The End

Thank you to everyone who read my blog, to the authors who I have met and to the publishers for giving me the chance to write about books. Over the years I have learned how to operate a bakeshop (Ellie Alexander), run a B&B in a Plantation House (Ellen Byron), be a midwife (Edith Maxwell), operate a library in a lighthouse (Vicki Delaney), drive a bookmobile (Nora Page), make candles (Christin Brecher), cook in a Mediterranean restaurant (Tina Kashian), be a reporter for a island newspaper (Lucy Burdette), organize garage sales (Sherry Harris), run a scrapbook store in the French Quarter (Laura Childs/Terrie Farley Moran, track down art thieves (Ritter Ames), research historical sites (Kathleen Ernst), talk to ghosts (Molly MacRae), enjoy how the other half lives (Alyssa Maxwell), prepare a lobster roll (Shari Randall), run a family clambake (Barbara Ross), follow Abe Lincoln (C.M.Gleason), operate a classic movie theatre (Vicki Fee & Margaret Dumas), run a bookstore (V.M.Burns), knit (Sally Goldenbaum), operate a spice shop (Leslie Budewitz), run a restaurant she inherited (Leslie Karst), write a college syllabus (Mary Angela and Cynthia Kuhn), bake tons of cookies (Eve Calder), be the first Indian female attorney (Sujata Massey), be a reporter for a local radio station (Nancy Cole Silverman), embroider pillows (Lea Wait), make dog biscuits (Bethany Blake) and so much more. 

This has been a fun four years, but it is time for me to move on. Keep reading and writing. 

Much love and a few tears
Christine

Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories

For my last review on MapYourMystery, I thought I would go back to where my mania with mysteries began - Dame Agatha Christie. In Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories, I was reminded again of her genius. Short stories are difficult to write and to incorporate a mystery, then solve it takes a certain type of diabolical brain. 

This collection of short stories takes the reader around the world to England, to Egypt to parts unknown. Among the shorts stories are the Labors of Hercules. M. Poirot has been thinking about retiring, but he is not sure what to do in his leisure time. He has thought about cultivating some flavor into vegetable marrow, but his Dr. Burton scoffs at the idea.  The good doctor also doesn't believe Poirot will retire because his cases are a labor of love, not the Labors of Hercules.

When the doctor departs, Poirot decides to learn more

about The Labors of Hercules. The last twelve stories in this book detail his attempt to solve cases such as The Nemean Lion, The Lernean Hydra and The Girdle of Hyppolita. All the cases have parallels to the mythical labors of Hercules. 

As always M. Poirot loves to solve his cases in a grand style and solve them he does. If you have never read any Agatha Christie books (and shame on you), do yourself a favor and start with the short stories. They are bite sized and will increase your appetite for more. 

Interview with Christine Gentes

My name is Denise Kainrath, and I sometimes dabble in blogging of my own at  deniseadelek.com, but mostly I wanted to interview my mom before she retired the blog. My mom has worked diligently on her blog for the last four years, and I am immensely proud of the hard work that she has put in. There have been many times that I've called her to rave about an amazing book I just finished, and she has chosen to slot the book into her never-ending queue or work it into a blog post to share with her readers. She has taken her work very seriously, and has stuck to her posting schedule infinitely better than I ever could have. Please join me in giving Map Your Mystery a celebratory send off with my mom's interview below!

Denise

Tell me about your blogging and reading process.

Christine Gentes &
Denise Kainrath

I am a voracious readers, but one thing I learned about blogging is to write the review as soon as I finish the book. Some weeks I was reading three or four books at a time and boy does that get confusing. Other times I was so far ahead in my reviews that I would read a book a couple of weeks before I wrote the review and then essentially have to page through it again to refresh my memory

What compelled you to start blogging?

Actually my husband suggested it. He was the mayor of our town for eight years and he wrote a blog aimed at his constituents for the entire time. His best one was written on April 1 when he said the village was going install heating wires under the roads to melt the snow. Everyone believed it and then he reminded them that it was April Fool's Day.

As for my motivation, I love to tell people what to do so it was logical to tell people what to read. Many of my friends would ask me for recommendations, so this was the perfect venue for me. 

What has been the coolest opportunity that being a blogger has afforded you?

The coolest opportunity was meeting many, many authors at Malice Domestic. The first year I went I had just started writing the blog so I had to introduce myself to everyone. The next time I went people were dragging other authors over to me to tell them about the blog. So fun. Plus of course, the books. I have so many books given to me by authors, publishers and NetGalley.

What are some of your favorite titles to recommend?

