Installment Immortality / Seanan McGuire

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Book 7 of the 2025 Read Your Hoard Challenge

The previous book in this series ended on a very sad note and I felt a bit of trepidation about this one. Sure enough, the Price-Healy family are still mourning their losses, but they are heartened when the family's caretaker ghost, Mary Dunlevy, returns to the fold. Mary was blown to smithereens during the Price family's bombing of the Covenant’s HQ and has just recently been reconstituted by the Anima mundi. At first, Mary thinks that she may be free to care for her family without restrictions, but the Anima mundi has other ideas.

Somehow, the Covenant figured out that a ghost was part of the bombing destruction and they can carry grudges like nobody's business. They have arrived in New England, where they are capturing unsuspecting ghosts and tormenting them. Mary is instructed to stop them. Being a caretaker ghost, Mary is leaning in that direction already, but it seems like larger matters may be involved.

McGuire teaches us more about the ghostly existence that she has invented and throws in a couple of new cryptids as a bonus. Elsie and Arthur accompany Mary on this mission, perhaps finding some comfort in the process.

A short story about Verity Price-de Luca at the end of the volume is a poignant reminder of her losses. Will she be able to contain her grief enough to care for the immanent new baby? Will her older child, Olivia, be able to rejoin her mother? There's nothing like a deadly critter crisis to put life into perspective!

I get the impression that McGuire is winding this series down. Although there will always be work for the family, it seems that the Covenant isn't the big threat that it used to be. If an ending is in the offing, I will greatly miss the Aeslin mice. HAIL!

Beast of the North Woods / Annelise Ryan

 

4 out of 5 stars 

No offense to Wisconsinites, but I had never heard of their beloved monster, the Hodag, until 2021 when I read Ilona Andrews' book Blood Heir. And I thought the Andrews just made it up, so I was stunned when the Hodag became a factor in this mystery’s early pages.

Once I got over that little revelation, I was ready to proceed. Morgan, the cryptozoologist main character, gets dragged into a murder investigation by a valued employee. Rita's nephew is accused of brutally murdering a rival and then claiming that a Hodag did it. Rita and her brother hope that Morgan can find out if there's any truth in the tale. It quickly becomes apparent that there's more going on than just one man's death and Morgan finds herself in the crosshairs of several dangerous people.

The tension is good, the pacing works well, and the ending, while it felt a little unrealistic, was supported by information the author provides in an afterword. So far, I have enjoyed each book in this series and I really hope that Ms. Ryan continues to write them.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye / John Scalzi

 

4 out of 5 stars 

John Scalzi is fond of writing an absurd situation and then examining how the people around it act and react. Whether it Kaiju monsters, talking cats, or rejuvenating senior citizens to create an army with life experience, he likes to write how he thinks we would react, with a bonus of how he would prefer us to react. So, in this outing, the Moon is suddenly transmogrified from rock to cheese.

Scalzi is completely uninterested in the reasons for or process of this change. What he wants to talk about is the dialogue between scientists, politicians, and the public about the situation. In these days of massive amounts of information, disinformation, and misinformation, I am not surprised that someone like Mr. Scalzi would want to write this. And he makes it as ridiculous and therefore fun for himself as possible. This is his commentary on the current relationship between North Americans and the field of Science, complete with reputable scientists, skeptics and conspiracists.

The character of Jody Bannon is a rather transparent version of Elon Musk (despite the character thumbing his nose at Elon and Jeff) . He is both incredibly smart and remarkably stupid. He is an obnoxious, empathy free, smart phone hurling, tantrum throwing man-child. But there are a lot of other characters to compare him to. Among them a pastor experiencing a crisis of faith. An academic whose popular science book is unexpectedly on point. A musician with a terminal illness. Two brothers who have been feuding over something that no longer matters. Three retired men who meet everyday at a local diner. And many more. It reminded me a bit of books like World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, where we get to look at a world issue from a plethora of viewpoints.

The big question is what would you do if you knew you had a limited time to live? What would you do? What would you quit doing? Who would you spend your remaining time with? [The little question: is Scalzi okay? No terminal conditions, I hope. He just sounds like he's put a lot of thought into the matter.] I have to say that I would try to speed up my reading! I might even eat a few more chips and drink all the coffee that I wanted. I'd likely quit doing housework too. Why not?

