Review -- Glory over Everything

Glory over Everything

Beyond the Kitchen House

By

Kathleen Grissom

Simon & Schuster

In 1830s Philadelphia, James Burton was a wealthy, respected, talented silversmith, but even more he was a man with a huge secret—he is the son of a slave and the master of Tall Oaks plantation in Virginia. He has been passing as white, but when his aristocratic married mistress Caroline becomes pregnant, he knows his identity could be revealed. Then his beloved servant Pan is abducted and sold as a slave. Fulfilling a promise to Pan’s escaped slave father, the man who helped him when he reached Pennsylvania, James agrees to head south to find and bring Pan home.

Caroline’s father, though, has learned James’ secret and threatens to reveal all unless James leaves his daughter and Philadelphia behind.

James knows the slave hunters who tracked him when he killed his own father and escaped Virginia are still searching for him. His journey is fraught with danger, but aided by new friends, he locates Pan and makes for the Underground Railroad, with the young boy and the woman who helped them escape. Will they all make it through the Great Dismal Swamp and back to freedom?

Seen through the various points of view of James, Pan and others, Glory over Everything is not a book you will soon forget. Although it’s a continuation of Grissom’s The Kitchen House, it’s also a stand-alone. It’s not necessary to read the first book to be drawn into the characters and their stories in Glory over Everything. It’s poignant, haunting, beautiful and filled with what love and loyalty, friendship and kindness can accomplish against horrible malevolence.

Five stars.  

Review -- The Summer Before the War

 

The Summer Before the War

Helen Simonson

Random House

It’s the summer of 1914 in East Sussex, England. Young Beatrice Nash arrives in the small coastal town of Rye, mourning her father’s death and hoping to land a position as a Latin teacher since she is now penniless, but she was raised to think for herself and may stand out in Rye…and not in a good way. Hugh Grange is home from his studies to become a doctor to visit with his uncle, who works in the Foreign Office, and his aunt. Hugh and his cousin befriend the young teacher, helping her make her way in Rye’s social circles.

It is a summer filled with expanding horizons, facing the harsh realities of being a single young woman in late Edwardian England, learning the social steps in a small town, discovering boundaries, stretching boundaries, facing a war and all its pain, and falling in love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, rooted for the characters, ached for their pain, cheered for their joy. Ms. Simonson has a way of drawing you in to each one’s dilemmas and desires…making you really care about each one. Beautifully written, with attention to details that draw you into the time and the place, The Summer Before the War is a story that will stay with you beyond when you close the cover after the last page is read.

Five stars!

Review -- A Devious Lot

 

 

When Molly Appleton and her new husband go to England for their honeymoon, she promises no sleuthing or adventures. It’s a tough promise for the reporter and senior staff writer for Collector’s Weekly, but she’s sticking to her word. Then they go to tiny Marlow Crossing to visit Molly’s Aunt Tessa and her neighbor turns up dead. Molly agrees to help the local inspector with his investigation. Molly’s husband has to return to the US, but she stays on to work on the case. Soon, two more villagers are missing and the suspects are adding up. Who is a murderer and who is an innocent bystander?

With side trips to London and another village to follow the clues and ask some questions, for a while Molly is no closer to finding the murderer than is the inspector. When things start to heat up, you won’t know who she is in the most danger from…and neither will Molly.

From antiques to new friendships, there’s plenty to enjoy in A Devious Lot, so grab your copy, a hot cuppa and enjoy!

Four stars.

Review -- Karma's a Killer

Karma’s a Killer

By Tracy Weber
Midnight Ink

When Seattle yoga instructor and dog owner Kate Davidson is invited to teach a dog-and-owner yoga (doga) class at a fundraiser for a no-kill shelter hosted by her pet supply store owner boyfriend Michael, she has no premonition it will end in murder. But before long, there’s a protest by animal rights activists, a suspicious fire and a drowning…and Kate is in the middle of trying to figure out if the mother she believes abandoned her as a child had a hand in any of it. With her pregnant best friend Rene at her side, Kate investigates, all while coping with her mother’s arrest for murder, ongoing home renos, the hospitalization of Michael’s father, and the attempted dog-napping of her special needs German Shepherd rescue Bella. As they navigate the practice and politics of animal rescue and animal activism, they encounter a number of people who could’ve committed the murder—co-workers, other rescuers, family…it’s a wide circle of suspicion. When Kate and Rene find themselves face-to-face with the murderer, how will they and Rene’s unborn twins survive the encounter?

