September's 2024 Reading Summary

 Time to wrap up September.  And, as always, I'm doing that with a summary of everything I reviewed in the month.

Yes, the index is updated.

As usual, the links will take you to my full review.  All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

 

A Royal Affair by Allison Montclair (Sparks and Bainbridge Mysteries #2) – 4

Someone has sent Princess Elizabeth a letter hinting at a scandal in the past of Prince Philip.  The letter was intercepted, and Iris Sparks and Gwen Baingridge have been approached to find out if there is any truth to the scandal or not.  Since it is believed that the two royals are heading for an engagement by the end of the summer, time is of the essence.  When Iris and Gwen begin digging in to see if there is truth behind the insinuation, they hit dead ends and uncertain connections.  Can they find out if someone is about to out a royal scandal?

I wish it hadn’t taken me so long to get back to this series.  This was a fun second visit.  The characters are sharp, and I love how Iris and Gwen complement each other so well.  The mystery was good, although it was a little overly convoluted at the end.  It all made sense, however.  The real world fits well into this historical mystery, and, even though I knew how history actually played out, I was hooked.  I’d forgotten just how much humor there was, especially the banter between the leads.  Hopefully, it won’t be so long before I am able to visit them again.

 

A Scape Goat for Murder by Jacqueline Vick (Frankie Chandler Pet Psychic Mysteries #6) – 3

Frankie Chandler’s wedding to Detective Martin Bowers is just weeks again when he is involved in an accident.  His colleagues won’t tell Frankie anything about what happened, and the doctor is being vague about his condition.  So, Frankie sets out to figure things out on her own.  When she finds the accident site, she determines that there was a witness – a goat.  Can she make sense of the visions she is getting from the goat to solve the case?

Quite obviously, there is a lot of fun to be had here, and I laughed many times as I was reading.  Some of that came from Martin’s two sisters who show up in Frankie’s life.  However, I found that this subplot didn’t quite develop in a satisfactory way.  The mystery started out strongly and kept me engaged, but the ending was so rushed that some whys for a major part of the plot got overlooked.  I did enjoy spending time with Frankie again and watching her growth.  Fans of the series will enjoy this one, but it is a weaker entry in the series.

 

The Late Show by Michael Connelly (Renee Ballard #1) – 4

LAPD officer Renee Ballard has been demoted to working the overnight shift in the Hollywood division.  She’s frustrated that she never gets to work a case to resolution in her current role.  Until one night when a series of cases land in her lap.  A woman reports a stolen wallet.  A transgender individual is left for dead.  A shooting incident happens at a bar.  As Ballard gets involved in all these cases, can she solve them?

I remember when this book came out how far behind I was on the author’s books and thinking I’d never get to it.  And yet here I am.  I found that Ballard shared quite a bit with the author’s Harry Bosch character.  I’m not saying I didn’t like her, but I felt like she was a bit too familiar.  Maybe that will change when I see them together.  And again, I did like getting to meet her here and am looking forward to seeing what else happens to her.  The mystery was very compelling.  I saw a few things coming early, but there were some great twists that took me by surprise as well.  I also enjoyed the nod to the Bosch TV show, which I guess means it is time for me to start watching it.  Do keep in mind this is a police procedural, so the content is stronger than in the cozies I often read.  If you haven’t met Ballard yet, you’ll be happy you picked up this book.

 

Until Depths Do Us Part by K.B. Jackson (Cruising Sisters Mysteries #1) – 5

When her nephew needs a last-minute location for his Thanksgiving wedding, Charlotte reluctantly offers the private residence ship she’s just learned her late husband bought a cabin on.  Charlotte and her sister, Jane, aren’t sure about this wedding, but they are trying to be supportive for their nephew.  However, their first night at sea, someone kills the bride, and their nephew becomes the obvious suspect.  Can the sisters figure out what really happened?

I’d been wanting to try this author’s books for a while, and I’m glad I did.  This book handled the tricky job of backstory and mystery set up well, and I was pulled into the story from the beginning.  I did feel the interactions with one character got repetitive, but overall, the plot kept me engaged as Charlotte kept finding out more things that might have played into the murder.  The solution was perfectly logical when we got there.  We met the majority of characters at once, so I had a harder time keeping them all straight, but I did by the end.  That doesn’t apply to Charlotte and Jane, who are great main characters.  I enjoyed the fantasy of cruising, yet the murder is played seriously.  I’m looking forward to booking another cruise with this series soon.

 

26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse (Alaskan Cyber Hunters #1) – 3

Darcie Phillips is thrilled to be leading the new Emergency Operations Center in Fairbanks, Alaska.  On the team is Jason Myers, a cybersecurity expert.  But they’ve just barely begun their jobs when a strange woman appears in town warning about something happening when the temperature drops to 26 below.  Since winter is coming, that will be soon.  Can Darcie and Jason figure out a way to deal with this crisis?

I was intrigued by this premise, so I decided to give this book a try.  Unfortunately, I found this book uneven.  There is more buildup than pay off, and some of that buildup gets swept under the rug.  I did like Darci and Jason and find them compelling characters, although the rest of the team are fairly one note.  This is a Christian novel, and I found that aspect refreshing and emotionally touching in ways I wasn’t expecting.  I think this is more of a character study than a thriller, and I wasn’t expecting that.  There are a couple of small timeline issues, made more obvious by the way each scene is headlined with date and time.  But I had to laugh at how much of a cold weather wimp I am while reading how these characters felt about the weather in Alaska.  I am still considering picking up the next book since I am intrigued by the threads left opened here.  If you are looking for strong characters in a light thriller, you should consider picking this book up.

 

A Slay Ride Together with You by Vicki Delany (Year-Round Christmas Mysteries #7) – 3

Spring in Rudolph, New York, American’s Christmas town, is usually a little show, which means it is the perfect time for Merry Wilkinson’s friends Vicki and Mark to plan their wedding.  They’ve even managed to buy the Cole House to move into, but only because it needs a lot of work.  However, things aren’t going well at the house since the couple are hearing strange noises in the night.  Then, when Merry is visiting, the trio find a dead body.  With Mark under suspicion, Merry starts gathering clues.  Can she figure out what happened?

