At this point in my reread of Jane Austen's Classic Six, I'm just having fun with the folks of Pride & Prejudice for I am fond of follies and nonsense at times and try to laugh at them whenever possible(plus, I love Mr. Bennet and his pleasing ability to throw shade at every opportunity!).
There are many reasons that this particular novel is the MVP of the bunch; the romantic twists and turns, cutting social satire and a strong willed heroine who is willing to acknowledge the best and worst in others as well as herself, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
However, my main focus here will be on some of the less than helpful supporting characters, the most irritating and self delusional people you would ever meet and truly dread being stuck in their inconsiderate company for long.
P&P is one of those rare literary joys that makes you enjoy such horrible beings and look eagerly forward to seeing them again(much like Mr. Bennet, who does have his faults but encouraging fools to make themselves more ridiculous is not one of them!) during a reread like this:
CAROLINE BINGLEY: This snarky sister of the good natured Mr. Bingley, aided by her married sister Mrs. Hurst, does enjoy sniggering on the sidelines at those she considers inferior, mainly the Bennet family.
Of course, apart from snobbery, her chief concern is keeping Mr. Darcy within her sights and shooing Lizzie with her "fine eyes" away from any serious romantic considerations. Caroline is savvy enough to drop her hints to both Darcy and Elizabeth separately, insisting that her comments are "kindly meant" but we all know better.
What trips her up at times is her over confidence, especially with Darcy, who I think does find her amusing at times but only up to a point. It's very entertaining to watch Caroline whip herself up into a frenzy only to be cut down rather smoothly by a cool reply from her intended object of affection:
MR. COLLINS: While he does take up more than his fair share of story space, this pompous preacher is nothing more than a rather silly side dish made up of flavorless flattery.
His attempts to woo one of the Bennet girls into marriage(in order to make up for "the crime of inheriting " their Longbourn home and yes, entails are bad)are so obviously self serving that it is hard to have any sympathy for the profound refusal given to him.
As odious as he is, Mr. Collins offers himself up as a good source of entertainment to sly folk like Mr. Bennet, who can't help but use the man's complete lack of self awareness against him, particularly when it comes to his adored patroness(who I shall not neglect here, I promise!):
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH: This most notable lady has an opinion about everyone and everything that comes across her path and not not shy about giving her advice(or rather, issuing orders) whether it has been asked for or not.
Being Darcy's aunt, it is understandable that she has some interest in his personal affairs but determining who is suitable for him as a wife is certainly beyond those boundaries.
Her insistence upon having a shave in all conversations only shows just how important she needs to make herself feel constantly but having any sympathy for such behavior becomes pointless when faced with her Ladyship's unyielding stubbornness. Having a laugh at it is the best way to cope with Lady Catherine there.
Naturally, her devoted subject Mr. Collins would think otherwise(poor Charlotte Lucas, having such an intrusive neighbor with so much influence upon her husband around, closet shelves not withstanding) yet Elizabeth refuses to buckle under the pressure placed upon her by such a determined diva, which is good for the both of them in the long run:
Lastly, I must give a shout out to Mrs. Bennet, a woman who couldn't embrace subtlety if it was thrust right into her open arms. She does have her defenders and to be fair, I do agree that securing good marriages for five daughters in such times and in those circumstances is difficult at best.
However, her purpose would be better served, along with her girls, if she took things down a very considerable notch. Mrs. Bennet's over the top antics and bold as a neon billboard hints about marrying for money undermine all of her matchmaking schemes. Then again, if Mr. Bennet can find her and those "poor nerves" of hers good enough company, so can we all:
As all of us received a most welcome surprise this past weekend(congrats to President Elect Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris!), I found a bookish surprise in my mailbox ,thanks to Virtual Con.
During the same time this past spring when I bought my first mystery box, I also won a gift pack of books from this online event that I was greatly looking forward. After much delay,due to the ongoing health crisis and other issues, a box of books finally arrived with a letter of apology for the wait.
Needless to say, I am very happy on more than one front and pleased to showcase some of the science fiction/fantasy titles that were gifted to me:
GODDESS IN THE MACHINE: The teen heroine of Lora Beth Johnson's debut YA novel is a sci-fi Sleeping Beauty who awakens to a strange new world in more ways than one. Andra Watts was told that she and her family would be in cryo-sleep for a hundred years as part of their interplanetary move to Holymyth. Instead, she is revived a thousand years later with none of her family or friends left alive.
Seen as a newborn deity, Andra is uncomfortable with being worshiped and plans to return to what remains of Earth. To do that, she makes an alliance with Zharde, an exiled prince with a devious reputation, in order to gather the materials for a return ship which also draws the unwelcome attention of his regal brother Maret, who is very much in a position to do them both harm.
Can Andra find her way home-if it still exists-or make a new one with possibly a new love by her side? This does sound intriguing and since there's a sequel in the works, getting in on the ground floor of a rocketship speed series certainly feels right to me:
BONDS OF BRASS: In this first entry of the Bloodright Trilogy, author Emily Skrutskie introduces us to Ettian and Gal, fellow cadets at the intergalactic military academy of the Umber Empire.
As a war orphan from Archon, steadfast pilot Ettian appears to have little in common with the carefree Gal, who comes from a more privileged background. However, when his contemporaries from Archon learn that Gal is the heir to the Umber throne and seek payback, Ettian is determined to protect him at all costs.
When political forces arise to target Gal as well, he goes to Ettian for help. The two of them flee the academy and with the aid of a new companion, street savvy Wen, seek sanctuary in a neutral star system.
Being on the run is not new to Ettian but soon he is torn between his duty to his home world,whose residents are still fighting for their freedom, and his growing affection for Gal. Will they stay true to another one or be divided by the numerous worlds at war between them? I do like how this tale of love, friendship and space war is arranged and look forward to seeing how the stars of fate align for these characters.
THE MERMAID: Writer Christina Henry blends a bit of fact and fantasy in this novel about a sea maiden teaming up with P.T. Barnum for an exhibition that may prove profitable to both parties.
The title character is Amelia, who left her ocean realm out of love for a fisherman named Jack, who lived on a remote island. Now a widow, Amelia wishes to travel the world and takes up the offer by Barnum's recruiter Levi Lyman to appear in his American museum.
Dealing with the wider world is hard for Amelia, who finds her tank confining but not as constricting as the meek and mild manners expected of her as a woman. However, she manages to stand her ground both on land and sea, perhaps finding new love along the way.
