Book Review: Killing in a Koi Pond by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran (Murder, She Wrote #53)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Jessica, most other characters, good mystery

Cons: Suspects are a bit thin, pacing at times

The Bottom Line:

Jessica on trip

When friend accused of murder

Classic franchise feel

Jessica Gets Back on the Road to Murder

I know I’ve jumped in very late to the Murder, She Wrote novels, basically picking up with the last few in the series.  However, I noticed something with the books I have read – they had all mostly centered on Cabot Cove.  Since I keep trying to point out how much Jessica Fletcher traveled in the show, I am quite happy to see her back on the road in Killing in a Koi Pond, the first novel in the series from Terrie Farley Moran.

Jessica has traveled to Columbia, South Carolina, to visit her college friend Delores.  Delores has recently remarried, and she is still very much in love with Willis.  Delores thinks that Willis is just wonderful, but at dinner that first night, Jessica sees a different side of Willis.  He appears controlling and manipulative to the family and friends who are there.

Jessica wakes up early the next morning and gets ready to go for a quick jog.  However, she only makes it as far as the Koi Pond.  That’s when she finds Willis’s dead body.  Jessica immediately suspects foul play, but Delores can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt Willis.  When the police begin to look at Delores as a killer, Jessica jumps in to figure out what really happened.  Can she prove her friend innocent?

As much as I enjoyed the previous books in the series (the only ones I’ve read), at times they felt a little off from the series.  There was more of a thriller component to them than the series usually had, and some of the climaxes were stretching credibility for what Jessica would be able to do.  This book feels like a return to the franchise that we’ve known for almost 40 years.  We’ve got a murder and a limited number of suspects, with Jessica trying to figure out exactly what is going on.

While we get cameo appearances from a couple of regulars, this is pretty much Jessica’s show.  Anyone who loves the character will be thrilled to get to spend more time with her.  Delores and several other characters are equally as charming; I especially loved how Delores grew as the book progressed.  I did find Delores’s step-granddaughter, Abby, to be much younger than she was supposed to be.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved the character, but she felt like she should have been four or five years old.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the suspects were as well developed.  It might have helped if we’d spent more time getting to know them better.

And the thinner suspects made it harder to me to stay engaged in the plot.  Don’t get me wrong, it was entertaining, and there were some good twists and a classic Murder, She Wrote climax.  But I felt the pacing was uneven.

Overall, I did enjoy the book.  It reminded me very much of a classic travel episode from the show, and we got so many of them over the years.

I really got a kick out of some references to a mystery convention that Jessica had attended right before her trip.  The conference is obviously Malice Domestic, a conference devoted to cozy mysteries.  It only came up in passing a couple of times, but it made me smile.

If you are a fan of Murder, She Wrote, you’ll enjoy Killing in a Koi Pond.  It’s got that wonderful feeling of being a missing episode of the TV show.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Movie Review: Jumanji

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Action, laughs, acting, pretty much everything

Cons: A few dated effects, but good for the time

The Bottom Line:

Action, comedy

Fun movie, at times intense

Always enjoy it

A Movie for Those Who Seek to Find a Way to Leave Their World Behind

Believe it or not, even after 20 years of reviewing, there are still some things I have never got around to writing a review for.  One of those is the original Jumanji, which is a surprise to me since I have enjoyed it since the first time I watched it back when it was in the theater.  And every time I watch it, I’m reminded why I like it so much.

The movie tells the story of a board game.  A very dangerous board game.  After opening in 1969, the movie quickly moves to the modern (at least when the movie came out) setting of 1995 as two kids, Judy and Peter Shepherd (Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce) find the game in the attic of the house their aunt Nora (Bebe Neuwirth) has just bought.  When they start to play it, they make a horrible discovery, the game is bringing danger to life around them.  With the help of two adults they meet along the way, Alan Parrish (Robin Williams) and Sarah Whittle (Bonnie Hunt), they attempt to finish the game.  But will they survive?