Normally, I enjoy this series, but this entry didn’t work for me.  The story was too slow to get going.  While things did pick up once we found the body, including giving us some great suspects, it wasn’t satisfying.  Having said that, my questions were answered at the end.  Since this is set in spring, it didn’t have quite the usual Christmas cheer, but I think that’s on me more than anything.  The series regulars were still fantastic, and I did enjoy getting to see them again.  And we got three recipes that Vicki has been working on for her cookbook.  Fans of the series will be happy to check in on the characters, but everyone else can pass this one by.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year’s by Liz Ireland (Mrs. Claus Mysteries #5) – 5

April Claus’s husband, Nick, has just taken off on his annual trip around the world delivering presents when three human strangers are brought into town.  They were found outside of Santaland injured from the cold.  That means they need help before they can be sent on their way, so April and the elves work hard on keeping Santaland a secret while treating the strangers.  But things take a turn when one of the strangers dies.  Can April figure out what happened?  Will Santaland keep its secret?

If you haven’t read this series yet, you are in for a treat.  Yes, it is a cozy as you are thinking it might be, and the author has done a great job of building that cozy world for us to escape into.  Yet the mystery is still well done, and April works hard to solve it.  In the end, the clues lead her to a logical conclusion.  The characters are as charming as ever, and the new ones fit perfectly into this world.  I had to laugh and grin at the antics the characters get up to as the story unfolds.  Fans of the series will delight in the latest entry.  If you haven’t picked up the series, change that soon.  After all, skipping it might just put you on the naughty list.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce #11) – 3

Mrs. Mullet, the long time de Luce house keeper, is being questioned about a murder.  Turns out, she’d been making breakfast for a gentleman in the village, Major Greyleigh.  He’s been found dead on the floor of his cottage and the last thing he ate was the breakfast prepared by Mrs. Mullet.  Flavia knows that Mrs. Mullet wouldn’t hurt anyway.  She also knows that the mushrooms everyone thinks killed the man weren’t poisonous.  Can Flavia figure out what is really going on?

I had thought the series ended with the previous book five years ago, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this up for preorder.  It was fun to revisit Bishop’s Lacey and catch up with Flavia.  However, I still find her cousin Undine extremely annoying and not as funny as she is supposed to be.  The pacing of the mystery was good, but there were parts of the plot I didn’t care for.  And I certainly could have done without all the talk about the crime scene.  I’ve often found this series uneven, and this entry fit that description for me.

 

The Glass Bottom Hoax by Diane Vallere (Madison Night #12) – 4

Madison Night is going undercover on a cruise ship.  She’s pretending to be a Doris Day impersonator, and her boyfriend, police captain Tex Allen, is going along as her manager.  In reality, the two are supposed to be looking into some recent burglaries on board the ship.  But they’ve hardly left on the trip before Madison finds a dead body.  Have the stakes just been raised?

It was fun to go on this cruise with Madison and Tex.  Naturally, we didn’t see as much of the regular characters, but the new characters did help fill in the gaps.  Plus, we got to see some growth in Madison and Tex and their relationship.  The plot starts strongly.  I felt like part of it was a bit of a stretch, but it still mostly worked for me.  Likewise, one of the Easter eggs for Doris Day fans was a stretch, but there are some other fun ones.  Really, fun is the overall word for this entry in the series.  If you are already a fan, you’ll want to book passage on this entry soon.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss – 4

In this book, we meet Marco, a young boy whose father is always encouraging him to observe the world around him to see what he can see.  However, his trip home from school on Mulberry Street is rather boring.  All he sees is a horse pulling a broken-down wagon.  But what if, instead, he said he saw a new cart…drawn by a zebra.  No, that’s not special enough.  Where will Marco’s wild story stop?

I didn’t read this book too much as a kid, but even as an adult, it is easy to fall into the classic Seuss rhythm and rhyme.  It does get a little repetitive since he repeats Mulberry Street so often, but that’s the only real complaint.  Marco’s imagination is so much fun, although I appreciated that he told the truth in the end.  The illustrations are classic Seuss as well, and the caricatures of everyone are so much fun.  Fans will also enjoy seeing that the elephant looks remarkably like Horton.  If you can track this book down, you and your kids will enjoy it.

 

Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien (Noodle Shop Mysteries #4) – 4

Lana Lee is excited for the night market this summer.  It should be fun and a good chance to draw more customers for her family’s restaurant.  However, the first night ends with the explosion of one of the food trucks in attendance.  There is one fatality – the owner of the truck.  His wife was a friend of Lana’s mother’s, although they have drifted apart.  When the police look at the wife as a suspect, Lana jumps in.  Can she clear the woman?

It’s been a while since I visited Lana, and it was nice to be back.  I like her and her family and friends.  I especially like how realistic the family dynamics feels.  A subplot involving the Lee family was also well handled.  The mystery started strongly, but the pacing did lag a bit in the middle.  Lana was a bit stupid at the climax, but I did still enjoy how it played out, and everything made sense at the end.  If you are as behind as I am, you’ll enjoy this book.

September 29th's Sunday/Monday Post

Welcome to another week and another Sunday/Monday post.  I will be linking up to:

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

The big news around here isn't good news.  After four and a half years of working fully from home, we have been forced to go hybrid.  I'm having to go into the office three days a week, Tuesday to Thursday, starting this last week.  Yes, I'm making it a bigger deal than it really is, but I'm not at all happy about it.  We've known this was coming for six months, and I'm still not happy about it.

The problem is that, after this long, I've gotten used to doing things a certain way.  Like rolling out of bed at five minutes before I'm supposed to log on.  Or going for a run before work or at lunch time.  Doing a load of laundry during work.  Things like that.  This is going to be a huge adjustment.  I'm sure I will make it in time.  But it is going to take quite a bit of time.  Definitely not adjusted after three days in the office again.

Yes, I did like seeing people again and talking to them.  But it still isn't making up for having to actually be there in person on a regular basis.

