Murder Can Depress Your Dachsund by Selma Eichler

In ten words or less: PI investigates a murder. Was the wrong brother killed?

Review: Manhattan private detective Desiree Shapiro is contacted by a lawyer friend on behalf of a friend. Byron Wills' son was shot the night before he was going to donate his kidney to his brother. Jordy was a saint, everyone told Desiree. If anyone had enemies, it was brother Cornell, who was hated by his ex-wives and business associates. Was it a case of mistaken identity?

Why bother? Although she's a licensed PI, Desiree has more in common with an amateur sleuth than other professionals. Even though the story is set in the big city, this mystery has the feel of a cozy. Fans of Sharon Kahn and Sarah Strohmeyer should check out this humorous series.

The Cinderella Deal by Jennifer Crusie

In ten words or less: Daisy poses as neighbor's fiancee to win him faculty position.

Review: Free spirit Daisy's upstairs neighbor needs a fiancee for the weekend. Linc Blaise has a job interview lined up at a college in Ohio, and the president expects his new professor to come with a faculty wife. Put on the spot, Linc asks Daisy to play the part of his wife-to-be, in return for a thousand dollars. She's behind on her rent, and grudgingly agrees.

Why bother? A reprint edition of one of Crusie's early romances, it's more sentimental than her current novels. You can guess the ending before you even crack the cover, but Daisy is a likeable character and warm fuzzies leap off the pages.

The Patient's Eyes by David Pirie

In ten words or less: Dr. Doyle asks mentor Joseph Bell to help solve crimes.

Review: When he was a young medical student, Arthur Conan Doyle studied with the famous forensic pioneer, Dr. Joseph Bell. It is widely believed that Sherlock Holmes was modeled on Bell, an innovator in the science of criminal investigation. In this thriller, the new Dr. Doyle asks his former professor for assistance in the case of Heather Grace, an attractive young woman whose parents died tragically a few years prior.
The tale combines elements of some of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries--a phantom cyclist, the murder of a rich Spanish businessman, a young woman with an inheritance that relatives and a fiance seem eager to prevent her from claiming.

Why bother? Casting Doyle and Bell in the roles of Watson and Holmes offers a fresh look at the crimes and violence of Victorian England. Author Pirie was a journalist, critic, and screen writer before he wrote "The Patient's Eyes," his first novel.

Bitter Harvest: Gordon Kahl and the Posse Comitatus: Murder in the Heartland by James Corcoran

In ten words or less: Right wing government protesters spread hate throughout the midwest.

Review: Not all terrorists are Islamic foreign nationals. Some are home grown tax protesters, racists, and anti-Semites. Gordon Kahl, a North Dakota farmer, and member of the right wing Posse Comitatus, was on probation for nonpayment of taxes. When he violated the terms of his probation, federal marshals came to arrest him. In the ensuing shootout, two marshals died. Kahl's adult son was wounded, and Kahl escaped and became a fugitive.
This book is based on the Pulitzer Prize nominated articles James Corcoran wrote for the Fargo Forum.

Why bother? An insight into the world of domestic right-wing extremists like Timothy McVie.

Gimme Five! All-time Favorite Elvis Movies

It's Elvis's birthday, and a fine time to watch your favorite Elvis film. Here are some of mine.

Change of Habit

Three women, keeping secret the fact that they are nuns, are assigned to a ghetto clinic to assist a young doctor who falls in love with one of them. Elvis...and Mary Tyler Moore? The silver screen's oddest couple comes together in this film. The music is forgettable, but the pairing of these two stars is so unlikely, I have to rank this as one of my all time favorite Elvis movies.

Bubba Ho-tep

Mud Creek, Texas, is about to get all shook up. When mysterious deaths plague the Shady Rest retirement home, it's up to "Elvis," its most sequined senior citizen and a black curmudgeon-in-chief, "JFK," to defeat a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy with a penchant with a penchant for sucking the souls from the barely living. No, Elvis isn't in this one, but there are lots of people who think they ARE Elvis. With Bruce Campbell, of course.

Elvis, That's the Way it is

Captures Elvis backstage, in rehersal and in concert at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in the summer of 1970. Includes 27 songs, including "That's alright Mama," "Little sister," "Love me tender," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Blue suede shoes," "All shook up," "Suspicious minds," and "Can't help falling in love with you."

Blue Hawaii

ElvisPresley plays an ex-GI returning home to Hawaii. His mother wants him to climb the corporate ladder, but his work plans focus on being a tour guide. Lush scenery and songs that include "Blue Hawaii," "Can't help falling in love," and "Rock a hula."

