Mildred Pierced by Stuart Kaminsky

In ten words or less: Peters investigates a murder; Joan Crawford was a witness.

Review: Private investigator toby Peters is hired by hapless dentist Sheldon Minck to prove his innocence in his wife's murder. Actress Joan Crawford was a witness to the crime, and she claims she saw Minck shoot a crossbow at his wife. The dentist had joined a survivalist group and was training with weapons.
Peters attempts to exonerate the dentist while keeping Crawford's name out of the papers. The wisecracking Peters reminds the reader of Nero Wolfe's associate Archie Goodwin. Grat characters, lots of action, and snappy dialog.

Why bother? Fun classic private eye series set in Hollywood during the golden age of film stars. Fans of Rex Stout and Dashiell Hammett will love this series.

SOUPY SALES
1926-2009

Take a pie in the face in memory of Soupy Sales.

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM PIE

1 (3oz.) pkg. strawberry jello
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 pt. vanilla ice cream
12 oz. strawberries, thawed and drained (can use the juice for part of the water)
Graham cracker crust or baked pie shell

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add ice cream by spoonfuls. Set until partially firm. Add thawed and drained strawberries. Put in crust and refrigerate until firm. Top with plenty of whipped cream! makes a 10" pie.

Eat or toss--it's your choice.

City of God by Michael Jahn

In ten words or less: Mad killer haunts a NYC cathedral.

Review: The world's largest Gothic cathedral is the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. A killer has nailed a threat to the door. "The pleasure seekers of the City of Man will be punished for encroaching on the City of God. I am the protector of his temple, and I speak for him."
The first victim, a film festival organizer, was bludgeoned to death. While Lt. Bill Donovan searches among the mazes and cellars of the cathedral, Marcie's friend Jennifer is stabbed to death while running the NYC marathon.

Why bother? There are plenty of suspects and plenty of hiding places. Donovan must catch the killer before he becomes the next victim. For those who enjoy big city police procedurals.

Probable claws by Clea Simon

In ten words or less: Club scene reporter meets shelter workers; accused of killing veterinarian.

Review: Theda Krakow is a freelance reporter who writes about the Boston club scene. She's also a cat lover whose friends run a no-kill shelter. When a cat gets sick from tainted kibble from the city shelter, Theda decides to investigate. And when she discovers the body of the city veterinarian stabbed with a scalpel, she's arrested for murder.
Her boyfriend, a retired cop, bails her out but warns her to leave the investigation to the police.
Why bother? A heavy overload of cats and the club scene was too much, even for this cat lover.

September's books

In Dead men don't get the munchies by Miranda Bliss, Annie is a bank teller who has a part-time job at Bellywasher's, a local pub owned by her boyfriend Jim. Jim is offering cooking classes and Annie, who can't boil water, is slated to be his assistant. During the first class one of the students, Brad Peterson, an obnoxious weasel with a capital W, is threatened by Annie's friend Eve. And when Brad is murdered, Eve is the prime suspect. Of course, Annie has to investigate. Light and fluffy mystery.

Publishing basics by Robert Johnson
Writer watchdog self-publishing directory
Whitechapel horrors by Edward Hanna
Girl with the dragon tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Washington D.C. by Becca Blond
Fixer upper by Mary Kay Andrews
Grand finale by Janet Evanovich
Ride by David Walton
Fluke by Christopher Moore
One bad apple by Sheila Connelly
Dead men don't get the munchies by Miranda Bliss