At least I don't have the big drive that others do.  I'm jealous of those who have been hired (or moved) out of the area, so they don't have to come into the office on a regular basis.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Ornament Review: A World Within #10

Tuesday - Book Review: The Glass Bottom Hoax by Diane Vallere

Wednesday - Book Review: And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss

Thursday - Book Review: Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien

Friday - Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Truth Be Told

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - September Reading Summary

Tuesday - Book Review: Crime and Parchment by Daphne Silver

Wednesday - Movie Review: Deadpool 2

Thursday - Book Review: A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay

Friday - Friday Post

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I almost got away with only four books for the week, but I wound up buying an ebook today, bring my total up to five.

Let's start with the pre-orders I received this week.  Up first is Ashes Never Lie by Lee Goldberg, his second Sharpe and Walker book.  But he'll be incorporating the leads from his Eve Ronin series as well.  His books aren't the cozies I typically read, but they are still lots of fun, which is why I keep reading him.

Switching gears, I also got a middle grade fantasy book this week.  The newest Percy Jackson and the Olympians book from Rick Riordan came out this week.  I loved the last one, so I'm looking forward to reading Wrath of the Triple Goddess.  If you haven't read these new books, the premise is that Percy is now a senior in high school, and he has to do favors for various gods to get college recommendations from them.  Not quite end of the world stakes, but still quite fun.

Which brings us to the Kindle sales I snagged.  In preparation for the new book coming out, Caleb Wygal put the rest of his Myrtle Beach Mysteries on sale, so I snagged the two I didn't have, Death at Tidal Creek and Death on the Back Nine.  As of now (Saturday night), it looks like five of the six books in the series are still 99 cents.  Not sure why, but Death at Tidal Creek is regular price.  Probably a glitch.  Or a sign that the rest will be regular price soon.  Or both.

Finally, there's the book I snagged today.  I saw that Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister was on sale for Kindle again.  I was so bummed with myself when I missed it before, so I'm glad to get it now.  It's a thriller with a twist - a mother witnesses her son commit murder.  Then wakes up the day before.  Each day see wakes up further back in time.  Yes, I'm intrigued by that premise.  We'll see what I think of the execution.

What I'm Currently Reading:

As I'm typing this Saturday night, I'm about 2/3 of the way through Send in the Clowns, the fourth Country Club Murder book form Julie Mulhern.  Yes, I'm woefully behind in the series since there are seventeen at the moment.  This series is set in the 1970's, and I'm enjoying the trip back in time.  I need to work on catching up in the series.  Maybe in the new year.

It's hard since I have so many series going.  Like the Zoe Chambers series from Annette Dashofy.  Up next will be the tenth in that series, 'Til Death.  It's set in the days leading up to Zoe and Pete's wedding, but of course they'll get involved in a murder or two first.  This will leave me three books in the series I haven't read.  Maybe I can finish it next year?  We'll see.

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

September 28th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Rescue: HI-Surf (9/22) – I usually don’t go for these kind of shows, but I wanted to give this one a chance since I thought the surf aspect might be fun.  I think the soap opera of it all might be a turn off, however.  We’ll see how long I stick with hit.  I wasn’t completely turned off by the pilot, and I like to give a show two or three episodes before I decide if it is really for me or not.

Moonflower Murders – I’m getting a feel for the two mysteries, at least better than I was last week.  Still not sure how they will wind up tying together, but I’m only a third of the way through the series, so I’d hope I wouldn’t have it figured out yet.  And I’m still not clear on all the connections in the book to the present day.

Rescue: HI-Surf (9/23) – A little better than the pilot episode.  There were some rough story moments in the pilot, and now that they’ve introduced the storylines and characters (to an extent), they are settling in.  I liked the rescue storylines, but I’m really not liking the character stuff and soap opera elements.  I’m still not willing to completely give up on it, but we’ll see what happens.

Dancing with the Stars – Not super surprised at either of the couples that went home.  I was hoping that Tori would last longer, but her dance that first week wasn’t good.  I did like this week’s better (and love that song).  The couples at the top wowed again.  This is going to be a tight competition come November.

Survivor – It always amazes me the way people behave on the show.  It’s like they’ve never watched before and they come out so strong, annoying everyone.  Now, I get that the show is edited.  But you didn’t think maybe your reaction to losing out upset people?  Or talking when they are trying to nap?  Seriously?  I know I’ve talked in the past about the craziness of getting strong players out early, but in this case, they definitely make the right decision.

The Challenge – Did I miss it, or did we not find out what happened to the guy who hurt his ankle?  I’ll admit, I was doing other things, but I felt like we skipped right over that.  Either way, Era 1 needs a win of some kind because they are just bleeding people.  I did appreciate the woman having the sense of humor about being the only option for Era 1.  And Michele?  Picking when to step up so it best benefits you might be good for you personally, but I think it shows a lot about your character, none of it good.  A very selfish act to only step up when you think you are safe.  She is obviously a skilled social player because how she never winds up in the arena is beyond me.

Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Truth Be Told

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong leads in emotionally touching story

Cons: I waited too long to watch it

The Bottom Line:

An old burned letter

Adding an estranged father

Gives us great movie

Letter for Afghanistan and Oliver’s Past Returns

Somehow, I let close to two years go between watching movies in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered franchise.  Since I have all but the newest on DVD, I have no excuse.  But I was quickly back in their world when I turned on Truth Be Told.

This was the second of three movies originally released back in 2015.  It opens just a couple of days after the previous movie (From Paris with Love) ended.  Again, if you haven’t seen that movie, they allude to a few things that happened there, but the major story points aren’t spoiled for you.

The story picks up on a Monday morning and finds the Denver Postable team trying to figure out how to deliver some letters that were partially burned in a fire.  Naturally, they are able to figure out how to deliver at least one of them, a letter from a soldier in Afghanistan that was sent two years ago.  The recipient is a high school student.  Can they find her now?

Honestly, this story feels like a bit of a subplot with the main focus being on Oliver (Eric Mabius) whose estranged father (Gregory Harrison) has shown back up in his life.  While Oliver wants nothing to do with him at first, Shane (Kristin Booth) eventually talks him into seeing what his father wants.  However, no one is prepared for the bombshell Oliver’s about to get.