Viva Las Vegas

Musical about race car driver who comes to Las Vegas hoping to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Elvis at his peak and Ann-Margret matches him in talent and on screen presence.

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 attend a party at a neighbor's house, one of the hosts is killed--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 is not one of the yacht club elite. Sarah and Max team up to exonerate him of the crimes, with the help of both his and her relatives.

Why bother? MacLeod is the master of the clever, cozy mystery.

December's Books

Killer Kaiju Monsters celebrates Japan's golden era of monster movies and TV shows. The most popular monsters are profiled, along with descriptions of their strengths, weaknesses, and powers. Even the most casual Western movie goer will recognize Mothra, Rodan, Gamera, and the King of Monsters--Godzilla. Less well-known monsters include Eyezon, Gigan, and Megalon. A bonus feature of a cut-out Karakuri Kaiju is included, but alas, it does not breathe fire. Terrific artwork throughout the book!

Everything Vegan Cookbook by Jolinda Hackett
Drive Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Life by Keith Richards
We All Fall Down by Simon Wood
Best Church Supper Recipes by Taste of Home
I"m Dreaming of a Green Christmas by Anna Getty
Holidays and Celebrations Cookbook 2005 by Taste of Home
Holidays and Celebrations Cookbook 2008 by Taste of Home
Armed and Dangerous by Michael Newton
Killer Kaiju Monsters by Ivan Vartanian
Civility Solution: what to do when people are rude by P.M. Forni
I See Rude People by Amy Alkon
Summer Garden Murder by Ann Ripley

Smart Moves: a Toby Peters mystery by Stuart Kaminsky

In ten words or less: Peters is hired to prevent assassination of Albert Einstein.

Review: It's World War II and a group of Nazis is setting up Albert Einstein as a traitor, hoping to assassinate him and black actor Paul Robeson. Einstein hires Los Angeles private detective Toby Peters to investigate and prevent the attempt on his life.
Peters is hampered by the incompetent dentist, Shelly Minck, who tags along on the trip to New York. Peters meets a comely switchboard operator who tries to trap him into marriage. Dr. Minck attempts to get Einstein to endorse a new line of false teeth.
An untalented actor, two G-men named Spade and Archer, and a hotel detective with an Irish brogue he turns on and off at will complete the cast of characters.

Why bother? A slapstick comedy of a mystery. Even if you're too young to get the author's references to ration coupons, scrap metal drives, and 1940s slang, it's a fun mystery.

Bury Me Deep by Megan Abbott

In ten words or less: Naive woman is lured to dark side of life; all suffer.

Review: Edgar Award winning author Abbott tells the story of Marion Seeley, a young woman left to fend for herself in Phoenix. Dr. Seeley, Marion's husband, is in Mexico seeking treatment for his drug addiction, which has cost him his medical license. This has happened before, and he always returns to the drugs.
Marion has a job in a medical clinic, where she meets Louise, an outgoing, fun-loving nurse, and her sickly roommate Ginny. Until now, Marion has led a quiet life, but the two party girls draw the shy Marion into their world of parties, music, booze, and men--mostly married men.
Although she disapproves, Marion likes the girls. They then introduce her to Joe Lanigan, handsome, charming, a successful and connected businessman with an invalid wife. Marion finds that she is drawn deeper and deeper into a world that she doesn't understand, but can't say no--not to Joe Lanigan.
This noir tale is based on the true story of Winnie Ruth Judd, the notorious trunk murderess from the 1950s.

Why bother? Megan Abbott draws the reader in to the world of 1931--the world of narcotics, women living on the edge of the law, single women trying to keep afloat in the days of the Depression. The dark, grimy side of society is vividly drawn--as you read you're busily plotting how to buy a bus ticket out of town.

Gimme Five! Football Movies

Leatherheads

Dodge Connolly is a charming, brash football hero. He is determined to guide his team from bar brawls to packed stadiums. But after the players lose their sponsor and the entire league faces certain collapse, Dodge convinces a college football star to join his team. Dodge hopes his latest move will help the struggling sport finally capture the country's attention.... With George Clooney and Renee Zellweger.

Remember the Titans

A drama of forced high school integration in Alexandria, Virginia in 1971. After leading his team to fifteen winning seasons, white football coach Bill Yoast is demoted and replaced by African-American Herman Boone, tough, opinionated and as different from Yoast as could be. The two men overcome their differences and turn a group of hostile young men into champions. A rousing celebration of how a town torn apart by resentment, friction and mistrust comes together in triumphant harmony. Denzel Washington stars.