My Roommate is a Vampire / Jenna Levine

 

G

2.7 out of 5 stars 

Apparently adding a supernatural aspect to a romance is what is required to make it palatable to me. Had this been a roommate romance between two regular humans, I am pretty sure I would never have finished it. Mind you, it was just barely into my interesting range. It could have used a bit of mystery, some higher stakes, or something to make it more engaging.

Cassie and Frederick make up their minds about their relationship very fast and face very few obstacles. Sure, Freddie has been in a coma for a century and has no idea how to behave in 21st century society, but that is what he has originally recruited Cassie for—roommate as life coach. They have to build a bit of trust, which isn't helped when Frederick’s frenemy Reginald decides it's time for Cassie to know what her roomie really is. She is scared and panics, but that doesn't last long.

Their misunderstandings are pretty mild. Even the final showdown is over far too easily and quickly. It seems to me that the main characters should have to work a little harder for their HEA. On the other hand, I was glad to see Cassie getting on with a job interview and taking care of herself while navigating Frederick's disappearance. I hate when female characters just abandon their own dreams and goals because they have acquired a romantic partner. We need to have lives and ambitions of our own, am I right?

Originally, I decided to read this as a prelude to the second book of the series, but I am now waffling about whether I'll read any further. Never say never, but I think there may be plenty of other novels that would be more fun.

Lethal Bayou Beauty / Jana DeLeon

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Just as much fun as the first book. I am always delighted to discover a funny series where I get the humour. It's hit or miss for me. But I am going to delay a good while before tackling book 3, as I think it would be awfully easy to overdose on it.

Fortune, our CIA agent in hiding, just can't stay out of trouble. Part of the problem is her choice of friends. Ida Belle and Gertie are very bad influences as well as fabulous accomplices. Fortune, who previously had been happy with guns, explosives, and testing both of those with her co-workers, is discovering there is more to life.

DeLeon plays Fortune's ignorance of regular life for all it's worth. It leads her to make hilarious mistakes which are then amplified as Ida Belle and Gertie attempt to “help" her. Everything those two are involved in gets turned to slapstick, which tickles my funny bone. Honestly, where has this version of me come from? How is it that I'm actually enjoying something this silly?

So, I'm taking a break from the series to hopefully keep it fresh for me as a reader, but I'll be revisiting Sinful, Louisiana again. Soon, I hope.

A Caribbean Mystery / Agatha Christie

 

3.5 out of 5 stars 

I always like a Jane Marple novel. Christie enjoyed travel, so she sends Miss M to a Caribbean destination for a break from the English winter. This gives the author the excuse to write about a new place, but the English people at the resort behave just like they did at home—drinks, dinner, dancing, time at the beach. Oh, and murder.

There are several memorable characters. Major Palgrave is a stock character, familiar to Christie readers, the old codger who spent time in the far flung empire doing colonial things and blabbers on about it whenever he gets an opportunity. These guys appear in so many of Christie's novels that she must have found them entertaining. Major Palgrave does us the favour of boring everyone with Important Information that will be necessary for Miss M to figure out what's going on.

Then there's Mr. Rafiel, the crotchety semi-invalid, who is old enough, rich enough, and disabled enough that people let him get away with all sorts of rudeness. Christie has created a number of this sort of character too. He gets the honour of being Miss M's sounding board, seeing as she is removed from her usual environment, where folks know her reputation. As she bluntly tells him, investigators here will only listen to a rich man, not an older lady.

We also get a little reminiscence on Jane's part about a young man she was tentatively interested in, until she got to know him and realized how deathly dull he was. A fortunate escape, as a woman with her skills shouldn't be tethered to an unintelligent spouse.

Not among the best Marple novels. She sparkles best when in her natural habitat of St. Mary Mead.

The Secret, Book & Scone Society / Ellery Adams

 

2.5 out of 5 stars 

A choice of my RL book club which I'll be discussing with them next week. Actually I'll try to keep my big mouth shut, since it isn't the best nor the worst cozy mystery that I've read, but it did have some of what I consider to be some of the more objectionable tropes of this sub-genre.

