The Examiner A Novel by Janice Hallett

Hallett writes mysteries in a way that no one else does. She has tight stories that leave clues the whole way through but you never can quite tell where she’s heading until you get there.
Like most of her stories, this is told in two parts; one told in “present” time while the other is told as the bulk of the story unfolds. In this case, we have six students and a teacher who are embarking on a Multimedia Arts course teaching creative-types who to work in the “real world.” It is a prospective course and being added to the calendar full time means that Angela “Gela” will get to keep her job.
We watch the six students work their way through the nearly ten months of the course as they work through personality clashes and their assignments. But some of the students aren’t there just to take the class and at least one of them won’t be alive at the final presentation.
The last section dragged on a bit (the last day was maybe 1/4 -1/3 of the book) and the end was a bit over the top but always a fun read from Hallett.

Four stars

This came out September 10, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

This Will Be Fun by E. B. Asher

stars

This book comes out September 10, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyage, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Strip Tease by Carl Hiaasen

This book is Hiaasen at his finest. We have the story of a stripper with a heart of gold. She was formerly a secretary for the FBI but her no-good husband is a felon so she got fired. To add insult to injury, he turned state’s witness so his record’s been expunged. The judge in their custody case only sees that Erin has a “bad job” so she is definitely an unfit mother. Meanwhile, her ex is still stealing wheel chairs and now he’s using their kid to do it.
While she’s dancing one night, a bachelor party gets a little rowdy and a stranger attacks the groom with a bottle hard enough to put him in the hospital. This sets off a chain of events that leads to a number of deaths and Erin being put in danger. Also included? A senator, a sugar plantation, and a kinkajou.
We do get to see Al Garcia from the Skink series as well. He’s trying to take some time off with his new wife Donna and her two kids when the son finds one fo the formerly mentioned dead people.
A wild ride this story is told cleanly with a few extra details that really make the story come alive.

Four stars

This book came out September 1, 1993

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

A Recipe for Murder by GS Revel Burroughs

A famous mystery writer/food show host that no one seems to like. An annual mystery weekend when he brings together other famous mystery authors for food and fun. A mysterious murder but a retired detective who was on site may turn the tide.

Max Wilde is almost as well known for his debauchery off screen as his food eating on. He's seduced any number of women and left them in his wake. He's screwed any number of business partners as well. Gemma thinks that, as the ghostwriter of his mysteries and being someone who works on his show as well, she is fairly untouchable. She may find out differently this weekend. His brother will be peeved to find that Max has sold his 51% of the family hotel. Four mystery writers (invited guests) have their own issues since Max has cost one a lucrative television series and seduced another's daughter. A third he has failed to seduce and the fourth unseated Max on the bestseller list; something Max is unwilling to forgive. Then, there is the police detective who just happened to be invited because Max recognized his name. 

I really enjoyed most of this book. The ending was a disappointment, mostly because it came out of nowhere. We got half the story but didn't learn the rest until the murderer was revealed. Also, I was expecting sort of a cozy mystery and this was rather raunchy. I don't mind when I'm expecting it but this was a pretty big surprise. 

Three star

This book comes out September 5, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Mr E Entertainment and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me by Whoopi Goldberg

Goldberg weaves stories of her history meandering through the long past and the near past. Many stories include her mother and brother but not all of them. There are some stories that gloss over some deep issues and some that dig a little deeper. 

It is certainly interesting to hear how Goldberg ended up in Hollywood and how she got her name. There were parts where my mind wandered a bit but overall an enjoyable listen.

Four stars

This book came out May 7, 2024

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Remain Calm! by Lincoln Peirce

Another knock out of the park for Peirce. I don’t know how there are so many new storylines for Nate even when the overall themes are familiar. We get that most wonderful time of the year, back to school, as well as Halloween, School Picture Guy, and detention. But we also get Nate writing a graphic novel for math, him joining the school newspaper to write and advice column, and getting tripped up by a bad horoscope. And someone very surprising makes an apology.

Four and a half stars

This book came out September 3, 2024

Big Nate #31

Follows This Means War!

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Christmas Murder by Mary Grand

For winter mysteries, nothing says "locked room" quite like a blizzard. And that is what happens here as well, in a fancy manor on an island. The third book in a series, I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not having read the first two. 

Susan doesn't have her daughter this Christmas and is anticipating something very quiet. But then her friend (NOT her boyfriend) asks if she can com e help while a super rich man brings his family (his wife, his two kids, their significant others, and his business partner) back to the island to celebrate in a place where they spent so many pleasant summers. Well, at least until his first wife died.

There is some good character development in this book but I didn't love the end. And our protagonist is put into too much danger for my liking. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out September 5, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Boldwood Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Lost Art of Connecting by Susan McPherson, Jackie Ashton

People today are doinga connections all wrong according to McPherson. This book was written in the midst of COVID and, of course, people were isolated. But it started before that (and, according to many has worsened since.)

McPherson talks about having the right kind of connections, getting into them for the right reasons, and having the right depths. She talks about ways to build connections and how to do so purposefully.

Four stars

This book came out March 23, 2021

Audible book of mine
Opinions are my own

Randomistas by Andrew Leigh

Leigh REALLY likes randomized testing. In this book, he explores how it has changed politics, philanthropy, and even grocery stores. 

The book is a bit dense and took me a long time to get through. The premise was interesting for a few chapters at a time and the stories were interesting but it got a bit repetitive. And Leigh seemed a little skeptical of any other kind of testing. I mean, random testing is great, maybe the best of all testing, but other methods are equally valid. 

Three stars

This book came out October 9, 2018

Audible book

Opinions are my own