Thinking Inside the Box

If you love crosswords, you must read Thinking Inside the Box. It started in 1913 with a quick fill-in for a newspaper’s Sunday FUN color section. In 1924, the first crossword book was published, which included a sharpened pencil for $1.35. That same year saw the humble crossword puzzle haveContinue Reading

Shake Down

When Juliette’s maid of honor and roommate, Daphne, doesn’t show up for the bridesmaid dinner, everyone in the small beach community of Sea Pine Island is concerned. More of a “where-is-she” than a whodunit, Shake Down is a modern mystery rather than the cozy mystery I expected. Juliette and DaphneContinue Reading

A Conspiracy of Bones

Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan is back in A Conspiracy of Bones, the nineteen entry in the best-selling series. Set mostly in Charlotte, South Carolina, Tempe must struggle against a new boss looking for any reason to fire her and the after effects of brain surgery. All while trying to identifyContinue Reading

Why Writing Matters

Writing, of course, matters. However, Why Writing Matters, doesn’t. At least not to those looking for a writing guidebook. This book is half memoir and half a literary history lesson. It has a few interesting ideas. But many of the ideas are obvious. Reading your favorite books later in lifeContinue Reading

The Boy from the Woods

Naomi is being bullied. Matthew does nothing after being burned before. And then Naomi vanishes. Who can find her? Only Wilde, The Boy from the Woods. There are three main mysteries within this twisty tale. Where is Naomi? How did Wilde end up living alone in the woods as aContinue Reading

The Red Lotus

Emergency room physician Alexis meets Austin when he comes into her ER to have a bullet removed from his arm. Seven months of dating later, they are on a bike tour in Vietnam. One day, Austin is biking alone when he disappears. Alexis, understandably nervous, desperately searches for him inContinue Reading