Killing Trail by Margaret Mizushima

In Killing Trail, a young girl is found dead near Timber Creek, Colorado. Officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo, are assigned to the case. The more she investigates the more secrets she uncovers in this small Colorado town.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even though it's a police procedural, it starts out feeling like a cozy mystery. As the book continues, though, it gets a bit more gritty, but stays pretty tame as far as mysteries and thrillers go. There are plenty of red herrings and twists that kept me guessing until the end.

I especially loved reading about the local veterinarian's work as well as the relationship between Officer Mattie Cobb and Robo. I found all the information about the team fascinating. There was information about their training, the commands they used, and the procedures they followed. I liked that the team was just out of training and new on the force. That way the author could introduce some additional tension as to whether or not the team could do its job. Also, she could explain their team dynamics without sounding like a lecture or training manual. Very cool stuff.

Highly recommended. I think most mystery lovers would enjoy it, but I especially think that cozy lovers, who aren't into gore and are looking for something a little more serious and beefier would probably enjoy this one, too. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author, please visit Margaret Mizushima's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Killing Trail by Margaret Mizushima, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC), ©2015. ISBN 9781629533810(Hardcover), 311p.

Once Shadows Fall by Robert Daniels

In Once Shadows Fall, Detective Beth Sturgis is heading up her first major manhunt for a potential serial killer. Seeing similarities between this new killing and ones from years ago, Sturgis enlists the help of the retired FBI agent, Jack Kale, who headed up those long ago cases. Kale, now a university professor, is at first reluctant to get involved. Demons from the past still haunt him, but he is soon helping Sturgis on the new case.

I really enjoyed this police procedural, a debut novel from Daniels. There's tons of action, lots of entertaining twists, and some pretty good characters. Once I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down. It turned out to be quite the page turner. Some of the details are a little gruesome, so this one's definitely not for the faint of heart.

I liked both Sturgis and Kale. I think they make a pretty good team. I hope we learn more about them in subsequent books.

One thing that struck me as odd was the lack of urgency towards the end of the book. I don't want to give too much away but I would have thought that with a missing person you'd think there'd be a mad scramble to find them. No holds barred. I just didn't feel that build up in intensity. That's not to say it wasn't a good ending. It just wasn't as intense as it could have been.

This book and its main character, Kale, a retired FBI agent, reminded me a little of John Verdon's books and his character, Dave Gurney. This one isn't quite as good, but it's still a wonderful read.

Recommended. I'd definitely read another work by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author and his next books, please visit Robert Daniels's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Once Shadows Fall by Robert Daniels, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC), ©2013. ISBN 9781629533834(Hardcover), 343p.

Nine Lives: A Lily Dale Mystery by Wendy Corsi Staub

In Nine Lives, Bella Jordan and her son seek refuge in Lily Dale, New York after a storm delays their drive to Chicago. Bella's husband has just died and she needs a change of scenery. As it turns out, Lily Dale isn't just an ordinary small town. It's filled with psychics and mediums. Soon after she arrives, Bella is asked to help out at the local hotel, who's hostess has just died. Murdered, in fact. Even though she's new in town, Bella is determined to find the killer.

This is definitely a cute cozy mystery. The mystery was fun to follow and all of the characters were likeable. A few things felt a little contrived, but all and all I enjoyed it.

I'm not a huge believer in psychics and that sort of thing, but I found that I liked reading about this community and its inhabitants Some weird things definitely happen, but it's only not clear whether or not these happenings are supernatural. Perhaps the author is leaving that up to the reader to decide or maybe answers will be forthcoming in the next installment of the series.

Chance the Cat and her movements were among those unexplained things. She certainly had a knack for getting around. She turned up in the oddest places without a seemingly rational explanation. Max, Bella's son, knowledge about certain events was also left open-ended.

There was lots of talk about psychic readings, but I don't seem to remember one actually taking place within the storyline. Or maybe I just missed it. Anyway, that might have been fun to read about.

Recommended for cozy lovers. I think those who believe in mediums and psychics will enjoy it more than those who don't. Also, if you like cats, that would help, too. I enjoyed reading the book, but I don't know if I liked it enough to seek out the next book in the series. We'll see, I guess.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Wendy Corsi Staub's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Nine Lives: A Lily Dale Mystery by Wendy Corsi Staub, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC), ©2015. ISBN 9781629532486(Advance Reader's Edition), 279p.

