The Bilbao Looking Glass by Charlotte MacLeod
In ten words or less: Annoying old woman bumped off; too many suspects to list.

Review: When Sarah Kelling visits her summer home after a long absence, she finds a precious antique looking glass in the hall. It doesn't belong to her, and no one else but a trusted caretaker has a key. Her friend--soon to be fiance--art investigator Max Bittersohn--calls the police, only to be accused of stealing the piece. When Sarah and Max aattend a party at a neighbor's house, one of the hosts is killer, a spiteful gossip whose death is little mourned. Again, Max is accused of the crime. Even though Max's family is from the area, he's not one of the yacht club elite. Sarah and Max team up to exonerate him of the crime, with the help of both his and her relatives.
Why bother? MacLeod is the master of the clever, cozy mystery.

The Silver Ghost by Charlotte MacLeod

In ten words or less: Which eccentric relative or friend committed murder at Renaissance Revel?

Review: Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn attend the Renaissance Revel of Sarah's family friends, Bill and Abigail Billingsgate. During the festivities, one of the Billingsgate's employees is killed, and Sarah's Aunt Appie goes missing. The Billingsgate's valuable antique cars have been going missing, and Sarah and Max investigate. The local police are incompetent, and the couple must interview the eccentric collection of Kelling relatives in attendance.

Why bother? MacLeod's description of the Revel alone is worth reading the book. Who knew Morris dancing could be so funny? Sarah and Max are a pair of level headed thinkers among the assortment of odd ducks that are Sarah's old monied family.

Death Wore White by Jim Kelly

A blizzard strands eight cars on a lonely coastal road. When one of the drivers is discovered dead--a chisel through his eye--the detectives are stymied. None of the drivers has seen anything suspicious, and there are no footprints leading to or from the vehicle.

Detective Inspector Peter Shaw, recently promoted and now paired with his father's former partner, has not only got the murder to solve, but a body has washed up on the beach, with a suspicious bite mark. And Shaw wants to re-open the case of a child murder that caused his father to leave the force in disgrace.

Lots of suspects and red herrings. Fans of British police procedurals will want to give this author a try.

No Colder Place by S.J. Rozan

Bill Smith goes undercover at a construction site as a bricklayer--he hasn't laid a brick in more than twenty years. Equipment has been stolen, and one of the laborers has gone missing. When the missing worker is discovered, dead, in a pit on the site, Smith asks his partner Lydia Chin to join the investigation as a secretary in the construction office on site. She grumbles that her skills are wasted working as a secretary, and tells Bill as much. But when an experienced site supervisor falls to his death, Smith and Chin know it's not an accident.

This is the fourth book in the series--I stay up until all hours to finish these books. Every one has been exciting, with great characters and enough plot twists to keep up the interest.

November's Books

Esther Averill wrote her series of thirteen stories about Jenny Linsky, the little black cat, from 1944-1972. Jenny, who wears a red scarf, lives with retired sailor Captain Tinker. In Jenny's Moonlight Adventure, she faces down dogs to retrieve her friend's nose flute. A charming book.
Cold Moon by Jeffery Deaver
Dying for a Date by Cindy Sample
Jenny's Moonlight Adventure by Esther Averill
A Killer's Christmas in Wales by Elizabeth Duncan
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
Making Spirits Bright by Fern Michaels
House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

October's Books

Bizarre Botanicals includes intriguing photos and facts of unusual plants--some well-know (bleeding heart, Venus flytrap, staghorn fern), some not (tarantula cactus, blackbat plant, artillery plant). Anyone interested in plants, nature, or strange and unusual facts will enjoy this entertaining and colorful book.

Tragic Toppings by Jessica Beck
Killer Cruise by Laura Levine
And Another Thing by Eoin Colfer
Gooseberry Patch Best Ever Cookies
Bizarre Botanicals by Larry Mellichamp
A Catered Thanksgiving by Isis Crawford
Busy Body by M.C. Beaton
The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stoudt
Ghost Hero by S. J. Rozan
A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz
Better Homes & Gardens Very Merry Cookies
Death of the Mantis by Michael Stanley
The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn
Second Sitting by Stella Whitelaw
Indie Author Guide by April Hamilton
Full Mortality by Sasscer Hill
Baloney by John Scieszka
Invasion of the Road Weenies by David Lubar
Sins out of School by Jeanne Dams
The Ax by Donald Westlake
Dress Your Gingerbread by Joanna Farrow
One Tough Texan by Jan Freed
When Elves Attack by Tim Dorsey

Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: on the tacks of the Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux
In ten words or less: Theroux travels across Europe, Asia, and discovers political and social change.

