Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Mary

Dandy solves a murder once again!

Dandelion Dahlia Leston Gilver, or Dandy, is being schooledin how to serve undercover as a lady’s maid when normally she has her ownservants waiting on her. Thisaristocratic sleuth has already helped solve several murders and once againshe is being called upon to aid someone who fears for her life. Lollie Balfour’s husband is having his wifefollowed, steaming open her mail and has told her he is going to murder her. “He’sa monster, Mrs. Gilver. A nasty,brutish, bullying , philandering, dishonest, beasty…pig.”

This frightened Edinburgh woman becomes awidow within one day of Dandy’s appearance as her maid. Who has murdered this horrible man? Everyone in the premises has a reason to hatehim. With intricately plotted twists andturns and many red herrings we experience what is regarded as proper for the1920’s post World War Two Scottish gentry. This witty novel that exposes the differences in class reminds me of thewonderful Masterpiece Theatre classics Upstairs,Downstairs and Downton Abbey. Try Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Blood Stains and then enjoy a classic movie for a complete experience.

Single-Handed

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Judi

>If you are looking for a decidedly different police drama, look no further than the DVD set Single-Handed. The three episodes tell the story of Jack Driscoll, who has returned to western Ireland to take over the rural police district from his father. Their style of policing is very different, although both recognize the fact that the police fill a different role in a rural setting than in an urban area. Jack still must deal with all of the vices in his small home town that were present in Dublin. The community is filled with secrets, mysteries and mistrust of authority, making it difficult for Jack to solve crimes. The acting is superb and the stories unfold in scenery that is spectacularly beautiful, in stark contrast with the dark stories being told. This is an excellent series!

A Spark of Death by Bernadette Pajer

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Mary

The University of Washington is thesetting for a murder at the beginning of the 20^th century in A Spark of Death: a Professor Bradshaw Mystery. The recent discovery ofelectricity has some worried by this new fangled power source. Now it appears that electricity hascontributed to the death of a pompous, much disliked teacher. Professor Oglethorpehas been found dead in a university research ‘Electric machine’ and his fellowengineering professor is under suspicion.

Professor Bradshaw is liked by his students and lovedby his small son. The horrific death bysuicide of his wife has left a permanent scar on this sensitive, likeableprofessor. Now he must figure out whomurdered Oglethorpe to clear his name. The history of Seattleis woven into this story with interesting tidbits about the fire of 1889 and aplanned trip by President McKinley to see the famous “Electric Machine’. Also,political anarchists are suspected of the murder and we learn of the dissidentsand their causes who were front page news a century ago. This is the first of a planned series with Fatal Induction to be released in May2012

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Emilyn

Gwyneth is sixteen, relatively normal, and lives with her extended family in a huge house in London. She does a lot of pretty normal teenage girl things: hanging out with her best friend, Lesley, chatting about boys and clothes, and dealing with her weird family members. She can also talk to ghosts, but she tries to keep that from becoming general knowledge. Things take an unexpected turn when Gwyneth starts making uncontrolled jumps into the past. That particular gift was supposed to be inherited by her cousin Charlotte. Charlotte has therefore been trained in self-defense, multiple foreign languages, proper etiquette and any number of other skills Gwyneth has not been taught.

This turn of events not only complicates things for Gwyneth, it complicates them for the secret society that guards and studies time travelers. The Lodge of Count Saint-Germain, also known as The Guardians, are trying to keep Gwyneth in the dark about many of their secrets while also using her to accomplish their ends. She is left trying to figure out the intricacies of time travel and its rules while also trying to figure out how she feels about her fellow time-traveler, Gideon de Villiers and the members of The Guardians.

Ruby Red is the first book in a series translated from the original German. The second book, Sapphire Blue, will be out in spring of 2012.

Back of Beyond by C.J. Box

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Judi

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Author C. J. Box delivers a riveting mystery thriller in his new book Back of Beyond. Cody Hoyt, a troubled police detective and recovering alcoholic, is drawn into an investigation when his AA sponsor is found dead in a burned out house. The murder is staged to appear to be a suicide, but Cody’s careful investigation leads him to believe it is a homicide. Determined to solve the crime, Cody’s investigation leads him to a wilderness outfitter in Yellowstone National Park. The outfitter leads tourists on long treks into the Yellowstone back country and Cody is stunned to learn that his son is on the trip, along with his soon-to-be step father. Cody frantically races to catch up with the group as participants in the expedition are being murdered one by one. Full of interesting characters, vivid descriptions of the Yellowstone scenery and plot twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end, Back of Beyond is a story that will keep you reading well into the night! C.J. Box is also the author of the award-winning Joe Pickett series, beginning with Open Season.

Sherlock

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Rhonna

BBC is well known for creating quality entertainment and Sherlock is no exception. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson, this new adaptation is set in modern-day London, managing to maintain the familiar details from Doyle’s book while adding a modern atmosphere. Prepare for yourself for a fast-paced thrill with a British wit.

Trespasser

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Judi

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Paul Doiron’s latest mystery, Trespasser, features Mike Bowditch, Maine Game Warden, as the main character. In this riveting thriller, Bowditch is called out on a cold and foggy night to check on a car-deer accident. When he arrives on the scene, there is blood on the highway and a damaged car, but both deer and driver are missing. After a quick search of the area and finding nothing suspicious, Bowditch assumes that the driver has found a ride. The body of a brutally murdered young woman is found, and the circumstances are similar to a previously committed crime. Bowditch is haunted by the murder–unable to avoid feeling that he might have prevented it if he had searched harder for the woman on the night of the accident. He disregards orders to leave the case to the police and in doing so, puts himself and his loved ones in danger. Doiron’s descriptions of Maine and the spring thaw–the mud season–make the reader feel the cold and damp as well as the pure pleasure of the first warm, sunny day of the year. This is an exciting page-turner with characters that won’t soon be forgotten. The Poacher’s Son is the first book in this series and is also an exciting mystery!~

Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper

Posted on August 13, 2011 by Janet

>With a variety of characters to help keep the conversation flowing, and a myriad of surprises to keep the story going, who wouldn’t enjoy this book? Carrie Carter is the main character of Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper. She owns and runs the small town café in Seaside along with her sister & baker, Lindsey. Her employees consist of Ricky the cook, Jase the dishwasher, and Andi her waitress. Many customers of interest visit the cafe daily. One of the interesting customers is Mr. Perkins, an old man that doesn’t say much but when he does you better pull in your toes. Then there is Andi’s boyfriend, Bill, who comes across as a little too rough. How about Clooney, Andi’s uncle, who spends his time looking for treasures in the sand? We can’t leave out Cilla, the lady that keeps an eye on every one and every thing going on in Seaside. Mary P is the wise one and former owner of the café. There are other locals, plus the outsiders that come in to take part in this great story.

Now, on to Carrie’s favorite customer, Greg Barnes, a very handsome man who makes Carrie’s heart do the “Snoopy Dance” every time she sees him. All Carrie really wants is for Greg to notice her, to let her know that he knows she is alive. But after three years of their daily encounter, is there really any hope? It takes a murder to get their romance on the move. When Jase is found murdered and Andi is missing, Greg and Carrie are pushed together to solve the mystery and that’s when Greg realizes, Carrie is definitely alive. That doesn’t mean the romance is in the bag though. They both have pasts that haunt them, keeping them in and out of each others reach. There are several unexpected twists to keep your mind engaged even when you reluctantly have to put this book down.

The Dog Who Came in from the Cold

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Mary

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I’m always excited for the next Alexander McCall-Smith novel; some more than others. I enjoy his No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, but his newest series is even more fun. Corduroy Mansions was published about a year ago, and now I’ve just finished The Dog Who Came in from the Cold, his second in the Corduroy Mansion series.

His international settings are one reason I enjoy his books. We need to learn how others all over the world think, and McCall-Smith certainly wants to have us contemplate why we do as we do and think as we think. He always has a philosophical discussion that challenges me.

A pimlico terrier named Freddie de la Hay, stars again. This time he is recruited to be a spy for Scotland’s espionage group, M16. The evil cigar-smelly Russians are not Freddie’s favorite people. Soon they discover that Freddie has an extra heavy collar and his hidden mic is discovered. What is to be the fate of Freddie?

Lethal Lineage by Charlotte Hinger

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Mary

Western Kansas is the setting for this page turner, written by a western Kansas historian. Charlotte Hinger’s entrance into the literary world began with the first Lottie Albright mystery, Deadly Descent. In this second book, Lethal Lineage, a deputy sheriff and local historian, Lottie is horrified to find Reverend Mary Farnsworth dead in a windowless, locked room just after assisting with a confirmation in the new St. Helena Episcopal Church. When the pathology report comes back that shows Mary was poisoned, the search begins for the ruthless killer.

Third and fourth generation ranchers are involved in raw land dealings that become part of the story of intrigue. A corrupt sheriff in a neighboring county locks-up Lottie and her psychoplogist sister, Josie, a Manhattan resident, overnight as they research Mary’s death. This sets the stage for the ousting of Sheriff Deal who has the backing of relatives from all over the county. Mysteries galore are unresolved in this local whodunit until the very end.

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Emilyn

>Graveminder is the first adult novel published by Melissa Marr (author of the popular young adult Wicked Lovely series). Claysville is a world unto itself. Its residents are born there, and they must die there, though they are ignorant of what is truly going on around them and why they feel an irresistible pull to the place where they were born. In Claysville, if a body isn’t minded after death, the dead don’t stay where they’re put.

Rebekkah must unexpectedly return to Claysville upon the death of her grandmother, Maylene. When she arrives, she finds out Maylene was murdered in her home and that attacks continue to occur. Her old flame, Byron, a man who still loves her, must convince her she has to take up her grandmother’s place and as Graveminder to mind the dead and lay the Hungry Dead who have already woken to rest. He must also convince her she belongs to him and to the dead. Together they act as enforcers of a three hundred year old contract between the enigmatic ruler of the world of the dead and the town of Claysville.

This atmospheric gothic mystery pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until the end.

Waiting for Evanovich

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Rhonna

Rangeman or Morelli, that is the question. In case you missed it, Smokin’ Seventeen by Janet Evanovich is finally here and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. If you’ve spent a year waiting impatiently for the next installment and know you’ll soon be waiting again, here are a few titles that may help tide you over.

Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie

Agnes is trying to get her food column done and the catering prepared for a Southern mob wedding when her bloodhound becomes the target of a masked intruder. With only a skillet and a mysterious hitman sent by a friend to protect her, Agnes faces florists, mobsters, and flamingoes.

Devil’s Food by Anthony Bruno

Has-been parole officer Loretta Kovacs is sent after a skip in Florida with her new partner, Frank Marvelli. They find their target at a fat farm swarming with bikers and feds. This winner is packed with humor and great dialogue.

Body Movers by Stephanie Bond

Carlotta Wren’s life changes from pampered princess to salesclerk when her parents skip the country to avoid prosecution for a white collar crime. Her trouble-prone brother gets a job as a body mover, someone who removes corpses. When his next assignment turns out to be the body of one of Carlotta’s enemies, Detective Jack Terry is determined to find out if she’s guilty even while he’s annoyed at his growing attraction for her.

Salting Roses by Lorelle Marinello

Posted on June 25, 2011 by Janet

>Gracie Lynne Calloway did not like rich people. As she grew up in Shady Grove, Alabama, she was made fun of because she didn’t have a father and her mother left her on Ben’s porch in a coal bucket. She wanted her mother to come back and love her, but she was happy living with Uncle Ben and Uncle Artie. She was the best baseball player in town and proud of the fact that she didn’t own a dress, much to Auntie Alice’s dismay. Life was great up until her 25th birthday when Sam Fontana, a young lawyer, came to Shady Grove. He came to inform Gracie that she was really Kathryn Hammond, kidnapped daughter of a wealthy financier. Gracie wanted nothing to do with her new identity or the six hundred and fifty million dollar inheritance left in her name. Relatives come seeking her, some sincere others conniving. Should she refuse the inheritance she believes will ruin her life and the lives of those she loves? Salting Roses, a romance mystery with interesting characters and a well developed plot, is a great porch swing and iced tea read.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard

Posted on June 25, 2011 by Mary

http://www.skyways.org/orgs/kcfb/notable/

The Kansas Notable Books List came out recently. It is an annual recognition of 15 books either written by Kansas authors or books about Kansas. I have just finished reading one of the selected books, The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard. Not only is the book set in a small fictional Kansas town, but Nancy is a Kansan stating that she has lived here over half of her life having moved here from Missouri.

Jody Linder’s father was murdered over twenty years ago and her mother disappeared on the same night. Now her father’s killer is being released from prison and is returning to the small town of Rose and Jody is terrified. Her three uncles begin to explain how evidence might have been withheld and how the murderer’s son, a lawyer, had the conviction overturned. The wealthy, but close ranching family that Jody is part of vows to protect Jody and run the murderer out of town. An intriguing tale, try this one by Nancy Pickard or one of the other Notable Books.

A Bloodhound to Die For by Virginia Lanier

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Janet

>In the beginning, I chose A Bloodhound to Die For by Virginia Lanier because it is about dogs but found many other reasons to read it. The story is fast-paced, starting on Fri. Aug 23rd and stopping on Fri. Sept. 20th with loads of action packed in. Jo Beth trains bloodhounds and uses them for tracking. In these 31 days, Jo Beth struggles with the local sheriff; deals with a crazed jealous gun carrying wife; tracks down an Alzheimer suffering woman twice; meets with a local jailed ever escaping criminal that has the hots for her; is hospitalize when poisoned; deals with the romance in her life; carries on her bloodhound training business; and tracks down the hoodlum that kidnaps her most favorite bloodhound. The characters are fun and interesting and I learned much about the bloodhound. Whew! Now, if you like fast paced light mysteries, take a breath and enjoy reading this book for yourself.

Little Apple Bookworm

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