The Stages by Thom Satterlee

In The Stages, Daniel is an American translator living in Copenhagen and is known as one of the best translators of Danish philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard. When his ex-girlfriend dies and a invaluable manuscript goes missing, Daniel, who has Asperger's syndrome, must break out of his comfort zone to search for the truth.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The blurb at the back of the book mentions that it's reminiscent of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. While I enjoyed that book, I think enjoyed this one more.

The Cast of Characters provided at the beginning of the book lists the characters as well as how to properly pronounce the names. Because of this, I learned a lot about Danish name pronunciations. For example, Søren Kierkegaard is SIR-in KEER-ka-gore. Apparently, the Danes use lots of silent letters and pronounce some letters differently than the English do. As I was reading, I really tried to use the given pronunciations, even though it slowed down my reading.

Two aspects of the book were particularly interesting to me. First, I'd heard of Kierkegaard, but didn't know anything about him. Since it's one of his manuscripts that is missing, the author included a little information about him and his life. Intriguing stuff. Even though this book is a work of fiction, I assume that the information given is factual. Second, Daniel's Asperger's Syndrome, which is on the autism spectrum, is fascinating. I especially loved learning about how he dealt with his job and his personal life.

I think this is the first book I've read in Copenhagen. I don't know anything about the city or the Danes themselves. The details in the book about Danish life were all pretty interesting.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely love to read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author, please visit Thom Satterlee's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

The Stages by Thom Satterlee, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC), ©2013. ISBN 9781629534190(Advance Uncorrected Proofs), 209p.

Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron

In Plantation Shudders, Maggie Crozat returns to her family's plantation in Louisiana after breaking up with her boyfriend in New York. The plantation, now a bed and breakfast, is full of guests. When two guests, an elderly couple, die within minutes of each other, everyone at the B&B comes under suspicion. Maggie must work with the town's new detective, Bo Durand, to find the killer and clear her name, while keeping the business going. As she investigates, she uncovers some interesting and mysterious information about her guests.

I really enjoyed this debut cozy mystery. The story is filled with lots of humour, a little romance, a little spookiness, and a whole lot of fun. I wasn't able to guess the culprit ahead of time, but that didn't really bother me. I certainly enjoyed all of the red herrings that kept me guessing until the reveal.

I really liked Maggie. She wasn't as flighty as some of the other cozy mystery characters I've read about. That was a bonus, for sure. When I found out that she was an artist, I was hoping that her art would figure into the story a little more. Perhaps the author could consider that for a future book in the series.

The other characters had a variety of personalities. Some were easy to like; others, not so much. Each of their backgrounds and possible motives were varied enough to make for an interesting read. I especially loved Maggie's grandmother. She was awesome!

I haven't been to Louisiana, but from what I've read and seen on TV, Byron represents the sights and sounds of Louisiana quite well. I'm sure those familiar with the area will get a kick out of reading about the area.

The book also contains a few recipes that might be fun to try. The one for Crawfish Crozat looks amazing, but there's no way I'm going to find crawfish (or a few of the other ingredients) here on the Canadian Prairies. Maybe one day I'll be able to find some suitable substitutes.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author and am really looking forward to the next book in the series.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author, please visit Ellen Byron's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron, Crooked Lane Books, ©2015. ISBN 9781629532509(Hardcover), 282p.

Kneading to Die by Liz Mugavero

In Kneading to Die, Stan, short for Kristan, is making a new start in a small Connecticut town after losing her high-stress PR job. Her new focus is creating and baking organic treats for pets. Her homeopathic/organic approach doesn't sit well with everyone, though, and when the resident veterinarian, who uses conventional medicine turns up dead, Stan becomes a suspect. Being new in town can be either a blessing or a burden as Stan is about to find out.

This was a fun book! The mystery was a little confusing, but overall it was a good story. Stan was a great main character. I especially loved how she talked to the dogs and cats in the story as though they were people. (That's what I do, too.) I liked reading about the animals, too, especially Nutty, Scuffy and Duncan.

Having said that, there were a number of things that I didn't like or quite get. I found the story a bit muddled, especially near the end. Also, Stan's theme song references were lost on me. A few of them were familiar to me, but many weren't. I don't think they added much to the story.

I thought Stan's relationship with Richard was a bit cool and was so absent from her life that I forgot who he was a number of times. It didn't seem like they had much of a relationship and didn't seem like a good fit. It was all a bit weird.

Another thing that troubled me was Stan's total reliance on homeopathy and organic measures to treat her animals. I don't want to expand too much on that, other than I think it can coexist alongside conventional medicine; not totally replace it. Therefore, alienating the local vet soon after she moved there probably wasn't Stan's best option. Granted the vet was antagonistic, but one day Stan might have needed her services or advice.

