Book Review: Vengeance in Venice by Erica Ruth Neubauer (Jane Wunderly Mysteries #7)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Jane, Redvers, and a great mystery in a fun setting

Cons: Nothing major

The Bottom Line:

Honeymoon; murder

Tracking killer in Venice

A fun mystery

Honeymoon with Canals…and Murder

In addition to being a trip back in time, the Jane Wunderly Mysteries are also a travelogue of sorts.  Each book in the series has taken place in a new part of the world.  For book seven, we are settling into Venice for what turns out to be an eventful honeymoon in Vengeance in Venice.

If you haven’t been following this series, when we first met Jane, it was 1926, and the war widow had traveled to Egypt with her aunt.  But that trip turned out to be life changing for both of the women.  Along with solving a mystery, Jane met Redvers, a man with a mysterious job who has now become Jane’s husband.

While the pair got married several months ago, they are now taking the time for a proper honeymoon in September of 1927.  They are looking forward to relaxing days exploring the city and eating the delicious cuisine.  Which is when Aunt Millie and her new husband crash the trip.  Millie has gotten the two couples an invitation to a party hosted by her friend Clara Morton, who turns out to be quite the eccentric.  Jane and Redvers are hoping to slip away early, but their plans are scrapped when a dead body is found in the garden.  When a friend that Jane has just reunited with becomes the prime suspect, honeymoon plans get put on hold to solve this latest murder.  Can Jane free her friend?

I would love to visit Venice, so the setting grabbed me right away.  I loved that aspect of this book, feeling like I was right there with Jane as she traveled all over the city questioning her suspects and tracking down pieces of the puzzle.

And what a fun puzzle it was.  The suspects were quite a bunch, and I they kept me quite entertained when they were on the page.  They might have been slightly over the top, but they worked for this book.  There were lots of secrets, which made for a few surprises on the way to the logical solution.  I felt like a couple of things weren’t wrapped up quite as neatly as I would have liked, but that was a minor point for me.

Because Jane and Redvers are traveling so much, there are very few other recurring characters.  Aunt Millie and her husband, Lord Hughes, are in this book.  Millie is fun in small doses, and that’s what we get here.  Lord Hughes has a couple of minutes to shine.  And yes, we do see a couple of characters from the first book again, although it had been so long I must confess I had forgotten most of what we learned about them early on.

But the lack of recurring characters just gives Jane and Redvers that much more time to shine.  They make a great team, and I loved watching them in action.  It’s fantastic to see them so happy together.  And yes, I had to laugh at some of their reactions and lines over the course of the story.

Vengeance in Venice left me with a smile on my face.  Anyone looking for a light historical mystery will be glad they picked this one up.

Enjoy the rest of the Jane Wunderly Mysteries.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Book Review: Frozen Stiff Drink by James J. Cudney (Braxton Campus Mysteries #6)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: I still like Kellan and care about him

Cons: Weak writing in a book that needed editing

The Bottom Line:

A snowstorm is coming

But then a killer strikes first

No improvement here

Murder During a Snowstorm

I had considered giving up the Braxton Campus Mysteries, but I’m so close to the end of the series, I decided to press on. Which brings me to Frozen Stiff Drink, the sixth in the series. It did little to change my mind. 

The series features Kellan Ayrwick, who has returned to his hometown and taken a job as a media professor at the local university - a job he’s hoping to turn into a permanent gig. But ever since returning home, he continues to find himself involved in the mysteries around town. Then there’s the soap opera of what is going on in his and his family’s lives. 

Which means you shouldn’t start with this book. Not only would you be lost in the ongoing storylines, but this book spoils several plot points from the previous book. 

As this book opens, Wharton County is bracing for a late winter storm that is supposed to dump quite a bit of snow on them. Before the storm buried them for good, the local magistrate dies under suspicious circumstances. But with his beloved Nana D missing, that’s all Kellan is able to think about. Until his brother becomes caught up in the murder investigation. Can Kellan help his family?

I’m sorry to say that the psychic introduced in the previous book is back again. I really don’t like those elements in my books, so I was sorry to see that. 

But the bigger issue is the writing. It tells us more of the story. A perfect example of this when we are told what happened in a conversation instead of actually getting to see the conversation happen. The result is a story that is harder to get into. 

This book tries to keep several balls going at the same time, and it doesn’t quite work. In fact, I’d say the pacing is another strike against this book. We get lots of rehashes and speculation. We do eventually reach logical climaxes. 

The book could have used a good continuity editor, too. I verified several mistakes in timing or other things that contradicted what we’d already been told. I’ve got to admit, this made it hard to care. 

Finally, the book has a lot of characters with lots of connections. It is really hard to keep them all straight, and they aren’t the most distinct characters. 

So, what keeps me coming back? I really do like Kellan. I keep hoping that he will get a happy ending. And maybe a little more respect from his family. 

But the fact that I like Kellan made the ending that much more compelling. I have to know what happens next. 

I do hope some things improve in the final two books. Only if you have already started the series is there any reason to pick up Frozen Stiff Drink. 

Here are the rest of the Braxton Campus Mysteries. 

Palm Sunday's Sunday/Monday Post

Happy Weekend!  Time again for the Sunday/Monday Post, where I will be linking up to:

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

Our temps went down a little this week, but it was still in the upper 80's most of the week, which is unusually high.  Not that I'm complaining.  I much prefer warmer weather to colder weather.

Saturday was quite the day.  I spent the day down in Orange County.  I headed down there for the Muddy Dash.  Yep, another mud run.  It was held on a spot where I've done many mud runs over the years, and it was great to be back on the property.  I got good and muddy, too.  Cleanup wasn't quite as great as I would have liked, but I managed to get cleaned up.

Which was good since I then went to visit some family friends who live in the area.  It meant I got home in the evening, but it was so worth it to catch up with them.  But I will sleep well tonight.  (Yes, I'm typing this up having just gotten home.)

Joke of the Week:

In honor of baseball starting up again this week:

Why are zebras bad at baseball?

Three stripes and they're out!

