Case Closed? by Susan Hughes

by Carol6 Comments
Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science by Susan Hughes, illustrated by Michael Wandelmaier (Suggested reading level: Grades 4-6) Amber (10) is a big fan of non-fiction, but they can sometimes be hard to find for her age range. This one she really enjoyed. We read it aloud over three evenings, and all the mysteries were interesting.I have to say that she was a little leery of reading it at first. I think she thought it was going to be boring, but after the first page of the first case, the story of a female pharaoh in ancient Egypt, she was hooked. The nine "mysteries" range from in time period from the ancient world to the 1970s. The include a city that disappeared into the desert, several explorations that were never heard from again, and the story of Princess Anastasia. "Using both traditional search methods and modern technology, researchers around the globe are now shedding new light on old mysteries. In these pages,...
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Challenge Sign-ups

by Carol11 Comments
I couldn't resist signing up for Vintage Mystery challenge hosted by Bev at My Reader's Block. The rule is that all books must have been written before 1960 and be from the mystery category. Think of som eof the great authors that are included in that: Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, Ellery Queen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ngaio Marsh, Rex Stout. I'm going to be Getting a Clue (7-9 books). Whitney at She Is Too Fond of Books is hosting The Femme Fatale Reading Challenge. The challenge is to read or watch femme fatale related stories. "A femme fatale, translating to "Deadly Woman" in french, is an alluring, seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire.  Often this leads them into compromising, dangerous   and deadly situations." "Typically, Femme Fatales are portrayed as the villains but occasionally become the heroine by the end of the tale.  A Femme Fatale,...
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Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

by Carol4 Comments
Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews It's tinsel - light, sparkly, fun, but at the end of the season it gets tossed with the tree. Weezie is an antiques dealer in Savannah, a character first introduced in Savannah Blues which I read several years ago. This one stands on its own well, though. Weezie's in a frenzy to decorate her shop for the annual contest. Her Blue Christmas/1950s theme turns out gorgeous, even out-shining the competitor down the block, but things start to go missing and a mysterious woman has been making after-hours visits to the shop. Daniel, Weezie's chef boyfriend, is worried, but he has his hands full at his restaurant. Overall, it's enjoyable, the touches of romance, a little mystery that leads to a heart-warming ending. Everything I'm looking for in a seasonal read. I actually listened to the audio version read by Isabel Keating. I will say that she was perfect for Weezie's voice, but she didn't do the male character's...
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Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas

by Carol10 Comments
  Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, Christ, the Maker of the universe or perhaps many universes, willingly and lovingly leaving all that power and coming to this poor, sin-filled planet to live with us for a few years to show us what we ought to be and could be. Christ came to us as Jesus of Nazareth, wholly human and wholly divine, to show us what it means to be made in God's image. Jesus, as Paul reminds us, was the firstborn of many brethren. I stand on the deck of my cottage, looking at the sky full of God's children, and know that I am one of them. (from "A Sky Full of Children" by Madeleine L'Engle in Watch for the Light) I've been reading a selection from Watch for the Light every evening since November 24 and will continue through January 7. I doubt that I will write a review about it simply because the topics, authors, even forms of the...
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Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzler

by Carol9 Comments
Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzler I do love Christmas mysteries, a combination of my favorite things really. Murder and theft for the holiday. This book collects 17 stories by am amazing list of writers. Each original story was commissioned by Otto Penzler, one a year beginning in 1993, printed and given to his bookstore customers as a holiday gift. The only requirements were that the story must take place during the Christmas season, involve a mystery and have a least some of the action take place at the Mysterious Bookshop in New York. I am so happy that he's sharing the stories with the rest of us! Each of the stories is written by a well-known author in the genre, and they vary from light-hearted and heart-warming to dark, like "The 74th Tale" by Jonathan Santlofer where a man discovers Poe and a penchant for burying people alive, and everywhere in between. As with most collections, I had...
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