Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave

Is Finlay Donovan's past finally catching up with her?  In Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (#1,368), the fifth outing in Elle Cosimano's amusing suspense series, it certainly seems so.  This time a body is discovered in the yard of the crusty old neighborhood snoop across the street.  But when the body is identified, there's a link to Finlay's ex.  Much as Finlay dislikes Steve on so many levels, she does not believe the father of her children is capable of murder.  She and her nanny Vero set out to find the actual murderer.

It's not easy when the cranky neighbor Mrs. Haggerty is dumped in Finlay's lap as a house guest for as long as her own home is a crime scene.  It soon becomes apparent that Mrs. Haggerty is hiding secrets of her own.  The problem for Finlay is to keep her own secrets private when Mrs. Haggerty is poking everywhere in the Donovan household.  And it sure is putting the brakes on Finlay's growing relationship with hot detective Nick Anthony!

This is not a book I would recommend picking up and trying to read without having read the rest of the series first.  There are recurring characters and situations which depend on the reader's knowledge of previous plot points.  That being said, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the place to start.  

Her life is a mess, but it's relatable stuff - failed marriage, a clunker of a minivan, trying to meet book deadlines while juggling two toddlers.  Thank goodness she acquires a live-in nanny who has problems of her own.  Her messes are so spectacular, it makes your own problems seem trivial in comparison.  Always a good outcome!

Agent To The Stars

What would you do if you were asked to represent someone from the stars?  That's Tom Stein's dilemma in John Scalzi's very first book Agent To The Stars (#1,367), now re-published with updated cultural references.  It's still a hoot.

The Yherajk have been observing Earth for a long time and they know they are going to have an image problem because of the way they look.  So do they land on the White House lawn?  No, they have a better idea: get themselves a Hollywood agent to represent them for their first contact with humankind.  They choose to get in touch with the head of a powerful Hollywood Agency and convince him to take them on as clients.  Enter Tom Stein, a young agent who has just proved his mettle by negotiating an amazing contract for one of his clients.  Carl Lupo, his boss, thinks he'll be perfect to handle the job for the Yherajks.

So many great characters and outlandish situations here.  You just wonder where Scalzi will go next as Tom works towards his goal.  Enjoy!

Theo of Golden

I saw Allen Levi's best seller Theo of Golden (#1,366) on the Lucky Day display at my local library, so I grabbed it while I could.  I had heard mixed reviews of this book, but I wanted to read it for myself.  I'm so glad I did.

Theo is an older, obviously prosperous gentleman who arrives unannounced one day in Golden, Georgia.  On his walks around his new neighborhood, he stops for coffee at a local shop.  There he is transfixed by a series of pencil portraits.  He strikes up a conversation with the coffee shop owner and asks about the artwork done by a local artist.  Drawn back each day by both the excellent coffee and the portraits, Theo starts making friends and decides on a project.  He will buy the portraits and gift them to the persons, all locals, shown in the drawing.  He begins slowly, meeting with each individual and is gradually drawn into the community by their stories.  What happens next is the crux of the story.

Mr. Levi has really produced a remarkable journey of faith in this story.  I can understand why people might be uncomfortable with it, especially if they don't believe in a higher power as a guiding principle.  What Theo does in this book can be mimicked by anyone who wants to try.  You don't need a lot of money, only a kind word or deed will do the trick and make a difference to someone.  You never know the effect it can produce.

Be warned, though.  If you do make it to the end of Theo of Golden have a box of tissues nearby.  You'll need them.

Lincoln's Lady Spymaster

I didn't realize who Gerri Willis was until after I had finished reading her Lincoln's Lady Spymaster - The Untold Story of the Abolitionist Southern Belle Who Helped Win the Civil War (#1,365).  Although I did find this an interesting read, I think the title is a bit misleading.  Ms. Willis does chronicle a bit about Elizabeth Van Lew, the Richmond society belle who remained staunchly Northern in her sympathies throughout the Civil War, but the author does tend to go off on lengthy tangents about other Civil War movers and shakers, especially John Wilkes Booth.  In fact, much of this material is ably covered in Erik Larson's recent book: The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism.  I would have much preferred a book about the purported subject.

Missing from this account are any details about how her spy network actually worked; the nuts and bolts of the operation.  Just how did Elizabeth Van Lew survive in such a hostile environment both during the War itself and the bitter aftermath?  Ms. Willis alludes to the fact that her neighbors hated her, but how did she actually cope on her own?  She turns Miss Van Lew into a pathetic old ghost of her own story.  If there wasn't enough material to fill an entire book, perhaps it would have been better to include her story in an anthology of Civil War characters.  Just my opinion.  If you're interested in women's roles during the Civil War period in Richmond, read Mary Chestnut's A Diary from Dixie instead.

Math Cats - Scratching the Surface of Mathematical Concepts

Math Cats (#1,364) by Daniel M. Look, PhD caught my eye on the library shelf by the title alone.  When I pulled it off the shelf to look at it, the adorable cat sketches sealed the deal.  It's not a very big book, but it puts across some more complicated math principles in a straightforward way, using everyday words illustrated by amusing cat examples.  How can you not love cats posing to illustrate the different types of angles?  If you've ever watched a cat grooming itself, you can probably visualize the right-angle picture in your head!

Plus, Professor Look has thrown in interesting factoids in his explanations.  Being rather math-averse myself, if I had had the benefit of having my mind engaged this way during my math classes growing up, I definitely would have paid more attention and benefited greatly.  Who knew Pythagoras' own Theorem played a role in the thinker's death?  That's what would have stuck in my mind!

I felt upon finishing Math Cats the same way I felt when I finished Stephen Hawking's A Short History of Time; that I had just read something deep and enriching.  I promptly passed it along to my husband and my library book club, where a number of reserves were placed on this book during the meeting!

I envy both Dr. Look's students and his hosts of cats with delightful names.  He has succeeded in opening minds to new ideas.  What could be better for an educator?

A Sea View Christmas

Another new author for me.  Julie Klassen writes Christian romances, which I did not realize when I reserved this book online.  I'm not generally a fan of the genre, but this final book in her On Devonshire Shores series held my attention while weaving the religious component naturally into the story line.  It was a Christmas book - A Sea View Christmas (#1,363) - so how could I resist the Regency cover art?

Sarah Summers is so busy supervising everything at the family's seaside boarding house, she refuses to take into consideration her own wants and needs.  The rest of her sisters, except Georgina, the youngest, are all safely and happily married.  Her invalid mother has seemingly regained her strength and health, and they are finally making a modest profit with Sea View.  So when a guest from several years back travels down from Scotland and expresses his continued interest in Sarah, the rest of her family encourage her to reconsider her decision about marrying him.  The timing is not perfect; it never will be, but can she be courageous enough to take her chance for happiness?

The discussion of Regency-era Christmas customs is quite interesting.  Ms. Klassen has done her homework on what is authentic (with the possible exception of the Christmas tree!) and brings the festive season to life on the page.

Presumably the other sisters' romances are the subjects of the Ms. Klassen's On Devonshire Shores series if you are interested in finding out how they achieved their own happy endings.

The Mystery Of Mistletoe Hall

Yes, it's past Christmas, but I'm still reading Christmas books.  If people can put up their decorations at Halloween, I think I'm entitled to read holiday-themed books throughout the season of Epiphany!  Besides, The Mystery of Mistletoe Hall (#1,362) was a Christmas present.  It's not a new book, but the author, Benedict Brown, is new to me.  It's part of his 1920s Lord Edgington Investigates series which all have appealing Art Deco covers.

A retired Commissioner of Police is invited at the last minute to visit an old friend and colleague for the Christmas holiday.  Lord Edgington packs up his daughter, his two grandsons and the staff at his stately home and motors to Mistletoe Hall in the midst of a snowstorm.  No one is there to greet them at the car park, although they find a pair of sturdy horses which convey them to the mansion itself.  Although apparently ready for guests, the house is deserted.  What can be going on?

Yule (hah!) find out as more guests arrive and things go bump in the night.  Told from the perspective of Lord Edgington's schoolboy grandson, Christopher, together this odd pair solve the mystery and uncover a killer.  It's an engaging series, so now I'll have to go back and read not only this series, but his contemporary Izzy Palmer series as well.  What could be better than a whole new pile of books to stack on the side table for cozy winter reading?  Cheers!

The Queen of the Night

I have been meaning to read Alexander Chee's novel The Queen of the Night (#1,361) for some time now.  However, when I finally picked it up to read it, I only made it through the first couple of chapters.  It's not that the book wasn't well written, or on a subject of no interest to me; it was more the sheer volume of the prose, and the feeling that I could better spend my time elsewhere.  Every book has its reader.  The Queen of the Night just isn't the right choice for me.

And To All A Good Bite

In the holiday themed And To All a Good Bite (#1,360) is Andy Carpenter admitting that he might, possibly, potentially enjoy being a lawyer??!!   David Rosenfeldt's long-running character always goes on at some length with every case he reluctantly accepts, that he'd much rather being watching sports, or walking with the best canine on the planet, Tara, his golden retriever.  What is it about this particular case that appeals to his sense of justice well served?

Out of the blue, Andy receives a call at Thanksgiving, asking him to defend Jeffrey Wheeler, a local hero who dashed into a burning building to rescue his girlfriend after an explosion.  He didn't succeed, but he did find an adorable puppy in a crate in the building's lobby and rescued it.  Rufus eventually wound up at the Tara Foundation while being rehabbed, and Andy became acquainted with Jeff at the shelter as he waited for Rufus to be well enough to come home with him. Now Jeff is being accused of murdering one of the richest men in New Jersey, Stanley Franklin, and the police have a bagful of evidence to prove it was him.

His wife Laurie guilts Andy into at least meeting Jeff at the jail.  Of course Andy winds up taking not only Jeff's case but fostering his dog Rufus as well.  As Andy looks into the case, he is convinced Jeff didn't do it, but the only way he can prove it is to identify the real killer and the motive behind the murder.  Can he do it before the jury returns a verdict on Jeff?

With his trademark humor, David Rosenfeldt's Andy Carpenter series spends more and more time outside the courtroom to solve ever more intricate puzzles.  No wonder these books are so popular!

A Palace Near The Wind

I'm not sure I always followed the threads in Ai Jiang's fantasy novel A Palace Near The Wind (#1,359), but I certainly was intrigued by the journey in a tale beautifully told.  

 Lufeng is being forced to marry the king in the Palace which is drawing ever closer to her natural kingdom of Feng.  Her marriage will keep the borders from encroaching on Feng territory.  That was the reason given for marrying off her mother and three of her older sisters to the same king.  As far as Lufeng can tell, their sacrifices have had no effect so far.

Forced to learn the ways of the Palace before the ceremony, Lufeng is not sure who is a friend and who a foe, but one thing is certain; she is being watched closely.  Can she find her family and escape back to Feng, or will she be assigned to Palace duties forever at the cost of her soul?

I picked up A Palace Near The Wind from a library display of new books because I couldn't resist the cover art.  This is one of the most beautiful covers I have seen in a long time.  Kudos to Natasha McKenzie, the designer!

A Jingle Bell Mingle

I grabbed A Jingle Bell Mingle (#1,358) off the Christmas books display shelf without reading the cover blurb - the cover was attractive and upbeat.  When I picked it up to actually read it, I felt I had grabbed an ugly lump of coal instead.  Authors Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone must think it's edgy to begin a book about a porn star with several menstrual jokes on the very first page.  When you factor in the jolly Christmas theme I found it offensive and repugnant.  Didn't read beyond the first few pages because it didn't get any better.  Ugh!  Be warned.

The Impossible Fortune

The Thursday Murder Club gang is back in Richard Osman's latest installment The Impossible Fortune (#1,357).  Elizabeth is taking her first tentative steps outside herself after Stephen's death.  And it comes just in time to help her friends at Coopers Chase as they face their own problems and threats.  

While the gang are celebrating her daughter's wedding with Joyce (who is eagerly seeking out opportunities to introduce Paul as "my son-in-law"!), Elizabeth is approached by a guest who claims that someone is trying to kill him by planting a bomb on his car.  Can she help?  How could she not?  The root of his problem is an impossible fortune - in bitcoin. Meanwhile, Ron and his entire family are in deadly peril from a hired assassin.  As the Murder Club closes ranks around Ron's grandson Kendrick, a Club favorite, they also have to discover who is behind the deadly plot.

Such a pleasure to follow the gang's new adventure!  I've also read and enjoyed Richard Osman's new series debut We Solve Murders, but the ensemble cast of the Thursday Murder Club is just so darn appealing.  Growing older doesn't mean growing invisible! (Unless that helps you solve a mystery!).  Keep them coming, Mr. Osman!

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas

Christmas is not Brenda Malloy's favorite holiday.  It never has been, but when her beloved dog Tiny Tim almost dies from eating something which causes a bowel obstruction is the worst.  Especially when the culprit turns out to be a pair of sexy panties that don't belong to her!  After the divorce, Brenda has devoted her time to remaking her life - slimming down by training for a marathon, starting her own business and settling into her volunteer passion in Austin, Texas - Underdogs.  It's a charity whose mission is to relocate shelter dogs from the overwhelmed Texas area to the Northeast where there are many more homes looking to adopt the dogs . And that's how Susan Wigg's The Twelve Dogs of Christmas (#1,356) begins.

As it happens, Brenda is pressed into service to help deliver the dogs in the specially equipped van.  Drive up, deliver the dogs to their pre-vetted homes, and then drive the van back on her own, as her partner has family in New York and will stay on for the holidays.  She didn't count on a blinding snowstorm, a freak accident, or the picture-perfect holiday charm of the town.  Nor did she expect to fall for the handsome EMT who rescued them.  Adam and his little boy are adopting one of the Underdogs, even though things don't quite go according to plan...

Charming, warm, fun and everything a Christmas-themed romance should be.  I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

We'll Prescribe You Another Cat

We'll Prescribe You Another Cat (#1,355) by Syou Ishida, translated by E. Madison Shimoda is really a continuation of her first book, We'll Prescribe You A Cat, and according to the dust jacket, the middle book of a trio already out in Japan.  These books are charming, quirky, and most importantly, about the power of cats to heal and change lives.  They also have a definite "woo-woo" element which is becoming more pronounced as the story progresses through these books.

In each chapter, someone has a problem.  Whether or not they can put it into words is immaterial because the Korokoro Clinic For the Soul will find them down a narrow alleyway in Kyoto.  After climbing up five flights of stairs in an apparently deserted building, each patient will come across a rude nurse who will direct them to step into the doctor's office.  The slim young doctor they encounter will joke with them and without much ado, call for the nurse to bring in a cat for the patient.  They are then ushered out the door with instructions on how to care for their cat and when to return to the office.  That is it.  But, oh what a change is wrought by dealing with the creature unexpectedly handed to them!

But just who are these mysterious practitioners?  Hints are dropped as to their identity, but I believe that the various story lines won't be resolved until the third and final book.  If you love cats, you won't want to miss these books.