Good Luck

Wheelchair-bound Bernard "Bern" Lemley (Gregory Hines), determined to enter a white-water rafting race on Oregon's Rogue River, labors for months to create a raft that will suit his needs. When he hears about Tony "Ole" Olezniak (Vincent D'Onofrio), a former football star who has lost his eyesight in a freak accident, Bern chooses Ole as his teammate....

Brian’s Song

A drama about the deep friendship between Gale Sayers, black halfback for the Chicago Bears, and his white teammate, Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer in 1970. Starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams.

The Longest Yard

Filmed on location at the Georgia State Prison, semi-pro football is played with the cons as the heroes and the guards as the heavies. This is the 1974 film, not the remake with Adam Sandler. Starring Burt Reynolds.

With this Puzzle I thee Kill by Parnell Hall

In ten words or less: Cora plans to wed again; Sherry's best friend marries Dennis.

Review: The many-times wed Cora Felton is planning to tie the knot again with the mysterious Raymond Harstein III. She's asked her niece Sherry to be her maid of honor. Sherry's best friend Brenda is getting married too, and has asked Sherry to stand up for her. But when Sherry discovers Brenda's finace is Sherry's abusive ex-husband Dennis, she wants nothing to do with the wedding. Threatening cryptograms arrive, warning Cora to cancel the wedding.

Why bother? Fans of the series will enjoy the opportunity to get to know one of Cora's husbands before he becomes an "ex."

Treasure Hunt by John Lescroart

In ten words or less: Is lovely Alicia telling the truth about Como's murder?

Review:
Gorgeous Alicia Thorpe is a driver for Dominic Como, a man known for his involvement in many local charities and considerable political clout. When Como is murdered, private investigator Wyatt Hunt becomes involved by vetting the calls for a tip line offering a reward for information.
Mickey Dade works for Hunt, mostly doing office work, but wants to be more involved in the investigations. When he meets Alicia, he is immediately attracted to her. Is his attraction clouding his judgement? Alicia's scarf is found at the murder scene, and she admits she lied to the police. Is she playing Mickey to cover her involvement in the crime?

Why bother? Lots of characters call the tip line with information for the reward. The payoff is an intelligent mystery set in the colorful streets of San Francisco.

November's Books

Peter Walsh, from TLC's "Clean Sweep" and the "Oprah Winfrey Show," presents a workbook. "It's all too much," to help you organize your living space. It's a guide to help you think about what you expect your house to be, and how to achieve it in manageable steps.

Unnatural causes by P.D. James
Bury your dead by Louise Penny
With this puzzle, I thee kill by Parnell Hall
It's all too much: an easy plan for living a richer life with less stuff by Peter Walsh
Dead man's puzzle by Parnell Hall
Puzzled to death by Parnell Hall
Squirrel seeks chipmunk by David Sedaris
The civility solution: what to do when people are rude by P.M. Forni
Why? Because we still like you: an oral history of the Mickey Mouse Club by Jennifer Armstrong
Frankly my dear, I'm dead by Livia J. Washburn
Djibouti by Elmore Leonard
Simple times: crafts for poor people by Amy Sedaris

Gimme five: Christmas movies

Gremlins

When a young bank teller inadvertently breaks the rules of Mogwai care, his new pet Gizmo multiplies into a bevy of mischievous brothers, who soon morph into malevolent scaly creatures. Grab your Milk Duds and sing along.

Bad Santa

Willie is a thief who teams up with his dwarf friend Marcus, for a very special Christmas scam. Willie gets a job as Santa Claus at a shopping mall, Marcus tags along as an elf, and they use their employee status to rob stores blind just before Christmas. But Willie is a bitter and foul-mouthed alcoholic who doesn't care much for kids. A mall's manager is certain something's wrong, so he asks the chief of security to check out Willie. Meanwhile, one of the kids Willie is forced to talk to becomes a regular customer. Not for the kids.

Muppet Christmas Carol

Alone on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by ghosts who transport him to his past, present, and future--and it's not a pretty sight! But along the way he comes upon poor, kind, humble Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and his family, including Tiny Tim who teaches Scrooge the true meaning of Christmas.

A Christmas Story

A young boy must convince his parents that a toy rifle is the only Christmas gift that will make Christmas worthwhile. Not only do his parents face what many other parents do during that time of the year, but their actions fit in with the All-American Christmas. How many kids have been told “You’ll shoot your eye out!”

Will Vinton’s Claymation Christmas Celebration

Two hosting prehistoric dinosaurs guide you along a typical small town's Christmas choral celebration. There's just one catch, the entire town population is made out of clay! Special guest stars: The California Raisins, singing camels, ice-skating penguins and the Paris Bellharmonic Orchestra. Compelling in a creepy sort of way.

Abroad for her Country by Jean Wilkowski

In ten words or less: First woman ambassador recounts her long career in diplomatic corps.

Review: Jean Wilkowski from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, became the first woman ambassador in U.S. history when she went to Zambia in 1972. She had joined the state department after teaching at a Catholic school. She was assigned to Trinidad, Colombia, Italy, France, Chile, and Honduras. Many times she was the only woman on staff, except for wives and secretaries. She was an ambassador before Shirley Temple Black.
Her life is fascinating--a trailblazer in most aspects of her job. Many of the training programs did not even have accommodations for a woman--at one point she sat in the kitchen with staff because women weren't allowed in the dining room.
There are plenty of anecdotes, both about her personal life as a single woman in the diplomatic corps, and as a member of the department of state. She wondered why Henry Kissinger, whom she apparently rubbed the wrong way, need to fly a bulletproof limo to Africa, just to ferry him the relatively short distance from the airport to the embassy.
A great biography, which just misses being a breakout book.

Why bother? Fascinating story of a woman pioneer in public service. Job well done, Ambassador.

Gimme Five: All Latkes, All the Time: Children’s Books for Hanukkah

The latke who couldn't stop screaming : a Christmas story / by Lemony Snicket ; illustrations by Lisa Brown. San Francisco : McSweeny's Books ; c2007.

"Latkes are potato pancakes served at Hanukah. Lemony Snicket is an alleged children's author. For the first time in literary history, these two elements are combined in one book. People who are interested in either or both of these things will find this book so enjoyable it will feel as if Hanukah is being celebrated for several years, rather than eight nights....

Lots of latkes / Sandy Lanton ; illustrated by Vicki Jo Redenbaugh. New York : Kar-Ben Pub., c2003.

Rivka Leah invites her neighbors to a Hanukkah party, but a series of mishaps causes each of them to bring the same dish-- latkes.

The runaway latkes / written by Leslie Kimmelman ; illustrated by Paul Yalowitz.
Morton Grove, Ill. : Albert Whitman & Co., 2000.

When three potato latkes escape Rachel Bloom's frying pan on the first night of Hanukkah, everyone including the cantor, the rabbi, and the mayor joins in the chase.

The borrowed Hanukkah latkes / Linda Glaser ; illustrations by Nancy Cote.
Morton Grove, Ill. : A. Whitman, 1997.

A young girl finds a way to include her elderly neighbor in her family's Hanukkah celebration.

Grandma's latkes / written by Malka Drucker ; illustrated by Eve Chwast.
San Diego : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, c1992.

Grandma explains the meaning of Hanukkah while showing Molly how to cook latkes for the holiday.

Gimme Five: Thanksgiving Movies

Alice’s Restaurant

In the late '60s, a changing social and political climate inspired a new generation to create a lifestyle outside the mainstream. Twenty-two year-old Arlo's journey to find a place for himself and his music includes a visit to his dying father in the hospital, gigs in New York and romps with his friends Alice and Ray, who run a small restaurant in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. And when an incident at Alice's Restaurant plays a pivotal role in Arlo's avoidance of the draft, it send him down a road that he will consider a small price to pay to keep his freedom and his beliefs. Arlo Guthrie shows that real life can be stranger than fiction.

Home for the Holidays

Claudia Larson is a divorced single mom who just lost her job and now has to fly home for the traditional family Thanksgiving in Baltimore. From the plane, she calls for reinforcements--and her brother Tommy makes it down from Boston with a little surprise: a handsome friend named Leo. Between dropping the turkey in their sister's lap and a few fist fights on the front lawn, Claudia and Tommy recapture their childhood and Claudia and Leo explore the sweet possibility of romance. Holly Hunter and Robert Downey, jr., star.

What’s Cooking?

What happens when families come together for Thanksgiving? Almost anything! A charming tale of four very different families, as they cook up some tasty holiday surprises: love, betrayal and even a few outrageous secrets-- and ultimately discover the astonishing power love has to reconnect us all. All star cast includes Alfre Woodard, Julianna Margulies, and Kyra Sedgwick.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

An uptight businessman faces disaster after disaster as he tries to get back home in time for his family's Thanksgiving dinner, and along the way is joined by an insane traveling salesman that will not leave him alone. With Steve Martin and John Candy.

