Book Review: City of Lies by Victoria Thompson (Counterfeit Lady Mysteries #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters, engaging story

Cons: None for readers

The Bottom Line:

New series begins

Con woman main character

Hooks you from the start

I Loved This Book, and That’s No Lie

Over the last couple of years, I’ve finally started reading the books of Victoria Thompson, and I’m loving them.  So when the opportunity came up to jump into her new series at the start, I immediately took it.  City of Lies is different, and completely enjoyable.

The book transports us back to 1917 as we meet Elizabeth Miles at the start of a con job.  She is a rarity, a female con artist, who is working with her half-brother in the latest scam in Washington D.C.  However, when things go wrong, she finds herself on the run with the mark’s goons right behind her.

In an attempt to escape them, she blends into the group of suffragists and manages to get arrested.  Is she safe or has she just put off the inevitable?

When I started reading the book, I assumed this would be a typical historical murder mystery, but I quickly realized how wrong I was on that front.  Yes, there are crimes involved, but if you are expecting a murder and five suspects, you will be sorely disappointed.  I wasn’t disappointed, however.  Honestly, as much as I do enjoy murder mysteries, it’s wonderful to take a break from them every so often.

It helps that the plot of this book was very strong.  I was quickly pulled into Elizabeth’s world, and I didn’t want to leave when I had to stop reading.  There was always something happening, and it kept me engaged the whole way through.  I saw a couple of twists coming before Elizabeth did, but that is a minor point.  The stakes are high and that helped keep me engaged as well.

Elizabeth serves as one of our third person narrators, the other being Gideon, a lawyer.  As a result, we get to know them the best, but that hardly matters.  The rest of the cast is very strong and comes alive almost as soon as they appear on the page.  By the end of the book, it feels like we’ve known them for a long time.

Normally, I’m not a fan of stories where I am supposed to root for someone that is breaking the law.  However, Elizabeth is presented as such a likable and sympathetic character from the very beginning, and I am glad I gave her a chance.  In fact, it was easy to root for her to get out of her predicaments.

The author’s note at the end gives us a glimpse of how Victoria Thompson took a real event and wove it into this novel.  It’s an event I wasn’t aware of, and it gives me a new appreciation for the suffragist movement, and the brave women who were part of it.  All of this without slowing down the story in the slightest.

I must admit, I’m not quite sure where the series will go from here, but I am very anxious to find out.  City of Lies starts what promises to be a wonderful new historical series with an interesting main character.  Don’t hesitate; start it today.

Enjoy more trips back in time with the rest of the Counterfeit Lady novels.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  I will pick the winner next Thursday, November 16th, so please leave your comment before 12:01 AM Pacific Time on 11/16.  You will have until midnight on 11/20 to get back to me, or I will choose a new winner on 11/21.

Movie Review: Thor - Ragnarok

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Laughs, action

Cons: 80’s, some major elements glossed over

The Bottom Line:

Thor needs to race home

From planet where he’s captured

Laughs, but just okay

Thor Gets Stuck in the ‘80’s

Sometimes, I wonder what the people who actually write scripts think of the promos that are created for movies.  I’m completely sure that is the case with Thor: Ragnarok.  The marketing campaign actually ruined a perfectly wonderful moment in the film.  But more about that in a few minutes.

This movie opens with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on his latest quest.  He’s working to collect artifacts that he thinks lead to the destruction of his planet.  He’s been having dreams every night about Ragnarok, which will mean the end of his civilation, and he is determined to stop it.  Of course, when he gets home, he quickly figures out that it is really his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) on the throne and his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) has been banished to Earth.  Things only get more complicated when Hela (Cate Blanchett) shows up and takes control of Asgard.

And then Thor gets banished to a distant world where he is taken as a gladiator in their arena.  Can he figure out how to survive and return?  If he does, will it be in time to save Asgard?

And actually, that’s where the movie went wrong.  This planet where Thor is trapped and spends most of his time is taken directly from an 80’s post-apocalyptic movie.  The sites, the sound, it just screams 80’s.  I found myself rolling my eyes more than I’m sure I was supposed to during these sequences.  I just really, really wish they hadn’t evoke those movies so much.  But I appear to be the only one this homage bothered.  I heard people in the audience I watched the movie with talking about how it was their favorite of the three Thor movies.

It’s certainly not that the plot was bad.  It was predictable, but it was entertaining.  There are some things they definitely glossed over, including some blink and you miss them cameos.  But on the whole, I was engaged, wondering just how Thor would be able to escape.

Which brings me back to my opening paragraph.  There is a moment half way through that absolutely was spoiled in all the marketing.  It’s not a bad thing, but it really would have been cool if they had managed to keep that surprise.  And this is all I’m saying, so if you don’t know, I’m not spoiling it for you.

The cast is strong, even those who are definitely embracing the 80’s of it all.  I have no complaints in that department.  Likewise, the special effects are great.

I think what saves this movie is the humor.  There are more laughs in this film than in any of the previous Thor films.  And yes, these are jokes written into the script, not unintended humor.  That helps lighten some of the darker elements of the movie.

Obviously, I didn’t enjoy the movie as the rest of the audience I saw it with.  Don’t misunderstand, Thor: Ragnarok is not a bad movie, but it’s not an especially good one either.  It’s definitely worth watching to get the next chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but on its own, it is only average.

Book Review: Assault and Buttery by Kristi Abbott (Popcorn Shop Mysteries #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Unique storytelling approach works

Cons: A couple minor things

The Bottom Line:

Cozy mystery

Different plotting structure

Works well in this book

The Diary in the Wall

If you read my reviews regularly, you’ll know that one of my pet peeves is the storytelling devise that plops us into the middle of an exciting moment of action and the flashes back to what lead up to that.  I will be the first to admit when that approach works, and Assault and Buttery is one of those times.

When we join Rebecca Anderson at the start of this novel, she’s just landed in jail.  The sheriff, aka her best friend and brother-in-law Dan, has just put her there for interfering with a police investigation after she was asking questions at the funeral of Lloyd McLaughlin.  He died after eating some popcorn that Rebecca had made – popcorn that had turned out to be poisoned.  Naturally, this is affecting her reputation, so she does have an interest in finding out what happened to clear her name and save her business.

Not that she set out to investigate a murder.  Instead, Rebecca’s attention had been captured by a diary she had discovered in the wall of her shop’s kitchen while it was being renovated after a fire.  It appears that the diary writer knew Rebecca’s grandmother, and there are hints of danger in the diary writer’s life.  Who wrote the diary?  Who killed Lloyd?  And will Rebecca get out of jail?

All of this is told is a series of flashbacks that Rebecca is telling the woman in the cell next to her after landing in jail.  This gives us a chance to get updates on Rebecca’s time behind bars while also hearing what led her to her current predicament.  Maybe that’s why I didn’t mind so much, the story moved forward both in the present while filling us in on the past.  The flashbacks are fairly lengthy in the first half of the book, but it is never confusing and kept my interest the entire time.

The main character in cozies is often threatened with jail for obstruction of justice just like what happens to Rebecca here, so I also enjoyed seeing that threat carried out.  Her time in jail is actually pretty funny, and I got quite a few laughs from this book.  There were some things I think were supposed to be funny that actually irritated me more than made me laugh, but they were minor.

Naturally, with the plot of this book, the normal cast of supporting characters were in short supply.  Their scenes were fun, but I did miss those who had the fewest page time.  I was also a bit annoyed with Rebecca’s relationship with Dan and Garrett, her boyfriend who had a hand in her landing in jail.  I actually think I was harder on them than Rebecca was, all things considered, which is a funny place to be.  Or maybe the reconciliation just didn’t quite work.  Again, this is a minor point.  On the other hand, I loved how one relationship evolved in this book.

Sometimes, when an author tries an unconventional plot for a sub-genre, it doesn’t work.  In this case, I thought it worked perfectly.  It does take us about half the book for the flashbacks to catch up to the present, but I was never bored during that time.  The plot only got stronger when we got into the back half of the book.  The strong suspects kept us guessing, and the way things came together was wonderful.

And yes, we have two popcorn related recipes in the back of the book.  Personally, I really want to try the S’Mores Popcorn Bars. 

If you’ve enjoyed the previous book in this series, you’ll enjoy Assault and Buttery as well.  And if this series has yet to pop on your radar, you really should change that.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  I will pick the winner next Tuesday, November 14th, so please leave your comment before 12:01 AM Pacific Time on 11/14.  You will have until midnight on 11/19 to get back to me, or I will choose a new winner on 11/20.

Ornament Review: Up on the Housetop - Once Upon a Christmas #7 - 2017 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: More fun with Santa on Christmas Eve

Cons: Wish the lights on the eaves lit up

The Bottom Line:

Santa makes a stop

More music and fun light show

Series still delights

Time to Make a Delivery

It is rare that a Hallmark series combines to form one complete story, but that’s what we are getting with the Once Upon a Christmas series.  Each ornament shows us Santa as he goes about his Christmas Eve activities.  Up on the Housetop is the seventh addition to this fun series.

As you’d expect from the name, this ornament finds Santa on the roof of a house.  He’s got his bag of toys, and he’s standing next to a chimney ready to head inside to leave some presents.  The roof itself is snowy; we can even see how the snow is bunching under Santa’s feet.  There are lights under the eaves, so this is a house that must be all decked out for Christmas.  Like the others in the series, this ornament has a base that lights up, and that base is just under the eaves, so we get to see Santa and the chimney in great detail.

This series is part of Hallmark’s Magic Cord line.  As I just mentioned, the base lights up when you plug this into the cord.  You’ll also see a light inside the chimney start to flash.  Sadly, the Christmas lights under the eaves don’t light up; that would be a lot of fun.

There is a white button hidden in the roof of the house, and when you press it, it starts a show.  First, we get Santa talking about delivering the presence.  For the first time in this series, we get to hear someone else as the kids in the house giggle at one point.  Santa talks for about 15 seconds, and once he is done, the music really starts and the other ornaments connected to the magic cord light up again, and they all flash in time to the music, which is “Up on the Housetop.”  Surprised?  I’m not at all.  All told, between the talking and the music, you get almost 60 seconds of fun when you push the button.

The base of the ornament gives us a nice flat surface.  You could display this series in order and follow Santa’s progress in his busiest day of the year.  Or the loop for hanging this ornament is hiding in Santa’s bag.  You’ll be glad to find that the ornament hangs straight, although it is usually hard to get the ornaments in this series to hang straight since they are so large and the branches from the tree tilt them.

And, of course, you’ll find the 7 in a Christmas tree series marker on the bottom of the ornament.

There were several reasons I caved and started the Magic Cord, and this series was definitely one of them.  If you’ve been a fan, you’ll enjoy Up on the Housetop.

Don't miss the rest of the magic that is the Once Upon a Christmas series.

Original Price: $29.95

TV Show Review: Galavant - The Complete Series

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Comedy, musical, delightful

Cons: Could great cruder than I enjoy at times

The Bottom Line:

This odd little show

Mixes music and laughs for

A really fun time

Quirky Show That Really Worked

ABC tried a different approach over the last few years – putting their shows in two uninterrupted brackets and then having other shows to fill in during the hiatus.  The biggest fill in show was Agent Carter, which had a small but very loyal fan base.  But I’m not here to talk about that show today.  Instead, I’m here to talk about Galavant, the show that ABC put on Sunday nights to fill in while Once Upon a Time was on hiatus.  It was a quirky show that doesn’t seem like it should work, but it worked beautifully.

We meet Galavant (Joshua Sasse) as he is at his lowest.  He’s lost his true love, Madalena (Mallory Jansen), to King Richard (Timothy Omundson), a power hungry man intent on taking over all the known realm.  Fortunately for us, Sir Galavant is talked into going on a quest to save Madalena, taking Sid (Luke Youngblood) and Isabella (Karen David) along with him.  Just what will happen along the way?

The plot teaser barely begins to adequately describe this show.  It’s a comedy, and a single camera comedy.  It’s set in a fairy tale like universe that includes knights and jousts and even a dragon.

And have I mentioned that it is a musical as well?  With songs composed by Alan Menken, best known for his work on many Disney animated films like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.  The songs have some of the best jokes of each episode.

You can see why I called the show quirky.  This isn’t your normal show, and its ratings reflected the fact that the target audience is small.  Yet I found myself in that target audience more often than not.  Yes, some times the comedy got cruder than I appreciate, and the songs aren’t exactly the kind of inspiring things you might picture from a musical.  But they are so wickedly funny.

The ratings were so low I was actually surprised when we got a second season.  I was glad because we had quite the cliffhanger at the end of season one.  Season two mixes the cast and who is questing with whom, and the results are also delightfully fun.  And to show you the kind of show this was, season two kicked off with a big production number named “A New Season.”  It recapped the first season, but it also kept breaking the fourth wall as the characters sang about how surprising the second season even was.

The actors are all great.  As a fan of psych, I loved seeing Timothy Omundson in a different role.  I wasn’t familiar with anyone else, but I quickly became fans.  They are all perfect in their parts, and they can all sing so well.

This show featured half hour episodes, and we usually got two back to back.  Between the two seasons, we got 18 episodes, and all of them are present in the complete series DVD set that Visual Entertainment, Inc. has just released.  And I know I mentioned a cliffhanger at the end of season 1.  Don’t worry, while season 2 left things open enough that they could tell more stories if they got renewed, this wrapped most things up and didn’t leave us with any major cliffhangers.

I fully realize that Galavant isn’t for everyone, but I certainly enjoyed the quest.  If the show sounds at all appealing to you, do yourself a favor and give it a try.  My guess is, you’ll find you enjoy it.

November 4th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Took some time this morning catching up on everything, so that's why the post is a bit late this week.

Once Upon a Time (10/27) – That was a very bittersweet episode.  The idea of so many happy years together and yet Belle dying.  Wow!  I did love how they wove Up into the episode since I love that movie so much.  So, who is this Guardian who can free Rumple.  Henry?  Or is it Alice, since Alice was the first person he saw when he came through the portal.  I’ve been assuming that Rumple was “awake” the entire time, but maybe he just woke up after being shot.  Either way, that will make things interesting now.  I’m just trying to figure out the timeline since it looked like Rumple jumped into our new Forest about the time of the ball when Henry met Cinderella.  Now I know time stood still for everyone else when he was there, but how is it that Gideon is a young man, yet the other characters haven’t aged 20+ years.

Supergirl – Well, that episode wasn’t as completely one sided as I thought it would be.  And the cult was sufficiently, creepy, that’s for sure.  But they are going to break my heart later in the season when they have the villainess become truly evil.  I like her.  I don’t want to see that.  I’d rather she stay a single mom trying to balance everything.

Dancing with the Stars – The scariest thing about that episode was the double elimination.  I think that’s the first time they had one without announcing it the week before.  Drew is still on the bottom as far as I am concerned, but these others would probably gone next.  There were some very fun dances, and that final team dance was amazing.

The Flash – I thought I was going to enjoy Cisco’s sub-plot, but I found it a little boring.  However, I’m intrigued by this new member of the team.  I think his interactions with Barry could be a whole lot of fun.  Joe’s reveal in the helicopter to Barry definitely made me laugh.

Legends of Tomorrow – I’ve heard that Victor Garber was leaving the show, and they are obviously setting the stage for that.  I do hope he gets a happy ending in 2017 with his grandson.  I would hate to see him killed off.  I don’t think they would do that because it would allow him to pop up just about anywhere again.  At least I hope not.  Anyway, as soon as I saw the candy I knew they were doing ET.  Okay, so it was ET via Aliens.  Still, I had to laugh when they went for the flying bikes.  And there were so many great one liners.  I think my favorite was finding out Rory’s favorite musical.  I’m a fan of “Fiddler” as well.

This is Us – I wound up liking this one more than I thought I would at the beginning.  I am so invested in the current storyline that it is often hard to have these flashbacks.  For me, it was the final scene with Rebecca talking to baby Randall and baby Tess.  The monologues on this show are always so good.  And it is interested to see Kate moving to LA and Miguel reconnecting with Rebecca.  So she was single for at least 8 years.  I’d wondered how they had gotten together.

Survivor – So Ali was right not to trust anyone.  It wouldn’t have made any difference for her, but it’s still hard.  They really would have been smart to get the strong guy out.  He’s going to be tough to get rid of after the merge – they were completely right about that.

Designated Survivor – I’m now intrigued by both of the on going storylines.  The First Lady’s mother is making things as hard as she can for people, that’s for sure.  And who really committed the murder?  We know it’s not the Secretary of State.  I just wish the President were a little more involved in these stories since without him involved they feel more like sub-plots to the main crisis of the week, where Kirkman always shines.

Big Bang Theory – That was rare.  Usually, they don’t have characters crossing from one storyline to another, but they did this time.  I liked it.  Some pretty surprising and fun moments, too.  I wonder if we’ll hear more about this Professor Proton reboot.  I could see that being fun down the line as well.

Young Sheldon – Still not super impressed, mainly because we’re supposed to be laughing at Sheldon and the Coopers making fools out of themselves.  That final scene was perfect, however.

The Good Place – Fall finale already?  That’s it until 2018?  No!!!!!  Especially with that last scene.  Michael and the rest are in deep trouble now that Shawn is there in person.  The rest?  So funny.  So many great lines and funny situations.  And I think Eleanor is about to realize that she loves Chidi and that’s why she is trying to be good.  But seriously, 2018?  (With my full TV schedule, I should be complaining, but still, I just love this show.)

Arrow – Obviously, they had a very different actor playing Caden James in the one hooded shot we saw last season.  I never would have guessed that’s who Michael Emerson would be playing.  We’ve got another villain who is manipulating our heroes.  Maybe they can compare notes with the cast of The Flash and figure that out.  I hope, anyway.

The Orville – I must admit, I was expecting something along the lines of a funny Lost in Space spoof this week, but what we got was more serious.  Oh, I knew everyone would be okay, but I was still wondering how.  I didn’t know the doctor had kids before this, and boy were they annoying so much of the episode.  No real surprises in the relationship arcs, either, but I still really enjoyed the show.

Tree Skirt Review: Oh What Fun! Tree Skirt - 2017 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun scene and light show

Cons: Wish all the lights participated in the show

The Bottom Line:

Mickey, Pluto fly

Across your Christmas tree skirt

Lights add extra fun

Magic for Your Tree Skirt

I have matching tree skirts that I’ve used for years and loved.  They are red with white trim.  Simple, but I wasn’t looking for anything else until I saw Hallmark’s Oh What Fun! Tree Skirt that released this year.  That’s when I knew I’d be replacing one of them.

This tree skirt ties in with the Oh What Fun! Tree Topper that was also released this year.  And it looks very much like the topper.  On a green background, we have Mickey sitting in Santa’s sleigh with a bag full of presents.  In front of him, we have two reindeer and the Pluto out in the very front.  This scene is repeated three times on the tree skirt.  Above this scene we get snowflakes of various sizes.  All of this is sown just like a tree skirt would be, although it is a bit stiff because of the electronics included.

The skirt itself is fairly large.  It has a radius of 2 feet, which means when it is all spread out, it covers a circle that is 4 feet from side to side.

Now if it were just this, I might have looked at it, said how fun, and passed.  What made me buy it was the fact that this connects to Hallmark’s Magic Cord.  When you do that, the outlines of Mickey, the reindeer, and Pluto light up with yellowish/white lights.  The snowflakes also have pure white lights.  They flash whenever the Magic Cord is plugged into the wall.

This tree skirt doesn’t control the show, however, when you press the button on any other Magic Cord ornament, the lights around Mickey, Pluto, and the reindeer all flash along with the music.

And that right there is my only real complaint with the tree skirt.  I wish all the lights on the skirt participated when a show was going on.  That would be a lot of fun.

Of course, if you only have one tree, this skirt will get covered with presents as you get close to Christmas.  Maybe the thinking is that the inside lights will be buried and you’d only see the outside lights.  Personally, I plan to put presents under the tree that has the regular skirt and leave this one so it can be enjoyed without being covered at all.

And the connection for the Magic Cord?  It’s tucked into a pocket sown into the bottom of the skirt.  It took me a few minutes to find it.

Am I disappointed that all the lights aren’t part of the show?  Yes.  But I’m still glad I bought the Oh What Fun! Tree Skirt because it’s, well, fun.

Original Price: $99.95

November 2nd's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

Here we are again, time for Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

This week, I'm highlighting City of Lies, the first in the new Counterfeit Lady series by Victoria Thompson.

                                                       

I'm almost half way through this book, and I'm really enjoying it.  While Victoria Thompson writes a traditional historical mystery series, this isn't as much of a mystery.  There is crime, and it's just a lot of fun.
Anyway, here's now the book begins:

Jake looked much too smug.
Elizabeth's hand itched to smack the smirk off his face, but well-bred ladies didn't go around smacking people in hotel dining rooms.

A bit longer beginning, so I'm going to keep the 56 short and sweet:

"My mother was one of the ladies arrested yesterday."

I will have a full review and a giveaway up on Thursday, so I hope you'll come back then and enter.

Book Review: A Deadly Eclair by Daryl Wood Gerber (French Bistro Mysteries #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters; fun mystery

Cons: Data dump in the first chapter

The Bottom Line:

Wedding morning death

Introduces new series

With great characters

First Big Event Ends in Murder

One reason I love cozy mysteries is the fact that so many are series.  Each book is like visiting old friends again.  One reason the recent cuts at one publisher in their cozy line has been so hard is all the friends I won’t get to visit any more.  And yet, it encourages me to see so many authors I enjoy starting new series.  Daryl Wood Gerber has launched one such series with A Deadly Éclair, and it is off to a promising start.

This series debut takes us to Napa County were Mimi Rousseau has opened a French bistro and hotel.  After much renovation on both buildings, things are beginning to pick up.  She is hoping to host events, and her first one is a big one.  Angelica Edmonton, host of a TV talk show, has chosen to have her wedding on the grounds.  It’s actually not that much of a surprise since Angelica grew up in this part of Napa County and her uncle, Bryan Baker, is Mimi’s mentor and investor.

The night before the wedding, the bistro is closed for a private dinner for Angelica and her out of town guests.  While busy playing hostess, Mimi overhears things that show here there is plenty of tension among the various family members.  However, Mimi doesn’t expect Angelica to come to her door the next morning upset about something.  That something proves to be a dead body.  What is going on?

Yes, I was initially surprised when I realized this new series with a French bistro theme was being set in an area known for its wine.  This may be the first cozy series set up there I’m aware of that didn’t feature wine as the hook.  Don’t get me wrong, wine and the wine industry is still definitely a part.  Heck, Mimi’s mom owns a very small winery.  But, as a non-drinker who did grow up in Sonoma County (the county next door), I appreciated this change of focus.  The descriptions of the French food certainly had my mouth watering.

Those who have read either of Daryl’s previous series (The Cookbook Nook Mysteries under her own name and The Cheese Shop Mysteries as Avery Aames) know that she creates strong characters with strong ties to each other.  I love that about her books, and this new series is no exception.  Mimi is a great main character, and we can already feel the bonds she shares with the rest of the main cast.  I’m definitely looking forward to seeing those relationships grow as the series progresses.

Now this isn’t to say that the suspects are weak characters.  They are just as strong and help keep us guessing until the end of this strong mystery.  There are plenty of motives and secrets that Mimi has to uncover before she figures out who the killer is.  I did feel the first chapter was a bit of a data dump, but once we moved past that, the pace was steady.  The climax was great and logical based on what Mimi had already uncovered.

And yes, we get several delicious sounding recipes.  By my count, there are ten, ranging from Eggs Benedict and Onion Soup Gratinee to a French Raspberry Cream Tart.  You can up the recipe count if you include the regular and glutton free versions we get for three of recipes.

Fans of Daryl Wood Gerber can rejoice.  A Deadly Éclair introduces us to another wonderful cast of characters I’m looking forward to visiting again soon.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

October 2017 Monthly Reading Summary

Starting out November by looking back.  Here's what I read in October.  And yes, I did get the Index updated this month.

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

A Room with a Brew by Joyce Tremel (Brewing Trouble Mysteries #3) – 5

Max O’Hara is getting ready for an Oktoberfest celebration in her brewpub, and part of that is going to listen to the band she’s hired.  The evening ends on a weird note when a member of the band claims to recognize one of Max’s friends, something the friend denies.  Then a member of the band wants to meet with Max, and a dead body turns up.  Can Max figure out what is happening?

This book starts strong and never lets up.  I couldn’t put it down, and raced through it, enjoying the twists and turns along the way.  I love the characters we’ve met in this series, and they are in top form here.  That includes Max’s large family and her relationship with her boyfriend.  The new characters are just as fun.  This book does spoil quite a bit of the first in the series, so start there.  You won’t be sorry since all three books in this series are great.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Fixing to Die by Miranda James (Southern Ladies #4) – 4

Sisters An’gel and Dickce Ducote are only too happy to help Mary Turner Catlin, the granddaughter of their friend.  It seems the family house is haunted, and she wants them to help her figure out what is causing the problem.  It isn’t too long after they arrive that they begin to experience some strange things, but it’s the uninvited guests who really up the tension.  What are the sisters involved in now?

I love the main characters in this book, both human and four legged, so I was glad to get a chance to visit them again.  They delight as always, and the new characters are strong as well.  The pacing was a little off over all, but the haunted house aspect is a nice addition to the mystery.  Fans of the author will enjoy this latest book.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Pick the Plot by James Riley (Story Thieves #4) – 4

When Owen wakes up in prison, he only knows he needs to escape quickly in order to help his friend Bethany.  His only ally is Kara, a girl his own age who seems to know him even if he doesn’t remember her.  Owen quickly realizes that Nobody has actually trapped him in a Pick the Plot book.  That means he needs your help to escape.  Are you up for the challenge?

This is a very creative way to advance the Story Thieves series forward.  Yes, every few pages we get a choice, but the wrong paths lead us back to the correct story.  We do get parallel paths at one point, which is unfortunate since both do provide some good series info before the story comes back together.  We don’t see much of the other series characters, but Owen and Kara carry the story well.  It’s a fast, creative book that will please series fans.

A Cajun Christmas Killing by Ellen Byron (Cajun Country Mysteries #3) – 5

With a couple of weeks to go before Christmas, Maggie should be focusing on getting into the Christmas spirit.  However, she’s just learned that a businessman is trying to take over her family’s bed and breakfast built on their family’s plantation.  When he turns up dead, naturally, they are all suspects, and Maggie begins to try to figure out what really happened.  With a list of suspects that only grows, can Maggie find the killer?

We are getting quite a nice community in this series, and I was glad to revisit Maggie and her friends and family.  The characters only grow stronger here and some relationships take surprising turns.  The mystery is strong and kept me guessing until the end, and sub-plots compliment the mystery and enhance the characters.  Throw in some Louisiana recipes and Christmas traditions and you’ve got a holiday winner.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Murder on the Toy Town Express by Barbara Early (Vintage Toy Shop Mysteries #2) – 5

The Toy and Train Expo has come to town, and Liz McCall and her father have a booth for their vintage toy shop, Well Played.  Their booth is next to a face from Liz’s past, Craig McFadden, who used to bully Liz in school.  Craig has some big announcement to make this weekend, but before he can, he plunges off the cat walk in the convention center.  What’s going on?

I never really grew up, so a series set in a vintage toy shop has me smiling from page one.  The fact that the story is strong and kept me guessing only helps.  The characters are wonderful, and I’d love to meet Liz and her family.  There are significant developments in the romantic triangle introduced in the previous book.  Add in a strong dose of humor thanks to certain events and Liz’s father’s love of puns, and you’ve got a winning book.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

The Skeleton Paints a Picture by Leigh Perry (Family Skeleton Mysteries #4) – 4

Georgia is thrilled when her childhood friend Sid mails himself to her new location teaching at an art college.  She’d been feeling isolated and lonely, and having this living skeleton there is perfect.  However, that first night, Sid finds the scene of an accident.  The police think that Georgia is hiding something when she reports finding the dead body, never dreaming it is Sid.  The victim worked at the college with Georgia.  Could someone on campus be the killer?

Since Georgia has started teaching at a new college, this book is light on returning characters, just Sid and Georgia.  However, they are more than enough to carry the book, especially when surrounded by a strong group of new characters.  The plot is strong and a lot of fun, although the ending does seem rushed.  I felt like we got some PC forced in at one point, but this was more than offset by the humor throughout the entire book.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost (Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries #1) – 4

When Holly White calls off her wedding, she returns to her family’s tree farm in Maine just in time for the annual Reindeer Games, which take place in the twelve days leading up to Christmas.  However, the night before the games are set to start, Margaret comes in causing problems in her quest to keep the town exactly historically accurate.  When Holly finds Margaret dead among the trees a few hours later, the police start looking a little too close to home.  Can Holly clear her family and friends before Christmas?

If you are looking for a Christmas cozy, this one is perfect.  Each page oozes Christmas cheer, and the games sound like a ton of fun.  I’d love to visit and play myself.  Unfortunately, I did feel this got in the way of the mystery at times, and Holly spent quite a bit to time reacting to events rather than actually investigating at other points.  Still, it held together well overall, and we got a great climax.  The characters are already sharp, and their relationships help add to the Christmas cheer.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Pillow Stalk by Diane Vallere (Madison Night #1) – 4

Madison Night has started over in Dallas, and her life is going well, including her interior design company specializing in mid-century modern designs.  However, things take a surprising turn when she finds an acquaintance dead under her car.  Suddenly, the police won’t leave her alone.  But is that because they think her friend is the killer?  Or is it because she might be the next victim?

This book starts strong and never lets go.  It’s filled with twists and turns that kept the pages flying.  I did feel the climax had a timing hole in it, but it’s a minor issue in an other wise very fun story.  Madison is a fresh main character, although the supporting players could use a bit more development, something I’m hoping for in future books.  We certainly see hints of it here.

Murder in an English Village by Jessica Ellicott (Beryl and Edwina #1) – 5

When Edwina’s funds get low enough, she starts advertising for a boarder.  Fortunately for her, Beryl sees it.  The two women, though very different, are boarding school friends, and this new living arrangement suits them both.  But Beryl’s presence in Edwina’s small village creates some gossip, which Beryl fuels by hinting that the two women are actually employed by His Majesty.  When someone tries to kill Edwina, the two realize there is a secret to uncover.  What might it be?

This book perfectly transports us back to 1920 and the English countryside.  The repercussions of World War I are still there, and it is a fascinating look at how the war affected the rest of life.  The British Edwina and American Beryl are very different, and their differences can be fun, yet they make a good detecting pair, and we feel the depth of their friendship.  The plot is strong, keeping us surprised until the end.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Blackberry Burial by Sharon Farrow (Berry Basket Mysteries #2) – 5

Marlee Jacob has been roped into helping her friend Piper find a starting location for the upcoming Blackberry Car Rally, but while checking out the newest prospect, they uncover a skeleton.  The remains belong to Sienna, a promising art student who vanished 20 years ago from the local art school.  With the art school holding a reunion, everyone Sienna knew is back in town.  At the time, everyone thought she’s drowned in Lake Michigan, but if that’s what happened, how did she get buried away from the lake?

This book starts out well, but it only gets better when the reunion starts and Sienna’s friends arrive.  From that point on, I didn’t want to set the book down due to the twists and the strong suspects.  When I hit the climax, I was racing to find out what would happen next.  Marlee and her friends are a pleasure to be around, and the setting is a summer vacation paradise it is a pleasure to visit on the page.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.