Through a Glass, Deadly (A Glassblowing Mystery) by Sarah Atwell

Through a Glass, Deadly by Sarah Atwell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book was so cute to read, and it was not like alot of cozy-mysteries. The main character in the book doesn't actually investigate or try to solve the mystery, she just happens to be thrown into times and places that help her to understand what is going on and help her to help the police chief come to the conclusion.

Em is the main character, and she is a glass-blowing artist in Tuscon. She has a habit of taking in strays, which is how she happens to have two dogs, with very short legs in an apartment over her studio! One day, a shy and scared looking gal walks into the shop to watch, Allison, and Em takes her in like a stray. Should be an easy life right, well that very night, Em finds a dead man in her glass-blowing furance. To make matters worse, the dead man turns out to be Allison's way-ward husband!

Twists and turns abound in this book, from the immigration of a young girl to America from Ireland, for what was suppose to be just a summer of work, to a smooth talking Irish gent, who turns out later to be connected to the Irish Mob in Boston first and later Chicago, to a runaway wife, money laundering and glass blowing, oh yeah, and a dirty FBI agent.

Em knows she doesn't know anything about investigation, but she is mad that someone dumped a dead body in her store, in her studio, in her life, and it makes her angry, and as she thinks about what is going on, she literally falls into places and people that end up answering the questions to what is going on.

I was a fun and easy read, and I loved it. It was so nice to have a heroine who knew she couldn't investigate, but just by reasoning and sheer luck, fell into the answers. It was more fun to read in that she wasn't trying to solve the mystery, it was just happening to her.

In the back of the book is a receipe for Irish Soda Bread, which happened to be what I made this morning before I started writing this review, and it was great. I loved it, and I had to compromise because I did not have any buttermilk, so I made it with regular milk, but it was still good!

The cover claims that it is the first in a new series, but I can't imagine how another could follow up on this book, but I look forward to finding out if there is another book and how it's story flows.



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Girl Scout Cookie Time

Once again it is that time of the year, Girl Scout Cookie Time.

This year, the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting, the sale started on January 7th, and since I live in Indiana and the Super Bowl will be held here, there are some extra things going on with the sales. But then again, the Super Bowl is an hour drive north of us, and I have NO plans to take seven 10 year olds up there to set up a cookie booth in the middle of tailgating! I'll leave that to the older Girl Scouts.

The other thing that Cookie Time means is that it pretty much takes over my life.  I spent a couple hours last night entering the Troop information into the Cookie Ordering computer system, then I had to turn around and enter all the girl's information into the Cookie Club computer system. The Cookie Club allows the girls to send emails to family and friends, and they can respond with promises to order cookies. It also send specialized links that those friends and family can share with other people, but it has no identifing information about the Girl Scout, keeping them as safe as possible.

Now I will update the Troop Facebook page with information on the cookies, and work to promote the sale. The reason that we really need to have a good sale is that the proceeds of the cookie sales is the only money that we get to do things. Girl Scouts runs on donations. We get a small amount from each girl's parents as dues, but not enough to go camping or anything, so the proceeds that we get from cookies is what pays for us to go camping. The girls want to go to Holiday World and camp there. That will take some money, so we are working hard to sell enough cookies for that.

I have to admit that for all the work that Cookie Time involves and takes for me, I love Girl Scouts. It is such a great program, and it help girls learn to live and be proud of themselves in this day and age, and I am proud to be part of that, and to be shaping and molding young girls to be leaders and role models of the future.

If you know a Girl Scout, please buy some cookies. The money goes directly to that troop and helps that girl, and it is important!

Best Laid Plans...

So the kids have been on Holiday Break from school since school let out on Friday afternoon, December 16th. Today was the first day back to school.  I was so ready to get my house back, to not hear kids shows on the tv, and to get some work done.

I had so many plans for today. I was going to sweep my living room, and it was going to stay swept till after everyone got home from school, instead of being messed up again in 5 minutes. I was going to get the kitchen back in shape, and write up and post the new house rules we agreed on during break. I was going to turn on Food TV, or watch the Top Chef Masters Marathon on Bravo all day while working. I was going to be an adult, and not have to do anything kid related all day! So much for the best laid plans of mice and men.

