"The Ghost and the Dead Deb" by Alice Kimberly

This is the second book in the Haunted Bookshop mystery series. I just re-read this book, but I wanted to comment on it since I've read all the other books in the series.

You could say I'm a bit obsessive-compulsive. Well, maybe more than just a bit!

Our female-sleuth of the series, Penelope Thornton-McClure (Pen for short) is the owner of the Quindicott, Rhode Island bookstore named "Buy the Book". She has a resident ghost, Jack Shepard, who is a former private investigator from New York City. He was gunned down in 1949 at the exact spot of Pen's bookstore, and now his spirit - while very willing- has never left.

This book finds Pen sponsoring another book signing, this one of an up and coming young author named Angel Stark. Angel has written a tell-all book about a debutante named Bethany Banks who was strangled to death.

Evidently Angel was a part of that crowd and had inside information about the murder, so she decided to capitalize on it by writing a book. Needless to say, the Banks family was not pleased.

Along the way a couple more murders are committed, and the young nephew of a friend is arrested. Pen decides to help him, but she knows she needs to improve her detecting skills. She asks Jack the Ghost for help, but he says she should let the police handle it.

But as we know, one of the traits of the amateur female-sleuth is stubbornness. So Jack reluctantly decides to help her. What choice does he have?

One of the more interesting characters in the book is named Fiona Finch. Fiona, along with her husband, runs the local Finch Inn. It's Quindicott's only bed & breakfast. Fiona loves to collect pins and brooches with bird designs. She often goes to several garage and yard sales to add to her collection. (Me, I just go to eBay or Bonanzle). Jack the Ghost calls Fiona the 'Bird Lady'. Fiona likes to help Pen solve her 'cases'.

The romance between Pen and Jack deepens. She can now see him, thanks to an old buffalo-head nickel of his that she found in her store. When she leaves the store, and takes the 5-cent piece with her, he can come along too. I like this part of the plot. It makes for an interesting read since Pen and Jack are becoming more of a sleuthing team.

You can buy the book here:

Done with “The Quick and the Thread” by Amanda Lee

In the middle of the night, I had a flash of inspiration and thought I had figured out what the message “Four Square Fifth W” meant. I find that I often figure things out or think of things in the middle of the night, and then desperately try to remember what it was the next morning. So I’ve taken to keeping a note pad and pen by the bed so I can scribble down a note or two. And in the morning I can even read what I wrote!

Anyway I found this book to be entertaining. Marcy is persistent in trying to find out both who killed Timothy Enright and what the mysterious message means. She goes by the old saying: “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer”. If I were in Marcy’s shoes, I know I’d want to find out who the killer was before he or she put a final stitch in me!

You can buy the book here:

I Think I’d Choose Monk

Re: “The Quick and the Thread” by Amanda Lee

At one point Marcy gets sort of sleepy-punchy-silly and thinks about solving the mystery from the vantage point of TV sleuths. She envisions herself playing a part in each of the following TV series: Charlie’s Angels, Columbo, Kojak, Remington Steele and Murder, She Wrote.

After thinking about it for awhile, she decides to turn this case over to Psych or Monk. She even thinks she could blame Boss Hogg in the Dukes of Hazzard. But nobody could take Boss seriously as a murderer.

Personally I haven’t seen Psych or Kojak. I’d sure like to look like Kate Jackson. Pierce Brosnan would be easy on the eyes. But I think I’d rely on Mr. Monk to solve this case. I’ll make sure to have enough wipes on hand!

(Stay tuned for more posts about this book).

“The Quick and the Thread” by Amanda Lee

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book from author Amanda Lee. It’s the first in the series about female-sleuth Marcy Singer, and this title will be released on August 3, 2010. Best Wishes, Amanda!

Marcella (aka Marcy) Singer is an accountant living in San Francisco who yearns for yarn: she really wants to own an embroidery shop. Her current job is depressing. Until one day she gets a call from her former college roommate Sadie: the hardware store next to Sadie’s coffee shop has gone out of business, and Sadie thinks it would be the perfect opportunity for Marcy to open her dream store.

Sadie lives on the Oregon coast in a quaint little town called Tallulah Falls: quite a change from the hustle and bustle of the city by the bay. But Marcy decides to go for it, so she moves herself and her Irish wolfhound, Angus, up to Oregon.

Marcy names her shop ‘The Seven Year Stitch’ since she is a fan of classic movies. This name is a take on the Marilyn Monroe film “The Seven Year Itch” and Marcy even has a life-sized female mannequin next to her cash register that she’s dressed up with a short blond wig to look like Marilyn.

(Now I’m hoping that Marcy’s customer’s don’t think ‘The Seven Year Stitch’ refers to the length of time it will take to complete an embroidery project. I've known people who have taken that long to get their craft projects done!)

