January 2025's Reading Summary

We are already through the first month of 2025.  Kind of crazy, isn't it?  Time to take a look back at what I read in January.

And yes, the index is up to date!  (Finally!!)

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

 

Gilt Trip by Diane Vallere (Samantha Kidd #14) – 5

Samantha Kidd’s husband, Nick Taylor, is up for an award, and Samantha is doing all she can to support him.  Unfortunately, her efforts to get a table for family and friends at the awards banquet have turned out to be filled with people who are angry with her for one reason or another.  But the evening takes a horrible turn when Samantha finds the body of the toastmaster in a closet of the hotel where the event is being held.  With a blizzard keeping the police from arriving, Samantha must try to solve the crime.  Can she do it?

This book is fun since it all takes place in one night.  In lesser hands that could have been a bad thing, but in this case, it worked well.  I was engaged the entire time and kept guessing until we reached the logical climax.  Yet we still got plenty of time for the subplots to play out.  We still see plenty of the regulars, and I liked the growth we saw in Samantha.  We also go plenty of laughs and discussion of junk food.  If you want a light mystery, this series is definitely for you.  And if you are a fan who hasn’t gotten to this book yet, you are in for a treat when you do.

 

Hired Guns by Steve Hockensmith (Double-A Western Detective Agency #1) – 4

This book finds a trio of Army friends turned adventurers heading to the Arizona Territory to help out a struggling copper mine.  No, it’s not to help them with the mining.  The conglomerate Consolidated American Mining Corporation has decided it wants to buy this particular mine, and they are doing all they can to convince the owners to sell.  There’s just one major problem – the owners don’t want to sell.  And our trio of heroes have been hired to help protect the mine.  But against the overwhelming odds, can they do it?

These characters began life in the author’s Holmes on the Range series, and I was happy to follow them over here.  The story started a bit slowly, but it isn’t long before the action heats up as the characters find themselves facing overwhelming odds.  Yet, I found myself cheering at the end.  To be clear, this is more of an action story than a mystery.  The characters are a bit thin, but they do have their moments to shine.  The reality of racial relations in 1894 is part of the backdrop of the book, and it’s sad to think we ever treated each other this badly.  The book is a bit more violent than I normally like, but only a little bit.  It is softened some by the humor.  If you are looking for an action book set in the old west, you’ll find this the perfect book to pick up.

 

Rivers and Creaks by Marc Jedel (Redwood Country Mysteries #1) – 3

Andy Shirley and his late wife had planned to run a bed and breakfast in Monte Rio after they retired.  Now that the time has come, he has to take it on by himself.  While he’s been figuring out how to be a good host, something that doesn’t come naturally to him, he runs into a problem he wasn’t expecting – murder.  When he takes over the business, there is a wedding party staying there, and one of the bridesmaids has been killed.  Can he solve the crime, or will it destroy his business?

This author has been on my radar to try for a while, and I finally got a chance with this book.  Sadly, the results were mixed for me.  I grew up near where this book is set, so I enjoyed that aspect of things.  However, the plot was uneven, with as much focus on Andy settling into his new life as the murder.  This led to a weak climax that at least did answer our questions.  Meanwhile, Andy was a bit pricklier that I found enjoyable.  I get it, but it took a while to warm up to him.  Some of that came from the new relationships he is forming, and I enjoyed reading about those.  I also enjoyed the humor of the book.  I’d give a second book in this series a try, but I hope the issues with the first are ironed out.

 

The Sinister Sitcom Caper by Sally Carpenter (Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mysteries #2) – 4

Next up on Sandy Fairfax’s attempt to restart his career is a guest spot on a sitcom.  It’s not one of the popular sitcoms of 1993 but a low rated show that might be canceled.  Still, a job is a job.  Unfortunately, the tension on set is thick, and it leads to murder.  With no one interested in investigating, Sandy starts to nose around.  Can he figure out what happened?

Since I enjoyed meeting Sandy in book one, I was looking forward to spending more time with him.  I wasn’t disappointed.  While the sitcom setting does not provide the laugh a minute laughs you would get from a good sitcom, there are still some laughs and smiles.  The mystery kept me guessing and reached a logical conclusion, but I would have liked to know how Sandy reached it.  I loved getting to know him better, which was helped by the fact that he was home for this book.  The rest of the cast was great as well.  I’ll definitely be back to spend more time with him soon.

 

Welcome Home to Murder by Rosalie Spielman (Hometown Mysteries #1) – 4

Tessa Treslow left her hometown in Idaho as soon as she graduated from high school.  She’s now spent over twenty years in the army and is ready to retire.  Since she still doesn’t know what she is going to do with the rest of her life, she agrees to return to New Oslo for an extended visit.  While reuniting with her parents and aunt, she senses that there is something they are keeping from her.  But she learns more in the more horrific way when she and her aunt find a dead body in the garage her aunt runs.  The police, in the form of Tessa’s high school boyfriend, feel that her family has the perfect motive.  Can Tessa figure out what really happened?

This series debut has been on my radar for a while, and I’m glad I finally got to pick it up.  It has some twists on the familiar cozy tropes, and I enjoyed those.  There is a depth to the characters I appreciated, and I also liked that we got details about Tessa and the others over the course of the book without any data dumps.  The mystery had a few pacing issues in the middle, but overall, it was good with plenty of red herrings and a logical climax.  I’m looking forward to seeing what else Tessa can find in her hometown.

 

Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge (Phyllida Bright #1) – 4

Agatha Christie and her second husband, Max Mallowan, are throwing a house party when an unexpected guest arrives in the middle of a summer storm.  The man says he is a reporter who has an interview lined up with the famous author.  While Agatha doesn’t remember it, she instructs Phyllida Bright, her housekeeper, to set him up in one of the guest rooms, at least for tonight.  But the next morning, Phyllida finds the man dead in the library.  She doesn’t think the police are up to solving the crime, so she jumps in to find a few clues for them.  But who was the victim?  And who would want to kill him?