All my plans went out the window around 5:30am this morning when I woke to my youngest daughter throwing up on my bed! Yep. Not sure how this happens, but she comes in to tell me she is sick and ends up throwing up on my bed, at least it wasn't on me this morning!  All my kids have done this. They will get up and come climb in my bed, only to say Mommy, and then threw up all over the bed! At least the older two have stopped. Somewhere about this age, they started just going into the bathroom, they finally realized that I would hear them and come running. Hopefully the youngest will realize that soon!

She hasn't run a fever, but she has been throwing up about every hour. Have been trying to get small sips of gatorade in her, but she keep bringing it back up. On the good side, she did fall back asleep for about half an hour.  She says she is feeling better, but it was only about half an hour ago that she last threw up, so we'll see if she continues to feel better when we reach that hour mark.  Thinking she might have a bit of a stomach bug. At first it seemed like just water, maybe she got up and got some water and drank it too fast, but when she repeatedly threw up, changed my mind. Knowing that she is not running a fever makes me feel a little better about it all.

It's one of those things about being a Mom, that you can never really count on the plans you make, something can always pop up and change those plans. But the other thing about being a mom, is that I am here to hold her, soother her head, and get her through this. You know what, I wouldn't change that for anything in the world.

A Mold for Murder by Tim Myers (A Soapmaking Mystery #3)

A Mold For Murder by Tim Myers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was the third in the Soapmaking Series, and starts with Where's the Soap hosting a craft author for a book signing, and soap making celebration and display, but although the author is right behind Ben, when he goes to introduce her, she doesn't come out, much to Ben's dismay, he goes to the back to find her dead on the floor. This is bad for business, so you know that Ben is going to have to dig into the murder, if for no other reason than the sake of family.

Another great crafting mystery by Tim Myers! Now I need to get ahold of his Lighthouse murder series, because I have got to read some more by this author.




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Dead Men Don't Lye by Tim Meyers (A Soapmaking Mystery #1)

Dead Men Don't Lye by Tim Myers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Tim Meyers is turning into one of my favorite authors. I was not sure that a gentlemen could write a good cozy mystery because of the crafting element. I mean, really, how many men have you seen in the crafting section of the store? but, Time Meyers has surprised me over and over. I loved his candle making series, and now I am working my way through his soap making series.

He has a wonder handle on the soap making business, and the craft itself. I love that part of the book. It appeals to the crafer in me and that is the min reason that I love the whole cozy mystery genre in the first place.

The other thing that appeals to me is the whole Perkins family clan. I mean we are talking a large family, in a time when large families are kinda out of fashion, yet there is Ben, the big brother that is expected to just take care of everyone in the family and to right all wrongs and banish all evil. Makes me want to be part of that family, to have a big brother like ben to take care of everything for me.

This book starts with the discover of a soap supplier, who just happened to be dating one of Ben's sister's dead on the back door. Ben's sometime girlfriend Molly, is on the police department, but Ben's over bearing Mom is determined that he meddle into the investigation to clear his sister.

Another wonderful book by Tim Meyers and another wonderful series.



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A Pour Way to Dye by Tim Meyers (A Soapmking Mystery #2)

A Pour Way to Dye by Tim Myers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Tim Meyers has become one of my favorite authors, and to think, I wasn't sure to begin with that I would like a male cozy mystery writer.

I began with his Candlemaking series, and was amazed at how well written and how well he understood the candle making craft when writting that series.

Now I have moved on to his soap making series, and the Perkins family clan. I am again amazed at how well he understands the craft of soap making, and then there is the family clan, that I can just imagine being a part of in each book.

This series is also well written and just so easy to get into, to want to read and to be part of the book and to enjoy the craft of soap making. There are tips at the end of the book on making your own soap, and at this time of year, I think I might just have to try them.

As I finish this series, Tim Meyers has another series I am working on collecting so that I can read them, the Lighthouse Inn Mystery.



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Shattered Innocence by Robert Scott

Shattered Innocence by Robert Scott

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I, along with most of the civilized world was entralled with the story of the abduction and later release of Jaycee Dugard, who would have thought.

I read this book, and although it was not what I was expecting, it was a good book. This is more the story of Phil Garrido and the failures and mis-steps of various police and federal agencies than it is the story of Jaycee.

I found the failures to keep tabs on Phil interesting and disturbing at the same time. I enjoyed reading about his background and past, but I refuse to allow his past to be an excuse for what he did. I find it interesting, so many other people have troubled childhoods, but never do what he did.

This is a good book, but don't look for information about Jaycee or her life or how she survived. You won't find it here.



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