While this advanced copy doesn't include any recipes, apparently the finished published one does. Those might be fun to try out for those who have pets.

Recommended for cozy mystery and pet lovers. While I mostly enjoyed the book, I don't think liked it enough to read any other books in the series. It does appear to be quite popular with other readers, though. As I'm writing this, there are three other books in the series.

For more information about this book, please visit the Kensington Books website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Liz Mugavero's website.

Thanks to those nice people from Kensington Books for this review copy.

Kneading to Die by Liz Mugavero, Kensington Books, ©2013. ISBN 9780758284785(Mass Market), 331p.

Red Line by Brian Thiem

In Red Line, Matt Sinclair has just landed his first case since coming off desk duty. A teenager is found on a bus bench. That's just the beginning, though, as other bodies turn up. With no apparent links among the victims, Sinclair has to wrap this one up quickly before this new chapter of his career comes to a crashing end.

When the book first came in the mail, I decided to read a couple of pages, just to see what it was like. I found the story so compelling that I immediately dropped the other two books I was reading just to see how this one was going to pan out. I wasn't disappointed. I absolutely loved this methodical police procedural with a great main protagonist.

Brian Thiem, the author, has extensive experience in both law enforcement and military duty. Since I'm not a huge fan of war related stories, I'm glad he focused on his knowledge of police work to bring us this terrific mystery.

There are many things I like about this book. First of all, the book got (and held) my attention from page one without gratuitous violence, sex or excessive swearing. Thiem proves that a good story and a great main protagonist go a long way in making a successful book. Next, Thiem not only explained many of the abbreviations/acronyms used in police work, he did it in a natural way. Not all authors do that. Also, cop lingo and insider slang was kept to a minimum. Both of these last items made me feel included rather than feeling like an outsider looking in. Besides that, the writing is pretty good and the characters are very believable.

I loved Matt Sinclair as a main character. His far from perfect life had me on the edge of my seat hoping he'd succeed in putting his troubles behind him. Everything that happened, though, left me with lots of doubt as to whether or not he had the capacity to do it. Lots of tension for sure! I especially loved his struggle with addiction and his relationship with his sponsor/friend. I also really liked how events from his past were scattered throughout the book. Because they were revealed slowly, they added another mysterious quality to the story.

The book also contains lots of information about Oakland, California. I haven't been there myself, but I'm sure those familiar with the area will get a kick out of reading about it.

Highly recommended. I'm anxiously waiting to read more works by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Crooked Lane Books website.

For more information about the author, please visit Brian Thiem's website.

Thanks to Sarah from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Red Line by Brian Thiem, Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company), ©2015. ISBN 9781629531946 (Hardcover), 360p.

The Work Boyfriend by Deanna McFadden

In The Work Boyfriend, things seem to be going in the right direction for Kelly. She has a great job and a steady long term boyfriend. To everyone else, her life is nearly perfect. So, why can't she stop thinking about Garrett, her friend at work. During the chaotic holiday season, she wonders if she's made the right decisions and "finds herself questioning what she really wants from her life . . . and who she wants in it."

I really enjoyed this book. From the cover and title, I expected a much more "chick-lit" type of story. Not that that's a bad thing. I'm just glad it delved deeper into Kelly's inner-most feelings and dealt with her family issues.

I loved that the book had some Canadian references that were familiar to me. Even though I myself am not familiar with Toronto, I'm sure many readers will be and will get a kick out of reading a story set in their "backyard".

The book had an overall sadness to it with Kelly wondering about her life, the decisions she made, and what's going to happen in her future. I don't know exactly why but these types of books really appeal to me. Even though I present a somewhat "Pollyanna" or upbeat view to others, on the inside I lean towards pessimism and sadness. It's something I know and these types of stories make me feel at home.

I really liked Kelly as the main character. I think a lot of people (me included) wonder if the decisions they'd made are the right ones. They wonder if "the one" is really "the right one". Maybe it happens at the beginning of a relationship or maybe the middle or perhaps nearer the end. Maybe there's someone else involved (as in Kelly's case) or not. Maybe it's a case of cold feet, relationship ennui, or something else entirely. Regardless of the circumstance, I think a lot of people can relate to this. All of this makes the story current and relevant.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Amazon.ca.

I'd like to thank the author for this review copy.

The Work Boyfriend by Deanna McFadden, Farringdon Road Books, ©2014. ISBN 9780993991509(eBook),193p.

Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova

Inside the O'Briens takes a look at the O'Briens, one family afflicted by Huntington's disease.

