You may or may not know the name of Alan Jay Lerner, but there's a good chance you'll know at least some of the lyrics he wrote, even if it's just the one associated with John F. Kennedy: "...for one, brief, shinning moment ..." The Street Where I Live: a Memoir is a fun and cleverly written (given many of his lyrics, I guess this should come as no surprise) autobiography. Putting together a musical is a lot of hard work, late nights, re-writes, all of which are explained here. There are some wonderful anecdotes, too. Lerner once had a meal with the Queen where he was seated next to Prince Philip (who is a witty and amusing conversationalist). Lerner learned that Philip had learned to speak French from his English nanny. Who had a Cockney accent! Quite an enjoyable read.

Kristin Knight Pace was born in Texas which must have given her the desire for big, open spaces. She would spend time in Montana before ending up in Alaska. Her book this much country: a memoir, is about how she got there, and ended up running both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod. Well written, but I was saddened by the use of a lot of bad language. I know, I know, it's the way books are written these days (or so I've been told more than once), but I just don't care for it and find it can get in the way of what was a wonderful description of something.

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The next in the Posie Parker Mystery series (#8) is Murder on the White Cliffs, by L.B. Hathaway. I found this one a bit more intense, I think, there was a lot going on! So much was so secretive during the war that it's hard to know just exactly what was going happening, who knew what, who you could trust ... all that is beautifully handled here as Posie tries to solve the murder of a housekeeper. Why so much interest in a mere housekeeper? And how do the fashion designers fit in? I love the history I'm learning! :-)

I really do try and make the Markham Sisters books last, but they are short (five in this collection) and fun, and well, I just sort of keep turning pages. In The Somerset Case, someone has been delivering flowers to the waitress at a local cafe. Every day. At first it was flattering, but soon it's overwhelming, and the notes (unsigned) are getting, well, creepy. Valentine's Day is coming and that, the notes promise, is where it will all end.

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While reading an alumni magazine I came across a familiar name, and discovered said person had written a book. Robert Storms was a music teacher in a local school district, and there is a connection here ... he knew my dad (also a music teacher), and was the conductor of a band that used to play in the local parks in the summer, which was my summer job! Retired now, he wrote a book about being a middle school music teacher. School Stories: the Funny Thing About Music was a fun read. If you were ever in a band, choir, or orchestra (or had kids who were) you will be chuckling as you read this book.

Some time earlier this year Constant Reader told me about a cat who had died, a cat that had a following, books, and even a movie. A cat with an interesting life story (hence the books, etc). That sent me looking for the beginning of it all: A Street Cat Named Bob and How He Saved My Life, by James Bowen. The author was basically homeless, busking to make enough for food, and on a drug rehab program when he comes across a cat. Reluctant to take on the responsibility for caring for the orange feline, he looks into other possibilities, but finally realizes they need each other. He names him Bob. Life changes for both of them. A wonderful story of what having an animal in your life can do!

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 I was sure I'd read Murder by the Book when Canadian Reader first told me about it, I even thought it was on a pile I'd saved for her! (It did sound awfully familiar!) I was wrong! It is the first in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series, by Lauren Elliott. A familiar plot, to start with, main character gets an unexpected inheritance (including a house), life is not going well where she is so she moves to the small town where the house is and opens a bookstore. Things to not go well ... the action starts on the first page ... there is a strange car lurking about (sometimes seemingly trying to run her over), both the house and store are broken into (several times), other store owners are unfriendly ... what the heck is going on? Read it and find out! ;-)

One of the characters in the Markham Sisters mysteries has always been a bit of a mystery, and this continues in The Rhodes Case. We know that Edward does 'something' for the government and has, in the past (before they owned the B&B) used Doveby House has a safe house. This time, however, when he arrives, they are to pretend they have never met. Why? Who is the young man he brings along, and is there any connection to recent robberies? Author Diana Xarissa has created a wonderful series here, nice little mysteries all with no bodies! :-)

It looks like a natural death, the victim was overweight, had heart problems, never exercised and ate poorly. He had been warned that something (several things) needed to change by his doctor. And who could he anger? He was a researcher, dealt with old papers, histories, things like that. Still, it was 'off' enough for Bruno to call in the ME. Fatal Pursuit, by Martin Walker deals with rare cars. Extremely rare cars. Cars collectors will pay huge amounts of money to own, and perhaps, even kill to get one. Considering that I'm not all that interested in cars, this was a fascinating read. ;-)

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Did you ever give much thought to your address? I didn't, or at least not much beyond there were even numbers on one side of the street, and odd on the other ... and that 'street' was a city address and 'road' a county address. There's actually an interesting history here and you can read about it in The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power, by Deirdre Mask. When and why were houses first given numbers? Who determines the names of streets or roads? How do those change over time? You've heard of vanity plates for cars, but did you know there are vanity addresses (for a price)?

