Movie Review: Coming Home - A Family Practice Mystery

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun main characters; entertaining story

Cons: Dose of low budget cheese; mystery a little obvious

The Bottom Line:

A healthy patient

Can Rachel find why he died?

Starting new franchise

“In This Town, You’re Not Going to Find that Many Cases of Intentional Death.”

Hallmark has said recently that they are committing to mysteries.  One sign of that is the rebranding of one of their channels to Hallmark Mystery instead of Hallmark Mystery and Movies.  And, while they aren’t giving us too many second movies in franchises, they are starting plenty of new franchises.  The latest is the Family Practice Mysteries, which kicked off with Coming Home.

Rachel Hunt (Amanda Schull) has left the army and, along with her teenage twins, moved back in with her father in her home town where she is working as a doctor.  One of her new clients is Ross Alexander (Greg Kean), a man who is incredibly healthy.  So that’s why Rachel is surprised when she finds his dead body.  The coroner is certain that it was a death from natural causes, but Rachel thinks something else was going on.  Detective Jack Quinn (Brendan Penny) is willing to listen, but he needs evidence.  Will Rachel figure out what happened?

Being the first movie in the franchise, there is a lot of ground to cover.  It does a fairly good job of introducing us to the characters a little at a time so as not to slow down the mystery.  It’s easy to guess at some of the backstory, but I appreciate that they gave it to us without dragging things out too much and without doing a massive exposition dump.

Having said that, I did have to wonder about Rachel’s medical practice.  Did she have a partner?  Did she take over from someone?  Not that it really mattered.  After all, she was out solving the mystery more than she was in the office.

The mystery is enjoyable. I spotted the guilty party before Rachel figured it out, but I didn’t have all the pieces to be sure I was right.  I enjoyed the twists as she worked to uncover the truth.  She did cross the line a few times and made some pretty stupid mistakes near the end, however.

With a couple of sub-plots, there was enough to keep us engaged.  No, the sub-plots weren’t terribly original, but I did care about the outcomes of them.

What I really enjoyed are the characters that I’m sure would be regulars if we got another one of these movies.  Rachel and her family are great.  I really enjoyed their relationship.  And the obvious romance between Rachel and Jack was cute.  A couple of their lines made me laugh out loud as I was watching.

Unfortunately, this movies does have a dose of low budget cheese associated with it.  But if you are watching a Hallmark movie, you’d know to expect that.  I’ve certainly watched and enjoyed worse on the channel over the years.

If you enjoy Hallmark’s mysteries, you’ll enjoy Coming Home.  I hope we get to visit the characters in the Family Practice Mysteries again soon.

Book Review: The Last Thing Claire Wanted by Karin Fitz Sanford (Wine Country Cold Case #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good if darker mystery

Cons: Drama does overtake mystery at times

The Bottom Line:

Reopen cold case

In book with a darker tone

Set in my home town

What Happened to Little Danny?

There is exactly one reason that The Last Thing Claire Wanted caught my attention – it is set in Santa Rosa, California, the town where I grew up.  I always enjoy reading a book set in an area I’m familiar with, so I added it to my to be read pile, and I’m glad I did.

Anne McCormack is trying to put her life back together after a divorce from her horrible ex and leaving her job at the FBI.  She’s trying to start an estate sale business in her hometown of Santa Rosa, but she is struggling to find clients.

One of her first clients is Claire Murray, an older woman who has just been given a few months to live.  Anne remembers the Murray family well from the story twenty-nine years ago about them.  Claire’s five-year-old son, Danny, was killed, and the case was never solved.  Before she dies, Claire wants to find out what happened to Danny.

Anne’s uncle was one of the police officers who worked on the case all those years ago, and he comes out of retirement to head a taskforce to reopen the case, with Anne helping him.  She uses her relationships with the family to gather more information.  But can they solve the case all these years later?

I haven’t lived in Santa Rosa for almost twenty-nine years (which is hard to believe), but my family still lives there so I visit frequently.  Having said that, I quickly realized this was a fictionalized version of the city, as the author admits in a note at the end.  Many of the places the characters go are fictional.  Honestly, as soon as I realized how prevalent it was going to be, it didn’t bother me in the slightest.  But there are some references to real places and streets that made me smile.

This is not one of my cozies, and I knew that going in.  The story is definitely darker than I often read, and there is more foul content as a result.  As long as you know this before you pick up the book, you’ll be fine.

So how is the book itself?  The writing is strong, especially for a debut novel, and the book has a melancholy tone that comes through from page one.  The mystery is good.  Since this is more a police procedural, we are as interested in seeing if Anne can prove the case as well as figuring out who done it.  I was intrigued the entire way through.

Having said that, this book is also about Claire and what her upcoming death is going to do to her family.  I might not normally go for that kind of drama, but here it mostly worked for me.  A few times, I felt that took over the story to the detriment of the mystery, but that was minor overall.

It took a while for all the characters to come fully to life, but by the end, I’d come to care for all of them.  This is an interesting study of what a tragedy will do to a family.

If you are looking for a lighter mystery, don’t pick up The Last Thing Claire Wanted.  But if you want something more serious, you’ll be glad you did.

May 19th's Sunday/Monday Post

Welcome to this week's Sunday/Monday Post.  I will be linking up to:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Another fairly quiet week for me.  I had my church small group Thursday night, but now we're taking off for the summer and will start meeting again in the fall.

Our weather has been cool.  I don't know if we've hit 70 every day this week despite the predictions.  It was cool and overcast when I went out for a run at lunch time yesterday - barely above 60.  I'm ready for warmer weather!

