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Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody–cliques in a 55+ community?
Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody
by Barbara Ross
Shortly after I reviewed the second book in the Jane Darrowfield Mystery Series as an ARC, the first book became available in my local library. Since I was reading a very intense, nonfiction book at that time, I decided to make Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody my nighttime reading. I find cozy mysteries help me unwind.
I stand by my recommendation that the second book in the series makes a good standalone. Although I enjoyed reading about Jane’s adventures in this book, I did not learn anything critical to my understanding of the second book. It was amusing, however, to learn how Jane met Harry, her love interest in this series. I was disappointed that there was not more information on her estrangement from her son whom she raised as a single mom. I’m hoping there will be a third book in the series that will address that issue which is quite painful for Jane.
In Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody, Jane is hired to find out what is going on at Walden Spring, a senior living community where some of the residents’ antics are more appropriate to high school cliques. At the request of the manager, she is temporarily living on the property when a murder occurs. She may even have witnessed the murderer walking across the golf course in the darkness of night. What could have motivated the murder? What is the real identity of the murder victim and who is his supposed wife who is living in the Alzheimer’s floor of the longterm care unit? There are lots of characters and entanglements along with suspicions and motives. Even Detective Alvarez from her hometown of Cambridge is on the scene acting in a limited capacity. So many puzzles and surprises! Just when the case seems solved, Jane brings up continuing suspicions and the action ramps back up.
I enjoyed this cozy mystery for a relaxing read. It won’t change your life, but it can provide a great escape.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #1 in the Jane Darrowfield Mystery Series
Publication: 2019—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
Marge took another hit of the Ben & Jerry’s…Jane left her on the couch in an eighty-four percent butterfat haze. That afternoon she’d seen three stages of grief—anger, denial, and ice cream.
The silver tea service and tiered china dishes were elaborate; they obviously hadn’t come from the Walden Spring corporate catering service….Why did we keep these things, Jane wondered. So appropriate to our Victorian grandmothers’ grandmothers, so out of place in a room that looked like a teachers’ lounge in an upscale high school.
Jane had observed this phenomenon before. If one called out “Mary!” or “Joseph!” in certain neighborhoods around Boston—in doctors’ offices, diners, grocery stores—half the people would turn their heads.
The Unwelcome Guest–the mother-in-law from Hell
The Unwelcome Guest
by Amanda Robson
I have just been introduced to the “domestic suspense” novel in reading Amanda Robson’s The Unwelcome Guest. The focus is a power couple: Miles a philosophy professor and his wife Saffron who owns her own niche concierge law firm. They live in Great Britain with their two children and most importantly with Miles’ wealthy, widowed mother Caprice who has decided that living in the annex to the house she bought for them is not suitable. She moves into the big house to be closer to the son she adores.
Caprice detests Saffron from their first meeting and proves herself manipulative, deceptive, and downright evil. The author adds in to that toxic setup Mile’s financially successful brother Aiden who never met Caprice’s standards. He is in love with Saffron, and is divorced from Julie who is Saffron’s assistant. Having gone through a number of nannies, the couple hires Hayley from New Zealand who is good with the children, delighted to live in their luxurious house, and has eyes for Miles.
I did not actually like any of the characters, except the kids. The intrigue within the household made the plot, but I didn’t enjoy reading about it. Evil arose in response to evil, showing the worst side of the characters and often bubbling to the surface.
The format of the book is appropriate for the story which is told in short chapters, sometimes less than a page. Each one is entitled with the name of the character whose point of view is related in the chapter. In this way the action moves forward showing much of the the emotions and motivations of the characters, all the while hiding some of them as well. There are lots of twists and surprises to the very end. I did not fully engage for the first quarter of the book. After that, it was a page turner for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: General—4/5, Personal—3/5
Category: Fiction, Mystery & Thriller
Notes: Trying to be objective as a reviewer, I can share that the book was well written. I liked the way the characters’ thoughts were exposed along with what they actually said. Thus my rating of 4/5. What I learned, however, is that domestic suspense is not a category that attracts me, and for my personal reading pleasure, my rating is 3/5 with no recommendation to read it.