Hoboken Chicken Emergency

When the Bobowicz family asked their son Arthur to pick up a turkey for Thanksgiving, they weren't expecting him to bring home a 266-pound live chicken named Henrietta. Starring Dick Van Patten, Gabe Kaplan, and Peter Billingsley (Ralphie from “A Christmas Story”)

Stalking the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall

In ten words or less: A stalker pursues Cora on her Puzzle Lady tour.

Review: Cora Felton is a fraud. The public knows her as "The Puzzle Lady" but she couldn't solve a crossword to save her soul. She's fronting for her niece Sherry who's trying to distance herself from an abusive ex-husband. Granville Grains, a cereal company, is sending Cora on a promotional tour of grocery stores to promote their breakfast cereal. But when a young actress on the tour is discovered dead in a motel parking lot, Cora has more to worry about than someone discovering her total lack of talent in the puzzle department.

Why bother? Chain smoking, much married Cora is a sleuth to be reckoned with. You don't have to be a crossword fan to enjoy the road trip with feisty Cora.

The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver

In ten words or less: Rhyme's cousin is arrested for murder--is he guilty?

Review: When Lincoln Rhyme's estranged cousin Arthur is arrested for murder, Arthur's wife Judy contacts the famous NYPD detective. The evidence seems air tight--shoe sprints, fibers--and rhyme doesn't see how he can help Arthur.
But is the evidence too perfect? Rhyme's team, including his partner/lover Amelia Sachs, finds other crimes in which the evidence is similar, and where the accused protested their innocence all the way to prison. Someone has access to confidential information, and is using it to commit rape and murder, and to set up fall guys to take the rap.

Why bother? In this Lincoln Rhyme mystery, author Deaver examines the world of data mining businesses. computers--and the people who have access to them--have far too much information on the average citizen. The glimpse into the Rhyme family history adds a bonus subplot to the usual fast paced thriller.

Saturday at the Farmers' Market

This fragrant cauliflower dish could also be served as a vegetarian entree.

Cauliflower Curry

1 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup water
3/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets, and steamed until crisp-tender

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they pop. Add the garlic and onions and cook until the onions are soft.

Add all the remaining ingredients except the cauliflower and heat until almost boiling. Add the cauliflower and simmer over low heat for fifteen minutes.

Makes six servings.

October’s Books

Viewers of “What not to Wear” will already be familiar with the advice Clinton Kelly dishes out in “Oh no she Didn’t.” No mom jeans, no white cross trainers, no pajamas in public. Mostly photos and snide comments by the author.

Genghis: birth of an empire by Conn Iggulden

On the line by S.J. Rozan

Roux the day by Peter King

Nine lives last forever by Rebecca Hale

Oh no she didn’t: the top 100 style mistakes women make and how to avoid them by Clinton Kelly

Stalking the puzzle lady by Parnell Hall

Hit man by Parnell Hall

Painted ladies by Robert B. Parker

Delicious and suspicious by Riley Adams

Thieves’ dozen by Donald Westlake

Last child by John Hart

Hatchet man by William Marshall

Long quiche goodbye by Avery Aames

Life’s a beach by Claire Cook

In ten words or less: 40-something Ginger searches for love and a career.

Review: Ginger Walsh is in her forties, single, and living in a finished room over a garage at the family house. She’s dabbling at jewelry making, has a sometimes boyfriends Noah, and babysits for her sister’s kids. When nephew Riley is offered a small part in a shark movie being filmed at a nearby beach, Ginger goes to the set as his chaperone. When she meets an attractive gaffer, she accepts a date. And when her parents announce they are selling the house, she will have no where to live.

No so much a romance as a light humorous story of a woman, her cat, her family, and her search for a career. Perfect summer reading.

Why bother: A likeable character carries the story. While some of the other characters seem stereotypical (the kooky parents, the arty boyfriend), it is still an amusing book.

Gimme Five: Halloween Mysteries

Sipherd, Ray. Dance of the Scarecrows

To renowned ornithologist and bird artist Jonathan Wilder, it is a situation that becomes more and more strange with each turn of events. First, a local politician with whom he had publicly argued is found dead in a cornfield, propped up like a scarecrow. Then it is realized that the murder weapon not only is covered in Jonathan's fingerprints, but came from his house. Once he becomes the prime suspect in the murder, Jonathan knows he must catch the real killer before his own time runs out.