Fans of Agatha Christie will get a kick out of the wink and nods in the set up.  But everyone will be hooked on this mystery, which had the clues and red herrings well layered to keep me guessing until the ending.  While we got to know Phyllida and a few other characters well, I did feel like we got too much of her thoughts, which slowed things down and kept us from getting to know the suspects better.  Only a handful of scenes were told from someone other than Phyllida’s point of view, but when it happened, it always made sense.  And one of those scenes was absolutely perfect that way.  While current events don’t play a big part in this 1930’s set book, it does give us a clear picture of what life was like for servants during that time.  I’m hoping to get to the next book soon.

 

Stuff to Spy For by Don Bruns (Stuff Series #3) – 3

When Skip Moore lands a sale for a company looking to upgrade their security system, he thinks he’s finally made the big time. He even gets his best friend, James Lessor, a job on the installation team. Then Skip is offered a couple of extra assignments with big paydays. What could possibly go wrong? A suspicious death for starters. Then there are things that aren’t adding up, and evidence that someone is spying on them. Can the pair figure out what is going on?

This series is a mixed bag for me, and this book was no exception. I appreciate the friendship between Skip and James, but the ideas and James leads them into make me smack my head sometimes. I appreciate some of the humor, but other bits make me cringe. The plot was compelling, but the ending was rushed. And a key scene makes little sense (why are the characters there?). Then there’s also the needless tease in the opening. Yet, I plan to keep going forward with this series. If you pick the book up, keep in mind that it came out in 2009, which explains some of the dated technology. If the premise sounds interesting pick up the series. Otherwise, you can skip them. 

 

Fatal Reunion by Annette Dashofy (Zoe Chambers #11) – 5

When a missing high school teen’s body is found in a remote area of the county, Zoe Chambers Adams has flashbacks to her senior year of high school.  There are too many similarities to three teen girls who were killed all those years ago.  Back then, the police had a suspect, but he committed suicide before he was charged.  The killings stopped, so everyone moved on.  While Zoe’s new husband, Police Chief Pete Adams, is busy looking at modern suspects and motives for the death, Zoe can’t help but wonder if a killer has been roaming free all these years.  And, with her twentieth high school reunion happening, she’s wondering if the killer is in town for the event.  Is what is happening today tied into what happened two decades ago?

This is another excellent book in this series.  As always, Zoe and Pete share the third person narration, and that gives us insight into the characters and story.  It’s great to spend time with the returning characters, and the new ones are just as well drawn.  The plot grabs you from the beginning and keeps you engaged until you reach the satisfying solution.  These books are not cozies, so pick them up expecting something darker, and you’ll be fine.  I’m hoping to get to the next two books in this series soon.  If you are looking for fantastic mysteries, you won’t be disappointed you met Zoe.

 

Written in Blood by Sheila Lowe (Claudia Rose #2) – 2

When hand writing expert Claudia Rose takes on a case for recent widow Paige Sorensen verifying her late husband’s signature, Claudia doesn’t expect anything beyond the court case.  But she gets pulled into Paige’s world, including the fighting with her step children and the happenings at the school where Paige is headmistress.  But when two people go missing from the school, Claudia wonders what is really happening.  Can she figure things out?

I enjoyed the first in the series enough to pick up this book, but I didn’t enjoy this book at all.  Yes, some of it was the content in the Kindle version I purchased last year.  There was more language, violence, and other stuff that made it hard for me to really enjoy the book.  Plus, the mystery really took too long to get going.  When we reached the climax, too much was thrown at us without truly explaining why or how it was happening that way.  And, I feel like some of the things at the end contradicted the facts we’d gotten earlier in the story.  On the other hand, I did like Claudia as a character.  I’m not sure that will be enough to pull me further into the series even though I’ve already purchased some of the books.

Movie Review: Mystery Woman - In the Shadows

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good mystery

Cons: Small doses of low budget cheese

The Bottom Line:

A spy turned author

Sets up intriguing story

Still light mystery

Enjoyable Final Mystery Woman Movie

Fans of the Mystery Woman movie franchise from Hallmark know Philby as the bookseller with the mysterious past.  It’s come into play in a few of the movies I’ve seen, but he and his background really got to play a giant part in the final movie, In the Shadows.

Bookseller Samantha Kinsey (Kellie Martin) is thrilled when she and Philby (Clarence Williams III) are invited to an event taking place at a spy author convention in town.  Alexandr (Malachi Throne) has had a very successful career writing thrillers from the Russian side of the cold war.  Philby reveals that there is a reason – Alexandr was a spy and the two of them had some run ins during their past lives.

At the end of his signing, Alexandr makes an announcement – he’s finished his next book.  It’s going to be non-fiction.  And in it, he’s going to name a double US agent that is selling secrets to the Russians.

It will be a surprise to exactly no one when Samantha finds Alexandr dying a few hours later.  Before she can do anything to help him, someone attacks her and throws her in the path of a car.  The result is a dead Russian and a comatose Samantha.  Will she remember anything when she wakes up?  Can Philby follow the clues to find the manuscript?

No, Samantha doesn’t spend the entire movie in a coma.  But she is stuck in a hospital for much of it.  This really does give Philby a chance to shine, and I enjoyed it.  No, we don’t get too much more of his background, but it is still great to see them working in his background here.  With Cassie (Nina Siemaszko) still acting like the side kick, she still gets plenty of screen time.

And the plot is good.  I certainly had no idea what was going on until Philby and Samantha solved it.  Yes, there were things I didn’t pick up on, which is always my favorite kind of mystery.

This movie originally aired in January 2007.  That does make some of the story elements rather dated today.  Philby and Alexandr obviously served during the Cold War, for example.  As long as you keep that in mind, you’ll be fine.

I also didn’t notice as much low budget cheese as I often do with this series.  But the writing and acting were above average.  I also felt that Chief Connors (Casey Sander) was back to his usual self – a bit grumpy but not horribly mean like he was in the previous movie.

