"Horatio's Drive" - America's First Road Trip

"Horatio's Drive" is a film directed by Ken Burns for PBS and tells the story of the first successful road trip across America from San Francisco to New York in 1903.  Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson decided on a whim (and as the result of a $50 bet) to drive a car across country.  He hired a mechanic to make the trip with him at a time when there were no real roads for car travel.  This DVD is the story of their adventure -- many breakdowns and delays along the way -- and their success despite two cars sponsored by Packard and Oldsmobile who started the trip after them.  These drivers had better equipment and regular supplies enroute while Jackson paid for his journey and supplies himself.

It's a fascinating look at early road trips and the unreliability of early cars.  If it had been me, I would have given up after the first day probably but his letters home to his wife in Vermont are upbeat and always optimistic as well as full of love for his wife.  Adding personal appeal to the film is input from two of his granddaughters.

Dr. Jackson is a fascinating man in many other ways as he goes on to be a successful businessman in many fields and volunteers to serve as a doctor in World War II even though he's in his 40's at that time.  He returns home decorated and lives on into his 80's.

Although I don't remember where I first heard about this film, it was well worth watching (and listening to the voice of Tom Hanks as Horatio)!  pazt

"3rd Degree" - Women's Murder Club Novel

"3rd Degree" was written by James Patterson and Andrew Gross and is the third novel in the Women's Murder Club series starring Detective Lindsay Boxer.  This book is a #1 New York Times bestseller  as well as #1 in the Publisher's Weekly, Washington Post, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly and #2 in the Wall Street Journal.

It is a thriller so suspenseful that I felt dared to finish it in one sitting.  Unfortunately, it was a few days before Christmas when I started reading it so working, holiday baking, and gift wrapping took precedence but I did finish it before Christmas!

Lindsay and her friend, Jill, are out for a morning run but, when Lindsay is on her way home, there is an explosion and a townhouse is on fire.  After calling for help she plunges into the burning building and pulls out a young boy, discovers three dead bodies and later learns there is a missing baby.  When the fire marshall finds it is not accidental and more bodies turn up in mysterious circumstances, Lindsay and her team have their hands full.  The cavalry arrives to assist them, though, in the form of the Deputy Director of Homeland Security, Joe Molinari.

As Joe and Lindsay team up, she finds he listens to her input and takes her seriously and together they make a good team but there is also another attraction between them.  Can they solve the case without getting too cozy personally?  This is a great read!  pazt

"After The Thin Man"

"After The Thin Man" is, I think, the second movie William Powell and Myrna Loy made in the Thin Man series and it is just as fun as the first and Jimmy Stewart has been added to the cast.  Nick and Nora Charles have returned home to the West Coast just in time for New Year's Eve.  However, their plans to close the curtains and get some sleep (after their train ride home) are spoiled by the disappearance of Nora's cousin's husband.  When they're summoned to her Aunt's home (who has no love for Nick but insists he come, too), they're asked to find him.  They do but that's when things turn tricky and now they're solving murders instead of looking for a missing person.  pazt

"The Shadowed Sun"

"The Shadowed Sun" by N. K. Jemisin is the second book in her Dreamblood fantasy series.  I had forgotten how much I love Jemisin's writing as I've had this book checked out from the library for a while and always chose to read my mysteries first.  However, it was time to return the book and I decided I should read it first!

I think what stalls my starting one is the complex world Jemisin sets up with its own vocabulary and I feel lost until I really get into the book.  (The author does provide a glossary of terms to help navigate her fantasy world.)  Once I'm in it, though, I don't want to put it down.  This book has a very strong feminine heroine - the first woman ever allowed to join the dream godddess's priesthood.  Paired with an exiled prince they need to free the city of Gujaareh from the imperial rule of the Kisuati Protectorate as well as a deadly nightmare plague that is killing citizens in their sleep. If you enjoy fantasy, I'd recommend this series.  pazt

"The Thin Man"

Dashiell Hammett's "Thin Man" movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy have always been a favorite of my spouse and I so we decided it was time to watch them again for some lighthearted detecting.  We started with "The Thin Man" DVD and I didn't remember it so I either haven't seen this one or it's been so long ago that it was all new to me.  (I suspect it was the latter.)

Powell and Loy portray Nick and Nora Charles -- a married couple from very different backgrounds.  Nick has been used to hanging out with the low lifes and being a detective while Nora comes from highbrow society.  After they marry and her father dies, Nick retires from detecting to manage all the companies Nora inherited.  However, Nora encourages Nick to become involved in helping solve a series of murders that involve a family who have been Nick's close friends for many years.

This movie had four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and five sequels were made.  W. S. "Woody" Van Dyke promised to shoot this movie in three weeks but actually accomplished it in 12 days.   It was fun entertainment! pazt

"Heat"

I checked out the "Heat" DVD starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy because I'd read a write up describing it as hilarious.  Sorry -- my spouse and I really tried watching it but didn't find it funny at all and gave up about halfway through.  The story pairs an uptight FBI special agent (Sandra) with a local unconventional cop (Melissa) whose paths collide on a case Sandra is working on.  Where Sandra is "Professional," Melissa's character is crude and foul mouthed and it was just a little too much crude and rude for me.  I'd have to give this a thumbs down from my family!  pazt

"Styx & Stone"

"Styx & Stone" is an Ellie Stone mystery - the first in a series written by James W. Ziskin - and is set in the year 1960.

Ellie Stone works for a newspaper - the New Holland Republic - where she ended up after her mother's death and her estrangement from her father.  When she receives a call to tell her that her father is in the hospital, she returns to New York City to stay at his apartment until he is well enough to come home.

However, when she arrives in New York, she learns (courtesy of Sergeant McKeever) that her father was the victim of an apparent burglary in his apartment and being bludgeoned over the head has him in the hospital in a coma.  On the same night her father was attacked another professor in the department where he worked was found dead in his apartment -- an apparent accident.

When Ellie questions Sergeant McKeever and some of the evidence that has been uncovered, she begins working on her own and with the Sergeant because she suspects murder and attempted murder is what they are really looking at.  In the meantime, a second attempt is made on her father's life in the hospital and convinces the Sergeant that she might have a point.

Some of the professorial and linguistic references were above my head at times but I enjoyed the way Ellie unraveled the mystery and helped the Sergeant solve the crimes.  I look forward to reading the second book in this series.  pazt

"Secret Asset"

"Secret Asset" is Stella Rimington's second novel featuring Liz Carlyle,a young MI5 intelligence officer.  She reports to Charles Wetherby who is Director of Counter-Terrorism.

When one of Carlyle's agents reports suspicious activities in an Islamic bookstore, Liz is surprised when Wetherby pulls her off the case to work on a special project for him.  He wants her to find someone who may have been planted as a mole by the IRA but never activated.  It's a rumor from a credible source and he is taking it seriously but he doesn't want anyone but Liz and Peggy, a young woman loaned from MI6 to work with her, to know the true reason he has them vetting older agents.

At first it seems pretty unlikely to Liz but as she and Peggy begin their vetting project, they make a discovery that ties the mole to the current operation Liz was removed from.  Will they be able to confirm the mole's identity and stop whatever he and his rogue colleagues have in mind?

In the meantime, Carlyle's mother is in need of surgery to remove a cancerous tumor so Liz is preoccupied with her mother's situation but it doesn't keep her from maintaining her on the job focus.

It's another exciting race to the finish -- can't wait to read the third book in the series!  pazt

"The Lucky One"

"The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks is, like the other novels I've read by him, a love story but it is also a journey to find one's self.  If you read my blog regularly, you probably can guess that I enjoy mysteries and action, spy stories best.  Romance novels aren't my scene except when it comes to Nicholas Sparks.  I do like his love stories because they also contain substance.  I read "The Lucky One" in one day despite the fact I probably shouldn't have taken a day out to read it.  I was enjoying it so much that I kept going back to it until I finished it!  pazt

"The Innocent"

"The Innocent" is a novel by Harlan Coben and it's in memory of Steven Z. Miller.  That write up was intriguing enough for me to google Steven Z. Miller and the results I found indicate he was Dr. Steven Z.Miller.  Dr. Miller was the director of pediatric emergency medicine at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University.  He died tragically too young at age 46 in a plane crash leaving behind family and colleagues to mourn his loss.

This novel, however, isn't about Dr. Miller.  It's the love story of two people from completely different backgrounds.  Matt Hunter grew up in an upper-middle-class suburb in northern New Jersey.  Unfortunately, he caused the death of another student when he was in college as he was trying to intervene when his friend was being attacked.  Matt ended up spending time in prison for manslaughter and that changed his life.

While he was in college and on a getaway with friends, he met Olivia.  They felt a connection in the one night they spent talking together but he went home and expected he'd never see her again.  However, when their paths did cross years later after he was out of prison and working in a law firm with his brother, there was still a spark.  Now they're married, expecting their first child, and preparing to move into a suburb in the area where Matt grew up.

Life's course never runs smooth in Coben's books, though, and we have lots of twists and turns along the way.  A nun is dead and the head of the school where she taught has requested a former student, Investigator Loren Muse, to look into the death as she has concerns it might not be from natural causes.  While Loren is working that case, two men are found dead in different situations,  Matt Hunter becomes a person of interest in Loren's investigation due to a phone call the dead nun made to his sister-in-law's home.

In the meantime,Matt receives what appear to be compromising pictures of his wife with another man during a time she is supposed to be out of town on business.  He calls Cingle Shaker, a private eye he uses in the course of his job, to try to discover the true story behind the pictures.  When the FBI shows an interest in what they've uncovered, some feds show up to take the case away from Loren.  Loren is a determined young woman, though, and despite being told to stay away, she thinks there is something fishy going on with what might be a frame-up of Matt.

