Here's the first in a promising new series: Hey Diddle Diddle, the Runaway Riddle, by P.C. James, from the One Man and His Dog Cozy Mysteries. Inspector Tom Ramsay has to retire from his job, one he loved, because he was shot. He does not plan on just sitting around! He adopts a border collie and has decided they are going to hike as many trails as possible. On the first outing he comes to the rescue of a young woman fleeing her captors. She was held captive for several days with no mention of a ransom. There is a pushy father (who thinks she needs to get married). (It's the 1950's, that could still have happened then). Naturally Tom has to figure out what is going on, and so the adventure begins!

A Muzzled Murder, the first in the Amelia Hartford Cozy Mystery series by Angie Street starts with a cold case, one from ten years ago. 'Investigated' and determined to be an accident, the still grieving mother says 'no way'. Amelia decides (with some of her new friends) to check things out. They find all kinds of suspicious activities from that time. Why the cover up? In addition to the help of her human friends, Bailey, the dog, helps out, too. :-)

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Here's the first in a new (for me) series: Murder on Friday Street, by Russell Cooper. (Series has the same name). Picture a small town. In England. Where spies (think Cold War this time) have retired. There are the twin brothers (eccentric barely begins to describe them) who would have made horrible field agents, but were the 'intelligence' part of MI6 in that there wasn't a code they couldn't crack. It's their good friend who was murdered, and his daughter who gets them on to solving that, along with a woman who is 'living rough'. (Why?) Great characters, humor, and lots of interesting twists in the plot here, just a great read! Book two is on my shelf. :-)

Some time back now I asked the question "what books do you like to reread?" I never did much with that information but often thought I should, the answers were wonderful!

From Kiwi: Scott Turow, The Laws of Our Fathers. I had read it some years ago just because I like legal thrillers and this is somewhat of a legal thriller, but the first time around, I missed how literary an author Turow can be. Some reviewers have said he is the literary one among the legal thriller group. Second time around, this book was breathtaking in its writing and its plotting and some of the deeply profound philosophy about the 1960s, growing up, friendship, and coming to terms with parents and family.

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How human thinking has changed, thankfully ... from 'just a dumb animal' to creatures we know can think, solve problems ... learn ... and more. Our hardest job is learning to understand them, which is the topic of What Sheep Think About the Weather: How to Listen to What Animals Are Trying to Say, by Amelia Thomas. Well researched (check the notes at the end), the author, not a scientist, but a very curious type, searches out those who are, and have studied various animals, sometimes for decades. Her interviews with them are fascinating and include fish, birds, and even the underground! Seems it too can be noisy with chatter (think worms and grubs). She also includes animal psychics. A bit dense, I'll admit to some skimming, but overall a fascinating read.

National Geographic is a wonderful magazine, and the special issues are no exception. Kiwi kindly shared The Secret Life of Horses: Out of the Wild and Into Our Lives by Eliza McGraw with me. If you are a horse crazy person (I was) there might not be much that will be new here, Kiwi told me, but it is told beautifully with the photographs you'd expect from Nat Geo. It was a worthy read. :-)

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I'll start with a familiar author today ... book five in The Unlikely Murder Club series by Gina X. Grant: An Unlikely Exposure. In an unexpected twist, Agatha, who has always preferred to be as quiet and inconspicuous as possible finds herself not only the subject of JJ Urquhart's next book, but also the movie made from that book. At her insistence the movie will be filmed in Unlikely, giving the small town, reeling from the embezzlement of a former town official, a chance to recover. It's no surprise then, that folks from her past show up again ... well almost no surprise ... one of them is her mother! (Not a spoiler, it's on the back cover). ;-) One videographer has decided that he needs to be filming everything possible so it's also no surprise when he turns up dead . For him, it's more the why, and what did he film? His camera is missing.

