TV Show Review: White Collar - Season 6

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Writing, characters, story, acting

Cons: Only Neal (you know, the conman)

The Bottom Line:

Back for one last con

Wraps things up for characters

Will leave fans happy

“Spend Your Time Well, Neal.  Before You Know It, It Will be Gone.”

At the end of the fifth season of White Collar, the show’s creator and the USA Network decided to bring the show back for a final season of just six episodes.  While it was time for the show to end, I was sorry since I have loved it from day one.  Fortunately, with everyone agreeing this was the final season, they were able to go out with the incredibly fun season six.

Plus they were able to resolve that cliffhanger.  After all, we had to know just who it was who kidnapped former con man turned FBI asset Neal Cafferty (Matt Bomer).  Meanwhile, his FBI handler Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) is doing everything he can to find Neal with the help of Neal’s non-fed trusting friend Mozzie (Willie Garson).  When they do find him, Neal unfolds a very risky plan to take down the most notorious criminal organization – in exchange for his freedom.  Will Neal finally earn his freedom?  Or will the plan backfire?

If you aren’t familiar with the show, you really don’t want to jump in here.  There are connections, comments, and relationships that won’t mean much to you.  But really, would you want to jump in to the end of any story?  I wouldn’t.

However, fans of the show will love the way they tie up six years of such a great show.  The ending wasn’t the one I had hoped for, but it works perfectly for the characters, so I really don’t mind.  Along the way, we get twists, turns, and suspense that will keep you glued to the TV for every second.  In other words, it’s just like always.

What isn’t like always is the lack of standalone episodes.  With only six episodes to wrap things up, five of them tie directly into this final story arc.  The only exception focuses on fan favorite Mozzie, and it is the most fun episode of the season.  The rest have their fun moments but are mostly compelling and suspenseful.

While Jones (Sharif Atkins) and Diana (Marsha Thomason) pretty much are involved in the main story and nothing else, Peter’s wife Elizabeth (Tiffani Thiessen) does get her own sub-plot, one that brings her back to New York City.  Again, it will please fans, but that’s all I’m saying.

The acting and writing on this show have always been spectacular, and this final season doesn’t drop the ball at all.  It’s smart, fast moving, and laced with humor at all the right places brought to life by a talented and amazing cast.  You won’t be disappointed in the slightest.

The six episodes from season six are included in this two disc set.  They originally aired in widescreen and full surround, and that’s how they are presented here.  The bonus features include a retrospective from the cast and crew, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and two audio commentaries on the series finale, both featuring creator Jeff Eastin who is joined on one by stars Tim DeKay and Willie Garson and the other by Matt Bomer.

It’s always sad to see a favorite show end, but that’s why TV on DVD sets were invented.  I look forward to spending time reliving Neal and Peter’s cases again, and White Collar season six is the perfect end to their story.

Season 6 Episodes:

1. Borrowed Time

2. Return to Sender

3. Uncontrolled Variables

4. All’s Fair

5. Whack-A-Mole

6. Au Revoir

TV Recap: Castle 7-22 - Dead from New York

Well, that was something I never have seen before in an episode of Castle – filler.  Can we say ratings grab attempt cameo?  I get that shows don’t always have a choice in this, but I was sorry to see Carly Rae Jepsen show up in such an obvious stunt.  She contributed nothing to the case at all, and Castle and Beckett dancing off to the side was rather pointless as well.

Okay.  Deep breath.  I’ve got that out of my system now.  Let’s get back to solving a murder because I did enjoy this episode.

The victim this week is the creator of a comedy sketch show that is obviously a spoof of Saturday Night Live.  He was not necessarily an easy man to work for, and so the list of suspects is rather long.  At the top of the list is the current season’s star who has been acting crazier and crazier, has threatened the victim, and is about to be fired.  However, when he learns he is a suspect for a real murder, he stops acting (because that’s all the crazy was) and admits he wanted out of his contract.  He alibis out, but not before saying he heard the victim talking about a meeting he had at midnight, roughly the time that the murder happened.

Book Review: Musseled Out by Barbara Ross (Maine Clambake Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fast paced, twisty story and strong characters

Cons: None to be found here

The Bottom Line:

Competition dies

Bringing some secrets to light

In fabulous book

Another Great Mysterious Trip to Maine

I had so much fun with the first two books in the Maine Clambake series, I couldn’t wait to come back and visit the Snowden clan again in book three.  Having just finished Musseled Out, I can assure you this is a return visit you don’t want to miss.