Speaking of running, I've been gearing up for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run in two weeks.  I ran 4.5 miles three days this week.  My legs were not happy with me each time.  It's been years since I ran much over 3.5 miles, and they are reminding me of that fact.  And yes, my runs include walk breaks.  It's also been years since I ran without stopping.  But at least I'm covering the distance.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Unsung Hero

Tuesday - Book Review: The Paris Mistress by Mally Becker

Wednesday - Music Review: Land of the Living by Jason Gray

Thursday - Book Review: A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian

Friday - Friday Post featuring The Last Thing Claire Wanted

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: The Last Thing Claire Wanted by Karin Fitz Sanford

Tuesday - Movie Review: Coming Home

Wednesday - Book Review: White Elephant Dead by Carolyn Hart

Thursday - Movie Review: The Fall Guy

Friday - Book Review: Tragedy in Tahoe by Rachel Baker

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I had another two book week this week.  Granted, there are some ARCs I haven't gotten yet, so I expect that to change in the next couple of weeks.  Or at least I hope it does since some of these books are already out or coming out very soon.

The first book was my preorder of Playing it Safe by Ashley Weaver.  This book just came out in paperback, and so that's what I had preordered.  It's book three in a series about a safe cracker helping the Allies in World War II.  I loved the first book when I read it last year, and just got the second a couple of months back.  So now I need to actually read book two so I am ready for this one.  I'm really looking forward to them, I just need to find the time.

Then, on Saturday, I got an ARC of Murder at an English Seance, the eighth Beryl and Edwina Mystery from Jessica Ellicott.  This series is set in England in the 1920's.  I really enjoy the friendship between the leads and always look forward to seeing where their latest adventure will take them.

What I'm Currently Reading:

I'm starting on June releases already.  However, I am planning to review these first two the last week of May.  That's how full my June is, I need to start on the books and reviews now to have a chance of fitting them all in.

Friday, I finished Kill or Bee Killed by Jennie Marts.  This is the second Bee Keeping Mystery.  Overall, I enjoyed it.  Still need to write my review, but I've got a bit of time yet.  Considering I just wrote some of the reviews I plan to post this week on Saturday, I am glad I have that buffer between finishing the book and needing to post the review.

I've just barely started my next book - I Sleep Around by Sue Ann Jaffarian.  This is my first non-fiction book in I can't remember how long.  It's about her life now as a traveling writer who has retired from her day job.  I was a fan of Sue Ann's mysteries (and hope she's get back to them), so I'm looking forward to seeing what her life is like now.

That's it for me.  Have a great week!

May 18th's Weekly TV Thoughts

As always, watch for spoilers below.  On multiple shows this time.

Tracker - Of course the brother is going to deny that he had anything to do with their dad's death.  However, I do tend to believe him.  It does track with what else we know and it seems to make the most sense.  I'm assuming it will be season two before we really get more about this.  Maybe a cliffhanger next week for the season finale.

American Ninja Warrior - As much as I love the show, this special shows the issue I'm going to have with it going forward.  By letting younger kids in, they are making ti harder for the old favorites to realistically compete and win.  I know that eventually my favorites would have to retire anyway, but this is just hastening making them irrelevant.  Not to take anything away from the winner.  She did a great job and was clearly the best one on that final stage.

Deal or No Deal Island - Called it last week.  Rob was eliminated right out of the maze, and Howie was the banker.  I'm happy for the winner and the start of her family.  

Survivor – Another week, another player voted out with an idol in their pocket.  I wonder how many of the players realize what is going on?  How many hidden idols are at camp?  I’m not at all sorry to see Q gone.  I get why he stayed around like he did, but I’m so glad he is out of there.  I’m with those who wanted him out a lot sooner than he was.

The Amazing Race – For an episode that ended the way I expected, there were some surprises along the way.  Ricky and Cesar getting third in the first leg was a surprise – their lowest finish.  The pilots coming back from their very wrong turn to come in second was a surprise.  I figured they’d be third.  I’ve got to say, I loved their attitude.  They had to be frustrated, but they were laughing it off.  Just so sad to see the nurses get engaged.  I just don’t see their relationship working out.

May 17th's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday!  It's time for another Friday Post, where I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, I'm pulling quotes from The Last Thing Claire Wanted by Karin Fitz Sanford.

 

This is a mystery, but a darker mystery than I would normally read.  Darker, but good.  It starts with a prologue, so I'm sharing the beginning of that and chapter one as well for the book beginning:

Prologue:

Just a few hundred yards from St. Paul's Parish School, the old adobe home stood in ruins in an overgrown and neglected orchard. It was fenced off and condemned by the city, but that only added to its allure for adolescent boys and the occasional vagrant.

Chapter One:

Anne McCormack rolled off the futon, got to her feet, and checked her watch. Seriously, not even ten o'clock?

Meanwhile, on page 56, we find this:

The ringing of the phone broke her reverie. It was Anne.
"Claire, hello. My uncle just called with the news: Danny's case is being reopened, effective today. He'll be contacting you soon."

I'll be sharing my review on Monday, so I hope you'll come back then.

Meanwhile, let's close things off with the Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

Do you consider yourself a book collector or a book hoarder?

I consider myself a collector.  But given how I have piles of books all over the condo, I think hoarder is probably the more accurate description.  I really need to weed through my collection and get rid of books I will never read or never read again.

Book Review: A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian (Secret Staircase Novels #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Characters, setting

Cons: Plot works, but it does have some flaws

The Bottom Line:

When customer dies

Tempest must clear family

Uneven but good

Litigious Customer Murdered

I have really been enjoying the Secret Staircase novels from Gigi Pandian.  They put a modern spin on the classic locked room mystery with a magician main character.  So I was looking forward to sitting down with A Midnight Puzzle, the latest entry.

As I mentioned, Tempest Raj was a stage magician, which is something of a family business, until she got blamed for a huge accident in her new show.  Since then, she’s started working at the other family business – Secret Staircase Construction – which specializes in building in fun things like hidden rooms or puzzle walls into the homes of their clients.

I mean, right there, seriously, how fun is this?

Unfortunately, this book finds Secret Staircase Construction the subject of a lawsuit from a former customer.  He claims the accident that put his wife in a coma is the result of their shoddy workmanship.  Tempest and her family think he is really trying to profit off an attempt to kill his wife, but they have no way to prove it and fear that going to court will bankrupt them.