Oh boy I would hate to leave someone out in this list. I will tell you what I enjoy in a book. I like the female lead to be the owner of some kind of interesting business. I love a continuing series. I want the lead character to be smart and not do stupid things like go to a deserted place to meet the killer. I do not like the love triangle. That might work for a book or two but it doesn't appeal to me. And I don't need the gory murder details. Like with Agatha Christie books, I want the murder to be "off screen." 

How can blog readers stay in touch with you?

I hope to publish one review a week on Instagram so if you want to follow me I'm @the_comish or stay in touch through MapYourMystery@gmail.com. I also have a personal Facebook page under my name. You'll be able to see some of my paintings, too 

What will you do next Monday morning when you would have been blogging?

I will be attending YouTube University to catch up on the videos from some of the artists I follow. I hope I can stop dithering around early enough in the day to actually paint while the light is good in my studio. Now I will have no excuse. 

Thanks again to all more readers, authors, friends, and my husband and daughter for their support. 

I Know Where Your Sleep

There must be nothing more frightening than being stalked by an unknown person. In I Know Where You Sleep by Alan Orloff, restaurant hostess Jessica Smith has been receiving phone calls with no one speaking when she answers. But things begin to escalate and she decides she needs help.  She hires the investigative services of PI Anderson West.

The caseload at Anderson's agency has been light and he has the time to take Jessica's case - pro bono at the insistence of his erratic sister Carrie, an unofficial employee of his agency. Carrie takes the investigation in her own direction and soon discovers Jessica might not be telling the entire story. 

For Anderson there are plenty of suspects: Jessica's current boyfriend Matt; her ex-boyfriend Patrick, her slimy boss Oscar and even the reverend at whose church she belongs Reverend Thompson. All need looking into the standard way - through interviews. Carrie takes a more blunt force approach and increases Jessica's unease.

When the stalked leaves a phone message saying he knows where she works and he knows where she lives, Jessica's anxiety ratchets up. As for Anderson, his investigation is leading him to dead ends and that annoys him.

Through flashbacks we learn what Jessica is hiding and understand why someone is stalking her, but not who it is. 

A tense, taut mystery in a situation that would terrorize most people. Anderson is in a race against time to discover who the stalked is. 

The End of the Line

Four years ago I started the MapYourMystery.com blog. Over that time I have read hundreds of wonderful books, met scores of terrific authors and interacted with many, many readers and fans. I want to paint more and do some other things. I still plan to read cozy mysteries because they are my favorite. 

Seasons come and seasons go and this is the right season to say goodbye to MapYourMystery.com blog.  My last post will be Friday, February 28. Thanks to the authors, publishers and readers for their support throughout. 

Occasionally I will be posting book reviews, comments and photos of some of my paintings on my Instagram account. Follow me on IG @the_comish or email me at mapyourmystery@gmail.com

Hid From Our Eyes

After a long hiatus due to many personal problems, Julia Spencer-Fleming has brought back her popular characters -Reverend Clare Ferguson and Chief Russ Van Alstyne. In Hid From Our Eyes, the story opens in 1952, when police are investigating the death of a young woman found dead on the road. With no signs of violence, but dressed in a party dress and wearing nighttime makeup, the police assume she was a prostitute. They never solve the case, nor identify the victim. (Hid From Our Eyes will be published by Minotaur Books on April 7.)

Jump forward 20 years and Millers Kill, New York, Chief Jack Liddle leans over another dead young woman dressed up for a fancy date or party. Jack had been on the force in 1952 and the similarities in these two cases is baffling. The person who found the body was young Russ Van Alstyne, newly returned home from Vietnam and angry to boot. Immediately he is considered a suspect.

While Jack investigates, he discovers the young woman was a member of a commune and there are two other suspects. Throughout the investigation, no clues as to how she died have been discovered. Even after an autopsy, the coroner cannot give a cause of death. The case is never solved and Russ is never officially cleared.

Leap forward to present day which in this book is around 2002, and ironically Russ is the police chief in Millers Kill and the body of another young woman is found in an eerily similar fashion. While trying to investigate, Russ is facing a referendum on whether the town should give up its local police and have the state police deal with crimes in their town. He is also married to Clare and they have a new baby. No pressure on him.

Hid From Our Eyes is a gripping, absorbing mystery with a shocking ending. Happy Julia Spencer-Fleming was able to write this new book in the series. 

Sugar and Vice

Business is booming at The Cookie House and Kate McGuire couldn't be more pleased. In Sugar and Vice by Eve Calder, Kate had spread her baking wings and preparing more and more different and tasty cookies. (Sugar and Vice will be released by St. Martin's Paperbacks on April 28.)

