Since the basic toga, clothing has been a wearable status symbol. Styles change over time (some good, some bad ... some you wonder what folks were thinking). Dress codes came about as a way to maintain some sort of control. Learn more about all of this in Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History, by Richard Thompson Ford. Nicely researched, with a great bibliography, but I will say I found it a bit dry at times and did some skimming.

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An anniversary, of sorts, is coming up. There is a film crew in the area, recreating the events of some two hundred years ago. There were three murders, and the man convicted of them was put to death at a bluff/cliff now named after him by having him jump (or be thrown) off said cliff. Now, the body of the lead actress for the re-enactment was found at the bottom of the cliff. Did she fall? Was it suicide? Murder? In solving these questions, Inspector Graham also discovers new things about the case from so long ago. The Case of Sampson's Leap, by Alison Golden and Grace Dagnall, is another good read in the Inspector David Graham Mystery series.

Tall Reader loaned me a book last month: The Question of Max, by Amanda Cross. Published in 1976, the information on the cover calls it a "glorious tribute to the genre of detective fiction perfected by Dorothy Sayers." It really is a most intriguing mystery! An author has died, and while she left a house and property to her children, she left all her books, papers and other 'literary' stuff to Max. Why? And what does he learn? And why was the body of a grad student found on the cliff near the house? Adding to a good mystery story, there is also the mystery as to where the book came from ... it's a discard from a library back east, so how did it get to Tall Reader's shelf?

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I often listen to my CDs of The Vinyl Cafe radio show, but this past week I read some of those stories instead, in Revenge of the Vinyl Cafe, by Stuart McLean. The stories are familiar, but sometimes with some added bits that didn't make it on air, and just made for a very nice read. There are stories of a starry summer night, a fish head that can predict weather (well, it can if rain is coming), a special kind of honey, and more. I could hear Stuart's voice in my head as I was reading.

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It is Lady Georgiana's first Christmas as a married woman. She has plans for a quiet, low key holiday. Instead, she has been invited to a gathering by her husband's aunt at a small house (relatively speaking) near Sandringham (where the Royals spend the holiday). Included in the guests are the Prince and 'that horrible woman' (Mrs. Simpson). There have been strange happenings, starting the previous December, and the Queen wants Georgiana to keep her eyes and ears open. There are more deaths, and a possible attempt aimed at the Prince of Wales. What is the connection here? God Rest Ye, Royal Gentleman, one of the Royal Spyness Mystery books, by Rhys Bowen was a one day read!

She's back! The Queen, that is! This time it's a missing painting, or rather, one that showed up where it didn't belong. Then there's a body. Or two. While she is investigating (discreetly, of course) a decades old 'network' of thieves is discovered. Over the years, it seems, small things have been 'removed' from the royal residences and sold. Then there are the notes, nasty notes, some so bad that employees leave working for the Royal Family, what's that all about? All the Queen's Men, is the second book by SJ Bennett featuring Queen Elizabeth II doing a 'royal' version of investigation.

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Some time back Canadian Reader and I decided we were glad we were in grad school when we were. Further proof of that was offered recently when Kiwi shared the MLA Handbook: Ninth Edition with me! Curiously, I like enjoy books that explain how to properly write and punctuate a paper, how to cite various references, and so forth. In my day it was the book by Kate L. Turabian, my copy is still here on my shelf. This book is from the Modern Language Association of America. It's always important to give proper credit to your sources and these days there are a lot of options. It's as simple as logging on to the Internet, but then there are online papers, dictionaries, encyclopedias, magazines ... things on Facebook pages, Twitter, email and so forth. There are video clips, news stories ... and how to properly credit any of these is complicated! That, plus so much more is in this book. Granted, I did not read it from cover to cover, but if I was writing a paper, I would have!

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Some members of the Skipton city council are dying. Others seem to have fancy new cars, or have gone off on pricey vacations. Empty farms have been discovered, and there have been threatening letters. When the Council person from Toot Hansell becomes a victim, one of the members of the local WI just has to step in and replace him, doesn't she? When she is targeted, DI Adams steps in to figure out what is going on. So do the dragons. (Think about that). Game of Scones is the fourth of the Beaufort Scales Mystery books by Kim M. Watt.

If you've been reading the Bruno, Chief of Police books by Martin Walker, then you should thoroughly enjoy Bruno's Challenge and Other Stories of the French Countryside. All the familiar characters are here, plus a few that are new. All the wonderful descriptions of meals are here, in fact, if you like to cook, this might just read as a cook book! Bruno has some nice little problems to resolve, no murders or nasty characters here, just a good collection of stories.

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It was nice to return to the French countryside in one of the Bruno, Chief of Police novels by Martin Walter. The title: The Coldest Case, is a bit of a clue, it is an old case, some 30 years old. A visit to an exhibit of facial recognition of ancient skulls gives Bruno the idea that similar techniques could be used on the skull (damaged) from this decades old case. This opens up all kinds of old, long buried secrets from the Cold War. The area, in drought conditions for some years, is under an intense fire watch. (Don't miss the new use of an ancient tool)! And Balzac, the beloved Basset, is the father of nine puppies! And, of course, there's lots of descriptions of the amazing meals Bruno and his friends prepare. An excellent series!

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