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Moving Forward–overcoming the past
Moving Forward
by Shelley Shepard Gray
What does it take to be a firefighter? A lot! A lot of physical and mental strength, courage, commitment to saving others, and stamina. Also, focus, alertness, decisiveness, and the ability to follow orders.
Moving Forward introduces some current and potential firefighters and their families and friends. The protagonists are the very handsome (Mr. March for a charity calendar) and kind firefighter Greg, and the sweet owner of a plant/landscape shop Kristen. Greg is a former Major in the Marines, and he has lived through a lot of horrible events in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has PTDS, and he tries to keep it a secret. Kristen’s life is deeply affected by a congenital heart condition which means she has several secrets of her own. The two need to get beyond their pasts and secrets if they are going to share a life together.
There is a side plot involving Jen, a new high school graduate. Her mother’s alcoholism, which developed after Jen’s father died, has curtailed Jen’s social life and future plans. She works for Kristen at the plant shop, but she develops a desire to become a firefighter. To accomplish this goal, however, she will need to establish some independence from her mom, engage in tough academic and physical training, learn how to drive, and spend a lot of time at the fire station doing grunt work. Fortunately, she has a supportive boyfriend and siblings.
Many of the characters in this book have painful backgrounds, but face life and the future with courage and moral standards. They have to learn to trust again and to share their secrets to develop meaningful relationships with others.
This appears to be a series that follows a group of firefighters focusing on individuals for the course of each book. The very nature of firefighting means teamwork so other members of the team are part of the plot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: Moving Forward is #2 in the Woodland Park Firefighter romance series, but I had no problem enjoying it and would like to read #1 in the series—Coming Home.
Publication: August 22, 2023—Penguin Random House (Berkley)
Memorable Lines:
It was always like that. An adrenaline rush in the midst of extreme focus, the slight edge of panic without which he wouldn’t perform to the best of his ability, followed by the sense of satisfaction that came from seeing only smoking embers.
That was what she’d been doing with her life—with relationships—Kristen realized. It was time to stop being so worried about the bad thing that might happen and start concentrating on all the good things that could.
Two people knee-deep in a pool of attraction, and neither one anxious to swim into deeper waters or return to the shallow end.
Standing Dead–K-9 page turner
Standing Dead
by Margaret Mizushima
The story of Standing Dead opens with Mattie, a Deputy Sheriff, and her newly found sister Julia driving to a little town in Mexico looking for their mother. Mattie had a traumatic childhood (ages 2-6) involving a kidnapping and abuse from a man who pretended to be her father. Her real father, a Border Patrol Agent, was murdered and eventually the case was a designated “cold.” Mattie wants to get to the bottom of this case and bring her mother out of hiding.
After her long trip home from Mexico and a reunion with her boyfriend, veterinarian Cole Walker, his two daughters, and her K-9 officer Robo, Mattie and Robo return to their house. There she discovers the first of many creepy notes taunting Mattie and directing her through a variety of difficult situations. She is led to a beetle-kill pine forest where the trees are not the only “standing dead.” Mattie, her family, and her friends are all in deadly danger.
As always with the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series, watching the relationship between Robo and Mattie is touching as Mattie understandably has trust issues. Robo is highly trained and intelligent and does some pretty amazing things.
As things get “interesting” for Mattie, Cole is called out to the same area in the mountains to attend to some very sick horses. Their paths cross, and Cole is able to provide a clue that helps the law enforcement team determine the cause of death. Cole goes through his own crisis as he supports Mattie by backing off when she makes decisions to put herself in danger to save those she loves.
Other branches of law enforcement join in with the small local squad. They pool their manpower and resources for the good of the team. Also, there is a local sheriff’s posse that helps as needed, and Cole is a trusted and active member.
I stayed up late to finish this page turner. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and plan on returning to the few that I have not yet read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #8 in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series. It could be read as a standalone, but to understand more of Mattie’s background I would recommend reading some of the previous books.
Publication: March 7, 2023—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
She leaned to stroke the dark fur between his ears while she kept up with Sophie’s banter, and soon Cole noticed the taut muscles in her face relax as kids and dogs—two of Mattie’s favorite things in the world—seemed to ease her distress.
He knew how hard it was for her to trust others, and he felt he’d passed a test. He just wished it wasn’t a test involving life and death.
She drove steadily into the night seeing ahead only as far as the headlights would allow. She decided it was symbolic of the mission that lay ahead—she could only see ahead one step at a time. The rest of it would play out and reveal itself very soon.