While helping her friend Maxi dig three new flower beds behind her flower shop, Flowers Maximus, when they top to rest. Oliver, Kate's dog, continues to dig and much to their surprise he unearths human remains. Maxi thinks it might be Gentleman George Bly, the pirate king of Coral Cay.

And now that it is almost Pirate Week, this sets everyone in town into a frenzy to find Gentleman George. Legend has it he was buried on the island with much of his pirate treasure. Complicating matters is her former fiance Evan Thorpe who promises to fund the research for Gentleman George through his Foundation.


When tests show the skeleton in Maxi's garden is not old enough to be Gentleman George, Kate is puzzled as to who it might be. She believes someone local must have known when Maxi and her family and Sam Hepplewhite, part owner of The Cookie House, were all out of town at the same time in order to dig the grave. 

With the town in a frenzy to find Gentleman George, Kate decides to do some of her own research while baking scores of cookies for the shop. What she discovers surprises everyone. 

A terrific series and I look forward to more of Kate's adventures in the coming books.  Caution: if you do not have at least two dozen cookies on hand while reading this book, you will find yourself either baking or driving to a local store for cookies.

Interview with Alan Orloff

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published?
My new book is called I Know Where You Sleep, and I’m excited about it because,

Alan Orloff

although it’s my ninth published book, it’s my first private eye novel.

What was the most recent book you read?
I just finished Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett. A really fun read! Great voice and great characters!

How did you develop your character and choose your location?
I often write about the place I lived for most of my life, Northern Virginia, which is a suburb of Washington, D.C. However, unlike so any DC-area writers, I don’t write about the machinations of our federal government or about political backstabbing or about three-letter government agencies. Instead, I like to set my stories in the suburbs, where the cookie-cutter houses might all look alike, but there’s deception and suspense going on behind their doors.

Tell me about your recent Police Academy experience. How did it impact your research for your books?
I wanted to write about crime but I’ve led a sheltered life. Realizing that I needed to learn more about crime, I knocked over a 7-Eleven. Just kidding. I took a Citizen’s Police Academy. That coursework consisted of 10 or 12 weekly sessions, each focused on a different aspect of police business. We learned about gangs and drugs, we saw a K9 demonstration, we fired weapons on the shooting range, we toured the local jail, we got to use radar (LIDAR) guns, and we went on a ride-along.

What was the ride-along like?
I have a whole ride-along story!

Let me take you back to that Saturday night on the mean streets of Herndon...
We’d been cruising for about two hours or so, checking out the normal trouble spots, and we’d gotten the usual calls. Excessive noise at a sketchy apartment complex, some possible gang activity near the 7-Eleven, a D-and-D (that’s drunk and disorderly, for all you, uh, rookies) at a local bar. Just your typical shift. Then we got a report over the radio of several people running through the Community Center’s parking lot with rifles.

We went roaring through town, cars parting to let us through. Screeching into the Community Center parking lot, we pulled up alongside a couple other cruisers, both empty, one with a door still flung open. Someone had left in a hurry.

The officer barked at me, “Stay here. Don’t get out of the car.” I forced a nod, mouth too dry to talk. Of course, she didn't have to worry. I had no intention of following her into the night with a bunch of armed goons on the loose. I slid down in my seat, until I could barely see over the dashboard.

She grabbed her shotgun out of the lockdown and raced off, leaving me all alone. 

All alone.

My heart raced. What if the guys with guns doubled back and found me, by myself, a sitting duck in a patrol car? Would I become the unfortunate reason future ride-alongs had to be eliminated? I glanced around, hoping for reinforcements. Nope, just me and the empty police cars. I’d realized it before, but it hit home a lot harder in that moment. We don’t pay law enforcement personnel nearly enough.

Luckily, the situation had a non-violent resolution. It turned out that the people running through the parking lot were teenagers wielding air rifles. No one got hurt. But, man, how easily could something have gone terribly, irrevocably wrong? In the dark, those air rifles were indistinguishable from real rifles. Some poor teenager’s head easily could have been blown off.

I heartily recommend going on a ride-along. Just make sure to wear two pairs of underwear on ride-along night. That experience made its way into one of my books, a suspense novel appropriately titled Ride-Along.

What drew you to writing?
Process of elimination, I think. One of the few things I hadn’t yet tried!

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Write more, and don’t worry about what other people think UNTIL you’re ready to get feedback on your work. Then be judicious to whose voices you listen.

Who is your favorite author?
I have so many favorite authors, and I wouldn’t want to leave any of them out, including many of my friends. So I’ll go with Stephen King. You can never go wrong with Stephen King.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to a dinner party, who would they be?
Excluding my family and friends, here’s my guest list: Dorothy Parker, Albert Einstein, Sally Ride, Jacques Cousteau, and George Plimpton.

