Thursday, January 30, 2020

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

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It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:
  • Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
  • The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring a current read, The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford.

 The Woman on the Orient Express 

Beginning:  Prologue
August 1963
He comes from the river.  Steals into my garden without warning.  I am sitting in the camellia grove above the estuary, waiting for the sunset, watching a pair of oystercatchers at the water's edge, and trying to work out who is going to murder Major Palgrave.  The lapping of the tide lulls me to sleep, so I don't see the boat heading for the mooring.
 * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 1
October 1928--London, England

Can we be haunted by those who are not yet dead?  In the weeks that followed Agatha's divorce from Archie Christie, a ghostly part of him seemed to follow her everywhere.  Sitting in an empty house, she would hear his footsteps on the stairs.  Waking in the night, she would feel the weight of his body in the bed.  Opening the wardrobe, she would breathe in the familiar scent of shaving soap and cigarettes, even though his clothes were long gone.  It was as if her senses had joined the conspiracy to push her over the edge.

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56% of eBook:  "She's got guts, hasn't she?" Nancy said.  "After what happened in Egypt, most people would have turned tail and run home."
********************

My thoughts:   This book was selected by one of my book clubs.  I am enjoying the story so far, particularly because the main character is Agatha Christie, who is taking a trip on the Orient Express under an assumed name.




********************
From Goodreads:  Hoping to make a clean break from a fractured marriage, Agatha Christie boards the Orient Express in disguise. But unlike her famous detective Hercule Poirot, she can’t neatly unravel the mysteries she encounters on this fateful journey.

Agatha isn’t the only passenger on board with secrets. Her cabinmate Katharine Keeling’s first marriage ended in tragedy, propelling her toward a second relationship mired in deceit. Nancy Nelson—newly married but carrying another man’s child—is desperate to conceal the pregnancy and teeters on the brink of utter despair. Each woman hides her past from the others, ferociously guarding her secrets. But as the train bound for the Middle East speeds down the track, the parallel courses of their lives shift to intersect—with lasting repercussions.

Filled with evocative imagery, suspense, and emotional complexity,
The Woman on the Orient Express explores the bonds of sisterhood forged by shared pain and the power of secrets.


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This Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. Sharing this original post on Twitter with appropriate recognition is appreciated.
 

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway: Dead Week by Kelly Brakenhoff

 

Today I'm participating in the Dead Week Blog Tour.  In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review.  And be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle copy of the book.  


About the book . . . 


 

Dead Week (A Cassandra Sato Mystery)

Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Nebraska
Publisher: Emerald Prairie Press (December 7, 2019)
Paperback: 322 pages
ISBN-10: 1733742425
ISBN-13: 978-1733742429
Digital ASIN: B07ZHN2SMS
 


Synopsis . . . Will Dead Week kill Cassandra’s career? 

VP of Student Affairs Cassandra Sato has a desk full of problems and it’s not even Thanksgiving break.

A student’s injury and a deaf advocacy project brings national media attention to underfunded Morton College. 

Cassandra’s new boss talks to her dead husband. Cassandra’s mentor thinks he’s a superhero in a senior citizen’s body. And Cassandra, recently moved from Hawai’i, can’t crack the code of what to wear during November in Nebraska. 

Is there more to the Vietnam-era story of a student’s death? Cassandra’s search for the long-buried truth stirs up the wrath of those who want to keep the past forgotten. 


My review . . . Dead Week on a college campus is normally a time of quite study before final exams.  Yet this particular week is anything but calm for Morton College's Vice President of Student Affairs Cassandra Sato, who finds herself in a whirlwind of activity.  Cassandra is juggling various claims on her time, from consulting on a student advocacy project; to adjusting to the bizarre leadership style of the new interim college president; to responding to the neediness of helicopter parents; to re-entering the dating scene; to coping with her first Nebraska winter. 