Then the man is murdered.  Unfortunately, he was killed at the theater Tempest had rented to prepare for her farewell show – a theater that has a connection to the Raj family.  While the police aren’t looking at them, Tempest fears it is a matter of time before they turn their attention to the Raj family.  Can she figure out what happened before that happens?

Before you pick up this book, you really need to read the first two entries in the series.  Why?  Because Tempest has a complicated backstory.  We’ve been introduced to it in the previous books in the series, so it is easy to jump in here and follow what is happening.  We get enough background here that you could follow what is happening, but the more you know, the more you’ll appreciate what happens here.

That’s important because the story here actually does tie in to the longer story of Tempest trying to solve some mysteries from her family’s tragic past.  I’m not completely sure that I buy it all coming together like it did in the end, but I’m also not sure I would have been satisfied to any of the wrap up to the overarching mystery.  However, I can buy it enough that my curiosity about it is satisfied.  That’s not to mean the mystery that starts the story is short changed.  It is resolved as well.

I think part of the problem is the uneven pacing.  We spend some time spinning our wheels in the middle of the book, so that makes the climax more rushed than it should be for us to fully absorb the ending.

Now, if any of this is sounding like I didn’t enjoy the book, let me set the record straight.  I absolutely enjoyed it.  The puzzle (and yes, there are impossible crime elements to the story) was quite good, and I got caught up in that.  Between the magic and the fun construction, I really enjoy these books.

And the characters are charming.  That includes Tempest’s father, grandparents, and friends.  They all add something to the story, and I just love slipping in to visit them.

Tempest’s grandfather has been indulging his love of cooking since retiring, so we get a couple of Indian inspired recipes at the end.

This book wraps up the arc that Tempest has been on for the first three books in the series.  Fortunately, I know book four is coming.  If you’ve been enjoying the earlier books, you’ll want to read A Midnight Puzzle and find out what Tempest uncovers.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Secret Staircase books.

Music Review: Land of the Living by Jason Gray

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: More great songs of encouragement and challenge

Cons: One song that doesn’t work for me

The Bottom Line:

New release from a

Favorite music artist

Well worth a listen

Encouragement and Challenge for the Living

Somewhere over the last decade or so, I fell out of touch with the Christian music industry.  There are still a few artists I enjoy and look forward to, but not nearly as many as their used to be.  One of those is Jason Gray.  Each new release is filled with songs that speak to me, and Land of the Living is no exception.

Jason’s previous release was the fantastic Order, Disorder, Reorder, which was a big concept disc.  He said when he sat down to write this disc, he wanted to be open to wherever the ideas would lead him and just set out to write the best pop songs he could.  While there isn’t the strong theme this time, these are twelve fantastic songs.

We start out by saying yes to God with the upbeat “When I Say Yes.”  This will get your head nodding as we think about how things change when we go where God want us to go.

As you might have noticed over the years, I still enjoy quite a few things that are aimed as kids.  I immediately connected with “When I Grow Up,” which reminds us to keep the childlike faith that Jesus praised in the Bible.  Yes, there is a balance between maturing in our faith and that innocent faith.  But we need to work to capture that.

“Questions” talks about the struggles in our lives and how they are make us grow closer to God.

When I heard the title of “Jesus Loves You (and I’m Trying),” I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of it.  I love it.  The tempo slows down slight here as Jason talks about the people in our lives who are difficult to love, whether that be on social media or in real life and how we should be aiming to love them like Jesus loves them.  It’s a good reminder wrapped in some humor.  The bridge really is when things hit home.

We get a similar theme with “Be Kind,” which builds a song around the familiar reminder to be kind because we don’t know what others are going through.  This one convicts me a bit more because one of his examples hits home in dealing with LA traffic.  Which I guess means it’s a reminder I need.

I feel horrible saying this, but about the only song I really don’t connect with is “Worth Staying For,” which is the most personal song on the disc for Jason.  It’s very raw as he talks honestly about some of the deep hurts he’s had in his life.  If you know his story, it’s going to hit hard.  Please listen carefully to what I’m about to say.  I can understand how writing and recording it would be good for Jason.  I can understand how God can use it in other people’s lives.  I suspect there are people who will find it their favorite song on the disc.  It just isn’t for me.

But if I’m complaining about only one song out of 12, I’d say I’m doing pretty well, wouldn’t you?

I love the choir that joins him for “If You Don’t Move.”  And some of the lyrics of “Good Man” are wonderful as he paints a picture of the man he wanted to be that admits to the struggles he’s had achieving that.  And he winds stuff up with a reminder that with grace there will always be a “Place for Me.”

Stylistically, most of the songs are mid-tempo pop.  There is some variations, but nothing major.  Sometimes, I find that the songs will blend together if that’s the case, but it isn’t the case here.  It helps that the melodies are unique.

If you are looking for challenge and encouragement in some fun songs, you’ll be happy you checked out Land of the Living.  And if you aren’t already a fan of Jason Gray’s music, this disc will send you looking at the rest of his releases.

CD Length: 40:19

Tracks:

1. When I Say Yes

2. When I Grow Up

3. Questions

4. Jesus Loves You (And I’m Trying)

5. Be Kind

6. If You Don’t Move

7. Land of the Living

8. Hold on to Hope

9. Worth Staying For

10. Good Man

11. See as You See

12. Place For Me

Book Review: The Paris Mistress by Mally Becker (Revolutionary War Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters, good plot, interesting history

Cons: Nothing significant

The Bottom Line:

Travel to Paris

For plot filled with history

And great characters

Who is Bribing Dr. Franklin?

I’ve always loved the American Revolution period of history, so I was happy to find Mally Becker’s Revolutionary War Mysteries.  The action for the third moves from the colonies to France, but it was still great to become immersed in the time period.

When The Paris Mistress opens, it’s been 10 months since Rebecca Parcell and Daniel Alloway have seen each other.  Daniel has taken a job for a merchant that has sent him to France, and now his fiancée is coming to join him.  The two plan to marry in France, although their future beyond that is uncertain.