If you could not be an author, what would like to do as a career?
I’d be an entrepreneur doing something, maybe in the alternate energy field.

To the Land of Long Lost Friends

Although the three cases in the To The Land of Long Lost Friends by Alexander McCall Smith are not paying clients for Mma Ramotswe, but as always she is entirely dedicated to results. 

While having lunch one day, Precious is startled to see someone she thought was "late." Her friend Calviniah Ramoroka had been reported killed in a road accident, but her she was having lunch at the same place as Precious. Precious soon learns there was someone else with the same name killed in the accident. 

She is so relived her friend is still alive and promises to help her reconcile with her daughter. It seems Calviniah's twenty-four-year-old daughter suddenly has no time for her mother. As much as she has tried to understand why this has happened, Calviniah believes she hasn't done anything to deserve the cold shoulder. 

Precious also learns another friend of theirs has lost all her money. Poppy was the owner of a large store in Francistown and now she has given all her money to a a minister who started his own church called the Church of Christ, Mechanic. 

With no real cases to deal with, Precious decides to help Calviniah reconcile with her daughter and get Poppy's money back. Suddenly the two cases have an overlap and with her usual flair and folksy wisdom, Precious finds a way to solve both cases and wrap up another one she thought was solved.

And then there's Charlie who wants to marry Queenie-Queenie but he had no money to pay the bridal dowry. Poor Charlie, only an assistant, not even a detective. 

As usual this delightful series enables the reader to take a deep breathe of the clear air in Botswana and relax a little.

The Body in the Garden

The first in a new series by Katharine Schellman features Lily Adler. In The Body in the Garden, young widow Lily returns to London to reestablish her household after the death two years before of her husband Freddie. (The Body in the Garden will be released on April 7 by Crooked Lane Books.) 

Life in London society is different for a widow and Lily wants to try to do something useful without having to rely on a man. At a ball thrown by her friend Lady Walter, Lily finds herself in the garden overhearing an argument. In what sounds like someone demanding blackmail she tries to make her way back to the house when she hears a shot. 

Rushing back to the garden she discovers a young man dead on the grass. To avoid any scandal brought to his family, Lord Walter bribes the local police magistrate not to investigate. This does not sit well with Lily and she worries her friend's husband might be involved in the murder. Along with a charming navy officer Captain Jack Hartley, a friend of Freddie's, and a mysterious heiress from the West Indies, Ofelia Oswald, she sets about to solve the murder.

Lily soon learns Miss Oswald was acquainted with the deceased young man Augustus Finch from her home island. As she discusses the case case with Ofelia, Lily feels she is holding back some vital information. Jack refuses to trust Ofelia and that causes some friction. 

Through her diligent investigating, Lily discovers treason in the highest places during in 1815 and puts herself at risk to confront the killer. 

An excellent start to a new series and I look forward to more of Lily Adler's adventures. 

Little Women

Having just seen the lovely new movie version of Little Women starring Saoirse Ronan as Jo, Emma Watson as Meg, Florence Pugh as Amy, Eliza Scanlen as Beth and Laura Dern as Marmee and Meryl Streep as Aunt March, I decided to go back and reread Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. 

The book was first published in two volumes in in 1968 and 1869 and was a surprising success even to Alcott herself. When asked by the publisher of her short stories to write a story about girls, Alcott replied she only knew about life with her three sisters. 

The book was a well received by young women and girls and the rest is history. It is beautifully written and is an endearing tale of love and family devotion.

As for the movie, I enjoyed the freshness of the characters but I'm not sure why the director chose a non-linear path for the film. Someone unfamiliar with the story would be confused to see Beth several scenes after she dies.

Saoirse Ronan is the perfect Jo. She is impatient, energetic and flamboyant. If I hadn't seen the credits I would not have recognized Emma Watson as Meg. Hermoine has grown up.

If you haven't seen the newest version of Little Women, take a young woman you know to see it. You'll be glad you did.  

The Vineyards of Champagne

Readers will recognize author Juliet Blackwell from her two mystery series - Witchcraft Mysteries and Haunted House Renovations. In The Vineyards of Champagne, Blackwell has created a mystery of sorts. 

Rosalyn Acosta is heading to the Champagne region of France to select new vintages for her Napa-based employer. The catch - she is not much of a champagne drinker and is in a deep depression because of the death of her young husband.  

On the plane she meets Australian vineyard owner Emma Kinsley. Emma, with a broken leg to deal with, is trying to organize letters from World War I between a French solider named Emile Legrand to her great grandmother Doris. During the war women called marraines de guerre - godmother of the war - wrote to soldiers to keep their morale up.

