Review: The Burned Bridges of Ward, Nebraska

The Burned Bridges of Ward, Nebraska by Eileen Curtright
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

A book needs a plot, but I'm 57% through and I haven't found one yet. I don't like the main character either. I don't often abandon books, but I'm giving up on this one.

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Really Good Crockpot Chicken

I put this together in my crockpot and my husband and I decided it was a keeper.  It was one of those recipes that started with an idea cadged from several other recipes, but because of our personal tastes and what I had on hand, morphed into something else.  I thought I'd taken a picture of it, but apparently I didn't.

Spicy Apple Brandy Crockpot Chicken

1/4 cup brandy

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup apple sauce

2 tbs honey

2 tbs cider vinegar

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

1-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces.  (I had a package of 5 thighs, and had plenty of sauce.

3 tbs cornstarch

1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts

In a crockpot, mix together the first 11 ingredients.  Add the chicken and cook on low about 6 hours.  

About 20 minutes before serving, mix 3 tbs into 3 tbs of water, then add about 1/2 cup of the crockpot liquid to it and mix together well.  Pour it all back into the crockpot and continue cooking until sauce has thickened.  Just before serving, add about 1/2 cup of dry roasted peanuts to the crockpot.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Coloring Advent

I still haven't figured where I packed my Advent candle set since our move 18 months ago, so this is the 2nd Advent season without it.  Maybe next year.  I have my Nativity set up, although I had to reimagine its display when I realized last year that I no longer have a buffet/sideboard where it has sat for many years.

So when I saw this for sale, I decided to venture into the land of adult coloring books.
This has become a blessing.

Each morning so far, I have put on some instrumental or classical Christmas music, and spent about an hour coloring the day's offering. I read the very short quote,  hymn line, or Bible verse associated with the day's picture, and open up my box of colored pencils.  As I listen to the music, and concentrate on the act of coloring, I can feel myself "letting go".  My mind empties, and leaves itself open.  I am not an artist, and I don't have an instinctive feel for what colors go together well.  I've made mistakes with colors or placement.  But it doesn't matter.  In fact, one morning I realized that life was like my coloring.  There is a pattern, though you don't always see it until later, you will make mistakes, and sometimes the best you can do is concentrate on where you are at the moment and do the best you can at the time.  And sometimes you worry too much about the detail and forget to look at the whole.    

Review: Say It with Poison

Say It with Poison by Ann Granger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Meredith Mitchell, a British consul, has returned to England to attend her goddaughter's wedding, and to visit her cousin. She soon discovers that the bride seems to be hiding a secret, and her cousin is very uneasy. And then she discovers the body of a young man living nearby. Meredith does some investigating, against the wishes of the D.I. Markby, and soon figures out who's behind the murder.

I liked this first entry into the Mitchell and Markby series, although it was slow to get going. I hope I can find the next few books in the series; they were published in the early 90's in England and seem to just be making their way across the Atlantic.

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Review: Real Good Church: How Our Church Came Back from the Dead, and Yours Can, Too

Real Good Church: How Our Church Came Back from the Dead, and Yours Can, Too by Molly Phinney Baskette
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My church is withering on the vine, and for the past few years we've been re-visioning ourselves. This book was chosen by the interim pastor for a book study in which I participated. This is a very readable book on some levels, but it definitely challenges the entrenched culture many mainline churches share. Unless a congregation is willing to radically change its culture, that congregation will probably not survive. That's the discouraging take away. On the other hand, this is the story of how one dying congregation resurrected itself. Many of the ideas and suggestions are spot-on: preach and teach with authenticity, know your demographics, use technology to communicate, eliminate jargon and coded language, be visible and active in your community, make your building attractive and easy to navigate. Knowing that there are concrete steps, many of which are inexpensive, is encouraging. Our church had already begun some of these suggestions, and are implementing others. However, I think that the author, Rev. Molly Baskette, vastily underestimates her role in the change process. I think this process may be too difficult to maintain for the length of time it needs without consistent, committed leadership and direction.