Soon opening day arrives and Marcy’s shop is full of customers purchasing supplies and signing up for classes. That same evening she has a grand opening party, and many of the townspeople are there including former proprietor Timothy Enright of the hardware store that used to occupy Marcy’s store.

He says he must speak to Marcy. But he is slurring his words so she thinks he is drunk and avoids him all evening. The next morning she finds the words “Four Square Fifth W” scratched onto a storeroom wall by a tapestry needle. The person who did that, Timothy Enright, is lying dead in her storeroom.

(Stay tuned for more posts about this book).

Done with “Strawberry Shortcake Murder” by Joanne Fluke

Hannah solves the murder of Coach Boyd Watson with the help of her real-estate agent sister Andrea. Andrea is good with people while Hannah is good with facts and figures.

Hannah tells her sister that investigating is a process of elimination - that you must explore all the possibilities, and rule them out one by one. Whatever is left has got to be the solution.

Along the way Hannah relies on her former passion, English literature, to help her solve the case. I won’t say how at the risk of giving too much away, but we do find out more about the poet Lord Byron.

And when Hannah gets into a sticky situation, she uses her Grandma Elsa’s flour defense technique. It works.

Recipes included in this book are: Strawberry Shortcake Swensen, Apricot Bread Pudding, Oatmeal Raisin Crisps, Cocoa Snaps, Hawaiian Flan, Molasses Crackles and Chocolate Highlander Cookie Bars. Oh, I’m getting a sugar rush just typing this!

You can buy the book here:

Soda, Pop or Soft Drink?

Re: “Strawberry Shortcake Murder” by Joanne Fluke

Hannah is hard at work solving this mystery. One evening her friend and sometimes date, Norman stops over at Hannah’s home to chat.

She asks if he wants something to drink and he says he’ll have a diet soft drink. She smiles and says most people in Minnesota say ‘pop’. Norman has lived on the west coast for many years so he uses a different phrase.

Several years ago when my family was traveling in Montana, we stopped at a restaurant and I ordered a 7-Up. The waitress wasn’t sure what I meant. There they call it: Bubble-Up.

I’m from the Midwest but I usually say I want ‘soda’.

What do you call it? Soda, pop, a soft drink, or something else?

(Stay tuned for more posts about this book).

Pretty, if She Wants to Be

Re: “Strawberry Shortcake Murder” by Joanne Fluke

Mothers want the best for their children. But sometimes moms go a bit too far in trying to help their kids.

Hannah’s mother Delores wants to see Hannah happily married. So she warns Hannah to stop finding dead bodies or all the eligible men will think she’s disaster-prone. Delores also tells her daughter that Hannah can be quite attractive if she sets her mind to it. To that statement Hannah replies ‘Give it a rest, mother’!

Hannah isn’t one to preen over herself in the mirror, unlike her mother. Delores is very careful about her appearance and never goes out in public without being meticulously groomed. And Delores won’t rule out plastic surgery to help her look her best either.

Hannah’s sister, Andrea, takes after Delores in both appearance and grooming. Andrea is petite and slender. Hannah however resembles her late father more, being taller, red-haired and prone to putting on a few extra pounds here and there. Especially since she has to taste-test new recipes for her bakery, The Cookie Jar.

So there have been instances of sibling rivalry in the past between the two sisters. Funny though - each sister felt the other one had the upper hand.

(Stay tuned for more posts about this book).

“Strawberry Shortcake Murder” by Joanne Fluke

This is the second book in the Hannah Swensen mystery series. Hannah is the owner and operator of a small Minnesota town bakery, The Cookie Jar.

The book opens to find Hannah helping to judge a local dessert baking contest. One of her fellow judges has a dental emergency, so they need a substitute. Boyd Watson, the local high school coach, is chosen.

During the judging, Boyd is none too subtle in his criticism of the desserts. Hannah tells him he could have been a little nicer to the contestants, but Boyd says there is no sense in sugar coating the message - if you don’t come in first, you are a loser.

Boyd is married and unfortunately Hannah has discovered a secret about him - he batters his wife Danielle. Danielle refuses to press charges against him, or leave him. After the bake-off, Hannah receives an urgent call from Danielle - could Hannah please come over to her and Boyd’s home right away?

Fearing Boyd has beaten Danielle again, Hannah fearfully rushes over. Danielle leads Hannah to their garage, where she sees Boyd lying on the floor in the gooey remains of the leftover strawberry shortcake. Hannah thinks the red splotches on the pavement are from the strawberries, but no, it’s blood. Boyd is dead.

Did Danielle kill him in self-defense? Or did a disgruntled bake-off contestant kill Boyd?


(Stay tuned for more posts about this book).