Learning To Breathe - Karen White

Learning to Breathe
Karen White
New American Library

Contemporary Romance

Brenna O’Brien, one of five sisters, still lives and works in her hometown of Indianola, Louisiana. Every day, she drives past her old elementary school and the house where she grew up, now occupied by her oldest sister’s family. Now 33, she runs the historic movie house in town when she’s not going on hopeless blind dates arranged by her well-meaning sisters.

Brenna believes that her life’s possibilities ended more than 15 years ago, when her high school sweetheart, Pierce McGovern left town, and her. Since then, she’s been collecting old letters, but leaving them sealed so as not to be disappointed by their contents. When Pierce returns to town, it shocks Brenna on several levels. He plans to open a multiplex cinema that would run her movie house out of business. And he represents both past disappointments and new possibilities for Brenna and her life.

I have to admit, when I first met Brenna, I wanted to shake some sense into her. Lots of people break up with their high school sweethearts and go on to have fulfilling lives; it’s just not the end of the world. To the author’s immense credit, as I got to know the character better, and learned more about her background, she really grew on me. Her collection of unopened and unread letters really indicates a fear of life in general. The author uses lyrical language that instantly evokes a strong sense of place. The secondary characters are all very realistic and behave in believable ways. If you enjoy ‘second chance’ romances, you’ll enjoy this lovely story.

Rating: 7 ½
March 2007
ISBN# 978-0-451-22034-9 (trade paperback)

Dragonwell Dead - Laura Childs

Dragonwell Dead
A Tea Shop Mystery
Laura Childs
Berkley Prime Crime

Mystery

Springtime in Charleston means the annual Plantation Ramble. Private homes open their gardens to the local Garden Club and anyone who cares to spend time in the abundance of nature. In addition to tours, there’s the flower show and a rare plant auction. Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop, is there providing iced tea to thirsty attendees. Today they’re serving Dragonwell tea, a special blend concocted by Drayton, the shop’s master tea blender, adorned with mint sprigs, lemon, or edible flowers.

Drayton is there for the plant auction, too. He’s an orchid enthusiast and hopes to be able to win the bidding on a rare species. He soon learns that he’s bidding against not only the local rare book dealer, Harlan Noble, but against Mark Congdon, a broker who left Chicago to open and bed-and-breakfast place with his wife. Drayton drops out when the bidding gets too rich, and Mark, a fellow enthusiast, wins the orchid. Harlan is notably angry at this development. After the auction, Mark, his wife, Theo, and Drayton return to the tea table they left unattended while watching the auction. Mark is first to take a drink of the sweet tea. He cries out in pain, and falls to the ground in convulsions. The medical report lists “unspecified toxin” as the mode of death. Theo knows that means poison. And the last thing Mark ingested was the tea.

Each new installment of this series is as engrossing as the last. Theo is a wonderful, realistic character, making a go of a gourmet tea shop in an upscale area of Charleston. Her friendships with Drayton and Haley, the baker, are imbued with a genuine warmth and realness. In this case, there are plenty of suspects. The more Theo finds out about Mark and his brokerage firm, the more she realizes that the easygoing guy had some serious competitors. There’s also the assistant with the unrequited crush. And, of course, Harlan, who appears at the tea shop the day after Mark’s death to inquire as to the whereabouts of the rare orchid. All of this makes it difficult to guess who did the deed; but following Theo and her friends is always entertaining.

Rating: 8
March 2007
ISBN# 978-0-425-21386-5 (hardcover)

A Crazy Little Thing Called Death - Nancy Martin

A Crazy Little Thing Called Death
A Blackbird Sisters Mystery
Nancy Martin
New American Library

Mystery

When their fabulously wealthy parents ran through their money and then fled the country, the Blackbird sisters, once fixtures of Philadelphia’s Main Line society, had to find other means of support. Nora found her niche reporting on society functions for a newspaper. After all, she knows everyone and still gets invitations to every party worth attending. Which is how she happens to be at a polo match, slogging through the mud, one spring morning. The parents of former child actor Sweet Penny Devine arranged the match as a memorial for their daughter. The only catch? No one knows if she’s dead, or just missing. ‘Dead’ seems the more likely possibility when Nora discovers a severed hand on the field.