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - TV Show Review: The Traitors - Season 4

Tuesday - Book Review: Birth of the Black Orchids by M. R. Dimond

Wednesday - Movie Review: Tremors 5 - Bloodlines

Thursday - Book Review: Broken Trust by Liz Milliron

Friday - Friday Post featuring Vengeance in Venice

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Frozen Stiff Drink by James J. Cudney

Tuesday - Book Review: Vengeance in Venice by Erica Ruth Neubauer

Wednesday - March Reading Summary

Thursday - Book Review: The Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman

Friday - Friday Post featuring Murder, Local Style

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I've got five books on my haul this week.

Up first is My Nightmare is Yours, the thirteenth Madison Night Mystery from Diane Vallere.  The book is out at the end of May, but I have an ARC, so I'll be reading it in a couple of months.  I'm very much a fan of this author, so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in this mystery.

Next up is Welcome to Cozy Town, a novella (or maybe a short story) from Marla Cooper.  It is designed to be a spoof of cozy mysteries.  I loved Marla's two cozy mysteries, and I'm thrilled to see she is writing again.  And this just looks like something I am going to really enjoy.  Hopefully, I get a chance to read it soon.

I also snagged Call In for Murder by Tammy Barker.  This is her first novel, and it introduces us to a radio call in host in Las Vegas.

Someone I respect recommended Seven for a Secret Never to be Told by Derek Wheeless back when it came out last fall.  It sounds like something I will probably enjoy, so I finally got it.

Finally, I got Murder at the Karaoke Bar.  I know of three series that call themselves the Bucket List Mysteries, but this is the series by father/daughter duo who write as Elizabeth Perona.  It's the fifth and final book in the series.  While I wasn't a fan of book four, I am curious how they are going to wrap things up.

What I'm Currently Reading:

I feel kind of ashamed to get to this part of the post since this is a rare day when I read absolutely nothing.  (If you need to be reminded why, go back and look at all the fun I had today.  So, I'm not too ashamed).  Well, that isn't completely true.  I finished up Fair Warning by Michael Connelly, the audio book I was talking about last week.

But the book I didn't get to today is Sovereign Sieged, the eighth Court of Mystery novel from Sarah E. Burr.  I am about a third of the way into the book, and I'm enjoying it, although I'm ready for the main plot to kick in.

Maybe I should go see if I can get a chapter in before I fall asleep.

Have a great week everyone!

March 28th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Wild Cards – Undercover episodes always make me a bit nervous, and this one was no exception.  But overall, I enjoyed it.  Especially the twist on the death.  And I really enjoyed seeing Erica Durance.  I also appreciated how the two stories played into the same theme, something they don’t always do.

RJ Decker – This show is really growing on me each week.  The twists were pretty impressive in the first half.  It got a little predictable in the middle there somewhere, but then there was a good twist at the end again.  Still not completely sure how I feel about all the supporting characters, but for now, I’m enjoying the ride.

Survivor – Darn it!  I was really hoping we’d get to see the end of Rizzo.  He’s so egotistical, and I’m ready to see him get voted out.  Yes, I came around last season, but he’s irritating me again.  Plus, I like Charlie.  Loved seeing Angelica leaving her jacket behind for her tribe.  I’m surprised it took them this long to get to voting two people off.  We’ve still got a long way to go, so I’m sure it will happen again.  Happy the merge is happening next week.  Can’t wait to see the new dynamic.

March 27th'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 first three, my quotes will be coming from Vengeance in Venice by Erica Ruth Neubauer.

This is book seven in the Jane Wunderly series.  This book finds Jane and her husband Redvers on a belated honeymoon.  Of course, murder is an uninvited companion.  Anyway, here's how the book begins:

With a salt breeze ruffling my bobbed hair and a gondolier crooning in a language I didn't understand as he piloted us toward a piazza where Redvers and I were about to have a quiet, romantic dinner, I was in heaven.

Such a nice start.  And Jane and Redvers are still oblivious to what is about to come.

Meanwhile, on page 56, we find this:

Redvers didn't have a chance to answer before a pounding on our door interrupted us.
We exchanged a look, and I sighed again. I already knew who it was, without so much as opening that door.

The book comes out Tuesday, and I hope you'll come back that day since I'll have my review up.

Now, let's jump over to this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question of the week is:

What’s your favorite bookish scent, and why does it appeal to you?

I think it's that new book smell.  The promise of adventure to come is pretty intoxicating.  Old paperback smell is right behind it.  Again, I think it's the promise of fun and adventure to come.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Broken Trust by Liz Milliron (Laurel Highlands Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Jim and Sally’s relationship and a good mystery

Cons: A couple of niggles, but nothing major

The Bottom Line:

 On different sides

Will case divide Jim, Sally?

A strong mystery

Will Jim and Sally’s Relationship Survive This Case?

While I know I won’t catch up completely on Liz Milliron’s Laurel Highlands Mysteries this year, I’m hoping to make significant progress toward that goal. So, I picked up Broken Trust, the third in the series. As expected, I enjoyed it. 

The series follows Pennsylvania State Trooper Jim Duncan and Fayette County Assistant Public Defender Sally Castle.  Despite the fact that they might be on opposite sides of the aisle in the court room, they’ve formed a friendship that is inching toward something more. You can follow their personal story just fine if you jump in here, but it’s always more fun to start from the beginning. 

This book finds Jim called to the scene of a murder in the office of a local mining company. The victim is Lonnie Butler, a friend of his – in fact he and Sally helped Lonnie get the job just a few months ago. Despite the fact that Jim’s sister and her two kids are coming for a visit, Jim can’t help but keep investigating. Unfortunately, one of Sally’s current clients has come up as a suspect in the case. She doesn’t feel she can share what she knows without crossing ethical lines, so she starts trying to figure out what really happened to Lonnie. Will the case come between them? Will they still be able to find Lonnie’s killer?

Since this book is a police procedural, it does contain a bit more than the cozies I often read. But there isn’t too much. In fact, some of that is written around, which I appreciated. As long as you expect that when you pick up this book, you’ll be fine. 

