December 4th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

I know, I know, I missed last week.  Actually, I didn't even have my computer on at all on Thursday or Friday.  It was kind of nice, to be honest.  But I'm back in the swing of things this week, so here is this week's Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

This week's book is one of my Christmas mysteries for the year, Away in a Manger by Rhys Bowen.

This is the latest in her Molly Murphy series, and we join Molly for Christmas 1905.  Of course, it's not quite the peaceful Christmas she'd hoped for because that would be boring for us.  I just finished the book this evening, and I can tell you this book is great.  Full review will be coming in a week and a half or so.

For now, here's how the book begins:

"'Tis the season to be jolly," sang the carolers outside Grace Church, while across Broadway the brass band of the Salvation Army thumped out "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," in competition.

To set the scene just a bit for this excerpt from page 56, Liam is Molly's 15 month old son.  And the balls in question are of fudge.  Having said that, let's jump into it:

She put a pale coffee-colored ball in front of Liam, who took it cautiously and then almost stuffed the whole thing into his mouth.
"Careful."  I stopped him just in time.  "Take a tiny bite," I warned.
He did so and an expression of wonder came over his face.  Wonder and pure delight.

I realize both of these are more about the Christmas season than the plot of the book.  Just the way it turned out, but the book does balance the two very nicely.

And with that said, have a great weekend.  I intend to do some decorating and Christmas shopping this weekend myself.