Swanson, Denise. Murder of a Royal Pain

When school psychologist Skye Denison stumbles over the body of pushy “Promfest” chairperson Annette Paine during a Halloween fundraiser, it looks like a clear-cut case of promicide. Annette was not the only prom mom desperate to see her daughter crowned queen. But she was also wearing the same witch costume as Skye, so which witch was the intended victim?

Taylor, Kathleen. Mourning Shift

Tory Bauer is the quintessential diner waitress, slopping up greasy food with a hefty side order of cranky attitude. In Mourning Shift the goblins are out for Halloween, and Tory is crabbier than usual. Is it a trick when a mysterious old man dies in the cafe's restroom? Or is it a treat to find out the juicy gossip that he's the cafe owner's long estranged husband? The reluctant heroine saves the day again by discovering the identity of a killer.

Thrasher, L.L. Charlie’s Web

Charlie came out of Lizbet Lange's swimming pool excavation the last time he visited. This time he pops out in her bedroom ... his timing could have been better, as far as Lizbet is concerned, as she was presently otherwise engaged with Charlie's own son. And Charlie's request this time? Help him find the true story of a tiny, ten-year-old girl, believed kidnapped on Halloween back in the 70s. Unable to resist the blue-eyed, blond-haired god/ghost, Lizbet plunges into the hunt in her own inimitable and scatalogical way, revealing a good deal more than the little girl's ghost on the way.

Wolzien, Valerie. All Hallow’s Evil

At first Susan Henshaw thought the body in the library was a Halloween trick -- but then she saw the blood and heard the man's dying gasp. Then a second body -- celebrity morning talk-show host Jason Armstrong -- was found stabbed on his front porch. Now, as Susan begins to investigate the deaths, she uncovers secrets that a killer would go to any lengths to keep hidden . . .

My latest grievance: a novel by Elinor Lipman

In ten words or less: Daughter of two professors discovers parents’ secret past.

Review: Frederica Hatch is the sixteen year old daughter of Dewing College professors—David and Aviva. In addition to teaching, her parents are dorm houseparents. Frederica has grown up on campus, eating in the dining hall, attending the local public high school, and being treated as an equal by her left leaning, union activist parents. She likens herself to the “Eloise of Dewing College.”

But when her father’s ex-wife takes a job as a houseparent at Dewing, their lives are about to change. (Who even knew he had an ex-wife?) Laura Lee dresses in an oddly eccentric manner, is rumored to be a former Rockette, and has a questionable relationship with a priest.

Why bother: Frederica is a witty and insightful narrator, and demonstrates patience and common sense when dealing with the adults in her life. A nice bit of social satire.

GIMME FIVE: AIRLINE PASSENGERS WERE SEEN READING THESE BOOKS LAST WEEK

Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

Before the Frost by Henning Mankell

Bound in Blood by P.C. Hodgell

1984 by George Orwell

Coming Back by Marcia Muller

Delicious and Suspicious: a Memphis BBQ mystery by Riley Adams

In ten words or less: TV food scout is poisoned; members of Lulu Taylor's family suspected.

Review: Lulu Taylor is the owner of Aunt Pat's BBQ, which she runs with the help of her two sons--Ben and Seb--and Ben's wife, two daughters, and nephew Derrick. When Cooking Channel scout Rebecca Adrian comes to Memphis to find the best barbeque, everyone bends over backwards to impress her.
But Ms. Adrian is not easily impressed, and her brusque manner and insults offend everyone she meets. So when she is discovered dead in her hotel room, there are plenty of suspects.

Why bother? A colorful Memphis setting, lots of suspects to eliminate, and much talk about food make an appealing mystery for readers who like their books with a side of cole slaw. Recipes included, of course.

How to Wash a Cat by Rebecca M. Hale

In ten words or less: What was Uncle Oscar hiding, and was he really dead?

Review: When her Uncle Oscar died, his niece was left with a rundown antiques shop in a historic San Francisco neighborhood. The plan was to move into the small flat above the shop, and then decide what to do about the shop itself. It was more of a collection of junk than a toney store like the others on the street. She'd probably keep her job as an accountant, but what to do with all that "stuff" in the shop? There was a huge taxidermied kangaroo in one of the rooms--what was that about? Her uncle had specialized in collectibles from the Gold Rush era.

Why bother? How can you resist that title? For cozy fans who enjoy a mystery with a colorful setting and, oh yeah, cats.

Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke

In ten words or less: Hannah joins a health club; discovers a dead fitness instructor.