Review: Thirty years after Paul Theroux traveled across Europe and Asia--and chronicled his exploits in "The Great Railway Bazaar"--he attempted to recreate his journey.

Many things have changed in the world since his first trip. The Soviet Union dissolved, and China has risen to a powerful economic force. Vietnam is united, and Iraq and Afghanistan are now engaged in wars.

Theroux travels by rail, with a minimum of baggage, and isn't shy about asking locals what they think about the United States. He describes both the kind and generous people who are happy to share a meal and conversation, and the madams who peddle child prostitutes to tourists.

Why bother? Even if you haven't read Theroux's "Great Railway Bazaar," you're in for a fascinating trip across two continents. His descriptions will make you laugh, or move you to anger, and will make you want to know more about places most people will never visit. Theroux is opinionated and brash, but never boring.

SATURDAY AT THE FARMERS' MARKET

Today is the last week for the farmers' market. Here's a recipe to dress up some winter squash--not that it really needs it.

HONEYED SQUASH

2 cups water
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1/4 cup butter
2 Tlb. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tlb. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. pepper

Cook squash in water until squash is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain.

Mash squash; add remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until heated through--about five minutes.

Hanging Curve: a Mickey Rawlings mystery by Troy Soos

In ten words or less: Did Klan lynch pitcher? Ballplayer Mickey investigates.

Review: A utility infielder for the St. Louis Browns, Mickey Rawlings hopes he'll finally get to play on a championship team. When a former teammate asks Mickey to play in an exhibition game against a black semi-pro team, he agrees. He hasn't gotten much playing time lately, and he's heard about how good some of those black players are. So good, in fact, that their pitcher, Slip Crawford, strikes Mickey out every times he comes to the plate.

The Klu Klux Klan, in robes and hoods, are in attendance at the game. A few days later Slip Crawford is found lynched. Was the Klan involved? Mickey joins forces with a black civil rights lawyer and a white journalist to investigate.

Why bother? Soos combines a fine mystery with a chilling background. He's evoked the feeling of 1922, with race riots and Jim Crow laws, in a style that is convincing and disturbing. For fans of baseball and historical mysteries.

Satch, Dizzy and Rapid Robert: the Wild Saga of Interracial Baseball Before Jackie Robinson by Timothy M. Gay

In ten words or less: Before integration, baseball legends Paige, Dean and Feller barnstorm across America.

Review: Jackie Robinson integrated major league baseball in 1947, but in decades before that, black and white players competed against each other in barnstorming exhibition games. Hastily assembled teams of all stars played in towns across America to crowed who had only read about the feats of such legends as Satchel Paige, Dizzy Dean, and Bob Feller. Players could make more barnstorming than during the regular season.
Why bother? Jim Crow laws kept talented black players from competing in the majors, along with the racist attitudes of club owners and the commissioner. Author Timothy Gay tells a fine story of these legends of baseball--what they were like on and off the field. He examines the casual racism of the times, and how the military experiences of many of the players helped to change major league baseball.

September's Books

A fan of the "Little House on the Prairie" books, "The Wilder Life" author Wendy McClure travels to the sites of Laura Ingalls Wilder's homes in the midwest. She churns butter, grinds wheat by hand, and compares the books to the television series. Was Laura's life really like the books and was Pa anything like Michael Landon? A fun read for Little House fans.

Formatting and submitting your manuscript by Cynthia Laufenberg
Ninety days to your novel by Sarah Domet
The Wilder life: my adventures in the lost world of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure
How to keep your Volkswagen alive by Christopher Boucher
Wicked River: the Mississippi when it last ran wild by Lee Sandlin
Thick as thieves by Peter Spiegelman
Killer profile: Criminal Minds by Max Allan Collins
Wicked autumn by G.M Malliet
The second mouse by Archer Mayor

Firebreak: a Parker novel by Richard Stark

In ten words or less: Hit man targets Parker while Parker plans art heist.

Review: While Parker is deciding whether to take on a job at a Montana hunting lodge--stealing valuable paintings from a secret vault with state-of-the-art security--someone has sent a hit man to his home. Parker got to the hit man first, but when news of the failed hit got back to the employers, another hit man was sure to follow.
Parker needed to settle the score with whoever was hiring the shooters, but he was stsill undecided about whether to throw in with the gang planning the art heist. The guy who'd be responsible for disabling the alarms, Lloyd, was an amateur, a white-collar criminal who was hung out to dry by his former partner, and he wanted revenge.
Why bother? Fast faced, page-turning action from Stark, aka Donald Westlake. Parker is always one step ahead of both the other bad guys and the cops.