If I was judging by cozies, I'd believe that law enforcement is either corrupt or inept in the majority of small communities. Perhaps I'm deluded, but I think most law enforcement officers are good people doing the best job they can.

I also roll my eyes when the women (they are almost always women) do silly things like breaking and entering or elaborate spying. This group of amateur investigators does both of these things. I don't find this realistic which drives me nuts. I’ll only grant an exception to comic cozies like the Miss Fortune series by Jana Deleon, where she writes it as slapstick.

Finally, I found the ending OTT melodramatic. I don't want to spoil things and I can see where it probably seemed like a neat way to wrap things up. Not to say that I don't think that crime happens in small towns because I know it does. However the situation in this novel seemed over elaborate to me.

There were good things I liked about this book too. I appreciated that four friends who banded together. I liked their assortment of talents and careers. I loved Nora's bookstore and her bibliotherapy for her customers. It meshed nicely with Hester's comfort scones produced in her bakery. We gradually learn that all of the women have big secrets and they have kept others at arm's length for a long time. All the elements of the title explained. (I may as well confess that the title made me itchy until I figured out the comma placement was accurate.)

So not the best, not the worst. Although the final pages set up the next book handily (and 2 of the 4 women haven't been matched up with a romantic interest yet) I rather doubt that I'll continue on. But at least I'll know what everyone at book club is talking about while I struggle to keep my opinions to myself.

The Queen's Bargain / Anne Bishop

 

3 out of 5 stars 

Book number 532 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

If you have read this far in this series, you know exactly what to expect. Lucivar will bellow a lot and threaten on a regular basis. Daemon Sadi will scare everyone around him frequently. Lucivar's wife Marian will experience physical weakness. Daemon's wife Surreal will want to stab somebody. There will be sexual shenanigans by a younger member of the clan that the adults will have to sort out. Someone will be drinking blood, others will be chugging brandy. (Although not a single brandy snifter was thrown or shattered in this volume. Very disappointing.)

This time around, Lucivar and Marian's ward, Jillian, is the young woman in difficulty. Being an Eyrien, one of the winged race, she matures very slowly, but she is just starting to blossom into womanhood and starting to feel confined by her small community. Ripe for trouble, when another youngster, Dillon, shows up and thinks she is fair game. He has been betrayed and hounded from one community to the next and has become a deft manipulator of young women. He doesn't realize what he has let himself in for!

These books are like cotton candy, light and fluffy, of no nutritional value. However they are fun and quick to read. Once I pick one up, I have a hard time setting it down.

A New Lease on Death / Olivia Blacke

 

3.75 out of 5 stars 

How do you make friends with a ghost? Ruby has moved into a crappy Boston apartment previously rented by a dead woman, Cordelia, who presumably committed suicide. Ruby is still using Cordelia's furniture and kitchen paraphernalia. A spectral Cordelia has watched Ruby kill her plants and donate her clothes.

Cordelia has only seen one other ghost: her across the hall neighbour, Jake, who promptly says, “I don't believe in ghosts" and disappears. She has spent time figuring out what she can and can't do. What else has she got to do with her time?

Ruby is a believer and is sure that Cordelia is still sharing the apartment. Now if they can only connect somehow. Cordelia wants to figure out who killed Jake while protecting Ruby. Despite this, Ruby gets interested in solving the crime too. Their difficulty communicating provides some humour--there's only so much you can do with magnetic fridge poetry.

Frankly, the mystery is less interesting than the budding friendship between the two women. We learn more about them as the book progresses, probably a little more about Cordelia. However, it's obvious that Cordy still has secrets that Ruby hasn't sniffed out yet. I expect that the next book will fill in some blanks in Ruby's life too. Just who is Jerkface, the cheating boyfriend that she moved to Boston to get away from? Can she stand to stay away from her family?

I'll willingly read the next volume. This was warm, fuzzy, and cozy.

The Adversary / Julian May

 

3 out of 5 stars 

2025 Re-Read

It's been 10 years since I last read this novel, but I have to agree with my original review: this is my least favourite volume of the Pliocene Exile series. It does set me up nicely to progress to May's Galactic Milieu books, which I hope to read during May to July, one per month.

