Double Shot by Diane Mott Davidson

Goldy Bear wakes up on the ground and isn't sure how she got there. That is just the beginning of the book. Goldy must figure out who attacked her, why they were trying to sabotage her catered lunch, and what to do now that her ex-husband is out of jail? It only gets worse once he is found dead. All signs point to her but Goldy only found the dead body. She is frustrated and wants to solve the crime but knows it will be difficult. If only there was more time in a day.

Ms. Davidson creates situations that truly could happen. I wondered who could have really killed John Richard Korman, Goldy's ex-husband. The recipes also are interesting and am curious to try a couple of them. I liked how at least in the hard cover they were all in the back of the book instead of interspersed in between chapters or in the middle of chapters. There is a range of characters in the book as well as some old familiar ones.

Goldy is a stubborn woman but that's what makes her so endearing. Yeah she seems to get beat up in every story which does get old after awhile. Yet she never lets it get her down. Her husband Tom is such a sweetie. He is so good for her and they complement each other very well. Archie, her son, seems to struggle with his dad's death the most. I saw that as understandable and just hoped the kid would work through his grief as quick as he possibly could for a story. I'll have to see how it plays out in the next story.

This story was full of twists and friends Goldy hadn't seen in a long time. Marla was there to help her out. The twist at the end of the story really got me. There was no way I could have seen it coming. Ms. Davidson does it again and I cannot wait to read more in this series!

Diane Mott Davidson/ Cozy Mystery/ Food/Murder/Family/320 pages/ 4.5 out of 5

It'll be awhile before I read my own books. I may make a library run tomorrow to read one more book this month. We'll see.

In the Dark by Brian Freeman

Jonathan Stride thought that he had battled all his demons. An old friend of Cindy, his now dead wife, Tish comes to town focused on solving the murder of Laura. It's a case that has been unsolved for over thirty years. There are secrets that just should not come to light. Someone is determined to keep it that way. But will Tish be able to?

Brian Freeman sure knows how to get you in this fourth novel. The series moves along at the right pace. The surprises in this plot are outstanding. He hooks you from the first page. The depth of his characters will only make you want to read more. This is an author who doles out the clues one at a time. He also weaves in some local history that amazed me.

Having this case resurface is difficult for Jonathan. Serena is by his side supporting him through it all. I could see how things weren't always easy for her. But she was in it for the long haul. I was glad to see Maggie back as well. She has grown a lot since the last book. The characters in the series are evolving and expanding so that you feel like you've been visiting with friends.

I can't wait for the next book in the series. It's well worth it. But this mystery is full of violence and secrets. Someone was murdered so that they would keep quiet. This is one book that won't be easy to read at night. All in all, I was pleased with the twist at the end of the book. I never saw it coming. Once again, Brian Freeman outdid himself!

Brian Freeman/Minnesota/ Mystery/ Murder/ 357 pages/ 4 out of 5

I am now working on a non-fiction a friend recommended. I am really liking it and hope to be done soon. :)

If You Really Loved Me by Ann Rule

Most people would do anything for love. But would they go to the lengths where they would kill? That is the story of David Alan Brown and his fourteen year old daughter Cinnamon. His wife Linda was shot in her sleep by Cinnamon but first she said she did it, then she didn't remember but could she finally tell the truth. David was a powerful man with his data recovery program. Women fell at his feet. Cinnamon did finally confess and was sentenced to prison for twenty four years. Her world crashed around her and the one person she trusted seemed not so trustworthy anymore. There is more to this story than it first appears.

Ms. Rule truly delves deep into this one. She gives a lot of information that at times didn't seem all that relevant but at the end made sense. Intricate details were given and the pictures truly did help develop the story. She asked questions and got the answers she could. Looking into as many documents she could. I am not sure how much she had access to but with the things she was able to write about, there had to have been a lot.

That is definitely one thing I like about this true crime author, she never leaves a stone unturned. It may mean meeting with the people involved in the case if she is able. Obviously Linda was no longer around and that's so sad. I don't think I will ever understand what went on but I am okay with that. Ms. Rule truly does a wonderful job. This is one author who never disappoints and the after word was truly helpful. I may be noisy but I wish all that were involved that they find peace.