Because Doris' mother originally came from France, Doris grew up a Francophile and felt she was doing her part during WWI. Emma has been trying to locate someone related to Legrand in France in hopes that they might learn what happened to him and if her great grandmother's letters survived.

The story switches back and from the present day to the war years. Under constant siege by German bombs, the women and children of Reims take shelter in a labyrinth of caves under the city. They are the famous champagne caves where bottles of the precious vintage of hidden from the Germans. 

During the night the bravest among them creep out to pluck the ripe grapes for champagne. Among them is Lucie Marchal. She and her family are among the many who have sheltered in the caves. Lucie also corresponds with Emile because they grew up together.  

Rosalyn discovers a cache of old letters and begins to piece together the mystery hidden deep within the cave, and maybe even begin to enjoy her life again. 

The Vineyards of Champagne is a poignant tale of courage, love and devotion to tradition even in a time of crisis. A lovely story worth at least two glasses of Veuve Clicquot or Madame Pommery's champagne.

Interview with Terry Shames

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published?
My last published book, eighth in the series, was A Risky Undertaking for Loretta Singletary.

Terry Shames

I’m working on number nine, tentatively entitled something with “Jubilee Rally” in the title.

For a review of A Risky Undertaking for Loretta Singletary, click here

What was the most recent book you read?
I am an avid reader, reading everything from mystery to sci-fi to mainstream fiction to non-fiction. My last read was Liane Moriarity’s first book, Three Wishes. Her books have evolved to domestic suspense novels, for lack of a better label, but this one was pure character-driven “women’s” fiction about triplets. As in every good novel, though, there are mysteries that lie at the heart of the book.

How did you develop your character and choose your location?
In 2008 I took a workshop that changed my writing life. I had written a few books that, despite being picked up by a couple of great agents, never went anywhere. On the last day of the workshop one of the leaders, Sophie Littlefield, made an impassioned speech addressing those of us who had been writing without publishing success. She said to reach deep inside to find out what you knew best and write that. I had heard the advice numerous times, but for some reason this time it hit home. In college I had written some short stories set in a fictional town called Jarrett Creek based on the small Texas town where my grandparents lived when I was growing up. I always felt connected to the town on a deep level. I decided to set a novel there. For a central character wanted a law enforcement professional. My grandfather had been mayor of the town and was still trusted. I thought he would make a great protagonist. The other element I was interested in was presenting an older protagonist. I was tired of reading older characters being dismissed as little old ladies or little old men. My grandfather was still very active into his 80s. That’s the kind of protagonist I wanted. My grandfather’s name was Samuel but everyone called him Sam or Mr. Sam. I decided to give my protagonist his name, but not shorten it. He would be Samuel. Craddock was an old family name, so I took that too. The Samuel Craddock series, set in Jarrett Creek, Texas.

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book.
I have to admit that I’m lazy about research. When I’m writing and I come to something that I don’t much about, then I’ll look into it. Or sometimes, I simply write it the way I think it should be and then go back and find out the reality. A couple of times that has been a problem. I had read that murders in small-town Texas are investigated by the highway patrol under the Texas Department of Public Safety. The Texas Rangers organization is also under the DPS umbrella. In my third book, when this information was relevant to the story, that’s the way I wrote it—with a Texas Highway Patrol officer taking the lead. Just as my edits were finished I went to a Sisters in Crime meeting in Austin at which the speaker was a veteran detective from a mid-size Texas town. I asked him if that was really the way it worked. He said, “On paper, yes.” But he said that in reality it was usually the Texas Rangers who investigated crime in small Texas towns because they had “unlimited resources.” Stop the presses! I phoned my editor and he said there was just time for me to change the relevant passages in my book.

What books did you read as a child?
I was always a big-time reader, and drawn to mysteries. When I was six I still remember getting three Nancy Drew books for Christmas. Heaven! When I was even younger I read Raggedy Ann and Andy books. But it wasn’t only mystery books that I liked. Like a lot of young girls, I got into horse books. I read Black Beauty about twenty times—and always cried. The Black Stallion. My Friend Flicka. Books in which things happened. Oddly, I tried reading Hardy Boys Mysteries, and found them boring. My mother belonged to a Book-of-the-Month club. She was fine with me reading the adult. I remember my aunt asking her if she really thought it was okay for me to read one of the books that I was reading. My mother replied that if there were passages I shouldn’t read I wouldn’t understand them anyway. She was right. There must have been sex in the books, but all I remember thinking was, “And then what happened?”

