Travel Agency Blues

Travel agency branch manager Prudence Peters is having a bad day. In Downsized to Death by Patricia Gulley, Pru learns her company is closing some of its offices in Oregon, laying people off and requiring her to re-apply for her job.

A messy firing of one of Pru's employees by state manager Claudia Gage complicates matters, especially when the fired employee Meg disappears and Claudia is found dead in her home over the weekend. The home office doesn't want any bad publicity and they pester Pru and her staff not to discuss the murder and disappearance. This hampers the investigation as they are not cooperating with the police either.

Pru assures Meg's worried mother that she will help discover where Meg is, but the search leads nowhere. In the office there are petty jealousies and territorial concern over bookings and groups and even a history of past violence.

Although somewhat dated in the travel agency setting, the plot is complicated and the added

undermining of the investigation by the head office is an interesting perspective on corporate America and "above the law" attitude and lack of concern for employees. There appears to be a bit of a romance between Pru and the detective in charge of the case, but it doesn't get too far. Maybe in the next book it will. Find the next book here.

Ciphers, Codes and Clues

When Savannah Webb returns home to her father's funeral in St. Petersburg, Florida, she plans to transfer ownership of his glass shop to his trusted associated Hugh. But when Hugh is found dead days later, Savannah cannot believe the coincidence. In Pane and Suffering author Cheryl Hollon explains the fine art of stain glass making in wonderful detail.

Savannah cannot believe her father and Hugh are both dead, allegedly of heart attacks, and she believes they were murdered. But why? Her father was in government intelligence before he became a glass maker, and Savannah knows he was a bit paranoid. When she finds an envelope with her father's writing that says, "Savannah, if you find this. I've been murdered and you are in danger," she begins to worry. Inside the envelope, she finds a code and begins her geocache search to find answers.

I loved the geocache aspect of the book and I wish there had been

more of a treasure hunt for the clues. I also loved the stained glass descriptions. They gave me the itch to get back into stained glass, something I had been interested in years ago.

As for Savannah she is way to trusting of people around her and pretty much tells everyone what is going on in her investigation. I think for future books, she needs to be more mysterious and suspicious of people. Maybe it's because she lived in Seattle (just a joke).

I look forward to reading the next book which is entitled Shards of Murder.

Murder Comes to Booktown Again

Stoneham, New Hampshire, is known as Booktown, but lately it might be called Murder Town. In Lorna Barrett's Book Clubbed, book store owner Tricia Miles and her sister Angelica discover the body of grumpy Chamber receptionist Betsy Dittmeyer crushed to death under a bookcase. Is it an accident or is it murder?

As they investigate they find that Betsy was a hoarder and had embezzled large amounts of money from the Chamber of Commerce. In addition she had a file on her computer with not nice comments about all Chamber members.

In a side story Bob Kelly, former president of the Chamber, has disappeared and his real estate clients are angry and annoyed that he has not responded to their needs. Is Bob connected to Betsy's death or is their some other reason he is evading the law for other reasons?

Tricia and her sister Angelica complicate their relationship when Angelica discloses some long

hidden family secret. In addition Tricia's ex-husband Christopher is still in the picture and wants to reconcile. It's a wonder Tricia has any time to run Haven't Got a Clue bookstore.

There are lots of twists and turns and Tricia seems more introspective in this book than in any of the others. I'm finding her a less interesting character as this series progresses. She seems to have lost her spark. I'm hoping that returns, but I don't foresee that in the next book.

The first nook in this series is Murder Is Binding.

Update: I was right Tricia is even more depressing in A Fatal Chapter.  I'm sorry to hear that because she was an excellent character in earlier books.

Lighthouse Library Hosts Murder

A library in a lighthouse is such a unique concept, I just had to read it. The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is on the Outer Banks in North Carolina near Nag's Head. Although there is a lighthouse on Bodie Island, it does not contain a library, but what a great idea.

