June 24, 2023 AMAZING GRACE

Greece. It was amazing. Spent a few days in Athens--Acropolis, Parthenon, Erechtheion, Museum of the Acropolis--did I mention the--food-cappuccino-breathtaking views? It was a whirlwind. Then off to Delphi--the center of the universe for the ancient Greeks--famous for the oracle. Did I mention the cheese, olive oil, tomatoes, honey? Next--to Meteora one of the most incredible sites in the world--The Monasteries in the Sky-- as the monasteries seem to be suspended in midair.  In the 9th century, monks began building  monasteries on top of gigantic rock formations--some 1000 feet high. A total of 24 monasteries were built and today 6 still remain inhabited. It is beyond words. Finally off the Santorini, Fira and Oia. Again, my words will NEVER do justice to the beauty of these islands---by the way--I'm just giving you the highlights of this once in a lifetime trip.  Did I mention the honey?  Plenty of time to read on the 91/2 hour flight so I snuck in a few books including The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James. Yes, I am a huge fan of her books. This one's a mystery, thriller, love story with a bit of creepy and haunted house mixed in. Fun. The main character is Shea Collins. She's a 28 year old receptionist in a doctor's office by day and a cold case blogger by night. One day a patient comes into the office and Shea immediately recognizes her. She is Beth Greer, a woman tried and acquitted in 1977 of the Lady Killer Murders. Shea asks Greer for an interview and she surprisingly agrees to the interview--as long as it is at the Greer Mansion, which is supposedly haunted. The story then shifts back and forth between the two characters from 1960 to 2017 where the reader learns about the history of the two characters and that they actually have a lot in common including some tragedy that has shaped their lives. Did Beth really murder two men in 1977 and get away with it? Or is the story much more complicated? Will Shea employ local private investigator Michael De Vos to help her solve this cold case? Find out the answers to all of these questions and more when you read this delicious thriller for yourself. It's not a huge commitment either--350 pages that fly by. Enjoy. 

June 12, 2023 LEAVING ON A JET PLANE

 

Headed to Greece this week. It's going to be an amazing trip--Athens-Delphi-Meteora-Santorini. Can't wait. Celebrating our thirtieth anniversary. Time sure flies when you're having fun. Seems like just yesterday..........but it's not. It's three kids--one amazing cat--several dogs and a red bellied toad later.  I  do miss the good old days-- when the kids were little. I see young couples now with their kids and  get exhausted just watching them. I hope they appreciate these days because they really are gone too soon. Back to the trip--I'm taking a few books for the flight--it's over 9 hours and I figure I can really get some serious reading done. In the meantime, I'll review the book I just finished. I needed a lighter, easier read this time around so I decided to read Peter Swanson's  new book The Kind Worth Saving, the sequel to The Kind Worth Killing.  I am a fan of Swanson and have read all of his books. They don't require a huge commitment and I enjoy mysteries with a twist or two. As this story unfolds, Joan Whalen has just hired private investigator Henry Kimball to follow her husband as she is convinced he is having an affair with a coworker. Interestingly enough, Joan and Henry have a history. Henry Kimball was once her English teacher in high school when a terrible tragedy occurred. While Kimball investigates Whalen's husband Richard, he gets more than he bargained for---two dead bodies and a feeling that things aren't how they appear. This story is told from multiple points of view with interesting characters who are in many cases deeply flawed. Find out what happens to Kimball and the rest of the characters when you read this 310 page novel that will keep you guessing until the bitter end. Enjoy. 

June 4, 2023 TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME

 

Have you tried playing pickleball? It's really fun. I started playing about a year ago. Even took lessons over the winter. It's a great way to get a little exercise and meet new people. If you've played tennis, table tennis or ping pong, then you're already way ahead of the game.  It basically combines the elements of all three. The rules can be confusing at first but if you stick with it--it finally makes sense. I hear it's the new rave and towns are putting up pickleball courts or fighting about putting them up all over. I actually heard that they are going to make part of the Crystal Mall pickleball courts too??  If you haven't tried it, get out there and give it a whirl. Just try not to get PICKLED and for heaven's sake STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN.  In other news, I Just finished Kate Morton's new book Homecoming. I am a huge fan of Morton and have read all of her books. I even waited patiently for five years for this gem. As the story unfolds, it's Christmas Eve 1959 and a man stumbles on a gruesome scene in Tambilla, Australia. Sixty years later, Jess, the main character, is coming home to Sydney, Australia, to take care of her ailing grandmother, Nora. Upon her arrival, Jess stumbles on some papers about the tragedy from 1959 and realizes she is related to the family. As an investigative journalist, Jess decides to uncover the truth about the events from 1959 at Adelaide Hills but learns more than she bargained for. Morton is a lovely writer whose vivid descriptions of the scenery and house transport the reader through time-- but I will also say that at times I found some descriptions repetitive and too long. As with her other novels, this is also told from multiple points of view so it can be confusing--so pay attention. There are also several characters as the story drifts between two places at two differents of time--but the lovely part is that they all come together and make sense by the end of this mystery/family saga. Again, it was a bit too long, but Morton is a lovely story teller and I really enjoyed the book.