Found a couple of books on a rather odd subject (but one I've used before) ... tombstones! Epitaphs: a Dying Art is a thoughtful collection of what was found in cemeteries, churches, plaques and so on. Some are flowery and long, some are brief and witty, some very sad. An interesting read edited by Samuel Fanous.

Here's the other book about tombstones ... well, that as well as what someone might have wanted on a tombstone, or final words, etc. R.I.P. Here Lie the Last Words, Morbid Musings, Epitaphs & Fond Farewells of the Famous and Not-So-Famous, edited by Susan K. Hom. Divided by epitaphs, musings ("poking fun at death") and farewells, this was a rather fun read!

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The Murder at Redmire Hall, by J.R. Ellis is part of his Yorkshire Murder Mystery series. It is a classic 'locked room' mystery this time involving magic. Years ago Lord Redmire's father performed the trick once, and only once. It's the one where a person walks into a small room, which has been inspected for any escape routes, the door closes and opens, he is gone, the door closes and opens and he is back. It is never explained how it is done. Many years later, in the hope of raising some funds (the current Redmire is a gambler) the trick is performed again (he has found out the 'how'), only this time, when he reappears, he is dead. Once again DCI Oldroyd is present at the time of death and leads the investigation. I actually figured part of this one out before the end, see if you can, too. :-)

The Thursday Murder Club is the debut novel for Richard Osman, and what a wild ride it was! Set in a rather posh retirement facility, there is a group that meets every week (you can guess which day, I'm sure) to discuss old, cold cases. (one retiree was a cop). When a real murder occurs, they are eager to help. With a wide variety of talents they actually do help ... and the police, if somewhat reluctant at first, do include them in the investigation. Great characters (watch out for Elizabeth!), nice bits of humor, and lots of twists and turns, this was a great read for a rainy weekend.

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 Here is the second Laetitia Rodd Mystery by Kate Saunders: The Case of the Wandering Scholar. Laetitia is actually on a short holiday when she is asked to look for the missing brother of a man who is dying ... he wants to be reunited before he dies. What caused the estrangement? And where does she even start to look? The brother left college some years ago to pretty much 'live off the land'. He has been spotted from time to time, but has no permanent location of any kind. Remember, appearances are important in this age so she has to be careful who and how she asks what questions ... she is a 'private detective of the utmost discretion' (says so, right on the cover)! This is a great series, but at the moment, there is no word as to if the author is at work on a third book. Let's hope she is!

Kudos to Canadian Reader for finding another wonderful 'first' book! The Riviera Express, by TP Fielden introduces us to some wonderful characters and a delightful mystery. First off ... the name ... the Riviera Express is both a newspaper and a train! How fun is that? Secondly, the victim died on said train, in a private, first class seat. Then a body shows up at the bottom of a cliff, one where the path above was clearly marked as dangerous ... Now, the man in the train was 'important', the man at the bottom of the cliff, not so much. What is the connection? Was there one? I've already ordered book two!

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 Now, I'm not one to cook, but I do enjoy hearing those who do tell me about, oh, baking, trying something new, finding a new 'perfect' pan for (name of meat, pastry, etc. here). And, I quite enjoyed How to Dice an Onion: Hacks, Tips, and Tricks for the Home Cook, by Anne Sheasby! Granted, I didn't always understand what was being said (thankfully there is a glossary included), but it was fun!

Here's one of those curious books (for me) that I pick up every so often: Kicks: the Great American Story of Sneakers, by Nicholas Smith. It made me think of getting a new pair of tennis shoes every September. To be worn only for PE after which is was back in my heavy, clunky, corrective shoes again. And also of some of the wonderful stories by Ray Bradbury, also about new tennis shoes and how wonderful they felt! This is not that! It's more .... invention, advertising, marketing, competition .... two of the biggest names started in one family, but there was a falling out between brothers. Early on, the shoes were designed to help with traction (running tracks were awful). Later, as they were adapted to more and more sports, support and careful fit became part of the design process, too. Then, of course there was star endorsement! Various styles became so popular that there were murders, just to get the shoes. Not a bad social history. Like the author, you may find your self checking out what shoes someone is wearing after reading this!

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 Aunt Bessie has taken a bit of a fall on one of her walks along the beach, and that sends her off to the hospital for some X-rays, where the receptionist asks for her help. It also leads to the title of this next mystery by Diana Xarissa: Aunt Bessie's X-Ray. A friend of that receptionist has died in what was determined to be an accident, but she believes it to be murder. Will Bessie help out? This is one of the Isle of Man Cozy Mystery books.

