Book Review: Murder by Design by Lee Goldberg (Edison Bixby #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun new characters in an interesting mystery

Cons: Some of the humor doesn’t work, the ending was a little weak for me

The Bottom Line:

A tricky murder

Can Bixby catch the killer?

Fun series debut

Has Someone Designed the Perfect Murder?

I’ve been reading Lee Goldberg for years.  While there are a few of his earlier books I still haven’t gone back to read, I automatically start any new series he comes out with.  So, reading Murder By Design, the first in a new series, was a no brainer for me.

This book introduces us to Edison Bixby, a brilliant and handsome detective who, due to being shot while on the job with the LAPD, has a condition that makes him say whatever he is thinking.  His rudeness led to him being let go from the Los Angeles police department, but he works as an investigator for an insurance company.  In classic mystery fashion, he has an assistant, and the book is told from that assistant’s point of view.  In this case, it is aspiring actor Wally Nash, the latest in a line of assistants who are supposed to help smooth over Bixby’s interactions.

Wally has barely started with the pair get their first case.  A woman died in a Southern California mall due to a poorly built step in some new construction, and the insurance company wants to use Bixby’s incredibly mind for spotting design flaws to make sure it truly was negligence before they pay out.  However, what Bixby finds is evidence of something much more nefarious.  Is he right that it was murder?  If so, can he find the person behind it?

This book knows where it stands in the pantheon of mystery fiction, and it doesn’t pretend that the brilliant detective with the sidekick is anything new, referencing a few of those pairings.  And no, Bixby isn’t just a clone of Monk, although there are certainly some similarities.  Wally is an over thinking actor, and his contributions to the case and the book are fun.

I will say, for someone with a brain injury that makes him impulsively rude, I found many of Bixby’s insulting comments to be rather mild.  I’m not saying they are okay, but they definitely could have been worse.  So don’t let that keep you from picking up the book.

There is a lot of humor in this book, and it often worked for me.  I laughed and smiled as I read through the story.  There are a few times when the book was trying to be clever and funny, and it didn’t work.  That’s par for the course in Lee’s books.

And the mystery itself?  I enjoyed it with plenty to keep me engaged.  I did feel the ending was a little weak, but that might just be me.

This isn’t a cozy mystery, but the non-cozy content never gets excessive.

Oh, and I have to mention Bixby’s house.  I so want to move in!

This new series is set in the same world as the author’s Eve Ronin books since a supporting character from that series has a cameo here.  I wonder if that will play into any future books in either series.  But don’t worry, you can pick this up without knowing anything about that series and follow this story perfectly.

Overall, I enjoyed Murder by Design.  I’m not sure how many books this premise will support, but I am looking forward to finding out.

Ornament Review: Two Turtle Doves - Twelve Days of Christmas #2 - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Great looking ornament 

Cons: A bit bigger than I like

The Bottom Line:

Turtle doves couple

Basis for series second

Still large but looks good

Loving This Second Twelve Days Ornament

I’m laughing at myself. First, I said I wasn’t starting the new Twelve Days of Christmas series that Hallmark started in 2024. Then, I got the first ornament after Christmas and I told myself I would see how I felt the next year whether I continued it or not. At least I waited until after Christmas to buy Two Turtle Doves. 

This new take on the series is using papercraft elements. The shape of the ornament is a giant window shape. Right in the middle, we have the two birds. One is in front of the other, but they are positioned in their nest so that they are looking at each other. Surrounding them we have music and evergreen tree branches. And up at the top is a hole that lets some light into the ornament, depending on how you position it. 

I really do like the style of this series. I’m not sold on papercraft for everything, but as another stylized take on the familiar song, it works well. The birds are a pretty lavender color. 

My issue with the series continues to be the size. This is the larger size ornaments that Hallmark sometimes does. I can see why they went with it here, but still, it takes up a lot of area on my trees. 

In addition to the series marker, but back of the ornament contains the full verse of the song.

The ornament comes with a ribbon already in it. No surprise that it hangs straight. The base is wide enough that you could set this out to be displayed if you wanted.  A good bump could cause it to tip over, but it should be stable in most situations.

Yeah, I think I’m in for the next ten years to get the rest of this series. With the increases in price we got last year, that’s going to be expensive.

But that’s future me’s problem. For now, I’m glad I snagged Two Turtle Doves. 

Check out the rest of this Twelve Days of Christmas series. 

Father's Day's Sunday/Monday Post

That time of a week again!  I'll be linking my Sunday/Monday Post to:

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

Another quiet week around here.  I went paddle boarding with a friend on Friday night after work again.  I've made it out all three weeks since I got my pass at the beginning of the month.

I do have a bit of a rant.  I bought something on eBay Tuesday night.  It was a localish vendor (not my city, but I could be there in 30 minutes or so).  Claimed to be a fast shipper.  I figured I'd have it by now.  Nope.  They haven't even shipped it yet.  Technically, the predicted arrival window starts on Saturday the 20th.  But seriously?  You claim to be a fast shipper and you haven't even shipped it yet?  Yeah, not happy.  Yes, it's definitely a first world problem, but I'm am still going to complain about it.

Let's see, other than that, it cooled down here this week.  We actually had some June gloom with gray skies in the morning before we did get sun in the afternoon.  After being in the 90's, we were only in the 70's most of this week.  Should be a little warmer this coming week, fortunately.

And Saturday night, I met up with a friend for dinner.  It was great catching up with her.

Think that's about all the news here.

Joke of the Week:

I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Upgrade

Tuesday - Book Review: Lost and Clowned by Dana Mentink

Wednesday - TV Show Review: Step by Step - Season 2

Thursday - Book Review: Murder Takes the Stage by Colleen Cambridge

Friday - Friday Post featuring The Quirky Quiz Show Caper

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Ornament Review: Two Turtle Doves

Tuesday - Book Review: Murder by Design by Lee Goldberg

Wednesday - Book Review: The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly

Thursday - Book Review: The Quirky Quiz Show Caper by Sally Carpenter

Friday - Friday Post featuring Murder at Ochre Court

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

Let's kick things off this week with All Aboard for Murder by Ellen Byron.  This is book three in her Golden Motel Mysteries.  I really enjoyed the first two books, so I can't wait to read this one and find out what is going on with these characters.