Comeback: a Parker novel by Richard Stark

In ten words or less: Parker's partner pulls a double cross; Parker settles the score.

Review: It promised to be a big payday for Parker. The target was a Christian Crusade at a local arena--cash only, credit cards and checks not accepted. Parker's friend Ed Mackey had set it up with Liss, who had an inside man. But as they made their way out with the duffel bags full of money, Liss pulled a double cross. The cops are looking for Parker and Mackey, and so is the head of security for the Crhistian Crusade, a tough as nails ex-Marine who takes the robbery personally.

Why bother? Another great mystery from one of the masters of hard boiled crime.

Saturday at the Farmers' Market

Lots of squash available today at the market. How about a pot of soup now that the weather has turned cool?

Squashed Chicken Soup

4 pounds chicken pieces
13 cups water
10 cups of butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 bunch of kale, chopped
6 carrots, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Add chicken and water to stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover and simmer for one hour or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken from broth and strain broth and skim off the fat. Return the broth to the pot and add the vegetables. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Remove the chicken from the bones and cut into bite size pieces. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme to soup and heat through.

Makes 5 1/2 quarts of soup or 14 servings.

Love, Lies and Liquor by M.C. Beaton

In ten words or less: Agatha joins James on romantic holiday, complete with body on beach.

Review: Agatha Raisin has convinced herself she is better off without her ex-husband, James Lacey. After all, she has her detective agency to keep her busy, and the meetings of the Carsley Ladies' Society. When James asks her to go on holiday with him, Agatha relents. The destination is a secret, but with visions of tropical beaches and other exotic sights--James is a travel writer--she backs bathing suits and sundresses.

When they arrive in Snoth-on-Sea, Agatha is not amused. The seedy resort town, remembered fondly by James from his childhood holidays, has seen better days. The hotel is barely habitable, and Agatha quarrels with an unpleasant woman in the dining room. When the body of the quarrelsome woman is discovered on the beach, Agatha is considered a prime suspect by the local police.
Why bother? Agatha Raisin is self-centered, outspoken, and vain. If you knew a person like her in real life, you'd run the other way when she heads in your direction. She's the boss from hell. But her ability to interfere in police investigations while alienating those around her make for entertaining reading. There are twenty two books in this series to date.

The Books of August

"Resew" by Jenny Wilding Cardon features fashions made from thrift store finds, mostly women's clothing--except for a rug, a quilt, and a unisex hat, mitten and scarf set. My favorite is the diner dress, made from a top and three men's dress shirts, made to resemble the classic diner waitress uniform. It's a hard look to pull off it you're over thirty.

Blood Hina by Naomi Hirahawa
The Wave by Susan Casey
Fellowship of fear by Aaron Elkins
Lost in my own backyard: a walk in Yellowstone National Park by Tim Cahill
The killings on Jubilee Terrace by Robert Barnard
Oxmoor House Christmas gifts of good taste Betty Crocker easy everyday vegetarian 30 minute vegetarian grilling
Busy woman seeks wife by Annie Sanders
Better Homes and Gardens Christmas all through the house
Taste of Home busy family favorites Mix 'n' Match meals in minutes by Linda Gassenheimer
Mind your own beeswax by Hannah Reed
Perfect paragon by M.C. Beaton
Dying flames by Robert Barnard
Cold vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Buzz off by Hannah Reed
Taste of Home almost homemade
ReSew: turn thrift store finds into fabulous designs by Jenny Wilding Cardon
All the pretty hearses by Mary Daheim
Taste of Home Potluck! I have nothing to wear by Jill Martin
Too afraid to cry: Maryland civilians in the Antietam campaign by Kathleen Ernst

Life by Keith Richards

In ten words or less: Keith Richards tells all--drugs, ex, rock 'n roll, and more drugs.

Review: That Keith Richards is still alive to tell it all is something of a marvel. The lead guitarist for the Rolling Stones has been in the business for fifty years, and even though this book is over 500 pages long, it barely scratches the surface of his life.

A good portion of the book deals with Richards' use of drugs, attempts to get clean, and brushes with the law. He spends a lot of time talking about his craft--his influences, how he writes a song, and technical details of the music. Very little is said about the other members of the band; most of it is about his falling out with Mick Jagger, but there are more pages devoted to Chuck Berry than to Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts.

His complicated personal relationships with his children and grand children are revealed without bitterness toward former lovers. There's even a recipe included--Keith Richards' own recipe for bangers and mash!