What drew you to writing? 
It was when I was in fifth grade and read “The Asbestos Man,” a sci-fi short story, that I thought I could write stories, too. To this day, I think that if I had the imagination for it, I would like to have written sci-fi. But that requires a piece of brainpower that I seem to lack.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? 
Please take yourself seriously! And realize that “good enough” is not good enough. I was so careless as a young writer, just thinking I could toss off a story and it would be “good enough.” Only when I became determined to write books that would find a publisher did I dig in and do the hard work of “real” writing.

Who is your favorite author?
The toss-off line would be, “The author I’m reading at the moment.” I love the feeling of starting a book and being sucked in right away (and no, the body doesn’t have to be there on the first page). If we’re talking “classic” favorites I have to say Eudora Welty. There are moments in her short stories that I can call up instantly and feel like the moment is still vivid and fresh and resonant. With a few short strokes she reveals her characters. I was lucky enough to have a professor who pointed out that her stories are full of the threat of violence just below the surface. So southern. If you’re asking about crime writers, there are several I could mention, Adrian McKinty, Deborah Crombie, Timothy Hallinan, J.K. Rowling, Jane Harper, Robert Crais, Reece Hirsch (I’m reading an ARC of his next book and for me he’s one of the best thriller writers around).

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to a dinner party, who would they be?
Five people? Hmmm. Writers I think would have interesting lines of chatter. Let’s start with William Shakespeare. I can’t help picturing him as an unwashed, snarky guy, impatient and sharp-eyed. Next, I’d like to find out what kind of personality Jane Austen had. I read her collected letters which were witty and clear-eyed. I’d like to know how she wrote—did she outline? How did she know how a story worked? My author friend Timothy Hallinan would go great in this group. His books are deceptively entertaining—the deception is in the depth of the books. You don’t even realize he’s taking you deep into the human heart. He’d be able to draw these people out and match wits with them. Laura Lippman would be an interesting addition to the party. She’s intense, with a feminist sensibility, a great writer. I never miss a talk or a panel with her because I know she’ll say something that makes me think. She’d throw a kink into the dinner party and we’d be off. Finally, I want Catriona McPherson with us. She’s sharp and funny as hell and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. What a great party that would be! I suppose if I’m there too, it would be hard for two men to hold out against four women. So let’s add one more man. And I’d add some diversity to the mix. How about Abir Mukherjee. I’m on a blog with him and he always has something interesting to say, plus A Rising Man was a dynamite book. Intelligent.

If you could not be an author, what would like to do as a career?
I think I would have liked being a lawyer. I like the precision of legal language and I love to dig out the most arcane meanings of things. On the other hand, I took one pre-law course in college and made a D because I never did homework. Go figure.

Seas the Day

Kale and Chili Bolz are close to their mother Estelle. But when Kale is lost at sea and Chili winds up missing, Estelle pleads with caterer River Holloway to find Chili. In Seas the Day by Maggie Toussaint, River teams up with Deputy Lance Hamlyn to discover what happened to the brothers. (Seas the Day will be published by Henery Press on April 21.) 

Busy with her catering business on Shell Island in Georgia, and worried about her boyfriend in California, River doesn’t really have time to investigate. Everyone knows Chili is serious about his charter fishing business, so for him to be missing for so many days must mean something is wrong. 

River tracks down Chili's on again-off again girlfriend Vivian Declan at a local bar and questions the guys and gals in the bar. Viv says she hasn't seen him but figures he's a grown man and can take care of himself. River is not so sure especially as Estelle has pleaded with her to find him

Just a few days later she decides to check on Estelle and finds her badly beaten. Estelle whispers "The bridge. Check bridge." What in the world does that mean? 

River soon learns Estelle was a frequent visitor to the emergency room with a series of assaults including a head injury. How no one knew any of this is beyond River sense of disbelief. She resolves to find the killer no matter what the cost. 

 Lots of twists and turns and secrets to uncover.

Read or Alive

With the encouragement of Henry Lafayette, the Georgia Antiquarian Book Society has brought its annual fair to Catalpa Springs. In Read or Alive by Nora Page, bookmobile librarian Cleo Watkins is thrilled for Henry, her gentleman friend. She loves books as much as he does. (Read or Alive will be published by Crooked Lane Books on May 12.)

Unfortunately, not all Society members have the best interest of books at heart. Two such character are the vivacious, flirty Marilyn Monroe lookalike Kitty Peavy and handsome, suave Hunter Fox. Both are less than scrupulous when it comes to purchasing books. 

Kitty has her eyes focused on a first edition signed copy of Gone With the Wind and Cleo knows someone who owns one - her sweet cousin Dot. Could Kitty have purchased the book from Dot? Impossible.

As Cleo and Mary-Rose make their way around the booths, they see Dot's bookplate in several books. Confused because she knows her cousin would never part with her beloved books, she is stunned when Dot shows up at the fair nearly hysterical demanding her books be returned to her. 

