The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig

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

Did you ever see the Broadway show Hamilton?  If you haven't, you can watch it on Disney+.  It is an amazing show.  Not only is the story fascinating, but the coordination and talent is unbelievable.  There is a donut-like circle in the floor.  It has a stable center, but the donut part turns continuously.  The actors sing and dance on and off this pastry turntable.  All the while dancing, turning back and forth, stepping on and off the rotating part.  It makes me dizzy just to write about it.  I cannot begin to fathom the practice this took.  Those actors are the most coordinated people, with the best balance anywhere!  That isn't even the best part.  The whole thing is teaching you history, making it human...real.  Exactly how history should be taught.  With respect to all history teachers, names and dates are meaningless without the who and why. Places like Colonial Williamsburg do this well, you see and hear Thomas Jefferson roaming the streets, hear the whispering of the revolutionary war.  It is so much easier to understand when history is whole, whether it is a destination, or musical theater or is a smart intriguing book.  There are several wonderful writers of history and historical fiction, lucky for us readers.  Hubby loves this kind of book, and he wants to tell you about a good one.

I recently read The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig. Despite the modern day standing of the neighborhood, this novel takes us back over two hundred and twenty years, to the bustling times of a quite young United States. We are following Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton.  They work together in their roles as lawyers to save a man from a murder conviction.

The research is incredible throughout, and we learn a surprising amount about the characters and the political background of the times. Still, this is a whodunit on a grand scale, with numerous potential suspects and the fate of a possibly innocent young man in the balance. The author gives us just the right amount of detail to set the scene and the personalities of the characters are well done. Very enjoyable right through the final pages, written no doubt with a quill by lamplight.

Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the early copy of this book.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

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

My sisters, the triplets, have a special bond that I'll never share.  I'll never be included, always the outsider.  I don't need to be part of their club; I'll settle for Costco. Not only is does the bulk shopping club offer four pounds of butter, but it is cheaper and not nearly as sassy as the triplets.  I bring this up because there is a group text that we all use. Last night the text notification "ding" was going off like telemarketers after two venti Starbucks, while the church bells rang at a royal wedding.  Nonstop.  They were watching the Oscars.  Now we all love movies, mostly because my parents did, but they take the award show to a whole new level.  Two of my sisters often have an Oscar party and were crushed when they couldn't get molds of the Oscar statue.  They wanted to make them in chocolate and wrap them in gold foil for party favors.  Anyway, last night I don't know what was going on, but they were definitely channeling movie critics Siskel and Ebert (google them). I now know more about movies, that I haven't seen, than I ever wanted to. Some of which I'm certain I don't want to see now.  Let's be honest, I'm still perplexed by the popularity of No Country for Old Men.  Heck, I'm still trying to figure out if the men in the white plastic in Star Wars are good guys or bad.   At least we weren't all in the same house.  This time I could get away from who wore the best dress, whose boobs are popping out, who had the best accent, and the "most magnificent set design!"  Sometimes distance is a good thing.

I recently read Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano.  If you are unaware of this series, shame on you.  This is the fifth in a four-book series.  Oh yes, you heard me correctly.  Maybe this is not true, but after the third book there were rumors would be only one more.  Indeed, book four wrapped everything up very nicely.  I was shocked when I discovered that there was going to be an additional book in the series.  Shocked and delighted.  You know there are those people that see a book they might like .... might.  They find out it is part of a big series and immediately purchase all the books, not knowing if the storyline or author is for them?  I am not one of those people.  I dip my toe into the pool, unwilling to jump into ice cold water or to waste money on a series I won't love.  However, run, don't walk and buy yourself this entire series.  Of course, this book and all her books could be read as a standalone, if you have no soul. Just trust me, you will enjoy them so much more if you read them in order.  The storyline builds from book to book, as do the characters and the relationships between them. Just do it...don't make me stop this car! (Any American ever on a car trip with their parents will understand this threat parents use to get kids to behave.) 

In this book, we, of course, follow Finlay and Vero.  Remember the busybody neighbor Mrs. Haggerty?  Well, she is in trouble.  A body has been found in her backyard!  Since her entire property has been declared a crime scene, she moves in the Finlay, Vero, and the two kids.  As lovers of the series can imagine, things get bananas.  The daughter gets suspended from school for fighting, the boy refuses to wear any clothes, taking his pants off without warning. (So does my husband, maybe it is a male thing...flaunting...whatever.) Finally, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared but now Finlay's ex-husband, Steven, is being held for the murder.  Now Finlay and Vero must solve the case to get Steven off the hook. 