I used to have a fabulous memory, but that ability is long gone. There were very few details that had stuck with me over the last decade. The Pliocene Earth doesn't get much of a chance to dazzle here. It is merely a setting for a largely mental battle. All the humans who came through the time gate are exiles, but Marc Remillard is, as usual, a special case. Having led a rebellion in the Galactic Milieu, he commandeered the time gate and escaped to the past. Everyone else has gone through channels and screening. His mental abilities set him apart, in both positive and negative ways. This time around, I found him more intriguing—perhaps because I know that I'll be seeing him again next month.

Book 5 of my 2025 Read My Hoard Project. This series has earned my favour and will stay in my collection.

Clever Girl: Jurassic Park / Hannah McGregor

 

R

4.5 out of 5 stars 

A sharp and insightful critique of the movie Jurassic Park through a queer feminist lens. Obviously, JP is a fantasy—we have no way to clone dinosaurs. But the bigger fantasy is that people can control nature. You can see it in our economic system, which requires ever expanding growth on a planet of finite resources. Also in the reluctance to acknowledge the need to change course in order to slow climate change and the mistaken faith that humanity can somehow remedy the climate problem through technology.

I personally believe this cockeyed belief in human supremacy comes from having so many people living exclusively in cities now, whose only contact with animals is pets or the plastic-wrapped portions on sale in the grocery store. We have forgotten that we are part of nature/this world. One good natural disaster can remind us of our lowly place with the rest of the animals, in need of food, water, and shelter. It's hard to feel like masters of the universe under those conditions. The poorest members of our society could be the wisest: they know exactly how little control they have in life.

McGregor points out something that I had forgotten, that all the dinosaurs in the original movie are female, an attempt to prevent them from reproducing uncontrolled. The hubris of men who consider their input necessary? The state of the art technology isn't enough to keep these wild animals contained, as the Park creators have also underestimated the intelligence and persistence of these female creatures (just as women are currently underestimated in our society).

I had never considered the colonial overtones of the movie before. The island is taken over with no regard for its natural ecosystem and new organisms conjured from the lab and deep time are imposed on it. Problems in this “paradise“ are revealed with the sick triceratops, which has eaten a plant that its system can't cope with.

Well worth a read, as it is well written, entertaining, and bite-size. Just imagine your self as a T. rex and happily devour it!

Unleashed / Emily Kimelman

 

3.7 out of 5 stars 

What inspired me to pick up this book? Believe it or not, it was the author's video on Facebook. She described her books as “feminist action fiction" where “a woman and her dog fuck shit up.” Plus, she gave a political rant that impressed me with her unbridled anger. Female rage is something I get.

Now, I am not usually a thriller reader because I mostly find them to be ridiculous male fantasy, imagining themselves as the badass main character. But what, I thought to myself, if the main character was a woman badass? Would I like that? Turns out I do like it. Joy Humboldt is exactly what you need in a thriller—impulsive, stupidly brave, confident in her ability to do what needs to be done, sexually adventurous. This book is her origin story, as she starts by taking on a new dog walking business. Then her clients start turning up dead and Joy is understandably interested in who killed them and why. One thing leads to another and Joy decides that she will get to the bottom of things and seek her own kind of justice.

The plot is action packed and highly unlikely, but it was fun. It was fun to watch a woman beating the bad guys at their own game, wreaking her revenge and getting away with it. Not until the very last pages does she assume her new identity, Sydney Rye, to return to the Big Apple as a private investigator. I can hardly wait to read the next book!

A Death in Diamonds / S.J. Bennett

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Four books in and I'm still enamoured with this series. I love how Bennett treats her main character, Queen Elizabeth II. I think when we only see someone on the news or in the fan press, it's easy to forget that they are human beings just like you and me. We saw the professional Queen but didn't get to peek behind that armor to acknowledge her doubts about her role, her insecurities concerning her appearance, or her desire to believe that her husband is hers alone.

Bennett gives us a monarch who is trying to find her way, revise her role. She is surrounded by her father's courtiers, the “men with mustaches,” who frustrate her with their assumptions that they always know better and that she's not strong enough to deal with unpleasant realities. She is learning how to get stern with them, make sure she gets the information she wants, and make sure they know who's boss. It was a struggle that many women identify with—being dismissed and underestimated by the men around them. The Queen does what so many of us do: she finds herself a female ally in Joan McGraw and the two of them deftly stick handle around the mustaches.

