It starts with Andy giving a homeless man with a dog some cash and a gift card to a local pet store. Next thing he knows, the man is on the news because he fought back when attacked and his dog bit the attacker. By law, the dog is taken into custody (to be sure she doesn't have rabies). Then the homeless man is accused of murder. Andy takes his case, and the dog ... since he runs a local shelter, the authorities allow him to house the dog during her holding period ... which turns out to be a good thing. She is pregnant. As with his other Andy Carpenter Mystery books, author David Rosenfelt slowly adds details, and humor, to make his case in Deck the Hounds.

Here we go again ... another Markham Sisters mystery! I'll admit, since they are published in a collection of four, I find it hard not to just read one right after the other. Fortunately, it's easy enough to separate them in my posts! ;-) The Jackson Case is the tenth in this series by Diana Xarissa. This time, it's the money (and planners) from a recent charity auction that have vanished. A lot of locals put in a lot of hard work on this auction, it was supposed to raise money for cancer research. There were snafus and last minute changes, but it came off well, and a lot of money was raised. The next morning neither the planners nor the money could be found. Where (and who) are they? Was there a local connection? And if so, who?

I just couldn't resist, all it took was a turn of the page to move on to The Kingston Case. The sisters are back from a visit with Aunt Bessie (which is described in Aunt Bessie Observes, but I'll have to wait for the arrival of Canadian Reader to read that one). They are expecting a guest, a guest who turns out to be the ex-wife of one of the newer residents to Doveby Dale. Is she coming to try and reunite with her ex? (She's tried before). And who is sending William threatening letters? This is the eleventh in the Markham Sisters Mystery series by Diana Xarissa.

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Life is busy, what might it take to slow it down and enjoy a day with family? A small child makes just such a wish in Before Morning, by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beth Krommes. Loved the explanation of wishes and invocations at the end. (Given the weather in some parts of the country recently, I can see where this story might not be appreciated by some)!

Based on a true event, and tango makes three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, and illustrated by Henry Cole, is the story of two male penguins who bonded in the zoo in Central Park. They built a nest and sat on a rock they'd placed in the center. One of the zoo keepers took an egg from a nest with two and swapped it for that rock. Silo and Roy carefully tended to the egg until it hatched, and then proved to be wonderful parents to the little female named Tango. Don't miss the Afterword, there's a wonderful story there, too.

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I am quite enjoying the Markham Sisters Cozy Mystery novellas, by Diana Xarissa, they've been 'cheerful' mysteries, if I may call them that. There are no bodies to be found, just 'something' that needs to be solved. In the case of The Irwin Case, it's credit cards that are being refused. All over town, for several different people, all tourists. There is one connection ... can you find it?

Who knew being a photographer of food could be so deadly? Or is that even the reason for the murder? There are lots of suspects in Murder and Food Porn, the eighth Northwest Cozy Mystery by Dianne Harman. Once again Al De Duco and his Doberman, Red, take on the case. As usual, a nice 'northwest' feel to the story, and, in keeping with the theme ... recipes!

Although Patricia Lorenz grew up in a house with indoor plumbing, her grandparents had an outhouse and that was what she used when was there. For some reason that would later inspire her to gather stories about the history and humor and personal experiences all about the 'back house'. The result was Great American Outhouse Stories: the Hole Truth and Nothing Butt. There was one wife who did not want to return to the hunting cabin until there was an outhouse. Now, the husband (and others) certainly did not want to spend valuable hunting/vacation time building one, but then one of them realized they could build it at home where there was access to electricity and power tools. That's just what they did. On the front lawn, of a house in the suburbs! Outhouse tipping was a popular Halloween prank across the country. One had to be wary of 'other' residents: snakes, mice, and spiders. Catalogs were placed on the bench to use as toilet paper ... and some pages where better than others!

Here's a book where I would have liked a bit more information! Seems the author, er, artist, did 'custom' drawings of outhouses, based on someone's job, or an overheard conversation. At any rate, it was an interesting read (look?) and would make a good companion to the above entry: The History of Outhouses according to Robert F. Falk.

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The title Bugles, Boots, and Saddles: Exploits of the U.S. Cavalry, edited by Stephen Brennan caught my eye because of the connection with horses. I thought it rather an interesting way to write a history book ... it's a collection of first hand accounts, letters, etc., rather than something more traditional. It made for interesting reading, but I'll admit to missing a good bibliography and index. George Washington did not think mounted troops would be of much use early in the Revolutionary War. The Buffalo Soldiers saved the day many times in battles with the Indians after the Civil War. I also would have appreciated further information on a comment made at the start of the last chapter "By the 1890s, the glory days of the U.S. Horse Cavalry were over and done." ?? They were used in World War I, unless those were not considered 'glory days' ? I obviously had a mixed reaction to this book. :-)

Do you like poetry? I do like some ... I prefer something that rhymes, and has a nice rhythm. Turns out Fiona Waters does too! She put together a wonderful collection of poems, enough to last a year (if you read just one a day) and asked Frann Preston-Gannon to do the illustrations (which are wonderful). I loved the poems about the night, stars, and rain the best, but pick your favorites in Sing a Song of Seasons: a Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year.

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The woods are quiet, the trees are bare. Deer is trying to explain to Squirrel what snow is like, and that it will come soon, but waiting for it is boring. Still, Squirrel is determined to stay awake. Hedgehog and Bear have also never seen snow and join in watching for that first snowflake (and each believe they found it). Waiting for Winter, written and illustrated by Sebastian Meschenmoser is filled with great pictures, fun antics, and one puzzled woodcutter.

Fourteen children are waiting at the train station. They are orphans, heading west, to start a new life with a new family. Marianne is sure her mother will be waiting for her at one of the stops (she did say she was heading out West, after all), but the train makes stop after stop and the other children all find new homes, no one appears for her. Train to Somewhere, by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Ronald Hinter is a beautifully done story of the Orphan Trains that operated between 1850 and 1920.

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An Old, Cold Grave, by Iona Whishaw is the third in her Lane Winslow Mystery series. When one of the Hughes sisters is getting something out of their root cellar part of the roof caves in revealing a small skeleton. Who is it? Male or female? It will lead to some tragic secrets of a family that once lived nearby. I loved how the complete story here was tracked down (to say much more would be a spoiler). A bit darker than the earlier books, I think, but this series has just been an excellent read and I now have to await Canadian Reader's next visit to read the next book! Setting is just north of the border, so descriptions of the area will be familiar to many of you.

Snowballs and Scotch Mist, the third in the Belchester Chronicles, by Andrea Frazier, is what I consider a 'traditional' cozy ... that is .... a remote manor house or castle, a group of twelve guests, and snow. Lady Amanda and Hugo have been invited to spend Burn's Night in Scotland. Add a piper who strolls the halls much too early in the morning, weak tea and no alcohol, a few family secrets, and of course, a body, and you have a nice afternoon read.

This time it's the Medieval Herbalists that are gathering for a retreat (and wedding) and Jane is hoping this one will go better than the first two. Alas, it is not to be and the body of a popular herbalist and photographer is found along the banks of the river during the first annual rubber ducky race. As with her earlier books, author Ellery Adams creates interesting characters and settings in Murder in the Secret Garden, third in the Book Retreat Mystery series.

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Did your family take road trips? Back before seat belts were mandatory, and the 55 mph speed limit? Richard Ratay did, and wrote about it in Don't Make Me Pull Over: an Informal History of the Family Road Trip. There are chapters on the history of the U.S. highway system and the support system that grew up around them, as well as what it was like to be a family of six stuffed into one car, with all the necessary luggage, snacks, blankets, etc. that were needed. From leaving home at 3:30 am (to avoid rush hour traffic in Chicago) to their dad, who, if he had his way, would not even have to stop to refuel, the trips were always an adventure. Learn about the advent of drive through eateries and how the station wagon got that name. (The Ratay family never had a station wagon, in spite of it being a big family). Airline deregulation changed everything, and afterwards, the author says, they would "make a trip, but not a journey." Hmm.

Do you remember salads, on a proper salad plate, of 'something' in gelatin and plopped on a leaf of iceberg lettuce? Did you know it was a fad from times past? Seems fruits and veggies were considered messy and needed to be confined. In the fifties baby food (pureed) was used to make 'jiffy' gourmet dishes. There was a popular buffet offering called Fruit Cocktail-Spam Buffet Party Loaf. So many of these fads sound awful, but reading about them was fun in Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads, by Sylvia Lovegren. Photos would have been nice. Anything in aspic still makes me shudder.

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Murder in the Paperback Parlor is the second in the Book Retreat Mystery series by Ellery Adams. Once again Storyton Hall is hosting a themed retreat ... this time for authors and fans of Regency Romance novels. (It's Valentine's Day, after all). Turns out one of the authors is not as well loved as she thinks and ends up dead. Finding out the who and the why makes for another fine entry in this series. I read it on a recent dark and rainy day, which was perfect. :-)

Events from the past come to the surface in Encounters and Enemies, by Dianna Xarissa. In the past women married young, often to someone their parents selected, so marriages were not always happy. Where might this lead? And were all the stories even true? Women, who may or may not have had an affair with a prominent man of years ago are dying. Is there a connection? And what about Melanie, who was much younger? This is the fifth of the Isle of Man Ghostly mysteries.

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Lady Amanda Golightly is at it again in White Christmas With a Wobbly Knee, the second Belchester Chronicles mysteries by Andrea Frazer. Thinking to open parts of her grand house to public tours, Lady Amanda holds a Boxing Day Gathering for her elite (make that quirky and eccentric) friends. In return, they need to give her feedback. Instead of a proper tour, a body is found. The motive is not too hard to figure out, the man was writing a tell all book. The means ... well, there were five of those! Lady Amanda is also dealing with the unexpected arrival of a relative. So much for a quiet Christmas.

An interesting read came from my neighbor across the street: Secrets at the Little Village School, by Gervase Phinn. It's actually book five in the Little Village School series, but it wasn't too hard jumping into the middle. Since it's mostly set in a school there are a lot of students and teachers, but you get an idea of their home life, too. I enjoyed the blend of characters ... there's a teacher who makes you wonder why she ever became a teacher, and an annoying nine year old boy (if you remember the Leave it to Beaver TV show, think Eddie Haskell as a child), but also kids who are getting a new start at a better life and a young teacher starting a new career.

I first saw Dear Mrs. Bird, by A.J. Pearce in The Chuckanut Reader. Constant Reader got to it first and sent me a "read it!!" email, and a few weeks later, I did just that! It's a great read! Set in London during WWII, Emmaline has taken a job at a newspaper. She imagines herself doing important stories about the war but ends up at the 'advice' desk ... working for a woman who won't answer anything she considers 'unpleasant' (which is pretty much everything). Emmaline believes these people need an answer. How she resolves this makes for a grand read.

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Seems Washington DC suffered something of an invasion during WWII. In this case, though, it was expected ... well, mostly! They came to work in offices, to break code, in some cases to be spies. They came in the thousands, so housing became an issue. They worked every shift imaginable so safety and security was a concern. They were women! Lipstick Brigade: the Untold True Story of Washington's World War II Government Girls, by Cindy Gueli is one of those hard-to-put down books. Well researched, there are footnotes and a wonderful bibliography (regular readers know how much I like these). Their work was tedious, often twelve hour days, six days a week. Or hard ... imagine typing and sending death notices for hours every day. Sometimes a job was well below the skill level of the employee, other times if you could 'recognize a typewriter' (but couldn't actually type) you'd get a job. Housing was a huge problem, outhouses were still in use in some places, raising concern for a variety of diseases. Skin color could affect getting a job or housing, too. A compelling look at a unique time in our history. I strongly recommend partnering it with the book from the Images of America series Washington, D.C.: the World War II Years, by Paul K. Williams (see blog post for August 10, 2018). It has several pictures of things that are mentioned in this book.

Women are the weaker sex, right? Not so, and here's a book that takes on just that subject: Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong -- and the New Research That's Rewriting the Story, by Angela Saint. Full disclosure, I got bogged down and ended up doing a lot of skimming, but that might not be true for all readers! There's lots of interesting studies here ... evolution, biology, gender issues (and how they got started). and so on, so I suggest giving this book a try. :-)

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In the next Markham Sisters Cozy mystery, The Hampton Case, by Diana Xarissa, Janet is pleased that Edward (who may or may not be a spy for the government) is coming for a visit. Just before he arrives, there is a fire at the local market. Was it arson? Will the owner rebuild? With his connections can Edward help with the investigation? There is a kitten now, too, will she take to Edward?

Here's the first in a new series: Buried in a Book, by Lucy Arlington. Dumped from her job of many years, Lila Wilkins is lucky to find a new one immediately. It's at a literary agency and she looks forward to being paid to read! Her first day starts with a latte. And a body. Her mom, a local psychic, lives nearby and offers to help. And, Lila is a single mom of a teen aged son. Loved some of the query letters, they were a hoot! (This is the Novel Idea Mystery series).

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Looking back at the entries I have posted, are ready to go, and the books on my pile of 'books to read' I see there have been and are lots of horse books. Perhaps I am revisiting my childhood when those were the only books I wanted to read. Saddlebags for Suitcases: a Wartime Ride Across Canada, by Mary Bosanquet is another tale about someone who went for a long, very long ride. It's just prior to WWII (it actually starts while Mary is on her ride). Although she is British, she decides a ride across Canada would be a grand adventure, and something to remember should the world really fall apart. She starts on the west coast, where she figures horses will be cheaper. She rides across the mountains, and the prairies. She makes the local newspapers so often gives speeches at schools or churches. She has no fear about asking a home owner for shelter at night. Along the way she meets many families who came from England and they share memories of their faraway home. Beautiful writing, of an old style .... the first chapter being an excellent example ... "After an Adventure" does not mean when the adventure is over, but seeking an adventure!

One of the first things the pioneers did as they settled a new area was establish schools. Read all about that history in One Room: Schools and Schoolteachers of the Pioneer West, by Gail L. Jenner. There are pictures, a few poems, and some wonderful memories of those who attended them. Of course, they tried to establish order, and discipline, and even a dress code. Until someone realized how hard it was for the girls to wear dresses when they had to ride a horse to school! New Mexico had a school for the deaf as early as 1887.

Perry warned me about this book. Said it read like the best adventure fiction (but is non-fiction). It does! It did! Indianapolis: the True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man, by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic is the amazing story of a ship that was torpedoed just prior to the end of WWII. The higher ups decided the captain was at fault and are determined to have that decision stand. Those that were there think otherwise. An 8th grader thinks otherwise, too (what 'til you read about him, wow!). Even the commander of the ship that sank the Indianapolis thinks otherwise. Here is adventure on the high seas as well as high drama in the court room at it's very best.

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Once Upon a Spine, from the Bibliophile Mystery series by Kate Carlisle actually comes before Buried in Books (August 20, 2018 post), but I found I didn't mind reading them out of order at all. Here, for the first time, the parents are all going to meet ... Brooklyn's folks are hippies, in fact, they still live in the commune where she was raised. And Derek's folks? Well, they are British! Add in one, no, two ... maybe more rare copies of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and you've got quite the mystery going on.

Business is slow at the B&B, but then, it is January, and the weather is cold and damp. Life is not dull, however, as there have been a series of break-ins around town. There's even one right across the street. Should the sisters worry? Can they help find who is responsible? The Fenton Case is the sixth of the Markham Sisters Cozy mysteries by Diana Xarissa.

The sisters are beginning to feel more like a part of Doveby Dale now that their B&B has been open for a while. Janet has even joined the local Ladies' Club. Conflict arises when the suggestion is made to include men in the group. Just who are these men? And is one of them cheating one of the members out of her savings? Joan and Janet are starting to clean out the old carriage house, too ... what will they find? The Green Case is the next in Markham Sisters Cozy series. Author Diana Xarissa is doing a great job! I often read these novellas in one sitting.

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