A showdown in Nevada where Loren, Matt, and Olivia all converge from separate locations leads to more deaths but also unravels the truth.  Will they be able to survive it?  As usual, Coben creates a great story and I rarely can figure out the twists behind them which always makes them a great read for me!

"The Innocent" has a bonus story at the end:  "The Rise and Fall of Super D."  I was concerned the whole short story wasn't there and almost didn't read it but it is complete and is another tale true to Coben -- a surprise twist I didn't see coming!  pazt

"The Fault In Our Stars"

"The Fault In Our Stars" is a #1 New York Times bestseller by John Green that has also been made into a major motion picture.  This book was recommended to me by a friend and I just finished reading it and now I want to see the movie, too.

This is the story of two teenagers, Hazel and Gus, and their small community of friends.  Hazel, who is being treated for cancer has been given a few more years thanks to a tumor-shrinking medical drug. She meets Augustus (Gus) Waters at a support group for teens battling cancer or survivors of cancer.  Although Gus lost a leg to cancer and is considered a survivor, he is at the group to support his friend, Isaac, who is about to be blinded by a surgery that will save his life.

Although Gus is immediately drawn to Hazel, Hazel is reluctant to become involved in anyone else's life.  Gus is very good, though, at worming his way into her life and Hazel finds herself the girlfriend of charming, good-looking Augustus Waters.  Their teenage love story is an incredible journey of ups and downs but overall it is a heartwarming journey of love and life.  I must read more books by John Green!  pazt

"Invisible Prey"

John Sandford's "Invisible Prey" is his 17th novel in his Lucas Davenport series.  This book also brings in Virgil Flowers (another of Sandford's series) as Davenport is assisting him with one of his cases.  Davenport begins to sense that there might be a connection but doesn't understand why two totally unrelated cases should be connected until his wife, Weather,sleepily suggests one night (as she's going to sleep) that he himself may be the connection.

Virgil's case involves a politician and a sex scandal while Davenport's case is the brutal murder of two women and the theft of antiques from their home.  As he investigates, he discovers connections to other murders that, at first glance, would appear to be totally unrelated.

As usual, Sandford weaves a story with twists and turns putting Davenport and others in danger and ending with a bang!  I've already put the next book in the series, "Phantom Prey," on my reading list. pazt

"At Risk"

"At Risk" is Stella Rimington's first novel.  Rimington is a former head of Britain's MI5 and this is her debut thriller introducing Intelligence Officer Liz Carlyle.

One of the ways I define a good read is when the author describes settings in such a way that I feel I am there -- I can actually see the story unfold in my head just like I'm watching a movie.  It may help that I am somewhat familiar with Great Britain after many trips there to visit a daughter who married a Brit and lives there with her family.  However, I haven't been to all the places Rimington sets her story and I still have a vivid scene playing mentally.

In this initial Rimington thriller Liz Carlyle finds herself part of a British Intelligence Joint Counter-Terrorist group seeking an "invisible."  "Invisible" is actually CIA speak for someone who is an ethnic native of a target country who is able to move easily and unchecked in that country and give aid to terrorists.

Liz has an uncanny ability to bond mentally with her target, get inside the target's head, and instinctively come up with clues to help the task force find who they are seeking.  She knows the questions to ask and the searches to set in motion.  This is a good read but it doesn't move as quickly as some thrillers because it is more like the actual unfolding of clues would happen and those discoveries usually don't come rapidly.  pazt

"Just One Look"

"Just One Look" is another great mystery from Harlan Coben.  Coben's story lines are so unique that I almost always find myself wondering where he gets his ideas!

Grace Lawson is a wife, artist,and mother of two who loves picking up her pictures from the local photo store -- none of that digital stuff for her.  This time she's in for a surprise, though, when a photo from at least twenty years ago ends up in the middle of photos of the latest film she's developed. One of the men in the photo looks like a younger version of her husband.  When she shows the picture to her husband, Jack, that evening,he is upset and leaves the room to make a phone call. A short time later he leaves the house without telling her he is going out.  Although it is not unusual for him to leave during the evening to pick up groceries, he usually lets her know he is going out.

When Jack doesn't return, Grace becomes worried and calls the police but they can't do anything.  After all he is an adult and may have decided to leave on his own for whatever reason.  As the days go by and she tries to investigate on her own. she finds herself calling on friends as well as acquaintances from her past for assistance, support, and protection for herself and her children.

The more Grace investigates the more she learns how much she didn't know about her husband as well as having to admit there are blank spots in her own memory of the past.  The path she follows is dark and twisting and force her to a confrontation with a surprising twist.

I cannot recommend this book enough if you like a good mystery.  I'm usually able to get enough clues when I read a mystery to figure out at least some of "whodunnit" but Coben always surprises me and perhaps that is why I love his mysteries.  pazt

"Seasons' End"

"Seasons' End," a novel by Will North, is the third novel I have read by this author and, although each is very different, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading them all.  I think my favorite is the first one I read, "The Long Walk Home" but all three have well developed characters with a depth that made me feel I was part of the lives that were being lived out in the story.  One challenge I did have with this book was an inability to keep up with all the characters.  Sometimes I had to flip back to see who was who and wished for a list with notes as to how they were connected.

In "Seasons' End" the central character is Colin Ryan, veterinarian on an island in Puget Sound.  Although he was raised on the East Coast, he met Tyler Strong when he was a student living in London.  Tyler convinced him that sharing a flat and expenses made sense for both of them. Charming Tyler easily persuaded Colin and from that Colin met Tyler's girlfriend, Martha "Pete" Peterson.

Tyler and Pete and another family had history together and spent the summer season at their family beach cottage compounds on the island where Colin now practices in Puget Sound and were gracious enough to include him.  However, he's almost an observer of their lives.

Although Pete did marry Tyler, their life has had its tragedies and Colin seems stuck having loved Pete from afar since he first met her.

This summer has been different -- full of jealousies, hot tempers, and passions.  On the last day of the season everything comes to a head and it changes all their lives forever.  pazt

"The Violets of March"

"The Violets of March" is the first novel by Sarah Jio, a Seattle author and journalist, but don't fear because she is already working on a second one!

I loved this book - not sure where I learned about it but I am so glad I read it!  It's set mostly on Bainbridge Island where Emily used to spend summers with her Aunt Bee.

Emily, who has written one bestselling book, is newly divorced and at loose ends in the New York home she shared with her husbnad, Joel.  Joel fell in love with someone else and her best friend, Annabelle, as well as her therapist encouraged Emily to take the month of March to spend time on Bainbridge Island with her Aunt Bee and recoup.

Bainbridge Island turns out to be just what Emily needs but it is not just recuperation.  She discovers a mystery from the past that she wants to unravel and, in doing so, discovers secrets from the past that impact her and her family.  This is a very well told story that unfolds beautifully!  pazt

"No Second Chance"

Harlan Coben's "No Second Chance" seemed very familiar as I was reading it so I know I've read it before but I forgot just enough to make it just as exciting a read as the first time!  What a story with plot twists!  Dr. Marc Seidman has been shot twice and his wife killed and their daughter kidnapped.  He goes from being a suspect to not being a suspect back to being a suspect - how is that possible when he was shot, too?!  Just when I thought I knew what was going on, everything changed!  If you love mysteries that keep you guessing till the end, read this!  pazt

"Threats At Three"

"Threats At Three" is the next novel in Ann Purser's Lois Meade Mysteries.  Although deaths do occur in this story, none are murders but there is plenty of sleuthing to be done and Lois Meade is just the one to take on the task with the help of her cleaning crew and Inspector Cowgill.

Derek, Lois' husband, is busy heading up the committee to raise money to "save our shed" for the community.  Lois (on the advice of her daughter,Josie) has taken on a new part-time cleaner, Paula Hickson.  Paula's husband has left her with a teenage son, younger twin boys, and a baby boy so she has her hands full but she wants to earn some extra money to support her family and has found child care so that she can work two days a week.  However, when her teenage son disappears, Lois puts all her efforts into discovering what happened.

Inspector Cowgill has a new assistant, Chris, and would probably retire if it didn't mean he'd see less of Lois.  If only his nephew would propose to Josie, he could become family and not need excuses to see her.

I found this story a little different than some of the other Lois Meade mysteries.  There are some characters with no redeeming features who are pressuring other characters to do their bidding.  Some characters I thought I'd have a hard time liking actually redeem themselves!  It's a good read and has enough suspense that it kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next so I didn't want to put it down!  pazt

"Insurgent" - The Divergent Series

We're on a roll in my household -- watched "Insurgent," the second DVD in The Divergent Series last night.  Some parts are reminiscent of the "Hunger Games" series but different twists.  I love that both have strong heroines.

Tris, her brother, Caleb, and Four are  hiding out with the Amity group until Jeanine sends searchers out to find them.  They make their escape but Jeanine is determined to find Tris to help her unlock secrets from the past.  However, the results are not what Jeanine expected and those results send Tris and Four on a different path.  I'm ready to watch the last movie in the series!  pazt

"Divergent"

"Divergent" - the DVD - No, I haven't read the book and because I have so many books to read, I think I'll just enjoy watching the movies.  My daughter gave her dad the third movie for his birthday but suggested we watch the first two before watching it.  So...we just watched the first movie, "Divergent."

