The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

Have you ladies been to a bridal shower?  If you are male and never had to attend one of these societal necessities, count yourself as lucky.  For those of you in a country that doesn't have this traditional gathering, let me explain.  A bridal shower is a party, usually of all women, to shower the bride to be with gifts and good wishes.  Usually, this celebration is accompanied with food, something dainty like tea sandwiches and punch.  Nope, not hot wings and beer, that is what the men have while they are waiting for the women to complete their gathering. The first shower I ever attended was for my cousin.  I was shocked, here were twenty women so enthralled with a gift of a frying pan she just opened. You would have thought that pan could bring world peace.  After a few years, it was my turn.  I had four bridal showers.  I didn't live in my hometown, so had friends in both places and had 2 sets of ex-coworkers and current coworkers, then my fabulous Aunts were so kind to throw a beautiful party too.  Keep in mind this was the place I was shocked over the cookware euphoria.  Now I got it, I was oohing and aahhhing. I had housekeeping to set up and all these gifts were helping greatly.  I still have many of them and can tell you who gave me what.  Seriously, people were so very generous.  By the time my sister got married, things had changed.  She still got gifts, but instead of tea sandwiches, she was showered with attention from a male stripper.  I missed that one.  Probably for the best.

I recently read The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten. This is my second book by this author. I read and enjoyed The Lost Village as well. In this novel, we are following a group of women as they go to a new, not yet opened, hotel on a private island for a bachelorette getaway/party. The island is beautiful and the hotel stunning. There is a dark secret, however. The island was the site of the disappearance of four young women several years earlier. As odd things start happening at the current gathering, similarities to the happenings of the past become apparent.

This story starts quickly, leaving the reader anxious for the wild ride yet to come. It slows slightly as the background is told and the getaway trip progresses, showing the relationship between the members of the bridal party. Once the characters are known and the basis for the story set, it takes off like a world class roller coaster. Told in traditional thriller style, it has the reader flipping pages while almost hiding their eyes as their breath quickens. It was a blast to experience a peek around the corner, nail biting story. So much fun.

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. 

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

Can we talk?  That sounds like the opening of a Saturday Night Live skit, maybe something by Gilda Radner as Rosanne Rosanna Danna...a classic.  Serious, let us discuss sisters. Sisters share a bond like no other.  They keep each other's secrets, understand each other's problems, and always root for the other. Well, usually.  Occasionally you get a bad egg, literally.  Instead of those endearing qualities you get nothing but brats and betrayal.  Such is my sistuation (yes, I spelled it like that on purpose). The trips as we call them, my three sisters who are actual triplets, are on the brattier side. What do you call people that always cheat at Monopoly?  How about someone who always goes to festivals, while you are stuck at home, then send you pictures...almost every weekend?  What about sisters that go on vacation together each year, without you, to one of the last remaining "balls" in the US?  See I told you; these are critical issues!  Brats, I tell you, brats.

I recently read Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh. This is my second book from this author.  I also read Thirteen and loved it.  In this story we follow two sisters. Both in the house at the same time as their brutally murdered father, they each call 911 blaming each other. The reader basically witnesses the investigation and trial of the siblings, reading from the point of view of each sister. Keeping us guessing we also get the point of view from the unnamed killer.

If you like legal thrillers, this book is for you.  If you are just a thriller addict, you will still love this, while it is rich in legal happenings it doesn't get bogged down in them.  Fast paced, atmospheric and well-constructed, this book had me switching back and forth as to the guilty sister. Lots of fun. My only word of warning, read at your peril, once you start it is very difficult to put down.  

Okay, I feel a smidge of guilt.  I confess, I am the chronic Monopoly cheater.  Hey, as banker it is expected!

FDR Drive by James Comey

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a good day.