I love how Bennett also addresses the juicy rumours that everyone has heard. The herd of snappish corgis. The predilection of Prince Philip for tall blondes. The toughness of Princess Anne. The sensitivity of the young Prince Charles. She weaves it all into her novel convincingly but also interprets the facts to give a slightly different picture than the popular press did. She sees them as real people with strengths and weaknesses that are understandable, not as actors in a Royal soap opera.

Going back in time to write about a young Queen was an inspired impulse. The first three books alluded to her previous investigation experience and Bennett can supply us with those details now. I am already anticipating book 5.

Kills Well With Others / Deanna Raybourn

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are supposed to be retired assassins, but they are once again in someone's crosshairs and realizing that assassination is a difficult career to retire from. They are in their sixties and, although older and wiser, have physical limitations that make the gig harder. So they are understandably cranky and a bit snappish with each other. However, they are still a team, they know each other well, and are capable of quick and inspired planning.

Most of my pleasure in reading this novel was based on Raybourn's authorial voice. She lets us oldies sympathize with the women's aches, pains, reluctance and reservations while also smiling at our recognition of our identification with those same things. No matter what you are retired from, when forced back into the traces, we balk like old horses when they see a cart. She references recent pop culture just enough (Would Marie Kondo approve? Does this murder spark joy?)

I find it interesting how many books I've run across recently that feature female assassins. My library delivered both this book and Louisiana Longshot within a very short time and I purchased Katya Noskov's Last Shot by a local author too, not so long ago. It feels like a safe way to channel some of the anger that modern life kindles in my soul.

Louisiana Longshot / Jana DeLeon

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Well, that was Fun with a capital F. Not the slightest bit serious, but written straight as a ruler. Fortune Redding is a CIA sniper on the run from a vindictive arms dealer. Her boss decides to stash her in a small town in Louisiana in the place of his niece, who is supposed to be cleaning out a deceased aunt's house. Fortune is nothing like Sandy Sue, but she has little choice in the matter. Sandy Sue has been a beauty contest participant, a model, and an actress. Fortune has a talent for wrecking high heels, couldn't care less about fashion, and displays eye-hand coordination unusual in a Southern belle.

Jana DeLeon knows a thing or two about life in Louisiana and in a very small town. This is because she grew up under those exact conditions, making her my kind of expert. Like Charlaine Harris, she keeps the town feeling real. They both know the truth—that strange and wonderful things can lurk beneath a sleepy small town appearance.

I loved the town's name: Sinful. DeLeon named it deliberately and uses it to her advantage humorously. She keeps the smiles coming relentlessly. Her sense of humour meshes with mine nicely. As I indicated above, she treats the ridiculous perfectly seriously, making it even funnier. I love the older ladies who team up with Fortune, imparting their wisdom while roping her into their shenanigans. They'll make you want to cheer for Woman Power. If I'm disappointed in anything, it's that the author may be setting up a romance for Fortune. Nothing good can come from that!

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime / Vicki Delany

 

4 out of 5 stars 

I cannot believe that I have just completed the tenth book in this series. I wondered after the ninth book, where it seemed that Delany had reverted to writing Gemma Doyle as an unbearable know-it-all. This time out, she does notice more than other people, but she isn't so obnoxious about it. I much prefer non-obnoxious Gemma.

Once again, Gemma and her posse are in London, this time for her sister Pippa's wedding. Gemma's luggage doesn't join her and she must shop before the event while everyone else gets their beauty sleep. As a result, Gemma leaves the reception early and runs into her ex-husband who appears to be waiting for her to appear. She eventually agrees to meet him the following day to discuss a book, but when she shows up at his bookshop, he is found dead in his office.

Of course Gemma is unable to simply let things be. She wants to know why Paul was killed, especially since he was obviously down on his luck. Things escalate (as usual) and once again we get to observe the sibling rivalry between Gemma and Pippa. There is also a very satisfying bar room brawl. I was completely diverted by those pleasures, and failed to figure things out. Not that I mind. It far better than being bored.

The Lies That Bind / Kate Carlisle

 

4 out of 5 stars 

I find this series absolutely delightful. There's enough mystery and action to balance the romance aspect. I'm a firm believer in slow burn romance, and Carlisle has managed to keep Brooklyn and Derek in the unsure romance dance for three books. Well done!

At an early stage in the book, I was shocked, thinking that the author had killed off Brooklyn's nemesis, Minka LaBoef. What would we do without her malign influence? Thankfully she was merely injured and horrified to realize that Brooklyn rescued her. She lives to torment our bookbinder again. Carlisle also excels at producing murder victims who seem to deserve their fates. Layla Fontaine is an obnoxious bully who gets what she wants with money, so I was unsurprised when Brooklyn discovered her body. Carlisle makes a bit of a joke about Brooklyn's talent for tripping over corpses, but even though it's highly unlikely, it fit with the other facets of the plot.

As usual, Brooklyn's family and Guru Bob fill meaningful roles in the story. I love how Guru Bob seems to know everything and to have been everywhere. His sponsorship of the mysterious Gabriel is also intriguing.

Looking forward to the next book!

The Reaping / Jess Lourey

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Steinbeck and Reed are two very damaged people who try very hard to protect others from similar fates. The first book of this series focused on Van Reed. In this volume it was Harry Steinbeck’s turn. They return to Harry's childhood home, Duluth, where he desperately hopes to avoid his mother. But Minnesota runs like a small town and gossip puts the kibosh on that desire.

There has been a murder which has disturbing echoes of an old cold case. Harry is the forensic guy and Van is the cold case investigator. Both crimes took place in a small town which was settled by Finnish families. By the look of the inhabitants, there hasn't been nearly enough out-crossing and the whole town's vibe is weird. It doesn't help that their only employer is a geriatric facility for serial killers, pretty creepy in it's own right.

Harry has spent years carrying a heavy load of guilt for the disappearance of his sister. The night she was taken, he was home from college and more focused on his old girlfriend than on listening to Caroline. If only he could remember what she said about the man who'd been following her, he might be able to find out what happened. Between the two cases and dealing with his difficult mother, Harry finds some equilibrium.

Judging by the final epilogue, which is told from Van's point of view, the next book will likely centre on her again, and the commune where she grew up. I can hardly wait—her prophetic dreams played only a small part in this novel, but are the major reason that I enjoy this series so much.

The Naturalist Society / Carrie Vaughn

 

4.5 out of 5 stars 

Most scientists seem to believe that taxonomy is one of the less thrilling fields of study. I was entranced with it when I first encountered it in Grade 7. If I had seen any way to turn it into a career, I might have tried harder to stay in the sciences in university. Carrie Vaughn has invented a way to make taxonomy a far more useful practice. The Arcanists in her world can harness the characteristics of the species that they know to change their environments. For example, channeling coolness by connecting with the Snowy Owl.

Beth Stanley was courted by and married to a man who appreciated her bird expertise and her Arcane ability. Of course, in this formal society, it is believed that women are incapable of either scientific interest or arcane talents. Harry Stanley has neither talent, but he covers for his wife, publishing her work under his name. They are a team until his unexpected death. Then Beth is stymied by the Old Boys Club, which can't be bothered to listen to a mere woman. This made me think of Mary Anning who mentored so many male paleontologists, Rosalind Franklin's work on DNA or Margaret Hamilton at NASA who was responsible for the Apollo program software. None of them were properly acknowledged for their expertise.

Beth feels intolerably hemmed in by propriety and her family's expectations. They don't want her to go birding, to travel on her own, to do the things that bring her joy. They are pressuring her to marry again. Some men from her husband's naturalist society have also figured out her secrets and want to take advantage of her by marriage. Well, except for one of her husband's best friends and his partner, who start out wanting her “husband's“ research, but become Beth's supportive friends .

If the suppression of women in historical times makes you irrationally angry, you may want to skip this book, because Beth experiences a lot of mistreatment. But if you are open to an unconventional and beautiful love triangle, this book may be just your thing. I loved that Beth rescues herself several times and claims her own happiness.

Three Bags Full / Leonie Swann

 

4 out of 5 stars 

”You won't be able to herd anyone until you can herd yourself.”

