Review of "Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches: A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery" by Karen Rose Smith

In this 3rd book in 'A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery' series, café owner Daisy Swanson helps the police investigate the murder of a food critic. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****



Daisy Swanson, owner of 'Daisy's Tea Garden' in the Amish region of Pennsylvania, is anxious about an upcoming visit by restaurant critic Derek Schumacher. Schumacher has a reputation for writing harsh reviews, and his scathing blogs have been the death knell for some up-and-coming eateries.



Daisy has other things on her mind as well. She's a single mother of two daughters - Violet, a college freshman and Jazzi, a high school student.....and she strives to always 'be there' for her girls. In addition, Daisy's relationship with handsome Jonas Groft - a former cop who now makes wood furniture - is heating up.





Daisy and her staff carefully plan for Schumacher's visit, and when the critic shows up - camera and appetite at the ready - he samples a wide variety of offerings such as: Daisy's blend tea; salad with sweet and sour bacon dressing; cheesy cauliflower soup; maple and walnut scones with raspberry spread; a fresh fruit plate; bacon and cheddar puff pastry; chicken salad sandwiches; cucumber and pimento triangles; a plate of assorted sweets (cream puff; brownie; Snickerdoodles, blueberry tart) and finally a lemon sorbet.....all on Daisy's best serving dishes.















Schumacher likes the food well enough to purchase a dozen pimento and cucumber sandwiches and a half-dozen Snickerdoodles 'to go', and leaves the café with no hint of what he'll write in his blog. The next day, Daisy is nervously waiting for Schumacher to publish his review when Police Detective Rappaport shows up to ask, "Do you know who killed Derek Schumacher?"



It seems that Schumacher died after snacking on Daisy's cucumber sandwiches, which had been tainted with a foreign substance. Of course Daisy and her entire staff are under suspicion, as is anybody else who had access to the goodies. There are a lot of possible suspects because Derek was an unpopular guy who treated people badly.

News that Schumacher died from food purchased at Daisy's Tea Garden spreads like wildfire, and customers stay away in droves. Daisy can't allow this situation to continue and decides to help Detective Rappaport find the killer. Thus Daisy makes it her business to talk to Derek's relatives and other people in town, trying to winkle out the critic's secrets.

Unlike many cozy mysteries, 'Death by Cucumber Sandwiches' includes a hefty dose of family drama. In addition to looking for Derek's killer, Daisy is concerned about her family: Her younger daughter Jazzi, who was adopted as a baby, wants a closer relationship with her birth mother - and it's not quite happening; Daisy's older daughter Violet is making new plans for her future - and needs guidance; Daisy's dad Sean has something on his mind - and requires advice; and Daisy's Aunt Iris has a beau on the horizon - IF Daisy can convince the gentleman to ask Iris for a date. Daisy's also concerned about her boyfriend Jonas, thinking her family responsibilities might drive him away.

The story has an array of interesting characters, including customers who come to Daisy's Tea Garden; Daisy's employees; other business owners in the community - including some Amish residents; the church secretary who knows some secrets; and more.



This is an enjoyable light mystery, recommended to fans of the genre.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Karen Rose Smith) and the publisher (Kensington) for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "A Darkness More Than Night: A Harry Bosch/Terry McCaleb Mystery" by Michael Connelly

In this 9th book in the 'Bosch Universe' pairs two popular Michael Connelly characters: Harry Bosch and Terry McCaleb. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Harry Bosch is a detective in the Los Angeles Police Department who almost always closes his cases, but is usually on the wrong side of his superiors.



Terry McCaleb is a former FBI profiler who - after a heart transplant - moved to Catalina Island with his wife, stepson, and baby girl. Terry now runs a charter fishing business and tries to avoid stress.



As the story opens Terry is contacted by Sheriff's Deputy Jaye Winston, who asks him to have a quick look at the file of a puzzling murder case. The victim is an alleged killer named Edward Gunn, who was trussed up and murdered in a horrific fashion. Terry is reluctant to get involved - and strongly discouraged by his wife - but is drawn into the investigation anyway.