The mystery was solid. While I started to suspect where things were going, the red herrings did a good job of keeping me distracted. And there was plenty else there to keep me engaged. The characters introduced here, aka the suspects, were memorable. Everything came together for a logical and satisfying climax. 

Equally important here was what the case was doing to Jim and Sally’s relationship. I will say, a couple of things that impacted their relationship felt a little immature to me, but they weren’t issues for too long. However, the main issue of their relationship was wonderfully done. I appreciated that we could see the issue from both of their perspectives and neither was completely right or completely wrong. Their friends kept calling them both out on their behavior, too. I’m sure it helps that this book alternates from their points of view. In lesser hands, I could see this storyline favoring either side, but this really took the more mature, and realistic, approach. 

I do want to be clear that the mystery got more time than the relationship, but the relationship issues were a strong subplot. For me, they worked well together to hook me and make it hard to put the book down. 

I also appreciated that Sally got a new friend here. I hadn’t realized how much we needed that to help round out her character until we got it. Meanwhile, Jim’s sister visiting showed us a different side of his character. 

I’m glad I’m working on catching up on this series. I’m looking forward to seeing where Jim and Sally’s relationship goes. If you haven’t read Broken Trust yet, you are in for a treat. Trust me. 

Enjoy the rest of the Laurel Highlands Mysteries.

Movie Review: Tremors 5 - Bloodlines

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: A few cool moments

Cons: Familiar plot, characters we mostly don’t care about

The Bottom Line:

African danger

Graboids are back in action

Only for the fans

“Everything’s Bigger in Africa.”

After taking a trip back in time in the fourth installment, it was time to return to the present with Tremors 5: Bloodlines.  Actually, I’m sure most fans were surprised that this movie happened at all since it had been 11 years since the fourth installment.

When the film opens, we see Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) making a video to demonstrate his survival skills.  However, the video is interrupted by the arrival of Travis B. Welker (Jamie Kennedy) and a man from South Africa claiming that they have graboids there.  Burt is skeptical at first since he’s only ever heard of them in the western hemisphere.  But soon he is headed to Africa with Travis as his side kick.

When the pair arrive, they realize that, sure enough, they are dealing with graboids.  Unfortunately, some people are wanting to capture them alive.  Even worse, they have once again developed some new skills.  Can Burt figure out how to kill them?

Honestly, if you are a fan of the franchise, you pretty much know what to expect that this point.  And yes, that includes graboids with slightly different abilities to kill you.  After all, it would get boring of they all acted the same, right?  Honestly, the biggest change just made me roll my eyes.  Don’t get me wrong, it was cool to watch, but at this point, it’s like they are forgetting all the rules of the franchise.  On the other hand, there was a part of their behavior here that did make perfect sense to me.

My bigger issue with the movie is that we don’t really get to know any of the new characters that well.  Granted, some are just there to feed the graboids, but still, a little development would have been nice.  Even a trio who gets a lot of screen time doesn’t get that much real development.  The exception is Travis, but that makes sense because he spends the most time around Burt.  None of this is the actors’ faults.  It’s the fact that the script didn’t give them that much to do.

These movies have always been a bit raw in their humor, but this one seemed to push that envelop as well, which I didn’t appreciate.

The movie has upped the special effects game here, which was nice to see.  I’m sure the fact that it’s been eleven years since the previous movie helped with that.  Meanwhile, they also filmed this one is South Africa, which is the first time the franchise went super far for filming.

By the time a franchise has hit a fifth movie, it’s probably only the diehard fans who are excited anyway.  And they are the only ones I think will enjoy Tremors 5: Bloodlines.

Book Review: Birth of the Black Orchids by M. R. Dimond (Black Orchid Enterprises #1)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters I already love

Cons: The mysteries are after thoughts

The Bottom Line:

Meet trio of friends

Enjoyable to visit

But plots are not strong

Two Cozy Stories Introduce Us to a Fun New Trio

Every so often, it’s fun to dig around and see just what you might uncover from your to be read pile. That’s how I picked Birth of the Black Orchids. While this wasn’t what I was hoping for, I can see how others would enjoy it. 

This book is really two separate longish short stories that introduce us to JD Thomas and his friends Dianne Cortez and Johnny Ly. They have moved into a mansion in the town of Beauchamp, Texas. They have separate rooms upstairs and are opening businesses downstairs, lawyer, accountant, and vet. Days before Christmas, they hold an open house to show off the renovations and promote their businesses. Might something go wrong? Then, a couple of weeks later, a neighbor they are supposed to be helping vanishes. Where might she have gone?

Let me be perfectly clear. I really like this trio. They are fun, and their dynamic is great. While we don’t get the full background on them, you can feel the bonds between them. I enjoyed spending time with them. 

However, neither story had much going on in it. This is especially true of the first story, but even the second was uneven. Yes, there is a crime that the trio is able to solve both times, but it felt more like an after through than a main focus. 

But again, if you are looking for cozy vibes, you’ll find this book perfectly draws you in. And the Christmas setting of the first story helps add to the charm. 

So, if you are looking for a book light on the mystery but strong on the cozy, you’ll be glad you picked up Birth of the Black Orchids. 

TV Show Review: The Traitors - Season 4

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Compelling fourth season of this reality contest

Cons: A couple of niggles, but nothing major

The Bottom Line:

Fourth trip to castle

This season is compelling

Good competition

“Maybe I Should Have Been Murdered.”

January brought us another season of lies, betrayal, and murder.  That’s when season 4 of The Traitors premiered on Peacock.  And I once again enjoyed every second of it.

The set up is the almost the same as always.  Twenty-three contestants, mostly from the world of reality TV, are bought to a castle in Scottland.  Host Alan Cumming picks a small portion of them to be traitors, whose job is to “kill” one contestant each night.  During the day, everyone competes in an over-the-top challenge to win money for the pot.  Then, all the contestants meet at the round table and vote on who they think is a traitor to banish from the game.  Really, it’s a game of Mafia, but spread out over several days and with bigger stakes.