This film is full of action from start to finish.  Society in this future world is divided into groups - the peacekeepers, the food growers, the governing body,the smart ones, etc. but our heroine,Tris, discovers she is an anomaly - a Divergent -- and Divergents have to keep their secret because they threaten the "stability" of this world.  When she trains to be a peacekeeper, she meets Four and a bond is formed.  However, being Divergent means always being on your guard and not knowing who you can trust.  I loved this movie and am ready to watch the next one!  pazt

"The Dramatist"

Ken Bruen's "The Dramatist" is his fourth novel in the Jack Taylor series.  Jack, a former Garda, is off the booze, the pills, illegal drugs, and working on giving up cigarettes. One reason: his former drug dealer is in prison so he no longer has a source.

His life begins to get complicated again, though,when his former drug dealer asks him to visit him in prison and offers to pay him to discover who killed his younger sister, a university student.  Reluctantly, Jack agrees and his investigation leads him to the similar death of another young woman.

In the meantime, he had coffee with a woman he still cares deeply for and discovered her husband had beat her.  She didn't want him to take any action but, when she told her husband she'd met with Jack, her husband sought him out and beat him senseless.  Five days in the hospital and a permanent limp later and Jack is back at work on his investigation but not before he has a run in with the Pikemen (a vigilante group that includes Garda) and they want him to join him.

Life is never easy for Jack and one investigation always seems to get sidetracked by other events.  When he finally discovers who is behind the murders of the young women and why, he confronts his suspect who he has learned has a third victim in mind -- a murder Jack intends to prevent at any cost.

I don't find Bruen's books "riveting" and I sometimes have difficulty wading through his poetry and references to other books and music because that distracts me from the story but I always finish them and I always enjoy the mysteries and story plot twists.  This one ends with a shocking twist that I'm glad I didn't miss.  pazt

"The Color Of Magic"

"The Color Of Magic (2 Part DVD) runs 197 minutes and is based on a Terry Pratchett book.  I'm not sure I could read one of his books but I love the DVD's I've watched.  Pratchett wrote kind of "off the wall" or very strange stuff but when a movie brings one of his books to life, I love it!

Although my spouse and I have watched this one before some time ago, he checked it out from the library and we had a post-dinner, all evening viewing to see it in one session.  (We did stop for ice cream between the 2 parts!).  If you're looking for something light and don't mind a little quirkiness, check this out!  pazt

"Stone Cold"

"Stone Cold" by Robert B. Parker is his 4th Jesse Stone novel.  Jesse is Chief of Police in the small town of Paradise, Massachusetts but his police background was in California. He left California after his drinking (and continued love for his ex-wife) became an issue.  Paradise may not be the big city but it has its share of crime and having a police chief who is adept at solving crimes has its benefits.

Leaving California did not solve his ex-wife problems, though, because she has followed him to Massachusetts.  She may not live in Paradise but is close enough to be a constant reminder of how much he still loves her.

"Stone Cold" has Jesse solving two cases - one is fairly easy but the murders of random people with no seeming ties or motives by two serial killers working together has the town on edge and the lack of clues has Stone stymied.  He and his department call on state resources for help and eventually Jesse thinks he has identified suspects but has no way to prove they are the killers -- until they appear to target him!  Great police work by Jesse, the state, and his department finally help him to an arrest but not before tragedy strikes the Paradise police department.

The "easy" case involves a young high school girl who is gang raped by three male students who blackmail her into silence with the threat of showing pictures around that they took of their crime.  The girl's mother doesn't want the case pursued because she doesn't want her daughter's name to come out but, working with the young woman and her father, Jesse is able to identify and arrest the assailants thanks to a wise woman in his department and "Suitcase" Simpson.

Jesse Stone cases may tend to be gruesome but the caring of Chief Stone shows through when he is working a case and the glimpses into his personal life struggles make him very real.  I look forward to the next book in the series, "Sea Change."  pazt

"The Other Woman"

"The Other Woman" Hank Phillippi Ryan immediately caught and held my attention.  Ryan is an investigative reporter in Boston and has won 27 Emmys and 10 Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.  She's also the bestselling author of four mystery novels and has won the Agatha,Anthony, and Macavity awards.  She serves on the national board of directors of Mystery Writers of America as well as Sisters In Crime.  You can visit her on the Web at www.hankphillippiryan.com.

Ryan's heroine in "The Other Woman" is a disgraced TV reporter, Jane Ryland,  Jane has found a job on a local newspaper and has been assigned the task of finding out why a current candidate's wife is not making public appearances.

In the meantime Detective Jake Brogan who she'd love to be romantically involved with (and he reciprocates the feeling but it would complicate both their jobs) is investigating a series of murders of women found by bridges in Boston.  The media thinks there is a serial "bridge" killer on the loose but Brogan doesn't think the murders are connected but how to prove that to his boss and the media?!

As the two work their investigations separately, information begins to throw them together making them both wonder what is going on?!  When a woman who was Jane's unnamed source in a story that cost her the TV reporter job, becomes one of the murder victims, Brogan begins to worry for Jane's safety.  I stayed up till 2 a.m. to finish the book and I'm ready for her next one!  pazt

"Arabesk"

"Arabesk" by Barbara Nadel is her third Inspector Ikmen mystery.  Although Ikmen is home on sick leave and his protege, the newly promoted Inspector Suleyman, is in charge of current cases, Ikmen cannot stay idle and manages to insinuate himself into a very complex murder that Suleyman is charged with solving.  Who killed the young wife of a male singing star and where is their baby daughter?  Was the star's mistress (an aging singing star herself) involved or is some other sinister force at work? What is this Arabesk music that so enthralls the working class?

The case is complex and full of twists and turns and insights into Turkey.  If you like a good mystery with a little historical fiction thrown in, this is the book for you.  I'm ready for the 4th book in the series!  pazt.

"The Girl On The Train"

"The Girl On The Train" by Paula Hawkins is her first thriller after fifteen years as a journalist.  I believe she has found her calling and I hope she already has a new novel in the works!

This is the story of two couples who live on the same street and the connections between them and Rachel.  Rachel rides the commuter train every morning and every evening from the room she rents in the suburbs.  She loves to look out the window at the homes along the way but there is one particular street that interests her and she gives her own names to one particular couple that her observations from the train make her deduce that they are very much in love.

When the female half of that couple goes missing, Rachel decides she must go to the police with her observations because she believes she's seen things from the train that might have a bearing on the disappearance.

However, as an alcoholic, Rachel doesn't make a very reliable witness and she tends to have blackouts that cause lapses in her memory.  Her ex-husband and his new wife don't paint a very pretty picture of her behavior either so who is really going to believe her?

Hawkins writes a tale that uncovers the layers in her characters lives and bares their secrets.  What everyone thought they knew to be true may only be part of the truth.  Like the layers of an onion all must be peeled away to uncover the real truth in all their lives.  pazt

"The Round House"

"The Round House" by Louise Erdrich is a novel that was recommended to me by a friend but it has taken me a while to read it.  A recent short vacation was the perfect time to give this National Book Award Finalist my full attention.

"The Round House" is mainly the story of Joe Coutts, a 14-year-old member of the Ojibwe tribe.  His father is a tribal judge who married late in life and Joe is his only child.  Joe's mother is a tribal enrollment specialist charged with keeping enrollment (and some secrets) confidential.

Their  idyllic life is shattered when Joe's mother arrives home in a traumatized state and it takes some time to unravel details of her rape and attempted murder.  Joe's father and authorities begin searching for the truth and the guilty party while his mother remains traumatized and mostly uncommunicative in her bedroom after a period of surgery and recovery in the hospital.

Although Joe's father takes him into his confidence at times, Joe decides on his own to find the person responsible for basically taking his mother away from him.  His father continues to warn him to stay out of it as he is putting himself in danger.

Although this is the story of rape and justice, it's also the story of Joe's coming of age with his friends and how this family tragedy and other events that summer shape his life.  It's also the story of the lengths a young boy will go to in order to restore his family and bring his mother "home."

In the afterword, Erdrich discusses how "this book is set in 1988, but the tangle of laws that hinder prosecution of rape cases on many reservations still exists.  'Maze of Injustice,' a 2009 report by Amnesty International" includes statistics.....86% of sexual assaults on Native women are by non-Native men.  When President Barack Obama signed the Tribal Law and Order Act into law, he called the situation "an assault on our national conscience."

Although the subject matter is not the most pleasant, Erdrich tells the story in a way that makes it very readable as well as informative.  The characters became so real to me that I believed I might encounter them in real life -- a sign of good story telling, I believe!  I will be reading more of her work.  pazt

"Broken Prey"

John Sandford has written another great Lucas Davenport novel, "Broken Prey."  I keep thinking he can't outdo himself but he continues to surprise me -- twists and turns just like his novels.

Lucas is on his own at home while Weather has taken the rest of the family with her to London where she received a prestigious fellowship in maxillo-facial surgery for three months. He'd put on a little weight so, while she's gone, Weather put Lucas on the South Beach Diet and he's a little grouchy.

He has a distraction, though.  Weather gave him an Apple iPod for his birthday and a gift certificate for 100 songs.  He decided to take that as a challenge to limit himself to 100 songs and is compiling a lit of the "Best Songs of the Rock Era" with lots of input from his friends and co-workers.

Sloan, who is taking the lead on one of the investigations, says he's had enough of catching murderers and is ready to retire.  Lucas doesn't believe it but Sloan's wife and Weather convince him otherwise -- time to let Sloan choose another path when this case is finished.

