Ready for a New Month

Ready for a new month:

 

As my months go February wasn't bad at all but I am glad we are just a few weeks way from spring. I could stand to see some spring flowers and it will be nice to open windows and take longer walks.

 

With the arrival of spring comes a whole host of new books by our favorite authors and new authors. I just finished reading THE CHRISTIE CURSE by Victoria Abbott, I love this new series. I hope you will add this book to your reading list.

I just started reading A DEADLY GRIND by Victoria Hamilton so far I count myself lucky to another good book to read.

 

I am also trying to finish up A KILLER READ by Erika Chase and this is another series that has my heart. I hope by reading these wonderful books that this is a sure sign my spring actually will be something to look forward to and I think it will.

 

On a personal note my son Jay, graduates from college this spring and will be moving to Nebraksa to go to law school. I will finally be able to tackle the spare room and do something with my mother's belongings so maybe I can have more than a path in that room.  I am also cross stitching a small spring piece that I hope to have finished over the next week.

 

March also is a big birthday month in our family. We have two daughter's with birthdays and three children with wedding anniversaries. Then I have two grandchildren with birthdays for the month of March. I think this should nicely fill my month.

 

Lots to look forward to but I do live in Kansas which means it's also tornado season so I don't put up my hanging baskets or plant my flowers until at least April sometimes May.

 

I look forward to getting out and about this spring as I have been shut in too long this winter. I finally replaced my car that my daughter wrecked last fall and one of the main things I look forward to is spending more time at the local library.

 

I look forward to interviewing more authors for our blog, hearing all about Malice Domestic and I recently as in just yesterday have an idea for a new mystery series. The research and writing the book ought to be a ton of fun. I started a little of the research last night. I'm already hooked and can't wait to delve into deeper research, of course writing the book will be a fun project.

 

Also I have to say I look forward to eating the spring/ summer fruits. I love watermelon and cantaloupe but plenty of other things as well...so finally we are close to saying goodbye to winter and embracing spring.

 

Now if I can just keep the sinus headaches, sneezes and clogged head at bay this might be the best spring I have had in a few years.

 

Hugs,

Pamela

Review: Murder on the House by Juliet Blackwell

Murder on the House by Juliet Blackwell is the third book in the “Haunted Home Renovation” mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian, December 2012

Word has spread that contractor Mel Turner can communicate with the spirits of the dead, and she’s having a hard time maintaining a low profile. She decides to embrace her reputation for the chance to restore a historic house that calls to her. The new owners, who hope to run a haunted bed-and-breakfast, want Mel to encourage the ghosts that supposedly roam the halls to enhance the house’s paranormal charm.  The catch: Mel has to spend one night in the house to win the project. During the spine-chilling sleepover, the estate gains another supernatural occupant when someone doesn’t survive the night. As Mel tries to coax the resident spirits into revealing the identity of the killer, she risks becoming the next casualty of this dangerous renovation.

Juliet has done it again by writing an entertaining story that I could not put down. The mystery kept me turning the pages as I had to know what was happening next. Melanie is a great character and I like that with each book we continue to learn more about her and her friends. This was a fun read and one of the best thus far and I can’t wait for the next book in this wonderfully crafted series.

 

 

   Dru

dru’s book musing

 

 

Love Books

Love Books:

 

As all of us readers know BOOK is a four letter word and so is LOVE. Today I would ask that you give us the one book you LOVE no matter the genre. Give us your reasons why you love this book.

 

Mine would be the late Rona Jaffe's book The Reunion. I remember how it showed he depth of character. The multi layers of the characters and real these characters were to me. It might have been my awakening on how women can change people's lives for better or worse. Sher took three women characters shared their lives with us and it not only moving but this book changed my life in a lot of ways.

 

If I were to list a mystery it would be Carolyn Hart's book "Death On Demand" because it opened a new world of series reading. Before her I never realized mysteries could be a series.  This also changed my world on many levels.

 

Okay your turn...

Pamela

Review: Murder Hooks a Mermaid by Christy Fifield

Murder Hooks a Mermaid by Christy Fifield is the second book in the “Haunted Souvenir Shop” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, December 2012

Inheriting her great-uncle Louis’s bayside souvenir shop should have been a breeze for Glory. Instead it’s been one headache after another—with a lot of them generated by Bluebeard, a parrot with a mouth like a sailor and a personality a lot like her late great-uncle. But Glory’s troubles pale in comparison to those of her best friend Karen, whose ex may still have the personalized key chain to her heart, but whose brother-in-law is about to get locked up.  A diver has been found with a gaff hook in his chest, and Karen turns to Glory to help get her brother-in-law off the hook for his murder. But casting the net for the real killer won’t be easy. Glory and Bluebeard are about to find out that the secrets in Keyhole Bay run deeper than anyone ever imagined.

