Tag: mystery

Avoiding painful truths.

Book Review for “Pardonable Lies” (Maisie Dobbs #3) by Jacqueline Winspear. Summary: "A deathbed plea from his wife leads Sir Cecil Lawton to seek the aid of Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and investigator. As Maisie soon learns, Agnes Lawton never accepted that her aviator son was killed in the Great War, a torment that led her … Continue reading Avoiding painful truths. →

Cannabis Confections.

Book Review for “A Half-Baked Murder” by Emily George. Summary: "Formally trained pastry chef Chloe Barnes is opening a cannabis bakery. That’s not at all what the twenty-eight-year-old envisioned while living the dream in Paris with a hot fiancé and a Michelin star restaurant gig around the corner. But the rising “it girl” of choux … Continue reading Cannabis Confections. →

Sweetgrass Mystery.

Book Review for “By the Rivers of Babylon” by Mary Glickman. Summary: "Joe and Abigail Becker, a Jewish couple from Boston, have inherited a house on Sweetgrass Island in South Carolina's Lowcountry. Though they feel like fish out of water, the couple is excited to give the South a try--and maybe even find it a … Continue reading Sweetgrass Mystery. →

TCL’s #DNF Friday – 2022 Recap.

The Chocolate Lady's Worst Books of 2022! It wasn't that long ago that I shied away from quitting a book. But I'm getting older, and since I retired, I refuse to deprive myself. That means I will no longer suffer through a book I'm not enjoying. I should have done this sooner, I know. In … Continue reading TCL’s #DNF Friday – 2022 Recap. →

Deadly Darts! TCL’s #DeanStreetDecember #1.

Book Review for “The Sharp Quillet (Anthony Bathurst #33)” by Brian Flynn. Summary: "The Bar Point-to-Point meeting at Quiddington St Philip is always an auspicious occasion. This year, Justice Nicholas Flagon is the favourite to win-there's big money on him, and a fair bit against him as well. But who will scoop the jackpot when … Continue reading Deadly Darts! TCL’s #DeanStreetDecember #1. →

Gently Rambling Mystery.

Book Review for “A Dangerous Business” by Jane Smiley. Summary: "Monterey, 1851. Ever since her husband was killed in a bar fight, Eliza Ripple has been working in a brothel. It seems like a better life, at least at first. The madam, Mrs. Parks, is kind, the men are (relatively) well behaved, and Eliza has … Continue reading Gently Rambling Mystery. →

TCL’s #DNF Friday #13 – Killer Angst.

Why I can't write a Book Review for “Murder in the City of Liberty” by Rachel McMillan. Summary: "Hamish DeLuca and Regina “Reggie” Van Buren have a new case—and this one could demand a price they’re not willing to pay. Determined to make a life for herself, Reggie Van Buren bid goodbye to fine china … Continue reading TCL’s #DNF Friday #13 – Killer Angst. →

Naked Death.

Book Review for “The Spanish Cape Mystery” by Ellery Queen (#9). Summary: "The Godfrey family is vacationing among the picturesque rocky cliffs of the North Atlantic seaboard, expecting peace, quiet, and, perhaps, a bit of golf or tennis. But one dusky evening in an isolated spot on the grounds of Spanish Cape, Rosa and her … Continue reading Naked Death. →

TCL’s #DNF Friday #12 – The Con with No Pros.

Why I can't write a Book Review for “The Patron Saint of Second Chances” by Christine Simon. Summary: Vacuum repairman and self-appointed mayor of Prometto, Italy (population 212) Signor Speranza has a problem. He needs 70,000 euros to fix the village pipes, or the water commission will shut off the water, and residents will disperse. … Continue reading TCL’s #DNF Friday #12 – The Con with No Pros. →

Charming, Mysterious Romance.

Book Review for “To Capture His Heart” by Nancy Campbell Allen. Summary: "Eva Caldwell is an accomplished and well-known photographer who often works with the local constabulary to assist in documenting crime scenes, which means she also often works alongside the handsome and charming detective, Nathan Winston. She appreciates his intellect and how he treats … Continue reading Charming, Mysterious Romance. →