There are a variety of spins on the Sherlock Holmes books these days and one of my favorites is The Lady Sherlock Series by Sherry Thomas. Charlotte Holmes, a consulting detective (acting for her sickly brother Sherlock, because, after all, a mere woman couldn't really do this, right?) has been tasked with retrieving some letters that requires the theft of a rather large piece of art. From a public place and during a public event. Just how she pulls this off, with the help of a wonderful collection of friends makes The Art of Theft of great read.

It seems a gathering of crime writers is not all the, er, fun, it was supposed to be. One of those attending is extremely unpopular among the other writers so when he is found dead in the local Victorian Bath, few are upset. The thing is, he had arranged for the private use of the Baths so no one else was around, and there is only one way in and out, and someone is behind the desk at all times. The Royal Baths Murder is one of the Yorkshire Murder Mystery books by J.R. Ellis. I'll offer up just one hint: think 'hiding in plain sight'. ;-)

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Since it's hard, and certainly not recommended to do much traveling at this time, here's a nice arm chair journey: Hidden Places, by Sarah Baxter and illustrated by Amy Grimes. It is one of the Inspired Traveller's Guide books. These are (mostly) little known places. Many are hard to reach, but all have an interesting history and this is an enjoyable read ... especially since you won't have to hike, climb, row, ride a mule, etc. to get there! The illustrations add to the enjoyment.

I knew 52 Women of Whatcom was due out and so was keeping an eye out for it. It's from the League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County, and does not disappoint (well, except for one incorrect spelling of a name ....). There are short biographies and a picture of 52 women, from pioneer days to present time, who encouraged the building of schools, museums, hospitals and more. They were advocates of voting for women, and for basic human rights. Read it, share it, it's an excellent read!

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 I rarely read a fiction book that is not a mystery, but the connection to words and an old dictionary in The Grammarians, by Cathleen Schine caught my eye. Laurel and Daphne are twins. Identical twins. When they are very young their father brings home that huge dictionary by Samuel Johnson and from then on, they are hooked on words. The story line follows their lives ... school, jobs (there's a great twist here!), marriage, kids ... and eventually a falling out. A pleasant read, but, curiously, with a few grammatical errors!

I picked up The Vicarage Murder, by Faith Martin, because of the subtitle: An Addictive Crime Mystery Full of Twists. It is a revised edition of a book published under a different title, and under one of the pen names Ms. Martin uses. It is the first Monica Noble Detective books. Monica is a widow, and has recently married the Vicar of a small town. The house they live in, the vicarage in the title, has been made over into several lovely dwellings. Monica throws a party to welcome the new residents, and that's were the trouble starts. One of them is shot and killed, then there are others (of course). What is the connection? True to the subtitle, there are lots of twists to the plot!

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This book is most fitting for the times we are living in: The Psychology of Stupidity, edited by Jean-Francois Marmion and translated from the French by Liesl Schillinger. It's a collection of interesting essays on what makes people do stupid things, or levels of stupidity, how the internet affects this, and so on. You'll laugh, you might cry, or even nod your head when something sounds familiar ... it was an interesting read!

While not technically a book, I am including one of the wonderful special issues of Life magazine here: Michelle Obama: Her Inspiring Story. It's a nice biography of an amazing woman, and of course, since it's from Life, wonderful pictures, too!

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Lee Strauss is writing many series, one, the Rosa Reed Mystery series, with her hubby. The setting is Santa Bonita in California where Rosa has set up her private investigation business. She is hired to locate a missing family member, which she does. Only he is dead. And it's not the accident it looks to be. Murder at the Bomb Shelter, by Lee Strauss and Norm Strauss is the tale of the investigation that ensues, now involving the local police. The family is well known, dysfunctional, and known for not helping with, well, anyone who questions them about pretty much anything. How will they figure this one out?

