The Black Cat by Martha Grimes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Richard Jury is back and crossing mental swords with his nemesis, Harry, over the murder of woman at THE BLACK CAT pub. Once again, Melrose Plant is enlisted to help Jury in the investigation and the interplay of these old friends provide a touch of irony and humor amid the murder investigation.

No spoilers here . . . Grimes fans will welcome the Chief Inspector's return along with other familiar characters. I especially enjoy the return of Mungo, Harry's dog, who has his own caper in this book . . . engineering the return of a kidnapped cat to THE BLACK CAT pub.

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Tesla's Attic by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An intriguing beginning for a new trilogy. After a disastrous fire that claimed the life of his mother, Nick moves to Colorado Springs with his father and brother into an old decrepit house that belonged to a great aunt. In the attic Nick finds lots of junk and broken objects that, strangely, sell like hotcakes at his yard sale. There is adventure, danger, and humor as Nick and his new friends discover the strange properties the attic objects possess and try to reclaim them before they do damage.

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Cozy Classics: Pride and Prejudice by Jack Wang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This series is delightful! Although questionable as board boards for babies and toddlers, the illustrations, featuring photographs of well-crafted, needle felted objects, are the highlight of this salute to classic literature. Single words are paired with an illustration on the facing page. Some work well ... "friends" is accompanied by felted, smiling depictions of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy with the first page of PRIDE & PREJUDICE visible in the background; but "mean," which depicts Mr. Darcy ignoring Elizabeth Bennett at the dance will not be understood by the very young. This would be a great little gift for teens or adults who love the novel, or a vehicle for a parent to retell the story using the words and illustrations as guideposts to the plot. Also available: MOBY DICK, WAR & PEACE,LES MISERABLES [digital version courtesy of netgalley.com]


View all my reviews Cozy Classics: Moby Dick by Holman Wang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The adorable illustrations, featuring well-crafted, felted creations, are the highlight of this salute to classic literature. As a board board for babies and toddlers, it is questionable. Single words are paired with an illustration on the facing page. Some work well ... "sailor" is accompanied by a felted, smiling sailor with the first page of MOBY DICK appearing in the background; but "find" appears with a sailor in the crow's nest pointing toward the distance. Some of the concepts will not be understood clearly by the very young. This would be a great little gift for teens or adults who love the novel, or a vehicle for a parent to retell the story using the words and illustrations as guideposts to the plot. [digital version courtesy of netgalley.com]

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Murder on the Champ de Mars by Cara Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Aimee Leduc returns after her maternity leave and promptly gets caught up in s custody battle with Melac, the disappearance of a Romany woman who has information about her father's death, and post-partum guilt over the time she is spending away from her baby. Cara Black has created another high energy investigation that probes Parisian history and deepens reader's understanding of Aimee's story. This one has some significant twists at the end that will leave readers anxious for the nest installment. Thanks to Soho Press and Edelweiss for the preview copy.

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Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas: Being a Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jane and family set out for a holiday visit to a neighboring manor and become embroiled in mystery when a courier, bearing a peace treaty, is found dead after spending the night. Barron is adept at capturing Austen's voice and her characters hold true to Austen's descriptions in journals and letters. From wry to guardedly romantic, Jane is an entertaining narrator to the lifestyles-of-the-gentry and the various intrigues and mysteries.

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Now You Tell Me! 12 Actors Give the Best Advice They Never Got: Making a Living; Making a Life by Sheridan Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great collection of first-person essays that give insight into the careers of 12 actors: their training, their side jobs, how they prepare, their lucky breaks or years of honing their craft. Some chapters feature nuggets of wisdom while others are more superficial. Nevertheless, an interesting title for library collections or as a gift to budding actors.

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Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Maisie Dobbs looks into the murders of two women from India working in London. The experience leads Maisie to close her agency and undertake her own journey, "leaving everything most loved," to process her life experiences and explore if marriage will be in her future. ....Please come back to us soon!!!

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Deep in the Sahara by Kelly Cunnane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A young girl's longing to dress in a malafa like her sister, mother, grandma, and other West African Muslim ladies will resonate with young readers. This simple story explains the malafa as a garment connoting beauty, mystery, tradition, and faith. The front endpapers echo the flowered pattern of mother's malafa and the back endpapers show the blue garment of the young girl.

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Chicago Bound by Sean Vogel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jake is off to Chicago for a music workshop and encounters a mystery surrounding his mother's research into a Mary Cassatt painting that hung in the Women's Exposition during the Columbian Exposition. A clever tale that mixes a tale of school and friendship with adventure and mystery. The second in a series.

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