Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is currently on tour and this month's host is Staci from Life in the Thumb. MM is a gathering place for readers to share what books came into their home last week.

Caveat: MM can cause wish lists to explode exponentially!

Here are the two books that showed up Chez-moi last week.

Join the fun and frolic with American heiress Penny Nichols and her English hero Jeremy Laidley, as the adventurous couple sets off for more elegant travel and delightful sleuthing together!
Penny and Jeremy are just returning from their honeymoon, only to be greeted by eccentric friends of Prince Charles bearing a rather royal request: to rescue a historical village on t
...more

Paperback, 416 pages

Expected publication: September 6th 2011 by NAL Trade

more details...

ISBN0451234618 (ISBN13: 9780451234612)

From Goodreads:

Join the fun and frolic with American heiress Penny Nichols and her English hero Jeremy Laidley, as the adventurous couple sets off for more elegant travel and delightful sleuthing together!

Penny and Jeremy are just returning from their honeymoon, only to be greeted by eccentric friends of Prince Charles bearing a rather royal request: to rescue a historical village on the coast of Cornwall, England. A property developer is bulldozing his way across the countryside to build a monstrous new development, and he's heading straight for Grandmother Beryl's old homestead where the newlyweds first met long ago as kids. Can Penny and Jeremy solve an ancient puzzle in time to save Grandma's house-and the entire village-from total destruction?

On the romantic rocky cliffs of Cornwall ! ( love books set in Cornwall), amid Celtic lore and tales of Shakespeare, smugglers, and shipwrecks, Penny and Jeremy must contend with a rakish cast of local characters: a bird-watching earl, a famous TV chef, a vain actor, a New Age farmer, a pair of thuggish real-estate tycoons, a rebel rock-and-roller, and a band of determined "eco-warriors." Following a trail of cryptic clues, Penny and Jeremy's new caper takes them to the lush island of Madeira and the legendary castle of Tintagel, in a race against time to find the astonishing truth... before the wrecking ball strikes.
With her trademark wit, wisdom, and verve, C.A. Belmond's newest novel in her beloved "Rather" series provides a perfect armchair voyage of Europe's glamorous locales, with plenty of mystery, history, food, wine, love, and life's little pleasures.

Received from Nal for review

Hardcover, 432 pages
Expected publication: September 20th 2011 by Crown
ISBN:0307452891 (ISBN13: 9780307452894)
primary language:English

From Goodreads:
Death in the City of Light is the gripping, true story of a brutal serial killer who unleashed his own reign of terror in Nazi-Occupied Paris. As decapitated heads and dismembered body parts surfaced in the Seine, Commissaire Georges-Victor Massu, head of the Brigade Criminelle, was tasked with tracking down the elusive murderer in a twilight world of Gestapo, gangsters, resistance fighters, pimps, prostitutes, spies, and other shadowy figures of the Parisian underworld.

The main suspect was Dr. Marcel Petiot, a handsome, charming physician with remarkable charisma. He was the “People’s Doctor,” known for his many acts of kindness and generosity, not least in providing free medical care for the poor. Petiot, however, would soon be charged with twenty-seven murders, though authorities suspected the total was considerably higher, perhaps even as many as 150.

Who was being slaughtered, and why? Was Petiot a sexual sadist, as the press suggested, killing for thrills? Was he allied with the Gestapo, or, on the contrary, the French Resistance? Or did he work for no one other than himself? Trying to solve the many mysteries of the case, Massu would unravel a plot of unspeakable deviousness.
When Petiot was finally arrested, the French police hoped for answers.

But the trial soon became a circus. Attempting to try all twenty-seven cases at once, the prosecution stumbled in its marathon cross-examinations, and Petiot, enjoying the spotlight, responded with astonishing ease. His attorney, René Floriot, a rising star in the world of criminal defense, also effectively, if aggressively, countered the charges. Soon, despite a team of prosecuting attorneys, dozens of witnesses, and over one ton of evidence, Petiot’s brilliance and wit threatened to win the day.

Drawing extensively on many new sources, including the massive, classified French police file on Dr. Petiot, Death in the City of Light is a brilliant evocation of Nazi-Occupied Paris and a harrowing exploration of murder, betrayal, and evil of staggering proportions.

Received from Crown/SA.