While in Paris, Daniel has been staying at Passy with Benjamin Franklin, the American ambassador to France.  Just after Rebecca arrives, Dr. Franklin receives a note offering him money and a peerage in England to get the colonies to surrender.  Naturally, he has no intention of going along with it, but he sends Daniel and Rebecca to investigate.  When a murder soon follows, Daniel and Rebecca have more incentive to figure out what is going on.  Can they do it?

While I would normally prefer a book set in America during the period, I wanted to spend more time with Rebecca and Daniel, so I didn’t hesitate to pick up this book.  I’m glad I did since it gave another perspective on this time period.  The summer of 1781 is a few years before the French Revolution started, but I found it interesting to see how what was happening in America was leading into what happened there a few years later.  I also found the politics of the period interesting to think about in relation to what is happening around the world today.

Of course, this is a mystery first and foremost, and I enjoyed that as well.  It seems that everyone at Passy is hiding a secret of some kind, and that kept me engaged.  I began to suspect what was happening before we got to the end, but I wasn’t sure.  The climax was great, and everything made sense when it was wrapped up.

I really do like Rebecca and Daniel, so I enjoyed getting to see the next chapter in their relationship.  Since we get the story from both of their points of view, we really can see the bonds between them.  It also gives us insights into them, which I appreciate.  Additionally, a couple of other characters journeyed with Rebecca (not naming them to avoid spoilers), and I enjoyed getting to know those characters better.  They were a great support over the book.

Meanwhile, the new characters are strong as well.  Benjamin Franklin fits with what I know of him.  Some other real people pop up in the book, which I appreciated.  The fictional characters were just as interesting.

If you are interested in this period of history, you owe it to yourself to pick up these books.  The Paris Mistress will please those looking for the further adventures of the main characters.

Movie Review: Unsung Hero

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong story of God helping a mother as her family faces trials

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Family struggles

But watch God honor their faith

Film well worth watching

Moving Adventure with Peril and Pitfalls…Hold the Pirates

Since I was in high school and college during the 1990’s, that is the era I followed Christian music the most.  While I was never a big Rebecca St. James fan, I certainly knew who she was.  And, while I don’t follow Christian music like I once did, I have heard of For King & Country.  That’s why I decided to head to the movie theater and see Unsung Hero, a movie about their family story.

When we first meet the Smallbones, they are living in Australia where David (Joel Smallbone) is a Christian music promotor.  He and his wife, Helen (Daisy Betts) have six kids, but David has been successful and provided for them well.  That is until he fronts the costs for Amy Grant to come down under and tour right before a recession hits the country.  It costs the family everything.

A job offer in Nashville gets the family to leave their country behind and move to the US.  But the job falls apart, and the family starts to struggle to figure out how to feed themselves and pay their rent.  While David struggles with how he is failing his family, the rest begin to see God provide, and Rebecca (Kirrilee Berger), the oldest child, begins to try to pursue a career in music.

Being a movie, I’m sure things were changed for dramatic purposes along the way.  But as the movie was going along, I did remember bits and pieces of things from interviews with Rebecca back in the 90’s.  There is a lot of truth in the story.

The movie doesn’t back away from showing these people as human.  Their flaws are evident – not as an attempt to tear them down.  In fact, their reactions to things are all too relatable.  I do feel like they showed the father’s flaws the most, but again, never in a way meant to tear him down.  I sympathized with him quite a bit.  And watching him struggle makes the scenes on the other side that much sweeter.

Meanwhile, Helen really shines.  Yes, she has her moments, but for the most part, she is the glue that holds the family and their faith together.

And it is God that ultimately comes through for the family, from the new friends they make to how He leads them.  This is a movie of faith, and it is uplifting to see.

All this to say, I was tearing up for much of the film, from the pitfalls the family faced to the joys they experienced.  This film really tugs on your heartstrings.

Which is a credit to the great acting.  I wasn’t familiar with most of the cast before I went to the theater, but they all made every moment believable, including the young kids.  It was fun to see Terry O’Quinn as David’s father, and Candace Cameron Bure as a friend of the family in Nashville.

I do want to call out Joel Smallbone.  Yes, he was playing his father in the movie in addition to co-writing and co-directing.  I praised the actors, but they were given a great script and well directed.  This really is an example of everything coming together for a great movie.

While the movie does show the trails the family went through, it doesn’t wallow in them.  There is more hope that sorrow at any given moment, and ultimately, I left the movie uplifted.

If you are looking for a reminder of God’s provision and faithfulness, you need to see Unsung Hero.  You’ll want some tissues with you, but the experience is worth it.

(And yes, the title of my review will make sense when you see the film.)

Mother's Day's Sunday/Monday Post

Hi and Happy Mother's Day, especially to my mom!  This week, I'll be linking up to:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

You'll notice that Mailbox Monday is no longer on the list.  Sadly, the hosts aren't able to keep it going, and no one stepped up.  I'm bummed, but I can't say anything since I didn't volunteer to take it over either.

It was a fairly quiet week.  Just work.  Which is driving me crazy, but it's the weekend, so I don't have to think about it any more.

I did discover that my local movie theater has discounted movies every Tuesday, so I went to the theater this last week.  First time in over a year.  You'll get the benefit of that on Monday when I review a current, just released in the theater movie.  Shocking, isn't it?

Also shocking, I have my first music review in I don't know how long coming this week, too.

Saturday was busy.  I had got walking book club in the morning and game day in the afternoon and evening.  I really needed the relaxation and friendship of both.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Novella Review: Only the Good Die Young by Julie Mulhern

Tuesday - Movie Review: Love Me or Leave Me

Wednesday - Book Review: Love Me or Grieve Me by Diane Vallere

Thursday - Ornament Review: Off to Never Land!