A series of gruesome murders have Davenport, Sloan, and the other police involved stumped trying to find their serial killer.  With the help of Sister Mary Joseph (or Elle to Lucas), they come up with a profile and some ideas about where to start looking.  Of course, where would a good story be without some challenges.  Just when they think they have a suspect identified, there's a new twist.  Will they ever discover the real killer and stop him (or her)?

As a pleasant distraction throughout the book, Davenport is coming up with his list of "Best Songs of the Rock Era" and we readers get a copy of the list at the end of the book.  Were there any missed that you thought should be on it?  In the meantime, I can't wait to start my next Davenport novel!  pazt

"Cam Girl"

"Cam Girl" is authored by Leah Raeder, the USA Today bestselling author of "Unteachable."  This is the first novel by her that I have read and I think I must have picked it up on my library's "Best Reads" shelf or saw it in a bookstore and thought it might be interesting.

I've been doing some traveling and I always like to take a few paperbacks with me to read but this is the only one I finished and it took me weeks instead of my usual days to get into it.

I like mysteries and this one has a mystery thread running through it that kept me interested but it also deals heavily with gender identity issues.  That part mildly held my interest because a distant family member made the transition from male to female in the last few years and it has not been an easy process even with the support of family.  This book covers some of those same issues.  Do I recommend it?  I'm not sure what to say.  I'm glad I read it but will probably return to my list of mystery writers that I can't get enough of.  So many books and so little time!  pazt

"Zugzwang"

"Zugzwang," a thriller written by Ronan Bennet, was shortlisted for the Irish Novel of the Year Award in 2008.  I would probably never have heard of it except my daughter and her English husband left it behind after a visit to the States last year and asked me to donate it to the local library.  I decided to read it first and took it on a recent trip with me.

"Zugzwang" (for those of you who like me don't have a clue what it means) was defined at the beginning of the book:  "Derived from the German,Zug (move) + Zwang (compulsion,obligation).  In chess it is used to describe a position in which a player is reduced to a state of utter helplessness.  He is obliged to move,but every move only makes his position even worse."

Chess plays an important part in this novel but the definition of Zugzwang also describes very well the position our hero, Dr.Otto Spethmann -- a famous psychoanalyst -- finds himself in when he and his daughter are implicated in a murder.

While he's being investigated, he's also treating some new patients:  1) a beautiful married woman he finds himself attracted to and 2) a brilliant disturbed chess master.

He has an ongoing chess game with a friend who is a world-renown musician and, as a widower, a difficult relationship with his college age daughter.

All of these combine to throw him into a personal "Zugzwang" where his choices are limited and not always the best alternatives.  Although I found it hard to follow the chess, I did enjoy the intrigue and would love to read another Bennet book if I am able to locate one in the States.  pazt

"Unbroken - A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption"

"Unbroken - A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" is the first book by Laura Hillenbrand that I have read but I hope to read many more.  She has done an excellent job through research and personal interviews telling the story of Louis Zamperini.

Louis is described as an "incorrigible" delinquent whose life changed forever when he took up running and discovered a talent that took him to the Berlin Olympics.  World War II found him becoming an airman who was on an Army Air Force bomber that crashed into the Pacific Ocean.  There were three survivors but only two survived against all odds drifting around on a life raft for much longer than seemed possible to survive.

When the final two survivors reached land they were taken prisoner by the Japanese and expected to be executed -- which appeared to be the fate of the men whose names were carved in wood before them.  However, unknown to him, Zamperini was kept alive to be used later for propaganda purposes and he believes the other survivor was not executed to make Zamperini more cooperative.

What follows is the cruel and inhumane punishments that he and other prisoners of war and others experienced under the Japanese.  It is unbelievable to me (after reading this account) that anyone survived.  One of the things Louis learned is that "degradation could be as lethal as a bullet."

Surviving to come home didn't mean coming home intact, though -- physically or emotionally.  Louis suffered from nightmares and took up drinking that almost cost him his marriage.  All that changed, though, when Louis' wife convinced him to attend a couple of Billy Graham revival meetings with her.  Finally, he was able to get rid of the nightmares, forgive his captors, and give back - just as he'd promised he'd do if he survived the lifeboat odyssey.

The above is such a brief account of a remarkable story and a remarkable life that it doesn't do it justice.  I urge you to read the book.

My wish -- that there be no more wars and no one ever has to suffer torture, bombings or death at the hands of their "enemies."  Why can't we realize we are all one and what we do to others we also do to ourselves!  pazt

"Miracle Cure"

"Miracle Cure" by Harlan Coben is a book I have already read but I guess I forgot a lot because it was like reading it fresh again.  A few details seemed familiar but I totally forgot who the "culprit" was and there were plenty of suspects to choose from.  If you're looking for a suspenseful book, don't miss this one!  pazt

"A Far Country"

A Far Country" is a novel by Daniel Mason, the author of "The Piano Tuner.  "A Far Country" is the story of a 14 year old girl, Isabel, and her search for her older brother, Isaias.  Isabel and Isaias grew up in sugar cane country -- a hard life for families living there -- and sometimes when the droughts came, families were forced to move away but most returned when the rains came.  When Isaias worked in the cane fields, Isabel could always find him through their unique connection.  It was said she had the gift and the curse of "seeing farther."

Isaias dreams of going to the city to pursue a music career but his parents expect him to stay home so he takes off without their knowledge.  As he begins to find success in the city, he sends money home but eventually there is no word from him.

Isabel's parents decide to send Isabel to the city to live with her cousin, Manuela, to care for Manuela's baby while she works.  Perhaps Isabel can also find Isaias.  Although she looks and looks and thinks she feels him near, she is not able to find him for a very long time and , when she does, she uncovers his secret.

Mason is a master story teller who weaves tales with descriptions that took me away and into the story where I found myself caring deeply about what happened to Isabel, Isaias and their family.  pazt

"I Am Malala"

I just finished the young readers edition of "I Am Malala" by Malala Yousafzai (with Patricia McCormick).  Of course, I've heard of this young girl from Pakistan who was targeted by the Taliban because she dared to speak out in favor of education for girls starting at age 10.  She survived being shot in the head and several surgeries to continue to be a spokeswoman for peace and every child's right to education.

What I wasn't prepared for was the maturity, wisdom, and courage of this teenager which shines through in her story.  "She is the youngest person ever nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and she has received numerous other awards, including the International Children's Peace Prize (2013), the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, and the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award."

After she was shot Malala was taken to a hospital in Pakistan where fortunately some visiting English doctors treated her and made the determination that it was critical to go to England for her best chances of survival.   Since she and her father had traveled internationally, she had a passport but the rest of her family did not.  Her father had also been targeted by the Taliban and did not want to leave his wife and two sons behind in Pakistan so he made a female doctor Malala's guardian.  When the family had secured passports, they all joined her in Birmingham where the family still resides.

Malala set up the Malala Fund with the help of Shiza Shahid and together they work to campaign for education for everyone.  Malala Yousafzai is a blogger with a FB page and there is also a FB page for the Malala Fund, a non-profit organization.  It states "The Malala Fund is focused on helping girls go to school and raise their voices for the right to education."  http://malala.org/  The book cites the link malalafund.org to this nonprofit that "invests in community-led programs and supports education advocates around the world."

Sometimes I take a little longer reading a biography but I finished this one in two days around my duties at home and at work.  I highly recommend it!  pazt

"Tragedy At Two"

"Tragedy At Two" is author, Ann Purser's 9th book in the Lois Meade Mystery series.  When Lois Meade's daughter Josie's live in boyfriend, Rob, is found critically injured by the roadside, suspicion falls on the gypsies encamped at a local farm.  Although Lois is leaving the investigation of his subsequent death from his injuries to Inspector Cowgill, she can't help but want to have this case solved to help Josie begin her healing.

However, not all is as it seems in the small village of Long Farnden where friends and neighbors have their own secrets.  This may be the first time I've read one of the Lois Meade mysteries and had no clue (or suspicion) who the killer was!  A very satisfying read....pazt

"Just Mercy - A Story of Justice and Redemption"

"Just Mercy - A Story of Justice and Redemption" by attorney, Bryan Stevenson is a powerful read.  It was also a difficult read for me because of the subject matter so I'm very glad I had just finished a lighter book, "The Rosie Project."  Stevenson is the Executive Director (and the initial force behind) the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama.  He's also a law professor at New York University Law School.

Stevenson's story starts with him deciding to go to law school after studying philosophy in college.  When he realized he couldn't make a living philosophizing, he applied and was  accepted to Harvard law school.  His plan was to study law while pursuing a graduate degree in public policy at the Kennedy School of Government.  In 1983 at age twenty-three he ended up in Georgia on an internship.  He'd never been in a maximum-security prison let alone on death row but he was sent alone to meet with a condemned prisoner.  That internship changed his life and I am sure the lives of a lot of the people he's been able to help along the way.

Stevenson found himself providing legal aid to condemned prisoners (who had not received fair trials) as their execution dates were approaching.  His most high profile case was probably that of Walter McMillan, a black man accused of a murder (or set up for it) when he had an iron clad alibi.  Although it was a long time coming, Stevenson and his staff were able to get his sentence overturned and free him after ten years on death row.  However, there were many who didn't even get the chance to have their cases retried despite discrepancies at their trials.  I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to get to know these individuals and not to be able to help every one of them.

Equal Justice Initiative (or known as EJI) was selected for the Olof Palme International Human Rights Award after McMillan was freed.  Stevenson was invited to Stockholm to receive it.

