While The Christmas Cantata: a St. Germaine Christmas Entertainment by Mark Schweizer is listed with the Liturgical Mystery series (#10) it differs in that there is no death to investigate. Christmas is coming and the entire town seems to be in a crabby mood. Will that change? There are no entries of Hayden's book he's trying to write in the style of Raymond Chandler this time, instead we get snippets of a woman who lived in the area in 1937. A cantata has been found in a box in the basement of a house being cleared out ... a beautiful piece of music (it takes some practice to get to this point) based on verse from Sara Teasdale. In investigating more about it, Hayden learns it has never been performed, the one time it was scheduled it was canceled at the last minute. Why? Can he even figure that out after all these years? Just a nice read, won't take you long!

I tried another new author and series with The Mystery of the Missing Book, by Judith Cutler. (Book one in The Antique Shop Mysteries). Lina Townsend is just learning the antiques trade. An orphan, shuffled around a lot she has had little education and stability in her life until she meets Griff, who becomes her mentor. When she finds a single page from a rare medieval manuscript the adventure starts! Is it authentic? If so, where is the rest the book? Is it still intact? Once she has the page (which she hides away) there are several break-ins to the caravan and house where she and Griff live, and he is even attacked. She needs to find the missing book, and protect Griff (he's old, and a bit frail). Not a bad start.

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There were several major finds in Egypt in the late 1800's and this book: Murder on the Sea Witch feels like an homage to that. The ship in the title is a freight ship, designed to bring home, in this case precious, cargo. The body of the chief archeologist has been found inside the sarcophagus he was bringing back to London. When it is discovered that his brain has been removed in the fashion of preparing a body for mummification Redmond and Haze believe that should make it easier to find the killer. It does not! Since the ship is designed for cargo, not passengers, those aboard all had something to do with the dig, many have been on several digs, and most know how to remove the brain from a body! Who might have had a grudge against Blake Upton? Another 'keeps you up late reading' mystery, this is the seventh in the Redmond and Haze Mystery series by Irina Shapiro.

A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death, by Maxie Dara was a read completely different from what I usually read, even though it was a mystery! It is the second in the S.C.Y.T.H.E. Mystery series. (Any of you remember the show The Man from U.N.C.L.E.?) I have not read the first. Nora Bird works for S.C.Y.T.H.E., she schedules the reapers, those who go out at the death of someone to be sure the soul moves on properly. This goes well until the name of her brother comes across her desk. He is her twin and all the family she has left so she is NOT going to let this happen! They flee to the small town their father is from, and what a strange little town it is! A most curious read, for sure! I take exception to the review on the cover: "funny and warm, delightfully fresh" ... to me is is NOT funny or warm ... there is death, lots of it, paranoia, fear, fright and so on ... it IS however, fresh, in that the point of few is certainly new to this reader! Do note, this is NOT a cozy! There is lots of bad language. It fits with the characters and the story but I wanted to give you a heads up. :-)

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In these times that I find rather depressing and discouraging given what is happening in this country it was nice reading a happy, cheerful book, this one, by Dick Van Dyke! 100 Rules for Living to 100: an Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life. Follow along as the author talks about his life and work, the good times and bad and how he's been successful or not. He's still dancing, and works out at a gym ... that's how he got a recent role on a tv show, a soap opera! A feel good sort of read.

What was your favorite song from Walt Disney's Mary Poppins? Dick Van Dyke's book inspired me to go through the song book I have from the movie and pick out the songs on the piano (pretty much just one handed these days). Like Mr. Disney, I love Feed the Birds the best, but I also like Chim Chim Cheree and how it evokes the life on the rooftops of London (it's right there, in the lyrics)!, and Step in Time for energy and enthusiasm. Made for a nice afternoon of memories. (My dad DID recognize the elder Mr. Banks as portrayed by Dick Van Dyke and we watched the credits until his name became unscrambled and dad could say "I knew it!" :-)

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Christmas is coming, a time of family, friendship, gathering .... and death? Well, yes, but mostly because this a mystery. ;-) Death at the Swan Tavern is the sixth Veronica Vale Investigates mystery by Kitty Kildare. When one of the guests, someone invited to join the festivities at the last moment (so as not to be alone over the holiday) is found dead everyone is hoping it was an accident. It wasn't, and as his past is uncovered there are more and more suspects. Can the reason be discovered before Christmas? I love the sub themes of dog rescue and Ruby, who can drive any sort of vehicle (there's a tractor on the cover for a reason). Set in the 1920's.

