March Mystery Madness: A Will to Murder by Hilary Thomson

March Mystery Madness: A Will to Murder by Hilary Thomson

by Carol4 Comments
Is it reasonable to apologize to a book? If so, I have to say I'm sorry to A Will to Murder by Hilary Thomson. I'm sorry I almost put you down halfway through, but how was I to know that the second half was going to be so much better than the first? I'm sorry I said you were boring and that I just didn't care about any of the characters, when after the will reading, it all picked up so quickly, from the dead bodies piling up to the humorous bits making me laugh out loud. A Will to Murder started off rather uniquely. James Boyle is an eccentric, wealthy man, who dies, whether from embarassment or a heart attack when rap music blasts from his antique car during a drive through town. Is it a prank gone awry or truly murder? The whole family gathers at Rollingwood estate for the will reading, from close relatives, to his estranged daughter, to...
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Flash Fiction: Mistress of the Mountains

Flash Fiction: Mistress of the Mountains

by Carol6 Comments
Image credit: Irulanan  Mistress of the Mountains He kissed her swiftly, mounted his horse, and rode down the path. She stood still, watching him go, the cool breeze from the mountains ruffling her soft blonde hair. He had begged her to come with him, to offer her condolences to the Queen of Ryland. It was her duty, he argued, as the Mistress of the Mountains, the ruler of the kingdom's northernmost edge, the stronghold. She demurred, advising him that his presence at the royal funeral would be enough, hers was not needed nor expected. A tear slipped down her cheek as he rounded a corner and disappeared from view. She had longed to tell him the truth, that she couldn't leave this valley, that beyond it's border she would die as surely as the daisies die with the first frost. Only once had she seen what lay past the mountains, the plains that seemed to extend forever full of flowers and warmed by a sun that didn't...
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Thursday’s Tale: The Dead Mother

Thursday’s Tale: The Dead Mother

by Carol8 Comments
Today's rather creepy story comes from Russia. "The Dead Mother" was retold by W. R. S. Ralston in his Russian Fairy Tales. I'm having trouble finding a date for the original printing of the book, but from what I can tell, it was probably in the late 1800s. The story is quite short. A happily married couple have a baby, but soon after it is born the mother dies. The father is of course terribly sad and hires an old woman to help him take care of the baby. During the day, the baby only cries and cries, and wouldn't eat anything. At night, though, it slept peacefully. The old woman wonders why the baby is so quite at night, and decides to stay up to find out what is going on. At midnight, she hears someone enter the  room and go up to the crib, then the baby quiets. For three nights, the old woman hears the same thing, and...
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“Spring Cleaning” Giveaway

by Carol3 Comments
Tomorrow is officially the first day of Spring, and we all know Spring means Spring Cleaning. In addition to the the sweeping and dusting and washing floorboards and cleaning out the flowerbeds, I'm doing some de-cluttering of closets and shelves. I've got a few mysteries to give away. One random winner will receive these books. This giveaway is open to US residents only. To enter fill out the form below by midnight, Eastern time, March 25. Shore Excursion by Marie Moore The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (ARC) India Black and the Widow of Windsor by Carol K. Carr All have been read once. This giveaway is now closed....
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Recipe: Tortellini Tomato Spinach Soup

by Carol9 Comments
Photo credit: justbestrecipes At my house, weeknight meals are tough. Usually they have to be something that goes together fairly quickly, and I'd like it to be at least semi-healthy most of the time. This yummy soup fits the bill. The recipe is from Food Network. Tortellini Tomato Spinach Soup Serves 4 Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup minced onion (about 1/2 small onion) 1 clove garlic, minced 4 to 6 cups broth, chicken or vegetable 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed through your fingers or coarsely chopped 1 (9-ounce) package fresh tortellini or 4 servings dried tortellini Coarse grained salt and cracked black pepper 10 ounces fresh or frozen spinach, defrosted and chopped 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, very loosely packed Directions In a 3-quart soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth and tomatoes, turn heat up to high, and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package instructions....
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