I adore mermaids and this seaworthy story is right up my alley. Also love the charmingly compact paperback edition that will be a pleasure to place among my completed reads sometime soon:
THE MOTHER CODE: Carole Stivers sets her futuristic saga in a world affected by a plague caused by a military bio-weapon that threatens the continuance of human life.
To prevent that from coming true, a series of robots are created to incubate genetically enhanced children, each one given the title code as a way of bonding with their human offspring until the time is seen as right to have their charges reclaimed by "society".
When the mechanical matrons are deemed to be no longer controllable, government forces decide to take action and take the kids. One such mother and child, Rho-Z and her son Kai, are quite determined to not be parted and those who try to do so have a hell of a fight on their hands indeed.
Stivers offers a complex story that blends science, fear and the true nature of motherly love together in a package that is also action packed to boot:
After all of the insane stress of this year, it's nice to have a few things go right. I hope that all those who took part in this contest receive their prize packs soon and spend many happy hours of reading with them.
As recent events have shown us, good things can come to those who wait and some surprises are truly of intergalactic proportions of joy and renewed hope like this:
Things may be tense as we collectively wait for certain national results yet my Series-ous Reading goes on with more Joanne Fluke.
After the bomb shell revelation at the end of Devil's Food Cake Murder(Norman tells Hannah that he has to marry his new business partner/former love interest Bev in order to see the daughter he didn't know that he had!), it was a good thing that I had already planned to read Cinnamon Roll Murder next.
While she's still reeling from that announcement, Hannah and her youngest sister Michelle come across a crashed bus that happened to be taking a well known jazz band, Cinnamon Roll Six, into town.
Although the bus driver didn't make it out alive, the rest of the band and their traveling companions are well enough to be transported to the local hospital. The only one with a slightly serious injury is Buddy Neiman, the charismatic keyboardist whose charms are completely lost on Hannah. Buddy may be able to finesse others ,particularly those impressed with his fame, but as a patient, he's far from being agreeable:
At least this time around, Hannah is not the one to find Buddy stabbed to death with hospital scissors(that dubious honor falls to her mother Delores, who volunteers there and I think dating one of the doctors as well).
While looking into the case, she discovers that Buddy and Beverly seem to have a connected past in Seattle, causing wonder about other secrets that Bev may be hiding.
Speaking of secrets, Hannah's family and friends become determined to find out Bev's real background in order to stop the upcoming wedding and insist that Hannah is being too nice and "not fighting for her man." Granted, I want Norman and Hannah together as well but in such situations, if you try to directly interfere, you often come out looking like the bad guy. I don't blame Hannah for backing off on this one.
However, she and sister Andrea do go out on a far fetched journey to get some of Bev's daughter Diana's DNA in order to prove that Norman is not the father, a plot point that I didn't care for. My concern was that this innocent kid(who is only ten) would be dragged into this mess but fortunately, Bev's mother brought their friendly real estate agent and client routine enough that they were able to get the evidence without this poor girl being at all involved.
As it turns out, Diana is pretty much being raised solely by her grandmother, who is happy to do so and not shy about expressing her suspicions about her own daughter to strangers. Also, it took awhile for Hannah and Bev to have a showdown, which made the threat of her a bit too remote there. Everything turned out alright in the end but this whole story line was a bit too much:
As to Buddy, his ties to Bev didn't lead directly to his demise but it did open up another can of worms that lead to the capture of his killer. Of course, I really was more interested in the Norman situation and as it turns out, Norman came to his own rescue.
Hannah wisely didn't let him know about her side investigation and it looks as if those two will get back together for now at least. Yes, I do know that Hannah marries someone else later in this series, however, I am convinced that they are Meant To Be-as Phoebe Buffay would say, Norman is Hannah's lobster:
So now that the whole Norman situation is resolved, I can take a break from Hannah and friends by reading the last of my Second Act selections(see, I didn't forget about that!), A Medal for Murder by Frances Brody.
This second entry in the Kate Shackleton series has our leading lady stumble upon a shocking murder in the back alley of a theater. The deceased was a rather obnoxious man who had designs upon the young lady starring in the play that Kate saw that night(she even had to sit near him but moved at one point).
So far, this story has a pawnshop robbery, a mysterious client of that shop being hard to trace, a fake kidnapping in progress and two men linked by a dark secret as soldiers during the Boer War. Quite a change of pace for me here and it's very much welcome indeed:
With all that's going on right now, it was such a relief to be able to focus on finishing up my reads for FrightFall this past weekend. It was a good idea for Seasons of Reading to extend this particular readathon(thank you, Michelle!) to a two month period.
While I didn't get to all of the books on my initial TBR, at least my goal to read two Leslie Meier cozy holiday mystery titles was completed. Trick or Treat Murder is an early entry in her Lucy Stone series, with our leading lady deciding to investigate a growing number of arson fires in her small Maine town of Tinker's Cove.
The most recent blaze took the life of Monica Mayes, a client of Lucy's husband Bill(who restores old houses for a living) who was not expected to be at her summer home. Was her death an unfortunate yet unintentional result or a planned execution? With Monica's spouse Roland having a wandering eye for other women-including the new aerobics instructor in town!-the latter possibility is appearing to be the answer.
Of course, Lucy has to juggle her other responsibilities including taking care of her baby daughter Zoe, dealing with her other kids and making numerous cupcakes for a local haunted house event in time for Halloween. Nevertheless, she persists in keeping a sharp eye and ear out for trouble.
I do like the small town sitcom vibe of this series, especially during portions of the story where Bill has been drafted for the town historical buildings committee(who frowns upon any changes to local property) and the contentious meetings that lead Lucy to another possible suspect in the arson situation. It's such a great Murder She Wrote meets Stars Hollow feeling that makes these stories such fun to tune into:
The other Lucy Stone title I read was my first ebook library loan,Wicked Witch Murder, set in more recent times where she's a reporter for the local Pennysaver and happens to find a strangely burned body in the woods.
Much of the ruckus in Tinker's Cove lately is due to the arrival of Diana Ravenscroft, who runs an occult shop and claims to be the high priestess of a Wiccan coven. While her presence is exciting to Lucy's teen daughters Sara and Zoe, it enrages another new resident,Ike Stoughton, whose strict religious beliefs drive him to an open campaign against Diana that gathers a few followers.