As chair of the college's diversity council, Cassandra is determined to create a more inclusive campus environment for students and faculty of all backgrounds and abilities.  Working toward this goal, Cassandra immerses herself in the Deaf Studies Advocacy Project.  While the project is an important endeavor, it causes considerable growing pains to bring the entire college community onboard.  When Rachel Nagel, the outspoken student activist for the project is injured in two separate campus incidents, it seems that someone may be targeting her because of her activism.  Is Rachel the victim of an attacker who opposes improving the campus community?

In Dead Week Cassandra's administrative skills and personal tenacity are again put to the test. Just how far is she willing to go on behalf of the students--not only to advocate on their behalf, but to ensure their safety?  And as the circumstances of a long-ago student death appear to tie into the current situation, will the revelations of deeply buried campus secrets put Cassandra herself in harm's way?

Brakenhoff's second installment in the Cassandra Sato mystery series is a welcome return to the college community she introduced readers to in Death by Dissertation. Cassandra's drive to make her mark in the field of higher education is as strong as ever, despite the campus politics and personalities she must navigate for her professional survival. On the personal side, Cassandra's relationships with her core group of coworkers and friends get more interesting, and romance is a distinct possibility.  As her first semester at Morton draws to a close, I am eagerly anticipating Cassandra's further adventures in academia.  


Giveaway . . . Enter the Dead Week Giveaway of a Kindle copy of the book by clicking on this link.



About the author . . .  


 

Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. Her first novel, Death by Dissertation, kicked off the Cassandra Sato Mystery Series. She also wrote Never Mind, first in a children’s picture book series featuring Duke the Deaf Dog. She serves on the Board of Editors for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf publication, VIEWs. The mother of four young adults and two dogs, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.

Her first mystery, Death by Dissertation, released April 22, 2019.


Author links . . .
Website    Amazon    Twitter    BookBub    GoodReads
Instagram:  @kellybrak


Purchase link . . .      Amazon 


 Blog Tours 


Tour Participants . . .
January 20 The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 20Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 21Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW  
January 21 FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
January 22Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
January 22A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 22The Layaway Dragon – REVIEW
January 23I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
January 23Brooke Blogs– SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
January 23I Read What You Write – REVIEW
January 24Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 24Jane Reads – GUEST POST
January 25 Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
January 25Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
January 26Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
January 26Diane Reviews Books – SPOTLIGHT
January 27 A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW
January 27Laura`s Interests  – SPOTLIGHT
January 28Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
January 28 Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 29Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
January 29My Journey Back – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE  
January 29Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
January 29Reading Authors Network – REVIEW








Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Dead Week from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



 
This Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Sharing this original post on Twitter and/or other book-related blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated.
 

Monday, January 27, 2020

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

                                                      
 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.   

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Dead Week by Kelly Brakenhoff. The excerpt shared is from an eBook version I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Dead Week (A Cassandra Sato Mystery Book 2)

Chapter One 


 If Cassandra Sato had to pinpoint the moment enthusiasm for her dream job faltered, it was when her weather app displayed a morning temperature of thirty-eight degrees with a predicted high of forty-two.  Morton College in mid-November had more in common with the arctic tundra than a tropical paradise.  

No one in her native state of Hawai'i would consider forty-two degrees a high temperature.  Ever. 



What do you think?  Would you continue reading?
Cassandra Sato, Student Affairs Vice President at Nebraska's Morton College, is a highly motivated, talented young woman determined to make her mark in the field of higher education.  Leaving her native Hawai'i and adapting to life in Nebraska proves challenging--both in terms of physical weather and cultural climate--but Cassandra is up to the task, despite the campus politics and personalities she must navigate for her professional survival as she settles into a small college town literally and figuratively miles away from home.  











This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. Sharing this original post on Twitter with appropriate recognition is appreciated.
  

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

16



It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:
  • Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
  • The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring a recent read, Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson.  The excerpts shared are from an advanced reader's edition that I received from the publisher.  The book will be available on March 3, 2020and now's the time to place a hold at your library if you're so inclined.  