Equal parts philosophy, religion and self-help, this is the tale of George's flock of sheep investigating George's death. Yes, the sheep can talk, but only to other sheep. They still behave like proper sheep: grazing, being nervous of the sheepdog, nibbling a geranium or trying to swipe food foolishly ignored by a human. They have more brain power than humans credit them with, but they can be easily distracted. Miss Maple (what a great name) is reputed to be the best at reasoning, Mopple the Whale is the memory sheep, Zora knows about the Abyss, and Othello was in the circus at one point, so understands humans better than the others.

The sheep must move from things they know for sure (sheep become clouds after death, humans are rather dim, goats are crazy) to figure out what is going on in the human village. They have skewed ideas of what motivates people and a well founded fear of Ham, the butcher. Many of their interpretations are charmingly off kilter.

By the end, the sheep and the reader all know what went on, but the sheep can scarcely believe it. These ovine philosophers think that humans are very odd.

An Easy Death / Charlaine Harris

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Some time ago, I first tried this book in print but didn't make it past the first chapter. However I have a good history with Harris' books, so I decided to give the audio version a try. That proved to be an inspired idea. I was quickly absorbed into the story.

Harris uses the American mythology of the Wild West in this alternative timeline story. Instead of the usual “Manifest Destiny,“ this is a USA that has been torn apart by historical events. Our protagonist, Lizbeth Rose, hails from Texoma and makes her living guarding people who are traveling between the various new states, preventing robbery, rape, murder and kidnapping as best she can. Harris provides some interesting twists on the iconic gunslinger of the Old West. For one, our fearsome gunnie is a woman. Lizbeth is taciturn, as all good Western heroes are, and she has professional standards, but she is understandably money motivated. After all, a girl's gotta eat and buy ammo. The book opens with Lizbeth's crew getting killed, leaving her to become the lone gun(wo)man of legend.

In 2025, the significance of a California that is ruled by the Russian royal family, who escaped the Russian Revolution, gains an odd flavour. Lizbeth is hired by two Gregoris, wizards from that kingdom, on assignment to find a man whose bloodline is important to the survival of their Tsar. It becomes obvious that not everyone in the kingdom share their aims and Gunnie Rose has her hands full. Especially since her two charges are overly confident in their magical abilities but forget that people skills are necessary too. Lizbeth gets some satisfaction out of being proven right on a number of occasions. I would too.

Harris works her usual magic, creating unique and interesting characters, some with murky motivations. Even Lizbeth, who prides herself on her directness, isn't always honest with herself about her own reasoning. I also found her reworking of the historical context to be fascinating and I enjoyed exploring this alternate reality. Being Charlaine Harris, I suspected there'd be a paranormal angle, so the magic of the Gregoris fulfilled my expectations. Lizbeth reminded me strongly of Harris' Sookie Stackhouse character in that she is a mortal woman with a rare talent who ends up working with a man who is stronger in magic, but who benefits from her analytical skill and knowledge of human behaviour. Elie is very much the Eric to Lizbeth's Sookie. Both Lizbeth and Sookie end up performing a lot of the social and emotional work for the men folk in their ventures.

While I may have had some difficulty getting into this first Gunnie Rose book, I am excited to continue with the series. The ending of this novel leaves things wide open for further adventures in Texoma.

Box of Secrets / Susan Jane Wright

 

2 out of 5 stars 

I did not choose this book—it was picked by my RL book club as our March selection. It is a legal mystery/thriller which is a genre which I studiously avoid. In the interest of group discussion, I gave it the old college try, but facing it each day was destroying my joy in reading. I compromised: I read the first 30% and the last few chapters. My rating reflects my personal bias. Your mileage may vary.

I wanted to like this book. The author is local and she used many details of our city into her unnamed city setting. She herself was a lawyer here, hence her choice of topics. My youngest sister was a legal assistant for a number of years and she loves legal mysteries. Me, not so much. I find them boring. Wright adds in a political campaign that her main character volunteers for. Also something that I care nothing about. Too many arrogant men with too much money and too little empathy. When Evie goes to a gala and her newest client introduces his wife Marianne, it becomes obvious that she finds her husband and his business as absolutely boring as I did. Marianne was my spirit animal in this novel.