Lucy is trying to stay neutral but when the burnt body she found is revealed to be Malcolm, the high priest of the coven who was thought to be in England, concerns about Diana's influence grow strong. However, she's fully against the targeted harassment and acts of vandalism that threaten Diana's store and life.
What I really liked about this book was a side character that appears to be a more authentic witch than Diana and yet she's not in direct opposition to her at all. Rebecca Wardell and her humble vegetable garden/produce stand not only keeps her abilities low key but at times, shows up to help Lucy out in unexpected ways such as during a violent rain storm or when her small owl Oz flies by just as Lucy is in search of a clue.
Granted, the main mystery has a more reality based cause yet those subtle hints at magical assistance from a "good witch" are a sweet spice to this plate of seasonal story line cookies:
The final book for FrightFall was partly due to a library loan-after staying up all night to finish The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires(which will be on my best of the year list), I decided to buy the ebook version of Grady Hendrix's My Best Friend's Exorcism and that was money well spent indeed.
Set during the 1980's, this novel tells the terrifying tale of Abby and Gretchen, best friends since they were ten whose bond is severely tested by a demonic force targeting Gretchen and everything she holds dear in the world.
During a sleepover with gal pals Margaret and Glee, a chance encounter with what seems to be inactive LSD changes Gretchen into a snarling and sickly version of herself, driving nearly everyone but Abby away.
Abby is determined to help her best friend in any way that she can but when Gretchen seems to have gotten "better", that's when the real horrors begin. With only a body building novice as the exorcist, Abby risks all to save her friend's soul and their relationship but is it too late for any of that?
Drenched in eighties nostalgia and old school gore, this story is a loving tribute to the power of friendship that makes Stranger Things look tame in comparison. There are plans to turn this book into a film and in the right hands, My Best Friend's Exorcism could make heads and hearts spin with terror and joy:
Once again, thanks to Michelle Miller at Seasons of Reading for hosting another wonderful readathon and best wishes to all for a happy holiday season to come.
Hopefully, we'll soon know the direction that things will be heading in and fingers crossed for a sign of better days ahead of us(it does help if you vote!). Meanwhile, I'm just planning to get to Thanksgiving without too much stress and maybe a lot more to be thankful for:
We're now in the midst of autumn and this year, it's not just the holiday season that is fast upon our heels. A certain major event will be happening early next week and hopefully, things will go well on that front(I voted via absentee ballot and got it in early, along with my family) for all concerned.
How that night will turn out is a key factor in our collective attitude going forward to the end of this rather hectic year. Either way the die is cast, a good book is going to be a big help in getting through these most challenging times.
So, this short but snappy list of upcoming titles for November and December ought to be useful whether you're making a seasonal gift list or in the mood for a page turning delight:
THE STORY FLOWS ON...
In Philippa Gregory's second entry in her new Fairmile series, Dark Tides , her leading lady Alinor is now living with her daughter Alys in London of 1870.
Hoping to make a new life as a wharf owner, Alinor is still distraught over the passing of her son Rob, made worse by the manipulations of her daughter-in-law Livia. Suspicious of Livia's claims, Alinor asks her granddaughter Sarah to go to Venice to find out the truth about Rob's demise.
Meanwhile, another blast from the past returns as James, the royal spy who abandoned her long ago, arrives to proclaim his desire to marry Alinor and claim their mutual child. She insists that the child is not his and any promises from those days have been broken completely.
Those worries, along with her brother Ned making a new life in New England, are a heavy toll upon Alinor yet perhaps her gift of second sight might prove useful to seeking more than one solution. Gregory's knack for weaving intricate plot points into a story telling tapestry are well known and seeing her latest pattern laid out for these characters should prove to be elegant fictional embroidery at it's finest(November):
MAIDENS OF MYSTERY
It is an undisputed fact that Agatha Christie is considered "the Queen of Mystery" and yet one of the biggest mysteries connected to her has never been solved.
In the upcoming novel The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict, we get a fictional possibility as to what occurred during those eleven days in 1926 in which one of the most famous writers in the world seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Was she truly in danger or was this a planned happenstance, due to her husband Archie's constant betrayals of their wedding vows? As clues mount up and the police are fixing their sights on him as the prime suspect, Archie finds himself having no choice but to play out the hand that his wife has dealt him.
Questions abound-can Archie pull himself back from the brink before it's too late? Even if Agatha is fine and well, where is she and how is she able to manipulate things from her hidden location? Will things ever be the same between the two of them again, once this is all said and done with?
Benedict does like to portray engaging women and Agatha Christie is quite the challenge yet I suspect that her literary solution to this real life puzzle will by the end form a solid picture for mystery fans to enjoy(December):
Speaking of Christie, Anthony Horowitz certainly celebrated the spirit of her work in his novel Magpie Murders awhile back and now he's bringing that vibe back again with a character from that book in Moonflower Murders.
After her harrowing experience with the final novel by late mystery writer Alan Conway, Susan Ryland has left the publishing world to live a more peaceful life on the island of Crete. Nonetheless, her knowledge of Conway's great detective Atticus Pund has a set of worried parents seeking her assistance.
Eight years ago, the wedding of Cecily Treherne and Aiden Macneil was marred by the murder of a guest at the hotel used for the ceremony. A foreign born maintenance man was blamed for the crime yet the bride felt that he was innocent.
With Cecily now missing, the Trehernes offer Susan a good amount of money to help in this case, particularly due to their daughter's use of the third book in the Atticus Pund series as a blueprint for solving this crime. Despite her better judgement, Susan decides to play detective and even consults that particular book to see what Cecily was thinking.
Perhaps, Cecily was too close to the truth and Susan's sleuthing might not render the results that the Treherne family is looking for. Yet, she may do some good and possibly bury her own demons from the past as well. Magpie Murders was an amazing read and it will be hard to top it but Horowitz ought to be more than capable of giving us another fun thrill ride(November).
A SINISTER SCOOP OF COZY MYSTERY
Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mystery series is rather addicting(to me, at least!) and it's good to see that we're getting another delicious slice of cozy mystery cake from her before this year is out.
Chilled to the Cone has professional baker and occasional detective Juliet Capshaw happy to add another business project to the already expanding ones centered at her family bakeshop Torte.
Setting up a pop-up ice cream shop during the spring season in Ashland sounds like a great opportunity yet before the the first scoop can be sold, a death lands on Torte's doorstep that puts the whole project into a deep freeze.