The other two main characters, Rita and Norman (Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe and Geoff Gustafson) are more involved in the letter storyline.  Plus, they are navigating the beginnings of their romance.  Very slowly, but still, it’s fun to watch.

I had forgotten just how charming this series is.  The characters are a little awkward, but never in a painful to watch way.  Between the series and then the movies, we’ve really gotten to know them, and it is great to spend more time with them.  And we want them to get through what they are facing.

I’d also forgotten just how these movies hit the heart strings.  I teared up for much of the movie.  It wasn’t enough to make me actually cry, but it was very touching – both the hurt that the characters had to deal with and the care they received from others.  The story walks a fine line, and it does it in a way that ultimately feels heartwarming.

I’ve got to give the actors credit for much of this.  And acting is all good.  The four leads bring their characters to life brilliantly, capturing all the moments for us.  There might be a lesser moment or two of acting among some of the guest cast in the movie, but they never last for long and are easy to look past.

It looks like the next movie follows directly on the storylines introduced here, so I need to make sure I watch it soon.  If you aren’t up to date on the Signed, Sealed, Delivered franchise, you are in for a treat when you sit down to watch Truth Be Told.

This movie is included in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered Movie Collection 1.

Book Review: Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien (Noodle Shop Mysteries #4)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Lana and the rest of the characters; good mystery

Cons: Pacing at times

The Bottom Line:

A food truck explodes

Lana helps family friend

A solid entry

An Explosive Night Market

With so many series I try to read, I fall behind on some just because there isn’t enough time to read all the books.  One series I’ve fallen behind on is the Noodle Shop Mysteries from Vivien Chien.  So, I was happy that I got to slip Wonton Terror into my reading before September ended.

Lana Lee has taken over running her family’s restaurant, Ho-Lee Noddle House, in Cleveland, Ohio.  And this summer, she is also helping out at their booth for the night market in town.  Lana is looking forward to the evenings out, hopefully expanding the restaurant’s customer base.

The first night ends with a bang – literally.  One of the food trucks at the market, Wonton Wheels, explodes as the evening is winding down.  Unfortunately, the owner, Ronnie Chow, was inside.  The Chows had been friends with Lana’s family, but they had drifted apart over the years.  When the police start looking at Sandra Chow, Lana can’t help but get involved.  Can she find who was responsible?

Even though it had been a while since I read the third book in the series, I had no problem slipping back into Lana’s world as I picked up book four.  I like the characters, and it was nice to catch up with them.  Lana doesn’t have the best relationship with her family, but it feels realistic to me.  They love each other, but they also irritate each other.  I like that.  She does have friends who serve as sidekicks, and I love them.  And the new characters fit well in this world.

The plot starts quickly, introducing us to the Chows before their truck explodes.  I did find the pacing a little uneven in the middle, but it wasn’t too bad.  Lana was a little stupid heading into the climax, but I appreciated how it played out.  It also did a good job of wrapping up any questions we had.

Back to Lana’s family for a minute.  We’ve slowly been meeting more of them as the series goes along, and that happened again here when her aunt comes to town.  That formed the basis for a sub-plot, and I liked how that played out.

Unlike most of the culinary cozies I read, this book doesn’t include any recipes at the end.  Since I don’t usually actually make the recipes in these books, it’s no great loss for me.

I’m glad I have more books in the Noodle Shop Mysteries to look forward to.  If you are behind like I am, you’ll enjoy Wonton Terror.

Make reservations for the rest of the Noodle Shop Mysteries.

Book Review: And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun, imaginative book

Cons: Does feel a little repetitive

The Bottom Line:

Trip home with Marco

Just imagine what he sees

Fun Dr. Seuss book

That’s Quite an Imagination You’ve Got There

I’ll admit, And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street wasn’t one of my regular Dr. Seuss books from when I was a kid.  I feel like I had read it a couple of times over the years, but I wasn’t super familiar with it.  When I saw a cheap copy at my local used bookstore recently, I snagged it and decided to review it for Banned Books Week.

The story is told from the point of view of Marco, a young boy whose father is always encouraging him to observe the world around him to see what he can see.  However, his trip home from school on Mulberry Street is rather boring.  All he sees is a horse pulling a broken-down wagon.  But what if, instead, he said he saw a new cart…drawn by a zebra.  No, that’s not special enough.  Where will Marco’s wild story stop?

While this isn’t top tier Dr. Seuss, it is still quite fun.  With each page, Marco’s story gets wilder and wilder.  It’s fun to turn the page to see what he will say next.  But don’t worry.  The book doesn’t encourage lying.  It’s all Marco’s thoughts to himself about what he could say.

And yes, the book is told is classic Dr. Seuss rhyme.  That means, he has to rhyme lots of things with street and get the right rhythm for Mulberry in there as well.  Is it a surprise to any of his many fans that he does?  On the other hand, it does get a little repetitive.

The story is accompanied by classic Dr. Seuss illustrations.  They are all caricatures to be sure, but they are fun and help bring the wild imagination to life.  I found it fun that the elephant looks an awful lot like Horton.

This is one of the six books that was taken out of print because of some ethnic stereotypes.  And yes, I will say it again, if a book is no longer in print, that is much closer to being banned than a book not being in a library but still easily available for purchase.  And that’s why I am choosing to highlight the book during Banned Books Week.  Anyway, the offending page includes a young Chinese boy eating rice with chopsticks.  I’m a little surprised that no one seemed to object to the Rajah a few pages earlier.  Or maybe I just didn’t hear about it.  Both of these characters are mentioned in the narration as well as appearing in the illustrations.  Frankly, I don’t feel that either are overly stereotypical in their illustrations.  They are caricatures, but so are the rest of the characters on the page.  They are perfectly in keeping with the rest of the illustrations, and the lines about them aren’t overly stereotypical either.

This is classified as an easy reader.  I think some of the words will be a little tougher for young readers, but it doesn’t feature any of Dr. Seuss’s made-up words.  Those can be tricky even for adult readers.  This will be a bit of a challenge, so once your readers are ready for that, it’s a good one to have.