This was an enjoyable read that kept me turning the pages and the more I read, the more I had to know what happens next. The mystery was good and every time I thought I had it figured out, the author changed the direction which made me hastened my desire to solve this puzzling case. The interactions that Glory has with her friends are great and I welcome the blossoming relationship between Glory and Jake. With a lovable cast of characters, good conversations and a great setting, this well-written book is a terrific read. Bonus recipes are included.

 

 

   Dru

dru’s book musing

 

 

Weather

Weather:

I hope this blog finds our east coast friends safe and well this morning. Here in Kansas the high is 50 today. The thing is how does anyone put away the previous seasons clothes because we are going through all the seasons all the time. This makes for bad closet space. Dresser drawers are overloaded. Two weeks ago I actually wore sandals one day and two days later I wore boots. It's crazy and in the past month we have broken records. The good news is it's made for some interesting days.

On a completely unrelated topic this week is Valentines Day. What was the best Valentine or Valentine's Present you ever received? I used to love Valentine's Day when I was in school and we exchanged Valentine's. I must confess to loving the heart shaped cookies more. To this day I would rather have a heart shaped cookie than candy. I admit I loved this little candy hearts with the sayings on them such as "Be Mine" LOL

Now days I am very easy to please with Valentine's Day I just love Valentine Socks...LOLOLOl to each his own right? My sister still likes the gushy stuff but for me I love socks....

Mostly I like cards and a good meal. This year we are going out on the Saturday after Valentine's Day with my sister and brother-inlaw to eat.

Okay off to look for a Valentine's mystery to read this week.

Hugs,

Pam who in my heart thinks this is a blood thirsty holiday.

 

 

Guest Blogger - Alice Duncan

Good grief, it’s February already! How do these things happen so fast? Well, I don’t suppose it matters.

 

Anyway, in January the narrator of PECOS VALLEY DIAMOND! It’ll be available sometime or other on Audible.com. I’ll be sure to let everyone know when the audiobook is available. Here’s the cover art, courtesy Melissa Alvarez at Book Covers Galore:

 

 

 

Jim Hull, an OLD friend of mine (actually, I’m older than he is, but who’s counting) is putting right along with the narration of SIERRA RANSOM. Here’s Melissa’s cover art for that one:

 

 

 

As for the narrator of my Daisy Gumm Majesty books, I haven’t heard a word. However, the narrator of my Mercy Allcutt books is forging ahead with LOST AMONG THE ANGELS. I don’t have cover art for that one yet. Cover art costs money, y’know?

 

As for the rest of the month, it wasn’t exactly tippy-top, mainly because two friends from my old folk-dance days died, which is very sad. I don’t like it when friends die.

 

As for the rest of life, not much has gone on. A childhood friend of mine, Dr. Mary Ray Cate, visited for a couple of days, and that was fun. The two of us go WAY back. She’s leaving to go back home in Santa Fe on Friday, February 2. And I’ll be stuck here in Roswell. Sigh.

 

Anyhow, I’m going to be giving away copies of FALLEN ANGELS at the end of February. So if you’d like to enter and perhaps win a copy (it won the New Mexico-Arizona Book of the Year Award for Mystery/Suspense, don’tcha know), just send me your name and home address at alice@aliceduncan.net and I’ll throw your name into the special contest doggie dish. And if you’d like to read the first chapters of any of my books, check ‘em out on my web site: www.aliceduncan.net

 

Thanks!

Review: Double Shot by Cindy Blackburn

Double Shot by Cindy Blackburn is the second book in the “Cue Ball” mystery series. October 2012

Jessie Hewitt thought her pool-hustling days were long gone. But when uber-hunky cop Wilson Rye asks her to go undercover to catch a killer, she jumps at the chance to return to a sleazy poolroom. Jessie is confident she can handle a double homicide, but the doubly-annoying Wilson Rye is another matter altogether. What’s he doing flirting with a woman half his age? Will Jessie have what it takes to deal with Tiffany La-Dee-Doo-Da Sass and solve the murders? Take a guess.

I had a blast reading this delightful story. Jessie and her friends are helping the police by going undercover at a local pool hall. The antics this quirky cast of characters gets into are hilarious and I enjoyed every minute of it. The appearance by her mother had me cracking up and I hope we get to see more of her. This was a terrific read and I can’t wait to start the third book in this exciting series.

 

 

   Dru

dru’s book musing