Can Juliet find out who killed the beloved street performer known as "The Wizard" to thaw out her new venture in time or will this meltdown lead to a chilling end? This may not feel like ice cream season but Alexander is great at delivering a sweet surprise to her readers in any and all fabulous flavors(December):
Like I said at the beginning of this post, with any luck, things will start to look better for our future after next Tuesday and regardless of that, we need to hold each other up as best as we can. Still going to be a tough road ahead no matter what.
In the meantime, I'm going to try and take things in stride-if we can make to Thanksgiving without too much hassle, that'll be fine with me. While this upcoming holiday season is not going to be the same, we can always find comfort among the chaos with our loved ones, plus don't skip the rolls!:
Much has changed this year due to the sadly ongoing health crisis and that includes the getting of books.
What with shutdowns affecting both libraries and bookstores(not to mention issues with the post office, a rather overly maligned public service these days), having a new book to enjoy almost seems like a rare luxury at times. However, sometimes, things just work out well and for me, a blessing from the Book Fairy granted me a book haul on Sunday of all days.
While it was understandable that my latest order from Better World Books would be a little late because of the most recent holiday, it was quite a pleasant surprise to find that light green bundle of goodness on my doorstep.
One of the delights inside was Philippa Gregory's Tidelands, the first in a new series of historical fiction from her(so loving season two of The Spanish Princess,btw!). Set in 1648, Alinor supports her family with the talent of her healing arts, risking accusations of witchcraft from the newly empowered Puritans who have forced King Charles into exile.
When she meets James, a priest who also happens to be a spy, Alinor and her loved ones are drawn into a plot to free the former king with promises of better lives for all concerned. Her interest in helping James becomes more personal as time goes on, which places her heart as well as her life on the line. Can Alinor find true happiness for herself and her family or is this a path toward future ruin here?
I do like how Gregory puts the spotlight on women and their particular issues during these power struggles between men. Her characters are often engaging in or out of royal circles and by giving us this tale set among regular folk, it's easy to see how some things never quite change indeed:
The book that accompanied Tidelands was The Institute by Stephen King, a most unlikely pair, I grant you. Yet, I suspect that those two authors might get along well with each other on a few points.
The title location is where young Luke Ellis has been taken to by mysterious government forces who have killed his parents. Their interest in him is due to his psychic abilities, a special gift that he and many of his fellow inmates share.
Being manipulated by their captors to perform on command for future unknown purposes, Luke and his new friends become determined to break out. It's quite a risk since no child has escaped before but as things grow worse, any chance at freedom is the only viable option left.
King does know how to tap into the pulse of current fear and this story certainly does have a ripped from the headlines vibe to it. Yet, if anyone can mix the horror and humanity of a situation like this, he certainly can. The man wears the crown of literary terror for good reason:
Later that same day, I checked my e-mail and found a notification from my local library(which is still physically closed) that one of my ebook holds was now available.
Thanks to a kind gift from a family friend, I now have a new ereader that allows me to borrow books electronically and it's nice to have a little library loan joy back. The book in question is The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix, which is so suitable for this scary season!
Our leading lady is Patricia, a 90's housewife whose main excitement in life is her reading group that devours true crime stories together. After a shocking encounter with an elderly neighbor gone suddenly savage, she meets a charming newcomer to town claiming to be that woman's nephew.
As James Harris breezes into her life and the lives of her family and friends, a string of disappearances on the other side of town soon leads to her own backyard, forcing Patricia to consider the possibility that James is not what he seems. However, getting anyone to believe her is another matter entirely as even her best book buddies are a little reluctant to take up stakes on her behalf.
Nonetheless, Patricia gears up to battle the blood drinking forces of evil at hand and she becomes a power to reckon with on more than one front. I'm reading this right now and it is a total blast, a combo of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and True Blood with a special love for old school horror. So loving this and if you get the chance to sink your teeth into one, do so with gusto!:
Considering all of the chaos swirling about us these days, it's good to have a book or two nearby to ground you to the world. Hopefully, our collective tomorrows will be brighter but in the meanwhile, we need to stay focused on what's right as well as take a moment to regather our strength there.
So, making the best of things is something that folks have done well in the past and should be good enough for our present circumstances. You might not be able to catch up on all of your reading at the moment but when you get a small special book bonus like I was given here, you need to make the most of it:
While things are far from certain these days, you can at least rely on the power of a good book to help you get through the bad times. For cozy mystery fans like myself, a great way to find something to look forward to in the future is to check out the new releases that lie ahead for us in the new year.
For example, Ellery Adams will be bringing forth the fourth entry in her newest series entitled The Secret,Book and Scone Society this upcoming January. Ink and Shadows has Miracle Springs bookshop owner Nora dealing with a bit of censorship as a few of the locals object to the titles showcased in her Halloween window display.
Another target of this harassment is Celeste, whose new shop sells CBD oil based goods, and as disrupt acts and vague threats keep cropping up, Nora and her group of friends band together to calm the worsening situation down.
However, when a suspicious death occurs in town, the stakes become even higher. Is the cause of this untimely demise connected to the current wave of controversy or to a secret from Celeste's past that won't stay buried ?
This series is really growing on me with it's strong set of female friendships and engaging mysteries that are as inviting as one of the special scones made by Nora's baking buddy Hester, which are personally flavored to soothe your emotional appetites:
By March of 2021, you might be in the mood for ice cream and that's when A Game of Cones by Abby Collette is set to arrive.
The second book in the Ice Cream Parlor series has our leading lady Bronwyn "Win"Crewse feeling more confident about revving the frozen treat family business yet a fresh death on her doorstep promises to dampen that mood.
Not only does Win have to defend one of her good friends being unjustly accused of killing a new developer in town planning to set up a big box shopping mall, her flighty aunt, who pretty much ran the ice cream shop into the ground, is back to claim what she thinks is hers.
Fighting more than one battle on several fronts is challenging enough but Win is determined to save her friend, her new workplace and the day as best she can. Hopefully, the victory on all of these fields will not be bittersweet. I truly enjoyed An Inside Deadly Scoop, which launched this new series and this second sinister sweet sundae will definitely be worth the wait:
While Bakeshop Mystery series writer Ellie Alexander is going to have an ice cream themed book out later this season(Chilled to the Cone), her summer story for next June is rather warm brewed indeed.
In Mocha, She Wrote, professional baker and amateur detective Juliet Capshaw is proud to have her top barista Andy take part in a coffee competition that could earn him a big pay day, along with some percolating prestige.