Review & Giveaway: Murder by Mocha by Cleo Coyle

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: August 2nd 2011 by Berkley Hardcover

ISBN: 0425241432 (ISBN13: 9780425241431)

primary language English

Clare Cosi, general manager and  barista at The Village Blend coffeehouse along with her ex-mother-in-law, Madame Blance Dubois, have entered a business agreement with Madame's old friend, Alica. They will be marketing a new product called Mocha Magic Coffee, which will be comprised of the blends beans, chocolate by Voss and an herbal aphrodisiac from Alicia. The new coffee drink will be only be sold at Aphrodite's Village, an online website for women run by seven Aphrodite "sisters." 

After Detective Mike Quinn, Clare's love interest, convinces Clare that the Mocha Magic Coffee has something a little more potent than herbs in it, a substance that could be illegal, she is afraid news of this will ruin the coffeeshop. Being part of the Aphrodite Village has proved to be very profitable for the sisters and the competition is fierce to get one of those coveted slots. Is someone covering up what is actually in the product just to amp up the sales figures? 

When greedy ambitions and revenge overcome a moral conscience, the results are murderous. At the launch party, one of the "sisters" is murdered followed by another one of the sisters meeting an untimely death. Clare starts her own investigation but as the bodies start stacking up and it's plain to see Clare could be the next one, she knows it's time to stop the murderer.  ASAP!

Meanwhile, Mike is working on a cold case that might have a bearing on Madame and Alicia's relationship in the past. Madame and Alicia aren't too forthcoming about any of those circumstances. One more thing for Clare to worry about as her daughter Joy is now dating a young police officer involved in the investigation.

Murder by Mocha is the 10th in series and there is enough for new reader to not feel like they are missing anything yet not too repetitive for readers who have read the series from the beginning.  It's like visiting with old friends in each book but with each successive story, we get a little bit more insights into one or two of the main characters.

Coyle presents her most complicated case so far.The prologue grabbed me in this one right away as it was narrated by the killer and interspersed among the chapters the reader gets more input from the killer's point of view. Towards the end of the books there were a few over the top scenarios but they did not detract from the overall well constructed mystery. I enjoyed my visit in the Village and all the recipes at the end very much. 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.

To celebrate the release of Murder by Mocha, Berkley is allowing me to give away 1 copy of the book. Open to US only. Deadline to enter is September 2nd at 5 PM. This is the first time I have used the doc. ( I know, where have I been?) Please leave a comment saying you filled out form just to make sure I didn't mess up somewhere. Pain in the patoot? Yeah, definitely, but humor me this one time. Thanks!




Good luck!

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is a touring meme highlighting the books that showed up in our mailboxes the previous week. This month's host is Staci from   Life in the Thumb.

Caveat: Mailbox Monday will cause your wish list to explode exponentially!  Here's what showed up chez-moi last week.

 

ebook, 256 pages
Published May 17th 2011 by Melville House Publishing (first published 2009)

more details...

ISBN1612190200 (ISBN13: 9781612190204)

 From Goodreads:Most people think of a world gone to hell in terms of famine in

faraway Durfur, war in Iraq, and genocide in Rwanda. Not Charlotte Wolfe. For her, a Manhattan interior "desecrator" who is, happily, offing New York City trophy wives, that world gone to hell stretches from Bergdorf Goodman on 57th St. and Fifth Avenue, north to 96th St., across Madison to Park Aven...moreMost people think of a world gone to hell in terms of famine in faraway Durfur, war in Iraq, and genocide in Rwanda. Not Charlotte Wolfe. For her, a Manhattan interior "desecrator" who is, happily, offing New York City trophy wives, that world gone to hell stretches from Bergdorf Goodman on 57th St. and Fifth Avenue, north to 96th St., across Madison to Park Avenue, and back down to 59th St. This is the Upper East Side, the richest, greediest 1.8 sq. miles in the United States. It is a world where women mistake trend for truth, fame for faith, and money for meaning. Here, where the insatiable pursuit of luxury square footage and perfect decor breeds monsters, Charlotte is not just biting the hands of the Botoxed, newly converted Buddhist women who feed her, she is murdering them. "Cleaning house," she calls it.

As the real world continues to teeter on the brink of financial extinction, readers will applaud the efforts of this Pilates-pumped Crusader as she surfs through Craigslist, her online hunting ground, and rids the city of women whose only job in life is to amuse themselves to death.(less)

An e-galley was downladed from Net Galley

To celebrate Georgette Heyer's 109th birthday, Sourcebooks priced her e-books at
$1.99. Whoopee! Downloaded 5 mysteries to my Nook.