Then I went on a bit of an ebook shopping spree.  And I have a feeling another one is coming soon.

It's been a while since I read any of Jacqueline Vicks books.  While I have the first in a series from her that I haven't read yet, we'll blame it on the fact that I don't have the next books in the Frankie Chandler Pet Psychic Mysteries.  But now I have no excuse since I just bought books seven and eight in the series, Some Like Murder Hot and A Spinning Wheel of Murder.  

I also got the next Anty Boisjoly Mystery from PJ Fitzsimmons, The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich.  I enjoy this series, so this should be another good one.

Finally, I got the first from a new author.  Cool Change by Kevin Zelenka features a retired military police officer who finds himself involved in a murder in a small Minnesota town.  Hopefully, it's good.

What I'm Currently Reading:

I'm working my way through Death on the Back Nine, book six in Caleb Wygal's Myrtle Beach Mysteries.  I haven't been focused on reading as much the last few days as normal, so I haven't made it as far as I had hoped.  I am intrigued by what is going on in this book, however.  Hopefully, I'll get some focused reading time on Sunday so I can finish it up on Monday.

Have a great week!

June 20th's Weekly TV Thoughts

American Ninja Warrior – I always worry when people start trying to go too fast that it will make them fall.  At least this time, he’d made it far enough.  I’m happy for Kai and his engagement.  Nice to see the Godfather moving on as well.  

Juneteenth's Friday Post

It's Friday! Time for this week's Friday Post, where I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

The teasers for the first three will be coming from The Quirky Quiz Show Caper by Sally Carpenter.

This is book four in her Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mysteries.  And here's how the book begins:

Strange that the music I'd made popular in the 1970s sounded unbearably cheesy when played on a four-manual Wurlitzer theater organ.

Definitely a bit of fun to start the book.  But on page 56, the mystery has definitely kicked in:

"Where is the knife, Dr. Farmington?" The detective said this more like a command than a question.

It had been a while since I picked up a book in this series, and I enjoyed getting to revisit the characters.  Look for my review to come on Thursday.

Meanwhile, shall we get to this week's Book Blogger Hop?  The question is:

If you could pick any fictional character to live with, who would it be, and how would they change your daily life? 

Considering I used to day dream of living with Trixie Belden and the rest of the Bob Whites, that's my  answer.  For those who don't know her, Trixie is a teen detective kind of like the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew.  The Bob Whites are her brothers and their group of friends.  And yes, they solved lots of mysteries.  Obviously, getting involved in real life mysteries would significantly change my life.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Murder Takes the Stage by Colleen Cambridge (Phyllida Bright Mysteries #4)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Growth for Phyllida, entertaining mystery

Cons: Lots of events disguise little investigative progress

The Bottom Line:

A death on the stage

And look at Phyllida’s past

Book that entertains

A Brutal Crime

Colleen Cambridge’s Phyllida Bright Mysteries are another series I’m trying to catch up on this year.  As a result, I sat down with Murder Takes the Stage, the fourth in the series.  It was a lot of fun.

This book finds us in a new setting as Phyllida, housekeeper for famed mystery author Agatha Christie, is in London.  Agatha along with her second husband, Max, is there to oversee a potential adaptation of one of her Poirot stories for the stage.  Phyllida is less than enthused about being back in London.  She’s hoping to stay in the house that the couple has rented and oversee the household that has come along to avoid any potential unpleasantness.

But fate has other ideas.  The potential producers for Agatha’s play are hit with a death on one of their current productions when Archibald Allston is found dead in an armchair the week before the play is supposed to open.  Phyllida doesn’t see any signs of foul play, but she begins to second guess her observations when the man playing Benvolio in a production of Romeo and Juliette is bludgeoned to death on the balcony of a different theater the next day.  Can Phyllida discover what is happening before another death occurs?

This is the part of the review that I once again confess my lack of knowledge about Agatha Christie books.  I know, I know.  I really need to fix that.  Each book in the series takes some cues from a famous Agatha Christie novel.  Obviously, I can’t tell how similar the two books are, but I did want to acknowledge the comparison.

In earlier books, we’ve gotten hints about Phyllida’s backstory, but nothing remotely concrete.  I was happy to see we finally got some answers here.  While there might be more, I’m happy with what we got, at least for now.  And I’m curious if Phyllida’s friendship with Agatha (that lead to her working for the author) might play into something from Agatha’s past.  I guess I’ll have to keep reading to find out.

Even though we were in London, enough of the familiar staff came along that it still felt like an entry in the series.  I enjoyed how some of those relationships grew here, and I’m very curious to see where things go soon.

As to the mystery itself, I felt like it substituted events for actual deduction at times, meaning the story wasn’t really moving forward even thought there were events that had me entertained.  It’s a fine line, and I may be the only one who cares about it.  But overall, I thought the story was solid with a good slew of new characters to keep us entertained.  And the ending, while a bit overly dramatic, fit in with the series and answered our questions.

I’m glad I have the next book in the series already since I do want to see where the characters go from here.  Fans will get caught up in Murder Takes the Stage.

Here are the rest of the Phyllida Bright Mysteries.

TV Show Review: Step by Step - Season 2

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: More laughs as the characters get stronger

Cons: The writing still needs to find ways to use all the characters better

The Bottom Line:

A step family

Learning to blend in sitcom

Glad I found these laughs

“We Tried to Help and Both Kids are Miserable.  I Think Our Work Here is Done.”