Stevenson had a lot on his plate - In addition to helping death row clients, EJI was "challenging excessive punishments, helping disabled prisoners, assisting children incarcerated in the adult system, and looking at ways to expose racial bias, discrimination against the poor, and the abuse of power."  He found it overwhelming but also gratifying.  A conservative Congress in 1994 eliminated federal funding for legal aid to death row prisoners so in addition to his case load and teaching he added fundraising to his duties.  There's never any mention of a wife or family and given the traveling he did around the United States working on cases and speaking to groups I don't see how he would have had time for a private life.  However, he didn't abandon those that he was trying to help.  He always found time to sit with them when he visited the prison as long as they needed him to be with them.  After Walter was freed, he kept in close contact with him, too, so all of them may have been his family.

Even though I was aware of it I was still appalled to learn what a big business prisons are for private businesses and the amount of money they spend trying to get tighter sentences for even small offenses and to lobby so more prisons are built, more prisoners interned in order for them to make money.  There is definitely something wrong with our justice system and the poor and disenfranchised pay the highest price for it and have the least resources for health care and legal aid.

There is a particularly poignant passage in the book in a chapter called "Broken" where one of Stevenson's clients is executed and he is on the phone with him right up to the time he is taken to the execution chamber.  The prisoner thanks him for all he's done for him but Stevenson questions why he's done this work for twenty-five years.

Stevenson had the privilege of meeting some of the activists in the Civil Rights Movement in Montgomery and Rosa Parks when she came to visit her friends.  When she asks him what he does and he gives her his lengthy spiel, she says:  "Ooooh, honey, all that's going to make you tired, tired, tired."  One of the other ladies tells him:  "That's why you've got to be brave, brave, brave."  He said for a little while those three ladies made him feel like a young prince.

There are some amazing people that Stevenson has met over the years who have had an impact on his life and all those stories gave me hope.  Although reading this has made me very sad at times -- so sad that I've had to put the book aside for a while but, like I said, parts have also given me hope and this is a project I want to help support.  Go to www.eji.org to learn more about the Equal Justice Initiative and the work they do and some of their newer projects.  pazt

"The Rosie Project"

Many thanks to my friend who recommended "The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion.  What a fun read!

We're introduced to Don Tillman, a brilliant genetics professor with inadequate social skills.  His life is organized to the minute so he knows when to shop, when to prepare meals, and when to sleep.  When Don decides he wants a wife, it becomes "The Wife Project" and, with the help of his friends, Gene and Claudia, he develops a questionnaire to find his suitable life partner.

Along the not so smooth path to finding a wife he is introduced to Rosie by Gene -- not a candidate for the wife project --  but they develop a friendship and "The Father Project" begins.  What follows is the "Great Cocktail Night," the "New York Adventure," and the "Reform Don Project" as well as "The Rosie Project."  All of these events turn Don's organized life upside down and along the way he makes some very interesting discoveries.

Thanks to my husband for putting up with my reading this book in bed and insisting that he listen to parts of it as well as putting up with my waking him up when I was laughing in bed!  I am looking forward to the sequel, "The Rosie Effect."  It's really hard to beliee that this book is Australian Simsion's first novel.  It's also been made into a movie!  pazt

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" starring Loretta Swit is probably best saved to watch during the holidays.  However, it had come highly recommended by several friends so I decided to see if I could find it at the library.  I did and my spouse and I viewed this hour long video last night.  It's based on a novel written by Barbara Robinson.

The six Herdman kids (4 boys and 2 girls) are some of the "nastiest, dirtiest kids" around and, when the Sunday School class is asked to tell what they are thankful for, one boy says it's that the Herdmans don't attend.  However, when the Herdmans hear they might find food at the church, they show up just in time to hear about the Christmas pageant.  The regular pageant director ends up in the hospital and it falls to Loretta Swit's character to conduct the pageant.  It's amazing what one person can do with one tryout and four rehearsals!

The Herdmans show up for the tryouts and immediately grab the major roles without dissension from any of the other children -- much to Swit's dismay!  Although they may never have heard the Christmas story before and behave unconventionally, they and the rest of the cast perform a unique rendition of the Christmas Story which has many audience members declaring "it's the best Christmas pageamt ever!"

Perhaps what I liked best was that the Herdman children were allowed by Swit's character to play their roles despite the fact that the performance might not appeal to everyone.  And, isn't that what Christmas is about -- inclusion, giving and receiving?  pazt

"Best Kept Secrets"

"Best Kept Secrets" authored by Sandra Brown is a romantic mystery.  Alexander (Alex) Gaither was raised by her grandmother.  After her mother was murdered, they moved away from where Alex's mother was raised.  Alex grows up to be a prosecuting attorney feeling unloved by her grandmother who blames Alex for her mother's death.  When her grandmother is dying, Alex asks permission to reopen the case hoping to show her grandmother who the real killer is.

Alex is convinced that the man who died in prison accused of her mother's murder is innocent and she believes one of three men did the deed --two were her mother's best friends and the other the father of one of them.  As the oil business is drying up, the father, Angus, is trying to revive the local economy by building a race track which the locals are also heavily invested in getting approved.  That doesn't make Alex very popular with anyone in town.  Angus encourages his son Junior, a womanizer, to seduce Alex and get her to stop investigating.  In the meantime the local sheriff and other friend of her mother, Reede, has designs of his own.

During her investigation a man who worked for Angus claims to have witnessed her mother's murder and can identify the killer but is killed himself before he can tell Alex who that person is.  A local minister is trying to shut down the race track and more injuries occur before Alex is able to discover the real culprit behind the murders.  If everyone hadn't been so busy protecting everyone else, maybe they would have looked for the truth at the time of her mother's killing and prevented more deaths.

I loved the mystery and the romance but could do without the romance details -- my imagination does well enough on its own, thank you!  pazt

"The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook"

Mark Hyman, M.D., is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, "The Blood Sugar Solution" so I decided to check out "The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook" that he authored that is billed as having "more than 175 ultra-tasty recipes for total health and weight loss."

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE cookbooks and have quite a collection of them but now that I am working towards a Plant-Based diet, it is time to cull the ones on my shelves and sell or donate those that I don't plan to continue to use.  New cookbooks I am trying to check out from the library so I can peruse them before deciding if they will be a good addition to my collection in light of my current health goals.  Dr. Hyman has written at least eleven books so I'll be busy if I decide to check them all out.

In the "Note To The Reader" section of this cookbook, Dr. Hyman suggests reviewing his book, "The Blood Sugar Solution,: as well as joining the online community with free access to hundreds of videos which include cooking videos as well as health-tracking tools.  Go to bloodsugarsolution.com to learn more.

I was surprised to learn in the introduction (although I'm not sure why it should surprise me!) that in 1900 only 2% of meals were eaten outside the home but today that number is over 50%.  When I look at my own eating habits (for my spouse and myself), it should be obvious that that is true despite my desire to prepare and serve healthy meals at home.  All my spouse has to do is offer to take me out to eat and I'm saying yes!  I rarely say, "Oh, but honey, I have such a great meal planned to make right here at home!"  That's especially true if the offer to dine out comes after one of the three days when I work outside the home -- or on a weekend -- or.....!

Did you know there are food scientists whose job is making the processed foods we purchase so yummy that we don't want to stop eating them?!  Dr. Hyman says our tongue and brain may be fooled but our bodies aren't and aren't designed to handle these artificial substances...thus, the obesity epidemic we now face.  Other risks from being overweight include the possibility of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, etc.

There is a thread in all of these books that I'm checking out from the library and that is that we need to take back control of our health.  We need to be informed consumers of the food that we eat and we need to make our own healthy foods at home.  Dr. Hyman suggests we start with our kitchens and do a fridge, pantry, and shopping cart makeover.

In his book, "The Blood Sugar Solution," Dr. Hyman "provides a step-by-step, goof-proof plan to reverse the root causes of diabetes and obesity."

Did you know that eating low-glycemic foods are recommended for diabetics or pre-diabetics?  These are foods that don't raise blood sugar as much or as fast as  high glycemic foods.

Do you know what your BMI (Body Mass Index) is?  You can use his online calculator at bloodsugarsolution.com/tracking-tools.  The goal for a normal BMI is less than 25.  If yours is higher than that, you are considered overweight.  Calculator.net is another site that will allow you to calculate your BMI.

Chapter 2 informs the reader on how to prepare the kitchen including a list of essential kitchen tools as well as how to have fun in the kitchen (a good way to encourage us to spend more time in our kitchens!).as well as how to detox and stock the kitchen.  There are also tips on purchasing and preparing foods.

Chapter 3 gives suggestions on how to "unjunk your life and your diet" as well as ideas on the best choices to make.

Chapter 4 introduces the reader to Dr. Hyman's basic plan along with recipes.  The smoothie and soup recipes look very good and like something I would try.  However, I would avoid those that have meat in them although I do still have fish on occasion and I haven't given up eggs completely.  I do avoid dairy but have cheese on occasion.  I might make an exception for the "Healing Chicken Soup" on Page 88-89.  I'm pretty picky about my salads so there were only a couple of salad recipes that appealed to me.

The Quinoa-Bean-Vegetable Cutlets sounded good but, if I'm going to commit to cooking more of my meals at home, they need to be simpler than this one and I do own some cookbooks which have quick and easy plant-based meals.  Although, if a recipe sounds really good and makes enough servings that I'll have leftovers for a few days, I'm willing to put in the effort to try it.  The sweet potato burgers fall into this category.

Many of the entrees also include oil which plant-based cooking avoids although I personally still use a little.  I do substitute water or vegetable broth for the oil sometimes.  I could also substitute tofu for meats or beans for the beef in Mexican dishes.  Since I have some liver issues, I do want to try the recipe, "Roasted Veggies To Make Your Liver Happy" on page 164.