I adored this book. As with Genova's other books it was very well written. She explains the medical details in layman's terms and doesn't get bogged down with technical jargon. She not only gives the reader insight in the disease (or condition), but also gives it a face and name to which the reader can relate.

I've heard of Huntington's, but didn't really know much about it. As it turns out, I didn't know anything, really. I think I had confused some of the symptoms with Parkinson's. For instance, I didn't know HD was inherited and that each child of an affected parent has 50% chance of getting it. I also didn't know that couples wanting to have children have options or that getting tested for the gene involves some counselling. All of these details were interesting. The littler glimmers of hope only did a little to break up the heartbreaking details of this devastating disease, which "has been called the cruelest disease known to man" (page 1).

I especially loved the scene at Fenway park where Joe attended (page 328) a baseball game with his family. He compares the number of people in the park with those diagnosed with HD as well as other diseases/disorders/conditions. It was an eye-opener. I doubt I'll ever look at a crowd of people the same way again.

Genova's presentation in this book was unexpected. While it's Joe O'Brien, the family patriarch, who's been diagnosed with the disease, he isn't the main focus of the book. The other family members, one in particular, are given consideration. I don't want to give too much of the story away, so I'll leave it at that. I will say, though, that I loved this approach and particularly loved how it ended.

I've read three other books by Genova: Left Neglected, about a serious brain injury called left neglect; Love Anthony, about autism; and Still Alice, about Alzheimer's. I adored them all.

Highly recommended. I hope Genova writes many more books.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Lisa Genova's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova, Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) ©2015. ISBN 9781501102554(Advance Reader's Edition), 335p.

Plain Killing by Emma Miller

In Plain Killing, Rachel Mast and her cousin Mary Aaron discover the body of Beth Glick, an Amish girl, floating in the quarry. Beth had left the Amish to join the English world, so it's not clear why she's back or why she's in Amish clothing. As it turns out, Beth isn't the only Amish girl they are concerned about. A few other girls have left and have never been heard from again. Beth's family along with the rest of the Amish community aren't keen on talking to the police. So it's up to Rachel, who used to belong to the group, along with Mary Aaron to help the police get information from the community to solve the case.

I really enjoyed this book, the second in the series. I don't really know much about the Amish or the Plain lifestyle, so I was particularly fascinated by the details about Old Order Amish life. I can't say if it was factual or fictional, but the information was definitely interesting. The cousins' adventure in New Orleans was especially exciting. It didn't seem like a probably scenario, but it sure was fun to read about.

It was fun to read about Rachel's interactions with the Amish. She's no longer belongs to the community, but because she left before being baptised and hasn't been shunned, the Amish people (with the exception of her mother) still confide in her and give her vital information, which she passes onto the police to help with the investigation.

Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone book. I have the first one in the series, Plain Murder, on my to-be-read shelf, but I haven't read it yet. I probably should have read them in order, but this second one jumped out at me first.

Highly recommended for cozy lovers.

For more information about this book, please visit the Kensington Books website.

Thanks to those nice people from Kensington Books for this review copy.

Plain Killing by Emma Miller, Kensington Books, ©2015. ISBN 9780758291745(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 282p.

Smithsonian Great Design by DK Publishing - I Love DK!!

It's time once again for the I LOVE DK promotion where readers pick their favorite DK book.  All you have to do is pick one that you love and let DK know with a short review or a sentence or two.

On Valentine's Day they will select one of the reviews and that  reviewer wins a $250 DK shopping spree from DK.  They will also select a participating blogger for the same prize. 

So, if you love DK books as much as I do I encourage you to participate  between January 19 and February 4th.  Just go to Twitter and use the hashtag #ILoveDK letting DK know you favourite DK book.  Not on Twitter?  No problem.  They also have a Facebook page.   I left this a little late, but there's still a few days left to let the world know your favourite book from DK Canada and win a great prize!

Anyway, I posted about lots of great DK books over the past few years. Here's my recent favourite:

Smithsonian: Great Design features over 100 designs from around the world using numerous photographs and informative text. Within the covers, you'll find information about furniture, flatware, vehicles, graphics and much more. There's really something for everyone. In a nutshell, it's " the world's best design explored and explained."

I loved this book!! The thing I loved most about it was that it taught me that every item I see or touch each and every day has been gone through the design process. It can have a designer label or a generic one. It doesn't matter if it's sold at Wal-Mart, a high end "designer" store, or given away for free. Someone somewhere made decisions about its form and function. The book was definitely an eye-opener.