Friday - Book Review: Kaleidoscope by Dorothy Gilman

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post
Monday - Movie Review: Unsung Hero

Tuesday - Book Review: The Paris Mistress by Mally Becker

Wednesday - Music Review: The Land of the Living by Jason Gray

Thursday - Book Review: A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian

Friday - Friday Post

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I only got two new books this week!!!!!!  After the last couple of weeks, I needed a week with some restraint.  The best part is, I spent exactly zero dollars to get them.

The first is Warped on a Moon Trek by Diane Vallere.  This is a new book is her Sylvia Striker series (which it looks like she's rebranded again).  And, yes, it is a science fiction book.  Don't worry, it's a space set mystery.  I'm not branching too far from my mystery roots.  But, honestly, I kind of like having something different every so often.

The other new book is an audio book I got from the library.  (I love listening to an audio book in the ap.  So easy since it just plays until you read the end.  No tapes or CDs to change.  And yes, I realize I just dated myself.)

Anyway, my new audio book is White Elephant Dead by Carolyn Hart, book 11 in her Death on Demand series.

What I'm Currently Reading:

Yes, I'm working on White Elephant Dead.  Somehow, I thought I'd be doing more driving when I first got it.  I might have to listen to it instead of my podcasts next week to make sure I finish it before it is due.  I'm enjoying it and intrigued by what is going on.  We've got a death of someone who was collecting items for a rummage sale, or a white elephant sale as it's called here.

The other book I'm reading right now is The Last Thing Claire Wanted by Karin Fitz Sanford.  This is a police procedural instead of a cozy.  I picked it up because it is set in my home town.  A fictionalized version of my home town (as the author confesses to).  Granted, I haven't lived there for almost 30 years now, but my family still lives there, and I'm recognizing a few things, but very few things.  That aside, I am enjoying the book.

Since I'll finish that book up this weekend, by Monday, I'll be in the middle of Tragedy in Tahoe by Rachele Baker (no relation).  Yes, I'm sticking with Northern California for this book as well.  This is the first in a new series that sounds like fun, so hopefully, I'll enjoy it.

That's it for me.  Have a great week!

May 11th's Weekly TV Thoughts

As always, there are spoilers below if you aren't up to date on these shows.

Tracker – Finally a bit more about the family storyline.  Nothing really about the mystery, but at least some of the emotional fallout.  I kind of liked it.  And the mystery of the week.  It really was good.  Don’t think I would have enjoyed it if we had had a sad ending.

Deal or No Deal Island – Did Rob think he wouldn’t get away with it?  Or did he really blank out and not hear.  Because that was such a stupid mistake to make.  You knew they weren’t actually going to tell us anything, so the cliffhanger was predictable.  I would have preferred they let us know who was eliminated for last place and keep the other until next week.  And who cares who the banker is?  I’m never wondered about that at all.  I’m guessing it will be Howie Mandel, but we’ll see.

The Weakest Link – The team decided to just bank all the time.  Did they ever try to make a chain after the first couple of rounds?  Did get the winner a decent prize.  Those three guys at the end sure seemed more friendly than you’d expect for some strangers.  I hope the winner and his wife enjoy their trip.

Survivor – Three weeks in a row someone goes home with an idol in their pocket.  At least she knew what she was doing this time.  She said she was going to keep it regardless.  And Q is still around despite everyone saying he should go.  Maria painted an even bigger target on her back with her lack of decision at the reward.  Even I knew that was the wrong decision, and I often make the wrong decisions.

The Amazing Race – I was hopeful that the nurses were going to be eliminated this week.  I’m so tired of their fighting.  Has any team been at the top like the boyfriends?  They are unstoppable.  I guess we are getting two legs next week.  It will be interesting to see how they cram all that into one episode.

Book Review: Kaleidoscope by Dorothy Gilman (Madame Karitska #2)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Great characters

Cons: In unfocused series of stories pretending to a plot

The Bottom Line:

Years later sequel

Reads just like the first entry

For better or worse

Once Again, a Kaleidoscope of Stories Lacking Focus

I was disappointed last year when I picked up Dorothy Gilman’s The Clairvoyant Countess despite being a huge fan of the author’s Mrs. Pollifax series.  Still, I decided to go ahead and read Kaleidoscope, the second book featuring the characters.  As expected, my thoughts are pretty much the same.

This is the only time outside of the Mrs. Pollifax series that Dorothy Gilman returned to a character.  The original book came out in 1975, but this came out in 2002, and turned out to be the last book she would write.

The stories feature Madame Karitska who has been blessed with the gift of clairvoyance.  No, she isn’t a fortune teller.  Instead, she can use objects to learn about the owner’s past and present.

As with the first book, we get several stories that weave in and out of each other.  Sometimes, they touch.  Sometimes they only take up a chapter.  Madame Karitska winds up in the possession of some diamonds when she runs into an old friend on a train.  She helps a wife whose husband is interested in a nearby commune.  A man who is deathly ill comes to her for help.  She even helps a government official who is afraid some home grown terrorists might be at work.

As with the Mrs. Pollifax series, the characters live in their own world time wise.  What do I mean by that?  While it’s been about a year since the first book happened, we are still in the present.  While the first book was clearly in the 1970’s, this time around there are references to cell phones and other things from the late 1990’s or early 2000’s.  Given some of the subject matter, the fact that 9/11 isn’t referenced is a bit strange.  I’m chalking that up to the lead time between when a book is written and when it is actually published.  Anyway, as long as you know to expect this, you’ll be fine.

While I don’t believe in clairvoyance and would normally skip a book with this premise, I read it because it is Dorothy Gilman.  I have to say, that part didn’t bother me nearly as much it might have.  I guess I bought into the premise.

What did bother me is how the plot was handled.  Or should I say not handled.  Kaleidoscope really is a good description for things.  We’ll follow one thread for a while, then we’ll pick up something else.  We might go back to the first, things might combine.  It’s a collection of short stories, really, some of them interconnected.  Even expecting this when I picked up this book, I found it frustrating.  It didn’t help that one of the stories just fizzled out instead of having any kind of real climax.