Review: Hannah Swensen, bakery owner, is determined to fit into anew dress for the launch party of her mother's new novel. Her sister Andrea convinces her to come to the new health club, Heavenly Bodies, for daily workouts.
But at the club Hannah discovers the body of Ronni Ward, a fitness instructor, who has been "involved" with many of the men in town, including most of the police detectives. And one of the detectives is Hannah's own Mike Kingston.
An out-of-town investigator is brought in to solve the case, while Hannah snoops and bakes cookies. A Minnesota cozy, with cookie recipes included.

Why bother? Likeable characters and the usual mouth-watering recipes combine for an enjoyable read.

September's Books

In "Elmore Leonard's ten rules of writing" the author sums up his philosophy of writing. Avoid adverbs, prologues, and exclamation points. Never open a book with the weather. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters, places, and things. "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip."

Lonely Planet. San Francisco encounter
Misuraca, Karen. Fun with the family: northern California
Lescroart, John. Treasure hunt
Abbott, Meg. Bury me deep
Radke, Linda F. Economical guide to self-publishing
Casagrande, June. It was the best of sentences
Cass, Maxine. Off the beaten path: northern California
Rich, Jason. Self-publishing for dummies
Malliet, G.M. Death and the alma mater
Hale, Rebecca. How to wash a cat
Malliet, G.M. Death and the lit chick
Gore, Ariel. How to become a famous writer before you're dead
Raffles, Hugh. Insectopedia
Leonard, Elmore. Elmore Leonard's ten rules of writing
Hutchinson, Bobby. Every move you make
Fodor's San Francisco
Sterling, Richard. Unofficial guide to San Francisco
Casey, Elizabeth Lynn. Sew deadly

Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet
In ten words or less: Mystery writer threatens to disinherit children; who did him in?

Review: Millionaire mystery writer Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk threatens his four adult childen with disinheritance on a regular basis. One day each of the children receives a garish invitation to their father's upcoming wedding to a woman named Violet. They imagine her as a young gold-digger, but much to their surprise she is an attractive, cultured woman of their father's age. And they are already married! What is their father up to?

Why bother? A mystery in the manner of Agatha Christie--which member of the assembled party at the manor house is the murderer? A teriffic page turner!

Insectopedia by Hugh Raffles

In ten words or less: What are human's reactions to insects? Revulsion, science, phobias, aesthetics.

Review: Insects have existed alongside of humans for as long as humans have been alive. Insects travel with humans; they eat. live, and sleep with us. In a series of essays, Raffles examines "how insects have triggered our obsessions, stirred our passions, and beguiled our imaginations."
Raffles talks with a woman who has studied insect mutations after Chernobyl--it's amazing to discover that no one in the science community was disturbed by her findings. Another chapter asks " how can locusts bring both feast and famine in Africa?"
In one essay, he examines Heinrich Himmler's statement, "Antisemitism is exactly the same as delousing." Prisoners at Auschwitz were killed in "delousing facilities," with an insecticide developed for delousing buildings and clothes. It is a deeply disturbing historical picture of Nazi Germany.
Why bother? Raffles presents some difficult problems for us to think about, yet does it without beating the reader over the head with statistics and dire predictions. A fascinating look at the interrelationship between insects and humans, "Insectopedia" is a book you will want to read and read again.

Sew Deadly by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

In ten words or less: Librarian is suspected of murdering a small town beauty queen.

Review: Tori Sinclair, excited to begin her new job a head of the Sweet Briar public Library, didn't suspect to come across a dead body in her first week on the job. Tiffany Ann Gilbert, the local beauty queen, is dead, and the local law thinks Tori had it in for her.
Why would Tori want to murder a woman she had never met? Other than the fact that Tori's a stranger, a Yankee (!), and that she was hired for a job that a local woman, Dixie Dunn, had held for years. Then there's the handsome elementary school teacher that Tiffany Ann had been unsuccessfully pursuing, and who has been seen having coffee with Tori at Debbie's Bakery.
Tori attempts to solve the mystery and win over the members of the local sewing circle.

Why bother? Fans of cozy mysteries set in small southern towns will want to check out this new series.

Saturday at the Farmers' Market

Here's a different way to prepare leeks, other than to use them in soup. Enjoy!

September Leeks

2 large leeks, well washed and sliced
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon raisins
Sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons soft butter

Place the leeks, water and raisins in a saucepan; cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Season with salt. Mix flour and butter together and gradually whisk into the leeks. Heat, stirring, until mixture thickens. Serves four.

