Click Here For Murder by Donna Andrews

Click Here For Murder by Donna Andrews

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I don't like this series anywhere near as much as I should. I like a good cozy mystery, I love stories about computers, robots, A.I and science fiction and this second novel in the series continues to disappoint me. The A.I. acts more like a little old lady, then the actual mature woman "Maud" who efficiently runs two offices, is a crack shot and the smartest of all the characters. Tim the dim witted P.I. is ok for laughs but worked better as the smitten copy boy in the first novel. I don't think I'll be reading anymore of this series.




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A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley

A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Flavia continues to my favorite heroine, her extraordinary intelligence pitted against her eleven year old naivety often makes for laugh out loud situations. The chemistry abilities she uses to solve her cases and torture her older sisters also add to the fun. The rest of the cast of characters with her father, faithful servant and friend Dogger and even the cook is more rounded out in this third volume of the series. Highly recommended.



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The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a more satisfying ending that the first Flavia novel and more great fun as the 11 year old protagonist again uses her wits to get even with her sisters, solve a murder and describe in detail the 1950's small village life.



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The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I absolutely fell in love with Flavia, from getting revenge on her sisters to solving mysteries as no other eleven year old could. She reminds me of TV's Temperance "Bones" Brennan, as smart but with better social skills, at least a little better.



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The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by John Dickson Carr

The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by John Dickson Carr

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fans of Sherlock Holmes or Professor Challenger should be sure to read mystery writer John Dickson Carr biography of Sir Arthur, they'll be glad that they did.


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Evan Help Us by Rhys Bowen

Evan Help Us by Rhys Bowen

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I missed the first book of the series but this novel has a good cast of characters and a beautiful setting but the plot suffers from too many coincidental strangers involved in a small village mystery.



Cast Of Characters



Colonel Arbuthnot - vistor boarding with Mrs Owens



Evans the Post

Evans the Meat

Evans the Milk



Constable Evan Evans boards with Mrs Williams



Taff Morgan - farmer

Ted Morgan - his son



Browen Price - school teacher



Reverend Parry Davis

Reverend Powell-Jones



Annie Pigeon

Jenny - her daughter



Betsy - barmaid






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How To Live Forever by Colin Thompson

How To Live Forever by Colin Thompson

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This kid's picture book is terrific, with outstanding extremely detailed artwork and a fantasy story of a boy searching a living library for a book that promises immortality.


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Tale of Hawthorn House: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter The Tale of Hawthorn House: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert

The Tale of Hawthorn House: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Another solid entry in the Beatrix Potter series, this one aimed a little more towards children at least it seemed that way to me. Amazing series of mysteries, I've read the first four books and so far only one killing.


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The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood by Susan Wittig Albert

The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood by Susan Wittig Albert

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
As good as the first if not better, this reminds me so much of Tolkien's Hobbit style, not the subject matter but this terrific cozy mystery is very appropriate to all ages. If you read to your children this would make an excellent choice, it'll keep you as interested in the storyline as the kids will be by the talking animals.My only problem is that I read this out of order, it seems that Fantastic Fiction listed this out of order it is really the third book in the series, The Tale of Holly How (2005) is in fact the 2nd. Now having obtained that from my local library I'll read that one next.

The Cottage Tales Website

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Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod

Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Laugh out loud funny, bachelor Professor Peter Shandy, must deal with Christmas, murder and an the unprecedented attention of the females in his sphere of colleagues at Balaclava Agricultural College in this biblo-mystery, when he first must inform his best friend that his wife was found dead by Peter after performing a prank on his neighbors.


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The Tale of Hill Top Farm: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert

The Tale of Hill Top Farm: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Loved this historical mystery, I'd give it 5 stars but I reserve that for books that I've read more then once. But this is at least a 4 and 1/2 star book for me. It's been compared to Rita Mae Browns series because of the talking animals, bet even though I recently read and like Brown's first novel in the series I found this to be highly superior.


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Mulch Ado About Nothing (Jane Jeffry Mystery, Book 12) Mulch Ado About Nothing by Jill Churchill

Mulch Ado About Nothing by Jill Churchill

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Cast Of Characters

Jane Jeffry - heroine
Shelley Nowack - best friend
Mel - Cop and Jane's Boyfriend
Stefan Eckert - Director Arts and Crafts
Julie Jackson - teacher
Geneva Jackson Julie's sister
Dr. Stewart Eastman - fll-in teacher
Ursla Appledorn - classmate
Miss Martha Winstead - classmate
Charles Jones - classmate, Martha's neighbor
Arnold Waring - classmate
Katie JJ daughter
Mike JJ son

Good story about a gardening class gone awry.


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Wish You Were Here by Rita Mae Brown

Wish You Were Here by Rita Mae Brown

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
It's not the Cat Who (one of my guilty pleasure reads) but it's pretty good so far. Finished it today and really enjoyed the novel it's a good start to the series and I'll definitely read more Harry, Mrs Murphy and Tucker adventures in the future.


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