However, when the head judge is so appalled by Andy's initial offering that he spits that first sip out, his odds for a win grind to a halt. Even worse, that judge is found dead not long after, making Juliet's prize employee a prime suspect!
Can Juliet clear Andy of making a murderous cup of brew or are his chances of getting off truly a mug of mud? The wonderfully punny title is a nice tip of the hat to the classic mystery TV show, Murder She Wrote and while I suspect that Jessica Fletcher was more of a tea drinker, she would more than likely appreciate this caffeinated crime scene:
If you haven't read any of these cozy mystery series before, this is the right time to catch up and for those of us who have, putting in a pre-order or placing a hold at your nearest library might be a good start for your 2021 reading plans.
Whatever you choose to read, just remember that mystery books are the perfect present to give yourself. Unlike other "mystery" gifts, they'll keep you guessing for all of the right reasons and perhaps prevent a family argument or two:
I know this latest installment of Series-ous Reading is a tad late but as one of my favorite comedians would say "Things have been crazy!"
Nonetheless, this challenge will go on and today's focus is on Devil's Food Cake Murder, which is the fourteenth entry in Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen culinary cozy mystery series. I'm still trying to catch up to my mom(who has read nearly every one of these books!) but at this point, I think that I'm gaining ground here.
This time around, Hannah is looking into the death of substitute minister Matthew Walters, who is covering for regular reverend Bob Knudson as he and his new bride Clare finally get to take their honeymoon(this romance has been a long running subplot and it's nice to see that story piece fit neatly into the overall puzzle).
Matthew is an old friend from childhood, who once staid with Bob's grandmother during his teens, along with his troublesome cousin Paul. Grandma Knudson is happy to host Matthew again but gets concerned when he reveals that his chocolate allergy from back in the day is long gone. That makes her wonder if this is the real Matthew as cousin Paul bears a striking resemble to him(very Patty Duke Show there!).
Hannah does check Matthew out and he appears to be legit(also you can outgrow/overcome chocolate allergies) which relieves both ladies greatly. However, it's not long before Hannah finds him dead at his desk, with a mynah bird overhead squawking "the wages of sin are death!"
Yes, the bird happens to also be a guest of Grandma Knudson's and that feathered friend provides a pivotal clue in the case. It's not long before Hannah gets her crew into gear to solve the murder mystery with assignments to her sisters Andrea and Michelle as well as Norman(who drops a major bombshell later on in the story), plus her Cookie Jar partner Lisa is gathering details to make her dramatic retelling of Hannah's latest deadly discovery a must-attend event.
At this point, it is becoming a regular feature of Lake Eden; Hannah Finds Another Body(and/or her family does!)and much like a certain vampire slayer, she has her own Scooby Gang ready to take action on her behalf:
While Hannah does her best to figure out who the killer is, complications do rise up such as her fastidious mother Delores insisting on going undercover at a local dive bar(complete with rented costume!) and the "real" Matthew showing up, claiming that it must have been his ex-con cousin Paul who was done in.
Quite a stir occurs with that last bit, as the legitimacy of local religious services(weddings, baptisms, etc) is under question, not to mention who exactly is after Paul. A big help is all of this comes from a rather unexpected source-Grandma Knudson, who also has a small Scooby Gang of her own.
Not only does Grandma Knudson figure out a few clues, she comes to Hannah's rescue when the true killer is discovered(no unmasking, alas) and even figures out what the murderer was searching for in Matthew's office that lead to his untimely demise. I swear, Grandma Knudson could be the next Miss Marple and maybe even give Hannah a run for her money in the small town detective game there:
What stunned me completely in this book was Norman's big revelation regarding Doctor Beverly, the former love of his life who has joined his dentistry clinic.
Ever since she came on the scene, Norman has been secretive with Hannah and clearly miserable about something. By the time the case has been resolved, Norman talks to Hannah alone, asking her to help him find his beloved cat Cuddles a new home.
Hannah wonders why and it's because Beverly claims to be allergic to cats. When questioned as to why that matters, Norman tells her that after he and Beverly broke up, she discovered that she was carrying his child(a girl named Diana) and never bothered to tell him about it. Now, after all these years, she's only willing to let Diana see him if Norman marries her!
What the what?!? Wow, that's so...what gets me is that Beverly has been openly dating Hannah's other beau, police detective Mike during this return to town and yet she's determined to set her hooks into Norman?! I am so getting Gilmore Girls Season Six flashbacks from this plot twist....:
Fortunately, Hannah can take Cuddles in as her beloved cat Moishe gets along great with Norman's kitty but the other news has her reeling back in shock to say the least.
With such a major emotional hit like that at the end, it's good that my current Series-ous Reading selection is Cinnamon Roll Murder, the very next Hannah Swensen book to follow! So far, our leading lady is dealing with the death of a keyboard player from a jazz band called Cinnamon Roll Six and Norman's plight hasn't been a big part of that yet.
However, I'm sure that something will happen on that front as even romantic rival Mike is concerned about what's going on there. For now, just thinking about the sweetness of cinnamon rolls is soothing enough for me:
As those of use taking part in this year's FrightFall readathon(held by Michelle Miller at Seasons of Reading) know, the reading time has been expanded to two months, which is perfect for setting that Halloween mood to me!
So far, I've finished one book on my TBR and in the middle of another, with a last minute add-on at hand. First things first-my completed FF read was The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, which starts off his series of 1950s British mysteries featuring Flavia de Luce.
Flavia is eleven years old, living with her two older sisters Ophelia and Daphne and their widowed father in a declining estate known as Buckshaw. Her keen intelligence(her specialty is chemistry with an interest in poison) and dark wit make her an outsider in more ways than one among her family and the local residents of the nearby village.
When a mysterious stranger dies in their cucumber patch, Flavia is the one to discover him and get the police on the scene. As it happens, the dead man is an old school mate of her father's, which makes her remaining parent the prime suspect.
Since her sisters are both useless(I really don't like them)in this situation, Flavia takes charge of the case to clear their father's name, with the only clues being a dead bird left on their back doorstep that had a stamp attached to it's beak, overhearing an argument the night before between her father and his former friend and the last word of the victim(that she was able to hear) being "vale".
That last clue leads her to a scandal involving a stamp collecting club at Greyminster, the all boys school where her father became a lifelong lover of that postage item. While the official lead detective in the case, Inspector Hewitt, doesn't want her involved, he can't help but admit she has been making good progress in gathering evidence here.