She accuses Hunter Fox of swindling her out of her books, but he quickly denies having any dealings with her. Things go from bad to worse as Hunter Fox is found murdered in an alley behind Henry's shop with the murder weapon being a awl from Henry's shop.

With both Henry and Dot under suspicion, Cleo and Mary-Rose decide they need to solve the case. 

Who knew books could cause such mayhem. This series is charming and delightful to read. I'd love to see the bookmobile in person.

Murder Makes Scents

A visit to Paris with her mother ends in tragedy when Stella sees a man stabbed to death at the airport. In Murder Makes Scents by Christin Brecher, Stella feels once she is back safely on her island of Nantucket, the event will fade from her memory. (Murder Makes Scents will be published by Kensington Publishing Corp. on February 25.)

Not so fast though. She soon learns there might be a connection between the death and the perfume industry conference her mother attended. Stella discovers the person killed in Paris was a U.S. government official and sources believe the killer is well known anarchist Rex Laruam. This chills Stella and she is more worried about her globe-trotting, free-spirited mother.

When her shop is broken into and her mother Millie is attacked, Stella can't resist investigating. When she receives a note implying her mother smuggled a secret formula out of France, her anxiety rises. 

Because her mother has a severe concussion, she is unable to remember recent events, including who attacked her, nor can she explain what scents she had been carrying in her special case. Stella is sure there is something in the case that the attacker wants, but she struggles to learn what it might be.

When she meets someone purporting to be an agent from one of the alphabet spy agencies in the U.S.,  she feels she needs to trust someone to keep her mother safe. 

A tangled web of lies, misdirection and duplicitous identities makes Murder Makes Scents an intriguing puzzle.

A Death in Chelsea

The Mayfair 100 squad has been idle for nearly a month and they are antsy for another case after the success of their last one. In A Death in Chelsea by Lynn Brittney, when Chief Inspector Beech is summoned to the Superintendent's office he anticipates a new case. (A Death in Chelsea will be published by Crooked Lane Books on March 10.)

The Duchess of Penhere's daughter, Lady Adeline Treborne, was found hanged in her apartment. The duchess wants the police to prove Lady Adeline did not kill herself and was murdered instead.

When Inspector Beech learns about Lady Adeline's scurrilous gossip column activities, there appear to be many suspects. Beech assembles his team and takes them to Lady Adeline's apartment. Although the duchess says she doesn't want the police surgeons to do an autopsy on her daughter, Beech asks Dr. Allardyce to perform one to discover whether Adeline killed herself or was murdered.

After the autopsy it is apparent Adeline was dead already when she was strung up. This

complicates the investigation but Beech has two excellent policeman in DS Arthur Tollman and Constable Billy Rigby, and the remainder of his squad includes pharmacist Mabel Summersby, Dr. Caroline Allardyce, Victoria Ellingham and her mother Lady Maud. They all have their own unique skills and make the Mayfair 100 squad most effective.

When Inspector Beech speaks to Adeline's maid, he discovers her mistress almost never had visitors, rarely went to social events and only went outside to shop, so how did she gather her malicious gossip? That's what the team intends to discover. 

The characters in this series make it most interesting. They are three society ladies working with two police officers, and in this book a stray relative or two set against World War I. Very insightful commentary about the war and highly entertaining interaction among all characters. A fine plot with many twists, turns and unpredictable connections. 

Interview with CJ Love

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published? 

Juliet & Dead Romeo is my latest book. It’s the first cozy mystery I’ve written. I have four

CJ Love

previously published books, all romantic comedies: A Horse Called Hustle, Ring Around His Heart, For the Love of Murphy, and For the Love of Lauralee. 

For a review of Juliet & Dead Romeo, click here

What was the most recent book you read?

The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott. As you can tell, I’m a little behind in my reading. I have a pile of books to be read.

How did you develop your character and choose your location?

In Juliet & Dead Romeo, I chose western New York because it is an area of our country (besides California) that grapes are grown. It’s not over-populated there either so that I could plant Verona’s Vineyard without too many people questioning its existence. When I develop characters, I need to work with them for a while, work with their dialog, and see who they really are. Once I like the character their dialog changes. Sometimes their appearances change too. In A Horse Called Hustle, I added that Jessa wore glasses and that she was quite near-sighted. Suddenly, I went an entirely new direction with her.

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book.

I do a lot of research for my books, especially for Juliet & Dead Romeo. The setting is a vineyard, and I needed to learn the grape-growing season. June is the beginning of harvest season for grapes, so I put that in the book. For book 2, O’ Happy Dagger, I needed to study all about the fermenting and clarification of wine. I had no idea there were so many different methods.