E- edition 352 pages

Published May 23rd 2006 by Arrow (first published 1938)

ISBN: 0099493659 (ISBN13: 9780099493655)

original title: A Blunt Instrument

From Goodreads:

When Ernest Fletcher is found bludgeoned to death in his study, everyone is shocked and mystified: Ernest was well liked and respected, so who would want to kill him?
Enter Superintendent Hannasyde who, with consummate skill, begins to uncover the complexities of Fletcher's life. It seems the real Fletcher was far from the gentleman he pretended to be. There is, in fact, no shortage of people who wanted him dead.
Then, a second murder is committed, with striking similarities to the first, giving a grotesque twist to a very unusual case.

E-Edition 352 pages

Published January 23rd 2007 by Arrow (first published 1933)

ISBN: 0099493721 (ISBN13: 9780099493723)

original title : Why Shoot a Butler?

From Goodreads:

It is a complete mystery why anyone would choose to murder the trusted old butler of Norton Manor. But, barrister turned amateur detective, Frank Amberley, has a couple of suspects in mind, when suddenly there’s a second body in this dramatic tale of upstairs, downstairs and family secrets.

E-Edition 352 pages

Published October 24th 2006 by Arrow (first published 1941)

ISBN: 0099493667 (ISBN13: 9780099493662)

original title : Envious Casca

From Goodreads:

It is no ordinary Christmas at Lexham Manor. Six holiday guests find themselves the suspects of a murder enquiry when the old Scrooge, Nathaniel Herriad, who owns the substantial estate, is found stabbed in the back. For Inspector Hemingway of Scotland Yard, ‘tis the season to find whodunit but it’s a real conundrum how any of the suspects could have entered the locked room to commit this foul deed in the first place.

E - edition 352 pages

Published May 23rd 2006 by Arrow (first published 1936)

ISBN: 0099493640 (ISBN13: 9780099493648)

original title : Behold, Here's Poison

When Gregory Matthews, patriarch of the Poplars is found dead one morning, imperious Aunt Harriet blames it on the roast duck he ate for supper. But a post-mortem determines the cause of death as murder by poison. It falls to Superintendent Hannasyde to sift through all the secrets and lies among the bitter, quarrelsome family.

E Edition, 336 pages

Published March 1st 2009 by Sourcebooks Landmark (first published 1937)

original title : The Unfinished Clue

From Goodreads;

A houseful of people he loathes is not Sir Arthur's worst problem-It should have been a lovely English country-house weekend. But the unfortunate guest-list is enough to exasperate a saint, and the host, Sir Arthur Billington-Smith, is an abusive wretch hated by everyone from his disinherited son to his wife's stoic would-be lover. When Sir Arthur is found stabbed to death, no one is particularly grieved-and no one has an alibi. The unhappy guests fi nd themselves under the scrutiny of Scotland Yard's cool-headed Inspector Harding, who has solved tough cases before-but this time, the talented young inspector discovers much more than he's bargained for.

Death in a Difficult Position by Diana Killian and  Thread Reckoning by Amanda Lee are both from Berkley for review and giveaway. To Catch a Leaf by Kate Collins was sent unsolicited by the author herself in the hope that I might review it. All These Things I have Done by Gabrielle Zevin was received from SA/FSG.

Review & Giveaway: A Catered Affair by Sue Margolis

Paperback, 369 pages

Published August 2nd 2011 by NAL Trade

ISBN: 0451233352 (ISBN13: 9780451233356)

At age 34, Tallulah, or Tally as she prefers, thinks she has it all; a job she loves as a London human rights lawyer and having the most perfect fiancé she could imagine. Josh finally proposed to Tally after they had been dating for quite a while. Tally knows he has somewhat of a commitment phobia but is sure he is past all that. Josh is a prospective spouse even her father would approve of, a pediatric cancer specialist. Her mother, Shelley, on the other hand, is less than thrilled. You'd think any Jewish mother would be tickled pink her daughter is marrying a doctor but not Shelley.

Yep, she thinks Josh  is a tad boring. Maybe that's because "Mom" still has a  bit of  the rebellious hippie in her. Tally's late father was the staid, conservative parent; the one Tally looked up to and took his ideals to heart. Her mother at one point after moving to the suburbs said her husband "condemned her to spiritual death by garden sprinkler." Tally's mom is still a bit of a character . . .  a bit over the top, a bit pushy, a bit irreverent and definitely a bit opinionated and eccentric.

Just a month before the big event, opinions on the details are starting to clash. Tally and Josh would be happy to have a small event but Tally's Nana Ida thinks otherwise. She wants a big, fat Jewish wedding while insisting she doesn't want to interfere . . But, . . . . well, you know how that goes. I loved Nana Ida and thought she was one of the stars in the book. She proved her worth when the whole thing fell apart. You got it; Josh doesn't show up and Tally is devastated. No sense wasting a reception, Nana Ida tells her. Tally makes a total fool of herself getting drunk and propositioning everyone including the caterer.