My journey through 90’s sitcom Step by Step continues with season two.  With when this show ended, I never watched it when it was originally on.  I didn’t really begin to hear much about it until I started listening to some rewatch podcasts that mentioned it.  So, I’m watching this show now blind.  But I’m glad I am giving it a chance since I am really enjoying it.

If you’ve missed it, this was a 90’s take on a blended family sitcom.  The parents are Frank and Carol (Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Somers) who each brought three kids into their second marriage.  Frank’s three kids are J.T., Al, and Brendan (Brandon Call, Christine Lakin, and Josh Byrne) while Carol’s three kids are Dana, Karen, and Mark (Staci Keanan, Angela Watson, and Christopher Castile).  Rounding out the main cast is the required goofy character, in this case, Frank’s nephew Cody (Sasha Mitchell). 

Fans know that there is a cast change between seasons one and two.  Carol’s mother and sister, regular characters in season one, aren’t back.  And, in true 90’s sitcom fashion, they are never mentioned this season.  Considering they worked with Carol in her beauty salon, that’s quite an omission.  Honestly, with nine characters for the writers to juggle, they had plenty of characters to try to write for each week.  And, with how underutilized these two characters were in the first season, it’s no surprise they didn’t return.

So, what does happen this season?  Dana takes the SAT and is surprised to find Cody taking them as well.  All the kids struggle to adjust to the new school year, with Al’s cooking being bad, Mark struggling in wood shop, and J.T. having an unfair English teacher.  J.T. starts a Wayne’s World knock off on the local cable access station.  (Truly, those two episodes are horrible.)  Dana finds out being a boss is harder than she expected when she is hired as the manager of a 50’s themed café with Karen and J.T. as her employees.  An overdue video under Brendan’s bed prompts the family to cut down their spending.  Cody inherits money from the resident of a retirement home he regularly visits.  And the family wins a trip to Hawaii.  Plus watch for a very fun storyline poking fun at Christopher Castile’s role in the recent (at the time) hit movie Beethoven.

While I did enjoy season one, I found the writing stronger here for the most part.  Many of the episodes included some wonderful laugh out loud moments and some tender moments as well.  Still, the writers are struggling to find things for all the characters to do.  Even with two storylines per episode, the younger kids often get under served, especially poor Brendan, who somethings only has a line or two.  While all the characters get at least one episode focused on them this season, you can tell who the writers favored by who has more.  It’s definitely not even.

Not that I’m blaming the writers.  There are twenty-four episodes this season, and that’s a lot of work.  If there are characters it’s easier to come up with storylines for, it’s going to be natural to focus on them more.  Still, I hope things even out a little going forward.

One thing that makes this sitcom stand out is that not all the characters like each other.  Frank and Carol got married before the kids had even met each other, so they are trying to navigate that while all living under one roof.  That makes for some great one liners and insults.  And, we do see more evidence that those relationships and bonds are growing this season, which I appreciate.  It’s more realistic than some shows while not being as spiteful as others. 

The actors are all killing it this season.  They are getting more familiar with their characters, and they are hitting the jokes well.  I find everyone a joy to watch.

As I said earlier, the jokes are funny.  Yes, it’s a typical family sitcom in that department, but I love sitcoms, so I’m really enjoying getting to laugh at these characters as I get to know them better.  In addition to the dialogue, the cast does some great physical comedy, especially the adults.

The show is already diving into some very special episodes this season.  I’m thinking especially of a couple this season involving teenage sex lives, and I appreciated how both were handled.  Of course, I would have preferred they not be included at all since I cringed more than laughed, but if they had to be here, this was a nice way to handle the topics.

This season featured 24 episodes.  The show doesn’t appear to be available for streaming, but I got it on DVD.  We don’t have any extras, but the show looks and sounds great for a 90’s sitcom.

I’m so glad I found Step by Step.  I’m truly enjoying getting to know these characters and watching what happens despite some minor flaws.  Now that I’ve finished season two, I’m looking forward to diving into season three.

Book Review: Lost and Clowned by Dana Mentink

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Good story and interesting characters

Cons: Pi a couple of times; pacing a couple of times

The Bottom Line:

A circus attack

Troop member responsible?

A great standalone

Finding a Killer is a Circus

I enjoyed the four Shake Shop Mysteries that Dana Mentink wrote, so I was very curious to read Lost and Clowned, a rare standalone cozy set in the world of a traveling circus.  It may have taken me a while to get it and read it, but I’m glad I did since I enjoyed it.

Pi Steely (yes, that’s her real name) is the business manager and a clown in the traveling circus her uncle owns.  It’s the first place in her life she’s felt at home, and she loves her life and feels like her fellow performers are family.  The time around Christmas is always a dead time, and this year, the circus is spending it in a small California coastal town.  They are spending the down time working on a new act, even putting on a short show for the locals to try out the material.

However, the next morning, Pi stumbles on a body on the beach.  She recognizes the woman as someone who attended the show the day before.  The detective is certain that a member of the circus is responsible for the crime.  Pi is quick to dismiss that, but as secrets start coming out, she begins to wonder if the detective is right.  Is someone in the circus a killer?

If you are expecting the book to be filled with wildly outrageous characters, you’ll be disappointed.  While the characters might have a few more quirks than in a typical cozy, they still feel very grounded and realistic.  These are not circus freaks, these are people who happen to work in a circus.  I did have a hard time keeping them all straight early on, but as the story unfolded, I was able to remember who they were.  I did find Pi a little immature for her mid-twenties a couple of times, but maybe that was just me.

I did find the pacing off a time or two, but it never lasted for long.  We get enough time to meet the characters and the circus setting before the story kicks off.  And there is plenty going on.  I was hooked as Pi tried to figure out what was going on.  This included a shock in her personal life.  The ultimate solution made sense, and the climax kept me hooked.

The tone was a bit more serious than I was expecting for a circus setting, but it fit the story being told perfectly.  And there were moments of fun along the way.

And, yes, I enjoyed the setting.  There are some references to places I recognized in Northern California, which always made me smile.