Next is another Redmond and Haze Mystery by Irina Shapiro: Murder at Ardith Hall. Also set at Christmas and also the sixth in the series. (And yes I did read them back to back and no, did not do this on purpose)! The death happens at a sèance, one where folks have gathered in the hopes of contacting a loved one who has died. One of them is the wife of Daniel Redmond. It is not hard to determine that this person was murdered, but also determined that someone had been trying to kill him for some time now. (I know this is fuzzy, but I promised no spoilers, and the method here was very interesting)! Set just after the American Civil War, in England.

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Company and projects have kept me from reading as much as I usually do so there was just one book ready for me to post ... and most of the time I like to do two ... so ... what to do? Then I remembered that some time back now, Seattle Reader asked me if I'd ever consider doing posts on books that folks like to read over and over again. I said yes, did a bit of checking with friends on that, and then ... nothing happened. Now it will! And, take a look at the image today! That's from a set of bookends! Wouldn't those be fun?!

Since it was an idea from Seattle Reader, I will start there. "Books I tend to re-read are often the first book of a series (even if the series ultimately was disappointing) such as Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis. On the other hand, David Eddings five book series The Belgariad has been read more times than could be easily counted! And of course, DRAGONS! Dragonsong, by Anne McCaffrey!" (me, too!) (This is the first in the Harper Hall Trilogy and ties in nicely with The Dragonriders of Pern books).

And, from a friend who died much too young, Moby Dick, by Herman Melville! This was a book I could barely get through once, although to be fair, I was also reading it for a class with one of the worst profs I ever had, might that have colored it? Any way, it was an annual read for this person ... loving the story, the writing, the descriptions and more, I was told.

I've also been told twice recently, that in these troublesome times, it's nice to go back to an old favorite or two.

The important thing here is, new or old, actual book or ereader (or audio book), just read! :-)

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We had company this past weekend: two humans, two dogs! It was glorious fun AND I got a recommendation for a new author and series! :-) Nic Saint writes a series about cats who help solve crimes: The Mysteries of Max. Book one is Purrfect Murder. The cats and their human (a local reporter) can talk to each other, it's something the women in her family have been able to do for generations. And, since cats can wander pretty much any where, they can do a lot of eavesdropping! The body of a famous author has been found, in a most unusual spot. Impeding progress though are two newcomers to this small town: an arrogant cat and his equally arrogant human (a detective, who does NOT like interference with his investigations). A nice light story, good for these troubled times. And, if you like them there are more than 100 books in the series!

And, then it was back to the next Liturgical Mystery by Mark Schweizer, the Countertenor Wore Garlic. It's coming up on Halloween and the town is getting ready to celebrate, big time. There are standoffs between vampires and zombies, a visiting (hellfire and damnation) priest, and a 'congregational enlivener' ... something I've never head of before ... the body is found at in the hay bale maze, the identify hidden due to a pumpkin on the head of the corpse. Expect puns. Don't miss the 'reviews' of the book at the beginning. Enjoy! (I laughed out loud).

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Here I am, back with those two favorite authors again!

The Organist Wore Pumps is the eighth title in the Liturgical Mystery series by Mark Schweizer. There has been an accident (swerving to miss a family of skunks) and Hayden is in a cast so cannot play the organ for the church services. His replacement is someone he knows from his past, and doesn't really like all that much. It's Christmas, or nearly so, and there are all kinds of activities going on leading up to that special day (and beyond). Disrupting this schedule is an obnoxious deacon (his sermons are MUCH too long) who ends up dead. From a bullet from Hayden's gun. ??? How did this happen? Hayden is trying to write a children's book, too ... that should give you a chuckle (remembering how bad is hard core detective stories are ...) ;-)

The body may never have been discovered if the grave digger (fussy about his work) had not checked out the grave he'd dug for the afternoon funeral and noticed things were 'off' about it. Sure enough, at the bottom was a body. It is someone new to the area but everyone liked him, found him to be a good, kind man. Is there something from his past that finally caught up with him? Clues are hard to find. Murder in the Grave, by Irina Shapiro is the fifth Redmond and Haze Mystery book.

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