Why bother? Rolling Stones fans will find lots of eye opening, behind-the-scenes anecdotes told here. Not a narrative history of the Stones, but a look inside the mind of one of the best known rock musicians of all time. He just keeps on ticking.

Drive Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan

In ten words or less: Boston TV reporter investigates two mysteries while facing personal issues.

Review: TV investigative reporter Charlie McNally is at a crossroads. Her career is going great--so great, in fact, she has an offer to go to a New York station. She's currently working on a hot story involving the cloning of automobile vehicle numbers and the theft of air bags.
But when her fiance tells her of a suspicious death at the exclusive private school where he teaches, her instinct is to investigate. He wants her to promise not to start digging around at the school, but she can't help it. She also hasn't told him about her New York job offer. Will her private life crash and burn?

Why bother? Charlie takes on two mysteries at once, and tries to keep peace with her fiance. A page turner with an insider's view of the TV news industry, and lots of local Boston color.

SATURDAY AT THE FARMERS' MARKET

Keeping ahead of the cucumbers? Here's a quick-fix refrigerator pickle.

Lightning Pickles

6 large cucumbers, sliced
3 medium onions, sliced
3 cups sugar
3 cups cider vinegar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the cucumbers and onions. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumbers and onions and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Yield: about 2 1/2 quarts.

The Highly Effective Detective Goes to the Dogs by Richard Yancey

In ten words or less: Bumbling PI Teddy Ruzak investigates murder of a homeless man.

Review: After the state shuts him down for practicing without a license, Tedd Ruzak should be studying to pass his private investigator's license. But he discovers the body of a homeless man outside the office, a man he had befriended just a few days before.
Ruzak investigates, even though he's not officially a detective and has no client. His assistant Felicia warns him not to get involved, but he can't seem to leave the case alone.

Why bother? Readers who enjoy the humorous mysteries of Lawrence Block and Donald Westlake will find much to like about the bumbling, clueless, but big-hearted Teddy Ruzak. With likeable characters and a fast moving plot, this book will appeal to anyone looking for a fun and witty read.

The Killings on Jubilee Terrace by Robert Barnard

In ten words or less: Soap opera actors are killed within days--coincidence?

Review: Former music hall performer Vernon Watts landed a cushy role on the long running soap opera "Jubilee Terrace." When he was hit by a car in city traffic, it looked like an unfortunate accident. But the show must go on.
Program director Reggie Friedman recruited an actor formerly with the show, Hamish Fawley, to return to his role. Fawley was universally hated by everyone with the show, and were glad to see him go. Why would Friedman ask him to return?
That was the question the police were asking the actors the day after Fawley's body was discovered in the remains of a fire--along with the body of a woman assumed to be the wife of one of the cast members.
Why bother? Author Robert Barnard has won just about every award there is . There are always plenty of suspects to go around, lots of interesting characters pulled out of all walks of British society, and a plot worthy of Agatha Christie herself.

The Fellowship of Fear by Aaron Elkins

In ten words or less: Physical anthropologist Gideon Oliver gets caught in international intrigue.

Review: Gideon Oliver, a new widower, accepts a position as a visiting professor for the U.S. Overseas College. It's his first time visiting Eaurope, and he's puzzled by the strange events that happen to him. He's mugged, his hotel room is burgled--but only his socks are taken--and he swears he is being followed.
When he is able to help identify a victim from only a few charred bones and some teeth, local authorities are skeptical of his claims that he has no knowledge of the mysterious events surrounding him, and attempt to recruit him as an agent.

Why bother? This first Gideon Oliver adventure, written in 1982, was the precursor to all the forensic anthropologist sleuths. Author Aaron Elkins is an anthropologist, and presents the clues, and the deductions, in a way that makes the reader say "Wow!"

July's Books

In Extreme Birds, the author presents 150 of the world's birds--the fastest, the hungriest, the noisiest--with beautiful oversize color photos. Everyone from children to adults will enjoy browsing this impressive book.

The Alpine Legacy by Mary Daheim
Til Dice do us Part by Gail Oust
10 Minute Clutter Contro: room by room hundres of easy effective tips for every room in the house by Skye Alexander
Killing Cassidy by Jeanne Dams
Farewell Miss Zukas by Jo Dereske
What to Wear for the Rest of your Life: ageless secrets of style by Kim Gross
Trouble in the Town Hall by Jeanne Dams
10001 Ways to Declutter your Home on a small budget by Ed Morrow
Atlantic: Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms, and a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories by Simon Winchester
Spaghetti with Murder by S. Kay Weber
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
Skating around the Law by Joelle Charbonneau
Scots on the Rocks by Mary Daheim
Taste of Home Cupcakes!
Extreme Birds: the World's Most Extraordinary and Bizarre Birds by Dominic Couzens
I am the Dog by Daniel Pinkwater

Skating Around the Law by Joelle Charbonneau

In ten words or less: Man drowns in roller rink toilet--owner Rebecca asks "Why?"