It’s the first week of October, and things are winding down for the season.  That means Julia Snowden has to face the decision she’s been putting off all summer, will she return to her job in venture capital in New York City or stay to help run the family clambake for future summers.  And if she is going to stay, what will she do over the upcoming off season?

Complicating the decision is the fact that the Snowden Family Clambake is potentially facing stiff competition next year as David Thwing is looking to extend his chain of restaurants into the area with a twist, he’s going to open a competing clambake instead.  Julia has a run in with the man down on the dock, and he is extremely unpleasant to her.  A few hours later, Julia is present when David is discovered dead on the boat of a missing lobsterman.  The police seem interested in Julia’s brother-in-law as a suspect since he’d had many public fights with the victim.  Unfortunately, Sonny is clearly hiding something.  What is his secret?  Who really killed David?

Once again, this book starts strong and the pace never slacks.  I was turning pages as quickly as I could to find out what clue Julia would uncover next and what it would mean.  With several characters hiding secrets, there was always some angle for Julia to be investigating.  As things are finally resolved at the end, I was surprised at the clues I had missed along the way.  Yes, that means the solution at the end is completely logical, and yet I still didn’t suspect until Julia figured it out.

The climactic scene is different from many in the cozies I read, and I loved it as a result.  I should have stopped reading when I reached it since my lunch hour was over, but I just couldn’t put the book down until I learned how things would be resolved.

The characters have always been strong in this series, and this book is no exception.  There’s actually a large cast of regulars, and all of them grow over the course of the story.  The new characters we meet here are equally developed.  Because the characters are so great, we feel the hits of the twists in the plot just as much as Julia does.

And what would a culinary cozy be without a recipe or two in the back.  This book actually includes eight mouthwatering recipes…if you like sea food, that is.  I actually am not a fan, so those six don’t tempt me.  However, the two non-sea food recipes, a pumpkin whoopie cookie and an apple pie, both sound great.

Musseled Out is a wonderful addition to an addicting series that left me wanting more.  If you haven’t met Julia yet, book your first clambake today.  As for me, I’ll be back as soon as the next one comes out.

Looking for more?  Here are the Maine Clambake Mysteries in order.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway!

I'm going to give away one copy of this book to a lucky person who leaves me a comment.  For the USA, it will be your choice of an ebook or a paperback.  For international winners, it would be an ebook only.

Please leave me a comment including your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.  I will pick a winner next Tuesday, May 12th, so please leave your comment before 12:01 AM on 5/12 to be in the drawing.

Ornament Review: Lego Boba Fett - 2014 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Great representation of the popular character

Cons: A little large, personally, I would have preferred some other characters instead

The Bottom Line:

Hunt down transgressors

With Lego bounty hunter

Popular figure

Bounty Hunter Looking for Ornaments on Your Tree

Certain characters gain cult followings.  I get that.  At times, I’m part of the crowd.  Others?  I’m scratching my head trying to figure out the attraction.  While that’s the case with why Boba Fett is such a popular character, I still can appreciate the Lego Boba Fett ornament.

For those like me who are even scratching their heads at the character name, Boba Fett is the bounty hunter who captured Han Solo in the original trilogy.  Yes, he’s a minor character who winds up having a major impact on the story at just the wrong time.  But how popular is he?  Well, popular enough to have several Lego items including this ornament from Hallmark.

The ornament itself is mostly light blues, grays and greens.  Boba Fett is wearing a helmet and jet pack, and he’s painted a light blue and gray for his uniform.  He does have a gun in his right hand that hangs down and almost touches the ground just next to the Lego block he’s standing on.  His cape is flowing out behind him and his left arm is reaching out in front of him.

I think my lack of enthusiasm for this ornament is due to my lack of enthusiasm for the character.  I certainly can’t find faults with the ornament.  It looks like the character, or at least the Lego version of the character, so his many fans will love it.  Overall, I do think the ornament is a bit on the large size, but I’ve left that way about all the ornaments in this unofficial series.

Because of that block base I mentioned earlier, you can set this ornament out all year long and enjoy.  This may be one of the sturdiest ornaments Hallmark has ever done because it’s sitting on, well, a block.