I have learned a lot about Poodles in Laurien Berenson's Melanie Travis Canine Mystery books. It is a fun series! In Bite Club Melanie has started a book club, soon to be taken over by Aunt Peg! Someone new to the area, and the book club, has asked for help with his puppy, Melanie is glad to help, but when she turns up for a lesson one day, she finds his body. He seemed so quiet, and mild mannered (don't they all??) but as she delves into his past, nasty things start to emerge. Look for an Agatha Christie sort of ending here!

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Posie Parker is finally getting married! Everything is set for the perfect day. Except that when Posie enters the church, the flowers are all wrong (she arranged the proper ones the day before). And who is the strange vicar at the front of the church? (And with a gun??) Not to mention, the groom does not show up. And so begins the next adventure in the Posie Parker Mystery series by L.B. Hathaway (this is #9). Marriage is Murder is a novella, and therefore a short, easy read.

I loved the comment on the front cover of Mrs. Entwhistle, by Doris Reidy: "When you're over the hill, you pick up speed." The more I read this book, the better I liked the characters (book #2 has been ordered). Mrs. Entwhistle thwarts a would be burglar (there's a very interesting outcome here), helps serve meals on Christmas when her kids are 'too busy' to come see her, attends a high school reunion (watch out for the 'most popular' student, he's there, too) ... and has many other adventures. Just a fun read that is probably more appealing to those of us of a certain age. :-)

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If you like mysteries set in Regency England, you will surely enjoy Murder on Black Swan Lane, by Andrea Penrose. It's a time when satirical cartoons are often the most popular thing in the daily newspaper, and A.J. Quill is the best there is. Those 'skewered' wonder how so many details of their lives are discovered. Can't say too much here, but this is a great mystery, lots of fun twists, a great new partnership, and some wonderful period descriptions.

A week at Lakeview Holiday Park should have been fun ... a nice break from school and work, with lots of activities for both kids and adults. It was anything but (of course). Doona (who recently had an unexpected inheritance from her ex) was surprised when her solicitor shows up. There are obnoxious and demanding guests. And (you knew this was coming), a body. Turns out, lots of folks had motive. And let's not overlook all the, er, 'extra-curricular' activities amongst the (supposedly) adult visitors! Aunt Bessie Wonders is part of the Isle of Man Cozy Mystery books by Diana Xarissa.

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Pets have been important to people for a long time. Careful research on the part of author Mimi Matthews tells of many of them in The Pug Who Bit Napoleon: Animal Tales of the 18th and 19th Centuries. Josephine had a dog, one who was with her all the time, including her wedding night, and that's when Napoleon got bit! (He would carry the scars for life). There are lots of dogs, some cats, and birds, donkeys, and rabbits and more. And while not pets, exactly, the chapter at the end, on the flea circuses that were once so popular was fascinating.

I don't like sports all that much, and don't follow any of it on tv, etc., so this was a somewhat unusual read for me: The History of College Nicknames, Mascots, and School Colors, by Gary Hudson. I guess it was just quirky enough to appeal to me! And, it did turn out to be a fun read. The colors for one team were inspired by a large field of dandelions in flower, another by a large hat (think 1920's) worn by a woman on a train, and one by which colors could be delivered to an island (not all of them could). A team in Texas has the cougar for a mascot ... which was influenced by none other than Butch at Washington State University!

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A nice (well, mostly nice, there's always Ambrosia to deal with) family vacation comes to an abrupt halt when a trunk surfaces near their sail boat and a body is discovered. As it turns out, in this 'nod to Agatha Christie' by Lee Strauss, it is someone known to most of the others staying at the hotel. Who had motive? Did the staff see anything? Murder at Brighton Beach is another delightful read in the Ginger Gold Mystery series.

I have enjoyed the Lucy Stone Mystery books by Leslie Meier for many years now. Many have a seasonal or holiday theme, which makes them a perfect choice for, say, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day on so forth. :-) Invitation Only Murder felt a little darker than the others (I've noticed this with other series, too). A chance for Lucy to write a nice story for the newspaper is spoiled by some nasty goings on with what turns out to be a dysfunctional family (read a couple like this, too. Not all were fiction). The body on the beach ... was it an accident? And why did the twins go missing?

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