Review: Rebecca Robbins is a klutz--too bad her mother owned a roller rink. Two things Rebecca wanted out of life: to move away from her small Illinois hometown and to leave roller skating in her past. When her mother dies, Rebecca takes leave from her job in Chicago as a mortgage broker to return home to prep the rink for a hopefully quick sale.
When Rebecca discovers the body of the town handyman in the women's restroom, his head submerged in the toilet bowl, she is shaken. But when the local sheriff, more interested in his flower garden than in investigating crimes, pronounces it suicide, Rebecca is angry and vows to discover the truth.

Why bother? A notch above most small town cozies. Rebecca is a likeable heroine, and her Casanova grandfather and a good looking veterinarian help to solve the case. All this, and a fedora-wearing camel named Elwood, too!

Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell
In ten words or less: Hawaii's history examined by NPR commentator Vowell.

Review: In 1898, America annexed Hawaii, which would in time become the fiftieth state. Vowell takes the reader through the history of the missionaries who came to christianize the islanders, the whaling and sugar industries that brought rough sailors and con men, and the last Hawaiian queen.

Why bother? Sarah Vowell combines her curiosity about history with a razor wit and a take-no-prisoners attitude toward the injustices committed by politicians, robber barons, and missionaries driven to impose their beliefs on others. I highly recommend her books.

Back Nine by Billy Mott

In ten words or less: Charlie McLeod flees his pass to start life anew.

Review: Charlie McLeod is no kid, so when he shows up at a golf club in California looking for a caddying job, the other caddies are wary. But Charlie knows the game, keeps to himself, and doesn't cause trouble. He finds himself a room and begins a tentative friendship with Sarah, the young woman who works the desk at the rooming house.
But a chance meeting with a golf pro who knew Charlie in high school back in Pittsburgh turns his world upside down. Will Charlie be able to face his demons or will he flee again?

Why bother? Even if the reader knows nothing about golf, the story of a man weighed down by past disappointments is well done. And for golfers, there's lots of technique, strategy, and a behind-the-scenes look at the world of caddies. Author Billy Mott, a former actor and caddy, has you cheering for Charlie.

The Alpine Legacy: an Emma Lord mystery by Mary Daheim

In ten words or less: Emma's foe Crystal Bird is found dead; suicide or murder?

Review: Crystal Bird, publisher of an independent newsletter, writes editorials pusing for community support of a battered women's shelter and other causes. Her attacks on Emma Lord, the owner of the weekly newspaper, have gotten personal. A mutual acquaintance has agreed to set up a face to cade meeting between the two women.
When Emma arrives at Crystal's house, Crystal is in her hot tub and is not interested in making peace. Crystal's body is discovered the next morning, an apparent suicide. Was Emma the last person to see her alive?

Why bother? Not as humorous as Daheim's other series. Emma Lord has put her life on hold for a married man, and had an affair with the local sheriff. She's investigating Crystal's death for the newspaper, but is she trying to prove something to the sheriff? This series will appeal to fans of investigative reporters with the bonus of an attractive Pacific northwest setting.

June's Books

Over one hundred fresh and healthful salads are featured in Catherine Walthers' Raising the Salad Bar. None of the recipes are overly complicated, and the salads include grains, pasta, beans, and chicken. The photos are enticing, and with the summer crop of vegetables soon upon us, take a look at this cookbook.

Dog Park Club by Cynthia Robinson
Oh, Johnny by Jim Lehrer
Throw out Fifty Things by Gail Blanke
Weekend Makeover by Don Aslett
Complete Clutter Solution by Good Housekeeping
Once was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming
500 Soups by Susannah Blake
Raising the Salad Bar by Catherine Walthers

Til Dice Do Us Part by Gail Oust

In ten words or less: Kate's friend is accused of murdering her no-good husband.