Life has to go on and Nana Ida goes into full matchmaker mode but to no avail. Tally finally comes to the conclusion that she needs to be true to her own ideals not those of her father or anyone else. Untimately, Tally discovers to her benefit that maybe Josh's no-show act was a good thing after all.

This was my first experience reading Sue Margolis and it sure won't be the last. I liked the subtle British humor and the quirkiness of some of the characters. Before A Catered Affair, Sue has nine other books to her credit. You can read more about the author at her website.

For fans of British chick-lit/romantic comedy à la Wendy Holden or Jill Mansell, this is a recommended read. Lots of fun in these pages!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Nal Trade/Penguin in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to the publisher's generosity I have one copy to giveaway.

Giveaway details: Open to US only and deadline to enter is August 27th  at 5 PM.  Please be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Bonus entries available for this contest are as follows:

+1 for posting on your facebook page with link to giveaway
+2 for being a follower, old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.  Good
luck!

Winner of Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend !

Woooo hooooo!  Another winner here at PPP! After adding up all the entries and running it through Random.org . . . . . .  the winner is:


Susan B-Knits. Congrats, Susan. I hope you enjoy the book.

 Didn't win this one? A new giveaway starts tomorrow, August 19th for a copy of A Catered Affair by Sue Margolis. Brit chick-lit/romantic comedy. A real fun read! There's still time to enter for Sheetcake Named Desire.

Review: Wicked Autumn: A Max Tudor Novel by G.M. Malliet

Hardcover, 256 pages

Expected publication: September 13th 2011 by St. Martin's Press

ISBN: 0312646976 (ISBN13: 9780312646974)

We first meet the imposing Wanda Batton-Smythe at a WI meeting in the Village Hall in the little town of Nether Monkslip where she is haranguing the members about doing more, much more, for the upcoming Harvest Fayre. It's only a week away and Wanda is not satisfied at the slack attempts that have been made so far. Does she have to do everything herself? Come on, people. Pull up your socks and get doing; after all it's for charity. What would the village do without Wanda? She just can't imagine!

Well, on Fayre day, the village will find out. In search of more tea and biscuits for the tea tent,  Max Tudor, vicar for the past three years and local restauranteur, Guy Nicholls, volunteer to go find  more supplies stored in the Village Hall. What they find is Wanda. Dead, and by the look of her, not from natural causes.

Despite the fact that the abrasive Wanda had stepped on a lot of toes with her bossy, heavy-handed ways and garnered a bit of animosity with her critical nature, the villagers can't believe someone set out to murder her deliberately. Not in their own "little Brigadoon." Nobody can even remember when there was last a murder. Speculation as to motive runs the gamut.

" It was a robbery, pure and simple," was the overall consensus.

" What was there to steal in the Village Hall? My gran's recipe for candied yams isn't that rare."

Even the local bobby, Musteile, has his theory as he explained to DCI Cotton of the Monkslip-super-Mare police dept.

"Clearly it will be Travelers responsible. I'll get right on it."

Cotton regarded him. "Travelers?"

"You know. Gypsies"

"You've spotted a caravan site of Gypsies, have you?"

"'Course not," Musteile was saying. "Sir, only stands to reason though."

And so the mechanics of the  investigation begin, shattering the once peaceful village feel. Former MI5 agent and now the local vicar, Max Tudor, teams up with DCI Cotton in questioning the residents. The theory is most villagers will not be too open to the police but will be much more talkative to the vicar. After numerous cups of tea while visiting with a host of residents, he feels he is getting some good insight into what happened on that fateful Fayre day and the events leading up to it.

This is a great concept by the author to let the reader know more about the characters. At the beginning I was worried when I saw the somewhat lengthy list of characters. I felt there was no way all these could  be developed but I was wrong. Malliet pulls it off and brilliantly!  With a well constructed mystery plot, sparkling wit, characters that leap off the page and a wonderful sense of place, I was enchanted with this quintessential little British village and all the residents. 4****

G.M. Malliet is also the author of several other cozies. Her first book, Death of a Cozy Writer won her the Malice Domestic Grant , which went on to win the Agatha and was picked by Kirkus Reviews as one of the best books of 2008. The book also has been nominated for the Anthony and Macavity awards (best first novel), the David, and the Left Coast Crime/Hawaii 5-0 award for best police procedural.

 Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by St. Martin's Press through LT's early reviewer program.

Review: Hot Wire by Alex Kava

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published July 12th 2011 by Doubleday

ISBN: 0385532016 (ISBN13: 9780385532013)

primary language English

series Maggie O'Dell #9

Agent Maggie O'Dell, F.B.I. profiler, has been sent to a conference in Colorado but has been called from it to investigate the case of mutilated cattle in Nebraska. Numerous cases have been found and all the cattle mutilated in exactly the same way. While on this case, she is also called in on the case of odd occurrences and deaths in the Nebraska National Forest. While tripping out on salvia in the National Forest, a group of teens reported flashing lights, seeing fireworks and the feeling of giant jolts of electricity. One of these jolts left teen, Dawson Hayes, in serious condition as he was nearly electrocuted from being thrown into an electrified fence. Some weren't so lucky and were killed outright.

Maggie connects with Dawson and tries to get him to open up about what happened to him but someone else threatens to shut him up completely if he talks. He is convinced he saw glaring red eyes watching him just before his accident. Or, was it an accident? Several other teens did not survive the night.

While the teens partied,  UFO believer, Wesley Stotter, is busy chasing weird light patterns in the sky; more fodder for his aliens and anti-government radio show. Little does he know that his innate curiosity will not be good for his health. Someone does not want him snooping around in the forest.

Back in Washington,D.C., Maggie's friend, Dr. Benjamin Pratt, is asked by CDC chief, Roger Bix, to help him with widespread outbreaks of food poisoning in the elementary school. The strain of bacteria proves to be impervious to anti-biotics and Bix is convinced it is a case of domestic terrorism. Does it have anything to do with the cases in Nebraska? Who is protecting what becomes the running theme in all the cases. Whoever they are will do whatever it takes, including murder, to protect their secrets and themsleves.

Hot Wire grabbed my attention right from the start; my mind was racing in all sorts of directions, at first, trying to figure out what was going on. Could it be aliens? UFO's? Big government? A few parts in the middle lagged a bit but once the cases were neatly tied together, the ending was satisfying. Buckle up because there are a lot of scary moments with a few nasty characters and lots of twists and turns.

Although Hot Wire is the ninth in the Maggie O'Dell series, it can easily be read as a stand alone. I liked Maggie as a character; she's a dedicated professional with a strong work ethic and also a very caring individual. The character of Dr. Benjamin Pratt could have been developed a little more; he seemed a little flat to me in the story. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it to thriller conspiracy fans. 3.5***

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Doubleday through LT's early reviewer program.

Mailbox Monday

This month's Monday Mailbox is being hosted by Staci at Life in the Thumb.

Caveat: Monday Mailbox can lead to an exponentially exploding TBR list. Here's what showed up in the past week chez moi:

Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: September 6th 2011 by Berkley Trade

more details...

ISBN042524413X (ISBN13: 9780425244135) primary languageEnglish

In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers. Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit- and the strength of memory.

A review copy of the book was received from Berkley.

Review & Giveaway: A Sheetcake Named Desire by Jacklyn Brady

Paperback, 304 pages

Expected publication: August 2nd 2011 by Berkley

ISBN0425242749 (ISBN13: 9780425242742)

primary languageEnglish

All Rita Lucerno wants is a divorce and to get on with her life but her soon-to-be ex has been dragging his feet for two years over signing the papers. Finally, Rita has had it; she travels to New Orleans to confront hubby, Philippe, at Zydeco, his bakery. The bakery is in chaos; someone has sabotaged one of their largest orders and Philippe seems to be among the missing. Joining in the search, Rita is the unlucky one to find him. Needless to say, he won't be signing any papers ever again, not judging by the large chef's knife protruding from his chest.

Although Rita is separated from Phillipe, she's still very fond of her mother-in-law, Miss Frankie, and vice versa. Rita reluctantly agrees when Miss Frankie asks her to stay on, take over the bakery, and try to uncover the saboteur/murderer. She has her work cut out for her as after some preliminary digging, Rita finds out the bakery is in financial trouble, Philippe has a very mercenary girlfriend, he and his second in command have been butting heads over the business and the rival bakery down the street would stop at nothing to cut out the competition.

Unfortunately for Rita, the police view her as the main suspect with a very realistic motive. Since she and Philippe were not officially divorced, Rita now is heir to the bakery and all his other wordly goods. Of course, this drives Philippe's girl friend, Quinn, to hissy-fit-inducing hysterics. Philippe's employees aren't too happy either. They don't know if Rita is trustworthy or not. That's okay, as her feelings are mutual; she is not too sure one of them isn't the culprit. Not going to be a piece of cake figuring this one out!