Maybe, if I had read this book more as a child, I would have nostalgia filled love for this story.  Even reading it now, I can see the charm and how the building craziness would appeal to children.  If you can track down a copy of And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, you and your child will enjoy it.

Book Review: The Glass Bottom Hoax by Diane Vallere (Madison Night #12)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Madison and Tex in another fun mystery

Cons: A couple of things were a bit of a stretch

The Bottom Line:

Sail away to death

Madison undercover

Another fun book

Undercover on the High Seas

When I realized I was close enough to catching up on Diane Vallere’s Madison Night Mysteries that I could review the newest when it came out this year, I started to focus on them a bit more.  Not that I mind since I have fun with these mysteries.  So it was no surprise when I enjoyed The Glass Bottom Hoax, the newest entry.

Madison Night is a decorator living in the Dallas area who specializes in mid-century modern decorating.  She was inspired by her love of all things Doris Day.

However, this book finds Madison doing something different.  Thanks to her resemblance to the actress, she’s going undercover on a cruise ship as a Doris Day impersonator.  She’s supposed to perform two nights singing some of Doris’s biggest hits.  Her real assignment, however, is to try to figure out who is behind some robberies that have been taking place on the ship recently.  Her boyfriend, Tex, is along as well, although he won’t have any official capacity since they will be well beyond his jurisdiction as a police captain in Dallas.

The ship has barely set sail when Madison stumbles over a dead body on one of the decks.  Suddenly, the stakes are raised.  As Madison and Tex’s cover gets complicated, can they maintain their secret and figure out what is truly going on?

There’s a lot happening in this book between the mystery and some of the other situations that come up.  We jump into the story very early, and I was never bored as I read.  The ending works, although I feel like part of it was a stretch, but maybe that’s just me.

As always with this series, there are some Easter eggs for fans of Doris Day.  Some are general, and some are specifically tied to the movie the title is riffing on, in this case, The Glass Bottom Boat.  Again, one of them was a bit of a stretch for me, but it was also fun.

And fun is a key word for this book.  The cruise ship setting was fantastic, and I wanted to join Madison and Tex on board.  This ship has some extras that it would be great to experience in real life.

Plus, it was nice to see Madison and Tex working more closely together than usual.  Tex, as a police officer, is rarely willing to share much with Madison, but he had no such concerns here.  Madison also got some time to reflect on their relationship.

Since they are out of town, most of the regulars are reduced to cameos at best.  Yes, I missed them, but the new characters filled in the gaps for us.

While we may have taken Madison out of Dallas, she is still a decorator, and that pops up a few times over the course of the book in fun ways.

If you’ve enjoyed Madison’s previous adventures, you’ll want to book passage on The Glass Bottom Hoax as soon as possible.  If you’ve yet to start this series, you’ll want to fix that.

Be sure to check out the rest of Madison Night’s mysteries.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Ornament Review: A World Within #10 - A Gnome and His Home - 2024 Hallmark Release

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Cute gnome outside his house

Cons: Really no Christmas theme; also, he’s OUTSIDE

The Bottom Line:

Meet a friendly gnome

Little Christmas connection

But it is still cute

I’ll Be Gnome for Christmas

Every year in January, I say I’m going to stop collecting Hallmark ornaments.  Or at least cut way down on how many I collect each year.  And yet, I keep buying more.  One of the series I think about stopping is the A World Within series.  But since this year is the tenth in the series, I wound up getting it anyway.

This year, we are getting away from the Christmassy themes.  We’ve got a gnome outside his house.  His house, of course, is a mushroom.  Or do they live in toadstools?  Either way, it’s got a fun roof that is mostly red with white parts.  The gnome is dressed in blue with a red hat, and he’s outside waving at us.  Yes, this is a winter scene.  How can we tell?  The ornament has a nice white glittery base, so clearly the gnome is standing in snow to wave at us.

Since the base is flat, you can set it out to be enjoyed anywhere.  And you’ll find the series marker on the bottom of the ornament.

You will want to keep the size in mind when picking where to display it.  This is a miniature ornament.  It’s a little larger than many Hallmark miniature ornaments since it’s about an inch and a half tall and about an inch wide.  But still, it would be easy for it to get lost if you aren’t careful about where you put it.

For those, like me, who plan to hang the ornament, you’ll be happy to hear that it hangs straight.

As always for this series, the ornament is cute, and I love the detail we get on the gnome.  The rest looks great as well.

However, I’m not completely sold on this one.  First, I already mentioned that it isn’t really Christmassy.  Some of the others have been borderline, so I’m willing to let this slide a little.

My bigger complaint is that this really isn’t a world within.  Usually, the scene is inside something.  Here, the gnome is standing outside his home, and we can’t really see inside.  It’s not the same at all.

Yes, I still find it cute, but it’s my least favorite in the series so far.

If I’d given it a bit more thought, I might have skipped this entry in A World Within.  But it is nice to have ten, and I do like how it looks.

Enjoy more in the A World Within series.

September 22nd's Sunday/Monday Post

Hi all!  Time for another Sunday/Monday Post, where I will be linking up to:

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

The big news around here is that I spent the day at Six Flags Magic Mountain.  It's in the town I live in, but I haven't been in over 10 years.  I decided to get an annual pass again when they put them on sale early this month.  It's good through the end of 2025.  I just need to go a couple of times, and it will have paid for itself.  I did pay for the add on so it is good at all their parks.  Since they just merged, that's quite a few parks, including Knotts Berry Farm, which I haven't been to in decades.  So look for me to go to that park at some point in after the new year.  Probably wasn't really worth the money I spent on the ability to go to other parks, but we'll see.

Weather was in the 70's all week.  It started to warm up today to the low 80's.  Honestly, it was warmer than I was expecting in the park.  We're supposed to be in the 90's again starting tomorrow.  Glad that summer is not quite over yet.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: A Slay Ride Together with You by Vicki Delany

Tuesday - Movie Review: The Cases of Mystery Lane - Murder is Listening

Wednesday - Book Review: Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's by Liz Ireland

Thursday - Movie Review: Venom - Let There Be Carnage

Friday - Book Review: What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

I almost forgot that I wanted to review And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street as part of Banned Books Week.  Had to switch up my original schedule a bit.