The contestants this year are the usual mix of reality franchises.  There are several from Survivor and Real Housewives.  Mark Ballas from Dancing with the Stars was here as were figure skating commentators Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski.  The one civilian (aka person with very little TV/media experience) included was Donna Kelce, soon to be mother-in-law to Taylor Swift.  And then there were a lot of people I wasn’t familiar with until I started watching this season.

The show really only tried one new thing format wise.  It was an interesting idea, and I hope they try it again.  But the pay off here didn’t quite work out the way they wanted it to.

On the other hand, I did enjoy the dynamic between the traitors this season.  And one was absolutely brilliant.  I got caught up in watching what would unfold each week.

And yes, I did watch it every week.  Unlike previous seasons when I binged it near the end of the season, I watched week to week.  I’m happy to say that I didn’t find the cliffhangers as annoying as I thought I would.  Will I watch this way going forward?  We’ll see.

Unlike season 3, where the swearing was out of control, here, it wasn’t as extreme.  It still happened, and still felt gratuitous, but it wasn’t so over-the-top, which I appreciated.

One aspect of the ending didn’t sit quite right with me.  But we’ve seen in in a couple of previous seasons, so I guess I shouldn’t be that upset by it at this point.

Overall, I really enjoyed season 4 of The Traitors.  I still need to make the time to watch other iterations of the show.  If you haven’t watched it yet, you’ll find yourself caught up in events unfolding as well.

March 22nd's Sunday/Monday Post

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

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

Fairly quiet week around here.  Went to work.  Came home.  That was about it.

It was very hot.  Like upper 90's all week.  As much as I am a summer/warm weather guy, I wasn't quite ready for it yet.  I would have preferred to have some spring weather first.  But I'm sure it will cool back down to upper 70's or low 80's here soon.  That's the sweet spot for me.

Joke of the Week:

Why did the turtle break up with the giraffe?  They never saw eye to eye.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - TV Show Review: The Amazing Race - Season 38

Tuesday - Book Review: Death at Tidal Creek by Caleb Wygal

Wednesday - Movie Review: Nelly Knows Mystery - All Manners of Murder

Thursday - Book Review: Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien

Friday - Friday Post featuring Broken Trust

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - TV Show Review: The Traitors - Season 4

Tuesday - Book Review: Birth of the Black Orchids by M. R. Dimond

Wednesday - Movie Review: Tremors 5 - Bloodlines

Thursday - Book Review: Broken Trust by Liz Milliron

Friday - Friday Post featuring Vengeance in Venice

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

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

Up first, is an audio book.  It's been a while since I listened to one, so I got Fair Warning by Michael Connelly.

I also got a finished copy of Vengeance in Venice by Erica Ruth Neubauer.

I was thinking that Stakeouts and Strollers by Rob Phillips came out this coming week, so I was surprised when my preorder shipped.  Yeah, it came out this past Tuesday.  It's the first book, and it won a publishing contest - one that a couple of authors I've really enjoyed previously won.  The main character is a new dad and a new PI trying to juggle the two.  It sounds fun, so I'm hoping to get to it...soon.

Finally, I got a comic strip book.  Been a while since I've bought one of those.  But I've become a huge fan of Strange Planet, a comic from Nathan W. Pyle.  I think between his social media posts and the page a day calendars I've had last year and this year, I've probably seen them all, but I still decided to get this collection of the strip.

What I'm Currently Reading:

You'll notice, I didn't say much about those first two books.  That's because I'm currently working on them.  So I saved talking about them for this part of the post.

Fair Warning is the third book Michael Connelly has written about reporter Jack McEvoy.  I'm about a quarter of the way into the book, and I'm definitely interested in seeing where it is going to go.  It's got a crazy connection, but I also really like that connection.  It's going to make for an interesting ride seeing how it plays out.

Vengeance in Venice is the seventh Jane Wunderly mystery from Erica Ruth Neubauer.  In this book, Jane and her new husband are taking a long delayed honeymoon in Venice, but they've gotten involved in murder.  It's set in 1927.  I always enjoy Jane's adventures.  I'm about a third of the way into this one.

That's it for me.  Have a great week!

March 21st's Weekly TV Thoughts

RJ Decker – I shouldn’t have been surprised by who the victim was, but it still hit me hard.  Interesting case, and I enjoyed the twists.  Overall, I’m enjoying the show, still.  Definitely planning to stick it out through the end of this first season.

Survivor – How is it that Emily sticks around?  At this point, you know you can’t trust her.  And again, they are voting out the people who can best help them in a challenge.  We’re back to my question on why you don’t keep those people around so you don’t have to go to tribal.  I’ve only wondered this for 50 seasons, so I guess I just don’t understand the strategy.  It must be something you would only understand by playing the game.

Happy’s Place – I’m a little surprised we got to meet Gabi’s mother.  I figured she’d be an off-screen character.  But I’m liking her, at least so far.  And I feel she is living up to the legend.  Some great laughs, too.  I like how they played with what was true or not.

March 20th's Friday Post

Welcome to this week's Friday Post.  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

My teasers for the first three will be coming from Broken Trust by Liz Milliron.

This is book three in her Laurel Highlands Mysteries.  They lean more traditional than what I typically read, but I really enjoy them.

Anyway, here's how this particular book begins:

Pennsylvania State Trooper Jim Duncan climbed out of his cruiser to see the EMT crew walking, almost strolling, toward the parked ambulance. The blue bar lights were still on, but there was no gurney. No frenzy. No shouted words.

That doesn't sound good.  But at the beginning of a murder mystery, is it really that surprising?  And yes, that's how quickly we jump into the mystery.

On page 56, we are in the head of our other viewpoint character, Sally.  She and Jim are working toward starting a relationship.  With that context, here's the quote:

No reason to trouble Jim, especially with his family in town. Begin on vacation, he most likely would never hear about Ethan Haverton. Why stir things up unnecessarily?

How much do you want to bet that isn't true?

I enjoyed this book.  I hope you'll come back Thursday to see my full review.

Meanwhile, it's time to jump over to this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

If you could write the sequel to a classic book, which one would it be? What new characters or plot twists would you bring in? 