If you’ve enjoyed other movies in the Mystery Woman franchise but missed In the Shadows, you should definitely check it out.

Book Review: Written in Blood by Sheila Lowe (Claudia Rose #2)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Claudia herself is an interesting main character

Cons: Just about everything else

The Bottom Line:

Court case, private school

Lead Claudia to danger

But book does not work

Needed a Rewrite or Two

I’ve been intending to get back to Sheila Lowe’s Claudia Rose Mysteries for a while now.  Yet another case of too many books, not enough time.  But, since I’m starting off 2025 looking at various older books I haven’t gotten to yet, I was happy to slot Written in Blood, the second, in my January schedule.  That was, until I started to read it.

Claudia is a hand writing expert who is often called on to testify in court.  As this book opens, she’s been hired by Paige Sorensen to verify the signature of her late husband on his will.  He was a much older man, and his adult kids are trying to claim the inheritance as their own.

Part of the contested inheritance is the Sorensen Academy for Girls, an exclusive school for rich girls in Los Angeles.  Paige is currently the headmistress, and, after the court case, she asks Claudia to help out with one of the young teens who just enrolled.  Claudia thinks that graphology, a therapy involving hand writing, may help.  But Claudia quickly finds that there is plenty of drama at the school.  When two people disappear, she is determined to figure out what is going on.  Can she do it?

Now, you might be thinking this sounds like one of my typical cozies.  And, at some point in the book’s publishing history, it might have been.  (Given one publisher, I’m sure it was.)  I can assure you that the Kindle version I read (purchased in 2024) is not cozy.  I’ve read police procedurals that were lighter on the sex, violence, and language than this book had.  Honestly, it was a real turn off.  The book didn’t need those elements.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t my only complaint with the book.  The pacing was way off in this book.  It took forever for the real story to get started.  Then, we got some twists that made no sense in the context of the story.  I was trying desperately to figure out how what was revealed at the end made any sense given what had come before.  Yes, there might be some assumptions I was making that I shouldn’t be making.  But given some of the obvious errors that were in the book, it could also be that the author just didn’t think things through.

This is the second book in the series, but you could jump in here.  We do get a little development of Claudia and her new relationship, which I appreciated.  In fact, I do like Claudia herself.  I just wish the case were better.

I have a few other books in the series, but not the next one.  We’ll see if I decide to continue with the series or not.  Written in Blood is making me reconsider that.

Here are the rest of the Claudia Rose Mysteries.

TV Show Review: Only Murders in the Building - Season 2

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Another funny, twisty mystery

Cons: Some of the content is a little adult in nature

The Bottom Line:

Manager murdered

Who is framing the trio?

Lots of twists and laughs

“We’re Getting the Hang of This.”  “You Can Tell It’s Our Second Season.”

With as much as I enjoyed the first season of Only Murders in the Building, I was thrilled when ABC announced they were going to air the second season this January.  And, as I expected, I enjoyed it.

This season picks up where the first season cliffhanger ended.  Our three leads, Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) have just been taken down to the station for a new murder in their building – that of the apartment manager Bunny (Jayne Houdyshell).  Considering Mabel was covered with Bunny’s blood and Bunny was stabbed with one of Mabel’s knitting needles, it only makes sense.  Mabel is reluctant to jump into another murder mystery so soon after their first case, but when it becomes clear the police are considering them the prime suspects, it only makes sense.  Especially as someone seems intent on framing them.  But can they clear their name?

This season is the same mix of comedy and mystery that we got with the first season.  Pretty much, if you enjoyed that, you’ll enjoy this.

I didn’t feel like this season had quite the same melancholy moments to it, but it did still have more serious and poignant moments, which I enjoyed.

But they were perfectly balanced with the comedy.  I mean, with the three leads, did you expect anything less?  We get a mix of physical comedy, funny situations, one liners, and meta jokes.  There were more of the meta moments than I remembered from the first season, but that might just be me.  That isn’t a complaint since I loved them.

The mystery was pretty solid as well.  We had enough suspects to keep the suspense going.  As with the first season, we tended to focus on one that then move on to another the next episode.  I’m not as big as fan of that plotting in a mystery, but I get it for this show.  It’s easier for an audience to follow when you are watching a show over the multiple weeks it was originally released on Hulu.  Since I watched it on ABC, and they aired these 10 episodes over 4 weeks, it was closer to a binge watch and I didn’t need that focus as much.

Speaking of airing on ABC, that meant that some of the swearing was bleeped out.  I appreciated that, although I feel like I laughed harder at some of the bleeping than I would have if the swearing were still in place.  One of the potential motives involves a painting of a naked couple, which I could have done without.  I wasn’t as bothered by Mabel’s new relationship with an artist (who also becomes a suspect), but some might be.  And some of the effects go a little further than I really needed them to.

One thing I wasn’t expecting was how much some of the storylines from season one continued here.  That’s not a complaint; I actually enjoyed that.  But it does mean there are spoilers for season one here, so be sure you watch them in order.

Once again, the cast is fantastic.  The three leads continue to play perfectly off each other.  It looks like they are having fun making this show.  The guest cast, whether big names or not, are just as entertaining.

And yes, the season ends with a one-year time jump as we see what the trio will be taking on next.  I’m hoping I get to find out next year.

There’s a reason that Only Murders in the Building has gotten the buzz it has.  It’s funny, twisty, and just plain fun.  If you haven’t started it yet, I do recommend you give it a shot if it sounds like something you would enjoy.

Book Review: Fatal Reunion by Annette Dashofy (Zoe Chambers #11)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: More Zoe and Pete in an engaging mystery

Cons: You won’t be reunited with any cons

The Bottom Line:

Killer from the past?

Zoe and Pete must find truth

In this page turner

Is the Past Repeating Itself?

When author Annette Dashofy wrote the tenth Zoe Chambers Mystery, she thought it was going to be the end of the series.  And, if you’ve read it, you know that it would make a great finale to a great series.  Fortunately for everyone, she was offered a chance to write another three books, starting with Fatal Reunion.  And book eleven in the series is another wonderful mystery.

If you are new to the series, Zoe is the new coroner for Monongahela County in Pennsylvania.  She is also a newlywed, married to Pete Adams, the Police Chief for one of the small towns in this rural county.  Together, the two of them find themselves solving some pretty dramatic cases.

When a missing high school teen’s body is found in a remote area of the county, Zoe has flashbacks to her senior year of high school.  There are too many similarities to three teen girls who were killed all those years ago.  Back then, the police had a suspect, but he committed suicide before he was charged.  The killings stopped, so everyone moved on.  While Pete is busy looking at modern suspects and motives for the death, Zoe can’t help but wonder if a killer has been roaming free all these years.  And, with her twentieth high school reunion happening, she’s wondering if the killer is in town for the event.  Is what is happening today tied into what happened two decades ago?

While this is officially the Zoe Chambers series, Pete is as much a main character as Zoe is.  In fact, they both take turns as the third person point of view character.  The author is wonderful about using that to not only help us get to know the characters better but also advance the story.

And the characters are fabulous.  We have quite a few returning characters, and it was great to see them again and get to see how their lives are changing and growing.  Obviously, Zoe and Pete are the strongest, and they feel like old friends at this point.  The suspects are just as well drawn.

All of this makes the story that much stronger.  Which is saying something since these books pull you in and keep you enthralled from beginning to end.  I always struggle to put them down when I have to return to the real world.  The suspense just builds, especially when we get to the third act of the book.  The ending was logical and wrapped up everything with satisfaction.

Make no mistake, these books are not cozies.  Given the jobs Zoe and Pete do, they are realistic.  Know what you are getting into before you pick up the book, and you should be fine.  Obviously, I don’t let that stop me from reading them since I am on book eleven in the series, and I find them completely worth it.

I’m so glad that we got Fatal Reunion, and I’m hoping to get to the rest of the series at some point soon.  If you are looking for excellent mysteries, you really need to get to know Zoe and Pete.

Enjoy the rest of the Zoe Chambers Mysteries.

January 26th's Sunday/Monday Post

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

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

It's been a week.

I think I mentioned last Sunday that everyone under my director was flying into town for a week of in person meetings and team building.  That was nice, although it made for long days.  Most of the time was spent in training, and my head was swimming from so much sitting and listening to people talk even if it was good information.

But it was made more "fun" by the Hughes fire, which started Wednesday.  That was in an area north of me (actually near where I like to paddleboard when I was doing that a couple of years ago).  It's on the other side of town from my condo, so I was never worried.  But it was on the same side of town as my work.  The office was never in any danger or even any of the evacuation zones or warning zones.  But it still made for a distracted day.  There were people who were evacuated, so that also meant some people weren't around suddenly, which was completely understandable.  And everyone took off earlier Thursday than originally planned.

As I said, quite a week.

As I'm typing this, I'm listening to rain coming down.  We should have more rain coming on Sunday, so hopefully that will help get the rest of the fires out and keep more from starting.  Of course, after fires like this, we need to worry about mudslides and flooding.  We'll see if we get enough rain for that to happen.  I don't expect it to impact me, but it could impact those areas that were burned.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Ornament Review: Winter Fun with Snoopy #27

Tuesday - Book Review: Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge

Wednesday - Movie Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp - Quantumania

Thursday - Book Review: Stuff to Spy For by Don Bruns

Friday - Friday Post featuring Fatal Reunion

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Fatal Reunion by Annette Dashofy

Tuesday - TV Show Review: Only Murders in the Building - Season 2

Wednesday - Book Review: Written in Blood by Sheila Lowe

Thursday - Movie Review: Mystery Woman - In the Shadows

Friday - January's Reading Summary

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

We have an all ebook edition of the book haul this week with some ARCs and bargain books on the list.  Actually, these are the first ARCs I've accepted for 2025, which is saying something.  January has been all books I already owned.  It's weird, usually there are at least some books I'm interested in every month, but there was only one in January, and I didn't wind up with an ARC of it.

But let's start out with the ARCs I did get.  Up first is Chocolate Can Be Deadly by Kim Davis.  This is book seven in her Cupcake Catering Mysteries, and I'm looking forward to spending some more time with the characters.  It's set around Valentine's Day, so the release is perfect.  Even better, I will be reviewing it on Valentine's Day.

Moving ahead, I have an ARC of a March release as.  I had given up on the Murder, She Wrote novels, but then I saw that Barbara Early was going to write some of them.  I loved the cozies she wrote a few years ago, so I'm happy to see her writing something new.  The first of those is Snowy with a Chance of Murder, and I'm looking forward to it.

Then we move along to April.  Yes, I know, when I jumped in, I jumped in with both feet.  I've got two in April.  The first is Waters of Destruction by Leslie Karst.  This is the second in her series set in Hawaii, and I'm really looking forward to going back to revisit the characters.

Coming out at the end of April is Murder Runs in the Family, the first in a new series from Tamara Berry.  Considering how much I enjoyed another series I read from this author, I'm looking forward to this one.

Which leaves us with the two Kindle deals I snagged.  The first was Big Shot, book fifteen in the Country Club Murders by Julie Mulhern.  I see it is still 99 cents as of my typing this.  I'm quite a ways behind on this series, so I won't get to this one for a bit, but I can't pass up a deal like that.

I also snagged Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson.  Naturally, I've heard this book mentioned quite a bit.  I'm not sure if I will like it or not since I often don't enjoy things that are well hyped.  But for $1.99, I couldn't pass it up.  This one is still on sale if you want to snag it, too (although that could change at any moment).

What I'm Currently Reading:

The first thing I did when I got up Saturday morning was spend a couple of hours reading to finish my current book.  Honestly, I found Framed for Murder to be a mixed bag.  This is the first official novel in a series from Marla A. White.  There were elements I enjoyed, but some things that didn't work for me.  I need write my review, which will be my first book review for February.

I've been debating most of the day what I was going to read next.  I think I've settled on Murder at Beechwood, the third Gilded Newport Mystery from Alyssa Maxwell.  But don't hold me to that if I should change my mind before I actually start it.

That's it for me.  Have a great week!

January 25th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Wipeout – My money was on the Speedo team to win with the giants the other team in the zone.  So see, I don’t get it right every week.  That was a pretty impressive move during the first gauntlet round.  But I’m wondering how long ago this was filmed.  Are those life guards facing anything at work?  Or are they even at the same job?  I’m guessing it didn’t turn out to be an issue for them.

Rescue: HI Surf – The surf polo looked like fun.  I’m not saying I would be good at it, but it looked like fun.  The storylines are pretty much going where I thought they’d go.  We’re about half way through the season at the moment.  I’ll probably stick out the rest of season 1 and then give up on the show.  Like the scenery and rescue stuff, but the soap opera isn’t for me.

Night Court – Is that really the end of Ryan Hansen on the show?  Bummer!  A fun way for him to go out, however.  One of their better episodes.  I found it fun even if it wasn’t really good.  Make any sense?  I did laugh a couple of times, at least.

Deal or No Deal Island – I’m not a Dr. Will fan.  No, not because he outed Pavarti (although I am finding myself oddly rooting for her), but he seems to thrive on creating chaos just to create chaos.  I don’t feel like he would have gone home either way, but it would be nice to see it.  Speaking of going home, I do feel for Rock.  At that point, there was no way for him to make a good deal but to hang on until the very end.

Shifting Gears – This is shaping up to be a classic sitcom.  What do I mean by that?  The kids are heading to their first day at a new school this week, when last week, we were meetings their teachers after they’d been in class.  And we are only three episodes in.  And yet, we really don’t care.  Why not?  I’m having fun.  Lots of laughs and great lines.  The two leads play so well off each other.  I’m assuming the dumplings were a reference to her old sitcom.  I loved the joke at the end about him not being Santa Claus.

The Challenge – I’m not sure I have much to add to what I said last week.  I did like the contestants talking about why the rivalries get started.  Makes sense to me.  And it is nice to see when people can come together and heal a relationship.

Only Murders in the Building – I honestly can’t say I expected that ending.  But it does make sense.  Not sure about liking the motive, but still, it was a fun wrap up to a fun season.  Some great lines and laughs along the way.  I do hope we get season 3 to start out next year.

January 24th's Friday Post

Welcome to this week's Friday Post!  As usual, I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the third three, I will be pulling quotes from Fatal Reunion by Annette Dashofy.

This is book 11 in her Zoe Chambers series.  Obviously, it's a series I love since I've made it to book 11.  And the opening of this one pulled me in.

Ten years with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police hadn't prepared Pete Adams for this.  Even the additional ten years as police chief in rural Vance Township hadn't done the trick.

Meanwhile, on page 56, we find this exchange.

Trailing Lauren inside, Zoe caught her arm. "Wait. You might be able to help me with something."
"Now you want my help?" Lauren pressed her fingers to her chest in mock surprise. "What's in it for me?"
"Maybe the biggest news story in decades."

This really was another fabulous entry in the series.  I'll be reviewing it next week, so keep an eye on the blog to read my full review.  (What day that happens is currently pending, but either Monday or Tuesday.)

Now, let's take a look at the Book Blogger Hop for the week.  The question is:

 What books do you look to for inspiration at the start of the year or to motivate you to make positive changes in your life? 

I don't tend to read inspirational or self-help books, so I don't have an answer.  I'm pretty much all mystery all the time, as I'm sure you've figured out.

That's it for me.  Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Stuff to Spy For by Don Bruns (Stuff Series #3)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: James, Skip, and Emily most of the time

Cons: A few things with the plot and the character’s antics

The Bottom Line:

Skip gets a big break

But complications ensue

Average again

Spying, Even Accidentally, Can Be Deadly

I accidentally let two years go between reading books in the Stuff Series from Don Bruns. It’s easy to do when there are so many good books calling your name. But I fixed that by slipping Stuff to Spy For, the third, into my January reading. 

This series involves two twenty-something friends in Miami. James Lessor and Skip Moore are trying to find a way to better their life beyond the dead-end jobs and horrid apartment they have, but they seem to find nothing but trouble, and murder, instead. 

When Skip lands a huge sale for a company looking to upgrade their security system, he thinks he’s finally made the big time. He even gets James a job on the installation team. Then Skip is offered a couple of extra assignments with big paydays. What could possibly go wrong? A suspicious death for starters. Then there are things that aren’t adding up, and evidence that someone is spying on them. Can the pair figure out what is going on?

James and Skip and their friendship is a double edged sword. You remember the friend who could talk you into anything? That’s James. Sometimes, I find their antics funny. Other times, I cringe knowing the trouble that they are going to get into. But there is something about their friendship that I enjoy, and I keep finding myself drawn back to these books. Emily, Skip’s girlfriend, definitely helps. I appreciate the level headedness she contributes to the problems the trio get into. 

Yes, the books are designed to make us laugh, and I did at various times along the way. Other times, I cringed. As with other things, this was a mixed bag. 

Then there’s the plot. There’s a lot going on here – almost too much. The set up takes a bit of time, but the pace doesn’t lag even then. However, there’s so much going on that the ending is rushed. And a major piece of the third act happens rather conveniently. Honestly, there was no reason for the characters to be where they were when that happened. 

And, the beginning of the book teased something from the climax. As you know, that’s one of my biggest pet peeves. 

Given the age of the characters, I’m sure it’s no surprise to say that this is cozy adjacent. Keep that in mind as well. 

The book originally came out in 2009, so the technology in the story is charmingly dated. Just remember this, and you’ll be fine. 

It looks like the next book in the series really changes things up for James and Skip. I am invested enough to want to finish, but I am still finding their antics middle of the road. Stuff to Spy For was no exception. 

Need Moore Stuff in your life?  Check out the rest of the Stuff Series.

Movie Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Effects and acting seemed fine to me

Cons: Too strange, Nothing to make us care

The Bottom Line:

Head to Quantum Realm

Movie is completely strange

I struggled to care

“You’ll Be Great.  It’s Just Like Flying a Bike.”  “Is the Bike Alive?”

It wasn’t until the second half of 2024, that I watched any of the Marvel movies from 2023.  Granted, from what I’ve heard, I’m not missing much, but since I have Disney+, all I’m wasting is my time.  And, since I’ve mostly kept up with the shows, I figured I’d go ahead and catch up on the movies.  Up first was the third Ant-Man movies, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.  Having watched it, I just have one question – What the heck did I just watch???????????

The movie opens with us catching up with Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) after the events of Endgame.  He’s a hero and he’s even written a book about his time in the Avengers.  He’s still dating Hope (Evangeline Lilly), who is running the Van Dyne company now.  His daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton) has become something of an activist as well as a genius scientist.

During a family meal, Cassie shares that she’s made a major breakthrough.  She goes to demonstrate that, with the help of Hank (Michael Douglas), she has created a device that can connect with the Quantum Realm, so it can be mapped.  When Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) realizes what is going on, she panics and tries to shut it down, only to have it turn itself back on and suck the five of them in.

They land in the Quantum Realm in two groups.  Scott is with his daughter, while Hank, Janet, and Hope are together.  Can they find each other and figure out a way home?  What will they encounter along the way home?  And what isn’t Janet telling them?

Okay, so I wasn’t bothered by the fact that Janet has kept something from the rest of them.  She is trying to forget about what happened when she was stuck there for 30 years.  I get it.  And she never expected her past to come back again.  But why must we have characters saying something bad is coming but not telling us what it is?

Before we even get there, we have Cassie’s activism.  When Scott tries to parent, he’s the one who winds up being lectured.  I feel like there is a version of this scene where Scott makes the point that what Cassie did was wrong but he is also challenged to do more.  Maybe I’m just looking for a sitcom ending instead of a scene fifteen minutes into a movie.  There’s also the lecture that Hank starts to give about the benefits of socialism before he’s shut up to get on with the climax.

But here’s my biggest issue.  When we get to the Quantum Realm, we are treated to lots of special effects and some magical creatures.  Normally, I’d be all for that.  This is fantasy, after all, right?  But as I watched the movie, I couldn’t help but feel that the writers had to be on something.  I mean, this is a psychedelic dream with so many odd things happening that it’s just too wacky.  In better hands, I think there’s a version of this script where those strange creatures and things worked.  Maybe a world where things were consistent.  Instead, it felt like we were pulling one from column A and one from column N in creating the Quantum Realm.

The story?  It works.  I’m not sure I cared since I knew the characters would figure out a way to defeat the bad guy and get home.  There’s lots of talk about there being a multiverse and we also get a big introduction to Kang, who was supposed to be the major villain of this phase of the MCU.  One of the end credits scenes is taken directly from Loki’s second season, where Kang also played a large part.  Of course, with Jonathan Majors’s conviction of domestic violence, that’s all gone out the window as well.

But not to worry, just in case you thought things had gone too well at the end, we get Scott’s monologue about how things are going to fine.  There’s nothing for him, or us, to worry about.  Seriously, stop worrying.  No, it’s not as clever as it is supposed to be.

Considering how many special effects there are in the film, I thought the film looked fine.  I seem to remember hearing some people complaining about the effects, but I didn’t see it.

Likewise, the acting was fine.  However, too many of the cast aren’t given much to do by the script.  It’s a shame to see that talent wasted.  That includes Bill Murry and William Jackson Harper, who essentially just have cameos.

At the end of the day, I just couldn’t care about any of it.  Which is a rather bad thing for a movie.  We’ve got to have stakes we care about if we are going to be invested.

If you haven’t bothered to watch Ant-Man and the Wasp –Quantumania yet, you really aren’t missing anything.  You only need to watch it if you want to stay up to date on Marvel’s Cinematic Universe.  But if you feel that way, you’ve probably already watched it.

Book Review: Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge (Phyllida Bright #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Phyllida in a solid mystery

Cons: A bit too much of Phyllida’s thoughts

The Bottom Line:

When a stranger dies

Can Phyllida find killer?

Christie fans will love

Murder in Agatha Christie’s Library

I’m starting off January by picking up series that have been on my radar for a while.  While I’ve read other books by Colleen Cambridge, I hadn’t picked up her Phyllida Bright Mysteries despite having the first three.  I’m glad I fixed that since I enjoyed Murder at Mallowan Hall.

This book introduces us to Phyllida, who is the housekeeper for Agatha Christie.  The two met during the Great War, and Phyllida has come to her friend for employment.  I feel like there is more to Phyllida’s backstory, but it is teased without being addressed, at least in this book.  But we didn’t need it since there is a good mystery here.

Agatha and her second husband, Max Mallowan, are throwing a house party when an unexpected guest arrives in the middle of a summer storm.  The man says he is a reporter who has an interview lined up with the famous author.  While Agatha doesn’t remember it, she instructs Phyllida to set him up in one of the guest rooms, at least for tonight.  But the next morning, Phyllida finds the man dead in the library.  She doesn’t think the police are up to solving the crime, so she jumps in to find a few clues for them.  But who was the victim?  And who would want to kill him?

Anyone familiar with Agatha Christie’s works in general will be delighted with this mystery.  It plays into some of those familiar elements, the unexpected guest, the murder during a storm, and, of course, the limited number of suspects.  Naturally, these are also acknowledged with a wink and a nod, which I loved.

The mystery is well done overall, with plenty of suspects, clues, and red herrings.  It is laid out and pieced together in a way that would make Agatha Christie proud.  I was satisfied when I reached the ending.

I really felt like we got to know a few of the characters.  Since most of the book is told form Phyllida’s point of view, we really got to know her.  In fact, that’s my only real complaint.  We got too much of her inner thoughts, and it made the book feel like it took longer to read.  Some of them could have been cut out without hampering the story overall.

That time could have been used to flesh out some of the other characters.  I felt like the suspects were a little flat.  This was true across the board, so it didn’t ruin the suspense of the mystery.

The book is set in the 1930’s.  The book doesn’t get into the events of the time, but it does bring the day to day life of the period to life, especially for those who were servants.

I mentioned earlier that a few scenes are told from other characters’ points of view.  It’s always clear when we switch, and it makes sense.  In fact, one of those scenes wouldn’t have been nearly as wonderful if we’d seen it from Phyllida’s point of view.

Fans of Agatha Christie will really enjoy these books.  Even I, who hasn’t read as many as I should have, enjoyed the nods contained in Murder at Mallowan Hall.  I hope to get to the next book in the series sooner rather than later.

Ornament Review: Winter Fun with Snoopy #27 - Warming Up by a Fire - 2024 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Cute scene of a warm fire

Cons: Does tip backward quite dramatically

The Bottom Line:

A cozy fire scene

For this cute miniature

Cute piece for your tree

This Winter, It’s Time to Warm Up

When I think traditional winter, I think of cold and snow.  Not the winter I usually experience in Southern California.  And that’s the winter that Snoopy and Woodstock have celebrated in Hallmark’s Winter Fun with Snoopy series.  But they are experiencing something a little warmer for the twenty-seventh entry in the series.

You see, this year, they are enjoying some time by the fire.  Yes, they are still outdoors, but they are sitting out by a fire pit with their hands and feet stretched out to gather the best of the warmth.  Both of them are wearing green scarves, and Snoopy has on a red and green hat.

As always with this series, this is a miniature ornament, which means it is only a little over an inch tall.  The detail they get into that size is fun and amazing.

And it’s a cute scene in general.  While I don’t think I’ve ever sat around a fire in the snow (spent very little time in the snow in general), I still see the appeal of capturing a moment warming up by the fire.

The scene is sitting on a white base, so the ornament is nice and flat.  If you wanted to set it out to be displayed, you could easily do that.  Do keep in mind that this is a mini ornament so you don’t set it some place where you could lose it.  And yes, you’ll find the series marker on the bottom of the base.

I was surprised to see how much the ornament tips when you go to hang it.  I was especially surprised since I didn’t notice it tipping when I had it on my mini tree last month.  Obviously, this proves my point that you can disguise a tip with well-placed branches if you are smart about it.

The 2024 entry in the Winter Fun with Snoopy series is another fun entry.  If you’ve been collecting this series, you’ll be glad you have it.

Enjoy more of the Winter Fun with Snoopy ornaments.

January 19th's Sunday/Monday Post

Welcome to the weekend and this week's Sunday/Monday Post.  As usual, I will be linking up to:

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

Not too much happened around here this week.  We had strong winds Tuesday and Wednesday, but then they died way down.  Still no fires near me.  We are supposed to get some more wind early next week, but not nearly as bad as the winds they've had.  Hopefully, they won't materialize at all.

I'm about half way finished with undecorating from Christmas.  I'm hoping to do a bit more before I go to bed tonight (Saturday).  And maybe finish it up on Sunday if not early next week.

Saturday, I ran the annual 5K at my alma mater.  Two friends from game day joined me, which was fun.  Things were slightly different this year, but it was basically the same course as always, which is great since it is a lovely course out in nature.  I think I was a little slower than the year before, but I am getting older.  And I was never that fast to begin with.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Love in Glacier National

Tuesday - Book Review: The Sinister Sitcom Caper by Sally Carpenter

Wednesday - TV Show Review: Quantum Leap Reboot - Season 2

Thursday - Book Review: Welcome Home to Murder by Rosalie Spielman

Friday - Friday Post featuring Murder at Mallowan Hall

Saturday - Weekly TV Thought

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Ornament Review: Winter Fun with Snoopy #27

Tuesday - Book Review: Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge

Wednesday - Movie Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp - Quantumania

Thursday - Book Review: Stuff to Spy For by Don Bruns

Friday - Friday Post

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I'm coming down off the Christmas/end of the year book buying high.  But yes, I do still have three books to tell you about.  And neither of these authors will be strangers to you if you are a regular around here.

Up first is No Hallowed Ground by Steve Hockensmith.  I reviewed the first in this Western series earlier this month.  Once again, I was able to get a code for a free audio version.  Not sure when I will get that on my TBR schedule, however.  Got some other audios to rotate through first.

The other two books are books 11 and 13 in the Zoe Chambers series from Annette Dashofy - Fatal Reunion and What Comes Around.  Yes, I do already have book 12.  I think I got a deal on pre-ordering it.  Anyway, I am hoping to catch up on this series this year, depending on what her release schedule winds up looking like for her other series.  They are definitely NOT cozies.  But they are so good.  In fact....

What I'm Currently Reading:

I started reading Fatal Reunion as soon as I got it.  The timing was perfect since I had just finished a book.  I finished it up on Friday.  It was so good!  Look for my review the last week of January.

I'm now working on Written in Blood by Shelia Lowe.  This is the second in her series featuring a hand writing expert.  I haven't made it too far in yet, but so far, I'm enjoying it.  Very intrigued as to where this story is going to wind up.

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

January 18th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Happy’s Place (1/10) – This was a surprisingly touching episode.  The final couple of scenes were great.  It wasn’t quite as funny as the previous episode, but it think it was the strongest episode we’ve had that focused on the sisters. 

Wipeout – I’m not that surprised about the teams that were in the finals again.  It’s usually fairly easy to see how the best teams are going to be early on.  Sometimes, a team gets unlucky/lucky or they surprise you.  I honestly thought the blind date team might win, so that’s a good example.  The title of the episode should have been a clue.  With times so fast, it is really important to make no mistakes in the final round.

Night Court – That was fun.  It just kept getting crazier and crazier, and the ending was perfect.  Lots of great lines, as well.  About my only critic was the joke about Big Bang Theory was too obvious.  I fell like something about the difference in the show between seasons 3 and 4 would have been better.

Deal or No Deal Island – No idea who Dr. Will is.  I feel like I’ve heard the name before, but since I don’t watch Big Brother, he doesn’t mean that much to me.  What is the point of adding another reality show person to the mix.  We’ve got three of them now.  Why?  Let the normals have their first shot at it.  Or do an all reality kind of thing, either way.  I just hate to see all the reality people taking spots from others when they’ve had their shot.  Of course, I’m watching mostly to see how Pavarti does on the show, so I guess it does pull in the viewers, doesn’t it?

Shifting Gears – That one was quite as much fun as the first episode.  The politics is getting old already.  But there were still some good moments, and the scene between father and daughter at the end was pretty great.

The Challenge – Why so much drama?  Is it the seasons and therefore years that lead into this?  Is it the people?  Is it how they stoke things?  Is it all of the above?  I mean, wow!  And yes, I watched all of it.  I’m bad.

Hollywood Squares – I made it through the first match.  Deleted the second half and don’t plan to watch it again.  Not sure if it’s just that I’m different than last time I watched the show or what, but I just didn’t find it fun.

Only Murders in the Building – I’ve got to admit, I have also been feeling like they were treading water.  So I was glad to see them saying it in these episodes.  Not that the story hasn’t moved forward, but it’s been a bit slow.  And I’ve been having fun, so there is that.

Happy’s Place – I wondered if they were going to go there with Emmett and Bobby since the two are dating in real life.  A sweet episode overall.  Left it to the B storyline for the best laughs.  The physical comedy bit with the stool was great.

January 17th's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday!  Time for this week's Friday post.  As usual, I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

This week, my teasers for the first three are coming from Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge.

This is the first in a series that features Phyllida Bright, the (fictional) housekeeper for Agatha Christie, solving crimes in 1930's England.

The book jumps right into the mystery:

Phyllida Bright had seen her share of boding during the Great War, so when she discovered the dead man sprawled on the floor, it didn't even occur to her to scream.

See what I mean?

Meanwhile, on page 56 of my hardcover copy, we find Phyllida wrestling with a common issue that all book lovers have.

If there was talk about doing a motion picture with M. Poirot, Phyllida fervently hoped that would not happen. She feared absolutely no one would be able to portray the elegant Belgian in the way she saw him in her mind. She'd have to avoid seeing the film if it was ever made.

Nothing has changed in the last 90 years, right?  Okay, I'll admit, I have seen plenty of adaptations, many of which I have enjoyed.  But there are a few books or series I wouldn't want to see because they are too special to me.  (Hmm, maybe that would be a good future Book Blogger Hop question.  Off to submit it.)

Anyway, I enjoyed this book.  Look for my review coming up on Tuesday.

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

Have you participated in Sheila's FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR?

I don't think I'd heard of it before, so no.  And, honestly, that's always a little tough for me.  I wouldn't know until the last couple of days what the book I'm actually reading on January 1st would turn out to be.  Not to mention, I count books in the year I review them (I know, I know), so the first book I'm counting for the year would be different from the one I was actually reading.  Make sense?  (As far as reading challenges, etc. go, I figure it averages out across years.  It's about three books each year that I wind up counting in the next.)  And I'm usually in the middle of a book anyway, when the year turns.

That's it for me.  Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Welcome Home to Murder by Rosalie Spielman (Hometown Mysteries #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters with some twists on the familiar

Cons: A few pacing issues in the middle

The Bottom Line:

Retire from Army

Only to find dead body

Fun twists in debut

Retired From the Army Doesn’t Mean the End to Dead Bodies

When Rosalie Spielman’s Welcome Home to Murder crossed my radar, I was immediately interested.  The setting, a small town in Idaho, doesn’t get a lot of cozy mystery love.  Plus, the main character was a retired Army vet.  I’m always looking for something different in my cozy mysteries.  Sadly, it took me until this year to read the book, but I enjoyed it.

Tessa Treslow left her hometown in Idaho as soon as she graduated from high school.  She’s now spent over twenty years in the army and is ready to retire.  Since she still doesn’t know what she is going to do with the rest of her life, she agrees to return to New Oslo for an extended visit.  While reuniting with her parents and aunt, she senses that there is something they are keeping from her.  But she learns more in the more horrific way when she and her aunt find a dead body in the garage her aunt runs.  The police, in the form of Tessa’s high school boyfriend, feel that her family has the perfect motive.  Can Tessa figure out what really happened?

Yes, this book does fall into some of the cozy mystery tropes, but with twists.  Tessa is older than a typical cozy mystery sleuth, which I appreciated.  She also has a very different background, which again, was great.  But we also have the typical cozy town quirky residents, and I really enjoyed meeting them.

There is some depth to this book right out of the gate, with both the characters and the story.  You could feel the backstory, even if we didn’t get it all at once.  I truly appreciated how that was handled.  We were never needlessly teased.  We were given information when we needed it, and it was never in the form of a data dump.  With as much backstory as there was to learn, it could have felt that way, but it didn’t

Which brings us to the mystery.  I did feel the pacing was a little uneven in the middle, but overall, it was also solid, with plenty of red herrings to keep me entertained.  The climax did answer all my questions successfully.

I look forward to seeing what else Tessa can find now that she’s back in her hometown.  If you want to start a cozy series with a little different sleuth, be sure to pick up Welcome Home to Murder.