Purchased – Page 53 – Carol's Notebook

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

April 5, 2019April 12, 2019 by Carol12 Comments

The blurb gives a clear idea of what Digital Minimalism is all about. We've become addicted to social media/binge-watching/videogames. And our ever present smartphones are just increasing our dependence. Newport advocates stepping away from all social media for 30 days and then only add things that truly enhance your life, and even those need to be added cautiously and perhaps with rules attached. He makes some really great points although not revolutionary. I actually like the parts about what to do instead of endlessly scrolling and liking most. I already know I need to spend less time on my phone, but I like the suggestions he has. He stresses the importance of solitude. He wants us to learn new skills and make/fix things. We need to actually interact with people, preferably in person, but an actual phone conversation, not texting, is good too. I listened to this, ironically enough, via the Audible App on my phone. I think I need to pick...

Cherringham, Episodes #10-12 by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

March 19, 2019March 19, 2019 by CarolNo Comments

There's been more murders in dear little Cherringham. And of course Sarah and Jack have to solve them. I enjoy these novella length mysteries. They're long enough for clues and suspects, but short enough that they have to keep moving. In "A Deadly Confession," the cops think Father Byrne died of a heart attack, which is true, but his old friend is convinced there's more to the story. Once again Sarah's internet skills come in handy. I like the old-fashioned denouement here, something this series doesn't usually have. It drags the whole motive(s) out into the open, but allows for a bit of grace in the handling of the whodunnit. Jack and Sarah have to solve the crime in "Blade in the Water," because there's no real evidence that a crime, aside from vandalism, has occurred. That's one of the tricks with cozy mysteries, giving a legitimate reason for the amateur and/or retired detective to need to solve the case, a...

Cherringham, Episodes #7-9 by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

March 15, 2019March 13, 2019 by CarolNo Comments

Cherringham is a charming English village - aren't they all - that has more than its fair share of murders. Happily, Sarah, a web designer, a Jack, former NYPD, make a good team who can apparently solve the mysteries that for whatever reason people won't take to the police or that the police can't solve. I like that they are good friends, that Sarah's family and Jack are close but there's no romance, a hint that maybe it will happen eventually, but none of that will they/won't they garbage. And they both bring their own skills to the table. Sarah is good at talking to people and digging for information online. Jack is a little tough, prefers paper files to online and doesn't mind a little breaking and entering for a good cause. There are few situations he's afraid of, while this whole crime business is still fairly new to Sarah. "The Body in the Lake" was my least favorite....

A Murderous Ride by Helena Marchmont

March 14, 2019March 13, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

"A Murderous Ride" is the second in the Bunburry series. I guess it could stand alone, but I'd suggest reading #1 first. It's short anyway, just over 100 pages, so it's not a huge commitment, and that way you'll be introduced to the town and Alfie and have more background going in to this one. Alfie has discovered that in addition to the cottage, he has inherited a 1950s Jaguar. While it does help him remember a moment in his childhood spent with his aunt, he has given up driving for reasons of his own. Between the car and the urging and "helping" of his friend Oscar, we know he'll get back behind the wheel again. But, we have to have a murder, and unluckily for Alfie, his car turns out to be the murder weapon, which makes him the prime suspect. He does get some help as he tries to figure out who the killer actually is. Bunburry is a charming town...

Murder at the Mousetrap by Helena Marchmont

March 13, 2019March 13, 2019 by Carol6 Comments

Yes, I picked up Murder at the Mousetrap because of the Agatha Christie and Oscar Wilde references, and that it was on the shorter side. I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it was. Alfie McAlister has retreated from London to the cottage in Bunburry he has inherited from an aunt he barely remembers. We get to meet all the townsfolk along with Alfie, and they are a nicely varied lot. He also gets recruited by the AA, Agatha's Amateurs, who put on The Mousetrap every year. The problem this year is their director is dead, and the death maybe was an accident, since this is a mystery, it's clearly murder. Alfie and two elderly neighbors, Liz and Marge, start investigating, asking questions, visiting people. The dead man was not very nice though, so we've got lots of people with motives, even if the reasons don't seem quite strong enough to lead to murder. It's a fun read. I enjoyed the...

Swing, Brother, Swing by Ngaio Marsh

March 8, 2019March 11, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

Swing, Brother, Swing is fairly typical for Marsh. We have a dysfunctional family, headed by Lord Pastern and Baggott, whose newest obsession is playing the timpani for a swing band. Pastern's step-daughter, Fee, is not quite but almost engaged to Carlos, who plays the accordion. Carlos is sleazy and overly jealous, and Fee is not quite sure what to do about the situation. She's even written to an advice columnist about it. Turns out, she doesn't have to worry. He gets killed during the band's act. Happily, Alleyn was watching the show and loses no time starting the investigation. We also have a young couple, Carlisle and Edward Manx. At the beginning of the book they are friends, but we see the relationship evolving as the night and day unfold. A young couple who should be together and deserve a happy ending often shows up in Marsh's books. The murder weapon is interesting in this one; it's not one of the...