But if you want to hang it on your tree, you’ll find the look in the top of Boba Fett’s helmet.  He essentially hangs straight with a slight tip behind him and to the left.  It’s only noticeable if you are looking for it, however.

Boba Fett is the latest in an unofficial series Hallmark was producing of Lego Star Wars characters.  Unfortunately, this series has stalled out at four since they’ve lost the Lego license.  Hopefully, they will get it back soon and be able to continue on and give us more Lego characters.

For now, Lego Boba Fett will be a popular ornament on the secondary market thanks to the popularity of the character.  If you are one of his fans, you’ll definitely want to pick it up today.

Original Price: $14.95

Happy Star Wars Day!

TV Recap - Once Upon a Time 4-20 - Mother

I feel almost like with tonight’s episode, they pulled off what they did last year – wrapping things up in the penultimate episode of the season to give us an exciting two part finale with one focus.  Okay, so they didn’t completely wrap everything up, but I do think that my theories about Mal and Lily and even Emma were proved wrong as I feel their stories are finished without the big drama and fights I was expecting.  If it weren’t for the Author and Gold, they could all live happily ever after.

But we can’t have that.  And I’m getting ahead of myself, so let’s back up to the Enchanted Forest and the flashback.

We join Regina on an anniversary.  A very sad one.  She’s so upset she takes out her anger on a peasant getting married without permission in a royal meadow.  Yes, it is the anniversary of Daniel’s death.  But when she goes to the grave of her late fiancé, she finds that someone else has already been there – Cora.

Book Review: Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular by "Science Bob" Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great story with humor and projects for later

Cons: Characters could be a little stronger, although kids won’t care

The Bottom Line:

Movie mystery

Science to find sabotage

Kids will beg for more

Can Special Effects Save a Movie from Sabotage?

I don’t know why the set up for this book surprised me.  I knew the title was Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular, and yet I wasn’t expecting them to actually be solving a mystery on a movie set.  But that’s exactly what we got.  It’s not an original starting point for a novel for sure, but the execution here is plenty of fun.

If you’ve missed this middle grade series, it features twins Nick and Tesla Holt who found their summer took a strange turn when their parents were called on a scientific mission and they were dumped with their Uncle Newt, a man they didn’t really know.  They quickly made friends with Silas and DeMarco and found themselves involved in several mysteries.  Fortunately, they have the science know how to build items to help them solve the mysteries.

Hollywood has come to Half Moon Bay as famed director Cash Ashkinos is in town to film a Metalman movie.  Even better, Nick and Tesla’s friend DeMarco’s Aunt Zoe is a producer on the film, so the friends will get to tour the set.

However, the four friends have hardly arrived on the set when they discover that someone seems set on sabotaging the movie.  Since this is Zoe’s big break, the sabotage might just destroy her career.  Can Nick and Tesla figure out who is behind the acts without getting kicked off the set?

Despite a familiar set up, the story itself is great.  There are some nice twists and a red herring or two before we reach a perfectly staged finale.  There is one clue that might go over the heads of the target audience and wasn’t completely explained, but it probably won’t bother them at all.

Likewise, the characters are not quite as developed as they could be, but that is probably the adult in me talking.  There are a couple of scenes that really do delve into Nick and Tesla that I liked.  Still, I know I didn’t care about character development in books at that age, and I doubt the target audience will care here.

As an added bonus, the book includes instructions for building the items used to help solve the mystery.  There’s a home built steady cam, zombie make up, an animatronic arm, and a wrist-mount grappler.  The items used to make these things are fairly common and the instructions seem well thought out and easy to follow, although I haven’t built any of these things myself.

There is an ongoing mystery over where Nick and Tesla’s parents really went and what has happened to them since they left.  While it is discussed some, nothing really happens on this storyline here.  However, I think we might get an update or another clue in the next book in the series.

I can’t go without mentioning the humor.  There are some jokes at the expense of Hollywood and superheroes and their fans over the course of the story.  I found all of them delightfully funny without ever being mean.

So Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular is a great addition to this fun series.  Between the book and the projects, this will provide hours of fun during the upcoming summer vacation or any time or year.

Looking for more science mysteries?  Check out the rest of the books in the Nick and Tesla series in order.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm finally contributing again to Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.  Follow the link to check out the other entries.

Movie Review: Avengers - Age of Ultron

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Action, laughs, character development, and a decent story

Cons: Feels a bit too long, but that’s a minor issue.