Nora has other pressing matters on her mind. Emma seems to be sober, but has she turned to illicit methods of making a living? And Libby, the eldest, has managed to refrain from becoming pregnant again, but is driving Nora to distraction with all her wedding plans. Nora’s longtime paramour, Mick Abruzzo, son of a famous mobster, finally convinced her to marry him. While Mick is avoiding the family business and trying to go straight, most of polite society, including Nora’s two sisters, is not completely pleased with the arrangement. There’s more grist for the gossip mill when it looks like someone is trying to kill Mick. She knows it’s not logical, but Nora fears the curse of the Blackbird women; the curse that says any man who marries a Blackbird girl is doomed to an early death.

This series is entertaining, but the sixth installment is not the strongest of the lot. The characters have had five novels and one novella to mature and grow, yet they remain, with a few exceptions, largely the same. The on-again, off-again nature of Mick and Nora’s relationship may delight some readers, but I feel like it’s getting a bit old. The author is certainly talented enough to keep the characters strong and interesting while bringing this particular arc to a close, one way or the other. The mystery this time around is involving and contains several likely suspects. Here’s hoping the next installment brings some final decisions and fresh starts.

Rating: 7
March 2007
ISBN# 978-0-451-22041-7 (hardcover)

Stealing Home - Sherryl Woods

Stealing Home
The Sweet Magnolias
Sherryl Woods
Mira

Women’s Fiction

As far as Maddie Townsend was concerned, family life in Serenity, South Caroline couldn’t get much better. Her husband, Bill, was a respected local doctor; her son Tyler, 16, is a star on the high school baseball team; her middle son Kyle 14, is a non-stop joker; and little Katie 6 was a welcome surprise. Her shock is understandable when, one night over the dinner table, Bill announces that he’s leaving Maddie. For his 24-year-old nurse. Who is pregnant. Pulling herself together for the kids’ sakes gets her through the announcement and watching her high school sweetheart and husband of twenty years move out of the home they’d shared.

As might be expected, the kids’ personalities change. Tyler starts acting out and failing at school, Kyle becomes an introvert, and Katie simply cries. Fortunately for Maddie, she has friends all around her. Dana Sue, a chef, offers moral support; and Helen, an attorney on a mission, takes up the fight when Maddie feels too beaten down to do it herself. Maddie needs to reorganize her life, and her friends are there to help with that, too. Dana Sue and Helen decide to provide financial backing for a women-only spa, and Maddie will run the place.

Cal Maddox was a professional baseball player. Now he coaches the high school team in Serenity. He sees what’s happening with Tyler and reaches out to help him. In doing so, Cal and Maddie inevitably get close. That might seem ideal, but small towns harbor severe double standards for divorcing men (with pregnant girlfriends) and divorcing women. Even without the outside pressures, Maddie isn’t at all sure this is a good idea. Cal is almost ten years younger than she is. And the children have refused to have anything to do with their father because of his new girlfriend. If Maggie and Cal go public, the school board may weigh in, but, more importantly, what effect will it have on her kids?

Any of the above circumstances could be written as standard clichés. In the hands of this skilled author, however, they all play as realistic and shaded events. Maddie is a great character: a woman blindsided by a divorce, trying to hold it all together for her kids, but still needing a life for herself. The author clearly knows small town life. While the gossip mill is swift and pitiless, there are still friends and neighbors willing to lend a hand or moral support in times of crisis. There are some eccentric Southern characters, adding flavor to the mix. There are more books planned in the series, and I find that I’m looking forward to them.

Rating: 7 ½
February 2007
ISBN# 978-0-7783-2363-1 (paperback)

Only In Your Dreams - Cecily von Ziegesar

Only In Your Dreams
Gossip Girl #9
Cecily von Ziegesar
Little, Brown and Company

Young Adult (ages 15 and up)

Note: If you haven’t read the first books in the series, this review contains plot spoilers.