I actually realized when I sat down to write this review how hard it is to talk about the movie without spoilers.  Or maybe that’s just me.  I know the story so well, I take it for granted and almost posted some spoilers without thinking about it at all.  Anyway, fans of the movie will look at my recap and scratch their heads because it doesn’t really capture the magic of the movie.

And the movie is magic.  This is movie that brings a jungle to a small New Hampshire town, and no one is prepared for the insanity that results.  As a viewer, I just recommend that you hang on and enjoy the ride.  Don’t worry, the story is logical and holds up very well to repeated viewing.  I’m just saying that you get so caught up in the action that you won’t have time to think.

Action is the key word here.  Even more than the sequels, this is a movie filled with action and danger.  It really gets the adrenaline pumping.  Even though the movie is rated PG, you will want to think about whether your kids can handle it or not before you sit down to watch it with them.  It’s scary in a PG way, but it might be too intense for those who are easily frightened.

I’m sure you are thinking, but the movie stars Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt.  How can it be that scary with these two comedians leading the cast?  Don’t worry, there are plenty of laughs along the way.  The film is actually a pretty good blend of comedy and high action.  There are multiple scenes that are funny mixed in with the suspense.  As you’d expect, sometimes, it’s just a line delivery or facial expression that conveys some comedy as the danger is building.

And the cast is great.  This is young Kirsten Dunst, and it is easy to see why she’s had a successful career.  I’m a bit surprised that Bradley Pierce hasn’t had a career to match hers based on his performance here.  Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt are fantastic.  I have to give a shout out to David Ala Grier as a cop who gets caught up in the action as well.  His reactions to various things are hilarious.

This movie came out in 1995, two years after Jurassic Park, and uses the same mix of practical effects and early computer-generated effects.  At times, some of the effects show their age, especially if you are watching the movie in 4K, but for the most part, they hold up.  And, honestly, I’m willing to let that go because I get so caught up in the film.

If you’ve somehow missed Jumanji, you need to fix that now.  This is a movie that I can watch again and again and enjoy it every time I do.

Book Review: The Art of Betrayal by Connie Berry (Kate Hamilton Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great characters, puzzling mystery

Cons: Nothing that betrayed my overall enjoyment

The Bottom Line:

Antiques theft, murder

Twisty, compelling story

With great characters

Murder of a Recluse, Theft of an Antique Jar

It’s been a while (at least for us) since we last visited Kate Hamilton, an antiques dealer who is spending more time in England these days thanks to her budding relationship with Detective Inspector Tom Mallory.  I was anxious to see how life was progressing for her in The Art of Betrayal, and I enjoyed getting to spend more time with her.

Kate is back in the Suffolk village of Long Barston for the month of May.  Not only does this mean more time visiting Tom, but she is able to help her new friend and fellow antique dealer Ivor Tweedy run his antique shop while he recovers from surgery.

One afternoon, a woman comes in with a piece she wants to sell.  Kate quickly identifies it as a piece of Chinese pottery that is highly valuable, and is thrilled when the woman leaves it behind for the shop to sell on consignment.

That night is the annual May Fair celebration in the village, and Kate and Tom are enjoying themselves.  In the middle of the pageant the community puts on, a woman stumbles on the stage and dies – the same woman who brought the pottery to the shop that afternoon.  Then Tom is called to Tweedy’s antique shop, which has been broken into.  The only thing missing is that pottery.  While Tom is investigating, Kate can’t help but get more and more drawn into the case.  Will she figure out what is going on?

Let’s get my frustration about of the way early.  There were some time line issues, and a couple of times where the location where the body was found seemed to change.  I was reading an ARC, and hopefully they were caught and changed before they went to press.  They annoyed me, but they were minor overall, and I’m ignoring them for the rest of this review.

This is a strong mystery, and I was quickly pulled in.  There are multiple threads that Kate has to follow to figure out what is going on.  I figured out one or two of them early, but I still had huge gaps in my picture of the case when I reached the climax.  And then I felt silly for not having pieced it all together earlier myself.  Those are my favorite kind of mysteries.  The climax is quite exciting, as well.

Kate is older than the typical cozy protagonist since she’s a widow with grown children, and I love that about her.  (I’m all about variety.)  I found some of the sub-plots in her personal life very refreshing as a result.

And the rest of the cast is great as well.  Tom continues to be a fantastic love interest.  I’ll admit that I didn’t remember much about some of the other returning characters, but it wasn’t long before I could place them in the village and in Kate’s life there.  The new characters are strong and helped draw me into the story.

It truly was great to check in with Kate again.  The Art of Betrayal will make her current fans happy and should bring her more fans who enjoy puzzling mysteries.

Enjoy the rest of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Ornament Review: Birdie P. Nestinghouse - Snowtop Lodge #16 - 2020 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great bird themed entry

Cons: Does tip forward

The Bottom Line:

Bird theme snowwoman

A series variation

A cute ornament

2020’s Snowtop Lodge is a Fine Feathered Ornament

We’ve done so many traditional winter activities in the Snowtop Lodge series, and I always look at the series to see what artist Joanne Eschrich will come up with next.  She found a different approach for 2020’s entry, and Birdie P. Nestinghouse is wonderful as a result.

Yes, as you may have guessed from the name, the theme of the entry is birds.  Birdie the snowwoman is dressed up in a green hat and scarf, and she’s holding a bird house.  There are two cardinals sitting on her, and they look like they are about to move into that bird house.

The bottom of the snowwoman features a village, as many of the ornaments in this series do.  However, instead of showing snowpeople, this one features many more birds.  Yes, there are houses in the village, but we see plenty of bird houses as well.  And there are birds flying in the sky.  It’s a wonderful scene.

This ornament is fun.  It’s a definite break from the rest of the series since it focuses on animals instead of something that people would be doing, but I really like it.  In fact, it stands out a bit more as a result.

Like all good snowpeople, Birdie stands on her own.  You’ll also find the series marker on the bottom of the ornament.  I will issue my standard disclaimer – this series is made from porcelain, so keep that in mind if you go to display the ornament.  Make sure it is in a place where it won’t get broken.

The ornament does tip forward slightly when you go to hang it on your tree.  That makes the scene on the bottom look a little off, but overall, the ornament still looks good to me.  This has actually been a common issue with the series, so if you’ve been collecting it, this won’t be a surprise to you.

I always enjoy seeing the creativity that goes into a long running series.  That makes Birdie P. Nestinghouse a great addition to the Snowtop Lodge series.

And be sure to get the rest of the Snowtop Lodge series.

Disney Pin Review: Hercules Playing Discus - All Star Trading Cards #6 - 2020 Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Perfectly captures Hercules playing discus his way

Cons: All cons tossed away

The Bottom Line:

Highlighting ancients

Hercules catches the disc

In classic entry

This Pin is a Hero, Not a Zero

The entries for the last couple of months in the All Stars Trading Cards series have featured some questionable sports.  That’s not the case with the pin that was released in June.  We are going with a classical sport, and a classical athlete as Hercules tackles Discus.

As always with this pin series, we’ve got a rectangular pin.  Hercules is diagonal across the pin as he is reaching up to catch the discus that Phil has just tossed for him.  Behind him, we can see a bit of a colosseum.  Hercules has signed the pin up in the left corner, and we’ve got Discus in blue glitter across the bottom.

I was initially thinking that, once again, we’ve got a screen shot direct from the movie turned into a pin.  And it is true.  You’ll notice how I was able to describe the scene without seeing any character but Hercules.  However, I then realized that this isn’t what athletes typically do when they compete in discus.  Instead, they throw it.  Yet, I love that they captured the movie so perfectly here.  And, as a Frisbee player, it’s nice to see someone catching something, even if it is a discus and not a disc, aka Frisbee.

And the pin looks great, too.  Even without the signature, any fan of the movie Hercules will immediately get what they are capturing here.

And that’s why I like this pin so much.  We’ve got another moment captured perfectly from the movie.  That makes it an all-star addition to the series.

June 5th's Weekly TV Thoughts

American Ninja Warrior – I’m not sure how I feel about them lowering the age yet again.  But it’s hard to argue with the results.  The teens are killing it out there.  Never go first.  You know it is going to end in disaster, so I wasn’t surprised to see The Kid out early.  Kind of surprised to see Daniel Gill fall.  And kind of not.  When they over hype someone, they seem to go down as well.  At least he is moving on.  But they need to work on their writing some so as not to give away the twists, you know?

Lego Masters – The new season is off to a great start.  So far, I really like all the teams, so I’m glad no one went home.  Kind of expected that.  And it’s nice to give everyone a couple of chances to get the competition figured out.  I’m hoping the two bottom teams really come back and impress us all next week.  I was not at all surprised that the team that won first this week got first.  Their float was very impressive.  I can’t quite figure out how they pulled it off.  Then again, we’ve discussed that I’m not that creative on stuff like this on my own.

Superman and Lois – It was obvious who Lois was going to be yelling at pretty early on.  I did not see the miscarriage coming.  That was a pretty powerful part of the episode.  You know, at this point, I’m wondering if Superman will turn bad – under the influence of some type of kryptonite.  Obviously, he won’t stay that way.  The Cushings are in for a hard road ahead.  Hopefully, soon they realize what the people chosen are really subject to.  Meanwhile, that was a great scene with Jordan and Sarah at the audition.

Press Your Luck – Last week, the Whammy was all over the place.  This week, we hardly saw any Whammys until near the end of the main game.  And then the winner Whammied out of the bonus round.  I felt sorry for her then.  Of course, she did still have quite a list of prizes and money from the main game, so it’s hard to feel too sorry for her.

United States of Al – I think what I’m enjoying about the show is how sweet it turns out to be.  Yes, there are some moments where Al is trying too hard, but overall, it’s a nice show, and I am feeling how the characters really do care for each other.

Wipeout – They had some good themed contestant, but they didn’t continue on.  I can’t say too much about those afraid of heights since I’d be right there.  And I don’t deal well with cold, so being reminded how cold it is when they film is another reason I’m content to watch.  I felt so sorry for that guy who couldn’t get back up because of ice.  That would be me.

June 4th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

 You know what I haven't done in a long time?  Book Beginnings and Friday 56.  I think I'll change that this week.

This week, I'm highlighting The Art of Betrayal by Connie Berry.

This is the third book in the Kate Hamilton series, set in England and featuring antiques.  And here's how this particular book starts:

The fourth of May was one of those glorious spring days in England that almost convince you nothing evil could ever happen again.

And yet, this is a murder mystery, so you know that evil is just around the corner.

Not to mention a change in the weather.  We find this exchange at 56% into the book:

"I'd forgotten how rainy it is in Suffolk," Lucy said, fingercombing her damp hair.
"Typical English summer."  Vivian rubbed her nose with the back of  her hand, leaving a smudge of flour.  "Disheartening showers interrupted by gales of disappointment."

So, it's not the best tease, but there isn't a cool like to pull out from that point in the book.  Trust me, this is a great book.  It comes out on Tuesday, and I'll be here with a full review of it that day.

I hope you'll come back then.  In the meantime, have a fabulous weekend.

Book Review: Evil for Evil by James R. Benn (Billy Boyle #4)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters, decent mystery

Cons: Drowning in detail

The Bottom Line:

Must find stolen guns

Billy heads to Ireland

Good, too much detail

Billy’s Trip to Ireland Isn’t What He Expected

I’ve realized something while I was reading Evil for Evil, the fourth Billy Boyle World War II mystery.  I really want to like this series, but I seem to struggle with it.  I’m sure it is me.  And maybe it is this book, which I seemed to struggle with more than most books I read and more than earlier books in the series.

If you are new to the series, Billy Boyle is an Irish-American.  A Boston Cop, when World War II came to America, his family used their connection to General Eisenhower to keep him from being enlisted in the army.  Instead, he is assigned to Eisenhower, and heads up special investigations to try to keep the war effort on track.  Far from keeping him safe, that seems to put him in more danger.

In this book, Billy finds himself heading to Ireland.  As a good Irish Catholic, he has some predetermined ideas about the country his family is from even if he’s never been there before.  So it is with some trepidation that he takes on his assignment.  Fifty Browning Automatic Rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition have been stolen from an US Army base in Northern Ireland.  It is suspected that the IRA is behind it, and the Boyles have always supported the IRA in their efforts against the Protestants in Northern Ireland.  However, it is believed that the IRA might be planning to turn these guns over to Germany, so Billy knows he needs to find them before they fall into the hands of the enemy.  When the bodies begin piling up, Billy begins to face truths about Ireland he never considered before.  Can he find the guns?

On the one hand, this book was the interesting combination of history and mystery I’ve always enjoyed.  I felt like I was transported back to World War II era and enjoyed seeing again what life was like in a different part of the world.  It was interesting to see the struggle in Ireland brought to life, and I appreciated that the nuances of the conflict were brought out in detail on both sides.

The mystery itself is good as well.  Naturally, Billy finds himself involved in much more than he bargained for, but he sifts through those red herrings and reaches the logical conclusion.  I was a step ahead of him at times and a step behind him at others, but I was never confused once Billy explained what was really happening.

Likewise, I love the characters.  Billy is growing in each book, and I love seeing him mature.  Unfortunately, we don’t see much of the supporting cast here since Billy is pretty much on his own.  But the new characters more than make up for that and help bring the story to life.

With the previous books, I’ve commented on the other the top action scenarios that Billy finds himself in.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that those were toned down for this book.  Don’t misunderstand, there is plenty of danger and suspense, but it more realistic.

So what’s my struggle?  The books feel long.  At times, the story gets bogged down in the details – the details of Billy’s surroundings or the details of history.  These books always take me longer to read than I’m used to, and I know I have to mentally prepare myself for that when I pick up one of them.  That’s why it might just be me and my expectations of how quickly I think I “should” be getting through the book.  Or maybe it really could use some trimming.

As I said, there is much to love.  And I want to see what happens next to Billy because I really like the characters.  But I feel like he was drowning in details in Evil for Evil.

Here are the rest of the Billy Boyle Mysteries.

Movie Review: Raya and the Last Dragon

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun, good moral

Cons: Predictable

The Bottom Line:

Quest to save kingdom

Predictable but still good

Should entertain all

Collecting Gems with a Dragon

So many movies were delayed during 2020, understandably so, that I suspect we will soon be seeing a flood of movies coming our way.  The first of these for me was Raya and the Last Dragon.  I waited until it hit disc release instead of watching it on Disney+, and I enjoyed it.

The movie takes us to Kumandra, a land that once was united and flourished under the magic provided by dragons.  All that changed when the Druun attacked the region, and the dragons sacrificed themselves for the world.  With their magic gone, the land splintered, with only one small part of the dragon’s magic left in a magic gem.

Which brings us to Raya (voiced by Kelly Marie Tran).  The Druun have returned, and the magic gem has been split.  Raya is on a quest to find a way to save the land, which includes finding Sisu (Awkwafina), the last dragon.  It soon becomes apparent that reuniting the gem is the only way to save the world from the Druun.  Can Raya find all the pieces and do that?