Good Gaggama, have you turned on the news lately?  You remember those old-fashioned pinball machines?  They had a metal ball that you released with a giant spring then it is hit with little flappers trying to keep it in play to earn points.  Snicker not, it was kind of fun.  So what if you had a more interesting childhood, I'm not jealous...okay, maybe a little.  These pinball machines were everywhere, they were even in my dad's favorite footlong hotdog place in Myrtle Beach, right next to the Pac Man machines.  I think I am making Atari sound new, so I'll shut up.  Anyway, my point is that I feel like that every time I turn on the news.  It is all politics or plane trouble or terrible weather.  Somehow no matter what the story is, it gets turned into politics.  You know I don't comment on it, but this turning everything into something political and constant he said, she said, he threatened, name-calling....it baffles me.  All this time on this planet and we haven't learned that hate is sad, and love is fun.  The whole thing makes me dizzy.  Needless to say, I have binge watched so many streaming series and old movies.  It is pretty bad when you can make a double feature out of Burnt Offerings followed by Audrey Rose, both kind of dark.  Still it was better than the news.  Enough said.  You'd think I'd be reading like crazy, but I've been in a bit of a slump.  Hubby is reading up a storm.  Speaking of political, he read the new book by James Comey, who was the head of the FBI.  It seemed as if he liked the book but it wasn't a favorite.  His thoughts follow.

I recently read FDR Drive by James Comey. This is a complicated story involving terrorism in New York. Told as a legal thriller, it is a slow burn. There are plenty of characters to meet and legal terms to learn, with revelations along the way. Taking much from recent past and current politics, shades of Comey's real-life shine through. A bit slower in the beginning as the reader learns the situation and those effected but the pacing increasing as the bulk of the story starts to unfold. If you like the legal world and thrillers, as I do, this is for you. An interesting read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Mysterious Press for an advanced copy.

ps.  Next book will have no political connection. I don't want the author to even have been on the committee for the garden club or PTA, heaven forbid the Home Owners Association!

Whistle by Linwood Barclay

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

I have to be honest, the book today I received a couple of months ago from the very generous publisher.  I have been anxiously waiting to discuss this book with you.  It is about model trains and is blurbed by Stephen King. Enough said?  No?  Okay, we have been together for a long time, reading all kinds of books.  I care about you.  So, I tell you with love and respect to stay away from trains of all sizes.  Please, I beg you!

I recently read Whistle by Linwood Barclay. This is the story of Annie and her son Charlie. To get a break from their lives in Manhattan, Annie and her son take a vacation renting a house in upstate New York. While there, Charlie finds an old train set of which he becomes unusually fond. The vacation seems to be a going well, until odd things begin happening. Unconventional neighbors behaving strangely, real train sounds coming from a train line not used in years, just for starters. There are lots more events I won't spoil for you. The reader also follows an earlier timeline in a different town. In this time period, we meet lots of characters, some briefly, as odd things are happening here too, all seemingly connected to model trains.

Whistle, while most definitely a horror book, is also quite the thriller. It is very fast paced, with most chapters ending on a cliff hanger or major revelation. Despite being fairly long this pacing makes it fly by, with pages turning quickly. Although there are plenty of characters in this story, by necessity, it is not overwhelming. Several characters are stand outs and will have you cheering for them. Entertaining from beginning to end, a very fun read.

For the record, my husband who has had model trains his whole life is now in trouble. Trains are expensive and cause us to have to purchase larger houses than necessary to accommodate his layout. Now I know they are evil (as suspected). Rest assured, I will be purchasing many copies of Whistle to hand out to hubby's train friends, as a cautionary tale. Also, I will be taking my husband's trains to the dump, have them shredded, then compacted, then put in a deep ocean trench. Do you think anyone would mind if we filled the Atlantic Ocean in with concrete?

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the advanced copy and warning!

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay

Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

Did y'all have parents weekend in college?  I didn't.  I had parents day in high school at band camp.  I've bored you about marching band before, yes, yes, I can hear your nerd and geek chants from here.  Be quiet you cool people.  Anyway, once again, it was a big band, a show band with over 600 kids. We actually got paid to do halftime for the Bills and Patriots. Every fall, all these kids and teachers trudge off to the Pocono Mountains to go to camp.  Bet you thought the Poconos were just for honeymooners, nope, but thanks now I have the old song from the commercials to Mount Airy Lodge going through my head. (It is on YouTube for those of you who like punishment.) At band camp, we would learn how to march, play songs from pre-game and the first half time, and move in unison. Towards the end of the week, when we were exhausted and riddled with mosquito bites, the parents would come and sit on top of a big hill and watch the first show.  Yes, on a hill, how else are you going to see the formations.  You can't see a moving train with Penelope Pittstop tied to the tracks from ground level!  (Seriously, that was a show, the wheels turned, the train engine moved, smoke came from the stack.  It got a standing ovation at the Patriots game when they played the Dolphins. We had to kneel at the sidelines before going on and, frankly, I had a famous Dolphin's quarterbacks butt in my face.  I won't say who, then you'll know how ancient I am.) Having parents at camp was a good thing, the bad was when they left.  It was then officially skit night.  I don't want to talk about it.  I'll just say, the nightmares continue to this day.