Publication: November 23, 2021—Harper 360 (Avon)
Memorable Lines:
I became Aiden’s challenge. His revenge against his brother for being the one that his woman wanted. If he could bed me, he would. A stag thing; wanting to rut his competition’s mate. Despite the fun I have being with him, the disingenuous nature of his attention always annoys me.
“Caprice’s world centres around Miles. No one else matches him. No one else is good enough. It’s a sadness we both have to face.”
Are you right, Saffron? Is Aiden hitting on you to get back at me? Or is it worse than that. Is he truly in love with you? Aiden Jackson, we have shared much in life, but I am not sharing my wife. My fist clenches. Be careful, Aiden. Still waters run deep.
Marriage Can Be Mischief–cold case surfaces
Marriage Can Be Mischief
by Amanda Flower
Millie, a widowed member of the Amish community in Harvest, Ohio, supports her modest lifestyle by making quilts. Her extra talents are matchmaker and sleuth. Lois, her Englisch best friend from childhood who loves being her sidekick, calls her the Amish Marple. The two have some wild and sometimes dangerous adventures in the pursuit of truth.
In Marriage Can Be Mischief, a human skull is found at the bottom of a ravine. This discovery leads to the reopening of a cold case in which forty years ago Samuel Zook, a disagreeable buggy maker, was found dead at the top of that same ravine in his buggy. His wife Galilee had disappeared. As Millie and Lois investigate, they find several people with strong motives for wanting Samuel dead. The sheriff closes the case again when the skull is identified, but Deputy Little and Millie think it is important to pursue it to give justice to the victim.
There is a lot of humor mixed into the story as Phillip and Peter, Millie’s two pet goats, continue their mischievous antics. When Lois inserts references to media in conversations (e.g. James Bond), Millie is totally lost as to the meanings. Media is just not a part of the Amish lifestyle.
Ruth Yoder, the bishop’s very particular and exacting wife, plays a recurring important role in the story. When Millie matches up Phoebe, Ruth’s granddaughter, with Lad Zook who will one day inherit his family’s buggy business, Ruth must insert herself into the relationship. Millie has a love interest of her own when an old flame moves to the area. She has to decide if she is ready for a new relationship. Her husband Kip has been dead for twenty years, but she still loves him.
This is a very busy book, but the parts tie together nicely. I felt like I was in the middle of the community, and I cared about the characters. The contrast of the Amish and Englisch ways, without passing judgement on either, is well done.
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, Christian
Notes: This is #3 in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery Series. It would be OK to read this book as a standalone, but it would be worth your time to read the first two for character backgrounds and humor. This also ties in with another Amish mystery series by Amanda Flower which is also set in Harvest, but although some characters from that series make cameo appearances in this one, the two series are independent.
Publication: November 30, 2021—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
…the light was breaking through the trees. I let out a breath. Sunrise was my very favorite part of the day. Each morning offered new opportunity and ways to give thanks to Gott for this life.
She sniffed and patted the white prayer cap on the back of her head as if to be sure it was perfectly in place. Of course it was; a prayer cap would know better than to move on Ruth Yoder.
“Who is your wife’s cousin?” “The sheriff. He’s no friend of the Amish, I can tell you that. If he knew we had an Amish man living on our farm, he would be fit to be tied. Honestly, we don’t talk to him much. He’s a sour person. Life is too short to be around people like that.”
The Teacher of Warsaw–hope in the middle of despair
The Teacher of Warsaw
by Mario Escobar
When a book leaves an impact on your soul after the covers are closed, you know you have read a treasure. I was a few chapters into The Teacher of Warsaw before I was captivated by Mario Escobar’s work of historical fiction. After I understood what this author with a master’s degree in Modern History had set out to share, I was repeatedly drawn back from my world into the sad and inspiring world of Janusz Korczak, a pediatrician and teacher with many talents who dedicated his life to the children in his orphanage. They suffered together as the Nazis made their lives and the lives of all Polish Jews a nightmare of starvation and deprivation. Thanks to Dr. Korczak and the dedicated group of tutors who worked alongside him, the children were given hope and taught to love even their enemies. Korczak was Jewish by heritage but had not been raised in a religious family. He admired and appreciated many things about the Jew Jesus and likened Him to the anticipated Messiah, but did not accept Him as the fulfillment of prophecies. Dr. Korczak described himself at various times as an atheist, an agnostic, and a seeker, but those around him would have been hard pressed to find a stronger, more sacrificial, more ethical, and more loving leader. In return the children loved him, and he was regarded with respect by all but the most evil of Nazis.
Dr. Korczak was encouraged by many, including Polish social worker Irena Sendler, to escape the Warsaw Ghetto and the extermination which was surely coming, but his answer was always the same: the children of the orphanage needed him and he would not abandon them. The Teacher of Warsaw is both horrifying and inspiring as it depicts the worst and the best of mankind and demonstrates the power of love.
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: Historical Fiction
Notes: 1. Translated from Spanish by Gretchen Abernathy.
2. Includes two sections that discuss the historical basis of the story, a timeline of the Warsaw Ghetto, and discussion questions for the reader.
Publication: June 7, 2022—Harper Muse
Memorable Lines:
“Can you think what would’ve happened to the boy had we not been passing by? Everything happens for a reason. Even the greatest misfortunes can become the sweetest blessings.”
“We labor to give them back their hope: but we cannot give what we do not possess. Therefore, be full of hope this morning. May your joy overflow because you do what you do out of love and service for the weakest ones. And when negative thoughts come to steal your peace and joy, don’t let them make a nest in your minds. We can’t avoid those kinds of thoughts, but we can keep them from controlling us.”
I had two hundred children whom I loved and who loved me. I was undoubtedly the richest man in the Warsaw ghetto.
A Fatal Booking–exciting book club retreat
A Fatal Booking
by Victoria Gilbert
Charlotte Reed, a former high school teacher, inherited her great-aunt Isabella’s B&B and is trying to make a success of it to honor Isabella. Isabella was a beautiful, flamboyant socialite and also a spy! Charlotte has a penchant for getting to the truth and has formed bonds with Ellen, her next door neighbor and Isabella’s former handler, joining her in several investigations surrounding local murders. She works in concert with Detective Amber Johnson of the Beaufort police force and with her new boyfriend Gavin who spends a lot of time off the grid. He is a spy and has many useful contacts.
In A Fatal Booking, Chapters B&B is hosting a book club headed by an artist and former colleague Lora Kane. When one of the guests is murdered, Charlotte is drawn into the investigation to protect her B&B’s reputation and to prevent further murders. No one liked the victim, and they all seem to have motivation to kill her. All but one had the means to obtain deadly cyanide.
The plot is further complicated by infighting among the guests. There was no harmony to be found in that group. Also, someone is rummaging around in the off-limits, locked attic, and several framed pictures are missing from the library. Not a trained professional, Charlotte’s detection skills are honed as she sorts through the possibilities. Her physical and mental capacities are tested in the latter part of the book in dangerous scenes that will have you holding your breath. The cozy concludes with a wrap-up party for Charlotte’s friends and employees who stood by her during the ordeal and helped with the investigation. They deserved to hear the details, and several have personal announcements of big upcoming changes in their lives.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #3 in the Booklover’s B&B Mystery Series, but it is acceptable as a standalone. The author jumps right into the current plot, but background details are provided as needed.
Publication: June 7, 2022—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
Officer Warren, who looked to be all of twenty-five, offered me a smile that told me she felt the need to reassure a nervous older woman. “Thanks.” I knew better than to try to correct her assumption. To be honest, I frequently found it useful to be underestimated.
“You were eavesdropping.” Linnea’s blue eyes glittered like shards of lapis.
“I love dogs,” Caitlin said, patting his head. I’d already figured that out, since I’d learned that Shandy had a sixth sense about people. He seemed to be able to instantly tell if someone disliked dogs and would either snap at the air or bark furiously at such misguided individuals.