Striking Range–another winner from Mizushima
Striking Range
by Margaret Mizushima
Striking Range is one of those books that can not be tidily put in a box with a label. It is a police procedural as the reader gets to see law enforcement, federal, state, and local, at work. It is a K-9 mystery, a who-dun-it where Deputy Mattie Cobb shares the limelight with K-9 officer Robo. He is her buddy and she is his handler; they look out for each other. Watching Robo’s skills is fascinating. This book has enough suspenseful action and danger that it is also a thriller.
The plot is quite involved as Mattie is reviving a thirty year old cold case of the murder of her biological father. Was he a dirty cop? There seems to be only one person alive who knows the truth. He is the same evil man who tried to kill Mattie, but in her determination to find justice for her father, she visits him in a Colorado state prison.
Another thread in the plot is the discovery of the body of a young girl. Only the day before, she was pregnant. What happened to the baby? Why would someone kill the baby? How does fentanyl keep tying into this mystery?
Cole, Mattie’s boyfriend, is a veterinarian and is active in the sheriff’s posse. He plays a prominent role in this story, and there are also a number of kids who figure strongly into the plot.
There are many suspects to sort through. Although I had guessed the motive from a number of reasonable possibilities, the identity of the murderer was a surprise. Complications to solving this crime keep adding up and weather conditions in the rural setting don’t help. Author Margaret Mizushima is a talented writer with descriptions that put you at the scene and let you experience the emotions of the characters. This series is my favorite K-9 series. I have happily read all of the published books in the series and am looking forward to the next one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #6 in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series. Although the characters continue from one book to the next, it would be excellent as a standalone as the author includes background information as needed.
2. It has a few instances of swearing, but no sex.
Publication: September 7, 2021—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
Getting the kids ready for school each morning before he hurried off to work was like lining up horses at the gate before a race—everyone wanted to run off in a different direction, and sometimes someone balked at going anywhere.
Narcan reversed the effects of opiates such as fentanyl, one of the street drugs most dangerous to narcotics detection dogs. It saved the lives of dogs, their handlers, and even addicts after accidental exposure or overdose. Nowadays K-9 officers carried two doses, one for their dog and one for themselves.
Always a sporty dresser, he straightened his bow tie, which was lime green with yellow polka dots, a cheerful addition that conflicted with the lines of fatigue on his face.
Tomboy Bride: One Woman’s Personal Account of Life in the Mining Camps of the West
Tomboy Bride
by Harriet Fish Backus
If you ever thought of memoirs as a boring genre, I encourage you to sample Harriet Fish Backus’ Tomboy Bride. It is anything but boring. “Tomboy” refers to the Tomboy Mine, located above Telluride, Colorado, and “bride” is the author Harriet who moved there in 1906 immediately after her wedding at the age of twenty with her mining engineer husband George Backus. The first half of the book describes the difficulties and adventures inherent in living in an almost impossible to reach area with only the barest necessities. Harriet was a city girl and had a big learning curve in basic survival skills in the remote, dangerous, high altitude mining camp—everything from baking at over 11,500 feet to how to wade in long skirts in the snow to an outhouse located quite a distance from the home.
The second half of the book relates a series of moves to various mines along with changes in mining fortunes. Not every mine was successful, and the country’s economic twists affected the mines as well. Their adventures took the couple to Britannia Beach, British Columbia; Elk City, Idaho; and Leadville, Colorado. They had several children and lived through World War I and the Great Depression. George’s mechanical ingenuity landed him a job in Oakland, California, which he held for 37 years, but Harriet’s fondest memories are not the ones of ease in the city, but of struggles, love, and friendship in the mountains.
Mining was a difficult and dangerous business. This was true even for college educated mining engineers who suffered from the cold, long hours and perils along with the miners. Mortality rates were high because of the distance to health care. Transportation was slow and uncomfortable along the treacherous snow packed mountain trails. Water and coal had to be carried by hand from dropping off points up slippery, snow-covered slopes to their homes by the residents. The only fruits and vegetables available were canned and brought up monthly on burros. Because of the isolation, residents tended to work as a community. As long as Harriet and George were together, they were happy despite, and sometimes perhaps because of, their shared hardships.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Memoir, History
Notes: 1. I recommend the 50th anniversary edition of Tomboy Bride because it includes many photographs that bring the story to life.
2. There is a timeline at the end of the book.
3. This is a great book for a book club to read as it is ripe with topics for discussion. Tomboy Bride includes thought provoking questions at the end of the book which our book club found quite helpful.