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Review: Home Fires: The Story of the Women's Institute in the Second World War

Home Fires: The Story of the Women's Institute in the Second World War by Julie Summers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fascinating account of the British Women's Institute and its contributions, especially during World War II. The recent PBS series "Homefires" was inspired by it, although the stories and characters of the TV series were fictionalized. I knew next to nothing about the WI, other than it was a popular women's group in Britain, and I thought it was primarily a social organization. In fact it was the largest organization of women devoted to making life better for the small communities in which the groups flourished. It was instrumental in developing government policies dealing with health, education, nutrition, and housing before, during, and after the war. The British government recognized the power of the group, and used it to spur food production. Some of the statistics shared in this very well-researched book were mind-boggling! In 1940 the WI was responsible for making enough jam to support 2 million people with a year's supply of jam at the current ration allotment of 1/4 lb of jam every two months. While jam-making was a well-publicized venture, the WI was also busy collecting foxglove and belladonna so that the plants could be used to make digitalis which was in very short supply. I found myself reading bits and pieces of the book to my husband as I discovered new information. The author does a terrific job of illustrating just how difficult life was during the war for those left at home. Few homes had running water, indoor plumbing, or central heating. The amount of work it took to run a household is staggering by today's standards, and when the war time restrictions on food, clothing, fuel, etc were in place it was even harder. There are lots of facts and figures in the book, but there are enough personal stories and anecdotes to balance them and make this such an interesting read.

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Soup of the Week

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

It may not be the prettiest soup I've ever made, but wow! It is DELICIOUS!   I used a couple of different recipes to create my own version.  This serves about 6 people and takes about 35 minutes from start to finish.  It's really good as leftovers too.

2 12 oz packages of white mushrooms
1 tbs olive oil
3 tbs butter
3 small leeks, sliced thinly
2 large cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 to 1 1/2 tbs)
3 cups of chicken broth
1 tsp of thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Clean mushrooms of any clinging dirt.  Roughly chop or slice.  In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter.  Add the chopped mushrooms and saute until they've turned brown and released most of their water.  Remove about 3/4 cup of mushrooms and set aside.  Add leeks and garlic to pan and continue cooking until leeks are soft.  Add the chicken broth and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree soup.  (Or use a blender, but be sure to blend in small batches).  If you want a thinner soup, add some more heated broth or water.  If you are serving this immediately whisk in the heavy cream and nutmeg. Add the reserved mushrooms back in or top each serving with them.   Otherwise, when you are read to serve, reheat pureed soup to desired temperature, remove from heat, and whisk in the nutmeg and heavy cream, and add in the reserved mushrooms.

This serves about 6.

Review: Come Rain or Come Shine

Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I haven't been in Mitford for a while, so I did start reading this with the need to remember all the back stories. That wasn't the problem though. I had a really hard time knowing who was narrating. The narration was shared by Lace, Dooley, and Father Tim, primarily, and it was really hard to catch on to who was talking. I had to go back and re-read several times once I figured out who the narrator was. Other than that, it was a pretty straight forward account of Lace and Dooley's wedding. A little preachier than I remembered other books being.

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Family

Thanksgiving is definitely one of the times we make every effort to celebrate our blessings with as much family as possible.  This year we traveled to CT to share the day with two of my first cousins and their families.  One of our sons was also able to make it too.  When I was a kid, these were the cousins I shared all the holidays with.  We lived in the same town, and our celebrations included their parents, and when I was really young, my grandmother.  Sometimes my cousins from West Virginia would be able to join us, and for a few years, at least we had 3 generations gathered.  The tables were full -- 20-25 people.   Our parents are all gone now, but there are still 3 generations --- we're just the oldest now instead of the youngest.