Given the author has written plenty of other books since she released this one, I do think this is a standalone, which is very rare in the cozy subgenre.  And, given the nature of this story, I’m not sure I see how a series would flow out of this book.  But if she were to release a sequel, I’d pick it up.

I’m glad I finally got to enjoy Lost and Clowned.  This is a book to pick up if you are looking for a different cozy.

Movie Review: Upgrade

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Interesting premise

Cons: Several overly violent scenes; ending doesn’t quite work

The Bottom Line:

Creative premise

Marred by violence, ending

So does not quite work

When Technology Seems Too Good to be True

I hadn’t heard of the movie Upgrade until a friend suggested it for a movie night.  It sounded intriguing from his description, so we gave it a try.  There was certainly an interest premise in the movie, but the execution didn’t quite work.

The movie is set is the near future and tells the story of Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green).  He’s happy with his life rebuilding classic cars while his wife, Asha (Melanie Vallejo) brings in the big bucks working for a tech company.  They are happy until one night when their self-driving car suddenly crashes in the bad part of town.  They are attacked after the accident.  Grey is left a quadriplegic, but Asha is killed.

Grey is offered a chance at a normal life from billionaire Eron Keen (Harrison Gilbertson).  Eron has a new technology that could help Grey walk again just like nothing had ever happened.  Grey is supposed to keep this a secret from everyone, however.  But when he returns home, Grey discovers that he has a few unexpected upgrades in his life.  Will they help him find the men who killed his wife?

This movie can’t quite decide what it wants to be.  It is part mystery/thriller.  As an avid mystery reader, I enjoyed that aspect of things.  It is part science fiction movie, with the near future setting and the upgraded technology.  And there are another couple of genres mixed in as well that I don’t want to get into so as not to spoil things.  It’s not that these parts can’t mix.  They just don’t quite seem to completely mix here.

I did like Grey.  The more he is pulled into his strange new life, the more I was pulled into the movie.  I couldn’t figure out where exactly it was going, which was a good thing.  The credit for this goes to Logan Marshall-Green.  He has to carry much of the movie on his shoulders, and he does a great job of it.  This isn’t to diminish the performances of the rest of the cast.  They just don’t have the same amount of screen time he does.

Despite the futuristic setting, there aren’t a ton of special effects.  What there are work well, however.  Likewise, the stunts are good.

There are two places where the movie falls apart.  One of the violence.  There are several pretty graphic scenes that weren’t needed.  They could have gotten the story points across with much less graphic images.

The second is the ending.  It many ways, it felt like the movie just stopped instead of ending.  Part of that comes from some late breaking twists that don’t wrap everything up and make us question why some of the earlier things that happened happened.

The premise for Upgrade was good, but there were some flaws in the execution that made me feel the writing needed an upgrade.

Flag Day's Sunday/Monday Post

Happy Flag Day!  (At least here in the USA.)  Let's celebrate with a Sunday/Monday Post where I will link up to:

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

I got the extra reporting finished up at work.  I didn't make it quite as far with the account recs as I had hoped, but I am in good shape with them.

This coming Monday marks that day I thought I would be working in the office four days a week.  Instead, it will mark the beginning of week four of working from home again full time.  Still rather hard to believe.  I hope they don't change their mind at some point.

I went out paddle boarding again on Thursday.  This time I met up with a friend and his daughter.  They were in their kayaks while I was on my board.  It was nice to chill with them.

And, since today is game day and I have much to do before I go, let's get on with it, shall we?

Joke of the Week:

I wondered why that Frisbee kept getting bigger.  Then it hit me.

(As a retired ultimate Frisbee player, I prefer this version of the joke.)

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Hot Stuff by Don Bruns

Tuesday - Ornament Review: Gardener Mickey

Wednesday - Book Review: Crown of Chaos by Sarah E. Burr

Thursday - Movie Review: Supergirl (1984)

Friday - Book Review: Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Upgrade

Tuesday - Book Review: Lost and Clowned by Dana Mentink

Wednesday - TV Show Review: Step by Step - Season 2

Thursday - Book Review: Murder Takes the Stage by Colleen Cambridge

Friday - Friday Post

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I've just got three books to tell you about this week.  I can hardly believe it myself.

The first is The Quirky Quiz Show Caper by Sally Carpenter.  This is book four in the series.  I'd gotten book five a couple of weeks back and told you that I should be getting book four soon.  Here it is.  Actually, I've already read it and enjoyed it, so look for that review coming soon.

I also got Mystery Most Senior, the anthology from this year's Malice Domestic convention in April.  Author Ellen Byron did a giveaway for a copy signed by her and Jacqueline Winspear, the Lifetime Achievement Honoree from this year's convention.  I'm really glad I won it since I haven't seen it pop up for sale anywhere yet, and I did want to get it.

Finally, I decided it was time for another audio book.  Since this was a last minute decision, I was lucky to get my first choice, The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly.  It's the next in my effort to read all of Connelly's books in order, and it's one I've been anxious to read since it came out in 2020.  I just had to get here.

What I'm Currently Reading:

Yep, I've already started The Law of Innocence.  I'm not quite an hour into it, and it's is a twelve and a half hour audio book, so I have my listening cut out for me.  But yes, I am completely hooked already.

I'm also working on Pour Choices, the second Mixology Lounge Mystery from Adrian Andover.  I'm about 45% into my eARC of this book and really enjoying it so far.  This time, the comedian at an event the main character is hosting at his cocktail lounge is killed the next morning.  The book will be out June 30th, and I'll have my full review up then.

If everything goes according to plan, I will be on to Murder at Ochre Court by Alyssa Maxwell on Monday.  I'm anxious to get back to her Gilded Newport Mysteries.  Hard to believe I'll be starting July books that early, isn't it?  But I do want to stay this far ahead of my posting dates.

That's it for me.  Have a great week!

June 13th's Weekly TV Thoughts

I've got two shows this week...for one week.  The Quiz with Balls is taking a few weeks off, I suspect for the soccer tournament.

