Classified as Murder by Miranda James

I really liked this book. But not I suspect, for the usual reasons. The murder mystery was almost unimportant to me this time around. I was far more interested in the character's interactions. Especially the main character and his son, and the main character and the victim. There was a lot of realness, and humanity in how these relationships and interactions are portrayed, and I really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the rare books that were described in the story. All in all a good read and I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment!

Rating: 4 stars (maybe even 5....)

Recommendations: This is the second of the Cat in the Stacks mysteries. The first one is Murder Past Due*.

305 pages in less than 2 hours.
* denotes a book I have already read and reviewed.

Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Hurrah! A new book and series by Lincoln and Child. These two are some of my favorite authors. This book introduces a new character, Gideon Crew. Gideon is almost as interesting as the main character in their Pendergast novels. Gideon is not quite so quirky. He is charming and a little amoral and very intelligent. The plot was interesting and had enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. This is one of those adventure novels that lies somewhere towards the more realistic side of things. It's still not very realistic lol but better than say Threshold* was.

Rating: 4 stars

Recommendations: I love these authors. Their individual books are pretty good too, but I mainly like the stuff they write together. I especially like the Pendergast novels. The first book is Relic.

342 pages only took me 2 and half hours. These authors are a very fast read!

Photo Finished by Laura Childs

Well, this series is so much better than the Tea Shop one! The writing is just a little bit more crisp and there is some urgency. I have to say that the main character, Carmela, annoys me just a little. I want her to get over her (hopefully soon to be ex-husband!) but other than that she is a great character. This book is the 2nd in the scrapbook series, the first one was Keepsake Crimes*. There is just a little bit more zest to this book, although the pace is still a little languid. I wonder if it's because it's set in the South? And while I do like this one, I am pretty indifferent to the whole scrap booking angle, but I do like all the food that she includes! lol

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommendations: The rest of the scrapbook mysteries. This author has another series too, the Cackleberry mysteries... I have the first book but I haven't read it yet!

260 pages about 3 hours.

Ghastly Glass by Joyce and Jim Lavene

I liked this book, although the culprit was a little obvious. But I really enjoyed the characters, especially Jessie and Chase and the setting of a renaissance village is great! The other characters are hilarious with their blend of reality and make believe. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, Deadly Daggers!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommendations: The first book in the Renaissance Faire Mysteries is Wicked Weaves*. I also really enjoyed another Lavene book, Timely Visions*. They have another series as well the Peggy Lee Garden series... I have the first book, Pretty Poison, but I haven't read it yet!

312 pages took me about 3 hours.

Murder Past Due by Miranda James

I liked this book. It's a new series and I'm just sad that there is only one other book so far. I wasn't expecting the main character to be a man. Charlie is also older, in his 50's I think it adds a little depth to his character. And I'm looking forward to exploring his character in the future books. And I loved the cat, Diesel. He's a Maine Coon and has a lot of personality. The author includes him in the story but doesn't overly humanize or sentimentalize the cat, I liked that. All in all a good read.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommendations: The next book in the series is, Classified as Murder, but it doesn't come out till May *sigh*. I also want to check out Curiosity Thrilled the Cat, I'm waiting for my hold at the library!

294 pages and read it in 2 hour flat :)

Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie

Now reading this after Gunpowder Green* was as different as night and day. This book has sparkle and wit. It's funny and the main character, Abby, is great. She is also very human, she has flaws, she gets jealous and scared and all around has depth to her. The writing has a great up tempo to it. I enjoyed this one immensely. Abby is a psychic and the whole matter is included to matter of factly that it doesn't feel unnatural at all. This is the second book in the Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye series and I can't wait to get the third (which my library doesn't have, grrr).

Rating: 5 out 5 stars, I really enjoyed this one.

Recommendations: Witch Way to Murder* by Shirley Damsgaard is the first book in the Abby and Ophelia mysteries, and The Trouble With Magic* by Madelyn Alt is the first book in the Bewitching mystery series. I also would recommend Mum's the Word* by Kate Collins, it's not a paranormal mystery but the writing style is very much the same. Mum's the Word is the first in the Flower Shop mysteries.

296 pages, about 2 hours.

Gunpowder Green by Laura Childs

I really want to like this book and this series. The characters should be engaging and interesting the mystery is well done. The scenarios intriguing.... But I just can't. Gunpowder Green is the second book in the Tea Shop Mysteries. And I should love them, but the writing is flat and uninteresting. I was actually able to put the book away just pages before the big reveal of who the murderer was! And I am someone who is almost *physically* incapable of putting a book down without finishing a chapter! I like the premise, I like the characters, I just can't get into the writing. There is no spark, no life to it. I do like Laura Child's other series, The Scrapbook Mysteries.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars, it was OK.
Recommendations: Try the Scrapbook Mysteries, I read the first book (Keepsake Crimes) already and liked it a lot better!
244 pages and took me about 3 hours.

The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse by Lean Sweeney

Alright, so I didn't care for this one so much, I found the main character, Jillian, to be a little wishy-washy although by the end she was doing a lot better. I also didn't care for how they portrayed the cats and their relationships to their people. Don't get me wrong, I love my cats but I just didn't like this authors take on them. I will probably read the rest of the books in this series; The Cat, the Professor and the Poison and The Cat, the Lady and the Liar. I think I will get to like Jillian more as time goes by. The author has another series too, the Yellow Rose mysteries that I will probably check out sometime.
Rating: This one gets 3 out of 5 stars, it was OK.
This is a new series for me, and I only picked it up cause it had cats lol so no recommends this time.

(This one was 278 pages and took me about 2 hours)

If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell

Just finished, If Walls Could Talk. This is the first book in a new series. I enjoyed it, I liked and empathized with the main character, Mel. Mel is a general construction contractor, she's recently divorced and discovers she has "the sight" and can see/sense (some) ghosts. The ghost of a murdered associate starts haunting her and she is compelled to help him. In between solving murders Mel has to run her construction business and family concerns as well. I especially liked the descriptions of the construction aspects, and Mel's search for period treasures for restoring historical homes. There is a hint of romantic complications too for those of us who like that sort of thing too.
Rating:Over all I'll give this book, 4 out of 5stars, I liked it but didn't *love* it.
Recommendations: Juliet Blackwell has written two other books, Second Hand Spirits and Cast Off Coven*. If you liked this, try Blackwell's other book, Second Hand Spirits,which is the first in that series. If you have a more paranormal bent, try The Trouble with Magic* by Madelyn Alt.

* indicates that I have read a book