That is an excellent question.  I'm not sure I've read enough of the classics to really have a good answer.  Most of the ones I'm thinking of immediately really don't need a sequel.  Maybe a follow up to Lord of the Flies exploring how the boys' lives are impacted when they return to England.  Although it's been so long since I read the book, that might not be a feasible sequel.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien (Noodle Shop Mysteries #7)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Lana and the rest of the regulars

Cons: Pacing could be better

The Bottom Line:

Deadly cooking class

Lana is in the hot seat

Slow start but still fun

Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Murder

I’m getting back to many series I have in progress this year, but I suspect soon the bright and shiny new releases will start distracting me. Before that happens, I managed to get another book from mount to be read in. This time, it was Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien. 

This is book seven in a series set in Cleveland. Lana Lee, our main character, has taken over managerial duties for her family’s Chinese restaurant. But much to everyone’s dismay, she can’t actually cook any Chinese food. She decides to do something about it by signing up for a class at a local continuing education school. 

Lana is hoping to keep her class a secret, but that becomes much harder when she returns after class to find the instructor stabbed in the back. With the detective assigned to the case certain that Lana is responsible, she must figure out what happened. But with the victim a stranger, can Lana learn anything about her?

Honestly, that was the biggest issue I had with the book. Yes, I bought that Lana would investigate to clear herself. But it took us far too long to really start to learn anything about the victim or begin to get any suspects. Lana was frustrated as well, so at least I was in good company. As we headed into the final third, the story gained some traction, and we reach a logical conclusion. 

Fortunately, the series regulars are enough to keep us entertained. Lana has quite a fun group of family and friends, and I enjoyed checking in with the core cast again here. We don’t spend as much time in the shopping center in this book, so we don’t see some of those supporting players. And, once we started to gather suspects, they proved interesting. 

As always, this is one of the few culinary series without recipes. So you’ll have to have your favorite Chinese restaurant on speed dial to satisfy your cravings. 

While the pacing could be stronger, fans will still enjoy getting to check in with Lana in Fatal Fried Rice. 

Check out the rest of the Noodle Shop Mysteries. 

Movie Review: All Manners of Murder - Nelly Knows Mysteries

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Solid mystery with fun lead characters

Cons: Nothing major

The Bottom Line:

A lavish dinner

Murder uninvited guest

Fun second movie

“I’ll Be Good Cop.  You Seem Like You’ve Already Chosen Bad Cop.”

I was surprised when I saw that we were getting a second Nelly Knows Mysteries from Hallmark.  It’s been a year and a half since we were first introduced to these characters, and I thought they were going to be yet another one and done mystery movie.  But I’m glad we got to see more of Nelly since I enjoyed All Manners of Murder.

In case you’ve forgotten, Nelly (Pascale Hutton) is an advice columnist in a small town.  Her latest column includes a letter from someone looking to reconnect with family to deliver bad news.  Somehow, that means Nelly is roped in when the letter writer hosts a lavish dinner party to reconnect with her estranged family and then deliver the bad news.  Suspecting trouble, Nelly invites Detective Mike Hogan (Kavan Smith) along.  That turns out to be wise since someone winds up murdered before dessert can be served.  Can Nelly and Mike team up again to solve the murder.

It’s been so long since I watched the first one, I mainly only remembered that it wasn’t my favorite.  Looking back at my review, I saw that one of my issues was Nelly’s official involvement in that case.  It happens again, although, somehow, it didn’t bother me as much this time.  I’m happy to say that my other complaint, the forced humor, wasn’t an issue here.  Overall, the characters seemed calmed down and more grounded, which I appreciated.

The mystery here was good.  One aspect was obvious to me early on, but the characters caught up with me not too much further into the film, and I didn’t figure out where things were going until Nelly and Mike did.  Along the way, the suspects kept me engaged.

If you are familiar with Hallmark movies, you know what to expect acting wise.  It was a little stronger than it can often be, which is always nice.

A new character was introduced that I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of as the series goes along, but I was a little confused as to why that happened in this movie since he had such a small part.  I’m assuming they are planning for future installments, but still.

On the other hand, we learned more about Mike, which I liked.  I really do like the chemistry between Mike and Nelly and hope we get to see their relationship develop further.

Yes, I’m definitely hoping for a third movie in this franchise, although nothing appears to be on the horizon yet.  If you are a Hallmark mystery movie fan, you’ll be glad you watched All Manners of Murder.

Book Review: Death at Tidal Creek by Caleb Wygal (Myrtle Beach Mysteries #5)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Clark, and a fun setting

Cons: A couple niggles with the plot, which is good overall

The Bottom Line:

Brewery murder

Clark gets pulled into the case

Relaxing beach vibes

Murder is Garbage

Certain books call out based on the setting. I was craving some beach time recently, so I picked up Death at Tidal Creek, the fifth Myrtle Beach Mystery from Caleb Wygal. It was the next best thing to heading to the beach. 

The main character here is widower Clark Thomas, the owner of a bookstore on the beach in the South Carolina resort community. Over the course of the series, he’s slowly pieced together clues that his wife’s death a few years before might have been murder. But the focus here again is on the latest murder in the area. 

Clark is slowing building a relationship with Andrea, who has just opened a business next door to his bookstore. So when two people are found dead near the garbage bins at Tidal Creek Brewery, near where Andrea lives, Clark takes note, especially when one of the is the president of Andrea’s HOA. But it’s only when Andrea finds herself involved in the HOA that Clark fully gets involved. It turns out the late president was up to some shady business. Is that why he was killed? 

If you are ready for summer, this book has the perfect vibes for you. While we don’t spend a lot of time at the beach, there are still scenes that make me look forward to relaxing days with warm weather. It’s getting closer. 

Clark’s life has gotten complicated recently with the introduction of a new love interested. We are dealing with a bit of a love triangle here, and I’m curious how that is going to play out. I suspect I know, but I’ll have to keep reading to see if I’m right. 

The book doesn’t feature a ton of recurring characters, and anything you need to know is included here. We get some growth in Clark, which is nice to see. And the new characters are interesting. Also, keep your eyes opened for what I’m sure is a cameo from the author. 

