reviews

. . . In the Library, With a Knife Author: M.C. Beaton What do drunken Morris dancers, duck races, unimaginably potent wine, and dashing clergy all have in common? The answer is one grumpy and seriously sensitive gumshoe who hides behind the hard-bitten edge of a frosty tongue – Agatha Raisin. Luckless in love, Agatha is recovering from a triple letdown: her flighty ex-husband’s abandonment, the heartless absence of colleague (and sometimes lover) Sir Charles Fraith, and a quite indecent proposal from her neighbor/fellow investigator, John Armitage. Having once and for all given up on men, and finding nothing in [...]

Red Weddings and Bloody Awakenings Author: George R.R. Martin And so it continues, my epic quest to work through the Game of Thrones book series. Having started without knowledge of the TV show (I watch relevant seasons only after reading the appropriate novel first, as per my husband’s firm instructions on GoT enjoyment) and being blissfully unaware of spoilers, A Storm of Swords came as more of a shock than I expected. The first book in the series, the appropriately named Game of Thrones sets a precedent that readers won’t soon forget – main characters can (and will) die, stories can suddenly and abruptly change, [...]

Holiday Homicide Author: Cleo Coyle Christmas is coming to New York and with it holiday cookies, skating parties, and a dash of holiday homicide. With the bustle of the impending Yuletide and the stress of co-hosting numerous functions for New York’s elite (plus providing some delectable pastry treats!) Claire is sharing a part-time employee, Moirin Fagen, with friend and pastry chef Janelle. Moirin is lovably Irish, an immigrant with a closed past and enigmatic present who nevertheless makes everyone laugh and allows her charm to cover her unknown nature. When the cheer and festivities end one night and Moirin is [...]