Sentenced To Death - Book Review

Lorna Barrett does it again in the latest Booktown Mystery, Sentenced to Death.
From the back:  It's Founders' Day in Stoneham, and the whoe village has turned out to celebrate in the square, including Tricia's friend and festivities organizer Deborah Black.  As everyone watches Deborah give the opening speech, a small aircraft crashes into the village gazebo, killing both Deborah and the pilot.

While the Sheriff's Department is convinced that it was an accident, Tricia has a feeling that there's more to the story.  And when she reads between the lines of the case, what she finds is worse than the most sinister whodunit...

My thoughts:  From the first few pages, I was hooked.  What should be an enjoyable afternoon for the people in the small village town of Stoneham quickly turns into a nightmare when a small plane crashes in the middle of the festivities.  Tricia refuses to dismiss the accident and is determined that it's anything but.  As usual, her determination causes irritation with local law enforcement as well as a few others who are more than content to have it written off as an accident.  This is one of my favorite series and as expected, this book didn't disappoint.

Happy Reading!
Mandy

A Few Good Books

While I haven't posted about any books in a while, I have been reading.  That being said, this could be a little long...consider yourself warned.  To start, I read to Cozy Christian Mysteries by Lori Copeland.  A Case of Bad Taste and  A Case of Crooked Letters, the first two books of her Morning Shade Mystery series were both enjoyable reads.  It's an older series, the first book was published in 2003.  Maude Diamond is a struggling writer intent on publishing a book that makes it to the best seller list at least once in her writing career.  After her husband passes away unexpectedly, her mother-in-law, Stella moves in with her; not long after that, her daughter who's husband also passed away unexpectedly follows suite.  In A Case of Bad Taste, homes in the small community mysteriously are being broken into, but instead of stealing anything, the burglar organizes and makes over various rooms.  Stella, who's in her 80's, I think, takes it upon herself to help in solving the mystery.  In A Case of Crooked Letters, it seems like a number of people in the community decide independently that the answer to their money problems is the pyramid letter scheme.  This one was funnier than the first one, probably because I already knew their personalities and could picture their antics in my mind.  Namely Stella, that lady is a hoot!  I'm looking forward to reading the third one that a friend is bringing me to read next. 

I'm trying to warm up to my Kindle, so I thought I'd read a normal book and then an electronic book.  It's working out that I'm reading two and then bringing out my Kindle, but I am getting more comfortable with it.  In fact, I read the next one really quickly; it didn't hurt that it was only 160 pages either! 

Unwrapping Christmas was also by Lori Copeland...I think December was her month.  I'm glad I read this one when I did.  Rose is an overachiever and determined to have the perfect Christmas in addition to everything else that she does in a day.  It didn't take long to figure out that she's the woman that never says 'no' to anyone and really believes that she's doing the right thing by doing everything for everyone.  She's the one that everyone thinks has it all together, but in fact is unraveling at the seams and doesn't even know it.  It wasn't until she was unexpectedly stopped rather quickly and unable to do anything that she realized just how much she wasn't making a difference.  Unwrapping Christmas was a charming, whimsical story reminding me of the real importance of the season and to be honest with myself about what I'm actually capable of.  Did you know that kids actually do get tired of pizza?! 

The most recent one, I finished today and it was one I was most looking forward to.  Chapter & Hearse by Lorna Barrett is the fourth book in her Booktown Mystery series.  Loved it!!  As usual, the Tricia found herself playing Nancy Drew trying to figure out who murdered one of the booksellers who's shop was across the street from hers.  Looking forward to the next one.  She also has another series under the name Lorraine Bartlett called Victoria Square Mysteries; the first one A Crafty Killing is coming out next month. 

Happy Reading!

Mandy

Book Catch Up

I don't know why I don't just talk about a book after I finish it, but I don't.  I might be missing one, but I think I just have three to share with you today from the past couple of weeks.  I did start The Zoo Keeper's Wife, but couldn't get into it...maybe that's the missing one!  I normally enjoy reading books that highlight the survivors and people that risked their lives to save others during the Holocaust.  This book read more like just give me the facts; please and only the facts"...it didn't grab me, so I finally put it down and moved on.  I've heard it's a really good book, so if you enjoy this type of book, you might give it a try.  If you read it, please feel free to scold me for not finishing and I might try it again!

What I have finished though were fun reads!  First, I read Shadows of Lancaster County by Mindy Starns Clark...loved it!!!  She's one of my favorite Christian mystery/suspense authors, and this one didn't disappoint!  The story intertwines with the Amish, and of course that grabbed me right away. Throw in mysterious jewls, DNA research and gene therapy and you're off on a fast paced raced to the end.  Family secrets and past tragedies can't help but give way to God's amazing mercy and grace in this book full of suspense and intrigue. 

Next up was another in the A Booktown Mystery series by Lorna Barrett, Bookplate Special.  These are fun, clean mysteries; did I mention really enjoyable.  They're based in a touristy town that caters to book lovers...oh, if I could only find such a place!  Tricia Miles seems to always find herself right in the middle of the towns mishaps.  She's stubborn, inquisitive and sometimes a little too determined for her own good, but that never stops her from trying to "help" out the local sheriff's department in solving crimes. 

I just finished Sarah's Garden by Kelly Long.  This was the first book I've read by this author, and I can't wait for the next one to come out in the A Patch of Heaven series.  The book is set in the Amish setting...you get that I really enjoy these, right!  When I read the back and it described how Sarah loves her garden, I had to have it.  Throughout the book, God's overwhelming love is shown not only through how the Amish live in forgiving others, but also how He truly does give us the desires of our hearts when we love Him with all of ours.  Sarah found herself falling for an English veterinarian that moved into the house next store and him for her.  So, while the book was a bit predictable and the ending maybe a bit unrealistic, it was the perfectly easy, enjoyable read.  Really cool with this one too...my mother didn't have it already!! 

I'm always on the lookout for new Christian authors or otherwise clean fiction/mysteries, so if you have a favorite author, please share!

Happy reading!
Mandy