I know I skipped a lot of the story, but if I'm interpreting things correctly, Wright includes a strong feminist theme, regarding powerful men taking women for granted. For example the hyper organized women who run political campaigns on a volunteer basis or the supportive wives who run households without input from their husbands, providing him more time to pursue power. When I was working full time, I often said I didn't need a husband but I could sure use a wife.

I will be interested to see what my book clubbers think of this. We always have a wide variety of opinions, so I'm sure it will have at least one champion. I hope it does, but it will not be me.

The Clocks / Agatha Christie

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Agatha Christie was in her early 70s when she wrote this novel and it may not be one of her best mysteries, but it was still quite enjoyable. She manages to give us both Hercule Poirot as co-investigator and Ariadne Oliver as an off screen presence, slipping in two known quantities. I enjoyed Poirot's review of detective literature. She also gives us Colin Lamb, who we are given to believe is a covert agent of some flavour, giving her the chance to play with a bit of a spy story in addition to the mystery. Having her cake and eating it too.

Having guessed the solution to the last Christie that I read, I approached this book with unaccustomed confidence. I should have known better! I got things one third right. I partly figured out what was up with Miss Pebmarsh, but I allowed my delight with that to distract me from other issues. As I was probably meant to, I suspect.

I continue to marvel at the economy of Christie's writing. She packs so much into so few pages. A short description distinguishes each character. Like her creation Jane Marple, she reveals her knowledge of people. Her characters are recognizable folk, many of whom I have met (with different names, of course). In those same pages, she manages three intertwined plotlines and wraps them up in the final paragraphs. Still the Queen of Crime.

Servant of Earth / Sarah Hawley

 

3.65 out of 5 stars 

I can't seem to resist these Fae romantasies, but I may need to take a break from them for a while, as I'm getting somewhat bored with them. The formula seems to involve taking an angry young woman who is down on her luck and thrusting her into a complicated Fae environment (which is, of course, filled with wildly attractive Fae men).

I've always been a bit skeptical about the allure of an inexperienced young human woman to a being who is hundreds of years old. This author provides me with the best explanation yet when Prince Drustan tells Kenna that she reminds him of what it was like to be young. Mind you, I would never choose to be younger than forty ever again—I would never willingly go back to the ignorance of my youth. Your mileage may vary.

And that reminds me of my other problem with this genre—why do the young women always fall for Fae royalty? It reminds me of all those past-life regressions where everyone seems to have been ancient royalty of some kind, never a merchant, a farmer, or an artisan. Yet I know why the authors use this trope. If you want a compelling story, your protagonist must hitch her wagon to a mover and shaker in Fae society. Watching the action is much less engaging than participating. A field trip is always better than a lecture, yes?

Thankfully there is more to this narrative than Kenna's sex life. Prince Drustan may be hot, but he is also planning the revolution to take down the psychopathic King Osric. Kenna loathes the king, hates the restrictions on his subjects, and wants to free the human slaves. But can she trust her heart to a Prince who lies as smoothly as Drustan does?

If you enjoy this book, I would also recommend An Enchantment of Ravens, The Cruel Prince, Lore of the Wilds, The Wren in the Holly Library or (almost inevitably) A Court of Thorns and Roses.

The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side / Agatha Christie

 

4.35 out of 5 stars 

I could swear that I have never read this book before, but I knew immediately who the murderer was! Maybe there was a television version? I did watch Joan Hickson as Miss Marple back in the day. That's my only explanation for my conviction on this point.

Despite that I enjoyed the mystery. Like many of Christie's novels, it took a rhyme, this time Tennyson's poem The Lady of Shalott, and worked it into the novel just as she did with several nursery rhymes. Quite effectively too. It also allowed me the luxury of being able to observe Christie's careful structuring of the crime.

Of course I do adore Jane Marple, who seems to be Aunt Jane to ever so many detectives. Just like her characters Tommy and Tuppence, Christie allowed Miss Marple to age, with all the tribulation that entails. I had great sympathy for her, being saddled with the dense, controlling Miss Knight. I have a sister who seems to think that because one of my knees doesn't work so well that I can't take care of myself. Our last serious spat resulted from her trying to “help" without asking whether help was required or desired (it was not). I laughed out loud when Miss M declared to Inspector Craddock that she was tempted to murder the woman!

Book 4 of my 2025 Read Your Hoard challenge.