In addition to enriching existing connections, I had the great blessing of creating new connections!  My father's brother (both now deceased) lived in Brazil where he married and had 3 sons.  I met one of my cousins briefly when I was in college, but never met any of the other family.  Through the magic of the internet, specifically Facebook, I connected with my Brazilian relatives.  One of them,  the son of my first cousin, (1st cousin once removed, to be technical), was in the northeast on business. After a flurry of FB messages, we found a place and time where we could meet!  So on Saturday, we traveled about an hour away to meet and have lunch with him.  We had a lovely afternoon, and both of us managed to fill in gaps on our family trees.  We're continuing our conversations and we're hoping to go to Brazil to meet the rest of the family sometime next year!

Review: A Fete Worse Than Death

A Fete Worse Than Death by Dolores Gordon-Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jack Haldean, former WW1 pilot, now writes detective stories, and has assisted Scotland Yard in their investigations. When an acquaintance is murdered at a local fete, Jack is invited to lend a hand. The case leads him to uncover blackmail and treason. This is the first of a series, which takes place in England shortly after WWI. The characters are likable and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading although it wasn't too hard to figure out.

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Review: C is for Corpse

C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Grafton is getting into her groove with this installment. Kinsey Milhone is hired by the victim of a horrific accident who is convinced that the accident was murder attempt. She no sooner begins to investigate when her client dies in a second automobile crash. Now she is convinced there's something fishy going on. She's also suspicious of her landlord's new girlfriend who seems to have something to hide.
This is a solid read, not too difficult to figure out, with likable characters.



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Review: A Woman Betrayed

A Woman Betrayed by Barbara Delinsky
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Laura Frye's world implodes when her husband of 20 years disappears. When an IRS agent shows up accusing him of tax fraud, Laura realizes that his disappearance isn't accidental. As with other Delinsky novels I've read, this is a story in which the protagonist is forced to reexamine past choices, and is given an opportunity to choose a different path. In this novel, the characters are likable and the ending is happy. I like the way Delinsky includes enough setting detail that shows she's familiar with the geographic area which helps make the novel more realistic, even if some of the plot elements are not.

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Soup Season

I love soup and confess to eating it for lunch at least 4 times each week.  Most of the soup I consume comes from a Progresso can, at least until soup season starts.  Once the weather gets chilly, I do make soup fairly frequently, but it's almost always some variation on cabbage soup or a "refrigerator" soup made from leftover veggies and salad fixings.  This soup season I wanted to branch out and try some other varieties.  I also told my husband to expect a weekly soup for dinner.

When we went to Indiana earlier this month we stopped at a restaurant in Ohio which had this delicious stuffed pepper soup.  So I found a number of recipes for it on Pinterest, and then created my own version two weeks ago.  It knocked our socks off!  I forgot to memorialize it with a photo.   All I did was brown extra lean hamburger and throw it into my crockpot along with 4 chopped bell peppers, 1 large chopped onion, 2 small cans of diced tomatoes, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 4 cups of beef broth, and a can of tomato paste. I added oregano, basil, and 2 bay leaves and cooked it on high for about 4 hours.  I made brown rice separately which I put into our bowls and then put the hot soup over the rice. Yummers!

This week I've got chicken and corn chowder simmering in the ole crockpot.

This is Pinterest recipe which you can find here:
Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder

I didn't use the bacon since my husband intensely dislikes bacon (I know, I know, how can he not like bacon??) and I used a can of cream-style corn for part of the corn since that's what was in the pantry.  I didn't have any cayenne either, but did have a sample size jar of Berbere Seasoning Blend from Penzey's.  It's main component is cayenne, so I put in about 1/2 tsp.  I might add a pinch more the next time I make the soup.  (I LOVE Penzeys.com and purchase all my herbs and spices from them.)

I won't be making a turkey soup this week since we're not going to be home for the feast, which is the downside to going elsewhere for the holiday.  

We'll see what recipe catches my attention for next week's soup!

Review: The Zig Zag Girl

The Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

During WWII, Edgar Stephens was seconded to a special intelligence group stationed on Scotland's eastern coast. He and the group, dubbed the "Magic Men" were charged with creating a faked military base that would fool the Germans into thinking that a huge military offensive was about to be launched. Stephens found himself working with a group of professional magicians who understood how to create misdirection. Now the war is over, and all have gone their separate ways. Stephens is now a Detective Inspector in Brighton. When the severed body of a magician's assistant is brought to his attention, he renews his acquaintance with the world of theatrical magic. As his investigation progresses, it's clear that the Magic Men themselves are the targets.

I love Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series so I was excited to find a new series. Unfortunately I was disappointed. I couldn't get engaged with any of the characters, and really wasn't interested in the plot. Griffiths was successful in creating seedy, depressing atmosphere, but I felt the characters were also depressed, down-on-their-luck men who felt like failures in life. I also figured out who the murderer was well before the end. Perhaps later installments will improve. There was a lot of "backstory" and what appeared to be groundsetting for future plots. I'm not sure how eager I will be to find out.

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November Notes

You'd think I'd have all the time in the world to keep this blog up to date now that I'm retired.  Ha!

I do tend to fritter away a bit too many minutes playing Facebook games.  I play Candy Crush Soda, Words with Friends, Solitaire Castle, and my favorite, Mahjong Trails.  I have this internet routine on days that I don't have to be out the door (like to a 7 am water aerobics class):  Get myself my first (and usually only) cup of coffee and check my email.  Then I check FB.  I generally play whatever games of Words that are ready for my move, and then I go to my 5 tries at Candy Crush Soda.  Next is a survey of my daily blogs - Ravelry, Yarn Harlot, Pioneer Woman, and Big Mama.  Then I take a break and shower, eat breakfast, etc.  I come back to the computer and check to see if there's any new email, and then it's off to FB where I play my rounds of Mahjongg Trails.  I've been "off" Solitaire Castle lately, so I haven't been playing that.     On days that I go to the pool, I check email and FB, play WWF, and do the rest of the routine when I get back.  Not a very edifying start to the day, but hey, so what?


We went to Indiana for 5 days last week for a niece's wedding.  We drove the almost 2000 miles round trip - just my husband and I -- and returned still enjoying each other's company!  The wedding was lovely, and we enjoyed visiting with 2 of my sisters and their families.

I'm also attending a weekly book study at church.  We're reading a book called Real Good Church by Rev. Molly Baskette.  She writes about she and her congregation resurrected itself from a dying church to a vibrant healthy one.  My church is dying so we are looking for ways to save ourselves.  I am feeling good about getting involved with a small group at church again.  I still have no interest in going back to a leadership role at the church.  I'm trying to figure out why.  I also am struggling to attend services regularly despite the fact that the pastor's sermons are interesting and more importantly, challenging.

I have been reading a lot too, and knitting almost every day.   I've even gone back to regular library visits.  I can't believe that for the past 2 years I've solely relied on e-books that I've either borrowed electronically from the state library through Overdrive, or that I've purchased.  My husband was surprised the walls didn't collapse when I walked into the brick library in the center of town!  I used to go at least once a week, and then suddenly never.  I know that that started because they changed the hours, and I found it hard to get into the library at a convenient to me time.

Next week we're heading to CT for Thanksgiving with my cousins.  I'm looking forward to that.

A few pictures from the past few weeks.

In Columbus, Indiana at the wedding.

Chicken Noodle Soup (homemade!) at a diner in Troy, NY on the way back from the wedding.

Afinished cowl - Let It Go by Diane Augustin

A finished sweater - Mindy by Julia Farwell-Clay.

The start of the Biplex Cowl by Laura Nelkin

Review: The Darling Dahlias and the Eleven O'Clock Lady

The Darling Dahlias and the Eleven O'Clock Lady by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Another cozy read. I enjoyed the information about the CCC camps. My uncle was an "enrollee" in a camp located in West Virginia. AFter the war he made his career in lumber as a result of his experiences during his time in the CCC.

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Review: The Darling Dahlias and the Silver Dollar Bush

The Darling Dahlias and the Silver Dollar Bush by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book more than the previous Darling Dahlias book. Although the constant rehashing of backstories still annoys me, the cozy plot was more engaging than the last. These are nowhere as good as Alberts' China Bayles series, but you can be guaranteed a happy ending and some good recipes. And it is fun to spend a bit of time in the idyllic town of Darling.

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Review: Brush Back

Brush Back by Sara Paretsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the book! Frank Guzzo, VI Warshawski's first love, asks her to help him figure out if his mother Stella, who has recently been released from prison, was framed for murdering her daughter. V.I. wants no part of the investigation. Stella has always hated the Warshawski family, and even Frank blamed her family for his failure to impress major league baseball scouts. As is usual in this series, circumstances converge to draw V.I. deep into an investigation that involves not only the Guzzo family, but the Uzbeki Mob and Illinois politicians.

I liked the reflective tone VI took on as she tried to keep her niece Bernie out of harm's way. She's also beginning to question how long she can meet the physical demands of the job. Once again, there is a dark and gritty aspect to events, and VI is on the receiving end of quite a bit of violence.



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Review: Critical Mass

Critical Mass by Putnam Adult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's been a while since I've read this series-2013 was the last time to be exact! I just got the newest one from the library and realized I'd missed this one, so I read this first. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy the series. I read this in almost one sitting, (interrupted by having to cook dinner.) V.I. Warshawski's friend Lotty Herschel has asked her to look for Judy Binder, the daughter of a fellow Holocaust survivor. V.I. is stymied by the lack of cooperation from Judy's relatives, and discovers a greater mystery when Judy's son Martin is discovered to have gone missing. Meth addicts, nuclear physics, and high tech secrets become intertwined as V.I.'s investigation continues. The plot was exciting, and kept me reading.

As I was reading I realized how similar V.I. Warshawski and Kinsey Milhone are. Both are single private investigators. Both live closely to elderly single men who look out for them and often get involved with their investigations. Both use running for exercise and for thinking. Both ignore sensible advice and go with their hearts which gets them into some dicey situations. There are differences of course, and overall, I think that the Warshawski plots are grittier and darker than the Milhone plots. I like both characters a lot, however, and will continue reading both.

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Review: Death Come Quickly

Death Come Quickly by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this China Bayles installment, China finds herself trying to figure out how a college film project was the catalyst for the murder of a friend. The story was interesting enough to hold my attention, although I think by this point in the series, the author doesn't need to spend quite so much time with reminding readers of what's happened in previous books. What I like about the series are the interactions the characters have with each other. China and Ruby feel like my friends, and I love the way China and McQuaid's marriage is portrayed. I also like the recipes!

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Review: The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star

The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I don't expect a lot from this series, but it was the weakest one I've read so far. Far-fetched plot and too "cutesy."

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Review: Flesh and Bone

Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A good book!! It kept me turning pages quickly. Dr. Bill Brockton, a forensic anthropologis, and Medical Examiner Jess Carter have worked together on a number of cases and are on the verge of developing a romantic relationship. Brockton is director of the University of Tennessee's "Body Farm" and is a professor at the college. He inadvertently upsets a student with his rant against creationism, and is about to be sued by the student's parents. Meanwhile, he and Carter are investigating the murder of a drag queen. One morning Brockton arrives at the Body Farm to discover a dead body that's not supposed to be there, and Brockton is accused as the killer.

I liked the characters, and the plot had several good twists. There were some gory bits, but nothing you can't skip over if you don't like those kinds of details.

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Review: Bones Are Forever

Bones Are Forever by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the first Kathy Reichs I've read in long time, and I enjoyed getting re-acquainted with the series. In this outing, Dr. Temperance Brennan is investigating the death of several infants found in an apartment. Brennan, and her erstwhile lover Ryan, head to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories as they search for the woman suspected of murdering the infants. Brennan is joined by Oliver Hasty, a man she'd had an affair with when her marriage first dissolved, and of course there is tension between Ryan and Hasty. The investigation gets complicated with the addition of a possible turf war between some drug dealers and prostitution ringleaders, and the addition of several more dead bodies. I'd forgotten how complicated the original Temperance Brennan is, and how much I like this incarnation better than the TV version. The stories are better too.

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Review: The Dead of Winter

The Dead of Winter by Rennie Airth
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is another entry in the John Madden series. I found it way too slow-going for 95% of the book, with too much talking and not much action. It's also a weird premise: the "hero" investigator is a long-retired and revered detective who is still friends with the current crop of detectives. He's brought into the investigation as a courteous gesture since one of the victims worked on his farm. But for most of the book, Madden is back on his farm asking productive questions. And as in previous Madden novels, there's a dicey denouement with the villain. I liked the previous books better.

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Review: B is for Burglar

B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book 2 in my re-read of this series. I had completely forgotten the entire book -- or maybe I never read it in the first place? Kinsey Milhone is investigating the disappearance of Elaine Boldt at the request of her sister Beverly. Her investigation leads her to Florida and back to CA, and a new recurring character is introduced as a possible romantic partner for Kinsey.

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Review: The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose

The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good cozy read for a chilly afternoon. Verna Tidwell, honest as the day is long, is suspected of embezzling $15,000 in county funds while Miss Rogers is worried about losing her job at the library. As always, the Darling Dahlias gather round their friends to help them through their difficulties.

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Review: Widow's Tears

Widow's Tears by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another cozy read by Susan Wittig Albert, this time in her China Bayles series. The story focuses on Ruby and her extrasensory perception gifts, and the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. It's a ghost story too. China is a peripheral character serving more as an observer/narrator than active participant.

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Review: A is for Alibi

A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a re-read for me. I am waiting for Grafton's newest installment in the series, and it's been so long since I read any of the books, I decided to start at the beginning and re-familiarize myself with Kinsey Milhone. This is the first of the series, where 32 year old Kinsey Milhone introduces herself as a P.I. Kinsey is investigating an eight year old murder on behalf of the woman who had been convicted of it, and still claims she's innocent. One of the things that was really interesting to me this time around was the California territory. Since I first read this book, way too long ago to actually remember, I've actually gotten familiar with some of the setting places. While I'd completely forgotten the plot line, I knew it would involve a wrong turn or two, some close escapes, and eventual solution. On to volume 2!

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Some Knitting Projects

I haven't posted anything about my knitting in a long time.  Here are a couple of projects I've recently finished.

The most recent is this sweater, Mindy, pattern by Julia Farwell-Clay.  I had fun knitting it and I learned a new skill-the attached I-cord button band.  I used Cascade Yarns Pure Alpaca Paints which I purchased at Webs.  I think the yarn has been discontinued.  I really like the way it came out.  It took me six months from start to finish, but I admit it was on again-off again knitting!  I don't like working on sweatery projects when it's hot!

Another project I finished was one I mostly knit while I was on a bus tour in the UK.  It was fairly mindless knitting.

I used a cotton ribbon yarn called ONline Line Arona and a free  pattern I was given at checkout.  (At Webs, of course!)  I am currently using another color of this same yarn to knit Let It Go, another cowl.

In between knitting and reading, we took two big trips - one to the UK and one to Italy.  One of these days I get some pictures uploaded.  You'd think that with retirement, I'd have the time to keep this blog updated.   Hmm.

Review: Skinner's Rules

Skinner's Rules by Quintin Jardine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

ACC Bob Skinner has a set of rules, or code that he lives by, even if doing so jeopardizes his career, and perhaps even his life. A series of brutal murders is blamed on a Japanese diplomat, but Skinner thinks they missed something. As he quietly investigates further he discovers a web of secrecy and lies that go to the very top of British intelligence. Eventually his trail puts his life and the lives of his family at extreme risk.

I really enjoyed this first in a series novel. First of all it's set in Edinburgh, one of my favorite cities, so it was fun to recognize places. Skinner is an interesting character, balancing his work and personal life, and the politics v. justice. As most good characters do, Skinner has a dark side which is uncovered as a result of his investigation. I like the other characters too. I am looking forward to reading more in the series.