What books did you read as a child?

As a young girl, I loved The Boxcar Children. Oh, the very thought of living in an abandoned boxcar and making it a home thrilled me.

What drew you to writing? 

Funny, it wasn’t a book that drew me. It was a movie, a zany film: What’s Up Doc? It starred Barbara Streisand and Ryan O’Neil. I wanted to write something fun like that. I wanted to entertain readers. Even though I write about murder now, I want it to be humorous and entertaining. Wait that sounds so wrong.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? 

Learn how to write is what I’d tell my younger self. I’d say, “You can’t just sit down and write something and think people will enjoy your book. You need to know what you’re doing. Study the writing craft, and never stop studying it.”

Who is your favorite author?

It’s so difficult to pick one writer, and I’ll change my mind after I tell you who it is. Right now, it’s M.C. Beaton, author of the Agatha Raisin series. BUT, speaking of Agatha… I love Mrs. Christie. I’ve read everything she ever wrote.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to a dinner party, who would they be?

Five funny people: Rob Brydon, Lee Mack, David Mitchell, Bob Mortimer, and Tina Fey.

If you could not be an author, what would you like to do as a career?

A meteorologist =) I love weather-related anything. I live in Florida, and we have violent summer thunderstorms, hurricane seasons, and lightning shooting off everywhere. It’s captivating. My family makes fun of me for watching the weather channel. I love that they’ve named winter storms, Gia, Petra, Ulmer. And now we have cyclone bombs. What?

Death of Baguette

 Tour guide Lana Hansen has signed on to an online dating service and met a charming man named Chad. Imagine her surprise when she meets him again on her Wanderlust Tour in Paris and discovers he is married. Death by Baguette by Jennifer S. Alderson is the second in the Travel Can Be Murder series.  

Stunned and feeling betrayed, Lana decides to ignore Chad and it appears he is determined to ignore her as well. On the trip are several couples including Chad and his wife Miranda, and four friends of theirs, Lana's friends Willow and Jane, and a couple from Florida.

Right from the start the romantic Valentine's day trip to Paris begins to turn sour. Chad and his wife bicker constantly and then Miranda has to be consoled by her friend Sabine who in turns ignores her husband Henry. 

Even with the beautiful scenery of the Seine River floating past them Jane and Willow continue arguing over whether to have a baby. The hippie couple Angie and Bernie seem to be the only couple enjoying the trip. They are moving from Florida to Seattle and have planned a concept restaurant. 

Unfortunately they discover Chad is The Fussy Gourmet food critic and he has promised to ruin their concept with one review. Now everyone is on edge, including Lana. One consolation is that her new hire Randy has turned out to be an excellent guide.

As with all Wanderlust Tours, the tour members can ask for different excursions than the ones planned. When Sabine wants to change the baker for the baguette making class, Lana is surprised, especially as she has read reviews of the baker's classes and they have been mixed. After the class, a picnic is planned and the food from the class is to be served. Unfortunately some winds up dead. 

The beautiful descriptions of the sights in Paris especially Versailles and the River Seine make you want to visit France. Plus the book is an excellent read.

On the Lamb

Easter is coming to the Jersey shore and Lucy Berberian and her family are preparing delicious foods at their Mediterranean restaurant. In On the Lamb by Tina Kashian, Lucy and her friends are readying for their traditional bonfire on the shore. (On the Lamb will be published by Kensington Publishing Corp. on February 25.)

With the Bikers on the Beach in town there are plenty of people at the bonfire. Local landlord and totally obnoxious person Gilbert Lubinski publicly humiliates Lucy's friend Melanie Haven. Melanie, who operates a boardwalk candy shop, has fallen behind on her rent and Gilbert has demanded she pay or vacate her shop. 

Shocked by his behavior, Melanie wanders away from the bonfire. A short time later, Gilbert is found dead on the beach having choked on a piece of saltwater taffy. The likely suspect is Melanie, the candy store owner. Lucy believes Melanie is innocent, and while she investigates, she discovers there were many other people who despised Gilbert Lubinski. 

Trying to stay on the good side of her friend police officer Bill Watson and the grumpy Detective Calvin Clemmons, Lucy tiptoes cautiously through her investigation. She learns Gilbert had an so-to-be-ex-wife with an axe to grind and several other suspects. 

On the home front, the restaurant is starting to get busy as the summer season approaches and despite her mother's best efforts, Lucy isn't the chef her mother or her boyfriend Azad are. While she searches for the killer, Lucy tries to improve her culinary skills and establish where her relationship with Azad is going. 

Another delightful mystery in the culinary exploits of the large Mediterranean family. I can identify with that.