Of course, to fans of the first book, this is good news.  And there are plenty of fans, so it’s possible this is just me.  That might be one reason why she decided to return to this character even after so many years.  When I talk to Dorothy Gilman fans, they mention these books right behind Mrs. Pollifax as being a favorite.

I will say this, the characters are still charming.  We see several return from the previous book, and I did enjoy spending time with them again.  There are several others who we meet here who are just as charming.  They did balance out my frustrations with the plot.

I am glad I read Kaleidoscope because I always would have wondered about it.  But now that I have, I don’t expect to return to Madame Karitska by rereading these books.

Ornament Review: Off to Never Land!

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great ornament of a Disney attraction vehicle

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Mickey goes on ride

We’re going to Never Land

A fun ornament

“Come On, Everybody.  Here’s We Goooo!”

Even as an adult, one of my favorite rides at Disneyland is Peter Pan’s Flight.  Yes, I’m one of the reason you have to wait in such a long line.  I’ve always loved the story, and there is something about flying over and through the scenes of the ride that thrills me.  So I was glad to see Off to Never Land! be the 2023 entry in Hallmark’s unofficial Disney ride vehicles series.

Like the rest of these ornaments, Mickey is getting ready to enjoy the ride.  He’s sitting in the ride vehicle about to pull the lap bar down.  He’s looking out at us and smiling.  And he is wearing blue jeans and a white shirt instead of his more traditional outfit.

And the ride vehicle?  It’s a pirate ship.  This particular ship is teal, but the sails and seat are red.  There’s a skull and crossbones on the sail at the front of the ship.  And we’ve got white ropes/rigging in front.

And looking at it immediately brings back great memories of being on that ride over the years.  You can help but smile when you look at it.  The detail on the ship is great and it really does look like one of the ride vehicles.

In keeping with the ride vehicle look, the ship sticks out a little more at the bottom so it can slide into the groove for loading and unloading.  If you’ve been to the park, you know exactly what I’m talking about.  The fact that a ship might look like that anyway is beside the point.  As a result, the ornament won’t stand up on its own, but that’s okay.  I still like that detail.

Besides, this ride vehicle especially should be hung.  When you go to hang it, you’ll find that it hangs slightly forward.  Again, I like it because the ship does tip forward like that on the ride.  And it is so slight that you probably won’t notice when it is on your tree.

Off to Never Land! will immediately bring up warm memories and smiles for Disney fans.  It’s why I’m happy to have it in my collection.

Book Review: Love Me or Grieve Me by Diane Vallere (Madison Night #10)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great characters in interesting mystery

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Mix up at paper

Leads Madison to murder

In great tenth entry

Obituary Error Puts Madison in Danger

I always love it when an author finds a unique start to a story.  We get one of those with Love Me or Grieve Me, the tenth Madison Night Mystery from Diane Vallere.

If you haven’t met Madison yet, she’s a decorator living in the Dallas, Texas area.  She’s always had an affinity for Doris Day movies, and she specializes in mid century modern designs.  You’d think that being a decorator would keep her safe, but she keeps finding herself involved in mysteries.

In this case it all starts with a mix up in the paper.  Addison Nigh, a once famous jazz singer, has died, but a small paper in town mixes it up with Madison Night, and other papers pick up on the error.  Naturally, this creates problems for Madison since banks freeze her accounts and clients cancel appointments, or don’t show up at all.

But Madison can’t help but be curious about Addison.  As she begins to meet the woman’s friends and family, she stumbles over a dead body.  Can Madison figure out what is really going on?

Fans of Doris Day will immediately recognize this book’s title as a play on her movie Love Me or Leave Me.  As usual, I watched the movie before I sat down to read this book.  I might have missed some Easter Eggs, but it was very hard to miss some very obvious things that were used from the movie, like Addison’s relationships with those in her orbit.

However, the mystery was all original, and it was great.  There were many threads to it, and it was hard to figure out for sure what was going on until the end.  The climax caught me by surprise, but it was also perfectly logical.

Because of the premise, it gives Madison a real chance to reflect on her life.  She also has to deal with what she wants with her relationship with her boyfriend.  I really enjoyed those scenes and the growth we got for both of them as a result.  These scenes will mean the most to you if you’ve read the previous books in the series, but you can enjoy this book without knowing all of the backstory.  We get some nice scenes with some of the other regulars, too.

While this series tends to be a bit more serious than the author’s Samantha Kidd books, there are still some good laughs here.

Whether or not you are a Doris Day fan, you’ll find Love Me or Grieve Me a hard to put down mystery.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Madison Night Mysteries.

Movie Review: Love Me or Leave Me

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Great acting, some good songs…

Cons: …that slow down a story that is hard to watch

The Bottom Line:

Story of singer

Unhealthy relationship

Great performances

“I’ll Make a Deal with You, Barney.  You Don’t Tell Me Your Sad Stories; I Won’t Tell You Mine.”

I always wonder just how close to reality as film is when it is based on a true story.  Or, in the case of Love Me or Leave Me, a “fictionalized account.”  Either way, this movie wasn’t as good as I’d hoped it would be.

The movie was inspired by the story of Ruth Etting (Doris Day).  She’s trying to start a career as a singer in 1920’s Chicago.  While piano player Johnny Alderman (Cameron Mitchell) is willing to give her the lessons that would help her, it is mobster Marty Snyder (James Cagney) who is going out of his way to give Ruth what she wants.  The problem is, his interest in Ruth isn’t necessarily healthy.  Will it be good or bad for Ruth?

I spent much of the movie cringing, wanting to scream to Ruth to get away from Marty.  You just know he’s no good and no good for her.  I rarely enjoy watching characters doing things you know aren’t going to end well, so that made this movie hard to watch.

Meanwhile, there is the fact that this is a musical.  Now, I usually enjoy musicals, but I prefer it when the songs are advancing the story.  Here, most of the songs are Ruth’s performances on the stage.  It’s hard to complain since that means we get to listen to Doris Day sing.  She really was a talented singer.  But the problem was there are enough of them that I got bored long before the end.