As with all the books in this series, this is hilariously funny.  The dialog is perfect, sarcasm mixed with heart.  The book reads quickly, leaving you wanting more.  Sweet, laugh out loud funny, suspenseful, interesting.... just add all the good words you know right here.  With the world going wild around us, when eggs are being sold for almost ten bucks a dozen is the least of the bad things happening, you need this book. Your stress level will thank you.  

Hugs and kisses to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy.  It was just like Christmas! 

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

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

My small hometown in upstate New York has several claims to fame.  One was a world class cartoonist.  I'm talking about someone in national newspapers for decades.  I remember discussing this with my husband when we first went to NY.  He was impressed.  His family is very art intense.  Rich with talent they can draw and paint.  My father-in-law had private showings and taught art at the college level. My sister-in-law paints like a master.  We are fortunate to have several of her paintings in our house.  My husband can draw with ease.  As you can imagine he is my secret weapon when we play Pictionary with my sisters. I can draw, a circle, maybe...if I trace something round.  A straight line would be considered super artistic for my level of talent.  Or should I say I possess anti-talent? Shortly after we started dating my husband would send me letters or leave me little notes with Message Man on them. Despite hubby's advanced artistic nature, the stick figure with a pointing hand, pointing to the message...has stuck.  Being sometimes overly sentimental, I have many of the notes saved...Message Man and all.

I recently read Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister. To be completely transparent, this author and book were not even on my radar.  It was actually my Book of the Month choice, which is where I've learned of numerous authors I now adore. This suspenseful thriller is about a young family, Luke, Camilla (Cam) and their infant daughter, Polly.  Cam is getting ready for her first day back at work after maternity leave.  She loves her job as a literary agent, as reading is her escape from the troubles of the real world. As she gets ready, Cam discovers Luke (an author) has already left the house and left a kind of disturbing cryptic note. After Cam arrives at work there is a crowd around a TV.  There is a local hostage situation.  A man is holding three people at gun point in a warehouse. Fear washes over Cam as she sees police entering the agency's door.  Instantly filled with fear, Cam is certain they are coming to tell her something bad but cannot comprehend what is happening when they inform her that her husband, Luke, is the gunman holding the hostages.

Do yourself a favor, don't read this unless you can devote time to finish it.  This book starts off with an intensity not often seen, with very little set up.  The chapters are short, often urging you to read to answer a question just raised. Pages fly by.  You'll finish this book before you know it.  The pacing is quick but still allows time for the story to fully develop.  There are endearing side characters. Lilly, Cam's sister is struggling with infertility, and Niall, the hostage negotiator who as a workaholic forgets his wife's birthday spurring their separation. Lots of suspense and enjoyable reading here. If you are tired to thrillers with the mysterious next-door neighbor, this is the book for you. Very fun.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

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

Growing up in upstate New York, going to "the city" wasn't a big deal.  While it was certainly a weekend trip, it was just a brief car ride away. When we were little, my parents went frequently.  Frankly, after dealing with me then my three sisters (triplets) I'm certain they needed a break, especially from the "trips". Mom and Dad would get a nice hotel, see a Broadway show and go to Mamma Leones.  They would always come home with two things, the cast recording of the show they saw and Bugies from Mamma Leones.  This was a restaurant with an 800 page menu that folded out like a gas station map.  Bugies were sold by the bag and were like fried puff pastry dusted in confectioners' sugar. Had it been a different time and place, someone seeing kids running around the house doused with white powder and singing Camelot might have thought something quite different was going on. Anyway, my parents loved two things, musicals and Neil Simon.  Today's book reminds me of the movie Murder by Death, by Neil Simon.  If you haven't seen it, you are missing out.  It stars some of the greats like Peter Faulk, Maggie Smith, David Niven, Peter Sellers, Truman Capote, Elsa Lancaster, Nancy Walker, Alec Guiness, Eileen Brennan, and more!