By Book or by Crook, written by Eva Gates features life on the Outer Banks in North Carolina., beachlife like none other.

Lucy Richardson arrives from Boston to take a job as an assistant librarian just as the library is opening its Jane Austen exhibit. A complete set of first edition Jane Austen books, including Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park, has been loaned to the library for three months. At the reception kicking off the celebration, the Library Board president Jonathon Uppiton and his soon-to-be-ex-wife Diane are heard arguing with Diane threatening that she will "dance on his grave."

Before too long, there is a thump, a scream, a dead body and the head librarian Bertie is holding the

neck of a broken beer bottle next to the body.

When the Austen books begin to disappear, the police start looking at Lucy, as the newest resident to the community, as a suspect. With two library board factions arguing about the future of the library and the annoying Louise Jane trying to get Lucy's job and scare her with spooky lighthouse stories, Lucy and her library friends try to clear Bertie, find the Austen books and keep the library open.

I enjoyed this book for several reasons: the plot was clever especially with the Austen books, the location is one of my favorites and the entire concept of a library in a lighthouse is so fantastic. I only wish it were true. I would be sure to visit when I am in the Outer Banks next summer.

The next book in the series (which I am reading) is entitled Booked for Trouble.

Library Archives and Civil War Secrets

In Denise Swanson's latest book Between a Book and a Hard Place, trouble comes to Shadow Bend, Missouri. When Devereaux Sinclair's long-estranged mother Yvette returns with her current husband in tow, Dev is not pleased. She hopes to keep her parents apart, but when she finds them standing over the dead body of Yvette's current husband Jett Benedict in the, as yet unopened Shadow Bend library archives, Dev springs into action.

She sends her father home, wipes down the crime scene and then calls the police. Her father, newly paroled from prison cannot afford to be involved in any crime. Is Yvette guilty or is something else going on? When Jett promised to endow the Shadow Bend library so it could reopen, he asked to spend time in the archives before anyone else. What was he searching for?

Rumors of Civil War treasure begin circulating and Dev and friends

try to figure out what is behind the rumors. Who knew Shadow Bend was such a hot bed of Civil War intrigue. With soldiers fighting on both sides of the war, there's bound to be some secrets that need to be kept hidden.

Dev is an interesting character and her Dime Store is a throwback to the '50s with the added perk of her naughty basketmaking side business. But Dev, Dev, Dev, please choose between one of your suitors. I cannot believe in the 21st century two such handsome and available men would put up with your indecision for as long as they have. My vote - choose the U.S. Marshall, dump the doctor!

The first book in the series is Dying for a Cupcake.

Combes and Watson in Oregon

When stockbroker Shirley Combes decides she wants to change careers and become the world's greatest living detective, who else but Dr. Mary Watson, naturopath (that's correct), could be her sidekick. In The Hounding by Sandra de Helen, Combes is called upon by Goldenhawk Vandeleur, the daughter of the deceased, to find the murderer of her mother, heiress Priscilla (Cilla) Vandeleur Leoni.

Cilla, the heir to the Baskerville timber fortune, is mauled by dogs on her morning run and dies of cardiac arrest. Golden is sure her stepfather is the murderer because he stands to inherit the bulk of Cilla's estate and his furniture company has been failing.

As we soon discover, Cilla has an abiding fear of being killed by a dog, as had many of her family members. This parallels The Hounds of the Baskerville book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but in contemporary Oregon, it doesn't appear to be a realistic phobia. But ah, it is and the game is afoot (even though Sherlock never said that except on TV)! The trail leads an all directions and even includes a baby monkey and a group of animal rights activists.

This book tickled my Sherlock Holmes fancy especially as Shirley is the cold, detached, lanky and blunt character everyone knows and loves in Sherlock. She is slightly nicer to her Dr. Watson though than Sherlock is to his. Dr. Mary Watson wonders why she is asked to take notes as Shirley has a remarkable memory. She is an efficient lockpick and is handy to have around in a crisis, and hard as it may seem, Shirley wants her as a friend.

I enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to others in this series. For other books in this series, click here.

A Banner Day

No book post today but I wanted to let you know what a great day I had. My friend and author Connie Archer posted a link to MapYourMystery blog on her Facebook page and then alerted her Sisters In Crime friends. I heard from 15 authors telling me about their books. I should be very busy reading for the rest of the year.

I've also decided to include interviews with authors periodically through the blog. Hope that interests you and you will check back to read them.

Thanks again for reading the blog. I love writing it.

The Wedding of the Year

When mother-of-the-bridge Evelyn Montgomery arrives in River City, Missouri to organize the "wedding of the year," florist Bretta Solomon is thrilled at the prospect. In A Deadly Bouquet, Janis Harrison plants the seed early on that this is not going to be a run of the mill wedding. Bretta and several other small business owners have been asked to provide various elements of the wedding, but Evelyn is a taskmaster and makes frequent additions and alterations.

When the Oliver, the landscaper dies of a heart attack, and Claire, the beautician, is found murdered on the same day, Bretta feels there is something more sinister going on behind the scenes. She discovers the four women business owners attended high school together and she believes they are hiding a secret.

To complicate matters, the enigmatic Bailey Monroe, a DEA agent Bretta met in a previous adventure, has taken up residents in the cottage adjacent to Bretta's property.

As Bretta digs deeper into the mystery, trying to stave off Evelyn's over-the-top demands for

perfection, she and Bailey are forced off the road with Bailey seriously injured, then her car is vandalized in front of her shop with a note saying "Strike Two." Along with her long estranged father, Bretta seeks the truth, but is stymied at all ends, When a third person is killed in an explosion, Bretta is not deterred.

What long-dead secret are the vendors hiding and how will it impact the wedding planning and the event itself. The explosive conclusion is one you won't see coming.

I like Bretta Solomon. She has struggled with being overweight, and losing her husband early in life, but her spirit is not dampened. The addition of Bailey Monroe adds some mystery and intrigue to the series.

The first book in the series is Roots of Murder.

By the Spoonful

The residents of Snowflake, Vermont, are excited to have a best-selling mystery author in town for a book. When the original venue is damaged by a flood, Lucky Jamieson steps in and offers her restaurant By the Spoonful in A Clue in the Stew by Connie Archer as the signing site.

Before the author arrives, Lucky's one and only waitress threatens to quit unless another one is hired, and fast. Enter a flashy redhead with a "southern drawl" who enthralls Jack, and worms her way into being hired. As if Lucky doesn't have enough on her plate with the her new waitress who cannot produce identification or a social security number, then the author and her obnoxious entourage arrive.

The evening ends in murder and if that isn't doesn't spoil the event, the killer uses the same method as the murderer in the book. Before long another body is found, murdered in the same manner. Is there is a copycat killer on the loose or is there more to the murders than meets the eye.

Lucky and her crew decide to investigate despite Police Chief Nate Edgerton's request not to get involved. Even young waitress Meg wants to be part of the "Murder Investigation Club" and that almost leads to a third murder.

This book had me guessing from the start. I really thought I had it figured out and was totally surprised at the solution. And we finally learn Lucky's real first name.

The first book in this series is A Spoonful of Murder.

The Cakes Have It!

The Cakes of Monte Cristo by Jacklyn Brady
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoy these books for their attention to detail and the ins and outs of running a bakery. The New Orleans locale helps too. I wish Rita would get past her "poor little Hispanic girl" chip on her shoulders. She has mingled with the very rich in New Orleans and has successfully catered their events. It's time she started to believe in herself and her skills. I am ready for her to grow up. I like her, her staff likes her and her mother-in-law loves her. She has two men interested in her and she needs to come out of her shell a bit more.

For more books in this series, click here.