STILL WWATERS by Sara Driscoll

STILL WATERS by Sara Driscoll #FBIK9Mystery Hawk, a scent dog, is the star of this book along with his handler, FBI Human Scent tracker, Meg. Meg and Hawk are at a training limited to only a few teams and the training crew in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota when a murder takes place in the camp. At first Meg is the lead suspect, but when weird things keep happening during the training and in camp, Meg and Hawk go into search mode. The FBI investigator sent to solve the crime was unfortunately clueless and full of himself. The training and handling of the dogs was fascinating. The description of the Boundary Waters was right on target. The characters were well drawn and believable. Unfortunately, when I finished the book - liking the story and looking forward to another by the author - I reflected on the plot and realized it was not realistic. Although great stress was put on the limited number of suspects, the ones who were important to the plot (husband, partner, brothers) should not have been in the picture at all given the original terms of the training. That aside, this was an enjoyable read. The story held my interest. The characters were likeable. A good book for a cold, rainy day, sitting by the fire drinking a cup of coffee. 4 of 5 stars for the genre.

Scatterlings Manenzhe

SCATTERLINGS by Resoketwe Manenzhe I SO wanted to like this book. The premise of the story, a racially blended family caught in the prejudice and cruelty of the Immorality Act in South Africa, is fascinating. Abram, a White, is condemned by the beloved children born to him and his Native (Black) wife, Alisa. What to do? What to do? If he stays, he will have his property confiscated, and his children taken away. If he goes, he leaves behind the work of generations on his estate and he himself and his family will become stateless. His wife makes a terrible choice and that is where the tale begins. Unfortunately, the writing style made me constantly feel as though I had missed a paragraph, or page, or even chapter, of the plot. I was constantly trying to put inferences and comments together to make sense of the story. It was very frustrating to try to follow the story line when I felt I was missing vital information. I quite enjoyed the “tales” of the Native people imbedded in the story. The descriptions of the land and people were delightful, making the reader a part of Africa. All in all, worth my time, but very frustrating. I would not recommend this title to my book group. 3 of 5 stars

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