Deadly Delights–too many characters
Deadly Delights
by Laura Jensen Walker
I expected a bookish mystery since Deadly Delights is part of the Bookish Baker Mystery Series. In all fairness, the main character Teddie is an author, but she is taking a break from writing. Her good friend owns a bookshop, and her boyfriend, currently via Skype, is a famous British suspense author. So, on the surface it is bookish, but the book is really more about baking, another of Teddie’s talents, as the focus is on a baking contest at which there is a murder.
One of my main problems with this cozy mystery is the large number of characters. I actually reread the first chapter and took notes on the characters and added more as the story progressed. The author did a good job in the first chapter of introducing characters that were in the first book in the series, but there were just too many for my taste. Most of them were important to the story; there were a number that were mentioned in passing, but the reader would not know that.
On a positive note, the plot was very complex with a lot going on. As you might expect, there were a lot of suspects, and the murderer and motivation were a surprise. As underlying stories, there were wild accusations, gossip, embezzlement, mother-daughter conflicts, and even a little romance.
A theme that appealed to me was that of characters reinventing themselves at critical times in their lives. I also liked the honesty in discussing Teddie’s battle with cancer and how it affected her decisions going forward. The friendship of The Three Musketeers (Teddie and her two best friends since third grade) and their support of each other was another positive theme.
In spite of laboring through the first part, I did enjoy the book. My memory is not bad, but perhaps it would be an easier read for those with better retention of details. The conclusion focuses on a relationship, and you will end the book with a smile.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #2 in the Bookish Baker Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone.
2. Includes 9 recipes, all related to items baked by characters in the book.
Publication: June 8, 2021—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
Perfect is overrated. My small kitchen is colorful and kitschy. Like me.
I’d noticed Colleen Murphy arrive and open up Colleen’s Twisted Yarns. Time to pay a visit to the knitting lady and see what kind of a twisted yarn she might spin.
…the writing is sublime in literary fiction. I marvel over the gorgeousness of the language the authors use and find myself highlighting entire sections…When I come upon a perfect sentence, I stop and revel in the beauty of the author’s words.
Death in Daylesford–mysteries in Australia
Death in Daylesford
by Kerry Greenwood
The inimitable and exquisite Phryne Fisher, lady detective, stars in a new Phryne Fisher mystery. In Death in Daylesford, there are two main plots as Phryne is invited to visit a spa that helps soldiers recovering from shell shock with an end to soliciting her financial support. She and her constant companion, the very sweet Dot, enjoy a vacation in the area where there are many mysteries that find their way to Phryne’s attention.
Back at home in St. Kilda, a girl is found dead in the water. Jack Robinson has been assigned a temporary post in another town, and an incompetent detective inspector is taking his place. Dot’s boyfriend Detective Sergeant Hugh Collins recruits Phryne’s household to assist in his investigation. Phryne’s adopted daughters Jane and Ruth along with Tinker, a helpful youth Phryne has taken in, use their respective strengths to uncover the secrets that led to the girl’s death.
This is an intricate and well-played mystery with multiple surprises and twists along the way. Given that there are so many issues to be resolved, it is amazing how Phryne sorts through the mysteries which range from minor quirks to multiple murders that occur in plain sight of crowds of people. Yet no one sees anything.
In Daylesford there is a local bumbling officer whose “talents would be taxed to the limit by remembering his own name and address, or the number of digits on his extremities.” There is also a quite competent inspector brought in to work on the murder cases, and he respectfully solicits Phryne’s help and their collaboration, although dangerous, is successful.
Although sexual encounters of various types are referred to, they are not displayed in the book. Phryne is an unusual woman for her time. Her wealth allows her the freedom to challenge conventional norms while her background helps her understand the dark, seamier side of life.
There are a lot of characters in this novel, and at times I had to refer back to refresh my memory. The setting changes back and forth between storylines, but at no time do the two overlap.
I have enjoyed all the Phryne mystery novels and the movies made from them under the title Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. This book exceeded my high expectations for another complicated plot with a creative, sophisticated sleuth.
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. #21 in the Phryne Fisher Series, but could be read as a standalone.