It’s summertime in Manhattan, but the living isn’t exactly easy for the just-graduated seniors. This will be their last summer to play and party together, but somehow, things aren’t working out quite the way anyone planned. Blair starts her summer in England, visiting the young Lord she met just before school ended. Like another Prince we might mention, this Lord has his own Camilla. But Blair is nothing if not resourceful. Serena is all set to star in a major movie, but she’s finding out that acting is a lot more work than she thought it would be. The director of the movie hires Vanessa to do the photography. Like her indie vision is really going to mesh with a big-budged romantic comedy.

Meanwhile, out in the Hamptons, Nate feels isolated. Probably because he is. He’s spending the summer doing hard manual labor on his coach’s house in order to make up for stealing the coach’s prescription for a certain little blue pill. The same crime that resulted in Nate’s diploma being withheld at graduation. In true Nate style, he manages to hook up with a townie. Called Tawny. No, really. And, back in the big, bad city, Dan gets a job at The Strand, a famous bookstore. He also gets a bit of a wandering eye, and ends up with a health nut. Anyone else see a problem with that?

Even though school is out, everyone who’s anyone is in Manhattan for the summer. There are some interesting developments on the movie set. Blair changes her direction in life. Again. Vanessa and Dan are both trying to work out their relationship and their own lives, which isn’t so easy with college staring you in the face. It’s obvious that everyone is trying to make the most of the summer, and they’re doing a pretty good job of it.

Rating: 8
May 2006
ISBN# 0-316-01182-7 (trade paperback)

Nothing Can Keep Us Together - Cecily von Ziegesar

Nothing Can Keep Us Together
Gossip Girl #8
Cecily von Ziegesar
Little, Brown and Company

Young Adult (ages 15 and up)

Note: If you haven’t read the first books in the series, this review contains plot spoilers.

It’s the last week of May, so if you’re a senior, you already know where you’re going next year. And it doesn’t really seem worth the trouble to waste time on things like studying for finals. The more pressing issue? Finding that perfect white dress for graduation, if you’re a girl. And, for a certain guy, actually getting that diploma. This particular guy is suddenly having crying jags. Just the pot catching up with him? Or maybe he realizes what he lost during Senior Spa Weekend. Blair seems to be taking it surprisingly well.

As expected, Blair and Vanessa didn’t last long as roomies. What no one expected was that they’d remain friends. Who would have thought? Speaking of Vanessa, she’s having an interesting time juggling two boys. Lucky for her (or maybe not) she’s able to do it without guilt. And Blair lands herself a suite at The Yale Club. Her suite just happens to be next door to the suite of a gorgeous English Lord who just graduated. As for freshman Jenny Humphries? Well, let’s just say that she’s scoping out boarding schools, and finding that they’re not quite what she expected.

This installment takes all the seniors through to graduation and the parties after it. You might think graduation would be the most important thing on everyone’s minds, but you’d be wrong. There are some very interesting developments in everyone’s lives, and it looks like the summer before college, their last summer together, will be the most amazing summer yet for the kids who live and party in Manhattan.

Rating: 8
May 2005
ISBN# 0-316-73509-4 (trade paperback)

Nobody Does It Better - Cecily von Ziegesar

Nobody Does It Better
Gossip Girl #7
Cecily von Ziegesar
Little, Brown and Company

Young Adult (ages 15 and up)

Note: If you haven’t read the first books in the series, this review contains plot spoilers.

The deadline for choosing colleges is fast approaching for all the last-semester seniors in Manhattan. Blair and Nate are pretty much inseparable now that they decided to get horizontal for real. That is, until Nate “steals” his family’s yacht because he was stoned and a trip to Bermuda seemed like a great idea. Blair is still on Yale’s wait list, and working on getting accepted. And Katie and Isabel are planning an incredible Senior Spa Weekend for everyone.

Dan is the new singer for The Raves, but finds that fame is a fickle mistress. Jenny, his freshman sister, is working her new ‘worldly model’ image for all it’s worth. She might even manage to snag her dad’s attention. Vanessa is looking for a new roommate, and ends up with the absolute last person you’d expect. And Serena, as always, drifts through life, landing in the right places. Well, usually.