From the author of numerous romance and mystery novels, comes a bright and shining new series - I loved it!  First off, how could you not be attracted to the title? When I first read it, I wanted to scream, Stelllll -ahh. Silliness aside, seriously, for cozy fans this is one not to be missed. The sequel, titled Cake on a Hot Tin Roof will be published in Feb, 2012. Who comes up with these ever so clever titles? 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.

To celebrate the release of A Sheetcake Named Desire, Berkley is allowing me to give away 1 copy of the book. Open to US only. Deadline to enter is August 22nd at 5 PM. Please be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. PLEASE DO NOT use three boxes saying you tweeted or blogged.  Bonus entries available for this contest are as follows:

+1 for posting on FB
+2 for being a follower old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

Good luck!

Review & Giveaway: Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend

Paperback, 304 pages

Expected publication: August 2nd 2011 by Berkley

ISBN

0425242757 (ISBN13: 9780425242759)

primary language

English

series Fortune Teller Mystery #1

Twenty-nine year old Sunny Meadows, daughter of socially prominent Manhattan parents, feels it is time to strike out on her own. Her parents think she should continue living in their shadow and become more like them. Sunny, however, has other ideas - she wants to start her own business using  her talents as a tea leaves reading psychic. Needless to say this does not go over well with her parents!

But Sunny is determined and after using her trust fund to purchase a somewhat dilapidated Victorian home that comes complete with a cat, outside the city in the little town of Divinity, New York, she is ready for business. Her first customer is the local librarian, Amanda Robbins, whose tea leaves shake up both of them when Sunny sees  Amanda as a murder victim.

What's a psychic to do when forced with such a vision? Warn the would-be victim and notify the police, of course. Detective Stone is not too impressed with her claims of visions and tea leaves but finally he agrees to check out the library. What does he find? Amanda! Dead, of course! After a little bit of investigating, it turns out Amanda wasn't quite the mousy stereotypical librarian after all. Quite a few people could have had opportunity and motive. Unfortunately, due to the manner of death, Detective Stone is convinced Sunny had something to do with it.

Well, you know how this goes with cozies - the amateur sleuth has to prove herself innocent and tries to figure out the murder on her own. Granted, with cozies, the reader knows up front some suspension of disbelief is called for but in this case it was how Sunny came to work with the police that was totally unbelievable. Also, some of Sunny's actions were very foolhardy, not to mention illegal; this is something I hope the author addresses in the future along with more credible dialogue.

 Even with a few quibbles, I loved the start to this series due to the sparkling main character - Sunny Meadows is downright loveable with just the right amount of quirkiness to make her very interesting.The setting abounds with atmosphere with a little bit of mysticism and some humor in the plot make this an auspicious beginning for the new series. I loved the cat, Morty!  I would definitely read the next Sunny Meadows adventure. 3*** (would have been a 4* if not for the reasons I listed)

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.

To celebrate the release of Tempest in the Tea Leaves, Berkley is allowing me to give away 1 copy of the book. Open to US only. Deadline to enter is August 18th at 5 PM. Please be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Bonus entries available for this contest are as follows:


+1 for posting to your Facebook page with link to giveaway.
+2 for being a follower old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

Good luck!

Winner of 500 Acres and No Place to Hide

                 Winner? Winner?  Do we have a winner?

                         Ack, who could it be?

  From the wilds of NJ came a comment from . . . . . .

                                Caite and the


       Random.org gods did shine their smile upon her.

Mailbox Monday

This month's Monday Mailbox is being hosted by Staci at Life in the Thumb.

Caveat: Monday Mailbox can lead to an exponentially exploding TBR list.  Here's what showed up in the past week chez moi:

Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: August 30th 2011 by Random House Publishing Group (first published February 2011)

ISBN0553808079 (ISBN13: 9780553808070)

primary language: English

From Goodreads:

The papers have called me a monster. You’ve either concluded that I am a braggart as well as a sadist or that I have a deep and driving need to be caught and punished.

In the sweltering heat of an Atlanta summer, a killer is pushing the city to its breaking point, preying on the unsuspecting, writing taunting letters to the media, promising more death. Desperate to stop the Wishbone Killer before another victim meets a shattering end, A.P.D. lieutenant Aaron Rauser turns to the one person he knows can penetrate a deranged mind: ex–FBI profiler Keye Street.

And you must certainly be wondering if I am, in fact, the stranger you seek.