I recently read The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter. This is about Maggie and Ethan, both writers. They have been summoned to the house of a hugely successful writer to spend Christmas.  Once they fly to Eleanor Ashley's 2000-acre British estate, they are enamored with their host and surprised by her family members, ranging from a baby to long lost niece, to a Duke and Dutchess. Why were these two American writers included?  They are sassy, a bit tongue-in-cheek, and really don't like each other. Now, in a foreign country, with a huge snowstorm, a closed bridge, isolated at this mansion, the host, world renowned writer Eleanor Ashley, goes missing from a locked room.  Where did she go? Is she hurt or even alive? Why did she insist they come?  Who is now trying to kill them? These are all topics resolved in this book. The writing is pleasant and easy to read, and sarcastic, it will elicit a chuckle from the reader.  The pacing, like most mysteries, increases after the setting and characters are defined. A bit zany, filled with sexual tension, great dialog, an interesting mystery, and Christmas, this book is lots of fun.   Would be a great first book for romance lovers who want to dip their toe into the mystery genre, also a welcome break from super serious thrillers while still providing plenty of action and a solid mystery. Highly enjoyable.

Between a Flock and a Hard Place by Donna Andrews

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

When we first got married, we immediately bought our first house.  I loved the home improvement shows.  This Old House was a Saturday morning necessity.  Who doesn't love Norm Abram with his New England accent and snuggly looking plaid flannel shirt.  It used to be about how to keep old building techniques alive.  They would discuss how to bend wood in one show, where to install inconspicuous air conditioning vents in the next.  Now things have changed.  First, there is almost always a blonde woman, okay maybe not blonde but still a lady with perfect hair. Next there is a cure all for every single house, paint the interior gray.  I realize gray is a nice neutral, but does every house on the planet need to have gray walls?  Next, the kitchen.  There must be a solid surface countertop, some kind of stone, with an elaborate tile backsplash.  First cabinets had to be dark, then we moved to whitewashed, then white, now shows have moved on to painted cabinets, often in green or .... guess what.... gray! Now add a farmhouse sink and voila, perfection.  Okay, I shouldn't mock the sink.  I like the farmhouse sink, in stainless not white, it stains and chips.  At least they are bigger than the old "show" sinks, where they were divided into a medium and tiny side.  Ever try and wash a cookie sheet, or roasting pan in those?  Might as well do dishes in your bathtub! I have more observations, but I'll try and spare you.

I received a copy of Between a Flock and a Hard Place from Minotaur Publishing.  It was around Thanksgiving and hubby grabbed it, thinking it would be a festive read.  His review is below.

I recently read Between a Flock and a Hard Place by Donna Andrews. This is the first of Andrews’ novels I have read, and my introduction to the Meg Langslow series of mysteries, already well underway.  A crew is renovating a house for a TV special, but all does not go well. The reader is quickly immersed in a hilarious crisis involving half the hypothetical town in Virginia.  Meg is aided and hindered by a procession of characters and pets that run the gamut from stable to a bit zany. Meg the heroine handles all with seeming ease and influence.  The atmosphere is endearing and makes one want to travel to the nearest small town, at least not one overrun with poultry.  

Hubby said he really enjoyed it and I found him chuckling several times.  The story takes place over just two days and with turkeys running all over the place, he was skeptic, but this novel really turned him around.  Now, frankly, I'm curious about this writer.  Not only did hubby enjoy this particular story but I understand she has a huge following, another author to put on my tbr.

By the way, speaking of houses, why don't new houses have formal dining rooms? I don't want to eat Christmas dinner in the kitchen.  Just like the Wizard of Oz, I don't want people to see the magic behind the curtain...or the mess!  

 

Murder Leads to Marriage by Shannon Peeples

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

As I've talked about so many times, I come from a family with four girls, no boys.  My parents wanted a boy, had me, tried again, had triplet girls and quit.  If you knew my sisters, you'd quit too! Gosh I think they have big mouths and are full of....um...how do I put it politely...baloney, now.  Can you imagine the three of them crying with loaded diapers?  Oh, and there were no Pampers, only cloth diapers.  The smell of rinsed out diapers is something I still can't get out of my nose, decades later. When we were teens, my dad used to talk about trying to get into our one bathroom.  He would imitate women's arm movements putting on mascara, saying it was a jungle in front of the mirror. I've talked about all of this before, but the memories are such fond ones (except the smell). My dad was in all his glory.  He loved be a "girl Dad."  If you wanted something, all you'd have to do is ask him, beginning by calling him Daddy and saying it really slowly.  "Daadddy, I really need that pink sweater."  He was putty, and I think, happily so.  He was a wonderful Dad. As for the sisters, the jury is still out.