If you’ve read previous books in the series, you know exactly what to expect. The lives of the privileged teenagers who live, party, and live to party in their parents’ penthouse apartments and Hamptons estates. There’s some real change in the air for a few characters. And, while some important questions are answered here, there are a few whoppers that get asked, too. You know you love it.

Rating: 8
May 2005
ISBN# 0-316-73512-4 (trade paperback)

Silenced by Syrah - Michele Scott

Silenced By Syrah
A Wine Lover’s Mystery
Michele Scott
Berkley Prime Crime

Mystery

Things are changing at Malveaux Estates Vineyard, where Nikki Sands is manager. The owner’s brother, Simon, and his partner, Marco, just opened a spa and hotel on some non-producing vineyard land. And this evening, a new gourmet restaurant, Georges On The Vineyard, will debut. The month-long delay can be attributed mostly to chef Georges Debussey himself. He’s volatile, temperamental, and a taskmaster who seems to enjoy firing employees. But now it looks like everything is set. Well, there’s still the matter of Nikki, who seems to be attracted to both owner Derek Malveaux and neighboring winemaker Andres Fernandez. But that little problem will have to wait until later.

While Georges takes a Syrah splash bath at the spa before zero hour, last-minute preparations, including wine pairings and table settings continue. But, when Georges doesn’t emerge from the therapy room, Simon gets worried. Most likely, Georges fell asleep, exhausted from screaming at kitchen staff and decorators. Neither Simon nor Marco wants to enter the room, so it falls to Nikki to wake the sleeping chef. When she gets close enough to see his face, it’s clear that Georges’ big night is cancelled. He’s dead; shot in the head while in the bath. The police arrive, including a big-city transplant, Detective Robinson, who makes the singular mistake of telling Nikki to keep out of it. Like that’s going to happen.

The latest in this series is a solid addition. The changes to the vineyard keep everything fresh, and add a whole new group of suspects for consideration. Since Georges was one of those people who could be infuriating or flirtatious, there’s plenty of suspicion to go around here. The author leaves the Derek-or-Andres question open on purpose, and invites reader comments on the matter. I’m a bit ambivalent about the “choose your own adventure” flavor of that, but it will be very interesting to see how it plays out in future volumes. In this one, I particularly enjoyed seeing more of Simon and Marco, characters I’ve enjoyed since the first installment. Rounding out the experience are some great-sounding recipes and recommended wine pairings scattered throughout the story.

Rating: 7 ½
March 2007
ISBN# 978-0-425-21452-7 (paperback)

McKettrick's Luck - Linda Lael Miller

McKettrick’s Luck
Linda Lael Miller
HQN

Contemporary Romance

Cheyenne Bridges grew up in the small town of Indian Rock, Arizona. Her family was dirt poor; her father a gambler and her mother an enabling dreamer. When she was able to escape to college, she vowed never to return. But fate, or rather, business, brought her back home. Cheyenne works for a real estate developer interested in purchasing 500 acres of land for condos. Riding on the deal is a huge bonus that will allow her to provide for her mother and disabled brother; failure means ruin. Trouble is, that land belongs to Jesse McKettrick, and Cheyenne knows he’ll never sell.

Jesse is well known in Indian Rock, as is his family. His pioneer ancestors carved a living out of the land and built it up to the multimillion-dollar business it is today. While many family members work in the company, Jesse is happy to live in his family home, alone now, and live off his hefty dividend checks in between poker games. When Cheyenne reappears, he barely recognizes her. She was one of a forgettable string of dates in high school; now there’s definitely something more interesting about her. Too bad she wants his land.

I haven’t read any previous McKettrick books, but that didn’t matter one bit. The author immediately draws in the reader with evocative descriptions of the land, the people, and the symbiotic relationship (and love) between the two. The relationship between Cheyenne and Jesse proceeds naturally, with just enough humor to be entertaining. The characters have real obstacles to overcome, and the author allows them to do so in a believable way. I’m looking forward to the stories of the two McKettrick cousins.

A side note, but a very important one. Linda Lael Miller has a real love for animals that shows in her writing and her life; she supports The Humane Society of the United States. As part of her book tour in 2007, she’ll be including stops at many animal shelters. To check her schedule, visit www.lindalaelmiller.com. To find out more about The Humane Society, how you can help or adopt a pet, please visit www.proud2adopt.org and www.spaydayusa.com.

Rating: 8
February 2007
ISBN# 978-0-373-77185-1 (paperback)

Acts of Violets - Kate Collins

Acts of Violets
A Flower Shop Mystery
Kate Collins
Signet

Mystery

It seems like the annual Pickle Festival in little New Chapel, Indiana would be a fun time. Unless you’re not so into clowns, like Abby Knight, owner of Bloomers flower shop, and survivor of childhood clown-induced terror. So when a Snuggles the Clown first bumps into her, then tells her “paybacks are murder,” she’s startled, but not entirely surprised. But that’s not the only thing to spoil her morning. Across the square, she sees her boyfriend of 3 months, ex-cop turned bar owner and occasional PI Marco Salvare, in a deep conversation with a woman. A gorgeous woman.

Temporarily mollified with the explanation that the woman, Trina, is a childhood friend, Abby explains about Snuggles. Marco, over Abby’s protests, takes off in pursuit. The following day, the newspaper headlines say that Marco is being held on suspicion of the murder of one Dennis Ryson, a disreputable mechanic. Marco is the prime suspect, since the neighbors witnessed him enter Ryson’s home and fight with him; Marco has the bruises to prove it. The prosecutor, facing reelection, wants a slam-dunk conviction, and it looks like he’s going to get it. Marco begs Abby to look into the case. There’s only a week before the grand jury convenes and the circumstantial case is more than strong enough to indict him. Abby embarks on her first solo investigation, knowing that Marco has put his life in her hands. What Abby discovers may shake her faith in Marco to the core.

First of all, clowns are evil. That’s a fact. So I feel for Abby and her distaste of them. And it gives nothing away to say that Ryson did a bit of moonlighting on the weekends as Snuggles the Clown. There’s plenty more in Ryson’s background that Abby needs to discover, and she does it in her own way, without police help. The author provides plenty of suspects, from Trina, who claims Ryson was terrorizing her, to neighbors who hated him. There is one glaring piece of annoyance here, and that is that a secondary character speaks with a lisp, and it’s all typed out, phonetically, with “th” for “s” in long passages of dialogue. It’s incredibly distracting to read, and made me want to skip over those sections. Since the character provides information that moves the plot forward, readers would be advised not to give into this temptation.

Other the phoentic lisp, which, admittedly, is most likely just a personal preference of mine, and not shared by other readers, ACTS OF VIOLETS is probably the most intricately plotted, and possibly the best overall story in this series to date. In this one, we finally get a glimpse at Marco's past and family. I look forward to more of Abby and her wonderful shop assistants, Lottie and Grace, in the future.

Rating: 7 ½
March 2007
ISBN# 978-0-451-22074-5 (paperback)

Deep Storm - Lincoln Child

Deep Storm
Lincoln Child
Doubleday

Thriller

Storm King is an oil-drilling platform located roughly 40 miles south of Greenland, in the North Atlantic. When Peter Crane, a doctor, formerly a Naval officer, arrives at the rig, he gets a surprise. His real destination is Deep Storm; a research facility located some 2 miles under the surface of the ocean, underneath a beyond-cutting-edge domed structure. During his initial videoconference with Howard Asher, the chief scientist on Deep Storm, Crane learns that he’s there to diagnose and treat a growing group of individuals. The symptoms they display are divers and non-specific; anything from fatigue and loss of concentration to what look like strokes in otherwise healthy patients.

In short order, Crane learns that Deep Storm is a drilling operation, looking to uncover Atlantis and all of its secrets. The whole operation is taking place under a shroud of secrecy. But there seems to be more than secrecy going on in Deep Storm. The scientists are almost outnumbered by armed military personnel who guard The Barrier, the hatch that leads to the lower, classified decks of the facility. While trying to discover the source of his patients’ escalating illnesses, Crane comes to believe that what lies under Deep Storm is not Atlantis, but something far more dangerous.

DEEP STORM is an intelligent thriller, filled with intrigue and action. Crane is a very believable everyman hero. Not Superman, not James Bond, he’s able to use his smarts, his background, and his instincts in various situations. The rest of the characters are all given realistic backgrounds and motives. There’s some incredibly sharp characterization with tertiary characters, as they display the symptoms of the mysterious illness; the author is able to make the reader care about these people within a few paragraphs. The pace is very quick, with action sequences nicely balanced by discussions and discoveries. And the author does readers the much-appreciated favor of actually showing us what’s under the facility. There’s no ‘you’ll have to imagine it’ cop-out that so often frustrates. There’s even an interesting twist at the tail end, making this story engrossing from first page to last.

Rating: 8 ½
February 2007
ISBN# 978-0-385-51550-4 (hardcover)

Visibility - Boris Starling

Visibility
Boris Starling
Dutton

Thriller

In late 1952, Herbert Smith, once an MI5 operative, has settled into his new role as Detective Inspector in Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad. Perhaps ‘settled’ is too strong a term, since his fellow inspectors view him with varying degrees of suspicion and disdain. When a call comes in to the evening shift of a body found floating in a lake in Hyde Park, it’s Herbert who forsakes the warm (temperature-wise, anyway) squad room for the cold, dense fog of evening. A quick rundown by the coroner tells Herbert that the man was drowned; no drunk who stumbled in the fog, someone clearly held the man under the still water until he died.

The next morning, the park, still shrouded by fog, is full of police, including Hannah Mortimer, the police diver. Hannah is not only obviously female, but also blind; her sense of touch more useful that sight in the often-filthy waters around London. It soon comes to light that the dead man was Max Stensness, a graduate student at King’s College in biophysics and medical research. Adding to the delicacy of the investigation, Max was gay, and the son of a Lord. Herbert, no stranger to delicate and clandestine investigations, perseveres. By retracing Max’s last hours, Herbert discovers that just before his death, Max claimed possession of a secret that could change the course of human history.

This novel, set during the Cold War era, brings to mind the classic novels of Le Carré, and his contemporaries. The author clearly did his research, and the people and situations are all period appropriate. Herbert is the classic outsider, investigating what could be a huge case, facing opposition on all sides. He comes across as very human; a man trying to do a job he believes in, to the best of his ability. The plot comes to light bit by bit, as a structure through the fog as one approaches it. The pacing works perfectly here. Readers who enjoy spy novels, Cold War-era novels, and an intricate story, will all enjoy this novel.

Rating: 8
March 2007
ISBN# 978-0-525-94996-1

The Big Shuffle - Laura Pedersen

The Big Shuffle
Laura Pedersen
Ballantine Books

Fiction

Hallie Palmer, introduced in BEGINNER’S LUCK (1/03) and HEART’S DESIRE (7/05) has done a lot of growing up since leaving her chaotic family at the age of sixteen. She was lucky enough to land with the Stockton family, an eccentric clan, who took over guardianship of this precocious card sharp. Now a sophomore in college, Hallie has to face some very serious issues with her biological family. Her life is no longer her own when her father’s death triggers a nervous breakdown in her mother and Hallie is left to care for her nine younger siblings.

There are plenty of people in the community who lend a hand, but the majority of the burden falls on Hallie, who is used to being responsible only for herself. One of her sisters runs away, and she can’t tell one twin baby brother from another. This is not what she envisioned for herself at this point. Even breaking up with her boyfriend takes a back seat to everyday household concerns. And, when her mother is able to come home, the two women, uneasy strangers, struggle to forge a new bond.

While reading the first two novels in this series would be helpful, to watch Hallie’s growth over time, it’s not strictly necessary. The author does a nice job of providing the essential bits of background. Every woman knows that the relationship with her mother changes profoundly in the years between the teens and the ‘adult’ twenties. This change is charted here in a very realistic way. Hallie is neither a sainted martyr to her family nor a completely resentful sloth. She is a three-dimensional individual, moving from moment to moment and emotion to emotion. Her customary wit is still present, even when things are not looking good. This is an excellent portrait of one family’s journey through a time of crisis; and of coming out on the other side.

Rating: 8 1/2
November 2006
ISBN# 0-345-47956-4 (trade paperback)

Heart's Desire - Laura Pedersen

Heart’s Desire
Laura Pedersen
Ballantine Books

Fiction

Hallie Palmer returns in this second novel, and she’s just finished her first year of college. She’s back in her Ohio hometown with two all-consuming goals. Use her prodigious gambling skills to win next year’s tuition, and lose her virginity. While, in other circumstances, these goals might seem a bit distasteful in a teenaged girl, Hallie is smart enough to do a lot of thinking about the question of sex versus love.

She moves back in with the Stocktons, only to find that, while Rocky the chimp is still in residence, a lot has changed since she’s been at school. Family matriarch, Olivia, has a new obsession and a live-in lover. Hallie’s legal guardian, Bernard, is devastated over his breakup with partner Gil. Back at her parents’ home, her mother wants Hallie’s help dealing with her younger sister, who is getting into the party lifestyle. With only a summer to resolve all of this, Hallie is going to need all the smarts and drive she can muster.

As a follow-up to BEGINNER’S LUCK, I’m not sure how well this would fare as a stand-alone, since much of the character development takes place in that first novel, but the author does give essential background information for new readers. Remember that fine line I talked about in the last review? Sadly, in this installment, some characters stomp over that line into too-zany-ville a few too many times. For me, that makes this book just a bit less-good than the first. On the very positive side, it’s great to see Hallie begin to mature; and her love for both families is evident. The included discussion guide makes this a natural for reading groups.

Rating: 7
July 2005
ISBN# 0-345-57955-6 (trade paperback)

Beginner's Luck - Laura Pedersen

Beginner’s Luck
Laura Pedersen
Ballantine Books

Fiction

At the ripe old age of 16, Hallie Palmer is an overachiever. Unfortunately for Hallie and her family and their relationship, her area of overachieving happens to be gambling. Eventually, even the last bright spot in the dismal world of high school blinks out when she’s kicked off the soccer team. At that point, at the end of her very young rope, Hallie decides to simply quit school. This doesn’t go over too well at home, and after losing all of her cash at the racetrack, Hallie leaves.

She manages to land in the summerhouse of the Stockton family, and supports herself by doing yard work for them. Of course, she also makes time to visit the track and crash local poker games held in church basements. But it’s really the amazingly eccentric Stockton family that captivates her. Matriarch Olivia tirelessly works for multiple causes. Her adult son, Bernie, owns an antiques store and cooks insanely grandiose themed gourmet meals, while his partner, Mr. Gil, seems to think he’s got the more normal hobby. Over the course of a year with the Stocktons, Hallie grows up quite a bit, and learns to redefine the important things in life.

While this novel is very well written, it may not appeal to all people at all times. There’s a fine line between eccentric characters and egregiously zany characters. The Stockton clan as a whole barely manages to stay on the right side of that line. What makes it possible is the shadings of character with which the author imbues them. Olivia, for instance, could be a fluttery, cause-mad goofball; but the author gives her a history and a personality that grounds her and makes her likeable. Hallie returns in at least two more volumes, and I find that I’m looking forward to watching her progress.

Rating: 7 ½
January 2003
ISBN# 0-345-45830-3 (trade paperback)

Sweet and Deadly - Charlaine Harris

Sweet and Deadly
Charlaine Harris
Berkley Prime Crime

Mystery

Six months ago, Catherine Linton quit her first post-college job and moved back to her tiny hometown of Lowfield, Mississippi when her parents died in a car accident. Since then, she’s been working at the local, weekly paper, and mostly just marking time. One morning, she goes shooting on a piece of her property near an abandoned tenant’s house. Inside the house, she sees the body of a woman. To her shock, the sheriff identifies the woman as Leona Gaites, the nurse in Catherine’s father’s medical practice until the day he died.

She’s quickly eliminated as a suspect, but after the initial shock passes, Catherine realizes that, for the past six months, she’s been waiting for something. And the thing she’s been waiting for is the killer of her parents to raise his head again. The crash that killed her parents was caused by tampering, but no one was ever identified. Now a second person close to her is dead, and Catherine is determined to find out the truth about the death of her parents.

This is a reprint of the author’s first novel, originally published in 1985. It’s very assured for a first novel, and fans of the Sookie Stackhouse or Shakespeare series will recognize common elements such as the small southern town setting. The author excels at setting the stage, expertly portraying the everyday rhythms of small town life; places where everyone has known everyone for generations. The pacing is good, and the final outcome is never obvious. SWEET AND DEADLY is a great choice, not just for fans of Charlaine Harris, but also for anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

Rating: 7 ½
March 2007 (reprint)
ISBN# 978-0-425-21462-6 (paperback)

Deadly Advice - Roberta Isleib

Deadly Advice
An Advice Column Mystery
Roberta Isleib
Berkley Prime Crime

Mystery

Rebecca Butterman is a clinical psychologist. She works as adjunct faculty at Yale, and also writes an online advice column. The advice column, currently being revamped and made “edgy” by a new editor, may not be glamorous, but it pays well. And the editor has just come up with a great idea. Rebecca, who writes under the name of “Dr. Aster,” will write a series of articles about the singles scene. Rebecca, recently divorced, is not too keen on this idea. Her first assignment is to attend a speed-dating event.

Adding to her unease is the fact that Madeline, her next-door neighbor in the condo complex, apparently committed suicide and wasn’t found for nearly two days. It’s unnerving that something like that could happen so close; and it’s doubly difficult for Rebecca, who feels guilty that she didn’t pick up on any warning signs. Madeline’s mother, distraught over her daughter’s death, begs Rebecca to look into it from a psychological standpoint. It quickly comes to light that one of the last places Madeline was seen was at a speed-dating event. Against her better judgment, Rebecca soon finds herself embroiled in an investigation that will take her places she never wanted to go.

The first in a very promising new series, this mystery introduces a very realistic and likeable main character. Rebecca is a practicing psychologist, and the author takes care to point out the highs and the lows of that profession. It makes sense that she would feel some guilt about not picking up on signs, and would feel compelled to help a grieving mother. There are several supporting characters, including friends and various residents of the condo complex. All of these are presented as three-dimensional individuals. There are plenty of suspects and a lot of secrets in Madeline’s life, making the outcome uncertain until the stunning final scenes. Some aspects of this novel may be a bit much for some cozy readers, but I found it fascinating, and I’m looking forward to more in this series.

Rating: 8
March 2007
ISBN# 0-425-21474-5 (paperback)

Fit To Be Tied - Karen Kendall

Fit To Be Tied
Karen Kendall
Signet

Chick Lit

Getting engaged should be a happy occasion. When Jen Canby found a ring in her champagne glass, she and her new fiancé, Tom Brookhaven, decided to share the happy news with her parents. They arrived at the house to find Jen’s mother drunk and dancing in the pouring rain; and her disgruntled father out at a bowling alley. Instead of happy hugs, Jen gets the news that her parents are divorcing after thirty years together. You’d think that might serve as an omen, and it does make Jen think about how uncertain life can be, but she goes on to plan a huge, white wedding.

On her wedding day, her teeth are stained blue, she breaks a hand mirror, she loses a shoe, and that’s just for starters. A revelation about her new husband at the reception shakes Jen to her core. Her trust in him demolished, she asks her husband of one day for a divorce. On their honeymoon. There’s family to tell, piles of gifts to return, thank-you notes to write. And, through it all, the sad knowledge that Jen and Tom still love each other. So which is the bigger mistake: getting married or getting divorced?

The conflict here hinges on a real betrayal of trust, a serious issue that could potentially torpedo any relationship, not on a silly misunderstanding. Both Jen and Tom react logically, according to their backgrounds and characters. Both characters have to get a handle on where they’re coming from before they can clearly see where they’re going. Their scenes, good and bad, resonate with a real emotional honesty. The supporting characters, including the dysfunctional family and the kind of best friend everyone wants, are all written in very believable ways. A good dose of wry and subtle humor works perfectly to balance out the darker scenes. This was my first book by this author, but it certainly won’t be my last.

Rating: 8
March 2007
ISBN# 978-0-45122-2078-3 (paperback)