2. There are references to various sexual preferences.
3. Set in Australia, it contains lots of Australian terms if you enjoy dabbling in linguistic differences.
Publication: June 1, 2021—Poisoned Pen Press
Memorable Lines:
“To save time and fuss I may as well tell you that your fame precedes you. And while I’m not gonna play Dumb Cop to your Aristocratic Detective, I need a result here and I’d be a fool if I didn’t use whatever help you can give me.” He blinked, and put his massive head on one side, looking now like a kookaburra eyeing off an unattended sausage at a barbecue.
“You do realize that the front door doesn’t lock, don’t you?” Al grunted. “S’orright, though. We got a dog. Burglars are scared of Bluey.” “Why is that, sir?” “On account of gettin’ slobbered on a lot. Nuthin’ worse than an overenthusiastic dog when yer tryin’ to rob a house.”
Now the smugness was unmistakable. Kelly could feel the conceit rising in the insolent young man like yeast in a bowl of dough.
Buried in a Good Book–murder in the boonies
Buried in a Good Book
by Tamara Berry
For anyone who likes a good bookish story, you can’t get much more bookish than Tamara Berry’s new cozy mystery Buried in a Good Book. The main character, Tess Harrow, is a best selling mystery author. Another character is a librarian who operates a bookmobile in the remote area where Tess and her precocious teenage daughter Gertrude (Gertie) go to heal after a divorce. One of the deputies there has written a very long science fiction novel. Also, with no Internet, research and reading are done the old-fashioned way—from printed volumes.
The book begins with both a grizzly murder discovery and a lot of humor (written in such a way that it is not inappropriate) as Tess compares everything to a scenario or a character in one of her books. The local sheriff has enjoyed all of her books, but doesn’t agree with some of the police procedures Tess uses in her plots. He actually has a lot in common with her main character Detective Gonzales. As the action in Buried in a Good Book moves along, the plot becomes delightfully complicated, and Tess and Gertie become increasingly involved. The number of murders grows along with the number of suspects. Tess will not be deterred from trying to discover what is going on. There are odd exotic animal sightings, and Bigfoot is even seen roaming near the remote cabin Tess inherited from her grandfather. Someone appears to have been living in her grandfather’s hardware store. An upcoming election pits the current sheriff against a moneyed businessman with logging interests. After six months of no contact with his daughter (except for receiving palimony checks from Tess), the cheating ex-husband shows up.
Meanwhile, through all the complications and dangers, the story maintains the perfect level of humor. The identity of those behind the evil and plotting was a surprise to me until shortly before the reveal. I enjoyed this cozy and am looking forward to the second in the series to be published in November of 2022.
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 in the By the Book Mystery Series
Publication: May 24, 2022—Poisoned Pen Press
Memorable Lines:
She’d toyed with the idea of prepping Gertrude ahead of time—warning her that the next month was going to be one of rusticity and a return to basics—but she was no fool. Nothing turned a fourteen-year-old against her mother faster than the threat of prolonged one-on-one time.
Until she saw that picture of the woman’s face, Tess hadn’t realized how real all this could feel. When the body was just a hypothetical and anonymous person, it had been easy to treat everything as a puzzle to be solved—a clue to discover….Seeing the woman’s smile, realizing just how young and alive she once was, changed everything.
She’d been warned by her literary agent, early on, to be wary of the line between author and fan….Requests for personal meetings, demands made under the guise of friendship, people showing up outside your remote grandfather’s cabin…those flags weren’t just red. They were crimson.
Murder with Darjeeling Tea–the man no one liked
Murder with Darjeeling Tea
by Karen Rose Smith
Daisy, owner of a tearoom in Willow Creek, sets out to buy a dog statue for her boyfriend Jonas’ birthday. Unfortunately, the odd man she bought it from is murdered soon after. While trying to keep her business running successfully, she is drawn into the investigation because she has an easy way with people and they find themselves confiding in her. She and the reader are drawn into the world of local secrets, teenage mistakes, catering for the wealthy, rescue dogs, homeless shelters, and Amish customs. It is a wild ride whenever Daisy is around whether she’s on her bike or driving an Amish buggy for her friend. On the side, she is dealing with the deepening of her relationship with Jonas and the realization that her children are moving closer to leaving the nest.
If you are new to this series, you really could jump into it with the eighth book. Author Karen Rose Smith has your back, serving up needed background information as you dive into the story. She is also talented in providing detailed descriptions of the characters and what they are wearing. From the pen of a less skilled writer, this might seem like overkill, but Smith does it in such a way that the characters stand out. Because the background is the tearoom, there is a lot of food talk but it is never repetitive or seems like it is included just to increase the word count. There are many plot threads and a number of suspects. The conclusion of Murder with Darjeeling Tea is dramatic, and the identity of the murderer is a surprise.
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. #8 in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery Series, but can be read as a standalone.
2. Recipes are included: Chicken Chili, Cheese Biscuits, and Mild Peach Salsa.
Publication: May 24, 2022—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
Fiona already had more color in her cheeks and a smile on her face. That’s what the tea garden could do for Daisy’s customers. That’s what her customers could do for her.
Amish buggies in Lancaster County taught everyone in the community an important lesson—slow down and enjoy the scenery.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked. “You look preoccupied.” “Too much to sort out, I’m afraid. Mainly, that life is one big succession of changes. At my age, you’d think I’d be used to it.” “I’m not sure we’re ever used to change.”
Saddled Up 4 Murder–horse thieves in AZ
Saddled Up 4 Murder
by J.C. Eaton
Sophie (Phee) Kimball is an accountant for Williams Investigations in Glendale, Arizona. She often finds herself unofficially in the middle of murder investigations at the urging (make that insistence) of her mother and her mother’s friends who all live in the popular retirement area of Sun City West. As usual, Phee’s trying to work around the seniors, and their involvement in her investigation is always a source of humor.
In Saddled Up 4 Murder, there are dual mystery threads. Billie, a very unpleasant deli worker, is murdered. Sophie needs to find the perpetrator before one of the elderly ladies who was in the area at the time of the murder is attacked to silence her. Also, and very importantly, the Bye, Bye Birdie Festival is coming up soon when the full-time residents say farewell to the snowbirds. They have a deadline for purchasing balloons for the event and Phee’s mother wants it to be such a success that she gets interviewed on TV. None of this can happen if the crime scene remains cordoned off with yellow tape. The other thread is a string of horses being stolen. Nate, the owner of the detective agency and Marshall, Phee’s fiancé, are hired to track down the horse thieves. It is a hard job given the large area of rugged land they need to cover. In addition, there is no clear motive as these are not expensive race or breeding horses; they come from ranches all over Arizona.
At first I was a little irritated by the amount of time spent in the book on the lack of cellular connectivity and the trouble it causes. Upon further thought, having lived in the West for over 30 years (i.e. since before there were cell phones), I realized that their connection problems were actually very realistic and, in this case, pertinent to the plot. So often I see shows where the main characters are out in the middle of nowhere and have cell phone service. Even in 2022, that is not a realistic scenario.
As always with a J.C. Eaton cozy, the mystery is solid, the descriptions are on target, the characters come alive, and both the situations and dialogue are funny. No Sophie Kimball mystery would be complete without Phee’s mother’s dog, Streetman. The little Chiweenie plays a major role in this book! So, put on your cowboy hat and boots and saddle up for a fun, western cozy mystery.
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Beyond the Page Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #9 in the Sophie Kimball Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone.
2. Only found in this book in the series, there is a large gathering of several Wiccan covens which is depicted as a fun, family festival. I was uncomfortable with the involvement of the occult. In the book their role and actions are only positive, but I found that to be a deceptive and naive viewpoint. I hope this is an isolated inclusion of a Wiccan event, and I don’t expect this theme to appear in future books in the series.
Publication: March 15, 2022—Beyond the Page Publishing
Memorable Lines:
“What about the field rep from the Department of Agriculture?” “About as useful as a toad on an iceberg.”
“Did you say finagling? Don’t you mean breaking and entering? Good grief! That’s the most preposterous thing you’ve come up with. Compared to that, the other two plans look like masterpieces.”
…people who hide important items sometimes stick them in their freezers. The exception being my mother. There was a no room under those layers of frozen dinners, cookies that had passed their expiration dates, boxes of matzo that had crossed the Red Sea with Moses, and ice cream that had crystalized.
education pathways 