Tag Archives: murder

O.J. Simpson Doesn’t Write a Book

I can see O.J. now, sitting at home, his head in his hands. “Why?” he asks, a look of pain on his face. “Why did Tristi Pinkston have to write such a scathing blog about my book? Now it’s been cancelled!” Okay, I’m willing to admit that my blog had nothing to do with it. I’d sure like to take credit for the cancellation, though. I got curious about it and found some details in my local newspaper, the Daily Herald. The following facts come from the headline story of their Tuesday, November 21st edition. Apparently media mogul Rupert Murdoch … Continue reading →

Dead on Arrival – Jeffrey Savage

We were first introduced to newspaper reporter Shandra Covington in Jeffrey Savage’s novel “House of Secrets.” “Dead on Arrival” picks up not too long after the conclusion of “House” with Shandra still recovering from injuries sustained on her first adventure. A little wiser and a little more leery of dating, she’s back at work focusing on her career when an old man named Pinky Templeton appears at her desk, with the strange tale that his wife is trying to kill him. Oh, but he’s already dead, and so is his wife. Shandra doesn’t know what to think, and is more … Continue reading →

Owls Well That Ends Well – Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow is a unique woman with a unique talent – she’s a blacksmith. For the time being, however, she’s had to put her forge aside and forge ahead with something even bigger, in the form of a fifteen-family yard sale. She and her boyfriend Michael have purchased an older home on the outskirts of the small town of Caerphilly, and all the things that were in the house now belong to them. Most of it junk, some of it collectable, they’ve decided to have a yard sale and all the relatives decided to join them and bring their own … Continue reading →

The Books of Lilian Jackson Braun

Lilian Jackson Braun published her first three books, “The Cat Who Could Read Backwards,” “The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern” and “The Cat Who Turned On and Off” between 1966 and 1968, but then didn’t write again until 1986, for reasons unknown. She was then picked up by the Berkeley Publishing Group and made a reappearance, to the great joy of her fans, continuing “The Cat who. . .” series, starring the intelligent Siamese Koko and his friend, Yum Yum, also a Siamese, but female. Their owner, James Macintosh Qwilleran, otherwise known as Qwill, is a writer for the local … Continue reading →

Murder on the Atlantic — Steve Allen

Call me a dope (no, please don’t; it’s been a bad self-esteem day as it is) but I didn’t know that Steve Allen wrote books. I remember him from television years ago as being a comedian and musician, married to Jayne Meadows, but I didn’t know that he had ventured into the world of Authorship. When I stumbled across this book on the library bookshelf I was surprised, and after having read it, I can say it was a pleasant surprise. Steve is a very funny man, and he’s a good writer. What intrigued me the most about his style … Continue reading →

The Mensa Murders — Lee Martin

In my continuing search for national fiction that is clean but is neither LDS nor Christian (to increase the variety in my blogs) I picked up this book by Lee Martin. Imagine my surprise when midway through the book, the main character announces that while she’s not a regular attendee, when she goes to church, she goes to the Mormon church, and that her son is a Mormon. Honestly, guys, I am trying to give you some more variety, I really am! Deb Ralston is a forty-something detective with the Fort Worth Police. In her line of work, she’s seen … Continue reading →

The Deeds of the Disturber – Elizabeth Peters

Emerson, Amelia, and Ramses have just returned from their dig at the pyramids of Dashoor. The press had a field day with their adventures while they were gone, and they come home to find that their old “friend,” Kevin O’Connell, has been concocting all manner of sensationalized stories about them and their future mystery-solving activities. It seems that a night guard at the museum has been found dead on the floor near an ancient mummy case, a look of fear on his face, and Kevin has assured his readers that Emerson and Amelia will solve the case. Emerson strongly feels … Continue reading →

Strawberry Shortcake Murder — Joanne Fluke

Hannah Swensen, owner of the Cookie Jar, is trying to survive another brutal Lake Eden winter. It’s so cold she has to plug in her car at night, but she keeps forgetting to unplug before driving off, and has already ruined several cords. Thankfully, the Hartland Flour Company has provided a distraction from the winter chill: they are holding a baking contest right in Lake Eden, and Hannah has been asked to be the head judge. The high school has been transformed into a huge professional kitchen where the contestants will bake and be judged, hopefully to take home the … Continue reading →

Lemon Meringue Pie Murder — Joanne Fluke

Hannah Swensen has dated eligible dentist Norman Rhodes off and on for some time now, but has never thought about marrying him. But early one morning, a phone call from him sets her world on edge. He has purchased a piece of land and plans to build a house, but not just any old thing. He and Hannah had worked together on a design for a contest the year before, and he’s decided to recreate it. “Their dream house,” as he puts it. But he wouldn’t build such a nice big house just for himself, would he? Hannah’s imagination starts … Continue reading →

Dark Tort — Diane Mott Davidson

Whenever you hear the genre term “foody,” meaning a mystery that includes recipes, the first name that usually comes into the conversation is that of Diane Mott Davidson. Her Goldy Shultz series is easily the most popular of the foody genre, and with good reason: she’s a good author and a good cook, and she describes her food in a way that makes you want to leap up and try it yourself. Goldy Shultz is a caterer, owning her own company with the title and slogan: “Goldilocks’ Catering: Where Everything is Just Right.” Divorced from an abusive first husband affectionately … Continue reading →