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Ornament Review: A World Within #10

Tuesday - Book Review: The Glass Bottom Hoax by Diane Vallere

Wednesday - Book Review: And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss

Thursday - Book Review: Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien

Friday - Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Truth Be Told

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I've got five new books to tell you about this week.

First up is The Professor's Nightmare and Other Stories by John Gaspard.  I'm not sure why, but this author has switched from writing novels with his magician main character, Eli Marks, to releasing novella collections with the characters.  Not that I'm complaining since I still enjoying catching up with the characters.

Next up, I was gifted a copy of A Matter of Life and Depths, the second Cruising Sisters Mystery from K.B. Jackson.  I loved the first one when I read it a couple of weeks ago, so I'm looking forward to diving into this book.

I also got my ARC of Irish Soda Bread Murder.  This is another novella collection, but this time it's from three different authors - Carlene O'Connor, Peggy Ehrhard, and Liz Ireland.  This is the second St. Patrick's Day themed collection from the authors.  I love Liz's Mrs. Claus series (see my review from Wednesday this week), so that's the reason I'll be reading this book.  Hopefully, the other two stories are enjoyable as well.  The book comes out at the end of December, but I'll probably make it my first book review of January.

I had a snag with my preorder of The Sherlock Society by James Ponti, but it finally arrived this week.  This is the first in a new series from him, and I'm looking forward to meeting these new characters.  Yes, it's a middle grade series, but I love his Spy Cities series, so I'm expecting to enjoy this one as well.

Finally, I got another ARC on Friday - Pretty Lentil Liars by Cathy Wiley.  This is the third in her Fatal Food Festivals series, and I can't wait to dive into it.  In fact, hold that thought.

What I'm Currently Reading:

I did spend the day at Magic Mountain by myself.  Which is prime reading time, right?  What else are you going to do while standing in line?  I read about 3/4 of A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay.  I really enjoyed it.  But now I have one more book I need to review.  Fortunately, I'm not planning to review it this week.

Up next will be Pretty Lentil Liars.  I told you I couldn't wait to dive into it.  These are usually quick reads, so I might even be able to finish it up on Monday.  We'll have to see.

That's it for me.  Have a great week.

September 21st's Weekly TV Thoughts

The new TV season is slowly starting.  Definitely had more to watch this week than last week.  I'm going to give a scripted show or two a try this upcoming week (haven't completely decided on one of them for sure).

Moonflower Murder – I was smiling so much while watching this.  I didn’t realize just how much I’d fallen in love with Susan as a character.  I’m happy to be back and am curious where the story will go and how her life is going to play out.  I’m struggling with the 1950’s part again.  Hopefully, I can track two sets of characters better going forward.

Dancing with the Stars – It’s already easy to see who is going to go the distance, isn’t it.  My early money is on the gymnast to win just because he was so popular from the Olympics.  I’m sorry to see Tori Spelling so near the bottom.  Not surprised, but I was hoping she’d do a little better.  I feel sorry for the new pro since he’s paired with someone no one will be voting for, so I’m sure he’ll be leaving early.

Survivor – Seriously, not one reference to this being season forty-several?  I’m disappointed.  (If you watched last season, you know what I’m talking about.)  Interesting that they had two podcasters this season.  I can sympathize with Jon feeling old when he makes references to things people don’t get.  I’m also definitely sympathizing with Andy.  I really think I would have an epic meltdown like that myself.  Which is why I never apply for the show.

The Challenge – Obviously, I don’t have the background on this Laurel/Cara drama.  I don’t think either of them is completely right, but at this point, I’m rooting for Cara a bit more.  Laurel seems too ego driven to me.  I’m sure it’s much more complicated than that, but this seems to be what is dividing the first two eras.  But they are right, if they don’t start winning and throwing eras 3 and 4 into the sand, they are all going to go one by one.

Press Your Luck – I guess Whammy was lulling us all into a false sense of security with the first round.  Then again, they didn’t have very many spins thanks to those early guesses.  But it’s been a while since I’ve seen the bonus round end with someone Whamming out of the game.

I'm linking up to The Sunday Watch.  If you are popping over from there and want to see what movies I reviewed this week, check out my Death is Listening and Venom: Let There Be Carnage reviews.

Book Review: What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce #11)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Audio narration, fun to revisit Flavia

Cons: One twist in story, Undine

The Bottom Line:

Flavia returns

With an uneven story

Narration is great

Flavia’s Surprise Return

It’s been five years since we last got a novel in the Flavia de Luce Mysteries, and I thought I remembered reading at the time that author Alan Bradley planned for book ten to be the final book.  But, to my surprise, we got an eleventh entry this year.  I’ve found the series uneven, and that continues with What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust.

For those who have missed this series, Flavia is a budding chemist in 1950’s England.  She also happens to be almost a teenager.  Honestly, her age and the year have gotten fuzzy over the course of the series.  I don’t think she’s supposed to be a teenager yet, but I could be wrong.  Not that her precise age or the precise year really matter.

Despite Flavia’s age, this book is meant for adults.  No, I’m not basing that on the content, although we do get more detail than I felt we needed on the aftermaths of the murder.  Many of the themes are more things that adults will appreciate more than kids.  Likewise with the length and pacing.

This book opens with the long time de Luce house keeper being questioned about a murder.  Turns out, she’d been making breakfast for a gentleman in the village, Major Greyleigh.  He’s been found dead on the floor of his cottage and the last thing he ate was the breakfast prepared by Mrs. Mullet.  Flavia knows that Mrs. Mullet wouldn’t hurt anyway.  She also knows that the mushrooms everyone thinks killed the man weren’t poisonous.  Can Flavia figure out what is really going on?

