Judgment
Married Superior Court Judge Juliana fails to use good Judgment and has an one-night stand at an out-of-town conference. Juliana decides to never repeat her mistake and returns to her courtroom. Unfortunately, she then sees the man sit down as a member of the defense counsel. The man blackmails herContinue Reading
After She’s Gone
After She’s Gone was named Best Swedish Crime Novel for good reason—realistic characterizations, a compelling mystery, and a haunting setting. Swedish Police Detective Malin is called back to her rural hometown to investigate the murder of a five-year-old girl. Ironically, Malin found the girl’s skeleton eight years earlier when onlyContinue Reading
Death at the Wychbourne Follies
A historical mystery set in 1926, but written in 2018, describes a Death at the Wychbourne Follies. Lady Gertrude Ansley was an actress before landing her Marquess husband and retiring. Wishing to relive her youthful adventures she invites her fellow actors to her country house, Wychbourne Court. She hopes toContinue Reading
Wedding Guest
In the Wedding Guest, Alex Delaware and Milo are back in the 34th police procedural in their series. A scantily clad woman is found garroted and posed on a toilet during a wedding reception. The venue is a seedy former strip club, which fits in with the reception’s theme ofContinue Reading
Walmart: Diary of an Associate
The author, an immersive journalist, describes his experience working in a Canadian Walmart in Walmart: Diary of an Associate. It is amazing how Walmart treats its associates like slow children. Rules are drummed into their heads, daily exercises and pep talks are given, and they are monitored extensively. If indoctrinationContinue Reading
Psychology of Zelda
Who doesn’t love the ongoing story of Link and Zelda told over thirty years of gaming? The Psychology of Zelda explains in college-level psychological terms the reasons why we are all enamored of Link’s story. I’ve taken and enjoyed a couple of college psychology courses. I love and have playedContinue Reading
Death by Committee
Death by Committee is a cozy mystery that emphasizes romance and quilting more than sleuthing. Abby’s recently deceased elderly Aunt Sybil left her a house. Abby hires several goats to eat some overgrown foliage in the backyard. One goat uncovers Dolly, Sybil’s rival, who is buried in the backyard inContinue Reading
Blue Muse
Blue Muse contains fifty photographs of blues, jazz, folk, and gospel musicians. It also includes ten more landscapes and close-ups of musical instruments. All use a tintype process that was popular during the Civil War. The long exposures and judicious use of light and shadow make statements about the life ofContinue Reading
Criminally Cocoa
Criminally Cocoa is a chocolate amuse bouche for fans of the Amish Candy Shop series while awaiting the next full-length series entry in June 2019. Bailey takes her Amish cousin, Charlotte, to New York City to tape the pilot for Bailey’s new cable TV show, Bailey’s Amish Sweets. Luckily, CharlotteContinue Reading
Work Optional
Almost everyone would like to be able to retire early and make Work Optional. But few can do it. This book provides a step-by-step plan to move from a stultifying 9 to 5 job to a more fulfilling life. Work Optional begins with a refreshing approach. Rather than determining howContinue Reading
Finding Dorothy
Fascinating story about how the author of The Wizard of Oz went about Finding Dorothy interspersed with the making of the movie in 1938-39. Maud Baum is the unifying character in the two strands of her life described in the book. It begins with a 77-year-old Maud attempting to getContinue Reading
Testament to Murder
A terminally ill man calls his family and friends together to compete for his entire fortune in a Testament to Murder. Malcolm invites his ne’er-do-well nephew, Hugh, and Hugh’s gold-digging American wife, Patty, for a weeklong visit to Malcolm’s extensive estate. Malcolm’s ex-wife, Cecily, and his ex-partner, Howard, along withContinue Reading
The Plotters
Reseng is a paid assassin in South Korea. Unfortunately, The Plotters tell him exactly how to carry out each murder. Reseng feels like a paint-by-number killer with no creative outlet. When Reseng’s childhood friend Chu disobeys a plotter, Chu is targeted for murder with a hefty bounty on his head.Continue Reading
Shameless
It is tempting to quote large swaths of Shameless as the quotes are so perfect. However, just take my word for it that reading this book is transformative. Is the Christian Church interpreting the Bible correctly to determine God’s thinking on sex and gender? This book sees parallels to whenContinue Reading
Downhill from Here
The prospect of a comfortable retirement has, unfortunately, become an increasingly elusive dream and it is Downhill from Here. In 2017, less than half of US employers provided a company-sponsored retirement plan. Even employees who thought they were covered have lost their retirement to bankruptcy and recent changes in theContinue Reading
Lost Man
The Lost Man is the new excellent standalone thriller by superstar author Jane Harper. Nathan and Bub find their middle brother, Cameron, dead of dehydration in the middle of the Australian desert. What is puzzling is that Cameron walked away from a perfectly running car filled with food, water andContinue Reading