A key for me is assembling all ingredients before I start cooking because, if I don't, I find the cooking process is much slower or I'm missing an ingredient!

Chapter 5 covers the advance plan which is designed for individuals with more advance issues and/ everyone with full-blown type 2 diabetes to follow.  The Strawberry Spinach Salad is something I will definitely try -- but without the onions.  I just don't like raw onions.  Another recipe that takes some advance planning to make is the Cashew "cheese" and I definitely will be trying that as I am a fan of Cashew "cream."  If you haven't tried Cashew "cream,' I highly recommend googling it to find a recipe.

The book lists further reading and resources from Dr. Hyman which include brand names to look for.

One of the first recipes I think I'll try from this book is "Kristen's Kale Waldorf" as it sounds yummy! pazt

"In A Far Country - The True Story of a Mission, a Marriage, a Murder, and the Remarkable Reindeer Rescue of 1898"

John Taliaferro tells a true story "In A Far Country" and it's also a history of the United States at the time.  At least, I learned a lot about events of that day that I had not put together before.

Tom Lopp answered the call by Sheldon Jackson to become a missionary in Alaska.  Jackson's idea was to divide the territory into parcels and allow missionaries from different denominations to serve as teachers to the native Alaskans.  Their primary goal was to educate then convert because Jackson didn't want a repeat of what had happened to the American Indians.  He was one of the individuals who convinced the government to assign responsibility for Alaska's native schools to the U. S. Bureau of Education instead of the traditional Department of the Interior whose reputation was tarnished by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. As more missionaries arrived, Tom fell in love with and married a young woman, Ellen,  Together they raised their family at Cape Prince of Wales where their children knew the native language better than English.

Unlike some of the missionaries in Alaska, Tom had a true appreciation of the local natives and he sought to learn from them as much as to educate them.  He also treated them with respect and friendship.  When Jackson had the idea to introduce reindeer to Alaska, Lopp was a strong advocate also although, in the end, their ideas about how that should be accomplished differed.

The reindeer (as well as the part Tom Lopp played in driving them to Point Barrow to provide food for whalers trapped there over the winter by the ice) are a key element in this story but the history I learned along the way about the settlement of Alaska, the whaling industry, the Spanish-American War, the gold rush to Alaska, and much more make this book interesting reading.  Unfortunately, the greed I see today among corporations was also present in that day and the whaling industry was just as much an environmental disaster as some that are occurring today.

One reason given for bringing reindeer to Alaska was the fact that the caribou were migrating further inland and reindeer would give the Native Alaskans a source of food and warm clothing.  When the Lomens, who were white settlers, became reindeer owners, they began stealing reindeer from the Natives.  An investigation by the Interior Department to "sort out the reindeer controversy" led to the passage of the "Reindeer Act of 1937" which made it illegal for anyone other than Native Alaskans to own reindeer.  Ironically, eventually caribou returned and intermingled breeding with reindeer.  The reindeer era is also what led to stories of Santa having reindeer.

Although I'm not the history buff that my husband and younger daughter are, I did enjoy this book. The hardback edition is about 400 pages so it wasn't a quick read for me.  (I also enjoyed the pictures included in the book.)  I lived in Alaska with my family for three years in the early 1980's and, fortunately, didn't have to endure the hardships of these early settlers.  I'm not sure I would have endured!

Taliaferro's bibliographical notes at the end of the book also made interesting reading.  Kathleen Lopp Smith, daughter of Dwight Lopp and Tom and Ellen's granddaughter, wrote a book before her death called,"Ice Window" that tells her grandparent's story.  I am hoping that book is still available as it sounds like an enjoyable read that would tell the Lopp's story in more detail. pazt

"Play Dead"

"Play Dead" by Harlan Coben seemed so familiar as I was reading it -- Have I read it before or was it made into a TV movie?  There were parts of the book that offered more detail than I remembered so, even though it was familiar, I read the whole book.

Celtics star, David Baskin, and supermodel/business owner, Laura Ayers, eloped to Australia but while honeymooning there, David went for a swim and never returned.  Laura is devastated but, with no body for her to view and bury, she has more questions than answers.

The grieving widow returns home and withdraws from life until a good friend gives her some sound advice.  She returns to her business but continues to seek answers.  In the meantime, she has unresolved issues with her mother and David's estranged brother, Stan, arrives for the funeral.  As Stan stays on in Boston, he and Laura's sister, Gloria, fall in love -- a truly unlikely event in Stan's case.  Laura worries because Gloria's sister's past has left her in quite a fragile state.

Eventually, Laura has to come to grips with a complicated web of deceit that started thirty years ago with her mother and aunt and is affecting the present.  A new basketball player arrives on the scene to replace David but his moves remind Laura and others of David's special moves.  As the past and present collide, three deaths occur within a short time of one another and leave Laura searching for answers to solve the puzzle and put a killer out of commission.  This is a great read!  pazt

"The 21 Day Sugar Detox Cookbook"

New York Times best-selling author, Diane Sanfilippo, BS, NC,  authored "The 21 Day Sugar Detox Cookbook."  Other books by her include "The 21 Day Sugar Detox Guidebook" and  "Practical Paleo:  A Customized Approach to Health and  A Whole-Foods Lifestyle."

Sanfilippo gives us many compelling reasons for eliminating sugar from our diets and I agree with her that we, as Americans especially, consume too much sugar.  She outlines the different levels of her detox plan and even shares a quiz to help the reader determine the level they should select.

However, I have difficulty with the amount of fat contained in her recipes and particularly the use of bacon fat!  Growing up my mother always kept a container on the stove and the grease was poured into the container then used later for other purposes.  I remember doing the same as a newlywed but the thought of it now horrifies me!  It's been a very long time since I thought cooking with bacon fat was even healthy so I was immediately skeptical of many of her recipes.

I am in the process of adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet which does not include oils of any kind or meat or dairy or eggs.  I am on a path and have not yet arrived to become a purist but, if I decided some of Sanfilippo's recipes were worth trying, I would substitute vegetable broth for sauteing in place of coconut oil or bacon fat.

The "Moroccan Cauli-rice Pilaf" which includes ground turmeric as one of its ingredients appeals to me and vegetable broth could be easily substituted for the ghee or coconut oil called for in that recipe.  Since turmeric is a spice which has many health benefits (Look it up!), this recipe I might try.
If unlike me, you still want to eat meat, I am sure the reader could adapt many of her recipes by making slight changes to make them healthier (replacing the fats).

At the back of  this cookbook, the author includes 2 pages of spice blends that I also want to try.  In addition she has a "Guide to Common Food Allergens" as well as a listing of recommended products and brands.

I am interested in reading her "Practical Paleo, etc." book because it includes "A Whole-Foods LIfestyle" which sounds healthy but then so did this book and I did not find it to be entirely healthy -- in my eyes, at least.  pazt

"Death In Paradise"

The "Death In Paradise" I'm writing about here is a Jesse Stone novel by Robert B. Parker.  Stone is settling into his job as Chief of Police of Paradise and seeing his ex-wife, Jenn, on a weekly basis but that doesn't preclude him from having other romantic interests.  He's also playing baseball with a group of guys in town -- one of his favorite past times -- so life seems good until the body of a teenage girl is found in the town lake.

Billie Bishop was known as a girl who "put out" at her local high school -- which was not in Paradise so how did she end up dead there?  A senior boy's class ring around her neck leads to her identity and parents who do not acknowledge her as their daughter.  When they kicked their middle daughter out of the house, she was no longer their daughter.

Billie was shot and dumped in the lake with a concrete block to weigh her down but eventually her body floated to the surface and she was discovered.  Stone is not happy about this girl's death and sets out to discover what happened to her and who murdered her.  This is a very satisfying Jesse Stone mystery in terms of the murder inquiry itself and glimpses into Stone's personal struggles with alcohol and his love for his ex-wife.  pazt

"Murder"

"Murder," a novel authored by Sarah Pinborough (who lives in West London) is the second in her Dr. Thomas Bond series -- and, hopefully, the last!  Sarah's picture on the flyleaf and on the fantasticfiction.co.uk site show her to be this very happy young woman which is hard to equate with the horror, supernatural thrillers she's authored.  She's also written for the popular BBC crime drama, "New Tricks," which is one of my favorite series.

Although "Mayhem," (the first book in this series) and "Murder" are based on a real-life police surgeon, Dr. Thomas Bond, this account is total fiction but it uses the supernatural to account for real events in Dr. Bond's life.  Unlike the real Dr. Bond who was twice married and had six children, the fictional Dr. Bond is unmarried.  The real Dr. Thomas Bond worked with Scotland Yard detectives to identify and capture Jack the Ripper and the Torso Killer and both play a feature role in these two books.

"Murder" finds Dr. Bond trying to get back to a normal life after the Ripper and Torso Killer investigations but it proves difficult as the corpses of murdered children begin turning up.

He finally professes his love for the widowed Juliana Harrington but his proposal of marriage is thwarted when another suitor appears on the scene, Edward Kane.  Edward was a friend and European traveling companion of Juliana's late husband who decides to pay a visit on her and her young son while he is in London on business.  After meeting Juliana he  prolongs his visit so he may court the young widow.

As Dr. Bond becomes more tortured and alienated from his close friends, they are deeply concerned for him and his behavior begins to affect all of them leading to the climactic ending.