This is my first Tracy Weber novel, and it definitely will not be my last. Ms. Weber creates appealing, multi-dimensional characters you want to cheer for…and villains you want to see get their comeuppance. She has a deft hand with her animal supporting cast as well and also sprinkles in interesting yoga information. The plot has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing who-dun-it, and you may think you’ve figured it out a couple of times. Ms. Weber is skilled at setting a scene, so from the controlled chaos of a fundraiser dog walk to the serenity of a yoga class, you will feel like you are right there.

If you want to sit back with an enjoyable cozy mystery read, don’t miss Karma’s a Killer.

Five stars!

Review -- A Room with a Pew

A Room with a Pew

by Peg Cochran

Beyond the Page Publishing

A Room with a Pew is book four in the series, and the laughs continue to abound, along with murder and mystery. When fifty-something homemaker Lucille Mazzarella (like mozzarella but with an “a,” as she explains) stumbles across the body of her cousin Louis in his car in the parking lot of their parish church, it’s not long before she’s on the hunt to find out who killed him. Was it a professional hit? Was it related to the big wad of money the notoriously cash-poor Louis had stashed away? What was Louis doing to that ended up with him dead in the church parking lot?

Lucille and her best friend Flo are soon searching for clues to the identity of Louis’ killer, and from a job interview at what turns out to be a strip club to festive family dinners to worrying about family issues to being kidnapped by a serial killer, the action just keeps on coming in A Room with a Pew.

There is a healthy dose of humor in this easy-to-read mystery as well. In A Room with a Pew, it’s kind of like discovering bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s mother and her mother’s best friend are now out and about solving murders, mysteries and more in her hometown. There is a full cast of interesting characters and lots of action, but nothing too graphic or gory. This is a good book to grab on a stormy weekend or to relax with after a busy day.

Review -- The Newsmakers by Lis Wiehl

 When Erica Sparks lands a dream job as a reporter for Global News Network in New York City, she’s ecstatic. It’s a chance for her to turn her life around, make a success out of an almost-scuttled career and perhaps even get shared custody of her daughter Jenny.

Ready to make her mark in the cable news game, Erica is on her first assignment for GNN when a horrific ferry accident occurs. Erica’s skills are highlighted as she reports live from the scene, scooping every other news service. Another incident occurs when she’s interviewing a top political candidate live on-air. Once more, Erica is spotlighted and she’s soon offered her own show­­­—a real coup in the cable news business.

But is it coincidence that these things have happened, or is there a sinister plot afoot to create the news…and a news star?

From humble beginnings to the top of the cable news business, Erica Sparks has the brains, beauty and talent to succeed. But can she get beyond her own past and how it haunts her? Can she discover the truth behind her biggest news stories? Can she survive the journey? Will she find love with Greg Underwood, the handsome former war photographer, now her on-air producer?

Author Lis Wiehl ratchets up the tension and suspense page by page as Erica Sparks digs in with her outstanding investigative reporter instincts to find out what the real story is.

An addictive read! Five stars. 

Review -- Wedding Cake Murder

Wedding Cake Murder

By Joanne Fluke

Kensington Books

Fans of Joanne Fluke’s Minnesota-set mystery series have been anticipating the nineteenth whodunit, Wedding Cake Murder, complete with tasty recipes as always.

As Hannah Swenson prepares to marry her college sweetheart, Ross Barton, she’s also competing in a nationally televised baking tournament. Talk about pressure for Hannah, but with the support of her family and friends, she’s ready to take it all on—competition, a wedding and cooking on television.

In New York City to tape the first leg of the contest, Hannah meets the judges and other competitors, then wins the Hometown Challenge and brings the final rounds of the competition home to Lake Eden. Just as the rivalry heats up, one of the judges turns up dead in Lake Eden Inn’s walk-in refrigerator with a knife in his chest. Celebrity chef judge Alan Duquesne’s spiteful reputation means there is more than one person with a motive to murder him, including some of the contestants in the Food Channel’s dessert chef competition.

I’m a fan of the Hannah Swenson cozy mysteries, but I will admit I’m not thrilled with her marriage to Ross in this book. Perhaps the author has something in mind for a mystery going forward and this is part of that story arc, but Ross seemed to come out of left field after readers invested many hours following Hannah’s efforts to decide between Mike and Norman, rooting for one or the other to become Hannah’s partner in crime!

Readers will not be disappointed with the mystery or Hannah’s sleuthing escapades in Wedding Cake Murder. It’s an easy read and it’s nice to visit with the Lake Eden residents once again.