Ann Rule/ Chunkster/ Non-fiction/True Crime/Family/Murder/ 608 pages/ 4 out of 5

This was a good book and at times pretty creepy. Off to a thriller. :)

The Murder of Helen Jewett

A prostitute murdered. A man aligned with her that is high in society. What really happened?

This author tries to delve not only into the facts around the death of Helen Jewett but the background of Helen and Robinson. Not to mention the times they grew up and lived in during the 1800's. I was over whelmed with all the information and the things that were going on.

Ms. Cohen truly digs into it all and shows all sides and presents a full picture for you to figure out what really happened. The fact that the trial ended the way it did probably did have something to do with it staying in their memories.

I agree that it had nothing to do with her being a prostitute. Now days, things might have been different and noting would have been thought of. But at that time, things were different. Men would regularly seek out women even just to talk to and pay for it. Impressed is how I would put this, I did get bogged down by all the foot notes so I would only read the ones where extra information was given since there was so much to read about.

Ms. Cohen did a fantastic job and maybe she gave this woman a voice like no other. I am definitely curious to see what else this author has written.


Patricia Cline Cohen/ New Author/ 512 pages/ Non-fiction/ Chunkster/ Murder/ 3.5 out of 5

It's been awhile since I posted, work has picked up and slowed down. Now it has picked up so I hope so more lighter fare in books. lol

Fractured by Karin Slaughter

Detective Will Trent is working hard to solve this weird crime scene. A mother comes home to find her daughter brutally murdered and then a man comes chasing after her. Thinking he is the murderer, she does her best to overpower him. He is also teamed up with a female detective with her own issues. He swears there is another girl missing and the killer is still on the loose. But with little facts to go on, there is going to a lot of grunt work and things are going to hit way too close to home.

Ms. Slaughter is a fantastic writer. I love the twists and turns she puts on every page. I was shocked as the story was unfolding about things that were not as they appeared. She writes real characters that you not only feel for but also want to see them succeed. Not that they don’t have issues, and these characters were chock full of them.

Will Trent had a horrible life growing up and now he seems to see that everywhere in this case. Ms. Mitchell is not about to put up with Trent’s crap. She wants to be seen as vital to this case and hopefully get somewhere. Being a female cop is not easy for her but darned if she isn’t going to work just as hard if not more than the rest of them.

I truly felt for this family and what they went through. I was pissed along with the mother for instances not even relating to the case. This book will have you on a whirlwind ride that will puzzle even those who seem to know what happened from page one. Ms. Slaughter never ceases to amaze me with what she creates. Definitely becoming one of my favorite authors.


Karin Slaughter/ Thriller/Mystery/ Murder/ Family/ 338 pages/ 5 out of 5

Off to another one of my stack. :) I do have a review book I want to read but it looks good. :)

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark

Kay Lansing is confident of Peter Carrington’s innocence in the death of a local girl named Susan Althorp. Now over 20 years later, the mother Gladys is dying and wants to see her daughter get the justice she never got. Well with Kay marrying Peter, people think she is the next one to die. She is out to prove that Peter really is innocent even if that means she gets her help from anywhere she can. Kay’s grandmother Maggie thinks Kay has lost her mind.

Ms. Higgins Clark has done it once again! I had ideas of who the killer might be and I was wrong. Suspense is so thick that I thought I would never it out. I was in for a real surprise. Of course, it is rare for me to know who the killer is before all is revealed.

Kay is a true trustworthy person. It takes a lot for her to start doubting. She just wants to make sure she knows what is going on. Her grandmother Maggie was a sweet woman but couldn’t get past the suspicions the town held on Peter. She just couldn’t see her granddaughter with a killer. My other favorite character was the private detective Nicholas Greco. He wanted to know what the truth was even if that meant Peter was guilty. He was hired by Susan’s mom to find out the truth.

This book had me from the beginning and the flashbacks gave you a glimpse into the past that really helped carry the book. Having someone neutral asking the tough questions was smart on the author’s part because he could get answers that even Kay could not get. It was a wonderfully written suspense story and I hope to go back and read other books of hers.
318 pages/Mystery/ 4 out of 5

Tomorrow I will start Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. Night all!

Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy

The new computer game coming from Monkeewrench has a lot of people dying. Grace McBride and her eccentric partners are trying to keep their past a secret. The new game Serial Killer Detective is being acted out in real life. So the cops are breathing down their necks to find out what is happening. But if they keep stuff to their selves 18 more people could die.

P.J. Tracy are a fabulous writing team! I could not believe all the twists and turns that kept me turning pages. It was never a slow pace book. It kept going and going and going. Yet it was easy to follow along cause once they started adding up all the clues they had to figure out who the killer was. Everything was explained really well and things that were not essential to the case was not touched. That was nice.

Grace McBride was always thinking her past problems were her fault. And the current killings based off her new computer game were once again her fault. Her friends Harley, Roadrunner, Mitch, and Annie all tired to get her to where she would know it was not her fault. They wanted to go on the run once the killings started, but Grace knew there was no point to running. At least, she had her head on her shoulders about most things. I was impressed with her even though she was a little paranoid. I could understand why she was now because of the things that had happened long ago. I really liked Harley and Roadrunner because they both had their eccentricities but were fun loving guys that anyone would want on their side. Officer Magozzi was a sweetie. He wanted to solve the crimes and did his best with the powers that be breathing down on him. He also seemed to have a soft spot for Grace.

This book was awesome! It was fun to read a book set not to far from where I live now. It really helped me get in the mindset of what was going on. Now mind you anyone could read and enjoy this book. I am sure other people feel the same way about books set in the town where they live. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read more in this series.
404 pages/New Author/Author of the Month/ 5 out of 5

Off to reading The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski. :)

The Screaming Room by Thomas O'Callaghan

Alright this did not want to post the first time around so I am hoping it will go better this time.

John Driscoll is finally moving on with his life until tourists start getting killed all over New York City. Then he is stuck trying to figure out who is doing the killing before the whole city becomes completely panicked. With the city breathing down his neck, he pulls in a team he think will help even though he is unsure of a few of the members. The papers are leaking information and John has to go up against a very powerful man and try to keep the guy quiet. It is not an easy job when someone is one step ahead of you all the time. But somehow John seems to be able to stay focused. He is the man for the job.

Mr. O'Callaghan's second book is surely a hit. It is not nearly as gruesome and I really liked it. It was still just as creepy which made me keep turning the pages. I had to be careful of when I read it or I would get rather jumpy. The details of the crimes were so precise and the information shocked me with how people come up with the ideas due to the things that have happened in the past. Mr. O'Callaghan really gave a new spin on the sins of the father revisits the son complex.

John truly is growing a little bit. He is seeing things they way they are and trying to be as helpful as possible. He struggles with the crimes that happen and is completely baffled because he does not quite understand how they are happening under their watchful eyes. With the help of Cedric Thomlinson, things get to be a bit clearer. Cedric is usual happy go luck self. He knows what he knows and works very hard to prove his theories. He makes me laugh! I was also happy to see Magaret back and to see how she was changing and seeking things out. She is one tough cookie but this case was even driving her nuts. And in my opinion it was rightfully justified, this brother sister team were doing things that I am glad were never truly described in detail but you got the just of what was going on. To be able to write characters like that was pretty darn good. I was impressed even though I hope there is no one close to being like those two out there. I would fear for my life.

This book continued the story from The Bone Thief very well as focused on the case at hand wonderfully. It was a great combination and I can't wait to see what is coming out next year from this author since it appears he is going to continue with the same main character. I give this book a 4/5 because it held my attention and I had to find out what was going to happen. If you can't handle the littlest of details then you probably want to read it just during the day. It is well-written and I can see why it is well recieved by authors. But please make sure to read The Bone Thief first. I know it is not required but it makes a lot more sense if you do.