Sunday, April 1, 2012

Books Read in March 2012


Ash, Maureen
- The Alehouse Murders 
Fiction.  The medieval setting of this tale takes us to an English village, where a wounded and tired Templar seeks respite.  His wish for peace is interupted by the murder of four people found in the town alehouse.  Templar de Marins is tasked with finding the killer or killers in the middle of the town fair season, whilst struggling to find his own faith again.

Bartlett, Lorraine
- A Crafty Killing 
Fiction.  A recent widow is stuck as a part owner of Artisans Alley after her husband’s death.  She finds that balancing her full time job at an insurance company and trying to turn AA into a going concern is too tough for her and ends up quitting her job.  She is determind to find out who killed her elderly business partner, while trying to keep herself out of the killer’s way.

- The Walled Flower
Fiction.  Second in the Victoria Square Mystery series, Katie Bonner continues her quest to improve the bottom line of her new business, and at the same time, she embarks on a new relationship and still finds murders to solve.

Black, J. Carson
- Darkness on the Edge of Town 
Fiction.  Tough-as-nails investigator Laura Cardinal investigates a missing persons case of a young girl in the small Arizona town.  The case soon turns to a homicide case, which in turn, becomes a series of homicides.  Can she catch the killer or killers before he/they kill again?

Childs, Laura
- Eggs Benedict Arnold 
Fiction.  Suzanne and the other ladies at the Cackleberry Club have their hands full in the kitchen as well as trying to find out who killed the local undertaker.  Could the mysterious stranger in town have something to do with it, or should they be looking closer to hand?

Christie, Agatha
- They Do It with Mirrors 
Fiction.  Miss Marple goes on a visit to an old friend, whose husband runs a home for wayward boys.  Is one of them guilty of trying to poison Carrie Louise, or is is someone in her very own family?  

- The Big Four 
Fiction.  Hercule Poirot and his faithful sidekick, Captain Hastings, are challenged by a secret underworld organization called The Big Four, who are out to destroy the world order.  As the murders stack up, Hercule strains his “little grey cells” in effort to solve the mysteries.

Fluke, Joanne
- Cinnamon Roll Murder 
Fiction.  The man she loves is about to be married to a woman with many secrets.  How can Hannah allow the wedding to happen, while at the same time, trying to solve the murder of a jazz musician?

James, Miranda
- Murder Past Due
Fiction.  Charlie Harris is owned by his Maine Coon cat, Diesel.  Together, they stumble across the murder of an old adversary.  Who, in the small town of Athena, Mississippi, could have killed the famour writer?  The son who had just become aware of his famous parentage?   One of the jilted women of his past?

- Classified as Murder
Fiction. Seond in the Cat in The Stacks series.  Charlie is hired by a wealthy octogenarian to catalog his vast library of rare books.  On the very first day of work, he pracitically trips over a body.  Assissted by his son, and of course, his Maine Coon, Diesel, he must continue the job to find out if book thieves have done more than just steal books.

Le Guin, Ursula K.
- Catwings
- Catwings Return
- Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings
- Jane on Her Own
Fuiction.  Lovely tales about young kittens born with wings who flee the dirty streets of the city in order to find freedom and safety in the countryside.

McBride, Karyl
- Will I Ever Be Good Enough? 
Non-fiction.  Taking the responsibilty for learning how to deal with narcissitic mothers without assigning blame.  Finding the authentic you.

Meier, Leslie
- Christmas Cookie Murder 
Fiction.  Lucy Stone struggles to control her four growing children while juggling a part time job as a reporter and solving murders in her small Maine town.  Coming face to face with the bad guys might be the end of her.

Orenduff, J. Michael
- The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras 
Fiction.  Selling ancient clay pots dug up on Federal lands might be illegal, but that’s one way Hubert Schuze makes his living in the New Mexican desert.  His other calling just might be solving murders.  Along with a margarita-drinking cohort and a computer genius nephew, Hubert wheels and deals, while also making time to forge a few pots along the way.