Dine and Die on the Danube Express: a Gourmet Detective mystery by Peter King

In ten words or less: Famous actress goes missing but it's her understudy that's murdered.

Review: The Gourmet Detective takes a ride on the twenty-fifth anniversary journey of the legendary train, the Danube Express. The accommodations are sumptuous, and the scenery spectacular, as the train winds through Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Romania.
Magda Malescu, a celebrated actress and one of the passengers, is missing, and a European tabloid's headlines announce that she has been murdered. Malescu turns up unharmed, but her understudy is discovered dead in her compartment, apparently poisoned. Who wants to kill the understudy, or is it a case of mistaken identity?
The train's security personnel request assistance from the Gourmet Detective, who on occasion has helped Scotland Yard with a case.
Why bother? While questioning the other passengers, the Gourmet Detective partakes in lovingly described meals of epic proportions. It's a wonder all the passengers weren't indisposed with heartburn for the entire trip. This series has the same appeal as Margaret Truman's books--for readers who enjoy a travelogue along with their mystery.

Dancing in the Dark: a Toby Peters Mystery by Stuart Kaminsky
In ten words or less: Mobster threatens Fred Astaire; Toby Peters investigates and dances.

Review: Mobster "Fingers" Intaglia has a girlfriend who wants to be a dancer. The problem is that the girlfriend, Luna Martin, has two left feet and no sense of rhythm. Even lessons with Fred Astaire have proven useless.
Astaire wants out of the arrangement but Fingers won't have it. If Astaire wants to be able to dance another day, he'll teach Luna to dance the two-step. Astaire hires Toby Peters to get Fingers to see the light.

Why bother? Kaminsky's Toby Peters is a charming, if rough around the edges, private eye. The reader can just imagine the sloppy detective teaming up with the dapper dancer. Great fun!

Saturday at the Farmer's Market

Apples are here, and who said they're just for dessert? This is a good side dish with chicken or turkey.

Carrots 'n Apples

3 cups sliced unpeeled tart apples
3 cups sliced carrots, cooked
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cold margarine or butter
3/4 cup orange juice

Grease a 2 quart casserole dish and layer half the apples, then half the carrots. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly; sprinkle half over casserole. Repeat layers. Pour orange juice over all. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes six servings.

Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman

In ten words or less: Couple is killed in crash after their wedding; families grieve.

Review: The death of a newlywed couple brings about changes in both their families as they cope with the tragic event.
Becca Copaken is the daughter of two New York professors who summer in Red Hook, Maine, where John Tetherly was raised by his cleaning lady mother. Becca's mother Iris planned the perfect wedding, right down to the masses of lupines in the church. And when Becca and John were running late to the reception, everyone thought it was because the photographer had to take just one more shot.
But their limo was hit head-on by another vehicle on a twisting rural road, and on the day their families expected to be celebrating a wedding, they were identifying bodies and planning funerals.

Why bother? Not a part of Waldman's popular mystery series, this novel would appeal to readers of Elizabeth Berg and Jacqueline Mitchard.

An Unopened Grave: Sherlock Holmes investigates his ultimate case by L. Frank James

In ten words or less: Sherlock Holmes meets Jesus and becomes a believer.

Review: The famous detective has retired, but takes on a missing persons case on behalf of Miss Elizabeth Hackberry, a devout Christian. While he investigates, his life is saved in a miraculous manner, and Holmes sets out to discover whether in fact, God died to save his life.
Holmes enlists the aid of Dr. Watson to steal a time machine, and the pair travel to the year 30AD, and meet Jesus Christ. After rescuing Watson from a local jail, Holmes uses his powers of deduction to prove Christ's resurrection.

Why bother? If you are interested in the intersection of Sherlock Holmes and Jesus Christ, you might be able to overlook the anachronisms in this tale.

Saturday at the Farmers' market

It's raining today at the market--not a great way to shop for vegetables. But football season is starting, and here's a great way to prepare veggies on a grill for a tailgate party.

Tailgater Vegetables

1 small cabbage, cored and cut into six wedges
2 tablespoons soft butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, cut into 6 wedges
1/2 pound whole fresh mushrooms
1 small green pepper, cut into pieces

Spread butter on the sides of the cabbage wedges. Place cabbage on a piece of heavy duty foil (about 24 in. by 18 in.). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the rest of the vegetables around the cabbage. Seal the foil and grill, covered, over medium heat for 30 minutes or until vegetables are done, turning occasionally. Serves six.