Eight Perfect Murders 

Beginning:  Disclaimer: While what you are about to read is largely true, I have re-created some events and conversations from memory.  A few names and identifying characteristics have been changed to protect the innocent.

Chapter 1
The front door opened, and I heard the stamp of the FBI agent's feet on the doormat.  It had just begun to snow, and the air that rushed into the store was heavy and brimming with energy.  The door shut behind the agent.  She must have been just outside when she'd called because it had only been about five minutes since I'd agreed to meet with her.

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Page 56:  "Uh-uh."  She shook her head rapidly, and I thought she might elaborate, but that was the end of the conversation.  I didn't mind that she was a private person.  I was, as well.
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My thoughts:  Peter Swanson established himself as a master mystery/thriller author with his very first novel, The Girl With a Clock for a Heart.  Each of his novels has unique plot developments and twists, making him one of my favorite authors in this genre.  Eight Perfect Murders displays more of Swanson's talentsin this case, drawing on eight classic mysteries that, in addition to paying homage to the genre, presents a well-plotted and compelling read.

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From Goodreads:  A chilling tale of psychological suspense and an homage to the thriller genre tailor-made for fans: the story of a bookseller who finds himself at the center of an FBI investigation because a very clever killer has started using his list of fiction’s most ingenious murders.

Years ago, bookseller and mystery aficionado Malcolm Kershaw compiled a list of the genre’s most unsolvable murders, those that are almost impossible to crack—which he titled “Eight Perfect Murders”—chosen from among the best of the best including Agatha Christie’s A. B. C. Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, Ira Levin’s Death Trap, A. A. Milne's Red House Mystery, Anthony Berkeley Cox's Malice Aforethought, James M. Cain's Double Indemnity, John D. Macdonald's The Drowner, and Donna Tartt's A Secret History.

But no one is more surprised than Mal, now the owner of the Old Devils Bookshop in Boston, when an FBI agent comes knocking on his door one snowy day in February. She’s looking for information about a series of unsolved murders that look eerily similar to the killings on Mal’s old list. And the FBI agent isn’t the only one interested in this bookseller who spends almost every night at home reading. The killer is out there, watching his every move—a diabolical threat who knows way too much about Mal’s personal history, especially the secrets he’s never told anyone, even his recently deceased wife.

To protect himself, Mal begins looking into possible suspects—and sees a killer in everyone around him. But Mal doesn’t count on the investigation leaving a trail of death in its wake. Suddenly, a series of shocking twists leaves more victims dead—and the noose around Mal’s neck grows so tight he might never escape.

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This Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. Sharing this original post on Twitter with appropriate recognition is appreciated.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway: Dead in Dublin by Catie Murphy

 

Today I'm participating in the Dead in Dublin Blog Tour.  In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review.  And be sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a print copy of the book.


About the book . . .

 

Dead in Dublin (The Dublin Driver Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Kensington (December 31, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1496724186
ISBN-13: 978-1496724182
Digital ASIN: B07Q3NPNFB
 


Synopsis . . .  In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty, murder occurs at the feet of sweet Molly Malone . . .

Ferrying tourists around Dublin for the Leprechaun Limo Service makes quite a change after years in the military. Still, Megan Malone is enjoying her life in Ireland. She likes the scenery, the easy pace, the quirky, quick-witted locals. Everything—except having one of her clients drop dead at the statue of fabled fishmonger, Molly Malone.

Most restaurant critics notch up their share of enemies. Elizabeth Darr, however, was a well-loved international star. She and her husband, Simon, had just had dinner when Elizabeth collapsed, and spoiled seafood is the first suspect. The restaurant’s owner, worried her business is doomed, begs Megan to look into it. Between her irate boss and a handsome Garda who’s both amused and annoyed by her persistence, Megan has her hands full even before she’s cajoled into taking care of two adorable Jack Russell puppies (which she is almost definitely not keeping). But if cockles and mussels aren’t to blame, can Megan find the real culprit . . .before another fishy death occurs?


