Murder in Constantinople had a great potential that was spoiled by an unlikeable and one-dimensional main character, multiple anachronisms, and worst of all an uneven pacing. I kept plugging through it but it never seemed to get better in my opinion. If you like historical mysteries, there are much betterContinue Reading
The Hitchhikers is an adrenaline fueled ride through rural Canada in 1976. Alice and Tom are on an RV adventure to see the Montreal Olympics. While traveling from their home in Washington state, they pick up two hitchhikers who call themselves Blue and Ocean. Little do they know that BlueContinue Reading
So what is The Art of Spending Money? It is being content with what you have. It’s using your money to buy once-in-a-lifetime experiences rather than just upgrading your everyday life. It is consciously deciding that whatever you want is worth trading your time that could be spent with familyContinue Reading
If you have watched any sickly sweet Christmas romance television movies, you are ready to read Christmas People. Whether a fan of holiday romances or not, this book is a hilarious sendup of all the tropes of those movies, while still activating the feel good feeling they always impart. JillContinue Reading
A serial killer uses Sharp Force to kill his victims on major holidays. But first he terrorizes them with a ghostly vision that seemingly can pass through walls without triggering alarms. It’s Christmas Eve. Forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta is just finishing up an autopsy on a man found floating inContinue Reading
These stories are not the Disney versions that you remember. They are for adults only now, even though our long ago ancestors used them to scare the pants off their own children. The author even includes trigger warnings referencing animal cruelty, child abuse, and sexual misconduct. These are some seriouslyContinue Reading
I’ve read a lot of mysteries with unreliable narrators. However, The Armchair Detectives is unique because Martin may, or may not, have dementia. He also may, or may not, have a former career as a spy. Martin’s thoughtful though somewhat reluctant sidekick, Albie, makes up the other half of TheContinue Reading
Watched all the Mormon Wives episodes but sick of paying for overpriced soda syrups? Fizz has the answer with more than 70 different mostly non-alcoholic soda concoctions. I’ve had a Sodastream for years. I’ve never used it so much. These recipes are delicious and cheaper than the pricey prepackaged syrups.Continue Reading
Take 1 part the locked room mysteries of John Dickson Carr and 2 parts Murder on the Orient Express and you have 6:40 to Montreal, a new whodunnit. Long married Agatha is a writer who has both a writer’s block and cancer. She attempts to solve one and forget theContinue Reading
The Art of Gluten-Free Bread provides a multitude of recipes for gluten free breads. From sourdough breads to yeast breads to holiday feast breads, most wheat bread types are recreated as gluten free here. There are even recipes for brownies, dinner rolls and croissants. Each recipe includes a gorgeous colorContinue Reading
Lady-of-a-certain-age Judith and her best friends Becks and Suzie are back on the case in Murder on the Marlow Belle. A local blowhard who runs the town’s drama society and playhouse is killed on a boat where everyone is a suspect. Was it his protégé who is now an eliteContinue Reading
With 36 weekly progressively more difficult lessons, Wild Watercolor is like taking an art class in your home. Beginning with a simple sky and concluding with an advanced Prickly Pear Cactus Flower, this book gently moves your skill set forward. Using a fully illustrated step-by step approach, the author teachesContinue Reading
Ready to learn a fun and inexpensive new hobby regardless of your age? The Ultimate Origami Challenge Kit for Kids 8-12 will walk you through paper folding step-by-step. Beginning with a simple grasshopper and progressing through 29 additional increasingly difficult projects, this book has something for every skill level. TheContinue Reading
A mysterious host lures seven guests to a posh dinner party in Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests. While there, they each receive an envelope that includes a card with their age at time of their death. Most think it is a not-very-clever PR stunt. Until the bodies startContinue Reading
I have one word for the newly translated Icelandic thriller, The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer. Frustrating. This book has a mystery of a missing crime writer but so much more. It has a detective with a violent ex-girlfriend in 2012, a bank robbery being planned in 1965,Continue Reading
92 Quick & Healthy Recipes for Every Day is a cookbook for beginners with recipes for only one or two people. The ingredients are easy to find and not too numerous. That makes this cookbook a great gift for young/new adults moving out of their family’s home for the firstContinue Reading