American Ninja Warrior – From something I read, I thought this filmed last October.  But, you couldn’t update the narration?  I mean, talking about someone hoping to make the winter Olympics team for the Olympics that just happened?  Weird.  There were another couple of moments like that.  Overall, it was nice to see old favorites back and most of them doing well.  I knew poor Lance wouldn’t do well when he went first.

The Quiz with Balls – As always, there are many questions and categories I would have struggled with, but I was almost screaming at my TV during the fictional detective question.  They missed one of the most classic detectives every!  Granted, I didn’t know the one from Miami Vice since I’ve never watched the show or movies.  And yes, the theme was perfect with the World's Cup starting this week.  Almost as if they planned it that way.

Book Review: Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Fun word play and premise

Cons: One less main character would have helped

The Bottom Line:

A school for murder

There is fun to be had here

Needed more focus

Planning the Perfect…Deletion

I think I first heard about Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide when it first came out.  And, I heard such great things about the audio version I put it on my list to get from the library…and forgot about it when it came time to get new audiobooks.  I was locked into my typical rotation.  But I finally checked it out.  While I enjoyed parts of it, it needed some work.

If you’ve never heard of McMasters, there’s a reason for that.  It’s a prestigious and completely unknown place of higher learning.  But, unlike most campuses, it has only one subject matter – murder.  The students come from all over the world to the campus, wherever it might be, to learn how to get away with the perfect crime.  But students are given a rigorous admissions process beforehand to make sure they are going to kill someone who actually deserves it.  We have to be ethical about it, after all.  Once the student graduates, they must complete their thesis (that perfect murder) or face consequences from McMasters.

The book takes us back to the 1950’s and tells us the story of three students who were at McMasters at the same time.  Cliff Iverson wants to get rid of his former boss in order to make sure potentially lethal changes aren’t made to an airplane design.  Gemma Lindley is a hospital administration who is being blackmailed by her boss.  And Dulcie Mown is an actress who is being held to her contract by a studio boss who is interested in only one thing.  I’m sure you can guess what it is.  Will these three learn enough to complete their graduate thesis successfully?

When I first started this book, I thought I was in for a fun ride.  It’s told a bit differently.  It is presented as a handbook for those of us who can’t attend the school as written by an administrator.  Parts of it are taken from Cliff’s journal that he is keeping so his mysterious benefactor can learn how things are going.

And we get some fun word play, like deletion instead of murder or the graduate thesis I’ve already talked about.  Lover of puns and word play that I am, I was eating this up.  And I found the discussions of ethics ironically fun as well.

However, as the book went along, I found it less fun.  The word play became routine with nothing really new to make it stand out.

The biggest flaw, in my mind, was the three stories.  While the characters interacted while on campus, we had to return to the real world as some point, right?  And, for this portion, we try to follow all three of them.  It was hard to really do that since we were jumping into each of the lead’s lives and I had a hard time keeping all of their supporting players straight.  I think if we’d just focused on two characters it would have helped.

For the audio version, Neal Patrick Harris narrated Cliff’s journals, with the rest being narrated by Simon Vance.  Both were great at bringing the story to life.

Yes, I had fun with Murder Your Employer, but it tried to do a bit too much to be a truly satisfying read.

Movie Review: Supergirl (1984)

Stars: 1 out of 5

Pros: Brenda Vaccaro’s performance is fun

Cons: The rest of the movie is a mess

The Bottom Line:

Story has plot holes

Honestly, not much works here

You can skip this one

“You’re Superman’s Best Friend?”  “No, He’s My Cousin.”

I’d heard bad things about 1984’s Supergirl, but I was still curious about it.  And, since it was available on one of my streaming services, I figured I should give it a chance.  You know those bad things I’d heard about it?  They were all true.

Our story opens in Argo City, a giant floating ship filled with refugees from Krypton.  Among them is Kara-El (Helen Slater), who, when we meet her, is playing with the sphere that powers the entire ship.  Shocking, it gets away from her, dooming all those on the ship unless it is retrieved from Earth, where it landed.  So, Kara-El goes to retrieve it.

Unfortunately, before she lands, it is found by Selena (Faye Dunaway), a witch.  It actually makes her able to do magic, so Selena wants to keep it, figuring it will help her plans to take over the world.  Will Kara-El be able to find it?

This movie had so many plot holes you could have floated Argo City through each of them.  Okay, so Kara-El wasn’t the one who took the sphere in the first place, but still, why would anyone do that if it is what is keeping everyone alive?  Why, when Kara-El lands on Earth, did she bother taking on a secret identity since her parents and friends’ lives were dependent on her bringing the sphere back as quickly as possible?  How did Selena find a way to tap into some of the Superman mythos at random?  Why did Kara-El emerge from her pod in a costume so much like Superman’s?

Okay, so Kara-El’s secret identity was there to introduce us to characters from the Superman stories.  Her roommate is Lucy Lane, as played by Maureen Teefy.  And Lucy just happens to be dating Jimmy Olsen, as played by Marc McClure, the only actor from the Superman movies to show up here.  But still, that seemed to slow down what was supposed to be a ticking clock story.

I don’t know that I feel like the plot ever made up for the plot holes.  While it wasn’t quite as bad as a random series of events, it did throw in some truly random things, as if the writers really didn’t know what to do and had to fill screen time while including things Superman fans know about.  Even so, you can pretty much guess where it is going early on.  It’s just the details you’ll have no way of predicting.

Then there’s the acting.  Most of the cast is playing things so over the top it doesn’t work.  There’s fun camp, and then there’s this.  The exception to this is Brenda Vaccaro who plays Selena’s sidekick with the right level of camp and sarcasm.  I found her fun.  I’ve seen Helen Slater in other things, most noticeably in the recent TV show Supergirl, so I know she can do a wonderful job when given good material.  This wasn’t it.  Same holds true for others in the cast.

