interested in seeing how she developes the series.

Snatch by Bill Pronzini

First in the Nameless Detective series


Written in 1971 this series is one of the longest running mystery series out there. I had heard about it but never read one so thought I would start at the beginning as is my nature.


Wealthy real estate developer Louis Martinetti contacts the Nameless Detective when Martinetti's nine-year-old son is kidnapped and held for a $300,000 ransom that Martinetti doesn't have the money to pay. The kidnapper has insisted that the money be delivered by a third party, and Nameless has been recommended as being reliable. Nameless knows that Martinetti should get the police involved, but reluctantly agrees to deliver the money (after Martinetti raises it by borrowing from a friend).


That decision leads him into a dangerous path full of danger, betrayal and righting wrongs. The main character is never named and it does not feel forced as you are seeing everything from his point of view. He is a former police officer in San Francisco who collects pulp fiction about tough private detectives. Drawn to the complex imagery of the strong, silent hero who rights wrongs, Nameless tries to live that role. But he has trouble getting clients, and operating as a one-man shop causes him to lead a lonely existence. In his personal life, his career keeps women at a distance. He believes in doing the right thing, even when it doesn't pay. He is there until the end of the ride or the case is solved. Consequently his girlfriend doesn't understand him and leaves him for reasons he can't understand.

I had read about this series but never tried one before. I found that I really enjoyed it and it did not feel as dated as I feared. I was able to literally read it in one setting as it is quite the suspenseful read. While the ending was not a surprise it was well done and you wanted to get to the end. I'll have to keep this series on my list of good detective books. Give it a try.

What's so Funny by Donald E. Westlake
The plot of the story revolves around an ex-cop private detective blackmailing Dortmunder into stealing a bejeweled, golden chess set meant for Czar Nicolas II. But it's hidden away in the vault of a bank, and it never comes up for air. The heirs to the chess set are locked in a legal struggle to see who inherits and it's Dortmunder's job to bring the chess set out into the open to have experts check it out, and that's when Dortmunder and crew will pounce.

The blackmail effort is for an elderly retired inventor, Mr. Hemlow, who wants to recover a stolen chess set worth millions that had once been intended for the last czar, but the Russian Revolution countered that option before the chess set was delivered. Hemlow's father and some fellow army and navy personnel sneaked the set out of the USSR during the anti-Soviet battles just after World War I. Their sergeant retrieved the set from his squad after they returned to the U.S. and disappeared with the chess set. Now, Hemlow's granddaughter, an apprentice lawyer who fancies herself an amateur historian, has located the set. Hemlow wants Dortmunder to liberate the valuable prize.

He brings the old gang together and it's a hoot to watch how nervous they all are because of the ex-cop/now detective in the picture. Lots of laugh out loud moments and the usual surprise ending.

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore

What is a teen with huge aspirations to do while living in a small town in the early '70s. Catherine Grace Cline's highlight every week is licking her Dilly Bar at the local Dairy Queen as she longs for the big-city life of Atlanta. As she dreams of leaving Ringgold, GA, population 1932, Catherine deals with her single father, who is a Baptist preacher; younger sister, Martha Ann; doting family friend, Gloria Jean; nosy neighbors; high school gossip; and a boyfriend, Hank. Eventually with high hopes, Catherine Grace boards the Greyhound, where she tries to find her place in Atlanta.
Through a series of letters from Martha Ann, readers learn about Catherine Grace's Atlanta happenings and missed events back home. When she returns to Ringgold because of a tragedy, startling, personal events change her perspective and her heart for this small town.

I read this book because of the title, who doesn't love Dairy Queen? I always loved books like Fried Green Tomatos at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg and Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, books that show us small town life. And while this was an enjoyable to read, it probably won't stick in my head as a favorite, can't wait to read it again book. I found the main character a bit contrived and the ending just fizzled out for me.

