More mysteries ... cozy and cozier ...

Regular readers know that mystery stories are some of my favorite reads, a guilty pleasure, and a perfect escape over the holiday break.  Here’s a quick summary of a few titles …

My favorite in this group is MURDER IN RAT ALLEY by Mark de Castrique.  It is the Sam Blackman Mystery #7 and I have already commented on several others in this series. Once again, Sam and his partner, Nakayla Robertson, find themselves investigating a murder in the Asheville, North Carolina area.  This one occurred about seventy years ago and was successfully hidden for most of that time. Once the skeleton is discovered, though, danger increases, including for Sam and Nakayla. The story centers on government actions at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI), a former NASA installation. Sam speaks to former employees and pursues some erroneous theories, finally reflecting that “My grandmother always told me I had two ears and one mouth for a reason. I should listen twice as much as I speak.” I love the many twists and local flavor (numerous charming details like an Irish pub with Harp, Guinness, and Smithwick’s on tap) in this mystery series and look forward to more.  

THE BODY ON THE TRAIN by Frances Brody is another cozy mystery in the Kate Shackleton series, set in 1920’s England. Shackleton, a private investigator, is chosen to help Scotland Yard identify a body found in a rhubarb shipment from Yorkshire. Seems implausible, but labor problems and other strife add a serious concern and another death to the story.  Posing as an inquiring photographer, Shackleton visits a former school friend who is married to the local mine manager.  There, she investigates several happenings, allowing the story to deal with class conflict and potential national security concerns. For a puzzling mystery with compelling historical insight, choose this or another title in Brody’s entertaining series.

  

A LEGACY OF MURDER by Connie Berry is the second in the Kate Hamilton mystery series and is set in the present day at Finchley Hall, an Elizabethan House with extensive grounds and a history of murder associated with its treasure, called The Hoard. Hidden in the mid-1500s and missing until much later, these jewels and antique pieces are soon to be put on display. In fact, that is where Kate comes in because she is visiting her daughter who is an intern at Finchley Hall, and one of the other interns dies suddenly.  The circumstances mirror events from almost a quarter century ago when another display of The Hoard was planned. Kate steps in to complete the catalogue of materials as well as to assist in the investigation – not quite the way she expected to be spending time with Detective Inspector Thomas Mallory, a romantic interest from an earlier European trip. Another cozy mystery with likeable characters, historic references and some antiquing lore, too. There’s also some drama and angst associated with Kate’s daughter and her friends which will add to appeal for younger readers.

THE MAN THAT GOT AWAY is by Lynne Truss, perhaps best known for her non-fiction work Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. This new title is her second mystery featuring Constable Twitten and I was looking forward to it after having heard some enthusiastic comments from readers about the first, A Shot in the Dark. In fact, the Wall Street Journal called that initial effort “the funniest crime novel of 2018.” Perhaps I was not patient enough, but this mystery set in late 1950s Brighton, England did not have characters or humor that appealed to me. You may feel differently; Booklist suggests it for fans of Christopher Fowler’s Bryant and May mysteries.

THE BOOK OF CANDLELIGHT by Ellery Adams is another mystery story in a series that features four strong women (a bookshop owner and bibliotherapist, a baker, a salon owner, and a local spa employee) who formed the Secret, Book, and Scone Society and who rely on each other for support in the face of financial and personal problems.  They live in Miracle Springs, North Carolina and are active community members, stepping up to offer solace to Marie, whose husband Danny (a Cherokee potter) has drowned in questionable circumstances. I eagerly anticipated this newest installment, but found that THE BOOK OF CANDLELIGHT seemed to “drag” a bit in the middle, before offering perspective on the impact of prejudices, both past and present.  Like others in this series, there are plenty of references to reading and book titles and appeal for cozy fans so do look for Adams’ work, particularly if you prefer a less violent mystery set in a small town.

Best Books in 2019

Looking for book gift ideas? Something fun to read? A new topic to explore? Here is our annual compilation of some of the “Best of the Year” lists:

100 notable books of the year from The New York Times: There is also a top ten list on their site and links for children’s books and more. Once again, remember that you can access these and other articles from The New York Times by following directions on our ClassLinks page. If you set up your account a year ago, you may need to renew – see a librarian with any questions.

Best of 2019 from School Library Journal; be sure to read Randy Ribay’s Patron Saints of Nothing (also a Young Adult National Book Award nominee) which School Library Journal describes as follows: “Jay is Filipino, white, and firmly American. He never would have guessed he’d end up spending his time before college in the Philippines trying to uncover family secrets and understand family traditions—all while coming to terms with President Duterte’s war on drugs and the death of his own cousin. Ribay’s affecting novel reveals the many layers of biracial identity and how it can expand beyond the individual experience of having parents from two different places.” Our review is here.

