King Richard I by Jacob Abbott

Again I downloaded this book free on Librivox. I'm sure there is so much more to learn about these monarchs but this recording was full of information. It spoke of Eleanora of Aquitane, Richard's mother, who was first married to King Louis II of France.  The lands which her grandfather had dominion over were turned over to her but it was a condition of the marriage that the land not be incorporated into France. 

Eleanora was a feisty woman and insisted on accompanying her husband on the crusades along with a number of the women from her court. This didn't turn out well, women being women.

She also liked men and her affairs were no secret. Even though they were catholic she and Louis found a way to be granted an annulment by the Pope so she could marry King Henry II of England. 

The events in this book were exciting. Many of us think our families are dysfunctional... King Henry II's sons were constantly at war both between themselves and against their father. He kept his wife and daughters prisoners for most of their lives with him. He also supposedly had a mistress, Rosamond, who's cottage was built for her within the grounds of the palace hidden away at the end of a maze. 

In the end all of his sons died with the exception of Richard, who accended the throne, and John. 

Then begins the story of the adventures of Richard I himself on the crusades. All in one book. 

Jacob Abbot did a wonderful job of relating a very complicated story. You can also download this book from the Guttenberg Press. That is where most of Librivox's readings are from and if you look at the Guttenberg site you can see the maps and illustrations that are in the book. 

These books have me thirsting for more knowledge of the Monarchy for some reason. I've downloaded Richard III now as well. 

Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke

It was interesting to read the reviews on Amazon by readers. Many of them didn't like this book. Many of them are getting tired of the same old, same old. But other's loved this book. I loved this book too. I live in a small town and I guess same old, same old, feels comfortable to me. These are cozy mysteries. They are books you can get lost in just for fun and don't require deep thinking. 

In this, the 13th book in the series, Hannah is asked on short notice to bake 1100 cookies for a charity event being organized by the mayor's wife. Her partner Lisa, much to Hannah's horror, suggests that they also set up an apple turnover stand. Of course the recipe for the turnovers is included in the book and they sound delicious. I love everything apple and am hoping I can make myself get into the kitchen and give these a try.

The Amazing Herb is going to be performing at a talent show during the event. His assistant is ill and Lisa, Herb's wife and Hannah's partner, can't take her place. Since Hannah has done the act before with Herb in an earlier book he enlists her help. She's sworn she will never do it again but it doesn't take much to convince Hannah to put on the dreaded purple dress once again. 

During the show the master of ceremonies is found dead between acts - of course, it has to happen to someone doesn't it?  Hannah could very well be considered a suspect this time as the MC is someone she hates. But it doesn't take long to clear her and she's off in search of the killer. 

Norman, the dentist and one of Hannah's love interests, isn't in this book aside from a couple of phone calls from a conference he's attending. The Mike/Hannah/Norman love triangle is still there but it seems a bit shaky with both Mike and Norman. 

Personally I'm pulling for Norman but that's just me. 

Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

I got this book from the library and read it in an evening. It wasn't at all what I expected and I was a bit disappointed about who I'd meet in heaven until I reminded myself this is just a book, one person's idea. It's about an 83 year old man who spent his whole life at a job that he didn't really enjoy. It was his life's story as much as it was about who and why he met who he did. 

What I did get out of it was that every person who crosses our path in life whether for a few months or for years... and even people related to events in our lives that we never meet.... are there for a reason. Maybe we won't see the reasons, or even meet some of the people who have contributed to our experiences or lessons in our lives, until much later. Sometimes you can see the lessons while  you're alive, other times you won't. 

The author suggests that death isn't the end, it is only the beginning. I like that idea. 

I love to read different sorts of things and maybe we choose the books we want to read for a reason too. Great food for thought.

Back to School Murder by Leslie Meier

This is the next book in the Lucy Stone series.  Lucy is working for Ted at the Pennysaver while his regular secretary is off looking after her ill mother. Part of her job is to listen to the police scanner and she can't believe her ears when she hears that a bomb threat has been called in to the elementary school where her second youngest, Sara, is spending her first day in grade 2. 

She rushes to the school to see all of the children evacuated and safe. Things are still quiet and under control when the new vice principle, Carol  Crane, is seen rushing back into the building and comes out carrying a special needs child. She has just exited the building when the bomb goes off. She falls to the ground sheltering the boy with her body. 

A real hero, and gorgeous too, all of the parents are extolling her virtues. The other teachers and the janitor at the school, however, have a different attitude about her. Lucy sees Carol's other side when she goes snooping around during a school board meeting. Her mysteryar is immediately peeked and she wants to find out more about this mysterious woman.

A few days later Carol doesn't show up for work and Lucy hears on the police scanner that there has been a homicide. She rushes to the address and finds that it is Carol who has been murdered, smothered in her own bed when someone put a pillow over her face. 

Along with the main story of murder the book talks about Lucy's difficulties at home. Lack of money, being taken for granted now that she has 4 children (Baby Zoe is now two years old). Her husband doesn't like her working. Her job is to look after the house and the children says her husband Bill. And he is not pleased to arrive home and not have dinner on the table precisely at 6pm. 

When the suspect is arrested Lucy knows in her heart that the police have the wrong person. She does her regular snooping but gets much further now that she can tell people she is with the Pennysaver. No one has to know she isn't a reporter. She uses some very creative techniques to get information. Unfortunately none of it can be printed in the Pennysaver because there is nothing to back it up. 

Twists and turns, one of my favortie parts of Leslie's stories, take us from suspecting one person and then another. For the first time there is an incident that kind of leans me in the direction of one person as the killer. He has an alibi but it still niggles at me throughout the book. 

Of course I didn't know why he would kill Carol because we don't know that much about her past or her relationships, but right at the last minute the connection to the killer is revealed. 

Trick or Treat Murder - Leslie Meier

This is the third in the Lucy Stone Mystery series. It appears there is an arsonist on the lose in Tinker's Cove. One of the first fires did little damage while the 2nd destroyed an old barn completely. The third fire was in an old house that was being restored by "summer people", vacationers who only came to Tinker's Cove in the nice months. It too was total destruction with only a part of the chimney remaining. When the police scanned the rubble the K-9 found that there had been someone in the house at the time of the fire. The owner had had a fight with her husband and unbeknownst to anyone had driven to Tinker's Cove to take refuge in the house. 

Because this now meant manslaughter or even murder rather than plain arson the fires were given more attention. Suspects were questioned, held, let free, and Lucy of course did her own snooping into what she was convinced was a case of murder. 

Lucy's husband Bill is invited to join the Tinker's Cove Historic District Commission chaired by cranky and immoveable old Miss Tilley. The results of Miss Tilley's strict adherence to the rules of the commission, ones that made sense or not, bring forth another bunch of possible candidates for the arsonist. 

After the local Halloween Festival, just when Lucy thought life had slowed down a bit she found herself alone with and at the mercy of the real arsonist. Things really heated up for her and it was thanks to her son and his friends that she made it out alive. 

Seeing as this is a series and it would have to end if anything happened to Lucy we all know that she comes out shaken but unscathed in the end. 

I'm still finding Leslie Meier's books to be fast paced enough to give edge of your seat excitement and yet still remain true to the concept of being a "cozy" mystery. She knows just how to twist and turn to keep you guessing to the last chapter. 

Off to read the next one. I can't get enough. 

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

I've read all of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander books with the exception of Lord Grey. Someone gave me Lord Grey but when I flipped through it I realized it was not a type of book I'd be interested in. My husband gave me this volume for Christmas the year it came out. It's a huge hardcover book and so although I picked it up a few times to start it I always put it down again in favour of smaller paperbacks.  For those of you who haven't read it it is available in paperback now. 

Last month I finally decided to read this book in earnest. It's almost 1000 pages long and I think it took me about 3 weeks to read it. 

Being a prude there's way too much sex in it for my liking but that aside I really enjoyed this volume. My minister calls it erotica for middle aged women *LOL* It's not too graphic but you know what she's talking about. 

There's so much that happens in this book and yet it doesn't seem like overkill like some books do that have numerous scenarios happen. Diana Gabaldon seems to know exactly how to weave it all together so that it makes perfect sense and flows naturally. I'd liken it to an action book but it's much smoother than that. 

We get a glimpse of what life was like before the American Revolution and some of the things that were happening as precursors to the war. I'm a Canadian but I'm interested in the history of all countries. 

If you have read the earlier books you will know that there is a fire mentioned. To avoid spoiling the book I will only say that the fire does happen but not in the way any of us would have expected and not on the date expected. 

She now has another book out, which I didn't expect. When I began reading this book I thought it would be the last of the series but I'm looking forward to reading just one more. 

I highly recommend this series. One of the volumes (Firery Cross) was not a particular favourite of mine and I've heard the same from others but it is a necessary read to keep the continuity of the story. Unfortunately I gave away all of my books in the series but I'm in the process of collecting them again as I'd like to read them again. That, I feel, is the sign of a good book. 

Death Loves a Messy Desk by Mary Jane Maffini

Oh my gosh! I came onto my site to do my review and the author herself left a comment on my last post! Okay, I know authors are just people like everyone else not royalty or something but I find it exciting that she'd be nice enough to leave a comment on my blog. 

Death Loves a Messy Desk was every bit as good as The Cluttered Corpse. I don't know how authors do it but some are just able to make their characters so likeable that I just want more and more stories about them just so you can spend time with them. Throughout this book Charlotte is also trying to train her two dachshunds, Sweet Marie and Truffle, so that they can become therapy dogs visiting nursing homes and hospitals. Her training sessions are really interesting to read about.  

In this book Charlotte Adams is hired to help with a desk in an office that is out of control. On her initial visit she comes close to a head on collision in the driveway of the office building when a driver is speeding in the wrong direction directly towards her.  She finds the woman in the SUV is the owner of the desk that needs tidying up. She's told her services aren't needed, but that evening on the news she sees the woman who was driving the SUV in a news story about a man found dead in the trunk of his car. She's sure it must be the missing desk owner. 

Of course now Charlotte can't help herself, she just has to find this woman. The book is a series of her being welcome in this office and being forbidden to come near the building. Her friend the Police Detective Pepper knows something, she can tell by the look on her face. But the only way Charlotte can find anything out is  by snooping. No one will give her information. 

The book takes twists and turns and there is one amazing car/truck race through a suburban neighbourhood with a surprising ending. 

I never would have figured out the answer. I love the way we are fed bits of information that lead us to conclusions and just when we think we have it we are given another clue that contradicts our assumptions. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book too and stayed up way to late at night reading. Unfortunately the 4th book in the series hasn't been written yet. I hope there is a 4th book.