I’m going to leave off the plot teaser there.  Yes, it is pretty basic.  But I don’t want to spoil anything, and I’m afraid if I do more, I will.

This is one of those movies that is predictable.  It’s fairly easy to see where the film is going, and we just go along for the ride with Raya until we get there.  That’s not to say that the film wasn’t enjoyable.  I got caught up in the action at the various stops Raya makes along the way.  And Sisu is very funny.  Between the action and the laughs, I enjoyed the film.  I just wish it had included one twist I wasn’t expecting.

The moral of the movie is a little obvious.  In fact, it just manages to keep from crossing the line to preaching.  Yet, I loved it.  In these times, the message is especially important.  Even when we have differences, we can still find ways to work together.  Or at least we should try.

The voice cast is wonderful.  While there were a few names I was familiar with in the credits, most of them were unknown to me.  I think that actually helped me get lost in the story.  There were some moments early on that felt a little forced, which might have been the writing or the voice acting, but it didn’t last for long.

Likewise, the animation is wonderful.  There are a few beautiful shots that help us fall in love with this fantasy world.

It’s rare that a Disney animated movie has no songs, but that’s the case here.  While I usually enjoy the songs, I don’t think this film needed them.  It worked well without them.

And, I definitely did get drawn into the story.  The ending brought tears to my eyes.

Obviously, I have some nitpicks with Raya and the Last Dragon, but it is a Disney movie that kids of all ages will still enjoy since it is overall fun.

Book Review: 21st Birthday by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Women's Murder Club #21)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Characters we love all working on one case

Cons: Poor editing and sloppy plotting leave us unsatisfied

The Bottom Line:

Working together

On a compelling story

Poorly edited

Needed Some Careful Editing to be Good

One of my constant complaints about the Women’s Murder Club books is the fact that the books often contain two or three different storylines and the women rarely interact.  When I realized that 21^st Birthday was going to feature all of them in one storyline, I was thrilled.  How I wish the book were better.

It all starts with a woman confronting Cindy Thomas in her office at the San Francisco Chronicle.  The woman is certain that something bad has happened to her daughter and granddaughter, and her son-in-law is to blame.  She wants Cindy to write stories about it and post about it on her blog, but Cindy quickly turns the woman over to her friend, San Francisco detective Lindsay Boxer, who pushes the police to start an investigation and make it a priority.  Sadly, it isn’t long before a dead body turns up.  Will Lindsay and the rest of the Women’s Murder Club figure out what is really happening?

As I said, all the women participate in this one case, Claire performing autopsies and Yuki when the case goes to trial.  I love seeing all four of the main characters working together to bring about justice.

And the case is compelling.  There were more than enough twists to keep me engaged and reading.  As always with a Patterson novel, the pace is fast and the chapters short, so the pages just fly by.

Unfortunately, when I finished the book, I was left wondering exactly what had happened.  Oh, I know what is supposed to have happened.  But there is a key piece of evidence that would have to be explained for that conclusion to be the truth, and we never got that explanation in the rush to throw in one last twist and then wrap things up.

Then there are the little things in the timeline that don’t make any sense.  Like students being at a school on a Saturday.  Or us suddenly skipping from a Sunday to a Friday with only one day supposedly passing.  Lindsay clearly has figured out how to be in two places at once near the end of the novel.  You know, things like that.  (And I’m not even looking at the fact that this major of a trial only took two days in criminal court.)

The characters are pretty set at this point.  If you’ve been reading the series thus far, you’ll want to check in with them.  I’m not saying they are well developed, but they are developed enough that we care, and I enjoy finding out about the latest in their lives..  And we like all of them here – we don’t get any sub-plots that make us question when aliens took over these characters.

It’s a shame this book was so poorly edited.  I wanted to like 21^st Birthday.  And I might have if this had been properly edited.  Instead, this reads like a first draft that needed an editor to provide feedback to fix all the issues in it.

Here are the rest of the Women's Murder Club series.