HELLO, SUMMER by MARY Kay Andrews

HELLO, SUMMER by Mary Kay Andrews This is a bit of a change for Andrews. She usually writes slightly humorous romances with a bit od a mystery. This one is a mystery and family drama with a bit of humor and romance. It is also slightly longer than her usual 300 page length. That said. I really enjoyed this mystery. The characters were “real”, the conversations seemed “normal”, the situations were believable. The political/journalistic themes resonated well. I liked that the characters seemed to grow and change as events unfolded. Altogether a good book with some adult themes – divorce, job loss, old flames and enemies, political intrigue, family businesses and dynasties, corrupt cops, and more. A good discussion starter for book clubs. 5 of 5 stars

KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE by DEANNA RAYBOURN

KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE by Deanna Raybourn This is a fun romp through assassinations – although these are assassins with scruples – they only kill those who deserve to die to make the world a better place. That is-- until someone puts a hit on them! Four women assassins who have spent their whole lives working for “the good of humanity” have reached retirement age only to discover they themselves have been targeted. Will they become victims or will their “advanced age and unique skills” actually work to their advantage? This mystery is almost a cozy with a bit of humor thrown in. The flashbacks are interesting and give a portrait of each woman. The situations are believable – sort of. Although a bit long (nearly 350 pages) it held my interest. The plot is detailed and intricate. Thoroughly enjoyable. 5 of 5 stars

ALL THE QUEEN'S MEN by SJ Bennett

ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN by SJ Bennett The Queen is a detective! Murder has come to Buckingham Palace and since the Constables don’t seem to be making any headway in finding the murderer, Elizabeth engages the assistance of her Assistant Rosie and investigates herself. Another amusing mystery in this series. The mystery is indeed mysterious. The bad guys don’t appear to be the bad guys and the good guys are all suspects according to the police. Rosie is more fully developed as a character. The author knows their way around Buckingham Palace and the “way things work” in royal traditions. Altogether this is a delightful romp. 4 of 5 stars

THE RITUAL BATH by Faye Kellerman

THE RITUAL BATH by Faye Kellerman I learned a lot about Orthodox Judaism from this exciting murder mystery. When a rape takes place outside a Mikvah in an isolated Orthodox community, Rina, who takes care of the Mikvah, meets Detective Peter Decker. An unlikely friendship begins and intensifies with a murder. Good characterizations, interesting setting, and an intriguing plot that moves at just the right pace make this a great mystery. It is the first book in a series but can be read as a stand-alone. 4.5 of 5 stars

MURDER AT THE MENA HOUSE by Erica Ruth Neubaurer

Jane’s background slowly unfolds as the bodies multiply in this cozy mystery that takes place in 1926 in Egypt. Jane and her eccentric aunt are on vacation, or so Jane thinks, at a luxury hotel near the Great Pyramids. When her aunt deserts her for the company of two younger women, Jane is left to discover a dead body and an enigmatic gentleman who may, or may not, be entirely innocent as the secrets multiply along with the bodies and red herrings. You will learn a bit about social life in Egypt after WWI and riding a camel in this entertaining, but hardly taxing, mystery, Two more Jane Wanderly mysteries have been published. Each can be read as a stand alone. Worthy of an afternoon read with tea -- or a neat whiskey. 4 of 5 stars

BAND OF SISTERS by Lauren Willig

BAND OF SISTERS by Lauren Willig Powerfully written and exhaustively researched, this lightly fictionalized account of the Smith College Relief Unit that assisted French villages decimated by Germany during WWI is an exciting tale of daring do. The Smith Unit, made up of recent graduates of Smith College, were young women mostly brought up to be wealthy, pampered society darlings. They were inspired by a visionary speech and formed a unit that soon found them living in filthy, bombed out buildings and working in dangerous, frontline areas of France. Willig used the Smith College archives to find the families (and occasionally the women themselves) of the Unit. She had access to letters and diaries written by the women as they toiled in France. The book uses these intimate writings to flesh out the women and tell of their deeds as the women lived them. The women and villagers come alive on the page. A wonderful book well worth your time. 5 of 5 stars

LITTLE BITTY LIES by Mary Kay Andrews

LITTLE BITTY LIES by Mary Kay Andrews Mary Bliss McGowan is happily married until her husband – and all their money – leave her. Keeping up appearances in her Atlanta suburb, she tells everyone he is on a business trip – until he turns up dead – maybe. This madcap adventure into deadly divorce finds Mary Bliss with two romantic pursuers, a teen aged daughter who has discovered sex, and a variety of part time jobs. Things go along smoothly (?) until she finds herself suspected of murder by one of her amorous companions. Deftly written, with well developed characters, lots of laughs and a complex plot, Little Bitty Lies is a good way to spend some time with other people’s problems while you relax in the sunshine. 5 of 5 stars