Publication: 2019—West Margin Press
First publication—1977
Memorable Lines:
On reaching his destination the rider tied the reins to the pommel of the saddle and turned the horse loose. Regardless of the distance, knowing the trails far better than most riders, the horse quietly and surely returned to the nearest stable, at the Tomboy or in Telluride.
Crash! What sounded like pounds of glass breaking into bits was only an old cigar box filled with nails that had fallen from a shelf. Even the rats laid low that night, at least we did not hear them. My chattering teeth kept time to the rattling of the old stovepipe fastened by wires to the rafters. The denim “carpet” rose and fell like ocean billows and wind crackled the newspaper padding.
…at the end of a month we both felt inwardly the call of the wild. Somehow, after the serenity of our mountains, the city seemed tawdry and confusing.
Slay in Character–mystery at a writers’ retreat
Slay in Character
There are a few cozy mystery writers that just get it right every time, and Lynn Cahoon is one of them. The Cat Latimer Mystery Series features Cat Latimer, an author and former professor, who has a large Victorian home in Warm Springs, Colorado. There she monthly holds weeklong writers’ retreats. In Slay in Character, the guests are historical romance authors from a writing group in Connecticut, joined by Jessi, a student from the local college. On their visit to a neighboring ghost town, a murder is uncovered and it is just the first of many misadventures that appear to focus on Jessi. The older women take Jessi under their wing and they, along with Cat, her uncle Pete who is the local police chief, her boyfriend Seth, and Shauna, her friend and chef, try to discover who is targeting Jessi.
These women know how to eat! I think I gained ten pounds just reading about all the sweet treats provided at the retreat in addition to lunches and dinners at restaurants. It was interesting to get a behind-the-scenes look at a writers’ retreat. Cat has established a schedule involving speakers, outings, and lots of time for writing, which is, of course, the central part of their efforts. Cat is always looking for new ideas to improve her program and encourage return visits. The notion that main characters who are editors or writers are difficult to make interesting is put to rest in this cozy mystery where there is plenty of action. The plot twists in this book will keep you glued to the pages and wanting more. I did not guess the identity of the murderer, but his motivation ties it all together in the end. Lynn Cahoon has three series going. I can’t wait to read her next book, regardless of which series inspires her imagination.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #4 in the Cat Latimer Mystery Series, but works well as a standalone.
2. Recipe for Blueberry Coffee Cake included.
Publication: November 27, 2018—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
Joseph John smiled, and Cat realized the guy could sell ice water to people in a snowstorm.
The act had been foolhardy and dangerous. something she wouldn’t have even let her fictional character perform because of fear of being labeled Too Stupid to Live.
“Writing is less about inspiration and more about perspiration. You have to work to get the words down, they just don’t magically appear on the page.”
The Spirit in Question–mysteries abound in the old playhouse
The Spirit in Question
by Cynthia Kuhn
Having enjoyed the first two cozy mysteries in the Lila Maclean Academic Mystery Series, I was looking forward to another. This book has many good features. Readers are filled in on background quickly. The series branches out from the typical college professor tenure issues by focusing on Professor Lila Maclean’s role as dramatic consultant to a play written by one Stonydale professor and directed by a visiting professor from France. The play is embroiled in conflicts over changes the director wants to make as well as picketing by the local historical society over potential damages to the Opera House, an old theater with a flamboyant and murderous past.
Cynthia Kuhn, the author of The Spirit in Question, chooses to develop her plot with a lot of paranormal activity, even bringing in the Spirit Wranglers who try to prove ghostly existence for their TV viewers. Is a ghost responsible for accidents and murders or is there a human element at work? Not a fan of paranormal novels, I did not enjoy this cozy mystery as much as the others in the series. I did enjoy watching Lila unravel some of the mystery threads and obtain a confession. I’m assuming the author will drop the paranormal focus in future books and resume mysteries that look more at life in the Colorado university town of Stonedale and Lila’s role there as a professor.
I would like to extend my thanks to Edelweiss and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #3 in the Lila Maclean Academic Mystery Series, but effective as a standalone
2. Author and characters seem to be unable to decide if there was paranormal activity involved in the mysterious happenings in the theater.
Publication: October 2, 2018—Henery Press
Memorable Lines:
I knew I needed to focus the conversation so that she wouldn’t begin regaling me with a cascade of memories about the time she went here or there with future celebrity x, y, or z. Once that train left the station, there would be no stopping it.
Gavin scratched his head, resulting in a dry little scratchy sound that made me want to run for the nearest tank of hand sanitizer.
…somehow it was difficult to think of him as actively guilty. He was more like a casualty swept up in the tsunami of her relentless determination.
education pathways 