Although I found the books interesting, there are too many books out there begging to be read so I probably won't seek out any more Pinborough novels in the near future.  pazt

A Trip Down Memory Lane and The Perils of Mobile Home Living in Retirement

Last night my husband picked up a mug and the handle broke off -- not a huge problem as we have an abundance of mugs and are downsizing.  However, this mug was from the time we lived in Anchorage, AK, from December 1983 to December 1986.  My husband thinks he either "won" it or it might have been given to him because he most likely made a donation to KSKAfm91 - Anchorage Public Radio.  He's always been a promoter of Public Radio and this mug has been a reminder of our time in Alaska.  It's dark blue with white lettering and a white sun (or moon) and snow capped mountains.  What could be a better memento of Anchorage where winter often came early and "break up" came late.  We shall miss this reminder of our time there but there are others!

Yesterday I also uncovered a November 1987 Better Homes and Gardens during my downsizing.  There's not a lot that is relevant in it any longer so it is going to the recycle bin but I did find a few decorating ideas to save for hints as to how to make our next (and, hopefully, last move) space more livable.  We are downsizing because we wish to move to a smaller home -- a condo where someone else is responsible for the maintenance.

We thought we'd found the "perfect" retirement home when we purchased a double wide mobile home for cash in an over 55 mobile home park  in November of 2008.  This park has always attracted us because it looked so nice from the outside.  Although the home we purchased was an older model, it had been updated by the previous owners and had a heat pump, new carpeting as well as new appliances.  We had such plans for it but never really "unpacked."  The home has three bedrooms and two full baths and we rarely use the living or dining area.  One of the bedrooms is my husband's home office since he still works part-time.  The other was to double as a guest bedroom and my space but it really has become a "junk" room.  My attraction to this home was its spaciousness and abundance of kitchen cabinets.  My husband's was the central air conditioning since he'd lived in a mobile home with his family in Kansas as a teen.

The first Homeowner's Association event we attended was a Thanksgiving pot luck.  We were still moving in and were anxious to meet our neighbors.  I was 65 the year we moved in and my husband had just turned 69 a few months before.  As we walked home from the pot luck, my husband remarked, "My God, we moved into the old farts home.!"  Of course, as we got to know residents, we came to love them but we have always been younger looking than our age and young in spirit and there are so many ways that we don't feel we fit in.  I still work part-time and have lots of activities and friends outside the park.  We have family and friends near by and still attend community events -- something some of our neighbors are unable to do.

However, the biggest drawback to mobile home living in Washington state when you don't own the land that your mobile home is placed on is the owner of the land.  You pay a monthly rent to them for the land rent as well as water and sewer.  You're still responsible for all your other utilities.  If the owner of the land (who has his or her on-site managers do two or three "inspections" yearly) insists that you do maintenance to your home or refuses to give you permission to make changes to your deck, etc., you have little recourse but to follow the "rules."  Your option is to move your home then you have not only the expense of purchasing land to place it on but the cost of moving it.

Keeping up with the owner's requirements for exterior and lawn maintenance as well as plumbing, electrical, and other major repairs we have had to make since we moved in has cost us more per year than homeowner's dues would if we were to purchase a condo.  Perhaps now you see why we want to move!  At least, if we lived in a condo, we would have a vote in the condo association.  Here we really have no voice.

Our next challenge will be to find a condo in an area that we want to live with the amenities we desire and at a price we can afford!  But first....there's still the downsizing so we don't once again make a move with "stuff" we no longer need or want!  pazt

"Hung Out To Die"

"Hung Out To Die" is Sharon Short's 4th novel in her Stain Busting Mystery Series featuring Josie Toadfern.

Josie is relatively well adjusted given her father abandoned her and her mother when she was a toddler then her mother left town leaving her in the care of a couple she trusted.  However, when he died, and the widow decided to move to another state to be near family, Josie was placed in the local orphanage.  Fortunately, her mother's brother and his wife took her out of the orphanage and raised her with their son Guy, who is autistic.  Although her aunt and uncle have died and she inherited their laundry business, she has developed her own close family of friends in her small town.  She's also the guardian for her cousin, Guy, who lives in a facility nearby that does a fantastic job of helping autistic adults (who are unable to mainstream) to find and use their gifts in an institutional setting.

Josie's paternal grandmother has ignored Josie her entire life so when her close friend and cousin, Sally, says her grandmother insists Josie come for Thanksgiving dinner, Josie reluctantly accepts the invitation.  Her boyfriend, Owen, is out of town visiting his son and other friends have their own plans.  What a surprise when both her parents show up together at the family Thanksgiving dinner in a sports car and looking very financially secure.  However, when they announce plans to turn the old orphanage into a Flea Market, the idea doesn't sit well with many people but particularly the local antique dealers.

Josie's uncle Fenwick (her father's twin brother) and her father have a heated argument at dinner then go for a walk together after dinner while her Aunt naps and her mother takes off for a couple of hours in the car.  When Josie and a friend discover her uncle's body in the woods, her father is arrested on suspicion of murder and her mother moves in with Josie.  Josie's mother, May, expects Josie to find the real killer and get her dad out of jail.

The local newspaper editor is looking to make a name for himself (and also might be hoping her boyfriend decides not to return) and joins forces with Josie to track down a murderer.  The result -- several lives are thrust into the path of danger and more deaths occur before the mystery is solved satisfactorily (at least to Josie and her parents' satisfaction).  pazt

"Hidden Prey"

"Hidden Prey" is John Sandford's 16th novel in the Lucas Davenport prey series and it delivers just as suspenseful a story as the first fifteen.  This time Davenport is called to investigate the death of a Russian who is killed on the shores of Lake Superior with bullets that are at least fifty years old.  This Russian had high government connections via his father so a policewoman, Nadya, is sent to follow the investigation with Davenport and his partner.  However, Nadya doesn't "feel" like a police woman and Davenport is soon suspicious that she is really an agent or spy.

When a homeless woman as well as another Russian agent are killed and Nadya is also targeted, the investigation begins to look at some families that are closely related.  Although all of the older generation are citizens, the hospital where they were born burned to the ground and all records were destroyed.  Could there be a Russian spy ring operating still in the area?

As often is the case with Davenport, there are twists and turns until the truth is discovered and I'm left wondering if perhaps this woman agent, Nadya, will turn up in future Prey novels?  pazt

"Get Smart"

After viewing the last of "Get Smart" with my grandchildren at their home, I decided I wanted to see the movie in its entirety so found a copy at my local library.  It stars Steve Carell as Agent Maxwell Smart, an analyst who desperately wants to work in the field.  When most of CONTROL's agents are "outed," Max gets his chance in the company of Agent 99 (played by Anne Hathaway) who has recently undergone a complete plastic surgery makeover so her identity has not been compromised.  Head of CONTROL is played by Alan Arkin and Dwayne Johnson is another agent who is frustrated by having to stay in the office when he's always been a field agent.

KAOS has come up with a nuclear scheme that threatens the U.S. and it is up to rookie, Max, and Agent 99 to thwart the scheme.  It's a fun ride throughout that I recommend you don't miss if you enjoy slapstick comedy.  The DVD offers bonus scenes throughout which I did watch but they really weren't worth the effort!  pazt

"Found"

"Found" by Harlan Coben is the third book in his Mickey Bolitar series.  Coben is the number 1 New York Times bestselling author of a lot of adult novels but this is his young adult series starring Mickey Bolitar, a high school basketball player, and his friends who help him solve mysteries and/or find people.  Coben has won the Edgar Award, Shamus Award, and Anthony award -- the first author to receive all three.  You can visit him at www.harlancoben.com or www.mickeybolitar.com.

Mickey is convinced his dad, who reportedly died in a car accident, is still alive but there's really no one to believe him except a "batty" old woman who says she heard his father's voice although she's never heard the voice of a dead person before and she has plenty of ghosts in her past.

In the meantime, Mickey is living his dream of staying in one place so he can attend school, make friends, and make the basketball team.  When he makes the varsity team, life isn't as easy as he thought when the players who have been together all their lives shun him -- until they need his help.

When one of Mickey's close friends asks for his help, he learns that helping someone else may also help him.

I'm disappointed that I've not seen anything about a 4th book in this series -- I don't want it to end!  pazt

"The People of Sparks"

"The People of Sparks" is the second "Book of Ember" in a series written by Jeanne Duprau.  If I remember correctly, I discovered the first book, "The City of Ember," because my ten year old granddaughter was reading the series and it looked interesting to me.  So....although this is a young reader's book, it appealed to me, too.

In the first book Lina and Doon lead their people up from an underground city, Ember, because the systems in the city that sustain them are beginning to fail.  They find the clues to getting their people out of the city but are bewildered by a world above ground.  They walk until they find another city, Sparks.  In the book, "The People of Sparks" are just as bewildered by a group of people who have never lived above ground as the Emberites are by all they are finding above ground.

The People of Sparks agree to take in the Emberites for a period of 6 months while sharing their food with them and teaching them the survival skills they'll need to grow food and build shelters.  They are mostly housed in an old building and assigned to families who share food with them.  As time goes on, both sides begin to be disgruntled -- Sparks citizens at having to share with these people when they have just begun to reach the point that they've been able to put a little food ahead for lean years.  Emberites are unhappy with the small portions of food they are given and their treatment.

In the meantime Lina takes off on an adventure and discovers a ruined city and begins to undertand what happened that led to the destruction of this world and why her people were sent to live underground for survival.  She also receives wisdom from a fellow traveler about what leads to war and ways that might have prevented it.

While she is gone, Doon is accused of something he didn't do and tensions begin to grow even more between the two cities.  Tick, from Ember, has put together a group that he wants to lead into a fight and as hard feelings escalate, the Emberites are asked to leave.  But...where will they go and how will they survive?