Weekend Warriors by Fern Michaels

This is like no other Fern Michael book I've ever read. There is no happily ever after here; it is full of rage and anger. Anger leads wealthy Myra Rutledge, who lost her daughter to a hit-and-run driver with diplomatic immunity, to found the Sisterhood, a secret vigilante group of women who have been unable to seek justice through lawful means. She turns to her adopted daughter, lawyer Nikki Quinn, who witnessed the fatal accident, to help find other women who need justice. Assisting Myra in this effort are former MI6 agent Charles Martin. Driven by revenge and hate, the women bond together as they pinpoint their first target—the Weekend Warriors, a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who brutally raped Kathryn Lucas, a member recruited to the sisterhood. The women decide on a Lorena Bobbitt–style punishment and carry it out with very few misgivings.

I know that this series has at least 7 books in the series now and I'm guessing each book focuses on one characters revenge. I am curious to see if each book is as hard feeling as this one. Each character is so focused on the revenge and anger part of their lives that it was difficult to really like any of them. Of course it helps that Myra is super rich so can pay for anything including a new identity for another woman who takes justice into her own hands and kills the man who killed her daughter. So I'm leaving this series open to future reads before I decide whether I like it or not.

Fearless 14 by Janet Evanovich

Latest installment in the Stephanie Plum series.

Plum is a bounty hunter from Trenton, NJ and as usual, her life is utter chaos. She ends up babysitting the teenaged son of a skip, Zook. Zook is addicted to an interactive Internet game called Minionfire. He also likes to spray paint everything. Ranger (a fellow bounty hunter and owner of a security firm) hires Stephanie to help babysit an aging singer, Brenda, who acts like a diva and is inclined to get into trouble. Plum also finds herself in the middle of a 10-year-old $9 million unsolved bank robbery, and it appears that the money might be somewhere in boyfriend Joe Morelli's house. Brenda decides to start a reality show and follows Plum around as she's trying to do her job. And when things couldn't get any worse, Lula is engaged to boyfriend, Tank, and is driving Stephanie crazy with wedding plans.

I love a good Stephanie Plum novel and this one does not disappoint. I'm always wanting more so I hope she continues to write her mid-year books to keep us going.

Genius by Jesse Kellerman

A successful young NYC art dealer named Ethan Muller discovers a vast series of bizarre drawings in an abandoned apartment in Queens, and the unknown genius who created them quickly becomes the toast of the contemporary art world. But Ethan soon has cause for alarm--a retired cop sees one of the drawings in the newspaper and recognizes the little boy in it as a long-ago victim of a serial killer who was never caught. Could the phantom artist and the phantom murderer be one and the same? Ethan Muller is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. And someone else is just as determined to keep the secret buried....

I listened to this on CD and really enjoyed the storytelling. It is a mixture of mystery with discovering a family's history and secrets. Very satisifactory ending.

Watch Your Back by Donald Westlake


#12 in the Dortmunder series.


Arnie Albright, a fence so obnoxious his family "intervened" and sent him to Club Med in hopes he'd become more likable, has returned from the resort minimally improved, but having met the man of his dreams—Preston Fareweather, a millionaire who's as comically distasteful as Arnie and who, more importantly, plans to be away from his art-filled New York penthouse indefinitely, on the run from hordes of furious ex-wives. Albright calls in Dortmunder and his pals to take advantage of Fareweather's absence. Meanwhile, Dortmunder has discovered that a New Jersey branch of the mob has been systematically taking over O.J. Bar & Grill, which traditionally hosts Dortmunder's business meetings. Dortmunder plans the penthouse burglary and tracks down Raphael Medrick, failed manager of the O.J. and compulsive creator of crummy music.

What ensues is an entertaining read of bumbling attemps and seeing what happens. Laugh out loud as usual. Glad to see that Westlake is back on track with Dortmunder as the previous novel left much to be desired.

Nightshade by Susan Wittig Albert

3rd in the family trilogy but 16th book featuring China Bayles

China had an uneasy relationship with her dead father, which was not helped by the fact that he had a mistress who bore him a son. When her half-brother Miles asks for her help in proving that their father's deadly "accident" years ago was instead murder, China balks. Her husband McQuaid, a PI, happily takes on the challenge of unraveling the mystery behind China's father's death. Each chapter goes from China's to McQuaid's point of view giving us some insight on each of them.

While there is a murder in this mystery it is more China's journey to finding herself and somekind of connection with her dead father. Plus we find out a lot about Nightshade. fun as always.