And I was not disappointed......

... With Deborah Crombie's latest mystery "Not AMark On Her". This one brought us into the world of rowing and sculling along the Britsh rivers. It was every bit as good as any of her best. I really love this series as well as her character, Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Kincaid. Their lives have taken several interesting turns lately and reading them again is like coming home. Now,, of course, I am waiting for the next one.
This book, and all of her books are well worth the read at any price.

My reads

Well, I find I have fallen behind agin. I am currently in one of my cozy moods lately. I am reading a trilogy of mysteries by Tim Myers. They ake place at an Inn in South Carolina which has a lighthouse ( full size) in its yard which is quite a ways from the ocean. The lighthouse is called Hattaras West. As am "RIO" ( read in order) addict I loved that I could buy these three in the series all together, and inexpensive. I am just in the middle if the third one, fun, not great works of literature, but entertaining.

Sharing a favorite

Just brought Gene's aunt her first Deborah combine book. Hope she loves it. She is one of my very favorite authors. As I have said before, I love to learn about new things, and in every one of her mysteries she explores a different place, or thing or lifestyle or culture. I have learned so much in her books as well as a good mystery.

Another one down

I finished the latest book I have been reading. "The Bee Balm Murders". I finished it last night..sigh. I really love the way Cynthia Riggs writes.
I feel like I know Victoria and all her friends and family . This one had an interesting new character, Orion. His relationship with Victoria was so different than usual, gentle and sweet. I can only wonder if we will see more of him? Well worth the read!,

In my ears

My current audiobook is "Threading The Needle" by marie Bostwick. A gentle read which I discover is (I think) number three in the 'Cobbled Court Quilting "series. Now if you are one of my friends who chat about reading with me, you know I am a confirmed RIO(read in order) chick.
But when I downloaded this from the library site I didn't know it was a series. Now of course, there are characters I have come across who have a 'history' which it seems others know already , and it drives me crazy. This all cong
Firms to me exactly why I am a RIO. But I am ,nevertheless, enjoying the story. It s a good commuting book. Comlicated enough to be a good story, but still t so complicated that I can't pay attention to where and how I am driving.
So eats see.........my eyes are reading a great cozy mystery with Victoria Trumble on the Vineyard. My ears are listening to a gentle chick lit book. Hhhmmmm"............. Not a gritty piece in the bunch. Bt what I haven't mentioned is that I am watching the Swedish series" The Girl Who.........". Do I recommend it. Well it is not for the weak r mellow reader. And both the books and movie require pretty close attention , and needless to say the violence is over the top. However the character development in thisseriesbis fabulous . It s a very complex stories which takesbounown many varied paths before the real gist of the story is revealed to the reader.. I say......go or it...but fast forward over the violence.

More cozy mysteries

I also just finished a sweet little cozy called "Books Can Be Decieving" by Jenn McKinley. The detective is the head of a library in a small coastal Conn. town. A fun, easy to read book. She also wrote a cozy mystery series about a cupcake shop.

What did Bill say

Just last week I saw an interview of Bill Clinton. The interviewer was asking about his favorite books. He named several scholarly titles. Then they asked what he reads for fun and he said.......some of my favorites Sue Grafton, Elizabeth George,evanovich and several others. Hhmmmm what a surprise!

My beloved Cozies

Well here I am after a year and a half. I have still been reading..of course....but not posting. My computer has been so slow, but I got a wonderful iPad for Christmas and voila!,

I have been on a Cozy kick. No surprise at that. right now I am reading "The Bee Balm Murders by Cynthia Riggs. A wonderful series with 90 something Victoria Trumball as the detective. Well worth the read.

The Ladies of Garrison Garden

This is one of those books you are so thankful you followed your heart and not logic. I started this book and was not thrilled by it. But as it went on I was drawn to the colorful characters and the quirkiness of the story. Not the most believable of all books, but an enjoyable, page-turner of a read. By the way, it was the second in a series of 2. Maybe if I had read #1 I would have been hooked sooner.

The Ladies of Garrison Gardens by Louise Shaffer

And my ears have heard.........

...........a great mystery. "Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein. I have never listend or read any of her work, but I really enjoyed this. I WILL listen to more.

Ahh......the vineyard

I just finished reading "Off Season" by philip Craig. A wonderful Vineyard mystery with JW and Zee. This was a really good one. One of his first, if not first. It showed the human side of JW a lot!! a real four star.

Vision in White

In my ears was this 'cute' story by Nora Roberts. A little light story which was fun to listen to. I will say, I was not nuts about the reader. I didnt like the way she read the part of the male main character. She made him sound goofy, which come to find out..he wasn't. This was not a great piece of writing, but it was light and fun.

Where Oh Where..............

Well, my writing mind went kaplooie!! I got lost in the little dramas of life and didnt keep up here...but now..alas..I will try to be back. Two friends have asked me where I was.. they wanted more of my ecclectic recommendations..SO I have returned. The same old me.

I just now finished listening to "Dare To Die " by Carolyn Hart. It is the latest Max and Annie Darling mystery. Now let me be honest here. I read A LOT of cozy mysteries and I will admit This IS my favorite series. I enjoy them so much . They are funny and witty and thoughtful. But not stupid funny or comic funny. I think this series is the quintessential 'cozy' series as I understand it.

I listened on my Blackjack smartphone which has an MP3 player in it., What did I do without this. I use it instead of my iPod because I download almost all my audiobooks from the library website where you can just do it on your computer. A few of these casn go onto iPods, but it limits what you listen to. So...this is my new 'thing'.

My listen listen was "Merlot Murders" by Ellen Crosby. I found it an interesting book. A cozy which taught a little about wine and wine making. It is a series, so as usual, I am off to persue more murder in the wine country.