Review: If Jessica Fletcher lived in a retirement community in South Carolina, she'd be a neighbor of Kate McCall. Kate, a widow who's children are grown and have moved away, plays bunco with a group of women. When one of the players returns from a Las Vegas vacation with a new husband, Kate and the others can't hide their surprise.
Claudia Connors informs them her new husband, Lance Ledeaux, is an actor. He's well-dressed, tanned, fit, and charming. Kate thinks she recognizes him from a minor role on "CSI" where he played a murder victim. Soon Lance has recruited all the bunco players to help him produce a play he's written. When someone substitutes live ammo in a prop gun for blanks, Lance is shot dead in front of the cast and crew, and Claudia is arrested for his murder.

Why bother? A light and fluffy mystery--good for bringing along on vacation or having stashed on your shelf for a rainy day. I had trouble keeping the large cast of characters sorted out, but there were enough red herrings to keep me reading until the end.

Gimme Five: The New York Yankees

The house that Ruth built : a new stadium, the first Yankees championship, and the redemption of 1923 / Robert Weintraub.
New York : Little, Brown and Co., 2011.

In 1923, the losing New York Yankees played their first season on their own field, and everything changed. Babe Ruth bounced back from a contentious season to carry the team to their first title. This is the untold tale of the Yankees' breakout season.

Yankee colors : the glory years of the Mantle era / photographs by Marvin E. Newman ; text by Al Silverman ; foreword by Yogi Berra. New York : Abrams Book, c2009.

Tells the story of the legendary period during the 1950s and 1960s when New York baseball was supreme. This book features many colour photographs and portraits of Yankee greats such as Mickey Mantle,

Ladies and gentlemen, the Bronx is burning : 1977, baseball, politics, and the battle for the soul of a city / Jonathan Mahler. New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005.

A passionate and dramatic account of a year in the life of a city, when baseball and crime reigned supreme, and when several remarkable figures emerged to steer New York clear of one of its most harrowing periods.

The last boy : Mickey Mantle and the end of America's childhood / Jane Leavy. New York : Harper, c2010.

Drawing on interviews with friends and family, as well as teammates and opponents, "New York Times"-bestselling author Leavy delivers the definitive account of one of the biggest talents and most tragic figures ever to play baseball--Mickey Mantle.

56 : Joe DiMaggio and the last magic number in sports / Kostya Kennedy.
New York, N.Y. : Sports Illustrated Books, c2011.

Recounts Joe DiMaggio's streak during the summer of 1941 and how it found its way into countless lives.

Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts

In ten words or less: Lucky O'Toole is a problem solver at a Vegas casino.

Review: Head of Customer Relations at the Babylon Casino, Lucky O'Toole fixes problems every day that the average person can't even imagine. Today she has a huge naked man sleeping in a stairwell, a "whale" named Fujikara who wrecked one of the casino's Ferraris, an elderly man who wants a hug, and on the nightly news she sees footage of a woman killed while falling from a helicopter into the casino's lagoon.
The Big Boss asks Lucky to investigate, telling her he doesn't trust his new hire in security, Paxton Dane. The news media and the police assume Lyda Sue, the victim, is a suicide. But Lucky doesn't agree. The Big Boss is lying about something, and she doesn't trust Dane. She enlists an eager police detective to help her track down the killer.

Why bother? The Las Vegas casino setting, with all its glitz and excess, provides a bottomless source of odd characters for an entertaining mystery. There's a fair amount of sex, but mostly in a humorous context. Fast paced and funny, readers who enjoy a mixture of chick lit and mystery should pick this one up.

I Shall Not Want by Debbie Viguie

In ten words or less:
Someone is targeting homeless people and their dogs--Cindy investigates.

Review: Cindy is a church secretary who has a habit of stumbling over dead bodies. In the second book of this series, Cindy is at a charity event at the home of one of her church members. Homeless people are matched with dogs from the local shelter. It seems to be going well, but there are protesters outside. When Cindy discovers the host's assistant murdered, and one of the dogs missing, the police can't discover a motive for the crime.
Rabbi Jeremiah Silverman, whose synagogue is next door to Cindy's church, reveals a mysterious past. But more dogs go missing, and more bodies turn up. What has Cindy gotten herself into this time?

Why bother? Readers who enjoy Christian fiction, or those who prefer mysteries without profanity or sex, may enjoy this series.

Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun by Lois Winston

In ten words or less: Loan shark pursues Anastasia, who is accused of murder.

Review: If Stephanie Plum were a forty-something widow with two teenagers, she might be Anastasia Pollock. After her husband's unexpected death, Anastasia discovers he was a secret gambler who had drained their savings accounts and borrowed heavily. And when she gets threatening calls from someone named Ricardo, she finds out he owed a loan shark $50,000, and the loan shark has no intention of forgiving the loan.
As if she doesn't have enough problems--with her cantankerous mother-in-law sharing her home, her own mother returns from a cruise, sans her latest husband. And an unpleasant co-worker is found dead--the murder weapon is Anastasia's own hot glue gun.