Keye was a rising young star at the Bureau until addiction derailed her career and her life. Now sober and fighting to stay so, Keye picks up jobs where she can get them: catching adulterers, serving subpoenas, chasing down bailjumpers, and dodging the occasional bullet. With multiple victims, little to go on, and an entire police force looking for direction, the last thing Keye wants is to be pulled into the firestorm of Atlanta’s worst nightmare.

Shall I convince you?

And then it suddenly becomes clear that the hunter has become the hunted—and the stranger she seeks is far closer than she ever dared imagine.

An electrifying thriller debut, The Stranger You Seek introduces a brash, flawed, and unforgettable heroine in a complex, twisting novel that takes readers deep into a sultry Southern summer, a city in the grips of chaos, and a harrowing cat-and-mouse game no reader will ever forget.

A review copy was provided by Bantam.

Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: November 1st 2011 by Kensington (first published October 25th 2011)

ISBN

0758268653 (ISBN13: 9780758268655)

series  Cedar Key #3    

From Goodreads:

 

Set on the enchanting island of Cedar Key, Terri DuLong's new novel weaves a warm, welcoming tale of second—and even third—chances, of long-held secrets, and newfound loves. . .

For the second time in ten years, Grace Stone is starting over on Cedar Key. Grace first moved to the serene island to escape a disastrous relationship. Now a visit with her Aunt Maude is interrupted by unwelcome news: Grace's apartment and coffee shop have been destroyed by fire.

Grace is devastated, yet ever-practical Maude has a plan. While she helps Grace resettle, Maude even has a business venture in mind—weekend knitting retreats where women can craft, chat, and support one another.

But other surprises await, including the return of Grace's estranged sister, and a tentative romance with the local bookstore owner. Knitting together her past and future will mean untangling the painful threads Grace left behind. But the result could be a vibrant new life—and the courage to live it fully. . .

A review copy of the book was provided by the author, Terri Dulong.

Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected publication: September 6th 2011 by Berkley Hardcover

ISBN0425243486 (ISBN13: 9780425243480)

From Goodreads:A new Catherine McLeod mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wind River mysteries.

After a candidate for governor is murdered, and his estranged wife is arrested for first-degree homicide, journalist Catherine McLeod receives a call from an anonymous woman claiming she saw the real killer leave the scene of the crime but is afraid to confide in the police. To uncover the truth, Catherine must risk her career-and her life-to find the witness who can identify the candidate's murderer: Detective Ryan Beckman.

A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley.

Hardcover, 256 pages

Expected publication: September 13th 2011 by St. Martin's Press

ISBN 0312646976 (ISBN13: 9780312646974)

 From Goodreads

Max Tudor has adapted well to his post as vicar of St. Edwold’s in the idyllic village of Nether Monkslip. The quiet village seems the perfect home for Max, who has fled a harrowing past as an MI5 agent. Now he has found a measure of peace among urban escapees and yoga practitioners, artists and crafters and New Agers. But this new-found serenity is quickly shattered when the highly vocal and unpopular president of the Women’s Institute turns up dead at the Harvest Fayre. The death looks like an accident, but Max’s training as a former agent kicks in, and before long he suspects foul play. 
Max has ministered to the community long enough to be familiar with the tangled alliances and animosities among the residents, but this tragedy surprises and confounds him. It is impossible to believe anyone in his lovely village capable of the crime, and yet given the victim, he must acknowledge that almost everyone had probably fantasized about killing Wanda Batton-Smythe.

As the investigation unfolds, Max becomes more intricately involved. Memories he’d rather not revisit are stirred, evoking the demons from the past which led him to Nether Monkslip. In WICKED AUTUMN, G.M. Malliet serves up an irresistible English village—deliciously skewered—a flawed but likeable protagonist, and a brilliantly modern version of the traditional drawing room mystery.
 
A review copy of the book was snagged at LT, provided by St. Martin's Press.

Saturday Snapshot: Cape Neddick

Snapshot Saturday is hosted by Alyce of At Home with Books. To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

Giveaway: 500 Acres and No Place to Hide by Susan

Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: NAL Trade; Original edition (August 2, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0451233360

ISBN-13: 978-0451233363

From the publisher:

Susan McCorkindale charmed her way into readers’ hearts two years ago with her debut memoir, Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl, and now she’s back to do it again. The sequel, 500 ACRES AND NO PLACE TO HIDE: More Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl (New American Library Trade Paperback Original) is on-sale August 2^nd and continues Susan’s talk of her crash course in country living. It’s been four years since Susan’s husband Stu dragged her and their two sons from their quaint suburban New Jersey town (full of Starbucks, neighbors, and chic salons!) to the 500 acre beef cattle farm in the middle of Virginia—where there is a serious lack of Café Mochas. Susan gives readers a deeper look at what happens after she adjusts to country living and reality starts to take over. Hens regularly destroy her newly planted window boxes, and she attends weekly Livestock Exchanges and shopping now means a trip to the Tractor Supply. Susan’s Jazzersize classes and glasses of chardonnay help her cope with this new life.