Honestly, when I started this book, I was smiling.  I hadn’t realized how much I had missed Flavia and her village of Bishop’s Lacey.  We don’t seem much of either of her sisters in this book (the oldest is on the continent on her honeymoon), but they were rarely a major part of the series, so that was no great loss.  But the house and the village and the villagers?  It was great to see them again.

The downside however is Flavia’s young cousin Undine, who the family took in after her mother died.  I get it.  She’s supposed to be funny.  She’s a mirror of Flavia’s relationship with her older sisters, and how Flavia reacts is supposed to be amusing.  Here’s the problem – it’s more irritating than amusing.  Granted, that’s because we are seeing Undine from Flavia’s first-person narration, and she finds her cousin’s behavior annoying.  As I said earlier, we didn’t see much of Flavia’s sisters in earlier books, so those brief interactions weren’t too much of an issue.  However, Undine is a much bigger part of the books now, so she is much more annoying.  Plus, the growth in Flavia and Undine’s relationship we got here was the same growth we got in the previous book.

The mystery itself is fairly strong.  It started quickly, and there were some good developments along the way to keep us engaged as we read.  Then there’s a twist that happens part way through.  Yes, it is in keeping with the world that Flavia lives in, but I didn’t like it.  The ending makes sense, but that twist overshadowed the rest of the book.

I had listened to the earlier books on audio.  Honestly, Jayne Entwistle’s narration is the only reason I’d kept going on the series.  She IS Flavia.  I don’t think I could read the books, and any other narrator just wouldn’t work.  Fortunately, Jayne was back to narrate this book, and that helped me get lost into the story again.  Her narration is not to be missed.

The way this book ends feels like a natural end to the series.  The growth we get for Flavia would be a great place to leave her.  If this does turn out to be the true end, fans will be left happy.

There are plenty of people who enjoy Flavia’s adventures more than I did.  I’m sure they will love ever second of What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust.  Personally, I’m glad I picked up the book, but I will be okay if this is the last time we see her.

Here are the rest of the Flavia de Luce Mysteries.

Movie Review: Venom - Let There Be Carnage

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Character growth

Cons: Violent; too much set up

The Bottom Line:

Violent sequel

With little to recommend

Die-hard fans only

“Those Two Need Some Serious Couples Counseling.”

When I enjoyed Venom more than I thought I would, I decided to give the sequel a try.  Sadly, Venom: Let There be Carnage didn’t really have any of the fun of the first one, but it had all of the things that bothered me.

Life has not improved for Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) since we last checked in with him.  In fact, he’s still trying to get back to being a reporter, so he’ll take any story that comes his way.  Which is why he agrees to an interview with convicted serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson).

The interview is…interesting.  Eddie thinks it is a waste of time until Venom, the symbiotic alien living inside him, pieces together some clues that help find more of Cletus’s victims.  But Cletus’s execution goes wrong.  With Eddie and Venom on the outs, can anything stop Cletus now?

I’ll admit, the first movie was a mixed bag for me.  Yes, I enjoyed much of the humor, but the violence was so extreme, and I found Eddie and Venom’s fighting irritating and a little too stressful to be entertaining.  Unfortunately, this movie is all of the things I didn’t like with little of the things I did.  While Venom is a little better behaved than he was in the first movie, he’s still out of control much of the time.  We don’t really get any of the humor that made the first one tolerable for me.  And the violence?  I’m truly perplexed that this movie got away with a PG-13 rating.  I guess because so much of the violence is CGI generated?  It seems extreme to me.

Not to mention that the movie takes so long with its set up that, by the time things were set up, it was time for the climax.

On the other hand, I did appreciate the character growth we got for Eddie and Venom.  It wasn’t that original, but it felt natural based on what else is going on.  I also liked what was going on with returning characters Anne (Michelle Williams) and Dan (Reid Scott).

This is an effects heavy movie, even for a superhero film.  They mostly worked here, although they were extremely excessive.  Seriously, the climax is pretty much two CGI monsters fighting each other.  Again, makes it a little hard to care about the outcome.

The actors all do a good job bringing their characters to life and reacting to the CGI.

If you enjoyed the first movie, you’ll want to check out Venom: Let There be Carnage.  If, however, you found it average, you’ll be glad you skipped this one.

Book Review: Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year’s by Liz Ireland (Mrs. Claus Mysteries #5)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Mystery, mayhem, and fun with characters we love

Cons: I don’t want to show up on the naughty list

The Bottom Line:

Santaland strangers

Complicate Christmas murder

Series always fun

Interlopers at Christmas

It’s been no secret how much I love the Mrs. Claus mysteries from Liz Ireland.  When I get the ARC of the new book each year, it’s hard not to sit down and devour it right then.  But I waited until closer to release for Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year’s, and once again, I loved it.

If you haven’t found this series yet, you are in for a treat.  You see, this series takes place in Santaland and features April Claus.  Yes, she is married to the current Santa, Nick.  She just learned about Santaland a few years ago after meeting Nick when he appeared at her bed and breakfast in Oregon for vacation.  She’s still getting used to her new life, but she’s navigating it better with each passing year.

As the book opens, April is about to lose her husband…for a couple of days.  Yep, it’s time for Santa to take off on his around the world trip to leave presents for the good children of the world.  It also signals a week of game and rest for all of Santaland as the hard work for the year is over.

This year, however, things are going to be different.  An elf that lives on the outskirts of Santaland has found three humans out in the cold.  They aren’t dead, although one has been stabbed in the back by reindeer antlers.  While everyone’s first instincts are to send these strangers somewhere else immediately, they need immediate medical attention.  Then one of them dies.  Is April looking for another killer?  Can Santaland keep their secret from the strangers?

If you are expecting something super cozy when you pick up this series, you won’t be disappointed.  Author Liz Ireland has done a fantastic job of creating this fantasy world in which to set her mysteries.  I got a bit cold reading about all the snow even though we were having a heat wave here while I read it.  You’ll want to have some coco nearby to drink.  And you’ll get Christmas music stuck in your head.  It’s charming.  It’s fun.  And it really adds to the uniqueness of this series.

Now, this isn’t to say that the mystery isn’t taken seriously.  I love how everything is balanced.  No, the plot isn’t dark, it’s in keeping with the tone of the series, but April still wants to figure out what is going on, and her investigation drives the story forward.  The clues lead her to a logical and satisfying solution.

Then there are the characters.  April leads a charming cast that I just love to spend time visiting.  We’ve seen growth in some of them and their relationships over the course of the series, and that holds true again here.  And the new characters fit perfectly into this world.

I can’t leave out the humor.  The elves never do anything half-heartedly, and that hold true again here.  I’m not going to spoil some of the chaos that causes, but it is once again brilliantly done.  I grinned and smiled my way through the book.

If you are looking for a light, holiday themed cozy mystery, you need to check out this series.  Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year’s will please fans of April Claus.  If you haven’t yet explored this fantastic world, you really need to do so soon.  Skipping this series just might put you on the naughty list.

Enjoy more holiday mayhem with the rest of the Mrs. Claus Mysteries.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Movie Review: Death is Listening - The Cases of Mystery Lane

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good leads and entertaining mystery

Cons: A bit too goofy overall

The Bottom Line:

Podcaster murdered

Serial killer guilty?

Over-the-top but fun

“We’re Not That Murder Couple, Right?  We Do Have Other Hobbies.” 

I’ve been noting that Hallmark is releasing lots of mystery movies with new characters.  Their latest movie was a rarity, a second movie with the characters they’ve introduced recently.  We revisited The Cases of Mystery Lane with Death is Listening.

Alden and Birdie Case (Paul Campbell and Aimee Garcia) have gotten hooked on a true crime podcast hosted by Laurel St. James (Suzanne Ferris).  She’s actually been in the true crime business for years, working on a serial killer case that happened 30 years ago and remains unsolved.  However, as Laurel is going to work on a podcast where she plans to reveal the truth about this notorious killer, someone kills her.

Officer Newton (Matt Hamilton) realizes that he is in over his head, so he hires the Cases as consultants to help him on the case.  He’s envisioning listening through the library of outtakes and unused footage from Laurel’s podcast to see if they can find anything, but they take that to mean they can jump into other aspects of the case.  Will they solve it?

Alden and Birdie were having marital problems in the first movie.  I was very happy to see that their new appreciation for each other stuck and they were still happy to be together.  I would have been disappointed if they were fighting again here.  Don’t misunderstand, they aren’t perfectly communicating still, but they are working at it.

On the other hand, the movie tries too hard to be funny.  This is especially the case when it comes to Alden, who is over the top goofy too much of the time.  So much so that he isn’t funny.  There are some very great lines and exchanges, so some of the humor did work for me.  I just wish it weren’t trying quite so hard.

What about the mystery?  It was good and kept me entertained.  I didn’t see all the twists coming.  Having said that, I did spot the killer early, but I had to see if I was right.

Since the movie is on the goofy side, it is hard to say we got to know the characters super well, but we did get to know them a little better here.  I do like them.  The suspects aren’t on screen that much, so it is hard to say we knew them well, but Alden, Birdie, and Newton are enough to keep the movie entertaining.  And this isn’t a knock on anyone’s acting; they are doing the best they can with the script they had.

And the ending?  I hope there’s a third movie in the works because I want to know what that scene was all about.

Overall, I did have fun with Death is Listening.  I hope this is a trend and we start to see more sequels to some of Hallmark’s new mystery franchises.

Book Review: A Slay Ride Together with You by Vicki Delany (Year-Round Christmas Mysteries #7)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: The characters are charming as always

Cons: The mystery could have been better

The Bottom Line:

Wedding and Easter

Complicated by murder

Plot needed some work

Spring Brings Another Murder to Rudolph

Despite the fact that this series from Vicki Delany is the Year-Round Christmas Mysteries, most of the books have still taken place in December. I mean, that is peak Christmas season, right? We are actually visiting in spring with A Slay Ride Together with You, the seventh in the series.

If you haven’t found this series before, it stars Merry Wilkinson, a resident of Rudolph, New York. When the industry in the town started to die down, the residence leaned into the name and became a Christmas themed tourist town. Merry herself owns Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, which features fine holiday themed decor items.

As I said, this book takes place in spring, which is a bit slower time in Rudolph.  That means it is the perfect time for Merry’s friends Vicky and Mark to get married.  They’ve chosen the Saturday before Easter for a small wedding for just family and a few friends.  They’re also excited because they’ve just bought the Cole House.  It’s been abandoned for years, so it will need a lot of work, but it’s also the only way they were able to afford it.

However, the house turns out to be a bit of a nightmare, complete with weird sounds in the middle of the night.  When Merry visits one night, the evening ends in disaster when the three finds a dead body on the property.  Worse yet, the police think Mark might be the killer.  Despite being warned away from the investigation, Merry starts to gather information.  Can she figure out what happened?

Normally, I enjoy these books, but I have found one or two that weren’t quite as good.  Unfortunately, this is one of those times.  The plot just didn’t work for me.  The story took way too long to get going – to even really have an idea where things were going to go.  Tension wise, the story did pick up once the murder had happened, but I felt like the it just didn’t work overall.  Having said that, my questions were answered at the end.

Since this is set in spring, this book doesn’t have the cozy Christmas vibes you might be expecting before you pick the book up.  Being a Southern California resident where we only ever dream of a white Christmas, I was surprised to find that I was wishing for some snow to give me more of the Christmas vibes.  Having said that, I did enjoy getting to visit Rudolph outside of December.  This is more a me thing than anything having to do with the book.

I’m glad to say the cast of characters were as charming as always.  I always enjoy getting to visit them, and this book was no exception.  The suspects we met were all interesting and did a great job of pulling me further into the story after the murder happened.

One of the subplots of this book is Vicky working on a proposal for a cookbook.  You see, Vicky runs the bake shoppe in town and her creations are extremely popular.  We benefit since we get three recipes at the end of this book that come from her cookbook.

Fans of the series will want to visit Merry and the gang in A Slay Ride Together with You.  But if you haven’t started the series yet, you can skip this one.

Here are the rest of the Year-Round Christmas Mysteries.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.