Besides being informative, the book is beautifully laid out with absolutely gorgeous photographs. Many of the designs are iconic, while others are less well known (at least to me) and somewhat surprising. Some of the items are just beautiful; some more functional; many a little of both. I love that the book is presented chronologically (1860 to the present), which allowed me to see the evolution of design. I also enjoyed the information on the designers and design movements.

The book starts with an interesting, but short, introduction explaining what design is and how it works. Each chapter starts with a list of items designed in that time period. I kind of wish there were page numbers on that page so that I could quickly find what I'm interested in, but I guess that's what the table of contents is for.

Within the chapters, each design item is featured on a 2 or 4 page spread. There are lots of photos and information about the item. The Visual Tour section is my favourite part because it focuses on the details of the particular item with annotated and/or labelled photographs. Besides the photographs, there's lots of information about the items including: date, materials used, country of origin, and scale of the piece. There's also a side bar about featuring information about the designer, many times with a photo.

There's so many great items in this book. It was hard, but I managed to pick a few favourites. Here they are:

• Kitchen/dining items: Flatware, especially the spoons (page 30-31), Aga cookers (pages 42-43) Kilta tableware (page 118-119), and Pride cutlery (pages 122-123)
• Vehicles: Volkswagen Beetle Model 1300 (pages 80-03), Vespa (pages 98-101), Austin Seven Mini (pages 168-171), and Cadillac series 62 (pages 172-175)
• Furniture: Egg chair (pages 162-163), Barcelona Chair (pages 58-59), Wiggle Chair (pages 202-203), Vermelta Chair (pages 229-235), Laver sofa (pages 238-239), and Masters Chair (pages 248-249)
• Miscellaneous: Penguin paperback covers (pages 102-103), Dyson DC01 vacuum cleaner (pages 226-227, I have a soft spot for all things Dyson)

The most surprising item in the book was the London Underground map (pages 64-65). What surprised me was that the diagrams were very similar to those used on our bus schedules here. It didn't occur to me that these needed "designing". However, after reading the information about how and why they are designed that way, I was amazed I didn't see it before. I liked the Munich Olympic Games pictograph (pages 204-205) for much the same reason. Both of these were very cool!!!!

Book also features a table of contents and index.

Highly recommended. This gorgeous coffee table book will be looked at repeatedly and already sports a number of bookmarks.

For more information about this book, please visit Amazon.ca, while DK revamps its website.

I'd like to thank Chris at DK Canada for this review copy.

Smithsonian: Great Design by DK Publishing, Dorling Kindersley (DK), ©2013. ISBN 9781465414403(Hardcover), 256p.

Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn

In Things Half in Shadow, the reporter for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, Edward Clark, has been asked to use his knowledge about magic and magicians to expose mediums in the city of Philadelphia just after the American Civil War. He plans to expose Lucy Collins first, but when she learns of a secret in his past and plans to blackmail him, he has no choice but to team up with her. Soon they find themselves at the murder scene of a seemingly legitimate medium, Lenora Grimes Pastor, and work together to find her real killer.

To say I loved this book would be an understatement. I absolutely adored it! The author had me hanging on every word, from the first page to the very last. I found it immediately engaging and quite the page turner throughout. It's so well written and perfectly paced.

I especially love the way the book was written. The book starts out in the first person narrative with Clark looking back on his life, recording the events for his granddaughter. A perfect style for this story.

The historical information and subject matter were both terrific. I like reading historical fiction, but hadn't read any in quite awhile. This one had me feeling like I had been transported to a period in Philadelphia's history. As for the subject matter, even though I don't believe that ghosts exist or that mediums can talk to the dead on the other side, I found the storyline intriguing. Finn didn't change my mind in either of these matters (I don't think he meant to), but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book immensely.

I especially loved Clark as the main protagonist, but all of the characters were sensational. Lucy Collins, the Willoughbys, the Pastors, the Duttons, and everyone else. I love it when authors incorporate real-life people into the story. Here, Finn uses P.T. Barnum, the famous showman as a character interested in using a medium in his travelling show. Fantastic!!

The ending or at least part of it were a complete surprise. While I didn't have any ideas about how it would end, I certainly didn't see those events coming at all. The author hints at another book, possibly a series. I couldn't be more pleased.

Alan Finn is the pseudonym of Todd Ritter. I've read two other books by Ritter, Bad Moon and Death Notice. I adored them both. I'll have to track it down the other book in the Kat Campbell series.

Highly recommended!!! I hope to read many more books by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Alan Finn's or Todd Ritter's website.

Thanks to those nice people at Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn, Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster), ©2015. ISBN 9781476761725(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 434p.