Resort to Murder is the second in the Miss Dimont Mystery series by TP Fielden. Every bit as fun as the first, it too, has a body found on the beach. With no identification. Lots of possibilities here, it's summer, there's a top name band playing at the local theater, and a beauty pageant in progress. The second death ... well, let's just say it happened under unusual circumstances ... but how? Nice development with the characters as we learn more about their pasts.

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This one would have been fun to include with my October 30 post: Cursed Objects: Strange But True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items, by J.W. Ocker. Seems anything can be cursed ... a statue, a necklace, a doll, a chair ... The author explores how something got cursed, what that curse is, and how many people have been affected. He has a rather enjoyable tongue-in-cheek style when discussing, say, if a statue over a grave is cursed because it turned black, or if it was because the metal was exposed to the elements! There's a Whatcom County connection with one of the items ... well, maybe!

In the past I've always tucked a copy of The Old Farmer's Almanac in the stocking of a friend of mine ... well ... this year she has already been given TWO and she passed one on to me. :-) I've not read one in ages and the 2021 edition by Robert B. Thomas proved to be an interesting read. I skipped over the planting schedules but enjoyed the articles on nature, astronomy, amusement and so on. The weather forecasts were fun, too. Now, whether or not I will remember to pull this off the shelf to check if it was accurate is another story! ;-)

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 I am quite enjoying the Countess Harleigh Mystery books by Dianne Freeman. The asides on what can and cannot be done in stuffy company are a hoot! The most recent is A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder. An ... unexpected situation ... means that Lily's wedding will have to happen sooner rather than later, but it still needs to be done properly ... there is an estate in Risings that might work and all the required people head there. Then, of course, things happen ... falling luggage (a huge cart-full), a poisoning, someone is shot by an arrow ... accidents or not? And who is the actual target? And then Lily's mother arrives from the U.S. (shudder!) Can the wedding actually go on amidst all this?

In need of something to do with my dog I looked up books about activities, training, and so forth and found The Canine Kingdom of Scent: Fun Activities Using Your Dog's Natural Instincts, by Anne Lill Kvam. Lots of things to learn here! From simple to more complex it's a great selection of nose work with clear and easy to understand directions.

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Since reading All Creatures Great and Small (and all the others) by James Herriot some years ago, I've sort of kept a look out for other books by vets. Crowded in the Middle of Nowhere: Tales of Humor and Healing from Rural America, by Dr. Bo Brock is the most recent. Dr. Brock has a mixed practice in West Texas, which means, he can be called on to treat anything, including an ostrich with a thorn in her foot. When distances are great, client and vet might meet at a half way point ... say, a football game! (At least there is decent lighting)! A most enjoyable read.

For something that should make you smile in these somewhat depressing and chaotic times, try Queen Elizabeth II's Guide to Life, compiled by Karen Dolby. It's a collection of anecdotes and quotes and observations on the Queen and duty, family, diplomacy, manners, and of course, her horses. Many are quite funny and will make you chuckle. The Queen has a delightful sense of humor (humour)!

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 In need of a short read one day, I opted for another of the Markham Sisters mysteries: The Tanner Case, by Diana Xarissa. A wedding is being planned, but (of course) not all goes as expected. Jane is checking out various venues ... but at each one there has been graffiti sprayed on the front doors with messages like "this is a terrible place for a wedding". There are three companies providing these services, all are hit. There's no other competition so why all of them? Love the twisting details in this one. :-)

The second in the Wrexford & Sloane Historical Mystery series by Andrea Penrose is Murder at Half Moon Gate. The body of a talented inventor was found in an alley in a part of town where he had no business being ... or did he? You know it's not a simple mugging! He had plans for remarkable improvements to the then new steam powered engine. Not everyone is happy with this progress because it will take jobs away from humans. Others see it as a way to make a lot of money. Wrexford is pulled into the investigation and once again asks Charlotte to help. She has a group of 'informants' (think Baker Street Irregulars) who help her with getting information she uses to create her political cartoons and they prove to be great help here. Soon there are other bodies, too, seems the killer is not afraid to remove anyone who might be dangerous to him or her. Wonderful atmospheric read!

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