The mystery itself is good. I did have a big twist figured out early, but I didn’t have all the pieces until we got to the end. The climax is a bit exposition heavy as always, but my questions were all answered. 

Once again, we were left with a new clue to the murder of Clark’s wife. I’m curious to see where that will lead. In the meantime, Death at Tidal Creek was a welcome mystery in a resort town. 

Relax with more of the Myrtle Beach Mysteries.

TV Show Review: The Amazing Race - Season 38

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Locations are fun as always

Cons: The drama between teams; lack of real suspense in race

The Bottom Line:

The Big Brother theme

Gave us some rather weak teams

Locations still great

This Season Wasn't as Big as Usual, Brother

Never having watched Big Brother, I wasn’t excited when I saw that season 38 of The Amazing Race would be tied into that show since at least one member of every team would be a former contestant on Big Brother. Still, it’s The Amazing Race, so I turned in ready for another exciting season. Sadly, it wasn’t one of their better seasons. 

As always, the show started out with 13 teams of two racing from one location to another in attempts to win the leg, or at least not come in last and be eliminated. For this season, the teams were in Europe for the entire race. Well, except the final leg, when they returned to the US. 

As much as I like watching people race all over the globe, I didn’t mind that the location was limited to Europe. They still went some cool places and did some cool things, which is ultimately why I tune in. The locations were arm chair traveling at their best. 

My issue was more with the teams. Mind you, I only knew one of the contestants before the season started (and from The Challenge, not Big Brother), so I didn’t come to the season with any preconceived ideas or opinions. 

But the contestants did. Some of them competed against each other on Big Brother, and they carried that baggage to this show. Others know each other from the brotherhood of former contestants. Either way, those rivalries and backgrounds made for more drama at the beginning than I really like. Heck, I prefer my Amazing Race with no drama, thank you. 

The other issue is that it quickly became obvious that success on Big Brother doesn’t necessarily translate to success on The Amazing Race. There were a couple of front running teams, but the rest? They were struggling. And it wasn’t fun to watch. It also meant that there were few surprises in the order the teams finished each week. 

If you’ve watched other seasons of The Amazing Race, give this season a go. But if you have others to catch up on, go watch them first. 

March 15th's Sunday/Monday Post

Welcome to 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?

It was a quieter week at work.  With the craziest deadlines behind us, I was able to focus on what I'd normally be doing.  And I got it all done.  So now I can spend the next couple of weeks working on some other projects that come up.  It never ends, does it?  I guess that's job security.

In addition to the extra daylight at night (love it!), we also got warmer temps.  It was in the upper 80's on Friday.  That's rare this time of year, but I will take it!

Last Sunday was my birthday.  I had a couple of celebrations this week, dinner with friends Tuesday and lunch with another friend on Thursday.  Plus, I've been using all those emails you get from loyalty programs for extras, like desserts.  I need to cut back this coming week!

I think that's about all the news around here.  And since Saturday (today) is the game day my friends host, let's get to it.

Pun of the Week:

We've got another punny holiday coming up on Saturday.  Third Saturday in March – Needle-less to say, Quilting Day is always sew much fun.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Sugar and Vice - A Hannah Swenson Mystery

Tuesday - Book Review: Vanished in the Crowd by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles

Wednesday - TV Show Review: The Brady Bunch - Season Two

Thursday - Book Review: Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz

Friday - Friday Post featuring Fatal Fried Rice

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - TV Show Review: The Amazing Race - Season 38

Tuesday - Book Review: Death at Tidal Creek by Caleb Wygal

Wednesday - Movie Review: Nelly Knows Mystery - All Manners of Murder

Thursday - Book Review: Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien

Friday - Friday Post featuring Broken Trust

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

Of course, I got books for my birthday.

The first book I got was The Pirate's Secret by LynDee Walker and Bruce Robert Coffin.  It's the third in a treasure hunt series.  I enjoyed the first, but the second not as much.  I want to give the series another try before I decide on it one way or another.

My other gift was The Glass Thief, the sixth Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery from Gigi Pandian.  I need to read book five still, but I really want to get caught up on this series this year, especially since Gigi just announced she's be writing more with these characters, the first of those new books coming out next year.  Anyway, I will hopefully get to this book this summer.

This last book was a birthday gift from the author.  Only, she didn't intend it as such.  The ebook version of Campfires & Corpses by Nikki Weber went on sale this week for...free!  I've had my eye on this book for a while, so I snagged it.  Maybe this will be the summer I get to the camping themed cozies I've gotten over the years.  Anyway, this book looks like it is still free as of me typing this Saturday morning.  

What I'm Currently Reading:

I'm hoping to get Frozen Stiff Drink by James J. Cudney finished before I head to game day.  But we'll see if I make it.  This is book six in a series, and I am determined to finish the series even though the writing is weak, making the entire book less fun to read.

Up next will be The Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman.  She's one of my favorite authors, so I'm sure I will love it, although it's a bit different since this is more of a coming of age story than a mystery/adventure.  At least I think it is.  It will be interesting to see what I think of it and how it unfolds.  But it has a connection to her book The Tightrope Walker, which I read last fall, so it made me want to read it.

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

March 14th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Wild Cards – I was not expecting something so intense.  Yes, I was taking that a bit more like a horror film than a typical episode.  As the Scream fan I am, I loved the nod to the franchise.  I didn’t zero in on the killer until the end, but I completely should have.  A very well-done episode.  And I noticed that most of the regulars weren’t in it.  With only a little reference to the ongoing story.

RJ Decker – A bit in poor taste, at least for me.  But I did enjoy the mystery of the episode overall.  I’m enjoying getting to know the characters a bit more.  I might stick around for more of this one.

Survivor – Well, Q protected his number 1.  Always like seeing someone dictating how the game should go being blindsided.  And it looks like it was unanimous.  The tribes really got switched up.  It will be interesting to see who wins next week.  I’m still surprised that we had a switch this soon.  Seems early to me.  But I’d love to see them switch again.  Oh, and I loved the guy complaining about things then admitting that he voted for the switch as well.