It probably didn’t help that I wanted the movie to end so I could find out what happened to the people and the songs were just slowing it down.  If I sat down to watch just the performances, I would probably enjoy them.

None of this is on the actors, who are all phenomenal.  James Cagney got an Oscar nomination, and it’s easy to see why.  Doris Day was expected to be nominated as well, and she would have deserved it; it was too bad she was passed over.  The rest of the cast is just as great.

And it’s not that the movie is horrible.  I was pulled into the story.  I just didn’t find it as entertaining as I had hoped.  I found it more average.  But I can see why others would enjoy Love Me or Leave Me.

Novella Review: Only the Good Die Young by Julie Mulhern (Country Club Murders #1.5)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun and funny story starring Frances

Cons: None if you keep in mind the length

The Bottom Line:

Frances on a case

Her dismay will make you laugh

Short; enjoyable

It Was a Fall, Wasn’t It?

Another series I need to get back to is the Country Club Murders.  While I have the next several books in the series already, I jumped back in with the short novella Only the Good Die Young.

Of course, there’s a reason for that.  While this story was released a couple of years ago, it falls between the first and second book chronologically.  And those who are familiar with the series will figure out why this story was written so much later pretty easily.

You see, the series normally focuses on Ellison Russell, a painter who keeps stumbling over dead bodies in her community.  After the first book, she and her daughter headed over to Europe for a few weeks to recover from what happened.  And if you’ve read the first book, that makes sense.  If you haven’t read it yet, you should definitely start there.

So what happens back home in Kansas City, Missouri while Ellison is gone?  It turns out that finding dead bodies runs in the family when Ellison’s mother, Frances Walford, gets involved with a mystery.  When she goes with one of her friends to check on the friend’s mother-in-law, they find the woman dead in her bedroom.  But it couldn’t be murder.  Frances doesn’t get involved in murder.  The woman hit her head in a fall, right?  Right?

This series always has a funny tone to it, but this story really ramped up the humor.  Frances is very concerned that her involvement in this stay completely secret.  She doesn’t want Ellison to hear about it at all when she comes back to town.  Those worries made me laugh several times.

This really is a short novella, almost a long short story.  I got through it in about an hour.  As a result, there isn’t much to the mystery.  Still, what was here kept my attention and interest, and things make sense at the end.

Likewise, I don’t feel like the suspects got much time to develop.  We did get some insight into Frances.  Much needed insight, at least for me.  And I appreciated that.

The story takes place in 1974.  While that’s not a huge part, it does make for a few fun moments for us as we are reminded of how things were fifty years ago.

Fans will be rewarded by Only the Good Die Young no matter where they are in the series.  Just know it is a short read when you sit down and you’ll be rewarded.

Tee up the rest of the Country Club Murders.

Cinco de Mayo's Sunday/Monday Post

Welcome to another weekend and this week's Sunday/Monday Post.  I will be linking up to:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
Mailbox Monday
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Last Sunday, I met up with a friend in the early evening and played a round of disc golf here in town.  He's really good and plays frequently.  Me?  Not so much.  But it was nice to hang out with him.

The weather this last week was wonderful.  Highs in the upper 70's or lower 80's.  Perfect for a lunch time run, which I did three days this week.  But Saturday, it has really cooled off.  We are only going to hit the mid-60's, and it will be the same on Sunday before it starts to warm up again on Monday.

This week was month end close at work.  That meant some crazy busy days, but things seemed to go well overall, which was nice.

Last weekend was Malice Domestic, a mystery conferenced dedicated to the cozy and traditional side of the mystery spectrum, aka the types I read the most.  I hadn't been paying close attention to the dates and hadn't realized I could have made it work with my schedule at work.  But then I started hoping I could make it work next year.  It looks like I will be able to go in 2025!  Even more exciting, the deceased author they will be honoring is Dorothy Gilman.  I stole Carstairs, which I use everywhere, from her Mrs. Pollifax series.  I must go.   Unfortunately, it is the same weekend as the LA Times Festival of Books next year.  That means, I'll miss it for the first time in two decades (except when they didn't have it due to Covid).  I hate to miss it, but I will.  I think I'll enjoy Malice Domestic more overall.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Death Washes Ashore by Caleb Wygal

Tuesday - April's Reading Summary

Wednesday - Book Review: The Bootlegger's Daughter by Nadine Nettmann

Thursday - Movie Review: Foiled Plans - A Curious Caterer Mystery

Friday - Friday Post featuring Love Me or Grieve Me

Friday - Book Review: Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Novella Review: Only the Good Die Young by Julie Mulhern

Tuesday - Movie Review: Love Me or Leave Me

Wednesday - Book Review: Love Me or Grieve Me by Diane Vallere

Thursday - Ornament Review: Off to Never Land!

Friday - Book Review: Kaleidoscope by Dorothy Gilman

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

Strap in.  I've got seven books this week.  These are all physical.  Okay, so I did save some from last week, but that's how many books I've been getting recently since I talked about seven last week as well.  I must slow down!

Up first are two ARCs I received.  One is Puzzle Me Murder by Roz Noonan.  This is a new author for me, but the idea of a club that enjoys puzzles working on a murder appealed to me.  Hopefully, I'll enjoy it.

The other ARC is by a familiar author - Ellen Byron.  A Very Woodsy Murder is the first in a new series set in the California mountains.  I've enjoyed all her series, so I'm looking forward to seeing what she's cooked up with this one.

The rest of these are all pre-orders that have come out in the last couple of weeks.

The first is The General's Gold.  I haven't read anything by the authors,  LynDee Walker and Bruce Robert Coffin, before, but I've heard good things about them.  And this sounds like a fun action adventure series.  It's certainly been getting lots of raves.

Next up is Murder in Rose Hill, the newest Gaslight Mystery from Victoria Thompson.  I finally caught up on the series last summer, so I'm looking forward to getting to spend time with the characters.  I was reading one of these books every two months for a while; it's been a lot longer than normal since I read about them.