I recently read Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay. I have read several of his other books, Every Last Fear and If Something Happens to Me. I've enjoyed them all. In this story, we are treated to Parents Weekend at a small college in Northern California. Parents arrive anxious to see their children and hear about their experiences. Excitement becomes disappointment when all five of the students are AWOL. When one doesn't show it is not that significant but when all five don't arrive for a planned dinner, something is amiss. Perhaps they all ditched their parents for a great party. Despite trying, none of the scholars will answer their phones, compounding the worry. Adding to the nervousness is a student recently found drowned on the local beach. As the feeling of something being very wrong grows, FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller is called in to assist. Fans will recognize her as a reoccurring character.

Alex Finlay's books are different for me, not your average thriller. Don't get me wrong, I love average and non-average thrillers equally. It is like choosing your favorite child. But this book is part family drama, part secrets unraveling, part kind of police procedural (yes, I know Keller is FBI, but that feel), and part thriller. Because of this kind of story, it moves slower and has more story development that a shoot straight through thriller but not dry like police books can get. If you don't want the investment in actually reading an actual story, if you just want quick, cheap and lots of twists, then this isn't the book for you. However, if you want something with memorable characters, a more involved plot, and twists, then this is your baby. Sometimes a book reads so quickly that I almost feel like I'm not getting my "entertainment dollars" from it. This is different. Despite being a pleasantly paced read, it is deeply satisfying. Once I get rid of my book hangover, I'll be ready for Finlay's next!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy. St. Martin's Press, not only always has great books, but has been so kind to me for which I will always be tremendously grateful.

PS. When writing this I kept typing Bank Camp.  Now THAT sounds like something fun.  I'll take my camp in 50's and 100's, thank you!

The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White

Hello everyone. I hope you're having a great day.

As you likely know, I repeat myself incessantly.  Naturally, you probably already know this, but despite having grown up with an inground pool, I am afraid of dark water.  I didn't like the pool when the sun wasn't shining in it.  Hey, it is a rational fear.  Who knows where the bottom is? Yes, the pool is clean and the water clear but maybe there is a clear monster at the bottom. Maybe someone has moved the bottom and instead of being nine feet down it is ninety.  The ocean is even worse. Now despite all your snickering, I will fight you to the end that the ocean fear is well founded.  Have you seen those fishing shows where they pull tunas out of the water that are eight feet long and six-hundred pounds? Those things are swimming around your legs.  Oh no, my friends, it is not all lost cute little clown fish and his forgetful pal that speaks English with the voice of Ellen Degeneris.  You'll never convince me those huge tunas don't dream of freaking someone out by swimming next to their legs.  Also, I'm certain they also speak English and sound exactly like Tony Soprano.

Despite my fully founded fear of dark water, I have a thing for all kinds of ships. I was lucky enough to date someone who worked in the engine room on an aircraft carrier. He had some wild stories.  I was able to go on a merchant ship, also amazing.  I've toured an aircraft carrier from WWII, a submarine, a battleship, and an LST (landing ship tank).  Most of all I adore the old-time ocean liners.  Not cruise ships, ocean liners.  You know the kind that are black on the bottom with a thick white band at the top.  I've been fortunate to see the SS United States several times and have many things from the ship while in operation.  The SS United States holds the record for fastest transatlantic crossing.  It could go faster than modern cruise ships can go, and even faster in reverse than the Titanic could go moving forward.  Sadly, the SS United States has been sold to a town in Florida.  They are having the red, white and blue smokestacks removed, doors cut off and are sinking it.  I guess it will attract tourist to dive it. Since they only make the taxes from any additional hotel room rentals, restaurant or sales tax from any new tourists, I am not sure how they plan to recoup their money.  Anyway, it is sad, end of an era.