My review . . . Megan Malone has been living in Dublin for the past three years after a career as an Army combat medic.  The native Texan has made a new circle of eclectic friends and thrives on early morning visits to the gym and meeting tourists whom she chauffeurs around town in style.  Megan's routine takes an unexpected turn, however, when one of her current clients dies shortly after having a meal at a new local restaurant.  The deceased client was highly-respected food critic Liz Darr, and the restaurant co-owner/chef is Megan's pal Fionn.

Megan is immediately drawn into investigating the circumstances, hoping to clear Fionn's reputation before her restaurant is ruined.  What really caused Liz's death?  Megan and Fionn are both sure it couldn't have been food poisoning.  The plot thickens when less than 48 hours later, Martin Rafferty, the restaurant's co-owner is found murdered.  Are the two deaths somehow related?

Megan's inquiries and leads take her to various points of interest in Dublin, where she crosses paths with Detective Paul Bourke of the Irish Garda, who is also investigating the deaths.  They form a collaborative relationship that ultimately leads to solving the case after various twists and turns.

Murphy has created a delightful environment and cast of characters in the new Dublin Driver series set in Ireland.  In addition to the fast-moving plot and ample number of suspects and red herrings, the story is filled with entertaining Irish witticisms, local vernacular, and an insider's view of the city.  The author has also planted the seeds for further character development and adventures sure to please cozy mystery fans and armchair travelers alike.

The next book in the series, Death on the Green, will be published in September 2020.


Giveaway . . . Click this link for a chance to win one of three print copies of Dead in Dublin.  (U.S. residents only.)



About the author . . . 


Catie Murphy, who has written numerous award-winning fantasy and sci-fi books under the pseudonym C. E. Murphy, began writing around age six, when she submitted three poems to a school publication. The teacher producing the magazine selected (inevitably) the one she thought was by far the worst, but also told her—a six-year-old kid—to keep writing, which she has. She has also held the usual grab-bag of jobs often seen in an authorial biography, including public library volunteer (at ages 9 and 10; it’s clear she was doomed to a career involving books), archival assistant, cannery worker, and web designer. Writing books is better. She was born and raised in Alaska, and now lives with her family in her ancestral homeland of Ireland.


Author link . . .   Website


Purchase links . . .    AmazonB&NKoboKensington


 Blog Tours 


Tour Participants . . .
January 13I Read What You Write – REVIEW
January 13The Power of Words – REVIEW
January 13FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
January 14The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
January 14Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
January 15I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
January 15Carole’s Book Corner – REVIEW
January 16 StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
January 16Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
January 17 The Avid Reader – REVIEW
January 17MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
January 17Christy’s Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
January 18Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 18 Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 18Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
January 19 A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
January 20The Cozy Pages – REVIEW
January 20Diane Reviews Books – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 21Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
January 21 ebook addicts – REVIEW
January 21 Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
January 22 Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 22 Book Club Librarian – REVIEW  
January 22A Holland Reads – REVIEW







Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Dead in Dublin from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



 
This Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Sharing this original post on Twitter and/or other book-related blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated.  

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

First Book of the Year 2020

Happy New Year!!





2020. . . a new year and new decade . . . is here.


Welcome to my first post of the new year . . . and my participation in First Book of the Year . . . hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  This is one of my favorite memes, and kudos to Sheila for starting--and keeping--this tradition going for seven years.  

As I prepared this post, I took a good look at the tempting titles in my book stacks, anticipating a whole year of new stories and reading enjoyment.

With that in mind, my first book of 2020 is Dead in Dublin by Catie Murphy.


 


What will you be reading as your first book of the year?

I wish you all a happy, healthy new year filled with great books and lots of reading time . . . and now,  I'm off to visit Book Journey to see what other bloggers have selected as their first books of the year.






This First Book of the Year 2020 post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution.