ACCIDENTAL ALLIES by Karina Barlow

Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, 240 pages

4****

Blurb: Everybody’s experienced a rocky start to a new job, but few can top Minka Avery’s return to Orlando PD. After six years as a stay-at-home mom, Minka’s nervous but excited to sit at a detective’s desk again. Before she has a chance to break in her badge, however, her career resumes with a bang when someone bombs the county courthouse. With many disillusioned with the justice system, several brow-raising suspects emerge right away. Minka and her new partner, Renee, follow several tips that lead to dead ends, until they zero in on the courthouse’s former security guard. Their attempts to apprehend him send the city and police department into chaos. Meanwhile, Minka contends with the lingering suspicion of another party being involved. Could his accomplice be closer than she thinks?

Thoughts: This is a well-plotted mystery with good characters. I especially liked the main one, Detective Minka. She juggles returning to her job as a police detective after six years at home with her daughter. Like most moms who do this, she is often conflicted about doing this. I also like that she is a female detective—something that can be challenging by itself, but she also has a cochlear implant which makes many of the people she works with doubt her abilities. But she overcomes all her challenges and shows everyone what she is made of. I can honestly say I pretty much had the perp figured out early on, but the reasons why escaped me until the end—which was well done.

Recommendation: For a good mystery with interesting characters and a decent ending, pick this one up. Note though – this is not a “cozy” mystery. Minka is no amateur sleuth.

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Birthdays: Walter Landor (1775), Gelett Burgess (1866), Saul Alinsky (1909), Barbara Tuchman (1912), Lloyd Alexander (1924), Shirley Hazzard (1931), Allan W. Eckert (1931), Richard Brautigan (1935), Gregory Benford (1941), Michael Dorris (1945), John Dufresne (1948), Judith Tarr (1955), Polly Horvath (1957)

Lloyd Alexander won the 1969 Newbery Medal for “The High King”

Allan W. Eckert won the 1972 Newbery Honor for “Incident at Hawk’s Hill”

Shirley Hazard is an Australian author and winner of the Booker Prize and American National Book Award for Fiction

Polly Horvath won 2003 National Book Award for Young People’s Fiction and Newbery Honor

Barbara Tuchman won the 1963 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for “The Guns of August”

Quote: “I want the reader to turn the page and keep on turning until the end. This is accomplished only when the narrative moves steadily ahead, not when it comes to a weary standstill, overloaded with every item uncovered in the research.” – Barbara Tuchman

Tip: Let the reader know what your characters are feeling, but not by telling us. Show us their anger, angst, love, hatred, etc. This can be best done through actions. Agitation is shown by tapping of the foot, drumming of the fingers, pacing. Use facial expressions, body movements, and even the way they talk.

Jumpstart: I saw that face across the room and I…

Blurb: Believing she’ll get to report gritty news, Callie accepts a job at her hometown newspaper. Instead, she’s assigned the gardening column-a subject she knows nothing about. She begs advice from a tight-lipped neighbor when he admits he’s a retired gardener, even though his mannerisms and speech suggest he’s anything but. Not knowing the full truth doesn’t matter-she needs his help. The townsfolk think him strange and warn Callie to keep her distance, but she regards him and his family as friends. Learning their horrifying secret doesn’t deter her, even though loyalty will draw her into danger.

Buy links to The Gardener’s Secret:

E-book link: https://a.co/d/3rXC7Vr

Paperback link: https://a.co/d/g6M9zcJ

Bio: Sheila Hansberger is an artist and writer. For the past 40+ years, commercial artwork and original watercolors have kept her busy with galleries and private clients. Other than an occasional magazine article or press release, her writings took a back seat to her artwork. In 2004, she began a five-year stint as Newsletter Editor for the National Watercolor Society. The job reminded her how much she loved writing. She then joined two national writer’s groups, attended classes, podcasts, and conferences to hone her skills. A book club, beta readers, and critique partners lent advice about her work. To date, her computer’s memory holds four novels (three finished), plotting for additional novels, and the beginnings of two children’s books. Deadlines are part of Hansberger’s existence, and she gives 110% to whatever project is in front of her. She says, “Some days I paint with watercolor; some days I paint with words. Life can be hectic, living like a ping-pong ball, bouncing back and forth between tasks, but at least I never get bored.”

Social media contact info

Website: www.s-hansberger.com

Facebook: Sheila Hansberger, Artist and Author (1) Facebook

Instagram: Sheila Hansberger (@sheilahansberger) • Instagram photos and videos

LinkedIn: (24) Sheila Hansberger | LinkedIn

Goodreads: The Gardener’s Secret by Sheila Hansberger | Goodreads

“Curiouser and curiouser”

Today is the birthday of Lewis Carroll (real name: Charles L. Dodgson), born 1832, died January 14, 1898. He was an accomplished mathematician, poet, satirist, philosopher, inventor, and photographer in the art form’s earliest days. Yet most of us know him best as a children’s author because of Alice and her adventures through the nonsense and tea of Wonderland. In addition to Alice’s adventures, he wrote multiple books on mathematics. He was also a lifelong bachelor.

“Why it’s simply impassible!
Alice: Why, don’t you mean impossible?
Door: No, I do mean impassible. (chuckles) Nothing’s impossible!”

“Alice laughed. ‘There’s no use trying,’ she said. ‘One can’t believe impossible things.’

I daresay you haven’t had much practice,’ said the Queen. ‘When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
― Lewis Carroll

Birthdays: Birthdays: Mary Dodge (1831), Philip Jose Farmer (1918), Jules Feiffer (1929), Susan Griffin (1943), Angela Davis (1944), Christopher Hampton (1946), Jonathan Carroll (1949), Laurence Shames (1951), Nick Flynn (1960), Shannon Hale (1974),

Philip Jose Farmer was a prolific writer best known for his Riverworld science fiction novels.

Shannon Hale writes YA fantasy. Her novel “Princess Academy” won the Newbery Honor.

Susan Griffin’s book “A Chorus of Stones” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize

Jules Feiffer, an American cartoonist, won the 1986 Pulitzer Prize.

Thought for the day: “There’s almost always a point in a book where something happens that triggers the rest of the plot.” “Just write about what bites you and damn the rest.” – Jonathan Carroll

Tip: Learn the difference between “bring” and “take”. Bring is used to come from there to here (She will bring the candles with her.). Take goes from here to there (Take the book to the library.). Bring me a drink. Take this to the kitchen.

Jumpstart: What tattoo does your character hide from the world? Why? When and why did s/he get it? Does s/he regret the impulse? Why or why not?

Birthdays: Robert Burns (1759), W. Somerset Maugham (1874), Virginia Woolf (1882), Margery Sharp (1905), JG Farrell (1935), Gloria Naylor (1950), Stephen Chbosky (1970)

Robert Burns is known as the National Poet of Scotland.

Margery Sharp is best known for her children’s book “The Rescuers” that was made into a Disney movie.

Quote: “Observe strangers. Let your own version of their life story shoot through your head — how they got where they are now, where they might be going — and fill in the blanks for yourself.” – Virginia Woolf

Tip: Start a list of words and phrases you tend to overuse. For me, this is “a bit” (among a lot of others – I have an entire sheet). When you edit your first draft, be sure to look for these phrases and see if you can rewrite them.

Jumpstart: Use the following: shotgun, pub, four-leaf-clover, knight – and finish this: There was no moon out that night…

Murder at North Pond: Book 1 of Frostfall Island Cozy Mysteries by London Lovett

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, 200 pages

5*****
Blurb: When Anna St. James graduated college with a business degree, she never expected to find herself running a boarding house on a small island off the east coast. But life throws a lot of curves and Anna has certainly had her share of them. Now, settled into life as owner and landlady of the Moon River Boarding House on Frostfall Island, Anna couldn’t imagine living anywhere else or without the unique and somewhat eccentric tenants she considers family. Anna would be perfectly content baking and keeping house but Frostfall Island, lovely, remote and somewhat wild, always manages to throw a curve of its own. Most of the time, Frostfall is a charming island with a busy fishing boat harbor and town that attracts summer tourists. But occasionally, quite occasionally, if that’s a phrase, there’s an unexpected murder. Without a dedicated police force, the locals look to Anna to solve crimes. She’s not entirely sure how she landed the role of amateur sleuth but she takes her side job seriously. When a man dies in a pirate battle reenactment, Anna steps into gear. Only this time, she has a parallel mystery to solve. Her newest tenant, Nathaniel Smith, is quite the puzzle, a puzzle who came with a piercing blue gaze and a trove of secrets.

Thoughts: I haven’t read any books by this author before, but I certainly will be looking for more from them. This story takes place on a small island in the Atlantic – Frostfall Island (fictional). There are no police on the island so when something nasty happens, like murder, the townspeople turn to Anna who seems to have a knack for finding out the truth. Anna runs a boarding house filled with quirky characters. I could just picture them when I was reading the story, each one individual.

In this book, the island is the scene for a reenactment between pirates and Spanish conquistadores (circa 1600s). During the “battle” one of the Spaniards is actually killed. When the inept mainland detective botches the case, Anna goes to work.

I really enjoyed the book. The scenery, the story, the characters—all well done. Definitely recommended.

4 Stars

Blurb: From author Jamie L. Adams comes a modern Wild West murder in a cozy California ghost town…

Lily Cranston is eager to return to her hometown and get a do-over on life. She’ll be among old friends, with loving family, and as the new manager of the Calico Rock Mine and Ghost Town, she’s excited to take on the challenge of turning the old west town back into the premier tourist destination she remembers from her childhood. But Lily’s happy homecoming takes an unexpected turn when one of the Calico Rock re-enactors turns up dead—murdered in the ghost town! Bill Stevens was anything but beloved to the staff and volunteers at the Calico Rock Mine. Womanizer , liar , and cheat are all words Lily finds being used to describe the dead man. But when one of Lily’s old friends suddenly emerges as the number one suspect, Lily finds herself digging into the dead man’s past…and finding secrets buried deeper than the old mine itself! While her Chief of Police brother-in-law, and the handsome CSI who is a close family friend—and possibly becoming more than just a friend—both warn Lily off the case, she’s determined to prove her friend innocent and unmask the real killer. Can she solve the mystery, save her friend, and stay alive? Or will the ghost town claim another victim…

Thoughts: Put together three sisters, two cops, a historical ghost town and gold mine and you have the basis for a fun cozy mystery. There are lots of suspects in this one – and I have to admit, I didn’t guess the villain! Unusual for me. And a job well done by the author.

Recommended.

Birthdays: Edgar Allan Poe (1809), Alexander Woollcott (1887), Patricia Highsmith (1921),  Jean-Francois Revel (1924), Nina Bawden (1925), Margaret George (1943), Julian Barnes (1946), Paula Deen (1947), Eden Robinson (1968), Casey Sherman (1969), Edwidge Danticat (1969)

Edwidge Danticat is a Haitian-American author whose books have been nominated for multiple awards and “The Farming of Bones” won the American Book Award.

Patricia Highsmith was an American author (d.1995) whose psychological thrillers were adapted into more than twenty films, including “The Talented Mr. Ripley”.

Quote: “When you read a great book, you don’t escape from life, you plunge deeper into it.” – Julian Barnes

Tip: Look out for dangling modifiers. This happens when a modifier has nothing to modify. For instance: “Having run through the mud, new shoes were needed.”  In this sentence, there’s an action (having run) but no subject. A better way of writing this would be: Having run through the mud, Joan needed new shoes. Even better: Joan ran through the mud and now needed new shoes.

Jumpstart: In addition to being National Hot Tea Month, January is also National Oatmeal and National Soup month. Create a menu for your character using these three basics. Would s/he go for elegant or simple? Would s/he eat in a restaurant, diner, or at home? Alone or with someone? Write the scene.

Who hasn’t read Poe? I loved his books as a teen, and still do. They get into your head. From “The Telltale Heart” to “A Cask of Amontillado” to his poems like “The Raven” or “The Bells”, they are works that will live forever.

Today is the birthday of A.A. Milne, best known for the Winnie the Pooh stories. Who doesn’t know about Winnie the Pooh and all his friends? But Milne is right. When we read these stories as adults, we understand more and get more from them than when we read them as children. But the enjoyment is there for everyone. I love the characters – Pooh, Tigger, Roo, Owl, Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, and Christopher Robin.

Birthdays: Peter Roget (1779), Austin Dobson (1840), A.A. Milne (1882), William Sansom (1912), Robert Anton Wilson (1932), Raymond Briggs (1934), Binyavanga Wainaina (1971)

Where would we be (exist, live, stay, etc.) without Peter Roget and his thesaurus?

Robert Anton Wilson was a novelist, philosopher, psychologist, and more. He wrote 35 books, including “Cosmic Tiger”, “Schrodinger’s Cat Trilogy”.

Quote: “Is ‘The Wind in the Willows’ a children’s book? Is ‘Alice in Wonderland? Is ‘Treasure Island’? These are masterpieces which we read with pleasure as children, but with how much more pleasure when we are grown-up.” – A.A. Milne

Tip: Read your story out loud. Are there areas you tend to skip over? So will your reader.

Jumpstart: This is “Winnie the Pooh Day.” If you could be a character in a Winnie the Pooh story, who would you be and why?