In the meantime, Harry Bosch is the main witness at the murder trial of David Storey, a Hollywood director accused of murdering a young woman. In court Harry describes the evidence against Storey AND says that - when no one else was around - Storey admitted he killed the girl and boasted he'd get away with it.



A scandal involving Harry would negate his testimony against Storey, and it looks like one is about to break thanks to Terry McCaleb. When Terry studies the scene-of-crime photos in the Edward Gunn murder file he observes deliberate symbols that remind him of a painting by 17th century Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch, called 'The Garden of Earthly Delights.'


The Garden of Earthly Delights

As it happens Hieronymus Bosch happens to be Harry's given name, and Terry puts two and two together to make five. He tells Deputy Winston he thinks Bosch killed the trussed up victim. Oh no.....say it ain't so!! 😕

As things play out Harry's old partner Kizmin Rider is tricked into talking about him; information is leaked to reporter Jack McAvoy; Terry's life is endangered; and surprising secrets come to light.

A good deal of the novel is composed of courtroom scenes, with witnesses being questioned and cross-examined, lawyers maneuvering to influence the jury, and so on. Courtroom drama is one of Connelly's favorite tropes, and I always enjoy it, but he goes a bit overboard in this book.....and it slows down the story.

Still, I'd recommend the book to mystery readers, especially Harry Bosch fans. 

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Dinner Party: A Laugh-Out-Loud Romantic Comedy" by Tracy Bloom

In this satirical comedy, a handsome stranger inadvertently wreaks havoc in the lives of three couples.

Beth and Chris, Sarah and Tony, and Marie and Duncan are three married couples with children who live in the English town of Morbeck. The adults have known each other for years, and socialize by hosting a monthly dinner party on a rotating basis.



Tonight's hosts are Beth and Chris, and Beth - who works as a nurse - is scrambling to get ready. As Beth dresses in her usual dowdy clothes she recalls a time - decades ago - when a cute boy called her cuddly. Beth interpreted this as chubby, and she still thinks of herself as frumpy and undesirable. Beth sometimes wonders if this is why she sticks it out with her postman husband Chris, who's good-natured but forgetful, annoying and dull.



Beth's negative mood is reinforced when Chris strolls in and announces - out of the blue - that he's invited a friend to the monthly dinner. The man, called Simon, is having a marital crisis and Chris thinks he'd benefit from a spot of company.

Beth is thinking about how to stretch dinner for six - including fondue, steaks, and lemon desserts - to feed seven while Chris is sent out to buy wine.







Meanwhile, Beth and Chris's couple friends arrive.

• Sarah and Tony: Pretty Sarah was a glamorous fashion buyer in London when she started an adulterous affair with Tony, a rich architect. The duo ditched their spouses to marry each other, and then moved to Morbeck. Sarah, now a stay-at-home mom, spends her time decorating their lovely home.....and is bored out of her mind.



• Marie and Duncan: Marie is a curvaceous sexpot who works in a woman's clothing boutique, and Duncan is the director of a call center. Duncan is an easygoing guy who takes it in stride when his wife flirts with other men.....just glad that she 'picked him' to spend her life with.



The six friends are chatting and sipping wine (or beer in Chris's case) when Simon arrives at the front door. As fate would have it Simon is a handsome, ripped fellow (in a tight shirt) who's in despair about the loss of his no-good cheating wife.



All the dinner guests, especially the women, are empathetic about Simon's plight, and - as things play out - the ladies offer sympathy, advice, a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, and maybe a bit more (wink wink).

Chris is happy for his suffering friend, but Tony and Duncan are irked....and ALL the men inadvertently get sucked into Simon's affairs....especially as Simon is invited to subsequent dinner parties.

Things take unexpected - generally humorous - turns as the story unfolds. The funniest (and most frustrating) character in the novel is Chris, a clueless 'nice guy' who's always up for a good time - preferably in an eatery that serves beer, Pringles and dip, fish and chips, chicken wings, and mushy peas.