Next is another book by a new to me author - Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies by Catherine Mack.  After I pre-ordered this one, I started hearing some mixed reviews.  Still, it sounds like fun, so I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

In a complete change of pace for me, there's Big Dweeb Energy.  I've been a fan of the comic strip Fox Trot for decades.  I was sad when he decided to only release new strips on Sundays.  If for no other reason, it means I got books a lot less often.  Granted, I haven't read a couple of the most recent collections yet.  I need to do that since these are fast reads.

Finally, I have She Left by Stacie Grey.  I've read a couple mysteries by this author under a different name.  She rebranded for this tale of suspense.  I'm surprised to have this one already since the official release date isn't for another week and a half, but my copy shipped early.  I've noticed that often happens with books from this particular publisher.  It sounds like a book I will enjoy, so I'm looking forward to reading it.

What I'm Currently Reading:

I spent Saturday morning reading.  It was great!  And that means I'm about 75% of the way through The Paris Mistress by Mally Becker.  Yes, this is a mystery.  In fact, it's the third set during the American Revolution.  Obviously, this one moves the action to France, but I'm really enjoying it.  My plan is to finish it up on Sunday, which shouldn't be too hard giving how far I got today.

Monday, I'll be starting The Midnight Puzzle, the newest Secret Staircase Mystery from Gigi Pandian.  Considering how much I've enjoyed the first two, I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next to the characters.

That's it for me.  Hope you have a great week!

May 4th's Weekly TV Thoughts

May the 4th be with you!

Warning: There are plenty of spoilers ahead, especially for The Amazing Race.

Tracker – I knew something else had to be going on.  Just finding the people on the plane didn’t seem complicated enough for this show.  What a nice trail they followed to get us to the end, too.  Another strong episode.

Deal or No Deal Island – The odds were in his favor, but it still didn’t work out.  Sorry to see Aron go, but it will be interesting to see how the game is played from here on out.  If they aren’t adding more money to the pot, is next week the finale?  If not, what will they be playing for in the temple?

Survivor – At this point, I think Q is going to make it to the end.  I don’t think he will get any votes, but people seem to like having him around as a shield, and I think the others will see the benefit of keeping him around so they will get most votes.  But we’ll see.  I would like him gone, so if he does go, I won’t be complaining.  Did any of the hidden idols make a difference this season?  I know that these last two weeks, we’ve had people voted out with them in their pockets.  I just don’t remember what happened with the first one.

The Amazing Race – I thought the mother/son team would be Philiminated much earlier in the season, so they did a good job of staying around.  Even had some good finishes.  I hate to see them leaving over that, however.  A last minute turn essentially cost them their game.  Yes, every team was under the same rules, so it is fair.  But to just sit there and lose because of it.  At least the pilots made an amazing comeback.  I was hoping they’d pick the seaweed because I thought they’d be able to really pull it off quickly, just like they did.  And it seems like they had to score 11 points period on the street tennis game.  I could see it taking a while, but I was thinking scoring 11 pointes in a game of 21, which would take significantly longer.

Book Review: Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg (Sharpe and Walker #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Interesting new characters in a fast-paced story

Cons: One element of the ending bothers me

The Bottom Line:

So Cal is burning

As cover for other crimes?

Engrossing debut

Is Arson Covering Another Crime?

I’ve let myself get behind on Lee Goldberg’s books, which is a shame since I usually enjoy them.  He’s introducing some new characters in Malibu Burning, and it is another fun one.

After years as a US Marshall, Andrew Walker is taking a new, safer job working for the LA Sheriffs as an arson investigator.  Walker is partnered with a veteran, Walter Sharpe, and quickly realizes how much he has to learn.

He’s going to get a great training when multiple massive fires break out in the Southern California area.  While the general consensus is that old power lines are to blame, Sharpe begins to think the fires are deliberate.  But it is Walker who begins to think the fires might be a distraction for another crime going on.  Is he right?  If so, can both of them prove they are right in time?

If you are someone who must have a book take place in chronological order, this book isn’t for you.  For roughly the first two thirds of the book, we are switching from the modern day story to the villains over the last eight years leading to today.  This allows us to understand why they do what they do and watch how they plan it all.  These time shifts are always clearly marked and I was able to follow what was going on.  In fact, maybe I followed a little too well because there seemed to be one aspect that didn’t make sense time wise to me.  But it was minor overall.

And don’t get me wrong, this part of the book is interesting.  We are watching Sharpe and Walker get to know each other and start their investigation while also learning exactly what they are up against.  It’s a testament to Lee’s writing that this part works as well as it does since, in lesser hands, this could get boring.

Once the timelines merge, the blistering pace never lets up until we are through the climax.  We still see the story from multiple viewpoints, and that makes it all the more thrilling.  I had a hard time putting the book down when real life got in the way of my reading.  I did have an issue here as well, and I’m still chewing over my reaction to things.  I suspect it’s more a me thing and most people will be fine with it.

Like all of Lee’s books, not all of his attempts at humor to ease the tension work for me.  Many of them do, but there are a few moments that either felt forced or just made me cringe instead of laugh.  Given the characters, this isn’t one of my cozies, but as long as you know to expect that going in, you’ll be fine.

Being the first book in the series, I felt we got to know Sharpe and Walker pretty well.  At first, they are a bit cliché, but as the book goes along, we get to know them better.  I enjoyed watching them become a team here.  Some of the other characters are equally well rounded by the time the book is over.

If you’ve read Lee’s Eve Ronin series, the fire in this book might sound familiar.  He acknowledges that yes, it is the same fire he created for that series, just used to tell another story.  Don’t let that stop you from reading this book.  Nothing here is a retread.  And, while I read that book several years ago, I didn’t remember any of the details from that book.  Frankly, I like the creativity that was used here.

Sharpe and Walker will be back with another book later this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing them back in action.  If you’ve missed Malibu Burning, be sure to pick up their hot debut.