Flavia is quite the hard to love type yet her quick thinking in certain situations is to be admired. Granted, she does enjoy unusual experiments such as seeing how long the slow acting poison in her sister Ophelia's lipstick will take to affect her(to be fair, it was payback for teaming up with Daphne to tie their little sister up and lock her in a closet, plus an insult regarding Flavia's family status).
However, she has a bit of a Wednesday Addams vibe that suits her well and made me cackle with wicked delight on occasion during this story:
Yet, when all is said and done, Flavia is still just a kid and she does get into some serious danger at one point, with the chances of her being found in the nick of time slim to none.
For one, what family she does have barely keeps track of her between her chronically withdrawn father who only seems to care about his beloved stamp collection and her older sisters with one on the constant lookout for a boyfriend and the other who sticks her head in books like an ostrich in the sand. Normally, I would like a bookish character like Daphne but she's very much a Mary Bennet in this regard.
Sure, siblings fight but Flavia's bids for attention are obviously a
lonely girl's way of coping with the lack of a mother during such a
crucial time in her young life. That makes me most annoyed at her
sisters, not to mention her father(who prefers to wallow in his grief
rather than connect to his children).
The only other adults on hand are the much put upon housekeeper who insists on making custard pies that no one eats and Dogger, the gardener and old wartime companion of Flavia's father who is clearly suffering from shell shock(what PTSD was called back then).
She doesn't seem to have any friends that are her age and her blunt manner at times tends to unsettle the grown-ups that she does come in contact with. Plus, she has no memories of her late mother, which troubles her deeply and you know a book is good when you want to yell at the other characters for not paying more attention to the needs of another(yes,Ophelia, you are the oldest and I mean YOU!).
While Flavia has the acid wit of Wednesday Addams, she also has the cleverness of Roald Dahl's Matilda and much like that literary heroine, she's stuck in a self involved family with little emotional support or encouragement of her scientific talents. This book was good enough to have me buy the next two in the series(which I will read later on) and hopefully, the de Luce family will straighten up and fly right when it comes to Flavia as we go on:
Meanwhile, I am in the middle of Chris Cavender's A Pizza to Die For, the third entry in his Pizza Lovers Mystery series.
Sisters Eleanor and Maddy have enough on their plate at the Slice of Delight pizzeria as it is without getting entangled in murder but the latest demise in the town of Timber's Cove makes them highly listed on the menu of official suspects.
Newcomer to Timber's Cove Judson Sizemore was preparing to open a high end pizza parlor only a few doors down from the Slice. Unfortunately, his opening day was his last on earth and since he had a couple of run-ins with Eleanor before hand, Chief of Police Kevin Hurley is looking hard at the local rivalry here.
Eleanor, with the help of Maddy and a dubious ally, are able to find other suitable suspects such as Judson's sister Gina, who hopes to get all of their reclusive uncle Nathan's fortune and a couple of ex girlfriends, one of which claims to be pregnant with Judson's child! Will these extra ingredients help Eleanor make a spicy solution pizza or create a recipe for more death to follow?
I do like this series with it's comfortable cast of characters and tasty food vibes but mainly I enjoy the bond between Eleanor and Maddy, two sisters with different outlooks on life. Widowed Eleanor does like being a homebody and is not quick to reenter the dating scene despite the urging of Maddy(who has had three husbands and currently dating lovable lawyer Bob Lemon).
Yet, Eleanor is not a stick in the mud and willing to take risks that even reckless Maddy finds to be too much(such as that dubious ally I mentioned). Also, Maddy can prove to be a sweetheart when least expected and she always has her sister's back. The two of them, along with their crew of loyal workers(one of which is the police chief's son!) create a warm emotional atmosphere that makes this pizza place a delicious spot for solving murders indeed:
While I did plan to keep my reading list short for this readathon, I find myself adding just one more title to the pile.
Ruth Ware's The Lying Game has four friends reuniting for reasons that have nothing to do with happy memories. New mother Isa receives a message from former school mate Kate and meets up with her other friends from that time, Fatima and Thea, due to a sudden discovery along the shore of the town of Salten.
Fifteen years ago, this quartet were the best of friends , sneaking off from their dreary boarding school to hang out with Kate's artist dad and her rather attractive brother Luc. Those secret trips lead to a deadly event that got the girls expelled from school and caused a major parting of ways among them.
With the recent find of a human bone, Kate has called them back to figure out what to do next. Isa feels she has the most to lose with a brand new baby daughter but the real truth is more revealing than any of them ever expected.
I did like The Woman in Cabin 10(one of Ware's earlier books) and have been trying to read more of her work ever since. The Lying Game certainly feels like a good sinister gateway to walk through for that:
I hope that everyone taking part in FrightFall this year is having a fun time with their books and is ready for some Halloween bookish treats. I have a set of three holiday themed reads lined up that should make the upcoming witching season bright, despite the restrictions of the ongoing health crisis that's going to put the stop sign up for the traditional All Hallow's Eve hijinks.
Nevertheless, Halloween still can be fun and safe to enjoy indoors with some of your favorite candy and a viewing of Hocus Pocus(it's going to be on multiple times next month, it's The Christmas Story of Halloween, if you ask me) with the perfect scary book by your side. Brew up a batch of haunted snacks and savor the night,folks!:
At this crucial point in our country's history, Banned Books Week is about to start as another reminder of the freedoms that we cherish as a nation.
Nowadays, sadly, those freedoms are feeling few and far between with civil liberties being violated on a daily basis and what once were established norms of a supposedly mature society being tossed by the wayside.
Don't worry,folks-I'm not going to get into a big political rant(most of my regular readers probably have a good sense of my viewpoints in that regard) here. However, instead of listing current and past books targeted by censorship, I thought this would be the right time to talk about why books and authors are banned/challenged in the first place.
We all know the familiar string of excuses(foul language, sexual content, religious objections, etc.) and that old standby "Won't someone think of the children?".
Protecting the young ones is both true and false, which I will get into in a moment. After much consideration on my part, I find that the real reason, past and present, for censorship like this is simply fear.
No doubt many of these dubious do-gooders would insist that they're not afraid of words on a page, only their influence on others. A half truth at best; what upsets them the most is that these words challenge their already established notions of how the world should be.