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Review: Life and Other Near-Death Experiences

Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagán
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was a Kindle First book. When Libby is diagnosed with a terminal cancer, she rushes home to tell her husband Tom. Before she gets a chance to share her devastating news, Tom shares his news: he's gay. The plot follows Libby as she reacts to both traumatic events. I found the whole premise pretty unrealistic. While I liked Libby's character, I kept thinking she was pretty lucky to have enough money to act the way she did.

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Review: The Third Girl

The Third Girl by Nell Goddin
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was a free ARC.

This is the first novel in a mystery series set in a small French village. American Mollie Sutton, almost 40, purchases a small property with a rental cottage, after a divorce. She quickly adjusts to life in the small village and begins to make friends. A student at the local art school goes missing, and the village is upset because the missing girl is the third woman gone missing. Mollie is instrumental in solving the mystery of the disappearance.

This series has a lot of potential, but it's not quite there yet. I thought that the author did a terrific job in setting the scene. Her depiction of life in a small village was well-done. Her characters need more development however. Mollie is in her late 30's agonizing about the fact that she's unlikely to have children. Yet her behavior and reactions to events seem to be of somebody who is just out of college. She seems to lack the confidence and self-knowledge you'd expect from someone who has been in the working world and has been married for a number of years. Other characters also have potential, but need to be fleshed out. At the moment they feel more like "outlines." The plot needs to be developed a bit more too. The police and Mollie spend several weeks attempting to figure out who kidnapped the woman, yet there are few details that follow the actual investigation. Most of the investigative details were of the "today we talked to x,y,z and searched a bunch of outbuildings".

I will read the next book in the series which I've also received free, since I liked Mollie, and I do think that there is potential for the series.

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Review: Starting Now

Starting Now by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

If you're in the mood for a completely predictable, even sappy book, than this is it. And I was in the mood for it. Definitely a quick read, and you just know exactly how it will all play out. Not the best in the Blossom St series, but a pleasant way to spend a chilly evening. Plus, it was the first PHYSICAL book I've read in ages . . .it used to be I read so few ebooks that I had a special shelf for them. I think I need to start a "real" book shelf category!

High-powered attorney Libby, expecting to be made partner, is instead laid off. She is forced to rediscover who she really is and what she really wants as she faces long-term unemployment. Knitting, babies, a pregnant teen, and a romantic interest work together to solve her problems.

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Review: Breaking Point

Breaking Point by C.J. Box
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There's more than one breaking point in this novel. Butch Roberson is pushed to the edge when the EPA suddenly starts fining him $70,000 per day until he restores the fully permitted construction site of his dream home to pristine condition. Two EPA agents are murdered, and Butch goes on the lam into the wilderness surrounding his home. Joe Pickett is drafted by his new Fish and Game director to provide the Feds with full cooperation when they take over the local investigation. His breaking point comes when he discovers the truth behind the EPA's actions. Even Marybeth reaches a breaking point when her dream of restoring an abandoned hotel is scuttled. It's a tense plot, and the questions it raises about the reaches and limits of government power make it all the more realistic. The basic novel premise is based on a real-life case too.

I really enjoyed this installment in the Joe Pickett series, and I'm eager to discover what's in store next for the Picketts.

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Review: A Man of Some Repute

A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's the Cold War era, and two important intelligence agents have just been unmasked as spies working for the Soviet Union. Hugo Hawksworth is sent to Selchester ostensibly to work as a statistician at The Hall. He is in reality part of English intelligence and has been charged with reviewing personnel files in an attempt to identify possible additional traitors. He and his teenaged sister Georgia are lodged at the Selchester Castle. Its owner, Lord Selchester mysteriously disappeared almost seven years previously, and the only family now living there is his niece Freya. When Selchester's skeleton is unearthed in an unused part of the castle, Freya and the now-deceased son of Selchester are the prime suspects. Hugo who also holds a brief to monitor the investigation into Selchester's murder is convinced that Freya and her cousin are innocent. As the truth is uncovered, long-held family secrets are revealed.

I enjoyed this first entree in this new-to-me series. I liked the characters, especially Hugo's sister Freya. I also like the way the plot was resolved, with just enough hints for continuation.

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