Why bother? Fans of humorous cozy mysteries--like those by Tamar Myers and Mary Daheim--will enjoy Anastasia's escapades. More, please!

Saturday at the Farmers' Market

The first strawberries were out, as well as spinach, zucchini, radishes, and a whole assortment of greens. If you feel compelled to do something with the strawberries other than eat them plain, here's a salad you can try. Everything was available at the market except the oranges.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

6-8 cups of spinach, washed and dried
2 white icicle radishes, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
10 -12 strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced


Combine spinach, radishes, oranges and strawberries. Pour Spring Vinaigrette dressing over all. Serve immediately.

Spring Vinaigrette dressing

3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons finely minced green onions
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell

In ten words or less: Was man alive when zipped into body bag? Scarpetta investigates.

Review: Kay Scarpetta's military ties complicate her life and career in the latest offering from Patricia Cornwell. After accepting a scholarship from the Air Force to finance her college and medical school education, Scarpetta found herself tangled in a case involving hate crimes against two Americans in South Africa. Twenty years later, she still has nightmares about the case, and is shocked when the mother of a young man her office has autopsied seems to be dredging up the old case, and accuses Scarpetta of racism.

Scarpetta has been at Dover Air Force base, running a fellowship program on CT-assisted virtual autopsies, when word reachers her from Massachusetts. At her forensic center in Cambridge, a young man who had dropped dead is found in his body bag, and there are indications that he was alive when he was zipped up. Did her office screw up, and why is her second-in-command missing?

Why bother? Cornwell interweaves a number of plots, from the present and the past, and Scarpetta doesn't know who to trust, including her husband and niece. The military mortuary at Dover lent an air of despair and urgency to the mystery.

Saturday at the Farmer's Market

Today was the opening of the Farmer's market for the season. It's been a cold, wet spring here in the frozen north, and the only items for sale were green onions, asparagus, and rhubarb. Here's a great dessert recipe for that rhubarb.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

3/4 lb. diced rhubarb
3/4 lb. sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1/2 stick butter

In a bowl, mix rhubarb, strawberries, and white sugar. Put in a greased, 8 inch square baking pan. In another bowl, mix oats, flour, salt, brown sugar and orange peel until mixture is crumbly. Cut in butter. Sprinkle over fruit in baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Makes 8 servings. You can top each serving with whipped cream or ice cream, but it is perfectly delicious on its own.

May's Books

TV's favorite snoop, Jessica Fletcher, is at it again. In "A Question of murder," while Jessica is attending a writers' conference, one of the actors in a murder mystery play meets his death on state. Who could have killed him, with all eyes on the drama? Jessica solves the murder and leaves the local police in the dust.

Sixkill by Robert B. Parker
Only a game by J.M. Gregson
Devils food cake murder by Joanne Fluke
Memory of running by Ron McLarty
Spoonful of poison by M.C. Beaton
Planet Dagenham by Jeremy Clarkson
Death of a garage sale newbie by Sharon Dunn
Musclebound by Liza Cody
365 ways to cook eggs by Elaine Corn
Drop of the hard stuff by Lawrence Block
Heads you lose by Lisa Lutz
Wreck the halls by Sarah Graves
Question of murder by Donald Bain
A murderous yarn by Monica Ferris
Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies 2010
Wicked fix by Sarah Graves

Eiffel's Tower: and the World's Fair where Buffalo Bill beguiled Paris, the artists quarreled, and Thomas Edison became a count by Jill Jonnes

In ten words or less: What do Eiffel, Cody, Edison and Gauguin have in common?

Review: Who can imagine Paris without the Eiffel tower? Many Parisians hated the monument that Gustav Eiffel built for the 1899 Paris World's Fair. There were criticisms about the design, the cost, the safety, and the fact that no French company would bid on the job of designing and manufacturing the elevators that would travel up the curved legs of the tower.
The author intertwines the story of Eiffel with those of Buffalo Bill Cody, Paul Gauguin, and Thomas Edison. Buffalo Bill's wild west show, starring Annie Oakley, was the sensation of the fair, with its "garcons du boeuf," Indian chiefs, buffalo, and displays of sharpshooting. Thomas Edison was showing an early version of the phonograph, but was beset by unscrupulous partners and promoters who wanted to take advantage of him.
The Impressionist artists, especially Paul Gauguin, felt that they were not given their due consideration in the art exhibit. Gauguin pulled his works out of the French exhibit, and hung them on the walls of a cafe on the fair grounds.

Why bother? Readers who enjoyed Erik Larson's "The Devil in White City" will enjoy this look at Paris at the end of the nineteenth century. Fans of the histories of David McCullough and Simon Winchester should add this book to their "must read" list.

Phi Beta Murder: a Rex Graves Mystery

In ten words or less: Scottish barrister investigates death of a Florida college student.

Review: Rex Graves, a Scottish barrister with a knack for solving crimes, anticipates a carefree holiday in Florida with his college student son, Campbell. When the dormitory resident assistant, Dixon Clark, is discovered hanged in his room, the university and the police are quick to write off the death as a suicide. But Dixon's family is not so sure, and none of his friends think he's been depressed.
Graves agrees to look into the circumstances around Dixon's death, while still hoping for some time with his son boating and fishing. But even that is seeming more unlikely with the surprize appearance of Graves' old flame Moira Wilcox, who had tossed him over to go to Iraq.

Why bother? Very much in the spirit of Agatha Christie, "Phi Beta Murder" is a cozy with an amateur sleuth, but with a middle-aged male at center stage. This is one to recommend to mystery-loving friends. Can't wait for the next Rex Graves adventure!

Death in Show by Judi McCoy

In ten words or less: Dog handler drops dead in show ring; is it murder?

Review: Ellie Engleman is a dog walker, and one of her clients--Lulu, a Havanese--will be competing in a prestigious dog show. Flora Steinman, Lulu's wealthy owner, asks Ellie along to the dog show to watch the dog in the show ring. But Lulu's handler drops dead, and the police investigate.
Detective Sam Ryder, Ellie's sometime boyfriend, is on the scene. There are plenty of suspects--rival handlers, Flora, and even Ellie.

Why bother? The reason Ellie gets along so well with her charges is that she can communicate with the dogs--she talks to them, and they talk back. The dogs are more interesting characters than their owners, for the most part. Part chick lit, part cozy mystery, part Disney story--readers of Rita Mae Brown and Lauren Berenson's animal mysteries will want to check out Judi McCoy.

Book Review

Djibouti by Elmore Leonard

In ten words or less: Somali pirates and al-Qaeda terrorists are subjects of filmmaker's documentary.

Review: Best-selling author Elmore Leonard combines Somali pirates and al-Qaeda terrorists in his latest novel. Dara Barr, an award winning documentary filmmaker, heads to Africa to film modern day pirates in action. With her is Xavier LeBo, a 72-year-old African-American seafarer, as her right-hand man and expert on all things nautical.
Pirates have captured a liquefied natural gas tanker and are negotiating for a ransom. Texas billionaire Billy Wynn and his girlfriend Helene are sailing around the world, and Billy hints to Dara that he might be CIA. Meanwhile, jama Raisuli, a young ex-con from Miami turned al-Qaeda terrorist, is plotting to blow up something big.
Are the pirates more interested in riding around Djibouti in their luxury autos, wearing their $200 shoes, or are they in league with al-Qaeda?

Why bother? In an Elmore Leonard story, the women are always gorgeous, the bad guys nefarious, the action is nonstop, and the humor comes in short, sharp jabs. No one is who they seem. No one does it better.

April's Books

Fans of BBC's "Top Gear" will enjoy "Born to be Riled," a collection of columns from presenter Jeremy Clarkson. In addition to his reviews of automobiles, from the mundane to the exotic, he vents on about jeans, country life, and aging rocker Cliff Richard. If Andy Rooney were British and test-drove cars, he would be Jeremy Clarkson.

Lesson of her death by Jeffery Deaver

Damaged by Pamela Callow
Playing for pizza by John Grisham
The Gourmet cookie book: the single best recipe from each year 1941-2009

Miracle on 49th Street by Mike Lupica
Trouble with chickens by Doreen Cronin
Diamond Ruby by Joseph Wallace
Tick tock by James Patterson
The tournament by John Clarke
Play dead by Ryan Brown
Dead deceiver by Victoria Houston
Death of a chimney sweep by M.C. Beaton
Murder on the moor by C.S. Challinor
Started early took my dog by Kate Allison
Born to be riled by Jeremy Clarkson
Unfamiliar fishes by Sarah Vowell
Boxer and the spy by Robert B. Parker
Wordy shipmates by Sarah Vowell
Motorworld by Jeremy Clarkson
Dirty water by Mary-Ann Smith
Back nine by Billy Mott