I also just read the latest Margaret Maron mystery "Sand Sharks" . I love this series also which features Judge Deborah Knott, a real down-home woman judge. And true to form it was a good one. It happened at a judges week-long conference and it was fun to hear about judges gone awry!!

I have gotten into reading Dorothy Cannell and her series about Ellie Haskell. These take place in England (although the author lives in Maine). They are like Miss Marple mysteries, but not quite as clever. They are a quick fun read for a change.

I am finishing up "The Lakeshore" series by Susan Wiggs. I enjoyed these. They were what I refer to as women's reads. They are romances, but more about the characters than about the roamnce. I also clump in "Simply Breathe" in this series although it very loosly tied in, but a wonderful book.

So that is all folks for now. I promise to be back soon.....I promise!!

Maine B & B Mysteries

My next 2 reads were from Karen McInerny. "Murder On The Rocks" and "Murder Most Maine" both take place on a small island off the coast of Maine.

Dyer Consequences

This is the other Maggie Sefton book I had not read, although it was written before "Fleeced Navidad". I usually am a RIO (read in order) but I somehow missed this one. I actually knew right away as they referred (in Fleeced) about a murder which I knew nothing about, but had happened previously.

Anyway, this was a really enjoyable, quick book. A murder mystery this time about dyeing yarn. Sounds strange, but I wont give it away..I hate spoilers. Kelly and her trusty entourage are weathering a very cold winter in this one..and gladly Spring is now peeking into R.I.

Sop here is another one I would recommend. I actually think I enjoyed it the most of all of hers. However, her friends become a little confusing as to who is who..but they are fun.
Oh, and by the way. They have a cool pattern fro a hat which looks like a keeper and a delicious sounding recipe for pecan pie!!

In My Ears!!

Let's get the subject of audiobooks..or books on tape, or CD. Sometimes, a great books makes a great audiobook, and sometimes not. Sometimes a not so great book makes a not not so good audiobook, but SOMETIME........... and that is Whitethorn Woods. I read the book 2 years ago (about). I adore Maeve Binchy, but was not enthralled with this book. I dont know why..I just didnt get into it. But when I had listened to "Heart and Soul" (see post below) I decdied I needed to revisit these wonderful characters she brings so to life, and the library happened to only have this one at the time. So I got it(unabridged thankfully). It is read by Sile Bermingham
with some readings by Paul Michael. And lo and behold...I loved it. It is a classic Maeve Binchy. Her novels are often almost a sereis of short stories about a series of intertwined characters ,frequently reoccuring in her novels. All the vignettes revolve in someway around a specific thing..in this novel it is about St. Ann's Well in the WhiteThorn Woods. Her character studies, which is what her books really are poignant, funny, true to life and make you feel like you know these characters.
Then I listened to "The Return Journey", a series of short stories about people who travel, or are traveling. Another winner!!
And now I am at "Quentins" a favorite ,book of mine and a wonderful book to listen to. It is about a wonderful restaurant run by Branda and Patrick Brennan and the characters in the vignettes of this novel revolve in some way in their stroies around this restaurant.
And what me, for me, makes a good audiobook. The book HAS to have a good reader! That is foremost. Then the story has to be descriptive enough to bring you there. And finally, as I am almost always driving, sewing or gardening (usually driving) when I am listening, it cannot be too complicated a plot. So on to listening...........Try it..you'll like it!

...and in my Ears........

.some first rate audio!!

Vineyard Chill

AHHHHHH to return to magnificent Martha's Vineyard with JW Jackson, his wife Zee and their 2 children Diana (the huntress ) and Joshua. Philip Craig has written a wonderful series of mysteries, which I also see as an armchair travel guide to the Vineyard..the 'real' Vineyard. His descriptions of different parts of the Island are give you a real feel for the area. The stories, I believe are a bit too gritty to be classified as 'cozy' mysteries. In my opinion the do for the Vineyard what Robert Parker's mysteries did for the Boston and the suburbs.

This is another outing with JW which brings his past (as a Boston cop, vet, etc) into play as a long absent friend makes a surprising appearance on the Island, and brings a lot of 'baggage' along with him. We also find the beloved Bonzo, a reoccurring character, making a headline. And of course there is always, smouldering in the background, the conflict of bringing modern-day to the Island and the conflict of year-round residents with tourists and vacationers.

If you love the Vineyard, like I do, or want to learn more about it, and also read a first class mystery, this is the series, and this particular book is a definite positive contribution to this collection.

Now for the sad news. This is Philip Craig's last novel, as he passed away shortly after finishing this book. He will be long remembered as one of the greats, in my book anyway.

Zapped............

Another quirky, humorous, tongue in cheek sometimes, offering by Carol Higgins Clark. Her female protaganist is PI Regan Reilley, married to a NY Detective in charge of the Major Crimes Unit. He father is an undetaker and her mother is a famous writer of mystery novels (yes Regans mother as well as........) Carol is the daughter of Mary Higgins Clark, the famous writer of crime/romance novels.

Zapped occurs during a blackout in NYC where Jack and Regan are remodeling their apartment to included a newly acquired second apartment. Yes, that is an important part of all this. It occurs during 2 days/nights and has fun funny romps, rather unbelievable coincidences in the plot twists, which are many. But overall a fun, light read.

"Fleece Navidad"

Maggie Sefton has written this enjoyable series of "fiber based" mystery novels. They take place in a small town in Colorado and revolve around a group of friends and neighbors who frequent a knoitting/spinning, weaving ,crocheting store. It apparently is based on a true to life store called Lambspun of Colorado. This series is fun to read. The mysteries are usally pretty good, and they are fast with fun characters. I would efinitely suggest them to any reader who enjoys 'cozy' mysteries. Check out Maggie and her books here: http://www.maggiesefton.com/knitting.html