The book is structured around an interview by a journalist, who - months after the occurrences in the story - is speaking to some of the characters. As the people answer her questions, we also learn about past events in their lives.

All this rolls along to a fitting climax that's believable and satisfying.

The book is a light read that imparts some of life's hard truths. I enjoyed the novel and recommend it to fans of humorous literature.



Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "There's Nothing in this Book That I Meant to Say: A Memoir" by Paula Poundstone

	Paula Poundstone Paula Poundstone - comedian, author, actress, interviewer and commentator - is a compassionate woman who's fostered many children over the years, and adopted three. Poundstone has had her share of troubles, however, and her alcoholism (driving her kids to Baskin-Robbins while drunk) led to her arrest for child endangerment in 2001. The upshot was 180 days of rehab, 5 years of random drug/alcohol testing, 12 months of foster care for her children, and financial woes. Some of the humor in this book, published in 2006, stems from these events but Poundstone - a gifted comic - can find the funny in any topic. In this memoir Poundstone bounces her (often self-deprecating) humor off of brief biographies of Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Charles Dickens, the Wright brothers, Beethoven, and Sitting Bull.* I'll give some examples: Joan of Arc Charles VII set Joan up with a small staff: a confessor, a couple of servants, a couple of heralds, and a page. Paula: "I had a dozen therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists who evaluated me for the court. The district attorney concluded I had every malady any of these guys suggested: bipolar; mildly depressed; severely depressed; borderline personality disorder; drug and alcohol dependent; alcoholic; obsessive compulsive; manic depressive; compliant; non-compliant; defensive; paranoid; prompt; late; city mouse; and country mouse." Abraham Lincoln From ages 16 to 22 Lincoln worked at a variety of jobs. Paula: "At 16, I worked at Bickford's Pancake House. At 18, I worked at the International House of Pancakes. And even now my kids occasionally ask for frozen waffles or mini-pancakes, so I've kept my hand in it." Helen Keller After she became blind and deaf Helen Keller obsessively clung to her mother's dress. Her hands felt every object, observed every motion. In this way she learned many things. Paula: ''My mother went back to bed after she got my older siblings off to school. I spent my mornings watching Jack Lalanne, Virginia Graham's talk show, Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo, and the Three Stooges. In this way I got to learn almost nothing." Charles Dickens Charles Dickens published many books, but did he even once help his kid with integers? Paula: "I did a whole page of integers with my 11-year-old once. I still don't know what they are or when they're used. I'm in my 40s and I've never knowingly used integers." The Wright Brothers When a flight didn't go well they didn't know if it was the design of the plane or if their piloting was off. Paula: "I have the same problem with driving. My new van kept making a beeping noise before I backed into stuff. The thing I said before every crash was 'what the hell is that noise'? I called the manufacturer to complain, and it turns out it's supposed to be a warning signal. Whose bright idea was that? I don't need that kind of distraction while I'm trying to back up. Its hard enough rewinding the cassette tape, keeping my soda from spilling, and talking on the phone." Beethoven Beethoven is one of the greatest composers of all time. Paula: "They played really loud Nancy Sinatra to the Branch Davidians to get them to come out in Waco. Who comes up with these ideas? It seems so cruel to the artist. They should have asked me. People have walked out of my shows before." When he was on his deathbed Beethoven's nephew Karl cared for him, giving him enemas and entertaining him. Paula: "Let all who read this know that when I am on my deathbed I only want to be entertained." Sitting Bull The construction of the railroads had been cutting the Great Plains Indians' grass for quite a while. But the country's financial woes stopped it in its tracks for a time. Paula: "I'm a million dollars in debt right now and its not that bad. I actually felt lighter when I hit seven-digit debt. If I was 100,000 dollars in debt I'd be working my ass off right now because I'd have a shot at paying it off. But once you get to a million you relax into it a bit." ***** Some of Paula's funniest stories revolve around being mistaken for a man, which she claims has happened all her life. For instance: Paula's dry cleaner - who wasn't fluent in English - always carefully copied her name from one dry cleaning slip to the next. And he always called her 'sir.' One day Paula got up courage and said "I'm a woman." She pointed to her name on the dry cleaning slip and said "See, my name is Paula....with an A." "No" he countered, "that's an initial." ***** When playing basketball with fellow comics, Paula noticed a group of kids on the sidelines staring at her, arguing among themselves, gazing at her some more, having further discussions, etc. Finally, one boy came right up to her, took a close look, and announced: "He a girl!" I thought this book was hilarious and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a laugh. * The amount of research Poundstone must have put into these mini-biographies is impressive.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "The Brass Verdict: A Mickey Haller/Harry Bosch Mystery" by Michael Connelly

