Mary Jane’s Ghost: The Legacy of a Murder in Small Town America
Scattershot book about a real 1948 double murder. Supposedly about a double murder in 1948 in a small town in Illinois, this book diverges from its topic about 2/3 of the time. The author is obviously trying to make the fourteen newspaper articles that he wrote in the Chicago TribuneContinue Reading
Turkey Trot Murder
Disappointing entry in the Lucy Stone series. After 23 books, I realize that an author may get tired of a genre or a set of characters. I give Ms. Meier credit for trying to update the setting by adding current events. However, the white supremacists in this novel are justContinue Reading
Lady Mechanika: La Dama de la Muerte
Hauntingly beautiful art with a radically different story. Set in a small town near Mexico City in 1869, Lady Mechanika: La Dama de la Muerte has a steampunk style that also incorporates the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration in an innovative manner. It is exceptionally gorgeous using both customaryContinue Reading
Entrepreneurial You
If you have ever thought about starting your own business or finding a nice side gig to augment your day job, Entrepreneurial You is for you. In just 272 pages, Entrepreneurial You contains enough tips for a stack of business books and several classes. The format is simple. EachContinue Reading
Comic Book Story of Video Games
A charming history of Video Games. The Comic Book Story of Video Games is a graphic novel depicting their entire history from Alan Turing’s WWII mainframe Chess game to Pokemon Go. Turing’s logic in the Chess game was used to break the German’s supposedly enigma code. There are many fascinatingContinue Reading
I Love My Bread Machine
I Love My Bread Machine contains 176 pages of yummy photos and 108 delicious sounding recipes. The book contains traditional white and wheat breads and so much more. The recipes includes breads and rolls that are kneaded by the bread machine but shaped by hand and then baked in anContinue Reading
The Doll House
Evocative psychological thriller set in a dysfunctional family (aren’t they all) by a brand-new author. This is a story of two sisters, Corinne and Ashley. Ashley is happily married with a teenage daughter, a primary school son and a baby girl. Corinne is desperately trying to have her first childContinue Reading
Britannia: We Who Are About To Die
Beautiful artwork especially the coloring. Innovative story. Young men are being killed in ancient Rome in the temples of the gods. The detectionist, Antonious, follows a twisty trail to the truth. A female slave, who has almost won her freeedom in the arena, may hold the key. It is goodContinue Reading
The Clue in the Trees
The Clue in the Trees is nostalgic for older Nancy Drew fans and is recommended for mystery-loving pre-teens and young teens. Set in a small Northern Minnesota town, The Clue in the Trees is the story of high school seniors: Francie, Raven and Jay. Francie recently moved into theContinue Reading
A is for Asteroids, Z is for Zombies
An Adult Bedtime Story Sure to Have You Laughing Before Snoring. I absolutely adored this witty little graphic novel! The beginning is a parody of the Night before Christmas. It begins like this: Our little boy Timmy, Tucked tight into bed, Looked nervously toward me And quietly said,Continue Reading
Enigma
Four seemingly unrelated cases baffle FBI agents Sherlock and Savich in the 21st entry in the series. A woman is held hostage in her house by a dirty and confused man who says he only wants to protect her. A killer is rescued from his initial prison transport and disappears.Continue Reading
Park Bench
Just a marvelously heartwarming story about life through a park bench’s eyes. Park Bench opens with a young boy carving I heart U in a park bench. Throughout the seasons, people pass by the park bench. Some sit for a while. Others sleep while avoiding the park’s police. No wordsContinue Reading
Allen, Son of Hellcock
Comic quest without many surprises. Allen, Son of Hellcock is the story of two sons trying to live up to their legendary fathers. Hellcock is legendary for his exploits but has recently been killed in battle. In Hellcock’s absence, his rival, Lord Krong, has taken control of the region. Hellcock’sContinue Reading
Self-Made Woman
A heartfelt memoir of a powerful woman who was born a male. Born into a physically and mentally abusive Catholic family in the late 1950s, Dennis always liked dresses and dolls. Despite his frequently drunk father’s beatings, Dennis grew up pursuing common Wisconsin hobbies like fishing and ice skating.Continue Reading
The Saboteur
A wonderfully unique thriller set in Nazi-occupied Norway during World War II. It is nice to see Mr. Gross step out from the shadow of his frequent co-author, James Patterson. The Saboteur is the story of the daring members of the Norwegian resistance during World War II. Norway hasContinue Reading
Gone Gull
Come for the mystery but stay for the characters. A good solid entry in the Meg Langslow series. Gone Gull is the twenty-first book in the Meg Langslow series. I have read every one of them within a month of their being published. Within the series, everyone ages and theContinue Reading