In the tradition of fellow memoirists Nora Ephron and Jen Lancaster, Susan’s distinctive voice makes this poignant follow-up a comical yet insightful read. Susan’s trademark humor takes on a new depth when her husband is diagnosed with cancer. Susan has to add caregiver to her list of roles that already include farmer, wife and mother. Susan’s memoir will make you laugh-out-loud, as she comes to terms with all that life throws at her with humor and humility. “I firmly believe it’s the funny stuff—and the fact that we still find stuff funny—that’s going to save us” says Susan.

Susan shares her hilarious tips on how to feed a horse (Counterfeit Farm Girl style, of course!), what to take into account when buying swine, and how best to celebrate the holidays in Cow Country (why not have a cattle lighting ceremony or “deck the heifers”). Other sections of the book include “Cock a Doodle Sue,” “Death by Family Time,” and “Suzy Soprano.”

Giveaway details: Open to US only and deadline to enter is August 9th at 5 PM.  Please be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Bonus entries available for this contest are as follows:


+1 for posting on your FB page
+2 for being a follower old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

Good luck!

Review: The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto

Paperback, 208 pages

Published May 3rd 2011 by Melville House (first published 2005)

ISBN: 1933633778 (ISBN13: 9781933633770)

Chihiro, a young 30-something Japanese woman, is still feeling the loss of her mother but her feelings are ambivalent; part of her is saddened at her loss yet another part of her is relieved she can now escape the confines of a small town and move to Tokyo pursuing her career as a graphic artist.

In this character driven book, Chihiro, narrates the story of her relationship with Nakajima, a young man living across from her. She finds herself watching him through her window into his apartment and becomes somewhat  infatuated or at least curious and this eventually leads to a relationship.  I'm not sure if it was just propinquity or a real attraction but to me these two characters felt like immature, wounded souls, always on the outside looking in, and that was part of their attraction to each other.

      ". . . .what I felt for him wasn't exactly love, it was closer to a sense of surprise, even shock. And so I just kept watching him, unable to get completely involved." 

Yoshimoto does have a talent for getting to the heart of emotions, particularly those of loneliness and loss. Although our childhood does not entirely shape us as adults, it does have a profound effect;one of the issues Yoshimoto explores.

. . ."for years now I had been thinking only of myself, struggling to get my own way, pressing relentlessly forward, my gaze trained on an ideal future--I'd been focused exclusively on putting as much distance between me and my hometown, steadfastly refusing to put down roots. But Nakajima was so intense he had rolled right over me, and now he was dragging me along with him. " 

Through Chihiro's narrative and internal dialog, the reader can certainly empathize with her feelings.


Both Chihiro and Nakajima have lingering emotional baggage resulting from their childhoods. Chihiro is willing to talk about her relationship with her unmarried parents but Nakajima will not open up about his past saying it was just too painful. All Chihiro knows is he misses his mother intensely and that "something" happened in the past that was very traumatizing. 

When Nakajima wants to take Chihiro to the lake to visit old friends from childhood who he hasn't seen in over ten years, Chihiro feels that their relationship is making progress but her hopes that he will reveal more of his past once she has met his friends does not come to fruition. It takes more than that to get Nakajima to open up. In sparse prose, Yoshimoto hints at something so dire in the past that it has traumatized Nakajima to a great extent. The reader is not privy to what  this is until the last quarter of the book. When it was revealed, it felt anticlimactic to me. 

For some reason, even though I felt Yoshimoto's writing was beautiful, almost dreamlike at times, I still could not get deeply involved in the story to the point where I felt compelled to keep turning the pages. My interest would lag after 30-35  pages and I would have to put the book down. In a way I guess I felt as ambivalent as Chihiro; part of the time I was captured by the author's writing and at other times, I just lost interest.

This was my first experience with the author's works and while my rating is not over the top, neither is it derogatory so I would give her writing another try. Maybe the next time, I would be more prepared for her style. 3***

Disclosure: A review e-galley (192 pages on my Nook) was provided free of charge from Net Galley.