In this second book in the 'Mickey Haller' series, the attorney defends a Hollywood mogul. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller is 'The Lincoln Lawyer' who - instead of keeping an office - works out of the back of one of his three specially equipped Lincoln sedans.



As Mickey's chauffeur drives him around to meet with clients, interview witnesses, go to the courthouse, examine crime scenes, etc. the attorney studies his case files, make phone calls, sends and receives faxes, plans his defense strategy, and so on.



Haller's second ex-wife, the meticulously organized Lorna Taylor, works as his 'office manager' from her home and Mickey's private investigator Cisco is a phone call away - so it all works quite well.



As the story opens Mickey has been on sabbatical for a year, recovering from a gunshot would and the painkiller addiction that resulted. Mickey is ready to re-open his law practice, but wants to start with a low-key case or two to get back in the game.



Fate has other plans for Mickey, however, which he discovers in the office of the chief judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court. The justice tells Mickey that his colleague, Jerry Vincent, was just murdered and Mickey is the designated 'heir' to Vincent's law practice. Thus Mickey instantaneously gets Vincent's thirty-something cases - assuming he and the clients agree on his representation.



Mickey hustles over to Vincent's office, to make sure detectives investigating his murder don't grab any case files - which would violate attorney-client privilege. And wouldn't you know it, Mickey finds Detective Harry Bosch and his partner riffling through Vincent's papers.



There's a brief stand-off and the cops leave, but Bosch insists the identity of the murderer is somewhere in Vincent's file cabinet. Bosch isn't about to let it go, and initiates some cat and mouse games to try to get the information he wants.



Meanwhile, Mickey learns that Vincent was working on a variety of run-of-the-mill cases and one REALLY BIG ONE. The dead lawyer was defending Hollywood movie producer/studio head Walter Elliott, a multimillionaire charged with killing his trophy wife Mitzi Elliott and her lover Johan Rilz. Mickey is anxious to keep the lucrative, high profile case and quickly makes an appointment to speak to Elliott, who's out on bail and working at his movie studio.



Elliott agrees to keep Mickey on as his lawyer under one condition - the trial, slated to start next week, CANNOT be postponed. Elliott insists he's innocent and will be acquitted, and he wants the whole business over with. Mickey reluctantly agrees, though he's puzzled by Elliott's confidence and certainty.

Mickey and his private eye immediately start re-investigating the Mitzi Elliott/Johan Rilz murder - so Mickey can prepare a defense - and Bosch continues to look for Jerry Vincent's killer. All of this leads to some surprising discoveries.



The novel contains gripping courtroom scenes, and the descriptions of jury selection, as well as the maneuvers of the prosecution and defense, are compelling. 



It's fun to see Mickey lay traps for the prosecution, though it's not always easy to root for his client.....who seems like a sly fellow.



In his personal life, Mickey is trying to maintain cordial relations with his first ex-wife Maggie, a fierce prosecutor and the mother of their daughter Hayley. Pre-adolescent Hayley acts a bit like Mickey's conscience, asking why he gets criminals off rather than putting them away like mom.

This book is a turning point in the 'Bosch Universe' since Mickey and Bosch meet for the first time and form a kind of uneasy cop/attorney truce. I've read books further along in the series and it's always a treat to see them work together.

Connelly is an excellent mystery writer and this is a very good story. Highly recommended to fans of suspense novels.

Rating: 4 stars