These are the type of people who loudly proclaim their love of liberty but when it comes to caring about the rights of people who are not of their social circle, that privilege is not deemed worthy of those who "complain" and "don't appreciate their country", conveniently forgetting that this entire country was brought into being by those who complained about unfair treatment by a government in the first place.
It's no wonder that books about rebelling against totalitarian regimes as The Hunger Games series and George Orwell's 1984 are often challenged. People like this say they're all for democracy but the past four years alone have shown us that they would actually prefer a Big Brother system that takes away any pesky protests about the way things are and simply spoon feed them propaganda, flavored with hate and heartlessness:
So what exactly are they afraid of? Well, that things like racism(the works of Toni Morrison), sexism(The Handmaid's Tale), bias against certain religions(The Kite Runner) and the LGBTQIA community(And Tango Makes Three) are problems that we need to work and make real generational changes that will last.
That's where the kids come into the picture; a lot of these people feel that the way they were taught by parents/school/church was just fine and what was good enough for them is good enough for their children.
Like the song says "children are our future" and many of these narrow minded minions don't want their offspring to change the world. After all, that would invalidate their beliefs, which is their ultimate nightmare, to be proven wrong.
While they accuse others of "thought control", that is exactly what they're after and one of the places where such battles begin is with books both in classrooms and libraries. We may not have those Fahrenheit 451 book burning mandates but trust me, there are many out there who crave them indeed:
So, what can we do about this? While there are numerous challenges to our freedoms all going on right now, intellectual freedom is one of the most important as it's a valuable component to tackling the other situations at hand.
Fighting back in the right way is key and be willing to face off against our own fears is a major step in that direction. Fear can be used against us not only by encouraging the weak to embrace chaos but also to cast doubt in ourselves and stun us into inaction.
Well, as a special litany in Frank Herbert's Dune teaches us, "Fear is the mind killer" and we must be ready to stand against it. It's not an easy task, I well know, yet by facing down such a powerful emotion , we will be the stronger for it.
You don't have to do anything truly dramatic to overcome fear, even if it feels like an epic storm of woe is about to descend upon us. A small step, such as signing a petition or refusing to give into negative peer pressure either online or off, is just as great a victory:
A great benefit of Banned Books Week is that it reminds us that our right to freedom of thought and speech has always been a long and hard fought battle that we should never take for granted.
Adding that on to the huge bundle of burdens we are up against this year in particular may seem like too much. Yet, it's one that we can't give up on or put on the back burner until later. Keeping it safe from those ready to destroy such a valuable asset is an absolute must.
Banned Books Week begins this Sunday, September 27 and runs until October 3. Please bear it in mind as we make our mark in history by remembering those who took up this cause in the past. Let us honor their struggles and pay respect to those gone before us, on this and many other fronts. Freedom of speech is freedom of choice, something to hold onto in these troubling times:
I am at the midway point with my Jane Austen rereading of the Classic Six, which takes me to Mansfield Park, a novel that I feel is vastly underrated.
For one, the main bone of contention among Austen fans regarding this book is how mild mannered the leading lady is. Fanny Price stands apart from the other Jane Austen heroines in that she is not a daughter of the title household and constantly reminded that she is "not a Miss Bertram" by her horrible Aunt Norris(who we will talk about indeed!).
Being treated like a poor relation is not easy in any time period(particularly for women) and with Fanny not being prone to witticisms like a certain someone, it's hard for her to stand out but yet she does, using her inner strength to weather some rough times ahead of her.
Yet, what can be done to liven up the perception that MP is not a major player in the Austen game? Sadly, most of the film/TV adaptations have not done well by Fanny(except for the 1983 BBC miniseries) and often confuse the tone of the story.
There are few modern takes on Mansfield, including books and webseries, so I do think our best bet for a MP revival is a musical. Mary Crawford does play the harp and I'm sure a fun number can be done with that instrument!
Let's see what that might be like, in a jukebox musical fashion, and Fanny must be featured first in this regard.
Being an introspective character, finding the right song is a bit tricky for her yet I do think that "Stay(I Miss You)" by Lisa Loeb would work.
For one Fanny opens up to very few people, one of whom is her cousin Edmund(yes, cousin marrying was the norm back then,folks,okay?) and he in turn makes her his confidante when it comes to Mary Crawford, whose savvy manner intrigues him but her slick morals do not.
In talking his doubts over with Fanny, he's really trying to convince himself that she's the right one for him despite their vastly different outlooks on life(which is not very sensitive to Fanny, who is seriously yet secretly in love with Edmund-dude, read the room there!). I can picture her singing this after one of their talks regarding Mary in her white attic room, sweetly with a touch of sorrow:
Next on the mike is of course Mary Crawford, one half of the double trouble that arrives to Mansfield Park(courtesy of Mrs. Grant). Yes, I know many people consider her a secondary heroine but I firmly do not.
While she's not intentionally malicious, Mary's witty talk and sly sophistication hide a person who has seen a bad relationship up close and personal(her uncle bringing his mistress home after the death of his wife is so an AITA post in the making there) and refuses to be "taken in" in that regard.
Like her brother(who I have much to say about!), Mary refuses to adjust her views for anyone, even if the other person is perfectly justified in having them. She is genuinely puzzled by the fact that Edmund truly wants to become a clergyman and doesn't give that up out of love for her. To his credit, it's a true calling for him and not simply settling for second son status.
Mary, on the other hand, is good intentioned at times yet possesses a strong selfish streak that settling for anything less than what high society says is repulsive to her. Also, her social skills are more suited to the upper class game playing of London than the down to earth sweet style of country living at Mansfield. With that in mind, Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" suits her perfectly:
The second half of that dubiously dynamic duo is Henry Crawford, whose charms go a long way there. He and his sister both share a taste for snarky conversation and being unwilling to commit to someone who doesn't let them have their way.
Henry and Maria Bertram are very much alike in that neither one of them wants to make the first move towards making their on the side romance a more permanent arrangement. In fact, getting back at Maria for going through with her wedding to Mr. Rushworth is part of the reason that Henry fancies himself in love with Fanny to begin with.
I must say this now: Henry is NOT in love with Fanny; he is in love with the idea of being her romantic hero that would take her away from her ungrateful relatives and make her into his perfect on a pedestal bride. None of this takes Fanny's feelings into account at all(even Edmund fails her in this regard, transposing his thwarted romance with Mary onto her) and by people such as Mary insisting that Fanny can "reform" him is insulting in more ways that one.