A dramatic event brings everything to a head and choices have to be made that will either lead to fighting and death for some of the citizens of both cities or peace that will allow them to co-exist.

Duprau has a gift for sharing ways to stand up for oneself nonviolently and the ability to describe the consequences of violence -- excellent lessons for youth to learn -- OR all of us to learn!  pazt

"2nd Chance"

"2nd Chance" is the second book in The Women's Murder Club series authored by James Patterson with Andrew Gross.  Lindsay Boxer is just returning to duty after solving "the biggest murder case since Harvey Milk" and she is now Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer, head of San Francisco's homicide division.

When a young black girl is killed just as the choir she was practicing with is leaving church, it is first thought to be an accident and a miracle - a miracle that she is the only one who died when the whole front of the church is shot up and no other child nor the minister, Andrew Winslow, are even seriously injured from the hail of bullets.

Is this a hate crime?  However, as Lindsay and her team begin their investigation, they find a link to the killing of an elderly black woman then their own Chief Mercer becomes a target.  What is behind these killings?  It appears that all victims are policemen or have links to the police and one clue leads them to "chimera"  which leads Lindsay to one of the toughest prisons in the state and one of its most vile prisoners looking for clues.

In the meantime, life goes on as Jill announces she is pregnant, Claire becomes romantically involved with Rev. Andrew Winslow, and Lindsay's father shows up after a 20 year absence.

This is another brilliant mystery -- just when we believe Lindsay has solved her case and the murderer is no longer a threat more clues complicate that assumption and we're taken on another whirlwind ride seeking the truth.  pazt

"Don't Look Twice"

"Don't Look Twice" is the second novel in Andrew Gross' Detective Ty Hauck series and I found it just as exciting as his first, "The Dark Tide".  To learn more about Andrew Gross go to www.andrewgrossbooks.com or www.myspace.com/andrewgross books.

Detective Ty Hauck has taken his daughter, Jessie, to an Exxon station  convenience store that he likes to frequent so they can make purchases before they head out on his skiff for a final jaunt in preparation for taking it out of the water for the winter.  As they wait in line to pay, a man in a green down vest with his arms full of soda waves them ahead of him in the line.  Ty sees a red truck jerk to a stop outside right in front of them and the heavily tinted passenger window rolls down.  When he sees a man leaning out with a gun extended, Ty throws his daughter to the ground and covers her body with his own and yells for everyone to get down just as the shooting starts.

When it's all over, the man in the green vest is dead and others injured and Jessie is in shock with the dead man's blood all over her.  As Ty and his team begin their investigation into the shooting, what seems to be a straight forward motive turns out to be a red herring and they will find many more red herrings along the way to learning the truth and seeking justice.

Ty sends Jessie to the hospital then to her mother's while he's in the throes of the investigation.  His most recent girlfriend, Karen, is in Florida where her dad is gravely ill with Parkinson's.  Ty's brother, Warren, who he has very little contact with, invites him and Jessie for Thanksgiving but, when that doesn't work out, he shows up unexpectedly on Ty's doorstep.  As the two brothers reminisce about the past and reconnect, the investigation is ongoing and Ty also receives a very lucrative and interesting job proposition but, with his mind focused on finding a killer, he puts the offer on the back burner.

In the meantime, there are more killings and, as they identify the shooters, they end up dead, too.  Ty has to discover what is going on and who is behind all these killings.  Just when Ty and his team think they're ready to break the investigation wide open, someone else dies.  Are the deaths random or is there a pattern?  pazt

"Blackberry Winter"

"Blackberry Winter" appears to be Sarah Jio's third novel.  She heard the song "Blackberry Winter" by Hilary Kole on the radio and thought it was beautiful and piqued her interest.  Sarah also grew up in the northwest and has fond memories of hunting for blackberries with her family.  After hearing the song she decided to find out what a blackberry winter was and discovered it is "old-fashioned weather jargon for a late-season cold snap--think of plunging temperatures and snowfall in May, just when the delicate white flowers are beginning to appear on the blackberry vines."

Out of that research and some personal experiences the story she has written came to her.  It starts in 1933 in Seattle when a single mother, Vera Ray, has to leave her 3-year-old son Daniel home in their apartment alone or risk losing her job.  She needs the income for them to survive and reluctantly tucks him into bed before heading off to work the night shift as a maid in a local hotel.

When Vera leaves work, there has been a late spring snowfall and arriving at her apartment she discovers Daniel is gone.  Frantically she searches for him without success and the police do little to help her find her son.  They think he's just wandered off and will return.  Sara is distraught and turns to anyone who might be willing to help her find her son.

Fast forward to Seattle in 2010 when May 1st brings another "blackberry winter" to Seattle and a Seattle Herald reporter, Claire Aldridge, is assigned to write an article about it.  During her research, she discovers the story of Vera and Daniel and decides she must learn what happened.  As she digs deeper into the story, Vera's loss becomes her loss and she can't let it go until she discovers what happened to them.  Little does she know that she will discover a link between them and her present life.  pazt

"Little Failure - A Memoir"

"Little Failure - A Memoir" by author Gary Shteyngart was not particularly an easy read for me but the fact that it was on my library's "Best Picks" list encouraged me to finish it and I'm glad I did.  I've also decided to read one of his novels, too.

Gary was born Igor in 1972 in Leningrad so he's a year younger than my son who was adopted shortly after he was born in 1971.  Although Gary and his family moved to the United States when he was 7 years old (thanks to President Reagan reaching out to exchange grain to Russia in return for their letting Jewish families leave), he continued to struggle with what it was like to be a Russian American and not quite fitting in.  At the same time my son was probably struggling with what it was like to be a biracial child in a white family in a mostly white neighborhood.

Gary's struggles of not quite fitting in with his hand-me-down clothes, learning a new language, no real friends while his parents were working hard to support him and themselves in a new country could probably be the story of any child who has left the country of their birth and emigrated with their family to a new and strange country.  He was lucky that his paternal grandmother (who thought he could do no wrong) also came with them and showered him with food and love after school until his father could pick him up after work.

As an only child, all of his parents hopes are pinned on Gary and their wish for him to get into a prestigious college and become a lawyer or something equally respectable.  I doubt that the word author ever crossed their minds but his maternal grandmother rewarded him for writing stories while he was still in Russia.

Gary was well aware of what was expected of him and also constantly reminded by his parents of the "little failure" they saw him as.  Although the messages he received from them sound cruel, in retrospect I received similar messages from my parents but they weren't spoken out loud.  I grew up feeling that I wasn't good enough and that I didn't have the ability to succeed despite my good grades in school.  I had to keep proving to myself that I was worthy by finishing college and even going on to obtain my master's.  Maybe all parents have a way of conveying their disappointment even when they don't mean to -- was I also that parent?

Gary ended up at Oberlin College -- not the prestigious college his parents had hoped for - and proceeded to drink and smoke his way through a hazy education where he did excel at writing, made friends, and had his first real girlfriend.  I suspect neither one of us impressed our parents!

Out of college Gary found a friend and mentor who supported him in his writing efforts but also had enough "tough love" to get him into therapy ultimately.

In his late thirties and married Gary and his parents return to Leningrad to walk down memory paths and begin to see each other as individuals and adults.  I saw in him the same struggle I had of needing to become independent of parents who never wanted to let me go to lead my own life even after I was married.  I said and did some cruel things trying to force my emancipation while struggling with a love-hate relationship with them.  So...Gary's struggles became my struggles as I read his story but I didn't have the added burdens of having to learn a new language.  Like Gary I knew I was loved by my parents but sometimes that love was smothering.  Unlike Gary I was surrounded by friends and had boyfriends before college. So...my life seems much easier than his.  I wonder what he'd have to say about the hatred being spewed at the moment by some of our presidential candidates about allowing refugees to come to the United States?  pazt

"Dead Man's Tunnel"

"Dead Man's Tunnel" is the third book in the Hook Runyon mystery series -- out of a set of four written by Sheldon Russell (www.sheldonrussell.com).

The setting:  near the end of World War II after an atomic bomb has been dropped in Japan.  Hook finds himself banished to the high desert area of Arizona trying to find some copper thieves stealing from West's Salvage Yard while still attending to other railroad business.

Nearby is the Johnson Canyon Tunnel which has been guarded throughout the war by two military men but no one (at least outside the army) knows why -- including Hook.  When one of the guards ends up run over by a train on the tracks in the tunnel, Lt. Allison Capron is sent by the Army Transportation Department to investigate.  Hook and the Lt. form a loose team trying to decide if this was an accident, sabotage, or murder.  In the meantime, the other guard disappears and becomes a suspect in a series of robberies.

As usual, Hook gets himself in some scrapes inside and outside his job as a railroad Yard Dog but he also is instrumental in solving the mystery of the dead guard.  I'll miss the Hook Runyan books because I am pretty sure I have now read all that have been written.  pazt

"1st To Die"

"1st To Die" is the first novel in James Patterson's "A Women's Murder Club" series.  The story tells us how a woman detective, a female newspaper reporter, female medical examiner, and a female attorney start their "Women's Murder Club" in an attempt to solve murders created by a serial murderer of brides and grooms.

I have a vague recollection of seeing a movie or made-for-tv movie based on this book but reading the novel is so much more satisfying.  This tale has so many twists and turns that I was kept guessing throughout.  Just when I thought we had a solution, doubts were raised and off we go in another direction.  Patterson is a master when it comes to writing mysteries -- ready to read more!!!! pazt