I recently read The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. I actually read this book out loud to my husband as we did household tasks. This is the story surrounding a mystery on the RMS Lusitania.  In 2013 we follow Sarah, a writer looking for a book idea.  She is researching her great-grandfather, who died on the Lusitania. Sarah goes to England to try to get to view the records of a Member of Parliament, John Langford. His family's archives might hold answers to what happened aboard the ship before it was hit by a German torpedo and sunk. We also follow people on board the ship in 1915.  Caroline and her husband, Gilbert, are traveling with a valuable piece of unpublished music.  Locked in their suite's safe, it is highly prized and sought after.  In addition to her husband, Caroline's long time single male friend, Robert is on board.  The sexual tension between them is palpable.  In addition, there are two con artists.  Tess and her sister, Ginny, are pulling one last job while on the ship then headed for a new crime-free life in England. As I'm sure you can imagine, all is not what it seems.  The characters aren't as simple as they appear, each holding secrets. 

As the reader, we are privy to history, knowing the torpedo is coming.  This adds to the tension as the story races to its unchangeable end. Beautifully written, this trio works together with such an ease that the pages flip without being feeling jolted from author to author.  The pace and writing is uniform in feeling. Each character is well developed leaving us to wonder who will make it through the U-boat attack. This is my third book written by this trio and I hope there are lots more to come.  While I read each author independently, seeing their sections come together so consistently makes me not only cheer for the characters but the authors. A wonderful book, you won't regret reading.

By the way, I have a postcard sent from the RMS Lusitania.  I don't think I'll ever look at it the same way.

The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

You know what offends me?  Well, a lot of things and I guess you really have no way of knowing the answer. If you've followed my tales of housewifery for long enough, you'd know broken dishwashers offend me, because they plague me. Cleaning also offends me, it is boring. People that litter bug me.  I once saw someone empty their car ashtray into the visitor parking lot at Colonial Williamsburg.  Not only is it ugly and trashy but at a historic site? Come on!  Okay, I'm rambling.  Focus. Breathe.  Movies offend me when they come out with sequel after sequel, and it starts to feel like a money grab.  Now I'm sure a case could be made for things like the Star Wars journey which by now must encompass a billion years.  I still don't understand the movies from the 70's, are the white plastic guys good or bad?  Then the wrinkled guy with the hood, is he part of the government and good or bad? Why is he in the hood/cape thing and why does he glow? What really gets my goat is when a movie does well, then there is a sequel which most of the original cast stars in but the story is weak.  Then there is another sequel that holds little similarity to the original and the first cast wouldn't be caught dead in it.  No story and lousy cast equals money grab.  I've been trying to think if there are any book examples of the same.  I can think of a series that could have been shorter but no real offenders.  Thankfully.

I recently read The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose. This is the third book in the Molly the Maid series. I have read and loved the previous two books: The Maid and The Mystery Guest. This most recent volume can easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone. However, coming back to characters you already have an established history with creates an ease, comfort and curiosity that is very pleasant.

In this story we are following Molly and Juan as they are preparing for their wedding. They both still work at the Regency Grand Hotel, him in the kitchen and her as the Head Maid and Event Coordinator. The hotel is hosting TV show that evaluates antiques people bring in. Before reviewing the publics wares, they invite the hotel employees to have their treasures analyzed. When it is Molly's turn, she is surprised to find that her "item" that was her grandmother's is worth millions. Naturally, Molly faints on tv, endearing her to fans everywhere. With Molly persuaded to sell, the tv show sets up an auction at the Regency. As the gavel comes down to close the sale, the item suddenly goes missing. Molly and friends must solve both the mystery of the missing multimillion dollar item, in addition to how and why her grandmother had it.

This story is wonderfully written. Reading is so easy. The story told from the perspective of present day, and entries in Molly's grandma's diary, moves smoothly to solving past and present mysteries at the same time. While certainly delightful for first time series readers, those invested in the series will revel in learning about Molly's beloved Gran, explaining so much from the past. I was left smiling and crying at the same time. A joy from beginning to end, definitely the best in the beloved series. Written and shined to perfection, just as Molly would want.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House-Ballentine books for the advanced copy.