There are lots of things we take for granted these days, but hey, who was the first? (For me, artichokes come to mind)(!) That is explored in Who Ate the First Oyster? The Extraordinary People Behind the Greatest Firsts in History, by Cody Cassidy. The author interviews archeologists, anthropologists, scientists, sociologists and so on to come up with a person (to whom he gives a name) that were the first to brew beer, carry a baby in a sling, use a bow and arrow, and even what might have been the first murder victim. This is a fascinating book!

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 When I realized I had two mysteries starting with Q, well, I just had to post them together, yes?

The next 'bunch' of the Markham Sisters by Diana Xarissa books are out! This time the collection is QRSTU. They come out first as ereaders so I have to wait for the book form. In The Quinton Case a long lost, and decidedly smarmy, cousin shows up claiming to have a will that left HIM everything and not the sisters. Too many bells and whistles go off for Jane and Janet to agree to what he wants (much to his annoyance) so lawyers get involved. Now, since this is a 'cozy' and the series continues you can figure out the conclusion, I'm sure, but ... you will not see the twist that came at the end!

The Quartet Murders, by J.R. Ellis, is the second in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series. DCI Oldroyd is attending a concert of a string quartet, something he had been looking forward to for some time. The music is glorious and the audience spell bound and then the first violinist is shot and killed ... on stage. Lots of interesting twists and turns here, who knew the desire for instruments could be so ... well, competitive? And what about the connection to WWII? Loved the bits of history on the Stradivarius strings that started each chapter.

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One of the comments on the front of The Sheep Stell: Memoirs of a Shepherd, by Janet White is "lyrical" and that really fits this book well. A childhood in England in WWII made the author want to live somewhere wild, but quiet and peaceful. To make her parents happy, she went to school long enough so she could continue on to university, but never did. Instead, she looked for farms needing help with animals, specifically sheep. She worked in England, Wales, and New Zealand. She was happiest working alone taking care of everything herself. For a while that was on an island in New Zealand. There was a house (no plumbing or electricity) and pens for the sheep and a barn. Everyone and everything had to come by boat. There was a signal, created by fire, should she ever need emergency help. I'm not doing the book justice here, it is a beautiful read by a strong woman who lived an incredible life.

I have mixed feelings about The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: the True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession, by Allison Hoover Bartlett. Well written yes, but one of the things successful thieves like, I'm told, is recognition of their skills ... isn't that what this book does? The thief is never remorseful and often seems surprised when he is sent to jail (he didn't steal, he claims, he wrote bad checks). There is a detective who is determined to track him down, and, of course, the author who becomes fascinated by the world of rare books. An unusual and intense read.

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 It was so nice to have Aunt Bessie books on my shelf again that I read another one fairly soon after the first one. Seems there are years of ... well ... who knows what stored in out buildings and store rooms of the Manx National Heritage at Peel Castle. In Aunt Bessie Volunteers, one of the Isle of Man Cozy Mystery series by Diana Xarissa, Bessie has offered to help sort through the boxes. While most of the stuff is old, broken, water damaged and so on, there are some interesting historical items. And a body, well, a skeleton. First thing is to determine if it is real (it is), and then, of course, the who and why it ended up where it did. It might take some time, the skeleton is thirty years old!

Here's another wonderful recommendation from Canadian Reader. She actually started with the second in the Laetitia Rodd Mystery Series, but I'm starting with the first: The Secrets of Wishtide, by Kate Saunders. Laetitia Rodd is a widow, one without much money. Her brother has ten children (and another on the way) so he cannot help much financially, but he can help her find work, work that is appropriate for her to do (times are stuffy folks, appearances are everything!) What she can do, and do well, is conduct quiet investigations with the utmost discretion. She is rather good at disguise, and can often get people to talk to her when they won't talk to the police. Charming and delightful!

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