Of course, the effects are dated.  This came out in 1984, after all.  Even then, I’ve seen better effects from that time period.  Or maybe, I was just enjoying those movies more so I was more forgiving.

There’s a reason you haven’t heard much about 1984’s Supergirl.  And there’s no reason to seek this out to watch it.

Book Review: Crown of Chaos by Sarah E. Burr (Court of Mysteries #9)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Page turning story

Cons: Is Jax turning arrogant?

The Bottom Line:

War council is here

Bringing chaos in fire, death

Page turner for fans

Is War on the Horizon?

The Court of Mystery series from Sarah E. Burr has become a mix of mystery and political intrigue.  The ongoing political storyline comes to a head in Crown of Chaos, the ninth book in the series, and I couldn’t put it down.

This series is a bit different.  It’s set in a fictional continent made up of independent nations.  The main character is Jacqueline Arienta Xavier, Jax to her friends, the ruler of the most powerful of the kingdoms.  As she’s tried to introduce some reforms into her own country, she has encountered resistance from some of the other rulers.  This has led her to call for a War Council, a rarely used provision to bring all the leaders to one place.  And that war council is finally set to take place as this book begins.

There is more to the story.  Much more.  So, I suggest you start with The Ducal Detective, the novella that introduced the characters and setting.  You’ll be here before you know it.

As I said, the war council is finally happening, and Jax is happy to be able to present the evidence of the treason that has been happening in the realm.  But even before the council gets started, Jax learns of betrayal among those she thought were allies.  The first session ends with no progress, but things only get worse when a fire and a murder complicate things.  Can Jax figure out what is happening?  Or is she in over her head?

I’ve found the last couple of books struggled to find the balance between the political intrigue and murder mystery, causing the pacing to be off.  That wasn’t the case here.  If you pick up this book at random, you might still feel like the story starts slowly, but for fans, they will be hooked.  We’ve been building to this book for the last several entries, so I was there for the drama unfolding.  Things only kick into high gear later in the book, and I couldn’t wait to figure out how Jax was going to piece things together and get out alive.  Another character gets some of the story told from his point of view, which really gives us the full picture of what is going on.

This isn’t to say that the book is always light.  There are some darker moments, but they are earned and make sense with the direction the series has taken.

There’s a subplot that has been bothering me for the last couple of books, and I am hopeful it has been resolved or is getting near being resolved.

We don’t have all the regulars in this book.  Like Jax, I missed them, but there was more than enough chaos without them.  We still got some updates on what is happening with them in addition to the growth that we saw for the characters who did make the trip.  I’m very curious to see where Jax is going.  I’m noting some arrogance from her that hadn’t been so prominent previously.  It will be interesting to see if that continues going forward.

While this book may have been what we’ve been building to for the last several books, it opens to door to the next arc, leaving me anxious for more.  Jax’s fans will be glad they read Crown of Chaos.

Settle in for the rest of the Court of Mysteries saga.

Ornament Review: Gardener Mickey - All About Mickey #4 - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Mickey representing gardeners

Cons: I can’t garden as well as Mickey

The Bottom Line:

Highlighting hobby

Mickey shows off his green thumb

Its appeal grows

I Hope Mickey Has a Greener Thumb Than I Do 

I was planning to only buy the ornaments in the All About Mickey series that I really connected with. Yet, somehow, I wound up with Gardener Mickey after Christmas. And I’m glad I got it. 

Each ornament in this series features Mickey enjoying a hobby or interest outside of his movie career. And this year, he’s showing off his gardening skills. He’s dressed in blue overalls with a hat on his head. In one hand, he has a trowel. In the other, he’s holding a potted plant. There aren’t any flowers on it, but it is green and looks healthy. 

And I’m sure all the gardening Disney fans were anxious to get it. Why did I hesitate? Because my attempts at gardening end in a dead plant. Usually, I forget to water, but sometimes I water too much. And the planters I had on my balcony were killed off by a squirrel and I couldn’t get him to leave my planters alone. I wish I could grow some flowers. But I just can’t get them to stay alive. 

But this is about Mickey and not me. 

As I was saying, gardeners will love this one. It’s a cute homage to an important skill and rewarding hobby. 

Mickey is standing for this ornament, but his feet are position such that he is balanced precariously if you set him out. He will likely fall over easily, but it’s best to plan to hang him from your tree.

When you do that, you’ll find he hangs a little to the right, but not enough to be a big issue.  Tree branches will easily hide it.

You’ll find the series marker on the bottom of his feet. 

Gardener Mickey really is a cute ornament. Which is why I am glad it wound up being added to my collection. 

You know it’s All About Mickey, so get more of the ornaments. 

Book Review: Hot Stuff by Don Bruns (Stuff Series #6)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Growth for the leads, especially Emily; good mystery

Cons: A couple characters under developed; pacing at the beginning

The Bottom Line:

Sous chef stabbed to death

What is Emily hiding?

Penultimate book

James and Skip are in Another Hot Situation

I’m closing in on the end of Don Bruns’s Stuff series. While I haven’t enjoyed every entry, I did find myself enjoying Hot Stuff, the penultimate book.  

The series follows James Lessor and Skip Moore, best friends and roommates who are struggling just to make ends meet in Miami. James especially has dreams of riches, and he’s come up with a few elaborate schemes that have not worked and have put the two in the path of killers. Along the way, the two have become licensed private investigators. 

When Skip is out with his girlfriend, Emily, at a fancy restaurant, the sous chef is stabbed. Emily and the victim, Amanda, had been friends, and she had set Amanda up with James on a couple of dates. The owner of the restaurant doesn’t trust the police to solve the case, so he hires Skip and James to go under cover in the kitchen to figure out if someone on the staff killed Amanda. But Emily is hiding something about Amanda. Can Skip and James solve the case without driving a wedge between Skip and Emily?