An Heir is Misplaced was a rather delightful start to A Duchess of Stortford Mystery series by Helen Golden. It's how a 'proper lady' in the Victorian era would solve a mystery (in her corset, correct language, and of course, popular gossip newspapers. A man had died. His Will is about to be announced. Step son, who has been taking care of him, the estate, and well, everything is hoping to inherit ... however, their is also a legitimate nephew, who has not been seen in decades (family moved to Australia). What happens if he shows up, and then disappears? A short, fun read.

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This is the start of a new series by Diana Xarissa, a Midlife Crisis Mystery. First up is Anxious in Nevada. When Holly Parker turns fifty she decides she needs to start working on her bucket list rather than adding to it. She's always wanted to visit all fifty states and when she finds cheap air fare and hotel costs for Las Vegas, that's where she starts. She's up early the next morning and goes for a walk, where she stumbles over a body. Much to her surprise, it's the man she visited with on the airplane. Also on hand is a woman he once intended to marry (not to mention the one he is with here in Vegas). An interesting start!

When I saw The Sound of Murder I nearly skipped over it as I've read it, yes? Then I looked at the author and it was different! There are TWO mysteries with this title! This one is the first in the Musical Mystery Series by K.L. Montgomery. Both involve a production of The Sound of Music. The main character here is Ruby Ecco. She has a great voice, but, um, the wrong build for any leading role so she is in the chorus. She is out for a morning run when she spots a body under the bridge. It is the actor playing Mother Abbess. Who would kill a nun?? Not convinced the police are doing everything they can or should, she sets out, with another of the actors, Nova, to find the murderer. Some interesting twists here, certainly not ones I would have expected. I promised no spoilers, but do consider something very much different than the musical. ;-)

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Start with the author's notes at the back of Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, by Janet Skeslien Charles, it will give you the perfect background for her book. Well researched and beautifully written, it's also a grim read of the era: World War I, France amid terrible, horrible destruction and how it has affected small towns and the people who lived there. Anne Morgan establishes the American Committee for Devastated France to help these people (mostly women and children) who have lost everything. While they appreciate the food, clothing, medical care (the basics) what they ask for are books! Enter Jessie "Kit" Carson, who is hired to create something never before seen in France ... children's libraries. Leap forward to 1987 and a young writer, working at the NYPL archives comes across a story about these women and decides to write a book. Based on fact (hence the notes at the back) this is a fascinating read of the power of books even, or maybe especially, for those who have so very little. Compelling, maybe a bit overwhelming in parts!

Then, for a lighter read, go for a murder ... a cozy murder! ;-) Ms Mia and Murder at the Spinel Reef Resort is another of the books by Jennifer Branch that take place in a fancy resort (all owned by Ms Mia's family) in a nice location. As Ms Mia is heading from her small cabin in for breakfast she comes across a body, which she reports, only to discover it is missing when they go back to check it out ... what has happened? It's a small island, there is no one, anywhere, alive or dead matching the description. There is a rude and disgruntled young man and his friends there, too, why would they pick basically a resort for old people? Lot's of interesting twists and turns, and a beautiful description of a dive in tropical waters.

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Warning! I read this book in one day: An Unlikely Revelation, book 4 in the Unlikely Murder Club series by Gina X. Grant. To try and get convicted killer/author (who wants to kill Agatha so he can write about her) off her case Agatha fakes her own death. There is a funeral and everything, and then she takes on a new alias (it's not the first time). There is a surprise guest ... someone from her past ... who has recently purchased a failing theater, keeping it from the hands and plans of a greedy developer. The entire town pitches in to help with the renovations, and then Chance, the dog, digs up a skeleton. Clues point towards Martin (but that can't be, can it?). Old crimes and scandals surface this time for another engaging read in this cozy series.

Murder of a Medium is book 15 (!) in the Redmond and Haze Mystery series by Irina Shapiro. The well known psychic Alicia Lysander is killed on her way home from a seance. She seemed in a bit of a rush to leave, did not wait for her usual driver and refused an offer of a ride from the home owner ... why? Redmond and Haze, who worked with her in the past, are determined to find the killer and the reason for the brutal attack. Well written, but remember, these are not cozies!

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