Plus Publishers Weekly: https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2019  And there is a children’s list which splits into picture books, middle grade and young adult.

Or Kirkus Reviews https://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/best-of-2019/section/fiction/lists/ which helpfully shows best fiction by category; separate lists for non-fiction and for best teen books

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/best-of-2019/section/young-adult/lists/  

And Goodreads has released its Choice Awards across several categories for 2019: https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2019    

LibraryReads: Primarily for public libraries, listed top favorites for 2019.

http://libraryreads.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/LibraryReads-Voter-Favorites-2019.pdf  See monthlyupdates throughout the year

National Book Awards: https://www.nationalbook.org/awards-prizes/national-book-awards-2019/

Chicago Public Library Recommendations -- with suggestions for all ages: https://www.chipublib.org/news/cpl-best-of-the-best-books-2019/

Winnetka Public Library Staff Recommendations for books and movies: https://www.winnetkalibrary.org/books-movies/best-of-2019/  

National Public Radio lists 1000s of titles (from 2019 and earlier years) and shows their covers in a fun, interactive way. https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2019    PBS offers suggestions https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/we-read-these-29-books-in-2019-you-should-too for 2019 and  includes a list of the Now Read This book club’s monthly choices. Washington Post also offers several lists.  The Wall Street Journal (available online at school) has a best of 2019 list as well as an article about teaching history with diverse voices.

There is plenty of overlap and some delightful selections on these lists. Enjoy!!! Happy Reading!!!

Cookbooks and Healthy Eating ... part one ...

THE VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK contains “More than 50 Recipes for Young Cooks” so it has some nice, basic information about kitchen rules and measurement conversions, clearly labeled pictures of equipment, and a well-illustrated discussion of healthy eating and food groups. The first set of recipes, Brilliant Breakfasts, includes choices like avocado mash, scrambled eggs, and crunchy, sweet pancakes made with grated carrots and sultanas. Other sections highlight Super Snacks, Lovely Lunches, Delicious Drinks, More-ish Main Meals (plenty of pizza ideas), and Sweet Stuff. EVERY recipe has multiple pictures which is perfect for the budding chef. Nutritional information is provided at the end, with a helpful glossary and index. Enjoy!

DASH FOR WEIGHT LOSS by Jennifer Koslo presents “An Easy-to-Follow Plan for Losing Weight, Increasing Energy, and Lowering Blood Pressure.”  I like the emphasis on exercise as well as meal planning. Koslo begins by explaining the various stages of hypertension and offers some ideas for preventive measures (e.g., reduce sodium, increase potassium, become more active, etc.) She includes practical suggestions for eating out (choose baked or grilled options, dressing and toppings on the side, drink water) and weight loss (downsize your plates, keep a food diary). Overall, she tries to make following the DASH diet easy and reasonable, with plenty of charts and explanations, all of which takes at least a fourth of the book. Recipes themselves are grouped by meal type and main ingredient and include nutrition information. The pictures are colorful although there could be more.  This seems intended for a more experienced cook. Ingredients tend to include some unusual ones (flaxseed meal, coconut milk) and preparation involves several steps. 

THE HEALTHSPAN SOLUTION by Raymond J. Cronise and Julieanna Hever also has a health focus since it presents “How and What to Eat to Add Life to Your Years.” Again, a significant portion of the book is devoted to explanation, charts and graphs.  The recipes are divided between Soups, Salads, Sides, and Sweets, plus Sauces and Seasonings.  Filled with appetizing pictures, they often combine selections like Eggplant Rollatini which utilizes Tofu Ricotta, Grandma Marie’s Tomato Sauce, and Cashew Parmesan Sprinkle.  Prep and cook time are estimated, but nutritional information is not included with each recipe.

 

THE 5-INGREDIENT FRESH AND EASY COOKBOOK by Sheila Thigpen contains “90+ Recipes For Busy People Who Love to Eat Well.” Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Thigpen keeps it simple with recipes grouped by meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), adding some extras (Veggies/Sides, Snacks and Dessert). Nutrition information is included (as well as descriptors like nut-free or vegetarian).  A big plus is that the recipes do tend to be fairly easy, with a limited number of generally common ingredients.  Unfortunately, though, only a few include pictures. Thigpen posts many more images on her blog called  Life, Love and Good Food, but that is also pretty saturated with advertising. 

More reviews of upcoming Cookbooks soon ...