I recently read Murder Leads to Marriage by Shannon Peeples. This is the story of the Hurley sisters and their dad. Amy, Lily, Daisy and Rosie along with their father, Jack.  They have had to make a life for themselves after losing their mom and wife.  They are very tightknit and usually upfront with each other. We discover, however, that people have secrets. Some secrets might just be an unnamed boyfriend, but some are much more difficult to stomach and could bring dire consequences. When a woman is killed who had recently threatened Daisy, the truth must come out and mystery solved before the killer comes calling much closer to home. 

This book was a delight to read. While it feels, for the most part, more like a romantic cozy mystery than a heart pounding thriller, the story still moves right along.  With this pleasing pacing, I moved quickly though the book.  Thriller lovers don't despair, there is an elaborate mystery with a very tense resolution. All of the thriller/mystery stuff aside, where this novel really shines is in the relationship between the four sisters. The character development, while danger abounds, is remarkable and endearing. With the smooth writing, interesting plot and pacing, this book is a winner.  Don't be surprised if after reading Murder Leads to Marriage, you are checking in with your siblings, just to see what they've been up to.  You also might be looking over your shoulder...just a little bit.

Many thanks to publicist Deborah and author Shannon for the great read.  It has been a pleasure.

The JFK Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

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

I've told you I grew up in a small town in upstate NY.  There were two major industries, paying lots of taxes.  One company was nearing the end of its lifecycle, the other getting bigger and bigger.  Although the area was modest, smaller older houses...no McMansions...the town had a lot of money.  So, our school system was really good.  The high school looked like it was straight from the TV series Room 222 (google machine it). We had a great football stadium, a large two floor library, an Olympic size pool, loads of tennis courts, winning sports teams, and a fantastic marching band.  Now before you start streaming Revenge of the Nerds in your head and start chanting "Nerd, Nerd," yes, I was in the marching band, so were my sisters. The band was a huge showband, had professional show writers, and did a different half-time every week. It was exhausting and glorious.  I've still never heard of a band going to such efforts. Being such a large band and really good, we were PAID to do half-time shows for the NFL. When I was in high school, we did 5 pro football games, 4 for the Bills at Rich Stadium in Buffalo, and 1 for the Patriots in Worchester.  In addition, every student was promised a bowl parade at some point during their time in high school.  In my senior year, we went to the Cotton Bowl.  Yep, 600 kids in LaGuardia airport then flying to Dallas.  Not only did we do the parade, but we got to attend the bowl game.  It was really fun.  We did other neat things, we went to the mall/office building where the movie Logan's Run was filmed, we went to a dude ranch, and we went to Dealey Plaza. All those kids on a bus turned quiet driving past the book depository and the grassy knoll.  It was odd, seeing life going on, yet remembering the terrible past. Very moving.

I recently read The JFK Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch.  To be honest, I love history, and I would have read this anyway.  Not only did I get to go to Dealey Plaza, but I have read many books by Brad Meltzer.  He writes history books, children's books and my beloved thrillers.  I haven't read his offerings for kids, but they look adorable.  I have gobbled up his thrillers, so has my husband.  Brad Meltzer deserves credit for making my husband into a "reader." If you are a thriller lover, get busy and start reading, but read all series books in order as they really build on each other. 

The JFK Conspiracy will leave you entertained, educated and surprised.  It is about a plot to kill John F. Kennedy long before Dealey Plaza, in fact, after he was elected president but before the inauguration. Yes, this is nonfiction but just trust me, read it.  Meltzer and Mensch have researched this story so completely.  Told in a manner that is lively and compelling.  You will be flipping pages just like in the most suspenseful thriller.  That's what it is, after all, a real-life thriller.  Absorbing.  I wish all textbooks were written like this, history relieved of being distilled to battles and dates, to something that gives you so much more understanding, is interesting and, frankly, emotional. To add to the richness, the facts here feature both the good and bad.  Nothing is sugar coated or romanticized.  You will be shaking your head.  You'll wonder what would have been if things had been different, before JFK's swearing in, or if he hadn't been assassinated at all.  If you think history is dry, and I admit it can be depending on the source, you need to read this.  I promise, you will change your mind.  You'll wish you could go back and take your school age history classes again, and that they were all taught with this brand of storytelling.  Sign me up for not only all the fictional thrillers, but these nonfiction too. 

By the way, the trip to Dallas was my first time on an airplane. I didn't know planes banked to the sides when turning.  Shortly after takeoff, I loudly declared an emergency, since I was certain as we turned, that we were crashing into the Statue of Liberty.