The Bottom Line:

Avengers are back

Fighting a villain Stark made

In thrilling sequel

“I’m Glad You Asked That Because I Wanted to Take This Time to Explain My Evil Plan.”

As I keep saying, what I don’t know about superheroes fills volumes of comic books.  At the same time, I am obviously a fan.  Just look at some of the TV shows I watch and how hooked I have gotten on the Marvel films.  So going to see Avengers: Age of Ultron was an obvious choice for me.  I am happy to report that the summer movie season is off to a great start.

As the film opens, we find the Avengers attacking a Hydra base in Eastern Europe.  When the smoke clears, they wind up with the scepter previously wielded by Loki.  Before Thor (Chris Hemsworth) takes it home, Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) wants to run some tests on it.

While running those tests, Stark finds something hidden inside – an artificial intelligence.  He enlists Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) to help him find it and integrate it into Stark’s network, hoping he can use it to create a shield around Earth to protect us from further alien attacks.  Unfortunately, when Ultron (voiced by James Spader) does emerge, it doesn’t want to cooperate.  Can the Avengers defeat him?

I went in to the movie knowing pretty much nothing about the plot, and as I watched the set up evolve, I found myself rolling my eyes.  Really?  This tired old premise?  However, once the story got going, any hesitation left.  Once again, the story is fun with plenty of action to keep everyone entertained.  Those sequences were spectacular with non-stop thrills.  It might not have all been believable, but I was having so much fun with it, I just didn’t care.  And yet, the action supported the plot.  I never felt like the action was there just because this is an action/superhero film.

The story holds up, too.  Dealing with an evil robot can make for some eye rolling moments if not handled correctly, but I actually didn’t find anything that bothered me.  Joss Whedon did a great job of avoiding the typical pitfalls and creating a movie with a wonderful villain that left me wondering how our heroes would defeat him.

One thing that really impressed me with the first Avengers movie was the character development.  That’s hard to do in a movie with so many characters and so much action.  Once, again, the characters all get their moments to shine and grow.  While those with their own movie franchises might not have as much development, we got plenty of time for such characters as Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and the Hulk.  It really does make me care about the outcome more, and it really make the final fight more suspenseful for me.

Of course, the special effects are spectacular.  Did you have any doubt they would be?  The action is wonderful as well.  I believed everything I saw on the screen.  Likewise, all the actors were great.

And the humor from the first Avengers film is back as well.  There are some very fun scenes and plenty of one liners.  In fact, some of the lines made the audience laugh so hard we missed the next line or two of the film.

As a viewer of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., I was wondering how they’d work that show into the proceedings.  While I did see a few moments early on that were connected to the show, there isn’t anything those not watching the show will miss.  I’m certainly curious to see how much of what happened in this film will be reflected in the last couple episodes this season.

Every time I see one of these movies, it reminds me how many of the connections I have missed.  I really need to have a Marvel movie marathon to remember all the connections, especially since it looks like they are still planning on building from here for future movies.  I can’t wait.

There is one scene during the closing credits, although it is near the beginning of the credits.  Once you see it, there’s no reason to sit through the rest unless you like to do that.

If I had one complaint, it is that the movie is a tad too long.  At two hours and twenty minutes, I felt a few of the scenes were filler and could have been cut.  I’ve already heard about some scenes that were cut, too.  But in the grand scheme of things, it’s a minor complaint.

So if you enjoy superhero films and are a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you’ll definitely need to see Avengers: Age of Ultron.  But surely you knew that already.

Weekly TV Thoughts for May 2nd

It's very late, so let's just get to the list.

The Amazing Race (4/24) – Those floating hot tubs looked awesome!  Yes, I know how filthy the canals probably are, but I still want to go in one of those.  So glad it was a non-elimination leg since I didn’t want that couple gone yet.  But we’ll see if they can actually catch up next week since most of the teams seem to not be able to come back from that this season.

Once Upon a Time – Lily is up to no good.  I can’t believe that Emma fell for her antics once again.  And that ending with Zelena?  Never saw that coming.  Can’t wait to see where they go from here.  You can read my full recap here.

Dancing with the Stars – There’s always at least one shocking elimination this season, and this week’s certainly qualified.  Willow was a great dancer, and I’m sorry to see her go.  The 10^th anniversary special was fun, and it was great seeing some of those celebrities again.

Castle – A fun episode even if they broke with the typical location.  Not sure I but the cell phone conversations, but whatever.  It was still great fun.  You can read my full recaphere.

The Flash – That might be their best episode yet.  So many stories advanced and so many great character moments and surprises along the way.  I have no idea if or how they will resolve the Dr. Wells story this season, but at least everything is out in the open now.

Agents of SHIELD – That’s what has been missing more than anything this season – the chemistry of the original team.  I hadn’t realized that until we spent some time with just the six of them in a room together.  There are too many divergent characters and storylines this season, and I’ve just never come to care for them like I did that original group.

Arrow – The heavy drama continues.  I do hope they can go a little lighter next year because it is definitely out there these days.  But I am still so drawn to this show and am dying to see how they will recover from Oliver’s transformation.

Survivor – Mike’s trick with the idol at the end was brilliant!  It would have been even better if he’d played it and Dan and Tyler were suddenly on the chopping block, but I think he’s just created the chaos he needs, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing how that plays out in the weeks to come.  Hopefully, it’s good.

Young and Hungry – I knew they wouldn’t get the bigger apartment, but I wasn’t sure how it would all fall apart.  I wonder how long this character will be the new neighbor, although I’m judging her stability based on the few episodes I’ve seen.

The Big Bang Theory – That was great!  About as great as I expected it to be.  It’s truly saying something about a show when they can build an episode around two characters we know from a few guest appearances and make it truly hilarious and something we care about.

The Odd Couple – This show just seems to get funnier as it goes along.  Yes, Matthew Perry has always been great as physical comedy, but the second trip to the apartment was great.  I think this show is going to be around for a while.

Amazing Race (5/1) – Once again, the non-elimination leg didn’t mean anything, although I do feel the couple could have pulled it out.  They just made a couple of wrong decisions and couldn’t recover from that.  Sorry to see them go since the two couples in first and second I would much rather see gone.

Monthly Reading Summary - April 2015

We've come to the end of another month already.  Who can believe it, right?  Here's my monthly reading summary for April, and yes, the Index has been updated as well.

All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (John Carter/Barsoom #3) – 4

When John Carter follows his mortal enemies Thurid and Matai Shang, he learns of a plan to free his beloved wife, Dejah Thoris, from her prison six months early.  But his race to beat them to the rescue turns in to a race across Mars.  Will John Carter ever defeat his enemies and be reunited with his wife?

Even written 100 years ago, this feels like a modern action movie with a science fiction setting.  You’ve got a character overcoming overwhelming odds with a bit of ease and characters that are just developed enough to make us care.  And just like an action film, it’s plenty of fun if you approach it with the right attitude.  I certainly enjoyed finding out what happened next to these characters despite the flaws I mentioned.

Grave on Grand Avenue by Naomi Hirahara (Ellie Rush #2) – 4

Ellie is on patrol new the Walt Disney Concert Hall when a gardener is pushed down the stairs by the father of a famous Chinese cellist.  What lead to that?  Meanwhile, she gets a tip on a series of bank robberies from a very surprising source.  With the professional and personal implications of both cases complicating her life, can Ellie solve the cases without making too many waves?

Even with two mysteries I did feel the personal life portion of the book overshadowed the mysteries at times, causing them to be underdeveloped.  However, I still really did enjoy the book.  Ellie and the rest of the cast are very real characters, and you can’t help but be drawn in to the story.  I was turning pages quickly to find out what would happen next.

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Readaholics and the Falcon Fiasco by Laura DiSilverio (Book Club Mystery #1) – 5

Amy-Faye and her friends have formed a book club in their town of Heaven, Colorado.  The morning after they meet to discuss The Maltese Falcon, Amy-Faye goes to meet with a member only to find that member dying from poison.  The police rule is a suicide, but Amy-Faye is certain it was murder.  With the help of the other Readaholics, she starts poking around.  But what secrets will they uncover?

There were a lot of characters introduced early on, and I had a hard time keeping them straight early on.  However, as I began to get into the story, their different personalities made it easy to distinguish them.  The plot was strong with great twists and a couple of good sub-plots.  I was surprised by the ending, and set the book down wanting the next already.  I can’t wait for the sequel.

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The King’s Stilts by Dr. Seuss – 5

King Britram has a difficult job keeping his kingdom from flooding, so he works all the time.  The only break he takes is to walk on stilts, but one of his advisers doesn’t think that hobby is very kingly.  What will happen when those stilts disappear?