Happy’s Place – I was one week away from being there for the episode that Joanna Garcia Swisher was in.  Darn!  (Not that I am sorry I got to see last week’s episode taped.)  I loved that they had a couple of different times they did a wink and a nod to her.  And her impression at the end was so hysterically funny.  I guess we are going to do more with the speakeasy upstairs.  And I am curious to see what they are going to do with that relationship.

Friday the 13th's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday the 13th!  I'm celebrating with a Friday Post, where I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, my teaser will be coming from Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien.

This is book seven in her Noodle Shop Mysteries.  Yes, I still have some catching up to do since the thirteenth comes out later this year.  Anyway, here's now this book begins:

"If you tell anyone about this, I'm gonna have to kill you," I said, staring my best friend squarely in the eye.

And just what is the main character's secret?  I'm not telling (here).  Meanwhile, on page 56, we find this exchange:

A few minutes later, Megan poked her head out the door, waved, and jogged to the car.
She hopped into the passenger seat. "Kikko was going bonkers as I was heading out, so I left her with a bone. I think she knows something is up."
I chuckled. "Most likely. She was doing laps around the apartment this morning. I'm feeling kind of jittery myself."

I enjoyed this book.  I'll be reviewing it on Thursday, so I hope you'll come back and read what I thought.  (And my teaser just might spoil that secret from the opening sentence.  You just never know.)

Meanwhile, let's turn our attention the Book Blogger Hop for the week.  The question is:

Are there genres you read that you feel a little shy about?

I can't think of any.  Then again, I usually stick to mystery with the occasional middle grade book.  And I've reviewed every book I've read for years.

Book Review: Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz (Orphan X #11)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Evan in another interesting story

Cons: Darkness felt like it went too far

The Bottom Line:

Helping a woman

But trying to show restraint

Felt overly dark

Evan Must Control Himself

While I started out loving the series, I’ve struggled a bit with the recent books in the Orphan X series. Still, I went into Antihero, the most recent, hoping for another good thrill ride. While it was overly dark, I did enjoy it overall. 

If you haven’t met him yet, Evan Smoak is Orphan X. As a teen, he was pulled from foster care and trained to be a highly skilled assassin. He left the now defunct program and uses his skills to help those facing overwhelming odds against great evil. 

His latest call for help comes from a witness. A woman was taken off a New York City subway by four young men. When Evan manages to find the woman, she’s been horribly violated. Evan immediately goes after the men who did this to her, but she makes him promise not to kill them. Will he be able to keep his promise?

To be clear, these books are thrillers, and they are filled with the things I try to avoid in my reading choices. Usually, they are balanced well with the things I enjoy, but in this case, I felt like we got more details than we needed about the victimized woman’s time in captivity. I think there is a form of this story that cut down those few scenes without ruining the story. 

Then again, as Evan struggled with his promise and how to go about getting justice without killing the criminals, I was a bit disturbed about how much of a struggle it was for me not to want to see Evan kill them. Maybe it was those scenes I didn’t like that helped me understand that struggle. 

Over the course of the series, Evan’s central struggle is learning to be human again after his training drove all that from him. We get plenty of chances to see that, and it is always welcome. I feel like he made more progress in earlier books. In fact, one subplot ended where I thought those characters already were. Still I enjoyed that aspect again here overall. 

There are other series regulars, and they help bring those other sides of Evan out. And they help add some humor to lighten the book. It was nice to see a couple who haven’t been around recently pop up again. 

And the mission itself? It kept me engaged and kept the pages turning as I read. 

Those who enjoy thrillers more than I do will devour Antihero. Those who are more sensitive, like me, will want to proceed with caution. 

Here are the rest of the Orphan X thrillers.

TV Show Review: The Brady Bunch - Season 2

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Charming and wholesome stories that will make you smile if not laugh

Cons: Dated and unrealistic, but that’s part of the charm. 

The Bottom Line:

Bradys – second dose

Still dated but still charming

And still fun today

“Well, We Managed to Survive Another Crisis.”

While I was never a super fan of The Brady Bunch, I watched the show enough over the years that I’ve seen many of the episodes. And, while the show is definitely a groovy time capsule, there is still something fun and charming about it, especially in season two. 

Just in case you’ve missed this particular bit of pop culture, this sitcom tells the story of the Brady family, which is formed when Mike (Robert Reed) married Carol (Florence Henderson). Of course, they each have their own three kids they are brining into the marriage. Mike’s three kids are Greg (Barry Williams), Peter (Christopher Knight), and Bobby (Mike Lookinland), while Carol has three daughters, Marcia (Maureen McCormick), Jan (Eve Plumb), and Cindy (Susan Olsen). Rounding out the bunch is their housekeeper, Alice (Ann B. Davis). 

Over the course of this season Greg and Marcia are left in charge for the first time.  Marcia also has a big sleepover.  Greg makes a home movie about the first Thanksgiving.  Jan makes up a boyfriend and buys a wig in separate efforts to stand out from Marcia.  Jan’s practical jokes and Cindy’s tattle tailing get out of hand.  Peter breaks Carol’s favorite vase, and everyone else confesses to the deed.  Bobby takes up the drums.  The family tries to save a local park…but Mike’s firm is designing the new building that is supposed to be put there.  And Carol decides to try her hand at writing a story, using the family as inspiration.

Then there’s my personal favorite from the season. Cindy is scared after seeing a vanishing act at a magic show just as Peter starts working on a magic act. 

And that episode perfectly captures why this show is still so popular today. Oh, you can point out how unrealistic it is, and you’d be right. And, every situation is resolved in 24 minutes? Must be nice. But that’s also the draw. We want to live in a world where family cares for each other. There are some truly sweet moments. It’s a perfect escape from the real world. And that’s okay. 

As a sitcom, I’m not sure how often I laugh out loud, but it is still charming, keeping me smiling. Since this was filmed on a sound stage with one camera instead of multiple cameras in front of a live audience, we get a fake laugh track. 

Thanks to an effort to cut costs, all of the kids but Greg miss an episode this season. A couple of times it’s obvious, but occasionally, you only notice if you are truly paying close attention. 

The acting is fine here. It’s not going to win any awards, but it is good enough to pull you into the story each week. Notable guest stars are Don Drysdale and Deacon Jones, both sports legends of the day.

In the first season, I found the episodes dragged a bit. Here, that wasn’t the case. Sometimes, that’s thanks to a B story that winds up tying into the main storyline. Other times, the writers find that extra plot point that keeps the story interesting. 

And, as I stated earlier, this show is definitely dated. These episodes aired in 1970 and 1971. Between the styles, the decor, and the groovy language, you definitely notice. But, somehow, that is still part of the charm. 

I get this show might not be for everyone or every mood. But if you are looking for a light escape from your cares, you will find yourself enjoying season two of The Brady Bunch. 

Book Review: Vanished in the Crowd by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles (Molly Murphy #22)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Molly and the rest of the regulars, historical setting

Cons: Theme becomes lecture, uneven plot

The Bottom Line:

Tons of tourists

But can Molly find just one?

Uneven entry

The Theme Never Vanished - And That’s a Problem

I’ve been a fan of the Molly Murphy series since the beginning. But the recent entries have been a bit uneven. Sadly, Vanished in the Crowd is one of the weaker ones. 

When we first met Molly, she was an immigrant on the run coming through Ellis Island in 1901. Over the previous 21 books, we’ve watched her make her own living as a detective and fall in love with Daniel Sullivan. The two are now married, raising their own two children and a young teen they’ve adopted along the way. While Molly officially gave up being a detective when she married, that hasn’t stopped her from getting involved in some rather mysterious situations in the years since. 

In this book, we join Molly in September of 1909. New York City is bursting at the seams as an estimated two million visitors are in town for a celebration or the three hundredth anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discovery of the Hudson River. Some of those visitors are staying with Molly’s dear neighbors Sid and Gus. However, one of those women never arrives. No one seems to know where she is; even her husband doesn’t know. So Molly agreed to try to find her. But in a large city overflowing with people, where can she even start?

There was a good mystery here. Well, a potentially good mystery, anyway. I was caught up in the events early on and was interested in seeing how Molly would succeed and what she’d uncover along the way. But, the end was a bit weaker than I hoped since I figured out things before Molly did. 

Then there’s my usual complaint about Molly’s husband. Each book, he seems to make progress toward accepting how good a detective she is. Then we regress back to his old attitude for the start of the next book. I get it – his attitude is realistic for the time. But I am so tired of seeing this “character development” happen over and over again. It’s time to move on to something else. 

Which brings us to the theme. We are talking about women’s rights in general and the right to vote in particular. Now, hear me carefully. The status women had in society in 1909 was bad. We needed the changes we’ve had in society since then. And, as part of a mystery, I don’t mind that. But we got more than that here. We had characters talking about how it wasn’t right followed by Molly thinking about it in the first-person narration. Then we’d have another scene talking about it. It felt like much more of a lecture than part of a mystery. 

Which is a shame because I still find the characters charming. Yes, even Daniel can be charming. I want to enjoy my time with them. 

And I always enjoy the bits of history we get in these books. 

Having said all of this, I will definitely be picking up the next in the series as soon as possible. And other fans will be joining me. 

I do enjoy my time with Molly even if the stories could be stronger. Long time fans will feel the same when they set down Vanished in the Crowd. 

Enjoy more of Molly’s NYC with the rest of the Molly Murphy Mysteries. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Movie Review: Sugar and Vice - A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Entertaining mystery

Cons: Usual dose of Hallmark cheese

The Bottom Line:

Party in a storm

Of course there’s a dead body

Entertaining film

“Never Been Here for This Part Before.”  “What Part?”  “The Part Where You Find the Dead Body.”

Hallmark has gotten a late start with new mystery movies in 2026.  But we finally got a new one, and it’s a new entry in their long running Hannah Swensen Mysteries.  Since I’ve been a fan of the books since the first and the movies turned me on to Hallmark’s mystery movies, I’m always anxious to watch the new one.  Sugar and Vice was entertaining as always.

At this point, the movies are pretty much their own thing.  We aren’t even trying to follow the books anymore.  This is true with the characters as well as the plots.  For example, this one claims to be based on Sugar Cookie Murder, but the victim is different.  And the people running the Lake Eden Inn and Spa aren’t the characters from the series.

And that’s about all the thought I give it.  I’ve accepted that, and I sit down to watch and enjoy this version of the characters I know and love.

As this movie opens, the Lake Eden Inn and Spa is about to have their grand reopening.  While all the work isn’t done, enough is that they can show off their remodeling.  They are planning a costume contest with cookies provided by Hannah (Allison Sweeney).  While she will be working, she will also be a guest, enjoying the evening with her new boyfriend, Chad (Victor Webster).  Naturally, her mother, Delores (Barbara Niven), will be there, too.

But, part way through the event, Hannah finds another dead body – this time a member of the staff.  With a storm brewing outside, the guests are trapped.  Can Hannah figure out what happened before the killer strikes again or the roads are cleared from the storm?

While we just know about the storm from characters talking about it, it does allow the movie a good opportunity to cut out some of the supporting characters without being too obvious.  Yes, we get some scenes that aren’t at the party, which made me happy.  But we can focus on the suspects and the mystery unfolding.

I’ve got to admit; I thought I had things figured out fairly early on.  I was right about part of it and wrong about part of it.  I was impressed with how the mystery unfolded.  And the climax was great.

As is often the case with these movies, we definitely have a low budget cheese factor.  It wasn’t as much the sets in this case, but in some of the performances.  Allison Sweeney not only starred but also wrote this movie, which is one reason why most of the dialogue seems to work.  Anyway, if you’ve been watching these movies, or Hallmark movies in general, you pretty much know what to expect when you sit down to watch this movie, and that’s what you get.

I’m happy to see that another Hannah Swensen movie is in the works.  I’ll be back to see what she bakes up next.  But, in the meantime, fans will delight in Sugar and Vice.