The characters in this series can be a bit immature at times. I’m happy to say that they’ve been slowly maturing as the series progresses, and that holds true again here. I especially appreciated the spotlight that Emily got in this book. She had quite a bit to deal with, and we got to see her mature through it. The majority of the characters are new. There were a couple that I had a hard time keeping straight, but for the most part they were well developed. 

The mystery is entertaining. It felt a bit slow to start to me, but I was fully engrossed before too long. The climax was logical and wrapped things up to my satisfaction. 

While these books aren’t cozies, the language and violence is kept to a minimum. Anything else is implied. 

I’m very curious to see how this series will wrap up. Hopefully, I enjoy the last book as much as I did Hot Stuff. 

Get more stuff with the rest of the Stuff Series.

June 7th's Sunday/Monday Post

Hello, and 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?

Wow, I'm late getting this drafted this week.  I might not post until late on Saturday, but I usually at least have it drafted by now.

This past week was busy at work.  Thanks to our slightly off fiscal year, I had extra reporting to do.  I thought I was finished when I logged off on Saturday, but I think I need to redo one of the reports come Monday.  Shouldn't be too bad.

Thursday after work, I went over and got passes for paddle boarding again.  And I paddle boarded that evening.  My goal is be over there every Thursday this summer.  We'll see how that goes.  And I'll probably mix some Saturdays in as well, although it is harder when I'm trying to do other things on Saturdays.

Speaking of which, today, my small group went over and cleaned the church.  Then, I headed down to Burbank to the game store down there to join up with a group to play some games.  I almost left at one point, but I wound up staying until about seven thirty.  Been doing some other stuff, which is why I am just now getting to this blog post.

At least I have all my reviews for this coming week drafted, although I am still behind on book reviews.  I've got to buckle down and get some blog work done soon.

Pun-Official Holiday of the Week:

June 11 – Have an a-maize-ing time today.  It’s Corn on the Cob Day.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - May Reading Summary

Tuesday - Book Review: One Final Turn by Ashley Weaver

Wednesday - Movie Review: Superman III

Thursday - Book Review: The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair

Friday - Friday Post featuring Crown of Chaos

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Book Review: Hot Stuff by Don Bruns

Tuesday - Ornament Review: Gardener Mickey

Wednesday - Book Review: Crown of Chaos by Sarah E. Burr

Thursday - Movie Review: Supergirl (1984)

Friday - Book Review: Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

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

Two of the books are eARCs from NetGalley.  The first of those is A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker (no relation).  This looks like an import that will finally be published in the US in August.  Either way, it sounds like something I would enjoy.  Hopefully, that will be the case.

The other ARC is Hell Hath No Fury, the fifth Detective Honeywell Mystery from Annette Dashofy.  I always enjoy her books, so I'm very much looking forward to reading this one.

I also got a couple of books for reading later this year.  They are both in series I'm actively working on catching up on.

The first of those is Thicker Than Water, the sixth Laurel Highlands Mystery from Liz Milliron.  I still have book five to go, but I should be getting to this one in a few months.

The Cambodian Curse and Other Stories is a short story collection from Gigi Pandian featuring the characters from her Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt series.  I have the last book in the series on the July TBR pile, but I'll get to this story collection this fall.

Finally, my preorder of Murder by Design by Lee Goldberg arrived.  This is the first in a new series from him.

What I'm Currently Reading:

When Murder by Design arrived, I decided I'd go ahead and read it.  I usually enjoy Lee's books, and he's got another entry in another series coming later this year, so I didn't want to fall behind.  Of course, I got almost nothing read today, so I'm still about 10 pages in.  But I'm sure I'll get hooked soon.

That's it for me.  Have a great week!

June 6th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Wondering where my TV Thoughts post was last week?  I didn't have any shows to watch.  It's that weird time of the year when I only have a show or two on anyway, and the one show I have at the moment didn't air on Memorial Day.  American Ninja Warrior is back next week, so I'll have two shows, both on Mondays, for a little bit anyway.  I think I'll be checking out a few others shows later in the summer.

Quiz with Balls – I wonder if that was intended to air closer to Memorial Day.  It felt a bit weird to be airing June 1^st.  But it was a fun episode.  I was really happy with some of my solid answers (like the Peanuts question), but there were quite a few I would have gotten wrong.

.

June 5th's Friday Post

It's Friday!  Time for another Friday Post, where I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

The teasers for the first three will be coming from Crown of Chaos by Sarah E. Burr.

This is book nine in a series that takes place on a fictional continent.  The main character is a ruler of one of the countries.  Yes, there are murders (this is me), but there's also political intrigue, especially as the series progresses.

With all that said, let's take a look at how this book begins.

The snap echoed all around, reverberating off the trunks of frost-covered trees. Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier tightened her grip on the leather reins, her anxious gaze darting to the Captain of the Ducal Guard. “What was that?” Her voice was a harsh whisper.

That certainly draws you in right away, doesn't it?

Meanwhile, at 56% into the ebook, we find this quote:

Jax chewed on her lower lip, hesitant to share another theory she had been forming. But if anyone would support her, it would be Perry.

Was it a good theory?  I'll leave it for you to find out.  I really enjoyed this book in the series.  Assuming I get my review written, I'll be reviewing it this coming week.  The exact date is yet to be determined.

So, let's move over to the Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

What’s the quirkiest or most unexpected place you’ve ever read a book, and why?

As I've shared on here I've read in line in amusements parks.  What else am I supposed to do while waiting in line by myself?  It helps pass the time and is productive.  I've also been known to read on my lunch hour in my car.  The passenger seat, of course.  I don't want to fight the pedals in the driver's seat.  I can't think of any other unusual places I've read.

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

Book Review: The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair (Sparks and Bainbridge Mysteries #5)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Moves an ongoing storyline forward; some twists in second half

Cons: Very slow at the beginning

The Bottom Line:

Different client

Focus on Gwen’s storyline

Makes book uneven

Needed a Bit More Focus to Work Well for Me

When it comes to the Sparks and Bainbridge Mysteries, you have to be willing to accept that the mystery is going to come with a high dose of soap opera as we follow what is going on in the lives of our two lead characters.  Usually, I’m on board for that, but in the case of The Lady of Burma, it didn’t quite work for me.

If you are new to the series, it is set in London in 1946, and the lead characters are Iris Sparks, who spent the war in British Intelligence doing things she is legally obligated to not talk about, and Gwen Bainbridge, who lost her husband during the war.  Together, the two have opened The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, a matchmaking service.  Now, you won’t think this would lead to all kinds of murder and mayhem, but that’s exactly what happens.

Along the way, we’ve gotten to know what else is going on in Iris and Gwen’s complicated lives.  For this book, the most important thing you need to know is that Gwen’s efforts to lose her status as a ward of the state after collapsing when she found out she lost her husband are coming to a head.  Her hearing to be declared sane is just days away as the book opens.

And the Lady of the title?  I’m so glad you asked.  She’s a client who wants Iris and Gwen to find a wife for her husband.  Yes, you read that right.  You see, she is dying of cancer, and she doesn’t want her husband to stay single all his life.  However, when she turns up dead, Iris can’t help but wonder exactly what happened to her.

I spent the early part of the book wanting the story to get somewhere.  Yes, we were watching Gwen get ready for her hearing, but it wasn’t really going anywhere.  Heck, I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever met the Lady of the title.  While the ending does resolve the storylines, it felt very rushed to me.  I feel like better pacing would have helped with this.

Usually, we have some storylines for both of the leads.  In this case, Iris’s story was very light.  She was mainly working on the murder while Gwen was dealing with her personal life.  That’s not to say that the two friends don’t have scenes together, but I felt like they were much less connected than normal.

As the book went along, I definitely got hooked.  There were some twists in the second half that made it hard to put the book down.  It’s why I am saying that the pacing needed to be tweaked overall.

And those following since the beginning will definitely be glad they read this one since Gwen’s struggle to regain control of her life has been an ongoing story in the series.

I know the series has many devoted fans.  I certainly do enjoy the books.  But The Lady from Burma wasn’t the strongest entry in the series.

Do check out the rest of the Sparks and Bainbridge Mysteries.

Movie Review: Superman III

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Some acting

Cons: Uneven, cheesy, just generally disappointing

The Bottom Line:

Good performances

In subpar super movie

Overall cheesy

“I’m From Metropolis.  I See Superman Every Day.”

While I’ve never watched the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, I knew their reputation.  So, even though I wanted to watch Superman III, I also knew not to set my expectations too high.  Even so, this movie disappoints.

After spending several minutes on an unexplainable series of near misses and hits in Metropolis, we meet up with Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) as he pitches a story about a man attending his fifteen-year high school reunion.  Yep, Clark wants to head back to Smallville.  Inexplicably, Perry White (Jackie Cooper) agrees to the idea, and Clark sets out.  While there, he reunites with his high school crush, Lana Lang (Annette O’Toole).

Meanwhile, computer programming savant Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor) catches the eye of his boss, evil rich mogul Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn).  Ross wants to use Gus’s abilities to program computers to bend others to his will.  And his will is making more money.  Will Superman be able to stop him?

You might be wondering where Margot Kidder’s Lois Lane is in all of this.  That’s an excellent question.  She heads off on vacation near the beginning of the movie, and pops up in the last scene to set up a romantic triangle that I’m assuming doesn’t pay off in the next movie.  Essentially, she has a glorified cameo. 

They were setting up Lana as a new long term love interest here.  It’s very obvious to anyone paying attention.  Honestly, I would have liked to see that play out in another movie.  Sadly, Annette O’Toole wasn’t invited back for the next one because she was excellent as Lana.  Fortunately, she was able to transition this to playing Martha Kent on Smallville.  Because of knowing that connection and enjoying her work on that show, I was curious to see this movie.

So that’s covered the romance of it all.  What about the rest?  Honestly, the movie is just strange all the way around.  There are long sections that don’t really add much to the movie.  Some of them were attempts at humor that fall flat, at least today.  Some of them are character moments, but they go on too long.  One extended scene is used as set up for the climax, but I feel like we could have gotten something without the extended time.

Part of it is because Clark/Superman is in a parallel story to the villains without really knowing much about them or what they are up to until it is time for act three.  It feels like we are just plodding along as a result.

In the middle of the movie, Superman gets broken.  Again, this part of the movie went on too long, and I found the resolution to it a bit unsatisfying.

Which brings us to the climax, where the movie devolves (if that is possible) to a cheesy science fiction movie, complete with an all-powerful computer.

And the effects?  Can we say 1983?  Okay, so I’m sure they were state of the art at the time, but they are dated now.  I’d be more willing to go along with them if the movie were better overall.  But there is one part of the climax that is nostalgically bad, if that makes any sense.  Well, old video game players will get it.

Having said all this, I couldn’t help but think how modern some parts of the film felt.  Even back then, we were talking about the dangers of computers and what they could do to our society.  Then there’s the fact that the villain is a rich guy who wants to get richer.  Somehow, he didn’t feel nearly as much a lecture as an equivalent villain would in today’s movies.  Maybe because he was part cartoon.

And no, I don’t think any of the actors were bad.  They were playing the parts as they were supposed to.  It’s the way they were written.  Those who are playing their characters straight were pretty good.  And I did like the scene where Superman/Clark had to confront what he’d turned into from an acting standpoint.  Christopher Reeve was good there even if the scene was pretty hokey.

I do want to circle back to the humor.  While much of it fell flat for me, there were some moments I enjoyed.  And, overall, I did appreciate the lighter tone of the film.

I know the fourth movie is viewed as even worse than this one.  I’m almost afraid to watch it.  But I’ve come this far, so I’ll give it a watch.  Know what you are getting into if you decide to watch Superman III.  Yes, what you’ve heard about it is true.