This is a lesser known Dr. Seuss book, and that is a shame.  It is definitely early Seuss with no rhymes and lots of words on each page, but older pre-schoolers who have the attention span for it will enjoy it because it contains the typical Seuss fun and imagination.  Plus there’s a good moral in the story about balancing things in life.

A Sticky Situation by Jessie Crockett (Sugar Grove Mysteries #3) – 5

It’s sugaring season, which means Dani Greene is super busy with the sap running, the annual Maple Festival, and the annual visit from her difficult great-aunt.  The last things she needs is the body in the town hall basement.  The remains are identified as a drifter who came through town 30 years ago and stole cash before he left.  Now, Dani is asked to figure out who really took the money.  Can she do that without getting in a killer’s crosshairs?

This series has some great characters, and it was a treat to get to visit them again.  The new characters are just as strong.  The main mystery and some sub-plots weave in and out of each other, and the result is a book I didn’t want to put down.

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Grand Canyon by Sandy Dengler (Jack Prester #5) – 5

When Jack’s childhood friend Ernie is gunned down in Grand Canyon National Park, Jack rides in to solve the crime with Ev close behind to keep him from making mistakes.  However, things get more complicated when two tourists are the next victims, and Ev thinks she knows who the next target is.

The plot of this book is wonderful and kept me engrossed both the first time I read it and on my recent reread.  The character growth, while expected for how things have progressed in the series, is still outstanding.  And the descriptions of the canyon, both from the rim and from inside, are beautiful.

The Fantastic Family Whipple by Matthew Ward – 3

Arthur is the only member of the Whipple family who hasn’t broken any world records.  It’s not that he hasn’t tried, but he always comes up short.  However, when the family birthday party is sabotaged, Arthur might be the only one who can uncover the truth.

I wanted to like this book.  I really did.  The various world records were outlandishly funny.  The characters were good, although most of them don’t get that much development.  Unfortunately, the plot was too unfocused and fairly uneven as a result.  I really think there needed to be more focus on that in another rewrite to make this book better.  Having said that, there are some dangling threads that make me curious enough to think about picking up the next book, but only if I can get it from the library.

1984 by George Orwell – 4

Travel to Oceania in this look at a world that was taken over by socialists.  We follow Winston Smith as he lives out his life under the constant watchful eye of Big Brother.  His vague memories of freedom lead him to hope for another revolution.  Can he help in some way?  What will happen when he starts an affair with a beautiful woman?

I read this book in high school, and it is just as sobering today as it was back then.  Yes, as a  novel it is a bit slow, but it does draw you in enough to really drive home the points Orwell is making.  Sadly, as our technology begins to catch up to the technology Orwell created, our country begins to walk down this path as well thanks to politicians on both sides.  This is a warning we still need to heed today.

Truth Be Told by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Jane Ryland/Jake Brogan #3) – 4

Jane is on the scene of a foreclosure when a dead body is found in a bedroom closet.  Since the house was supposed to be empty, who is the victim and how did she get there?  Meanwhile, a man has confessed to a famous unsolved murder from 20 years ago, but detective Jake is certain the man is lying.  Is he really the killer?  Why would he confess to a crime he didn’t commit?

The multiple view point approach, which usually works so well, falls flat at the beginning of the book when those breaks keep jerking us around and keep us from getting into the story.  Once the story takes off, things really smooth out and I had a hard time putting the book down.  The characters, as always, are great.

May 1st's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

It's Friday, and I have a slightly less crazy weekend lined up for me.  I'm hoping for a little relaxing and reading time this weekend.  We'll see if it happens.

But before we get there, we've got Book Beginnings and Friday 56.  This week, I'm highlighting Musseled Out by Barbara Ross.

The book actually came out on Tuesday.  I've read it and loved it.  My full review (and a giveaway) will be up on Tuesday.

But for now, here's the first line:

My cell phone trilled as I pulled my boat up to the town pier in Busman's Harbor, Maine.  I glanced at the display.  OWEN QUIMBY.  Owen was the human resources director at the venture capital firm where I'd worked in New York.

Jumping ahead to page 56:

Sonny wasn't at the long table, which didn't surprise me.  Just because the Coast Guard had called off the civilian part of the search didn't mean Sonny would stop looking.

Have a great weekend.