The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

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

'Tis that time of year again.  Time to make construction paper chains, string popcorn (avoiding the bloody pieces) and get yelled at for not putting tinsel on one annoyingly staticy piece at a time.  Okay, so nobody does that anymore.  Now it's just pop up trees that come in two pieces and are fully lit.  For you youngsters who have only known pre-done trees, I'm telling you that you have not fully enjoyed any holiday season until you have successfully untangled a huge wad of c-9 bulbs.  The satisfaction of getting to the end of the last string of lights, well that's just a holiday tradition and practically a gift in itself.  Did you buy that?  I keep telling myself that when I have to untangle lights that I just stuffed into a box the season before.  It's also not Christmas until one of the aforementioned c-9 bulbs, that get to about nine thousand degrees, brands you with that shape merely for brushing up against the tree.  First, to start off the season of joy, I usually read a Christmas book...I know, you're shocked.

I recently read The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews.  This is the story of a newly divorced woman, Ivy, who buys a house in a new town for a complete change.  Having only seen it online, when she arrives to take possession of the property Ivy is disappointed as it doesn't look like the photos.  In fact, it looks like it may take a fair amount of work to make it a home.  While clearing out some of the previous owner's belongings she finds a beautiful Santa suit with a note in the pocket.  The note is from a little girl, written years ago.  Ivy becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to the little girl.  

This story is lovely, it's sweet, romantic, charming, and oh so Christmasy.  At barely over two hundred pages, you'll be surprised how much story the author has packed into this book.  It's a fast read that will not rob you of your decorating, baking or wrapping time but enhance it.  Not only will it melt your grinchiness, but it would make a great gift....perhaps for a Thanksgiving hostess who likes to read.

Our Trespasses by Michael Cordell

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

I often mention my sisters, I can't help it, they have been and are a huge part of my life.  But, no matter what I do, the relationship I have with them will never be what they have with each other.  They are triplets.  They have the normal sibling attachment, but there is something else...something different.  I would say it's abnormal, they would say "abbie-normal" from Young Frankenstein and then tell me I was full of bunk.  Seriously, there is a connection between them that I will never share.  Every once in a while I'll get a phone call saying they had an uneasy feeling about the other, as if someone was in trouble, and after clearing each other they check on me (gee thanks). One time my husband decided to buy a lottery ticket for the whole family, having each person give a number.  Despite living up to five hundred miles apart, they gave the same number. I've always thought this unusual link between them was a gift, now I'm not so sure.

I recently read Our Trespasses by Michael Cordell.  This is the story of two adult male twins who have shared a special connection and what happens when one of the twins dies yet the connection remains.  Such an interesting question and given my family history, I was intrigued.  This book is fiction but I'm telling you that while not to the extent portrayed in this book, the link is real.  Our Trespasses is being sold as a paranormal thriller.  I would completely agree with that and add perhaps it has a toe dipping into horror

I loved this book.  Not only did I love it, but it might be one of my all time favorites.  While the story had me engrossed it was the least this book has to offer.  The writing is wonderful.  I hate when stories tell you instead of show you, or run on about a topic, or repeat something but Michael Cordell does none of that.  He has a story to tell and he blasts through it from beginning to end.  He doesn't waste one second of the readers time, very appreciated.  In addition, the descriptions are so rich that the author transports you into the story with ease, all without being too wordy.  What I've seen done occasionally in movies but never really done well in a book is when the tension and fear is kept below the surface.  You know it's there, lurking, waiting patiently to appear but the anticipation of what is to come is kept brilliantly at bay.  When "things" happen, the story remains controlled and not over the top, making it all the creepier and really driving the story.  Mr. Cordell has sold several screenplays and I can see why.  Anything he writes, in any form, I want to see.

This book is 193 pages, yet packs more into it than many 500 page bestsellers.  Michael Cordell is an expert storyteller and if you are a lover of books you certainly don't want to miss Our Trespasses.  This is a perfect example of how all books should be written!

To buy the book, learn more about the author and publisher:

Our Trespasses: A Paranormal Thriller - Kindle edition by Cordell, Michael. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Michael Cordell – Novelist/Screenwriter (michaeljcordell.com)

TCK Publishing - Independent Fiction and Nonfiction Book Publisher