At first, his ego can not abide that Fanny is not interested in him once her female cousins have left the neighborhood, making him want to "put a hole through her heart" but then upon, seeing that she is a serious minded person, decides that marriage is the best way to win her and get over Maria(bad idea all around). Is any wonder that a song like "The World's Most Handsome Man" by Robbie Williams seems to have been written for him?
Finally, we come to Aunt Norris, a villain worth a Disney song at least. My musical pick for her wasn't from that pop culture corner but I can assure you she is definitely the worst.
Her petty cruelty towards Fanny(a way of getting back at her sister for not marrying well as well as a long ago argument) combined with her bad match making skills in service of favored niece Maria is bad enough yet topped with her penny pinching ways, tendency to overstep her bounds(especially when it comes to Fanny) and quickness to excuse her own errors in judgement just makes her that much more loathsome indeed.
Hell, even the kids she does favor in the family don't like her much but they hardly hesitate to get her on their side for that play(including costume making, where she makes off with the extra cloth!). It's no wonder that Fanny dreads the idea of living with Aunt Norris once she's a widow but fortunately, that less than good lady would rather admit her former pear tree might not bear tasty fruit than keep Fanny that close to home.
Her company is barely tolerated by her ditzy sister Lady Bertram(who at times seems to be more alert than she lets on about things) and when her ultimate comeuppance arrives, it is awfully lovely to behold. Paramore's "Misery Business" just feels right for her:
Well, who knows-we might see a musical version of Mansfield Park on Broadway in the distant future. Meanwhile, the book itself has plenty to offer in terms of topics about family, fidelity and not underestimating the quiet folk among us.
Although, a musical certainly would be fun, especially those Lovers' Vows rehearsal scenes! Things would certainly gather up some considerable stream that might require an extra costume change or two there:
With summer technically over(I know the first official day of fall is a couple of weeks away), I am so looking forward to the fall season of crisp leaves, cool temperatures and hearty meals.
That is probably why my Series-ous Reading selection was Apple Turnover Murder , the 13th entry in Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen mystery novels. Granted, the story takes place in June but apple desserts just have that autumn flavor to them, in my opinion.
This time out, Hannah is busy as a bee during the early summer season yet can't help but to add some extra work by catering specially made treats to several charity events(a last minute request from the mayor's wife).
Her business partner Lisa comes up with the idea for the title pastry, which is meant to tie in the theme of "turning over a new leaf", something that a new arrival from Hannah's past is clearly not capable of doing.
College professor Bradford Ramsey, who pops in at the end of the previous book Plum Pudding Murder(which I read out of order), acts as if he doesn't know Hannah from when she was a grad student having a secret romance with him. What he didn't tell her then was the real reason for keeping things on the quiet was that he was married, a most unwelcome surprise that caused Hannah to cut their relationship and her college education short.
Bradford happens to be one of her younger sister Michelle's teachers, making Hannah extra nervous about being around him, not to mention concern for her sibling's welfare. When Hannah does run into Bradford backstage at a local talent show, he not only remember her, he insists that they hook up again or his wandering eye will focus on Michelle!
Those are fighting words indeed and Hannah gives him what for on that score. However, their next encounter is awkward in more ways than one as she finds him stabbed to death with one of her turnovers by his sleazy side:
While Hannah is savvy enough to let police detective/occasional boyfriend Mike in on her past with Bradford, she doesn't do the same for gentleman caller number two Norman(which I'll get to in a moment).
Fortunately, that omission doesn't impact the case which is tricky given the numerous suspects due to Bradford's wayward habits with the ladies, including a couple of ex-wives.
In this particular book, the murder in question is fitted tightly between two subplots, one of which has Hannah's middle sister Andrea in a panic. Seems as if her police chief husband Bill is being strongly recruited by a security firm and taking that job would require them to move to Florida, a fate worse than death in Andrea's eyes!
Look, I'm not crazy about warm weather all the time places either but leaving Lake Eden wouldn't be so bad for a small town gal like Andrea-sure, adjusting would be difficult yet it would also be an opportunity to widen her family's horizons there. After all, a real estate whiz like her would do well anywhere and if this was a good move for Bill to make, it would be worth considering.
Despite Bill's refusal of each offer(the whole thing turns out to be a weird scam), she still persists in freaking out over the mere chance that he might say yes-Andrea, honey, you're acting all wacky cake about this,seriously chill with some chocolate there!:
The biggest plot development,however, is between Hannah and Norman. As I said earlier, Hannah was right to tell Mike about her priors with Bradford(keeps her from being a suspect) but when given the same chance to tell Norman, she doesn't.
Now I know that talking about past relationships with a current significant other is tricky but the reason that Hannah holds back is shame. She has nothing to be ashamed of here(neither does her sister Michelle, who Bradford did flirt with, the lowlife!).
At this point in their "who will she choose" situation, Mike has already told Hannah that she would be better off marrying Norman(a bit of an eyebrow raise on such presumption!) and when informed about Bradford's prior romance with her, Mike is mad enough to wish that Bradford wasn't dead so that he could kill the guy(metaphorically speaking). In other words, he doesn't blame her at all and neither would Norman, I have no doubt about that.
Yet, Norman is also keeping something back from her. Upon returning from a reunion with some old dental school buddies, Norman is acting all distant from Hannah and even though he tries to help her out with the mystery, it's clear that he's going through the motions.
Hannah does,finally, ask him what is the matter and he tells her that there's a big decision that he needs to make but can't go into details just yet. We discover that this major choice involves his former fiancee Beverly, who is now going to join his dental practice and what does this mean for Hannah's relationship with Norman? We shall see.
I've been Team Norman for quite some time now but have to admit that if neither one of them is willing to open up to the other person about the past or the present, this is not a good sign for future happiness there. Honesty is a key ingredient in any recipe for lasting love, folks:
Yes, the murder does get solved but I am so concerned with whole Norman situation that my latest Series-ous Reading pick is the next book in the Hannah Swensen saga, Devil's Food Cake Murder.
As Hannah is trying to cope with Beverly being part of Norman's professional life(plus, everyone in town really seems to like her!), she gets a welcome distraction from Reverend Knudson's grandmother, who is rather suspicious of an old childhood friend of her grandson's being back in town.
I must admit that the book cover looks scrumptious, with a touch of a broken heart look in that sliced section(or am I reading way too much into that?). Regardless, any story with devil's food cake included is always bound to be a delicious read indeed:
