February 2025's Reading Summary

Short month, so that must mean it is already time for another reading summary.  Here's what I read in February.  And yes, I got the index updated for the second month in a row.

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

 

Framed for Murder by Marla A. White (Pine Cove Mysteries #1) – 3

Former police officer Mel O’Rourke is trying to settle into her new life running a B & B in the mountain town of Pine Cove. But then her past walks in. Poppy Phillips is a thief that Mel spent time trying to arrest when she was an officer. Poppy is looking for help since she stumbled over a body, and she is afraid the police will think she did it. The fact that Poppy was there committing a burglary does complicate things. Can Mel clear her? Does she want to?

I picked up this book thinking it was the first in a series. There is a novella that introduces some of the characters, and this book has major spoilers for that story. I also found the language in this book to be much worse than I wanted to read. The mystery was good, although I found some things bumped me, like police jurisdiction. It just didn’t seem logical, although maybe there is something I was missing. On the other hand, I really did like the characters and the relationships they were forming. Overall, this was a mixed bag for me. 

 

Murder at Beechwood by Alyssa Maxwell (Gilded Newport Mysteries #3) – 5

In late June 1896, Emma Cross is surprised to find a newborn baby boy left on her doorstep. Her efforts to figure out where he came from lead her to Beechwood and the guests that Mrs. Astor is entertaining. But when a lawn party ends in tragedy, Emma quickly realizes that murder was involved. Does it relate to the baby? Or is another motive involved?

I’ve quickly become addicted to these historical mysteries. One reason is the expert way that real and fictional characters interact seamlessly on the page. All of them are well drawn, and I’ve gotten caught up in their ongoing stories. The plot of this one was good with several ingenious elements. The ending was a bit rushed, but it worked for me. Despite the summer vacation vibes, this book does get serious, but it is worth it. I’m hoping I can book the next in the series soon. 

 

The Lies We Live by Liz Milliron (Homefront Mysteries #6) – 5

Business is booming for PI Betty Ahern, and September 1943 finds her opening her own office.  She’s also taken on a new case.  Her client is worried that her younger brother, a teenager, is up to something shady if not illegal.  And when a dead body turns up, Betty realizes the stakes have been raised.  Meanwhile, the stakes are also raised in her personal life when her fiancé, Tom, returns from the front in Africa.  He’s been injured, and his return to civilian life is anything but easy.  Can Betty solve the case and figure out how to navigate Tom being back?

As a fan of the series, I’ve been waiting to meet Tom, and I was happy to see that happen here.  His return really forced Betty to mature, and I enjoyed seeing that character growth.  Meanwhile, the mystery was also compelling.  Between the two, I was engrossed in the book.  The story does touch on race relations of the era, but without taking over the book.  I also enjoyed that aspect of things.  As usual, Betty narrates with some slang from the time, but I enjoyed it.  There’s a smattering of foul language, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine.  To best appreciate this book, you’ll want to back up to the start of the series.  Fans will be very satisfied with what we get here.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

April Fool Dead by Carolyn Hart (Death on Demand #13) – 5

Annie Darling is looking forward to hosting a book signing for the island’s resident mystery writer, Emma Clyde, on April first.  She’s even come up with the perfect promotion for it, leaving fliers all over the island with the clues to identify famous mystery books for a prize at the signing.  However, someone has mimicked her fliers, but instead of talking about fictional murder these new fliers are accusing residents of the island of real crimes.  Just as Annie thinks her job restoring her name is over, someone dies.  Is this murder connected to the fliers?

I love it when authors get creative with their plots, and we’ve got a winner here.  I especially appreciated how everything came together.  The characters remain a little thin, but they are strong enough to pull us into the story.  There are a couple who show up from the previous book, so be aware of minor spoilers.  The laughs are plentiful again, especially thanks to Annie’s mother-in-law.  Do keep in mind that this book was originally released in 2002 as a couple of elements are dated, but nothing major.  Overall, you’d be a fool to pass on this book.

 

Chocolate Can Be Deadly by Kim Davis (Cupcake Catering Mysteries #7) – 4

Emory has reluctantly agreed to cater a post Valentine’s Day bash. The hostess is horrible to Emory since she has a long-standing feud with Emory’s friend Tillie. The theme also puts her off since Dying for Chocolate hits a little too close to home given all the murders Emory has found herself involved in. Just as she is thinking that she might pull off the event, the hostesses new finance is found dead clutching one of Emory’s cupcakes. With the rumors of poison in a cupcake destroying her business, not to mention a cop that wants to arrest her, Emory has to find the killer. Can she do it?

I was so happy to be revisiting these characters. We don’t see much of a couple of the regulars, but the updates with the ones we did get to see were lots of fun. The mystery was engrossing, including good suspects and a climax I couldn’t put down. I did figure out one aspect early, but I didn’t have it all figured out. I enjoy the slightly different setting of Orange County since I’m in Southern California myself, but everything else still feels like a cozy. The book includes ten delicious sounding chocolate themed recipes, many of them gluten free. This book will find you turning pages and craving chocolate. If you want a good culinary cozy series, I highly recommend it. 

Note: I received an ARC of this book. 

 

Kilned at the Ceramic Shop by Donna Clancy (Braddock Mysteries #1) – 2

Tammy Wright is taking time this summer to help her Aunt Clara run her ceramics shop. But she’s only been in town a few hours before she learns about a real estate agent who is pressuring Clara to sell. A murder and a disappearance only up the stakes. Can Tammy figure out what is going on?

Yes, the ceramics is what caught my eye here, although that’s not the official hook for the series. It reminded me of the few months I did some with my grandma and how much she enjoyed that hobby for decades. But that was where the good ended for me. The writing was poor throughout the book. The pacing was off with events substituting for investigation. And the characters were weak, although I did like them. There was definitely promise here, but the book needed a good edit. Others seemed to enjoy this book more than I did, but I won’t be moving forward with this series. 

 

London Calling by James Ponti (City Spies #6) – 5

This book starts with Annie in Istanbul. Thanks to things her mom has drilled into her, she realizes someone is following her and manages to give them the slip before she sends out a cry for help. A cry that the City Spies get and immediately jump into action. You see, Annie is the daughter of Mother, their leader. But the spies are already on assignment protecting the fiancée of one of the princes before their royal wedding. Can they find Annie and rescue her while keeping their current assignment on track?

If you haven’t yet started this fantastic series, don’t start here since it will spoil many of the twists of the previous books. But fans will be highly satisfied when they finish the book since it gives us many of the answers we’d been waiting for. A couple things were glossed over, but that’s minor. Along the way, we get all the twists and excitement that fans expect. We also get to spend time with characters we love. They are so great at working together, and it is a joy to watch. While this book does wrap up quite a bit, it leaves the door open for further adventures - ones I hope we get. If you are a fan, pick up this book today. 

 

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (Marlow Murder Club #1) – 5

When Judith Potts is out for her evening swim, she hears a gun shot at her neighbor’s place.  The police don’t find anything, so Judith goes over the next morning and finds her neighbor shot to death.  Not trusting the police to solve the crime, she starts to investigate, along the way meeting Becks, the vicar’s wife, and Suzie, a local dog walker.  Can the three of them solve things when the police can’t?

I bought this book last year, and then found out a mini-series version was being made.  I watched and enjoyed that, but I gave it a little bit of time so the story wouldn’t be fresh in my mind.  While I did still remember many of the plot points, I really enjoyed reading this book.  It was delightful seeing how everything was planted remembering how it ended.  The characters are also delightful.  Becks could be a little annoying at times, but her character growth was great.  I loved watching the trio build their friendship.  And some of the situations they got into made me laugh.  I’m looking forward to spending more time with these ladies, hopefully soon.

 

Termination Dust by Sue Henry (Alaska Mysteries #2) – 4

Jim Hampton is enjoying an early autumn vacation, canoeing in the Yukon Territory. He’s even made an unexpected discovery - the diary of a prospector from the 1890’s gold rush. But things that a turn when someone he met along the way is murdered and someone is trying to frame him for it. Fortunately, Alaska trooper Alex Jensen is in the area, and he is suspicious of the evidence again Jim. But can Alex figure out what is really going on?

It had been a few years since I read the first book in this series, and I was glad to revisit the characters. While Jesse does have a small part in the story, it really gives Alex a chance to shine. The new characters were great as well. The diary that Jim discovers, while interesting glimpse into history, slows does the beginning. If you want to read the entire thing not the passages we get in the book, it is included at the end. The trade paperback version I read was riddled with enough typos and formatting issues to be annoying. On the other hand, the writing was wonderful and brought the story to life. This series has dropped off the radar a bit recently, but it is worth tracking down. 

 

Something’s Guava Give by Carrie Doyle (Trouble in Paradise! #2) – 4

New York transplant Plum Lockhart is beginning to get some traction for her new villa brokerage agency on the Caribbean Island of Paraiso. However, trouble comes knocking in the form of her former colleague Gerald who insists Plum go help out his boss’s daughter who is being held by the resort’s security. Plum regrets getting involved when Arielle is found murdered the next morning. Now Gerald is insisting that Plum help him solve the crime, and he’s shown up in person. Will Plum solve the case before her patience with Gerald runs out?

I struggled a bit with the first book in the series, but I’m glad I gave the series a second chance. Plum was a much better, more relatable character. Gerald still annoyed me, but the rest of the cast were fun and did a good job of keeping me guessing. The mystery was strong. A couple things seemed a little rushed, but overall it was good and reached a logical solution. Reading this book made me want to hop a plane for a tropical resort. I’ll definitely book time for the final entry in the series. 

Ornament Review: Clear for Launch - 2024 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Mickey riding Space Mountain

Cons: Size and slight tip

The Bottom Line:

Mickey takes to space

Riding favorite attractions

Ornament fans love

Mickey is Ready for Takeoff

I’ve been loving Hallmark’s unofficial series featuring Mickey riding various Disney Parks attractions.  We headed to space for 2024’s addition to the series, Clear for Launch.

This year, Mickey’s in a rocket ready to ride Space Mountain.  He’s sitting in a representation of the classic rocket roller coaster vehicle.  Since Mickey is taking up the entire thing himself, it’s not completely accurate, but it’s real enough that DisNerds will immediately know what it is.  Of course, it does help that Mickey is extra ready for the ride.  You see, he’s wearing a space suit and a helmet.

I’ve loved that, for all these ornaments, he’s wearing a costume appropriate for the ride if not the costume the cast members wear for that ride.  It’s a fun touch.

And, another fun touch, is the 24 on the front of the rocket to tie in to the ornament’s original release year.

The only thing I don’t really like about the ornament is the size.  It’s the slightly larger size that Hallmark is using for some of their ornaments these days.  To me, it just feels a little too big.  But the others in this series have been the same, so it’s not a surprise.  Still, I wish they’d shrink it just a little bit.

The rocket presents a nice base for this ornament, so you can certainly put it out to enjoy all year long if you want.

When you go to hang the ornament, you’ll notice it tips forward a little bit.  While that’s not ideal, it’s not the end of the world.  It just looks like the ornament is flying down like it does on the roller coaster track.  And a few tree branches will help disguise it if you don’t want to see that.

My complaints with this ornament are minor.  Overall, DisNerds will be happy to have Clear for Launch in their collection.

Book Review: Something’s Guava Give by Carrie Doyle (Trouble in Paradise! #2)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun setting and solid mystery with a cast of mostly good characters

Cons: Gerald annoys me quite a bit

The Bottom Line:

Killer on the beach

Finds Plum investigating 

Glad I tried again

Death on the Beach

While I struggled a bit with the first Trouble in Paradise mystery, I liked it enough to get the second. And then, I waited two years to pick it up. But I’m glad I finally got around to reading Something’s Guava Give because I enjoyed it. 

As this book opens, New York transplant Plum Lockhart is beginning to get some traction for her new villa brokerage agency on the Caribbean Island of Paraiso. However, trouble comes knocking in the form of her former colleague Gerald who insists Plum go help out his boss’s daughter who is being held by the resort’s security. Plum regrets getting involved when Arielle is found murdered the next morning. Now Gerald is insisting that Plum help him solve the crime, and he’s shown up in person. Will Plum solve the case before her patience with Gerald runs out?

My issue with the first book had been the Plum we met at the beginning. She was horrible, but seeing her transform in the book gave me hope. That hope was rewarded here. Yes, Plum can still be impatient at times, but it was a much more relatable character flaw than it was in the first book. And she’s not nearly as self-absorbed.

Sadly, Gerald still annoyed me. I have a feeling he’s supposed to be the comic relief, but he’s just too selfish. I really wanted to smack him. But since he’s a supporting character, it never got too intolerable. 

The rest of the cast are entertaining and did a good job of keeping us guessing. 

The mystery was strong. There were quite a few surprises along the way to the logical climax. A few things were handled rather quickly, but overall, I was okay with how the story played out. 

And I loved the setting. I’m ready for some beach time. If only Paraiso weren’t a fictional island. 

I’m glad I gave Something’s Guava Give a chance. I’ll be looking to finish the series soon. 

Movie Review: A Carpenter Christmas Romance

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Climax is surprisingly moving

Cons: The rest is just average

The Bottom Line:

Hiding at Christmas

And resparking an old flame

Average movie

Building the Write Christmas Romance

In 2024, I recorded a bunch of different Christmas movies. I mostly resisted trying to watch any of these for several years, but I finally gave in. Not that I watched any of them before Christmas, but I dove in early in 2025 with A Carpenter Christmas Romance, one of Lifetime’s movies. 

This movie introduces us to Andrea Metcalf (Sasha Pieterse), a writer who is about to release the final book in her bestselling Romantasy series. However, a major spoiler for the last book has released, and her fans aren’t happy, to put it mildly. At her sister’s suggestion, she heads to their aunt’s farm in a small town to finish her edits and hide out from the reaction. 

However, when Andrea arrives, she finds the farm isn’t quite as deserted as she expected. Her high school crush, Seth Ferguson (Mitchell Slaggert), is using it sometimes while his place is being worked on. While Andrea and Seth reconnect, she also learns about what happened to the town when a fire hit it a couple years before. But will Seth sidetrack Andrea from finishing her book?

I’m always curious when a writer is the main character if the people who wrote the screen play have no clue how publishing works. Even I, a diehard reader but not a writer, knows that at least part of the plot of this movie is wildly unrealistic. It would have been easy enough to change it so that it was realistic, too. But that’s a minor point. 

Let’s face it, the plot of this movie is fairly predictable. I’m sure I’ll be saying that about most of the movies still on my DVR. It wasn’t that the movie was bad, but it also wasn’t that creative or fresh either. Having said that, the ending did move me more than I was expecting. 

The acting is good. It suffers at times from poor writing, but I believed what I saw on the screen. 

The movie shows the two getting into bed together and waking up together the next morning. While not a choice I would make, they are consenting adults. My issue with it is more when it happens story wise and the point they are at in their relationship. 

Unfortunately, I watched it in the middle of the 2025 wildfires we were having here in Southern California. That made the plot points surrounding the town being burned hit differently. 

I was also surprised by the lack of snow. Maybe I missed a line about where the town is located in CA, but we do have places that get snow in the state. Still, it was kind of nice to see a Christmas movie without snow on the ground. 

A Carpenter Christmas Romance is a decent enough way to spend a couple of hours if you are looking for a mindless Christmas movie. But it isn’t one to rush out to see. 

Book Review: Termination Dust by Sue Henry (Alaska Mysteries #2)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Great characters and an interesting mystery

Cons: Subplot is too heavily featured at the beginning 

The Bottom Line:

Was tourist framed?

Interesting second book

Overcomes slow start

Canoe Trip Turns Dangerous

Sue Henry’s mysteries set in Alaska have long been on my radar, and I enjoyed the first one when I read it a few years ago. I’m sorry it took me so long to get to Termination Dust, the second in the series, since I enjoyed it as well. 

Jim Hampton is enjoying an early autumn vacation, canoeing in the Yukon Territory. He’s even made an unexpected discovery - the diary of a prospector from the 1890’s gold rush. But things that a turn when someone he met along the way is murdered and someone is trying to frame him for it. Fortunately, Alaska trooper Alex Jensen is in the area, and he is suspicious of the evidence again Jim. But can Alex figure out what is really going on?

I did struggle to get into this book. The subplot of the diary Jim finds, while interesting, is the focus at the beginning of the book. I was ready for the real story to begin before it took off. Once it did, I was fully invested in the story. We still had some detours even after that point, but I didn’t care nearly as much because I was enjoying the detours as well. 

The subplot with the diary was a way to bring in the history of the Alaska gold rush. And I appreciated it overall. We get excerpts from the diary over the course of the novel, but if you want the entire thing, it’s an extra at the end. Since the book was written in the 1990’s, the centennial of the rush was approaching, making the subplot timely.

Alex is the only real returning character in this book. Jesse, a musher who was pivotal in the first book, does make a few appearances, but this is really Alex’s story. Not that I’m complaining since I like him and enjoyed getting to know him better. 

This story makes excellent use of third person point of view to give us the story from multiple points of view. This helps increase the suspense as things unfold as well as helping us get to know the new characters better. 

Everything comes to a head in a logical climax that explained everything about the events of the book. 

And yes, we do actually spend the book in Canada near the border with Alaska. Alex’s presence and his investigation into a case outside his jurisdiction is logical, and I willingly went along with it. 

The writing of this book is excellent with passages that pull us into the story and bring the world of the characters to life for us. 

Having said that, I do have to knock the version I read, a trade paperback reprint done by a small press within the last few years. There were quite a few typos and formatting issues – enough to be truly annoying. I hope if they’ve done any reprints that these things got fixed. 

Overall, Termination Dust is a good second entry. While Sue Henry isn’t talked about as much now as when these books were first in print, you’ll be happy you tracked them down. 

February 23rd's Sunday/Monday Post

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

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

I just heard the great news.  Vicki at I'd Rather Be at the Beach has revived Mailbox Monday.  So be sure to join in the fun.

Last weekend, the TV in my living room stopped working correctly.  It shut itself off after being on for an hour or so.  It would cycle on and off trying to stay on for me.  I put off having someone come to look at it until Friday (one of the days I work from home anyway).  He took one look at it and said he'd have to order the part and come back next weekend to repair it.

So I'm spending a lot of time camped out in the bedroom watching TV in there on my very old TV.  Seriously, this is standard definition, square, tube TV.  I've had it for almost 30 years.  I rarely turn it on these days, but it's getting lots of use at the moment.  The down side is, my bedroom isn't set up for much more than sleep these days, so it's not as comfortable as my bedroom.  Oh well, first world problem for sure.

In other news, I went paddle boarding today.  This is only the second time I've gone since I hurt my shoulder almost two years ago.  My shoulder bothered me a couple of times, but it wasn't that bad.  Definitely thinking I'm going to have to get a pass again soon.  Just got to figure out how to balance everything else I want to do on weekends.  Especially since there are times it's nice to just do nothing on a weekend.  The weather was absolutely wonderful for it.  We had highs in the 70's today, and it should be going higher over the next few days.  Very little wind as well.  Weather can be very unpredictable in So Cal this time of year, so it is great to take advantage of it when we can.  No, I didn't try to stand.  That was me kneeling on the board.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Kilned at the Ceramic Shop by Donna Clancy

Tuesday - Movie Review: Reality Bites - A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Wednesday - Book Review: London Calling by James Ponti

Thursday - Movie Review: Clueless

Friday - Book Review: The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Termination Dust by Sue Henry

Tuesday - Movie Review: A Carpenter Christmas Romance

Wednesday - Book Review: Something's Guava Give by Carrie Doyle

Thursday - Ornament Review: Clear for Launch

Friday - Monthly Reading Summary

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I thought I was going to have only two books to tell you about today.  But then I saw notices about two other ebook deals I snagged.  So yep, I've got four books to talk about, and they were all Kindle deals, at least when I got them.

Up first is The Corpse at Caddo Lake by Jayna Morrow.  This is the first in a series featuring a full time RVer.  I keep saying I want to find more series with camping/RVing as a theme.  Then I don't actually read them.  But I've been eyeing this one for a while, so I snagged it when it went on sale.

The rest of these are on sale (not that the first one is super expensive at regular price).

Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives crossed my radar in the last couple of weeks, and it looked like it could be lots of fun.  It takes place in a small British village.  It's the first of two books (at least so far) from Rick Bleiweiss.  

We're staying across the pond for the two books I got today (Saturday).  Both are by authors I already know I enjoy.

The first is Alyssa Maxwell's A Pinch of Poison.  This is the second in her Lady and Lady's Maid mysteries set in the 1920's.  I haven't started this series yet (and don't have the first book), but I'm really enjoying her Gilded Newport series, so I'm sure I will want to read these eventually.

The other book is also a historical mystery - Murder Takes the Stage by Colleen Cambridge.  This is book four in her Phyllida Bright Mysteries.  I read the first one in January and really enjoyed it.  I now have the rest of the series, so I have no excuse not to continue it, right?

What I'm Currently Reading:

As long as we're talking historical mysteries...

I'm currently about a quarter of the way into Silent as the Grave, book 21 in the Molly Murphy series from Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles.  It's nice to be back in Molly's New York of 1909, but I'm ready for the plot to really kick in.  Not sure how much more reading I will get in today, but I'm hoping to make it to 40% or so.  At the rate I'm going, I'll probably still be working on it on Monday.

That's it for me.  Have a great week!

February 22nd's Weekly TV Thoughts

Wild Cards (2/12) – I’m glad they aren’t sweeping the rift in their relationship completely under the rug.  I’m sure it will be mostly forgotten by the end of episode 4 if not the start of episode 3.  Overall, a fun episode.  I really do like the dynamic and the characters on the show.

Tracker – I’m glad that case is wrapped up.  Although I guess I should have paid a little more attention.  Was that the guy Colter has been stalking for 11 years?  Why would he suddenly flip?  Overall, not that impressed with this storyline.  As I say, glad it was wrapped up.

Rescue: HI Surf – As someone afraid of heights myself, those early scenes were definitely terrifying.  Yes, it wasn’t a high cliff, but still.  The soap opera is out of control, and I feel for Hina trying to find the balance between family and her new life and responsibilities.  A good storyline for a change.

Night Court – Fun episode.  I really didn’t see either ending coming.  Oh, I did a few seconds before the reveal, but that’s not too far in advance.  Of Roz’s appearances, this was the one I’ve liked the most.  And Wendi Malik is such a great addition to the cast.  Although the bit in the opening was the best part, as it often is.

Deal or No Deal Island – Dr. Will is gone!!  So happy to see him go.  And I don’t get what CK is thinking.  Yes, you do need to watch your own back in a game like this, but you aren’t going to go far if you alienate everyone else.  No one is going to be willing to work with her now, and everyone is going to want her gone.  (Yes, those are two different things.)  It will be interesting to see how much longer she lasts.

Wild Cards – I knew it wouldn’t be aliens, but I sure was confused as to what was going on.  I loved how everything came together at the end.  Excellent writing.  I kind of knew where the subplot was going, but it was nice to see the two of them have anything to do this week.

The Challenge – I hope the teams left listen to TJ.  Seriously, how many times do they have to send the same team in and see them take out another team?  Especially when they put weak teams in there?  Let’s shake things up, already!  While I would not have enjoyed the challenge on the truck, I would really love to try the bucket challenge sometime.  Looked like it could be fun.

Happy’s Place – As a huge fan of Reba, it was so great to see Christopher Rich popping unto the show.  I’d already heard the first line the references the other sitcom, and I still laughed so hard at it.  But I’m a sucker for anything like that.  I loved the sub-plot with the guys as well.  Such a great final scene.

Book Review: The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (Marlow Murder Club #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Characters, plot, laughs

Cons: One character could be a little annoying at times

The Bottom Line:

These three women bond

While solving murder in town

Charming and funny

Murder and New Friends

I don’t quite remember how The Marlow Murder Club first crossed my radar, but it had been there for a while.  I bought the book last summer, and then learned that it had been turned into a mini-series that was going to air on PBS.  I went ahead and watched the mini-series, and I enjoyed it.  Naturally, that meant I wanted to read the book, but I waited just a bit so it wouldn’t be fresh in my mind.  Still, I was worried that knowing how the story ended would make it so I struggled with this book.

The book takes place in the British village of Marlow.  As the story opens, we meet Judith Potts, a seventy-seven-year-old widow living in the mansion she inherited from her great-aunt.  Among her pleasures in life is her evening swim in the Thames, which runs right outside her mansion.  On this particular night, Judith hears a gun shot near her neighbor’s house while she’s out swimming.  She hurries home to call the police, but the officer doesn’t find anything amiss.

Judith goes over and investigates the next day to find her neighbor’s dead body in his garden.  Not trusting the police to successfully investigate this crime, she begins poking around.  Along the way, she meets Becks, the wife of the local vicar, and Suzie, a dog walker.  Can the three of them figure out what happened?

As I said, I was worried that having watched the mini-series would ruin the book since the story was fresh in my mind.  No, I didn’t remember all the twists of the plot, but it turned out that it didn’t matter.  I had fun with this book.

Much of that comes from the characters.  Judith has been a loner before this book starts, so we are watching the beginnings of these friendships here.  And that is something I particularly enjoyed.  Maybe since I knew it would take a bit of time before Judith met the other two, I was more patient here than I was in the series.  And it was worth it.  The three are very different, and all of them contribute something to solving the case.  Of the three, I found Becks a little annoying at times, but this was a minor issue.  All three of the leads grow, and that growth for Becks helps to make me like her.

While the three leads shine, we get to meet plenty of other characters who are just as charming.  When they aren’t being mysterious, of course.

Knowing much of what was coming, I was able to sit back and enjoy the mystery.  I loved how the clues and red herring were planted.  And yes, the things that I didn’t remember compelled me to keep reading.  Everything was satisfactorily explained at the climax.  Was the climax a little over the top?  Probably, but I didn’t mind because it had such fun with it.

And the fun from the series came through in the book as well.  While this wasn’t a laugh a page mystery, there were several laugh out loud funny scenes.

Now that I’ve read The Marlow Murder Club, I’m looking forward to visiting the characters again to find out what happens to them next.  If they are all this good, I’m in for a treat going forward.

Here are the rest of the Marlow Murder Club Mysteries.

Movie Review: Clueless

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Funny at times, the cast

Cons: Episodic, not all the jokes worked for me

The Bottom Line:

High school comedy

Goes back to 1990’s

Some laughs; uneven

Amusing, but Wears Thin

Over the years, I’ve heard lots of people talk about Clueless.  I wasn’t sure the movie would appeal to me, but I decided to give the film a chance when I spotted it on TV.  It turns out to be what I expected – amusing at times, but not something I enjoyed the entire way through the film.

Cher (Alicia Silverstone) is your typical high school student – that is if you are a high school student in 1990’s Beverly Hills, California.  While her mother has died, her father is a highly successful lawyer, so Cher pretty much has anything her heart desires.  She rules her high school, along with her best friend, Dionne (Stacey Dash).

Now if you are thinking Cher is a horrible human being, you’d actually be surprised to find she can see what is going on around her.  For example, she decides to set up two teachers.  Okay, so she is hoping that if they fall in love, they will be nicer to all the students and maybe increase her grade.  But when Tai (Brittany Murphy) moves to the area, Cher sets out to help her fit in with the right friends and right boyfriend.  What will happen next?

This movie is very 90’s.  If you didn’t know that when you sat down to watch it, you’d, like, figure it out very quickly.  There’s the fashion for one thing.  Mid-90’s fashion may not be as obvious as 1980’s fashion, but it still stands out as dated.  Then there’s the slang of the day, which the teen characters throw around all the time.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it definitely does date the film.

Part of my issue with this movie is that it is very episodic.  Cher moves from one thing to another, and at times there is very little to hold them together.  I kept waiting for some big plot to emerge that held everything together.

Now don’t get me wrong, this movie definitely includes some funny lines and moments.  I laughed several times as I watched.  However, I found that the movie felt like it should be funnier than I found it.  I think that probably has to do with my age.  This movie was aimed at teens in the mid-90’s.  I was college by that point in time, and never really part of this mindset.  I could recognize the jokes, but I didn’t find them that funny.  Maybe if I’d watched the movie when it came out, I would have laughed more, and would enjoy it more today.

Do take the PG-13 rating seriously.  There are some rather crude jokes along the way, and I found them cringe worthy.

For me, Cher reminds me of Elle, Reese Witherspoon’s character in Legally Blonde.  I love Legally Blonde, so I’m not completely sure why I didn’t connect with Cher as much.  Again, maybe it’s age, and maybe it’s the fact that Elle gets a clearer story arc than Cher does.  And maybe it’s the fact that I saw Legally Blonde when it first came out, so I wasn’t viewing some of the jokes through a time warp.

I am aware that this movie is based loosely on Jane Austen’s Emma.  Having never read the book or seen any movie adaptations, I can’t comment on similarities or differences.  But maybe that helps explain what appear to be unconnected plot points to me.

And none of this is the fault of the actors.  Everyone in the cast is fantastic in bringing their characters to life.  They deliver the comedy perfectly and make their characters come to life in the quieter moments.  The only other name I will mention is Paul Rudd, who plays Cher’s step-brother, here.  I’m always amazed when I find him in something and remember just how long a career he’s had.

I’m glad I finally watched Clueless since I’ve always been curious about it.  While I know many people who love it, for me it was an amusing movie to watch once but I have no desire to watch it again.

Book Review: London Calling by James Ponti (City Spies #6)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Page turning story with wonderful characters

Cons: A couple of things wrapped up quickly

The Bottom Line:

Goal: Rescue Annie

Can the team balance missions

Satisfying book

Family Found Finally?

Fans of the City Spies books have been waiting since the beginning of the series for this book. You see, London Calling is the culmination of the story that’s been woven through the previous five books in the series. And they will find the payoff worth it. 

If you’ve missed this middle grade series, it features a group of teens who work for MI-6. And no, I don’t mean behind the scenes. These teens work in the field, taking on cases where adults would stand out. Their code names are all various cities around the world, hence the name of the group. 

As I’m sure you can guess, I’m going to recommend you don’t start here. Yes, the backstory you need is here, but you’ll miss the twists and turns of this particular storyline over the course of the series. And you’ll miss the character growth as well. Trust me, it is worth it. 

This book starts with Annie in Istanbul. Thanks to things her mom has drilled into her, she realizes someone is following her and manages to give them the slip before she sends out a cry for help. A cry that the City Spies get and immediately jump into action. 

You see, Annie is the daughter of Mother, their leader. But the spies are already on assignment protecting the fiancée of one of the princes before their royal wedding. Can they find Annie and rescue her while keeping their current assignment on track?

And that’s all I’m teasing. If you are a fan of this series, drop everything and read it now. You’ll thank me later. 

As I said, this book is the culmination of what’s been going on in the series so far. A couple of things got glossed over, but they are minor. We have the full picture and some resolution to this particular storyline. 

Of course, we get plenty of action along the way. This wouldn’t be a City Spies book without that. Likewise, there are puzzles to solve and codes to break. 

One thing I absolutely love about this series is the team that has been formed. You can tell how much the characters truly care for each other. And they work so well together. It’s heartwarming to see. Not to say there aren’t some squabbles along the way, but they are resolved realistically. All of this is done without the characters seeming like they are too perfect or sickeningly sweet, which is a delicate balancing act. 

This book leaves things open for more adventures, and I certainly hope we haven’t seen the last of the City Spies. But if this does signal the end of their adventures, I will be satisfied. 

As I’ve already said, if you are a fan of the series, pick up London Calling today. And if you’ve yet to start the series, fix that today, no matter your age.

Book time with the rest of the City Spies series. 

Movie Review: Reality Bites - A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Enjoyable time with characters we like

Cons: Mystery was weak

The Bottom Line:

Producer murdered

Hannah’s shop becomes crime scene

Entry just okay

“I Wouldn't Be Surprised If You’re the One Who Figured This All Out.”

I’m a week late!  I hadn’t seen the announcement that Hallmark was premiering their first mystery movie of the year last week, so I had to catch a reairing on Valentine’s Day.  Fortunately, they reair stuff frequently, especially right after it has first premiered.  It was fun to check in again with Hannah Swensen in Reality Bites.

Hannah Swensen (Alison Sweeney) is thrilled when the production for the Connie Mac show reaches out, asking to use her bakery for a couple of days of filming the show.  Hannah’s a big fan of the famous baking show.  She even gets to work behind the scenes helping prepare the food.

However, she quickly learns that Connie is not a nice woman.  But the big shock comes the second morning of filming when she shows up to find one of the producers has died in her bakery.  While the police are slow to rule it a homicide, Hannah starts investigating anyway.  Can she find the killer?

When I was reading the description for this movie, I was trying to figure out what book they were using as the basis for this movie.  When Connie Mac popped up, I knew, although it’s hard to call Blueberry Muffin Murder the basis for this film.  There are so many differences that they might as well be two different stories.  Okay, so it’s been a couple of decades since I read the book, but still, when the murder victim is different, it’s hard to consider them remotely the same.

So, we get to judge this movie on its own terms.  Honestly, as a mystery, it’s a bit of a disappointment.  It’s obvious what the motive for the murder is going to be tied to early on, and we just have to wait for the characters to catch up.  The killer was a surprise, but that was because we really didn’t have any clues leading to this person.  Or anyone, really.

Having said that, it was entertaining.  I enjoyed getting to spend time with the characters and watch them in all their over the top glory.  Okay, so that’s mostly Delores, Hannah’s mother, who is played with scene stealing delight by Barbara Niven.  And yes, she is playing the character that way on purpose since she is supposed to be providing us with some laughs.

Since we’re on the subject, overall, the acting is fine.  Some performances were stronger than others, but if you are used to Hallmark movies, you’ll know what to expect.

The main cast is all great as they work to solve the case.  I find it interesting that they included Gabriel Hogan’s Norman in this one in a big way while clearly ramping up the romance between Hannah and Chad (Victor Webster).  I’m still trying to figure out why they brought him in since we’ve got plenty of other characters.  Speaking of which, Andrea was missing this time around, but the rest of the cast filled in just fine.

Unfortunately, Reality Bites wasn’t the best way to kick off a new year of Hallmark mystery movies.  But fans of the channel, and especially the Hannah Swensen movies, will still be glad they watched it.

Book Review: Kilned at the Ceramic Shop by Donna Clancy (Braddock Mysteries #1)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: The ceramics scenes were fun

Cons: Pretty much everything else

The Bottom Line:

Death, disappearance

Propel debut mystery

That’s disappointing

Broken Debut

My grandma did ceramics for years, and I even joined her for a few months. With that connection, I was immediately interested when I spotted Kilned at the Ceramic Shop by Donna Clancy last year. I had to give it a chance. I should have passed. 

Tammy Wright is returning to her hometown of Braddock, Maine, to help her aunt with her ceramics shop. It’s only supposed to be for the summer, but Tammy is lucky that as a bestselling mystery author, she can work from anywhere so even a few months isn’t really disrupting her life.

She’s only been in town for a few hours when she learns that her aunt is being harassed by one real estate agent who wants to buy her shop to tear it down and turn it into condos. Since Clara isn’t interested in selling, he’s getting nasty. But neither are expecting a dead body in the shop. The next day, someone vanishes. Can Tammy figure out what is going on?

It’s been decades since I did any ceramics, and I realize that ceramics isn’t the hook for this cozy series. These are the Braddock Mysteries, after all. Having said that, the details of the ceramics felt right to me. I was smiling as I read those scenes. 

However, I struggled with much of the rest of the book. It starts with the writing, which was poor. There was some poor grammar (and yes, I realize I probably shouldn’t be criticizing that myself). But there were lots of other examples of just weak storytelling. 

The mystery was decent, although events substituted for true plot advancement, leaving the pacing off. Then, things were resolved in a rush at the end. 

It’s a shame because there is some promise with the characters. Yes, they needed some development to become truly real people, but I did like them. 

I’ve often said that I felt like I was reading a first draft, and this is another case where that is true. There is certainly promise here, but it needed some more polish before it was published. 

It’s a shame I didn’t enjoy Kilned at the Ceramic Shop more. I’ve seen others that liked it, but I won’t be moving on with the series. 

February 16th's Sunday/Monday Post

Welcome to this week's Sunday/Monday post, where I will be linking up to:

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

This was a fairly uneventful week for me.  We had a huge rain storm hit on Thursday.  Part of LA was getting rain on Wednesday, but we didn't have much where I live.  And there have been floods and mud slides due to the storm, but nothing that has impacted me, thankfully.  They did let us work from home on Thursday (we are hybrid, so Monday and Friday are at home every week), which was nice.  I enjoy rain so much more when I don't have to be out in it.

Friday, being Valentine's Day, I celebrated in my own way.  I did my taxes.  Always try to do them as soon as I get all my forms, which often means President's Day weekend.  Nice to do that at the beginning of the long weekend.

Yes, my job does give us Monday off.  First place I've ever worked where we get a holiday between New Year's Day and Memorial Day.  I'll probably be celebrating it around the condo reading and watching TV.  Still trying to work my way through the Christmas movies I recorded in the last three months of 2024.  We'll see if I ever do that again.

Saturday morning, I did have my walking book club again.  It was a nice sunny morning.  It was cool in the shade but warm when we were out in the sun.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: The Lies We Live by Liz Milliron

Tuesday - Movie Review: Splash of Love

Wednesday - Book Review: April Fool Dead by Carolyn Hart

Thursday - Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From the Heart

Friday - Book Review: Chocolate Can Be Deadly by Kim Davis

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Kilned at the Ceramic Shop by Donna Clancy

Tuesday - Movie Review: Reality Bites - A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Wednesday - Book Review: London Calling by James Ponti

Thursday - Movie Review: Clueless

Friday - Book Review: The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

It was a Gregg Hurwitz kind of week.

Seriously, all of the books on my list are books he has written.  As a note, he writes thrillers, not the mysteries I typically read.

I've been expecting one of them since his newest Orphan X book came out on Tuesday.  No, I hadn't preordered it (was thinking about going to the launch party, but ultimately decided against it).  But I did stop by my local Barnes and Nobel (only new bookstore in town) and picked up a copy of Nemesis.  Looking forward to reading it.

Meanwhile, some of his earlier books that I've never read when on sale on Kindle.  It looks like The Tower, his first standalone, is still on sale.

Meanwhile, three of the four books in his earlier series, the Tim Rackley Thrillers, went on sale.  At this point, The Kill Clause and The Program have reverted to their regular price, but I see that Troubleshooter is now on sale, so I just snagged it.

As I said, a Gregg Hurwitz kind of week.

What I'm Currently Reading:

I'm about half way through Termination Dust by Sue Henry.  This is the second in her Alaskan Mysteries.  I actually bought this book when I was on vacation several years back in Alaska and am just now reading it.  It's good, although the pacing was off at the beginning.  It took a little too long to really get to the start of the story.  I see how what we learned there is going to come into play, however.  And maybe it has to do with the fact that this book came out in the 1990's, and I'm more used to more recent novels.  Either way, as I said, I'm enjoying it.

That's it for me.  Have a great week!

February 15th's Weekly TV Thoughts

One week back, and Wild Cards was already preempted for basketball.  Any wonder why I hate sports?  I'll catch up this weekend.

But here's what I did watch.

Poppa’s House – I’m interested to see if they follow up on this and we see Jr.’s directing/film making career take off.  I mean, they did reference last week’s episode at the start of this one.  I loved the scene where we got to see the video and then go to know a bit more about Poppa.

Rescue: HI Surf – I know it’s realistic, but it always gets me when someone dies.  I hope the one guy’s father is starting to come around.  I found the flip over the social media influencer fun if not predictable.  Glad there are consequences for endangering others.  And if she was just pulling their legs (might have been distracted during that scene so I couldn’t quite tell if she was bluffing or not), there should be laws like that.  There’s no excuse for that ever.

Night Court – There were some good gags, especially with the circus/clowns.  But overall, it was another case of them just trying too hard.  I wish they’d back off a bit.

Deal or No Deal Island – I was wondering what was going to happen when I saw we were getting close to being out of time.  Not happy that we have to wait until next week to see how things play out.  All this drama is not entertaining.  Scheming?  Yes.  People accusing each other of things?  Not so much.  Did like Parvarti’s move on Dr. Will.  Of course, they knew what the other was up to.  As much as I don’t like him and only grudgingly respect her, it is entertaining to see them go at each other.

Shifting Gears – I was waiting for them to make some crack that referenced the guest star’s past with Tim Allen.  (I really should give that show another chance, I guess).  Overall, a very sweet episode, especially for Valentine’s Day.  Never forgot it was a sitcom, but tackled a touch holiday/time with the respect it deserves.

The Challenge – I’m feeling for the guy who is sick.  Glad he stuck around, but if he doesn’t get better, is it going to matter?  And I’m going to be frustrated if the same people are always in the eliminations.  There really should be a rule about how often a team can be voted it.  Like two times and they have to get a week off.  But I know that ain’t gonna happen.

Happy’s Place – I was thinking to myself that only it a sitcom would someone believe these wild stories.  Turns out, even in a sitcom, they aren’t believed.  That was another fun episode, even when I am ahead of the plot.

Book Review: Chocolate Can Be Deadly by Kim Davis (Cupcake Catering Mysteries #7)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Characters we love in another fun mystery

Cons: A couple small things, but nothing major

The Bottom Line:

Killer chocolate

In Valentine’s set entry

Series fans will love

Death By Chocolate is Real

I’ve enjoyed Kim Davis’s Cupcake Caterer Mysteries from the start, so I was quite happy to see that book seven was out. Chocolate Can be Deadly is another delicious entry in the series. 

This series follows Emory Matinez as her business catering various events gets her involved in murders. She lives in Orange County and over the course of the series, we’ve gotten to know quite a bit about her family and friends. Having said that, we don’t have as much of the ongoing stories here, so if you want to jump in here, you won’t be lost. A small thing or two might be spoiled, and there are references to past cases (but without spoilers there), but nothing will be truly ruined for you. 

Emory has reluctantly agreed to cater a post Valentine’s Day bash. The hostess is horrible to Emory since she has a long-standing feud with Emory’s friend Tillie. The theme also puts her off since Dying for Chocolate hits a little too close to home given all the murders Emory has found herself involved in. Just as she is thinking that she might pull off the event, the hostesses new finance is found dead clutching one of Emory’s cupcakes. With the rumors of poison in a cupcake destroying her business, not to mention a cop that wants to arrest her, Emory has to find the killer. Can she do it?

Obviously, the bustling Orange County is not the normal choice for a cozy mystery setting. But, living in Southern California myself, I love it. And, despite the larger population, this still feels like a cozy in every important regard. 

A big one of those is the characters. Emory leads a cast of regulars we can’t help but love. A few of them just have cameos here, but that’s okay since the time spent with the rest is fantastic. I loved checking in with them and getting updates on their lives. The suspects are also strong. 

The plot is great. It wastes little time before the murder happens, and then we are off and running trying to figure out exactly what happened and why. I did figure one thing out early, but I still needed Emory piece everything together.   And the climax? I might have read a little extra on my lunch hour because I just couldn’t put it down. 

As you’d expect, there are chocolate themed recipes at the end of the book. By my count, we have 10, with plenty of gluten free options and a few vegan options as well. 

If you are looking for a fun culinary cozy series, I highly recommend you check this one out. Chocolate Can Be Deadly is a book that will keep you turning pages and craving chocolate. 

Check out the rest of the Cupcake Catering Mysteries. 

Note: I received an ARC of this book. 

I'm reviewing this book as part of a blog tour with Great Escapes.  Stop by here to check out the other stops.

And enter the tour wide giveaway.

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Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - From the Heart

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Another great entry with characters we love

Cons: Some low budget cheese

The Bottom Line:

Explosive letter

Valentine’s complications

Will entertain fans

“Do You Know What Her Hashtag Is?”  “Please, Norman, Let’s Not Go There.”

Once again, I let more time go between watching movies in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered franchise than I intended.  But that turned out to be perfect since it mirrored the time for the characters and it let me watch From the Heart, a Valentines themed entry, in February.  If only I could say I planned it that way.

For those uninitiated, this Hallmark series follows four members of the dead letter office in the Denver Post Office.  They’ve dubbed themselves the POstables.  What started out as a weekly series for 13 episodes has turned into a long running movie franchise as we follow the four characters as they slowly work toward romances.  There’s also a new mystery of the movie for them to uncover.

When this movie opens, it’s been a few months since we last checked in with the POstables crew.  Valentine’s is coming up, and Oliver O’Toole (Eric Mabius) has finally decided to ask out Shane McInerny (Kristin Booth).  Being Oliver, he’s doing it via a hand written letter.  Meanwhile, Rita Haywith (Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe) gets some surprising news, which threatens to upset her first Valentine’s Day with Norman Dorman (Geoff Gustafson).

Outside of their personal lives, Norman has been given a box of antique Valentines by his cousin.  One of them might just hold the answer to an almost 200-year-old mystery of great importance to US history.  Meanwhile, a letter has surfaced that was damaged when a mailbox exploded 15 years before.  In it, a teenager is confessing to killing someone.  And Oliver realizes his own connection to the letter.  Can they figure out where to deliver it?

As you can see, these movies do tackle some serious themes and issues.  As always, I appreciated how they did that.  The characters in the case of the movie made some poor choices, but also took responsibility for them.  While I wasn’t moved to tears as I often am with these movies, I was still moved as the story unfolded.  Yes, the writing is that great.

With the last movie, I thought they’d wrapped up a storyline involving Rita that we’d been following since the series.  Turns out I was wrong.  I’m curious if this is something that will continue to follow her as the movies progress.  And speaking of her, the actress was pregnant while this movie was filmed.  They hid it pretty well, but it makes one particular line pretty funny.

As for as Oliver and Shane’s storyline goes, they took a trope I usually hate and managed to actually make it work.  Yes, I still longed for a little actual conversation between characters to iron some of these things out, but it was fun watching what happened between them.  And it provided a nice counterpoint to the serious letter they were working on.  I also appreciated how some of the other storylines managed to connect to each other thematically.

The acting in this movie does suffer from a little low budget cheese.  Or, maybe it’s the writing.  Either way, this doesn’t apply to the main four.  They have taken characters that could be weird and made them lovably quirky.  For me, it was great catching up with these friends.

Which is why I don’t want it to be that long before I catch up with them again in the next movie.  (No, really, I mean it this time.)  Whether you are already a fan or just now finding Signed, Sealed, Delivered, you’ll enjoy From the Heart, whether you watch it around Valentine’s Day or not.

This movie is part of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered Movies 5-8 set.