March 2020's Monthly Reading Summary

Here we are at the end of March, which means I've posted my monthly reading summary.  And I even got the Index updated.

All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

My Fair Latte by Vickie Fee (Café Cinema Mysteries #1) – 4

Halley Greer has just inherited an Art Deco movie palace in the touristy town of Utopia Springs, Arkansas.  She’s decided to turn it into a classic movie theater that features coffee and wine as part of the snack bar options.  After weeks or hard work restoring it, she is ready to feature My Fair Lady on opening night.  However, during intermission, one of the patrons is found dead in his seat.  The police think Halley is a good suspect even though she is new to town.  Can she clear her name?

I really enjoyed this series debut.  The characters are fantastic.  We are making friends along with Halley, and they are a varied lot.  I felt we got to know them, and I look forward to spending time with them in future books.  The plot was a little slow to get started, but once it did, I was hooked on that as well.  I thought I had a couple of things figured out, but I was still surprised by some twists.  The suspects are just as strong as the series regulars, and kept me guessing until Halley figured it out.  While I’m not much of a coffee or wine drinker, I was drooling over some of the food talked about in the book.  The book gives some hints about things to be explored in future books, and I’m already looking forward to my next visit with these characters.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Revenge is Sweet by Kaye George (Vintage Sweets Mysteries #1) – 4

Tally Holt has just opened a vintage sweets shop next to the basket shop operated by her best friend, Yolanda Bella, in the town of Fredericksburg, Texas.  Tally’s opened in time for tourist season, and she’s hoping that will give her new business a boost.  However, things get derailed when she finds a body in her kitchen.  The victim was Gene Faust, the mayor’s adopted son.  Gene didn’t have a good reputation, dating multiple women and borrowing money from all of them.  Yolanda was one of his victims, and her scissors are the murder weapon.  Can Tally and Yolanda figure out what really happened before one of them is arrested for the crime?

This book gets off to a good start, with several strong suspects before Gene even dies.  From there, we have fun watching Tally and Yolanda try to figure out who actually committed the crime.  The clues are woven into the story well, but one aspect of the plot is never fully explained.  Who killed Gene and why is solved, however.  The book is written third person from both Tally and Yolanda’s points of view.  These switches definitely help tell the story and are always easy to follow.  The characters could have been stronger at the beginning of the book, but we do get some development by the time the book is over.  This is the first in the series, and I’m sure the characters will get stronger as the series progresses.  There is a recipe at the end for one of Tally’s specialties – homemade Twinkies.  This is an entertaining debut in what could turn into a series as addicting as Tally’s sweets.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg (Eve Ronin #1) – 5

Thanks to a well-time viral video, Eve Ronin has become the youngest person promoted to the homicide department of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.  Her new co-workers aren’t treating her with a lot of respect, so she knows she has to prove herself.  That chance comes when she and her partner, Duncan Pavone, are called to the scene of a crime in Calabasas.  A friend has called to report that Tanya Kenworth never showed up for work.  The house where Tanya lives is covered in blood in every room, but there are no bodies.  What could have happened to her?

Just as I expected, this book grabbed me from the first page and never let me go.  There were plenty of clues and twists to keep me engaged until I reached the suspenseful climax.  I did feel that Eve and her co-workers fell into genre clichés, but there are hints of more to them, and I hope we see that explored as the series progresses.  This book describes the aftermath of the crime and has more language than the cozies I typically read, but I expected that going in, and it never got too excessive.  There are some nice bits of humor to help lighten what is a mostly series story.  I’m already looking forward to Eve’s next story.

A Likely Story by Jenn McKinlay (Library Lover’s Mysteries #6) – 4

One of the things that librarian Lindsey Norris does as part of her job is take requests to the residents who live in the islands off the coast of Briar Creek, Connecticut.  And that’s what she is doing this cold February day with the help of her ex-boyfriend, Sully.  Their first stop is Star Island, the home of brothers Stewart and Peter Rosen.  The brothers are recluses, and Lindsey knows to never leave the dock – Stewart will meet her there.  This particular afternoon, Stewart doesn’t come to meet her.  After waiting a few minutes, Lindsey and Sully can’t help but feel that something is wrong, so they venture up to the house to investigate.  Inside, they find one brother dead with no sign of the other.  Did one brother kill the other?  Or is something even more sinister involved?

Since this is book six in the series, we’ve gotten to know the series regulars pretty well, and it is fun to check in with them again here.  A couple of the supporting characters even get their own sub-plots, and they added some great humor to the book.  The love triangle is still going strong here, although it takes a backseat to some of the other storylines of the book.  Yes, the mystery is the more prominent story of the book.  Once again for this series, it doesn’t unfold in typical fashion, but I was no less hooked, and I had to know what Lindsey would uncover next as she worked to piece everything together.  I did feel the ending was rushed, which left a couple of things dangling, but the big questions were all answered.  We get the typical extras for this series – literature discussion questions, a craft project, recipes – as well as a bonus short story that is a lot of fun.  Fans new and old will enjoy catching up with Lindsey here.

Mermaid Mysteries by Diane Vallere – 5

This collection contains three mystery novellas that take the reader under the sea for stories starring three mermaid sisters, the daughter of the leader of their community of Sirenia.  Up first, Zoe finds a mystery after she rescues a diver at a shipwreck she loves to explore.  Next, Kyra discovers something strange happening at the vault of cultural treasures.  Finally, Ava must step into leadership earlier than expected when someone kidnaps Mother.

Each of the three novella is only 90 pages each, so they are easy reads, but they are delightful.  They are part coming of age tales, and watching the sisters grow is remarkable.  We get to see the other characters from three sets of eyes, so it is fun to see how the different sisters view those around them.  The undersea world is brought to life with a delightful attention to detail; there are many elements that made me smile, and I’d love to dive in for a visit if I could only breath underwater.  The mysteries themselves are good and compelling.  One ended a bit abruptly, but that was a minor complaint.  If you want to try something different with your mysteries, this collection is for you.

NOTE: The novellas were originally released individually as ebooks before being combined into this electronic and print collection.  Make sure you aren’t buying the same content a second time, but by all means, buy it once.

Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz (Orphan X #5) – 5

As this book opens, Evan is planning to retire.  He is going to take on one last case to help someone in trouble, but then he is out.  Now, it’s just a matter of waiting for a phone call from his new client.  That phone call comes from Max Merriweather.  Max’s cousin Grant was just brutally killed, but he left Max with a mysterious envelop that should only be opened if Grant has died.  The problem is, someone else knows that Max has the envelope, and now they are after Max.  Evan uses his usual tricks to find out who is after Max, but will his final case be that simple?

Every time I open one of these books I am in awe once again at how well drawn the characters are.  Evan and the people who populate his world come vividly to life and continue to grow, which includes Max and the people he brings into this story.  But the book never forgets it is a thriller with plenty of action scenes and twists that kept me reading as quickly as I could.  Everything comes together for a satisfying climax while setting up Evan’s next adventure.  Yes, the book does include more language and violence than I typically read, but I expected that going in.  I was surprised at some of the lighter scenes involving Evan’s neighbors.  These scenes always break the tension of the story while helping us get to know Evan better, but we got some of the funniest scenes with the neighbors yet.  If you aren’t already reading Gregg Hurwitz, you need to fix that.  This book is nothing short of superb.

Coconut Layer Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke (Hannah Swensen #25) – 3

Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar, has been ordered to rest – it came straight from Doc himself.  But a trip to California to help a friend pack up is cut short when Hannah’s younger sister, Michelle, calls in a panic.  There’s been another murder in Lake Eden, and Michelle’s boyfriend, Lonnie, is the prime suspect.  After a night out with friends, Lonnie took a drunk woman home only to pass out on her couch.  The next morning, he wakes up to find her dead in her bedroom with no memory of anything after he passed out.  Since Lonnie is a detective with the police department, most of them can’t investigate since they are friends with the suspect.  Naturally, Hannah immediately flies home, but can she figure out who is the killer?

If you haven’t read the last few books, be aware this one spoils some pretty major things by necessity since they had a major impact on Hannah’s life.  Those up to date on the series will be happy to learn we get an answer to the cliffhanger from the last book early on.  This book is a return to the status quo of a few entries ago.  After a slow start, the pacing gets better once Hannah returns home.  There is still plenty of talk about cooking, however, but we get clues and red herrings until we reach the climax.  The characters are all here, and I enjoyed seeing them, but there is little in the way of actual character development.  That includes the love triangle, which is back in play here.  We get another nineteen recipes, and I think I gained weight reading about them.  They certainly sound delicious.  Fans who have stuck with this series will enjoy this outing.  If you are new, don’t jump in here but go back to the beginning to see why we love these characters.

Abstract Aliases by Ritter Ames (Bodies of Art #3) – 5

As this book opens, it’s been two months since we last checked in on Laurel Beacham and Jack Hawkes.  While they have been doing their best to gather clues to stop the coming heist, things have been quiet.  Too quiet.  However, something is about to explode on New Year’s Day, and I’m not talking about the London fireworks.  While Laurel and Jack are waiting for those fireworks to start, they are shocked have an encounter with one of the men involved in the upcoming heist.  Then the next day, Laurel’s London office is broken into.  Once again one step ahead of danger and one step behind their prey, Laurel and Jack must act quickly.  Will they gain any new clues?

The teaser may seem a bit vague, but much of the fun of this book is watching the plot unfold and getting swept up in the proceedings.  The plot is fast paced with hardly any time for the characters, or us, to breath.  Still, we do get real characters, and I’m enjoying watching Laurel and Jack grow as individuals as well as in their relationship.  The rest of the characters are just as strong.  This is more of a caper type plot than a traditional cozy, and I loved it.  There is a larger story going on, and it is helpful to read this series in order as a result – especially since events of the earlier books in the series are spoiled here.  However, this book does have a satisfying story that ties into the larger story, and we get some interesting revelations.  Fans of the series will enjoy this book.

Murder at the Taffy Shop by Maddie Day (Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries #2) – 5

When Mac Almeida is visiting her parents, who live just down the street in her town of Westham on Cape Cod, she encounters Beverly Ruchart, their neighbor.  Beverly is always complaining about something, be it the local soup kitchen or Mac’s parents’ puppy.  Two mornings later, Mac finds her friend Gin crouched over Beverly’s dead body.  When the police begin to suspect that Gin had something to do with the death, the Mac and the rest of the Cozy Capers, a book group that reads nothing but cozy mysteries, jump into action to clear one of their own.  But can Mac piece together the clues everyone is finding?

I enjoyed the first in the series, so I was anxious to get back to visit Mac and her friends again.  We do get a lot of characters, but the important characters stand out, and the rest are subtly reintroduced when they appear on the page again, so it is easy to track them.  I have to give a special shout out to Mac pet, an African Gray parrot who gave me a couple good laughs.  I did have a harder time tracking all the suspects early on, and especially their connections to each other.  I suspect that might have been me being distracted by real life, and as I read, I was able to sort everything out.  The plot gives us plenty of twists to keep us engaged.  The ending was a little abrupt but logical.  I enjoy the nods to other cozy series we get here, and as a bonus, we get five recipes at the end of this book for a variety of treats.  Cozy lovers will enjoy solving a case along with a cast of characters who love cozies as much as they do.

NOTE: Like the first in the series, this book is a Barnes and Noble exclusive release for the first year.  In 2021, it will be available from all retailers in all formats.

NOTE 2: I received an ARC of this book.

Trust Me by Hank Phillippi Ryan – 4

Mercer Hennessey is a former reporter who is getting over a deep personal loss.  Her life is altered when her former editor, Katherine, asks her to cover the Baby Boston trial.  Ashlyn Bryant is about to go on trial for the death of her daughter, Tasha Nicole.  Mercer is among those who is certain that Ashlyn is guilty, and Katherine is asking Mercer to write a book about the case and the trial.  With the way it grabbed headlines, it is certain to be a best seller.  Mercer reluctantly agrees, but Ashlyn’s constant claims of innocence begin to get to Mercer.  As Mercer delves further into the book, Ashlyn begins to get into her head.  What is true?  Is Ashlyn guilty?

I had intended to read Hank Phillippi Ryan’s stand-alone suspense novels before now, but I’m glad I picked up this first one.  The book starts out a little slowly.  Yes, we are getting needed background, but it feels like it could have been shortened a little.  However, once things really get going, I was completely hooked.  This is a strong psychological suspense story as Mercer is forced to question everything she thinks is true.  The almost claustrophobic feeling of this part of the book certainly helps with that.  To pull this off, the characters have to be strong, and they absolutely are, making me question what I thought was going on the entire time.  Once you start, you’ll have to know how this book ends.

Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer (Jane Wunderly #1) – 4

Jane Wunderly, a war widow, is accompanying her aunt Millie on a trip to Egypt in 1926.  She has always dreamed to seeing the Great Pyramids, so this trip is a dream come true.  The only hiccup might be her aunt’s not so subtle attempts at matchmaking.  That is, until she has some run ins with Anna Stainton, a beautiful socialite who has decided Jane is a rival.  When Jane finds Anna’s dead body, the local police think Jane has a good motive for murder.  Reluctantly teaming up with the mysterious Mr. Redvers, Jane begins to hunt for the real killer.  Can she figure out what happened?

This book is fun, and it captured me from the first couple of sentences.  Jane, Redvers, and the rest are a delight to spend time around.  I definitely laughed at some of Jane and Redvers’s scenes together.  Yet the characters do have layers, and I enjoyed seeing those emerge as the book progressed.  I was having so much fun, it took me a while to see the plot was a little weak.  While there are clues and twists, it felt like we could have used a few more of them.  Still, the writing kept the pages turning, and the climax was suspenseful.  I enjoyed this debut, and I’m very curious to find out where Jane goes next.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Book Review: Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer (Jane Wunderly #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters, lots of fun

Cons: Plot could be a little stronger

The Bottom Line:

A trip to Egypt

Gets Jane involved in murder

Fun historical

Deadly Trip to Egypt

Something about Murder at the Mena House captured my attention, and I couldn’t wait to dive into the first in this new historical series.  I’m glad I did catch my attention because I enjoyed it.

This book takes us to Egypt in 1926 and introduces us to Jane Wunderly.  Jane is a war widow who is accompanying her aunt Millie on the trip.  She has always dreamed to seeing the Great Pyramids, so this trip is a dream come true.  The only hiccup might be her aunt’s not so subtl attempts at matchmaking.

That is, until she has some run ins with Anna Stainton, a beautiful socialite who has decided Jane is a rival.  When Jane finds Anna’s dead body, the local police think Jane has a good motive for murder.  Reluctantly teaming up with the mysterious Mr. Redvers, Jane begins to hunt for the real killer.  Can she figure out what happened?

This book is charming.  It really did pull me in from the first sentence, and I enjoyed getting lost in this world.  Author Erica Ruth Neubauer does a good job of taking us to 1926 Egypt and bringing it to life.

Adding to the fun are the characters.  Jane is delightful, and I enjoyed spending time with her.  Redvers is mysterious, in a fun way, and their scenes together fairly crackled.  I laughed at their lines several times.  The rest of the cast are equally strong, and helped pull me into the book.  The characters do have layers, and we slowly see them as the events unfold.

I was so busy having fun, it took me a while to realize the plot is a little weak.  There are people acting mysteriously, and Jane and Redvers do find clues to follow, but I felt like the pace could have been a little faster.

But I mentioned the fun, right?  Because I was certainly having fun along the way.  I’m jealous of Jane getting to tour the pyramids.  Or just relaxing around the hotel where the majority of the action takes place.  The climax is suspenseful without losing any of that fun.

I’m very anxious to see where this series is going to go next since Murder at the Mena House is such an enjoyable debut.  Pick up this book today and get lost in time.

Enjoy more trips back in time with the rest of the Jane Wunderly Mysteries.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Movie Review: Knives Out

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong who done it mystery

Cons: Gratuitous politics and bathroom humor

The Bottom Line:

Who killed patriarch?

Classic big screen mystery

Few missteps, but fun

Killer Mystery Movie

Being the mystery fan that I am, it was impossible to avoid hearing about Knives Out when it was released last fall.  All of my mystery loving friends were raving about it.  I didn’t make it out to see the movie in the theater, but I did recently watch it.  I mostly enjoyed it.

The action of the movie takes place a week after author Harlan Thrombey’s (Christopher Plummer) death.  He was discovered with his throat slashed the morning after his family had gathered at his home for his birthday party.  The initial coroner’s conclusion is that he slit his own throat.  However, Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) was hired by an anonymous source to figure out what really happened.  On the surface, the family seems to be a loving, caring unit.  But under the surface, motives and resentments boil.  Did one of them kill Harlan?  Can Blanc find the truth?

It is easy to see why this movie made so many of my mystery loving friends happy.  It is a very good mystery.  I was pulled into the story, trying to sift through clues and suspects to figure out what was really going on.  The solution is something that would make Agatha Christie proud, but all the pieces are there when Blanc finally confronts the villain.

It seems like most big screen mystery movies that have been released over the last few years have leaned toward suspense over a pure who done it.  The emphasis here is on the who done it, however, and there are some funny scenes and moments to help break the tension.

The movie has an impressive mix of big names and people I didn’t recognize but probably should have.  They are all amazing at bringing their characters to life.  The script calls for their masks to slowly slip, and the actors pull it off perfectly.

There were a couple of things I didn’t appreciate, however.  One is the politics of immigration.  It comes up a few times in the movie, and when they spoke to motive, they were handled okay.  But there is one scene that is clearly gratuitous and used to push a political agenda.  It added nothing to the plot, and the movie would have been stronger without it.

One of the characters is her own lie detector – she throws up every time she lies.  Naturally, this comes into play several times over the course of the movie, and I found it distasteful each time.  Yes, it was played for laughs, but I didn’t find it funny.

As a fan of Hallmark’s mystery movies, I especially enjoyed a shout out to a fictitious Hallmark mystery movie.  It’s mentioned a few times, and I smiled each time.

Also a fun shout out was an Agatha teapot hidden in the background of one scene.  What am I talking about?  This is the award given out each year to traditional mysteries at the Malice Domestic convention.  I love that the producers put one of those into the film.

It’s nice to see a classic who done it on the big screen again.  While there are definitely moments of Knives Out that I didn’t appreciate, on the whole I enjoyed this modern take on a classic mystery.

March 28th's Weekly TV Thoughts

A short week of TV watching, but here's what I did watch.

Batwoman – The more Alice the better, so I was thrilled with this episode.  Yes, dark and heavy, but still, it was great.  But what’s going on with Luke?  Nice to see him get more screen time, but how are they going to fit this storyline in with everything going on with Alice?  It seems pretty late in the season to introduce something new like this.  Yes, there were hints before, but nothing about it becoming such a major focus of things.

Supergirl – This season is definitely taking an interesting turn.  I didn’t like that we had people trapped in AR two episodes in a row, but I’m trying to figure out who or what the bad guy is going to be by the end of the season.  We have a couple of different ways things could go.

Survivor – I can’t believe Sandra completely walked away.  Yes, I understand her reasoning, but I’m still surprised.  I hope they get back in the game soon because I was rooting for most of the old school players.  With Yule gone, it’s all the more recent winners.

LegoMasters – Given the superhero/villain options, I was actually impressed with what the teams came up with for the battles.  I would see those films for sure.  I liked getting to see two teams working together, too.  I agree with the judges, and I am surprised that Aaron and Christian left.  They started out so strong I was expecting them to make the finals.

Book Review: Trust Me by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong psychological suspense story

Cons: Beginning a little slow

The Bottom Line:

Reporter with book

Begins to question the truth

Page turning thriller

Claustrophobic Game of Cat and Mouse

I’ve been following Hank Phillippi Ryan’s career since her first book came out, so I fully intended to follow her to her new psychological suspense stand-alones.  However, I’m just now getting around to reading Trust Me, the first one she wrote.

The story introduces us to Mercer Hennessey, a former reporter who is getting over a deep personal loss.  Her life is altered when her former editor, Katherine, asks her to cover the Baby Boston trial.  Ashlyn Bryant is about to go on trial for the death of her daughter, Tasha Nicole.  Mercer is among those who is certain that Ashlyn is guilty, and Katherine is asking Mercer to write a book about the case and the trial.  With the way it grabbed headlines, it is certain to be a best seller.  Mercer reluctantly agrees, but Ashlyn’s constant claims of innocence begin to get to Mercer.  As Mercer delves further into the book, Ashlyn begins to get into her head.  What is true?  Is Ashlyn guilty?

I’ve got to say the book started out a little slow for me.  I feel like we could have gotten through that part of the story faster.  Yes, there is important background and set up in there, but I feel like it also kept us from the meat of the story.

But once we do, hang on.  Psychological suspense is definitely a good description for the book as Mercer tries to figure out what is truth and what isn’t.  Ironically enough, I read it as the quarantine was starting for the coronavirus, and Mercer spends much of the book inside her house not able to get away from the questions she is facing.  While this claustrophobic setting would definitely be creepy for the book any time, it took on an extra measure based on everything going on in the world today.

Of course, for a book like this to work, the characters have to be real enough to make us question who they are and what they are saying.  There, this book succeeds in spades.  The characters pulled me in and took me for a ride.  There aren’t that many of them, but they truly shine.

While I have said “read” above, I did listen to the audiobook, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld.  It took me a little bit to get into her narration, but it wasn’t long before I was completely lost in the world of the book.  And that early problem might also explain my issues getting to the story overall.

No matter how you experience this book, it is a story that will captivate you.  Trust Me, once you start, you’ll need to know what is really happening.

March 27th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

We've made it to Friday.  And once again, I'm participating in Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

This week, I'm featuring Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer.

                                                  

This is the first in a new series set in 1926 Egypt.  It's a lot of fun, and you can guess from the opening:

When selecting an exotic location for travel, it's advisable to choose one where the air isn't trying to kill you.  I would try to remember that for the next time.

Isn't that a fun opening?

Page 56 is the start of chapter 10.  Here's how it begins:

Redvers stayed with me for a time, and I appreciated the concerned glances he kept sending my way.  At least one person seemed to be concerned for my well-being, and for that, I was grateful.

I'm planning to post a review on Monday ahead of the Tuesday release date.  I hope you'll come back then to see what I thought.

In the meantime, enjoy a quiet weekend full of reading.

Book Review: Murder at the Taffy Shop by Maddie Day (Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun characters and a strong plot

Cons: Issues early on that could easily have been me

The Bottom Line:

Grumpy neighbor killed

Cozy Capers on the case

Fun return visit

Bad Neighbors Become Murder Victims

I loved the first book in Maddie Day’s Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery series, so I was looking forward to visiting the gang again in Murder at the Taffy Shop.  Fortunately, I really enjoyed this return visit.

If you missed the first, it features a group of friends who live on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.  They meet together weekly to discuss a different cozy mystery.  Naturally, they use the knowledge they gain from their books to jump in when they find murder hitting close to home.

Our main character in the series is Mac Almeida who owns a bike rental shop.  When visiting her parents, who live just down the street in her town of Westham, she encounters Beverly Ruchart, their neighbor.  Beverly is always complaining about something, be it the local soup kitchen or Mac’s parents’ puppy.

Mac goes walking every morning with her friend Gin, who owns the town’s salt water taffy shop.  When Mac goes to meet up with her two days later, she finds Gin crouched over Beverly’s dead body.  When the police begin to suspect that Gin had something to do with the death, the Cozy Capers jump into action to clear one of their own.  But can Mac piece together the clues everyone is finding?

There are a lot of characters in this series.  The members of the Cozy Capers don’t get equal page time, but as each pop on the page, we do get reminders of who they are, which helps us keep them straight.  With a group this large, I’m sure we’ll get to know them all as the series progresses and different books give each a chance to shine.  I did miss some of their conversations about mysteries in real life versus fiction we got in the first book, but that’s a minor complaint.

I also had trouble keeping the suspects and their relationship to the victim and each other straight near the beginning of the book.  I have a feeling that is on me – I was a little distracted by life as I started reading.  However, as the book went along, I was able to get that all straight in my mind.  The suspects are strong characters once we get to know them.

The plot was definitely strong.  It’s obvious early who the victim will be, and the book spends just enough time to introduce us to her and a couple of suspects before the murder takes place.  While a universally despised victim gives us plenty of suspects, I appreciated that Mac’s investigation led her to a few people who did like Beverly.  The ending was a bit abrupt, but things made sense.

I have to give a special shout out to Mac’s pet.  No, she doesn’t have a typical cozy pet but an African Gray parrot named Belle.  Belle has a couple of scenes that made me laugh out loud.

Since Mac and her friends love cozy mysteries, we get to see the occasional reference to an author I recognize.  I always enjoyed those nods.

As an extra, we get five recipes for everything from an adult drink to a twist on bear claws.  There is something to everyone to enjoy after you’ve finished reading the book.

Murder at the Taffy Shop is a great return visit to these fun characters.  If you enjoy cozy mysteries, you’ll enjoy solving one along with characters who love them as much as you do.

NOTE: Like the first in the series, this book is a Barnes and Noble exclusive release for the first year.  It is now available in all formats.

NOTE 2: I received an ARC of this book.

Movie Review: Top Gun

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun, good performances

Cons: A bit unfocused and predictable at times

The Bottom Line:

Fighter pilot film

Popular 80’s story

Still holds up today

High Flying Action, Drama, and Romance

I had never seen Top Gun.  I know, I know, someone growing up in the 1980’s who had never seen that movie.  My college roommate loved the soundtrack, so I was familiar with the pop songs used in the background of the film, but I’d never had an interest in watching the movie.  Still, with the sequel coming out soon (this summer as of right now, but who knows), I decided it was time to finally watch the movie.

If, like me, you hadn’t seen the movie, it follows two friends, Maverick (Tom Cruise) and Goose (Anthony Edwards) as they enter the US Navy’s top flight school.  Along the way, they gain a rival in the form of Iceman (Val Kilmar), and Maverick meets their civilian trainer, Charlie (Kelly McGillis).

Yes, that does sound a bit generic.  This movie isn’t famous because of the plot, that’s for sure.  There isn’t much here you haven’t seen before, and I’m sure that was the way when the movie came out in 1986.  Of course, predictable is okay with me as long as I’m still enjoying it, and I definitely did.

So what makes the movie so popular?  This is one of those perfect movies that can appeal to everyone.  It’s got plane fights and the navy for guys.  And it’s got a great romance for women.  Between the two, just about everyone is going to have something to keep them interested in the film.  All of this does make it a bit unfocused as times, but that’s a minor issue.

And the characters are great.  Maverick appears arrogant early on, but we quickly see his human side.  His friendship with Goose is really appealing.  I enjoyed watching him flirt with Charlie as well, and she was just as much fun to watch flirt back.  Even though Iceman is an antagonist, he never crosses the line into mean.

I mentioned the flying, right?  Parts of the movie take place in the sky, and it is such fun to watch.  I’ll admit to having a bit of a struggle following it at times, but I still enjoyed watching it.  Their mix of real footage and specially filmed stunts helps pull you into these scenes.

Much of the cast was young, and the popularity of this film helped boost their careers.  Along with those I’ve already mentioned, this film includes Tom Skerritt and Meg Ryan in supporting roles.

Top Gun is a fun movie.  It’s easy to see why it was popular when it first came out, and nostalgia keeps it popular today.

Book Review: Abstract Aliases by Ritter Ames (Bodies of Art Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters in a fast moving, fun story

Cons: Cons too abstract to nail down

The Bottom Line:

The hunt continues

Amidst some revelations

Fast paced and fun book

Hunting for a Killer’s Alias

Obviously, I have a hard time keeping up with all the wonderful series out there.  I had intended to get back to Laurel Beacham and Jack Hawkes before now, but I was thrilled to finally be able to slip back into their world for Abstract Aliases.

If you haven’t met Laurel and Jack yet, please don’t start here.  While each book in the series has a beginning, middle, and end, each book is also part of a much larger story involving an art heist that the pair are working to stop.  As such, elements of the first two books in the series are spoiled and some things might be confusing to you.  There is enough explanation that you can still follow the players here, even if it’s been a while between books (which I was very thankful for), but it really is good to have the background the first two books provide.

As this book opens, it’s been two months since we last checked in on Laurel and Jack.  While they have been doing their best to gather clues to stop the coming heist, things have been quiet.  Too quiet.  However, something is about to explode on New Year’s Day, and I’m not talking about the London fireworks

While Laurel and Jack are waiting for those fireworks to start, they are shocked have an encounter with one of the men involved in the upcoming heist.  Then the next day, Laurel’s London office is broken into.  Once again one step ahead of danger and one step behind their prey, Laurel and Jack must act quickly.  Will they gain any new clues?

Honestly, the less you know going into this book the better.  It is fun watching the plot play out.  And the story moves quickly from one plot point to another with hardly any down time for the characters, or us, to breath.  There are some revelations along the way that surprised me, but there is plenty left opened.  There are two more books in the series, after all, and I’m assuming the resolution doesn’t come until the final book.

The cast of regular characters is rather small, but they are wonderful characters.  I’m enjoying watching Laurel and Jack’s relationship evolve and watching how they are both evolving.  The other characters who pop in and out of the book are also well defined.

This series falls into the cozy caper genre.  The plot isn’t a typical cozy plot, and we do quite a bit of traveling in search of the truth.  No, I’m not going to spoil where because that’s part of the fun, but be prepared to get swept up in a high speed, high stakes plot.

I can’t let it be too long before I check back in with Laurel and Jack because I have to know what happens to them next.  Abstract Aliases will please series fans, and if you haven’t read the books yet, go back and start the series today.

Looking for more?  Here are the Bodies of Art Mysteries in order.

Ornament Review: Forky - 2019 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Good representation of the character

Cons: Won’t stand on its own

The Bottom Line:

Forky for your tree

Represents character well

But nothing extra

This Ornament Isn’t Trash

It was clear early on that the breakout character from Toy Story 4 was going to be Forky, the new toy Bonnie created out of trash.  Hallmark had the foresight to create an ornament based on the character for release in July of 2019, just after the movie came out.

If you haven’t seen the movie, Forky was a character made from trash.  He’s a spork with a couple of mismatched eyes, and a broken popsicle sticks for feet.  And that’s exactly what we get here.  Okay, so he’s mostly plastic, but it looks like the items used in the movie.  One of his eyes really is a googly eye, and his arms are hard plastic covered to look like pipe cleaner.  Bonnie even signed her name on the bottoms of his feet.

Often, Hallmark will put a character in action or capture something else about them in their ornaments.  That’s not the case here; it’s just the character.  However, they have captured him well.  I suspect this was one of the last ornaments created for the 2019 line.  And, certainly, they couldn’t capture more than the character himself before the movie came out and we saw him in action.

Forky’s feet are pointing in different directions, so you can’t set him out to be displayed.  When you go to hang him, you’ll find that he hangs straight.

Initially, it was looking like this ornament was going to be a sellout, and early on, he did.  But Hallmark produced quite a few more, so he turned out to be readily available by the time that Christmas rolled around.  Additionally, I don’t think the movie turned out to be quite as popular as the first three, which also may have meant fewer people wound up wanting to buy him.

Forky was a fun addition to the Toy Story family, so I was glad to add him to my ornament collection.

Music Review: Everything As It Should Be by Andy Gullahorn

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong lyrics and great music

Cons: Now that I have this disc, everything’s as it should be

The Bottom Line:

Simple arrangements

Filled with beautiful music

Powerful lyrics

Things Will Be as They Should Be When You Buy This Release

Last month, Jason Gray posted on Instagram about his friend and fellow musician Andy Gullahorn.  Considering how much I love Jason’s music, a recommendation from him is something I take seriously, especially when I noticed that Andy has recorded a few songs that Jason also recorded.  I decided to sample his music with his newest release, 2018’s Everything As It Should Be.  I love it!

Andy Gullahorn takes a simple approach to making music here.  The focus is on him and his guitar.  Yes, there are other instruments, and yes, there are background vocals, but the main impression is him and his guitar.  It’s acoustic in its simplicity, really.  But it is also beautiful in its simplicity and allows the lyrics to shine through even more.

If you haven’t noticed, I am very much a lyrics guy when it comes to music.  Yes, some songs I enjoy for the music, but the songs I really love are the ones with strong lyrics.  That’s the case here.

“Different Now” opens up the disc and talks about struggling to please others versus really living a good life after God has transformed you.  It’s got a catchy melody and is just a fun opener all the way around.

“Village” is a song that will hit you between the eyes.  It’s a reminder that we need to love those around us despite our political differences.  And yes, there are brief references to current political events in the song, but the ultimate reminder of the song is that “It’s gonna take a village to put love back in this town.”  And it’s true.

Which brings us to the title track, a song that paints a picture of domestic bliss that is real.  In other words, it’s chaotic and messy, but it is still the way it should be.

Then there’s “Your Worst Day,” which is a commitment to love someone even when they aren’t being at all lovable.

I was familiar with “Death Without a Funeral” since Jason Gray had recorded it a few years back.  No surprise to discover that the two friends cowrote it.  It’s a melancholy song about loss and grieving something instead of a person who has died.  I’ve already enjoyed the song, and this version of it is just as strong as the one I’m used to hearing.

In fact, there are a couple more somber songs to close out this disc.  “The End of the World” is written from the point of view of someone who has just had their world up ended by a tragedy –  the loss of a child.  It looks at the world going on as if nothing has happened when, for the singer, the world has stopped.  It’s has powerful and poignant lyrics.  “Light a Candle” is the logical next step.  It’s taking that first step out of tragedy to more forward with life.  Sad songs can overwhelm me, but that isn’t the case with either of these songs.

But the disc also has a very funny song on it.  “Teenagers” looks at life with teens and pokes some fun at them and their parents.  I have laughed every time I’ve heard the song.

As I said, I bought the disc last month, and I’ve listened to it multiple times since then.  I am constantly drawn back to it and the reminders and hope it offers.

I’m definitely glad I gave Andy Gullahorn a chance, and based on this disc, I’ve bought the rest of his releases.  With as much as I’ve enjoyed Everything As It Should Be, I’m looking forward to many more great song.

CD Length: 45:00

Tracks:

1. Different Now

2. Village

3. Everything’s As It Should Be

4. Let It Go

5. The Brave One

6. Death Without a Funeral

7. Teenagers

8. Mirage

9. Your Worst Day

10. The End of the World

11. Light a Candle

March 21st's Weekly TV Thoughts

Normally, things would be going full steam ahead until season finales in May, but with shows shutting down due to the corona virus, it's looking like some shows will be taking longer breaks that usual and probably won't even finish off their seasons.  It will be interesting to see how I feel about the way things end when we get there.  I suspect it will be very frustrating.  But I bring this up because these recaps are going to be less populated than normal the next few months, I'm sure.

God Friended Me – I needed that episode.  Yes, I was crying through much of the final act, but it felt good.  With everything else going on, I needed the dose of fun the show provided.  And it was nice to see Ally out helping with the main plot for a change.  I wonder how much time her new girlfriend is going to let her push her away, however.

Batwoman – I missed part of the episode due to breaking news, but I’m okay with that.  In fact, I fast forwarded a bit during the episode.  I knew from the preview it would be too dark, and I was right.  Wasn’t expecting the ending, but I wasn’t surprised by it either.  Again, dark.

Supergirl – And I’d just been talking with some friends about how the show hadn’t been as political this season.  Fortunately, I read a recap, so I skipped Nia’s scenes and instead just watched Alex’s scenes.  That was an interesting B story that I think will play into the larger story of the season.  I’m confused as to when that evil lady really grabbed Richard.  I’m surprised they even brought up Jeremiah since it’s been years since we saw him.  I wonder how that is going to play into the stories for the rest of the season.

The Flash – The Nash storyline was interesting at best.  I did like seeing Barry saving the day twice without using his speed.  When are people going to fully recognize that Iris isn’t herself at all?  And when will we end the mirror storyline?

Legends of Tomorrow – That which I dreaded has come upon us.  I’ve known Ray was leaving mid-season for months.  I’m glad he and Nora got a happy send off, but I’m going to miss his character on the show.  He was always so much fun.  I’m really sorry to see them go.

Survivor – The tribes are smart – kicking out some huge threats again this week.  It’s almost like we have the best of the best out there this season or something.  Love that the person Sandra went to blindsided her.  I’m just wondering if and or when anyone is going to be let back in the game.  And how many.  Oh, and I’m over Tony again.  He can go.

LegoMasters – Those were some fun builds.  I do feel sorry for some of the teams in the second part.  Some of the add ons were easier than others by far.  Still, the team that left had been in the bottom before, so I was okay with them leaving.  We are down to four teams.  And the four teams can be really strong teams, too.  This is going to get harder with each elimination.

March 20th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

I couldn't believe it's been two months since I last checked in with a Book Beginnings and Friday 56.  I think it's time to change that.

I'm going to be pulling quotes from Abstract Aliases by Ritter Ames.

                                                      

Here's how the book begins:

We stood across the wide moonlight river from Big Ben, in the prime spot for viewing London's New Year's fireworks extravaganza.  the jubilant crowd jostled and shouldered its way to fill every inch along the Thames, more than a half-million people crowding into every open space around us this clear cold night.

It's a bit weird reading that right now, isn't it?  But the book came out a couple years ago.  Who would have thought we'd be where we are now?

And here's from page 56:

"Maybe Simon was trying to kidnap you.  That's why he posted the rear guard."

I really enjoyed this book.  Look for my review on Tuesday.  Meantime, happy reading this weekend.

Book Review: Coconut Layer Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke (Hannah Swensen #25)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Decent mystery, characters we love

Cons: Little character development; pacing, especially early on

The Bottom Line:

Lonnie in hot seat

Slow start; mostly good pacing

Characters we love

Clearing Lonnie

Over the past couple of books, Hannah Swensen’s life has become a soap opera.  I’ll admit to rolling my eyes at the cliffhanger at the end of the last book.  So I wasn’t sure how I’d react to Coconut Layer Cake Murder.

Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar, has been ordered to rest – it came straight from Doc himself.  But a trip to California to help a friend pack up is cut short when Hannah’s younger sister, Michelle, calls in a panic.  There’s been another murder in Lake Eden, and Michelle’s boyfriend, Lonnie, is the prime suspect.  After a night out with friends, Lonnie took a drunk woman home only to pass out on her couch.  The next morning, he wakes up to find her dead in her bedroom with no memory of anything after he passed out.  Since Lonnie is a detective with the police department, most of them can’t investigate since they are friends with the suspect.  Naturally, Hannah immediately flies home, but can she figure out who is the killer?

If you’ve read the previous book, yes, we do get an answer to the cliffhanger, and it comes fairly early.  And if you haven’t read the last few books, you definitely should do that before you pick up this book.  While most of that drama appears to be in the past (at least I hope so), there are references to those events in this book.  It would be hard for this book to proceed without them, so I get why they are there.  For those who aren’t up to date on the series, the discussions the characters have are spoilers, so you have been warned.

The book gets off to a slow start.  Honestly, we could have dumped a couple of chapters with very little impact on the book itself.  However, once Hannah gets back to Lake Eden and starts investigating, the pace is steady.  There are still plenty of discussions about baking and Hannah’s newest culinary treats, but we get some good clues and red herrings.  I didn’t spot the killer until we neared the end of the book, and the climax was logical when we got there.

This series is notorious for its love triangle.  Fair warning, it is back in play here.  I still maintain that author Joanne Fluke knows who Hannah should pick but just can’t actually do it, and this book makes it even more obvious.  Or maybe it’s my bias since that’s the guy I’m rooting for.  Not that I expect Hannah to ever decide.  I’ve resigned myself to this love triangle continuing forever at this point.

Anyway, characters.  Honestly, we get the usual interactions here.  It’s nice to check in with everyone, but very little seems to change with the characters any more.  Still, fans will enjoy seeing them again.  I know I do.

I can’t leave out the recipes.  Once again, the book is full of them with a total of nineteen by my count.  Your mileage may vary depending on how you count frostings and variations.

Coconut Layer Cake Murder is a book that will please Hannah’s fans who have stuck with the series this long.  If you are new to the series, you should be back to the beginning to see why we fell in love with these characters.

Looking for more Hannah Swensen mysteries?  Here are the books in order.

Movie Review: Terminator - Dark Fate

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Action, a few nods for fans

Cons: Shallow characters, ruins parts of franchise

The Bottom Line:

This franchise returns

With chases, scifi action

Very little else

“You Come with Me, or You’re Dead in the Next 30 Seconds.”

When I first heard them talking about Terminator: Dark Fate, I was hoping for an enjoyable movie.  Then I started hearing the reviews, and I decided to skip this one until it hit Blu-Ray.  I’ve watched it now, and I think it was better than some of the reviews I’d seen made it out to be, but it’s not nearly as good as it could have been.

In order to bring back Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, they had to forget all the sequels that have been created since Terminator 2.  Makes since because her character had been killed off a number of sequels ago.  However, I always find it funny when a film franchise suddenly goes “Just kidding, all those other events didn’t happen after all.”  It’s just messy storytelling and makes me wonder why we should care about a franchise if the events we are watching can just suddenly be undone.  But that’s a rant for another day.

A bigger problem with this film is that, in the first five minutes, it gives a giant middle finger to audiences, ignoring the basic premise of the franchise in the process.  No, I’m not going to get any more spoilery than that.  But again, it feels like the producers, including original creator James Cameron, aren’t paying attention to anything the fans care about.  Instead, they figure that explosions and chases and special effects will be enough to make the film a hit.

I’m getting ahead of myself a little.  What exactly is this movie about?  We meet Dani (Natalia Reyes) on what starts as a typical day for her as she gets ready for her job at a factory outside of Mexico City.  However, this day is going to be anything but typical when Grace (Mackenzie Davis) shows up in an attempt to save her from a terminator from the future (Gabriel Luna).  Will Grace succeed in her mission?

Notice who is missing from this teaser?  Sarah Connor and any terminator played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Yes, they are both part of the film, and their involvement comes as the story progresses.  It’s easy to see Arnold’s terminator showing up long before he does, but that’s okay.  He gets the best lines when he does.

In fact, there are several fun nods to classic lines from the franchise here.  These nods made me smile, and I’m only a casual fan of these films.

And the action.  Hold on tight because the film starts with a bang.  Things do slow down eventually, but there are several edge of your seat action sequences before we reach the climactic battle.  The special effects are also top notch, which isn’t a surprise.

However, that isn’t enough to hold the film together.  Part of the problem is that it’s hard to get over the middle finger the film has already given the fans.  Frankly, another issue is that it is hard to come to care for any of the characters.  Even when the action scenes slow down, we don’t get a lot of character development.  The script tries half-heartedly, but it is really just going through the motions.  Even Sarah comes across as one dimensional.  The character with the most depth is Arnold’s terminator.  The acting isn’t bad, but the actresses aren’t given anything to work with, so they come across as wooden.  With no connection to the characters, we enjoy the chases and explosions in the moment, but there is nothing to care about when the action slows down or the movie is over.

Honestly, as I was watching the film, I couldn’t help but feel that this was intended to be a transition film, as the original cast members pass the torch to new characters.  However, it was sold as a sequel.  I think this bait and switch is a lot of the frustrating with the film.

Some complaints I saw were about the movie turning the franchise into a female lead movie.  It is true that the main characters are all female with Arnold’s terminator playing more of a supporting role.  However, if you go back and look at the first film again, it’s always made Saran Connor a strong female who can hold her own.  From a storytelling point of view, an argument can be made that a few of the choices that were designed to give us twists about anything else. 

I’m still torn on this film.  There are aspects I enjoyed, but I can’t help feeling like it wasn’t nearly as good as it should have been.  I know serious fans of the franchise were disappointed.  Maybe I knew not to expect much going in, or my status as a casual fan made me not as disappointed with the end result.

In the end, I think Terminator: Dark Fate is a mostly forgettable film in a franchise that has nothing new to say.  If you keep your expectations low, you might find moments you’ll enjoy, but don’t go out of your way to see it.