Fascinating Locations in Louise Penny's Mysteries

#11 in the series will be on sale August 25, 2015

Minotaur Books is doing a series leading up to the publication of Louise Penny's new book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series revealing the places that have inspired the fictional places in her mysteries! You can check them out HERE.

MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE (2011)

Miss Me When I'm Gone by Emily Arsenault

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my introduction to Emily Arsenault.

A friend mentioned Miss Me When I'm Gone to me because she thought I would relate to the description of one of the characters as a collector of people. There were other aspects that drew me to the mystery as well.

THE STORY: Gretchen Water's successful writing career is cut short when she dies after falling down a long flight of stone steps outside a library. Jamie, her best friend since college, is asked to become literary executor of Gretchen's unfinished work.

The story is cleverly told by alternating writings from Gretchen's notes and her earlier book with first person narration from Jamie, who is pregnant with her first child. 

"Tammyland", is a memoir about the author's divorce interspersed with the lives of certain iconic women of country music. The amount of research that went into writing the sections purportedly from the actual book is massive and adds to the enjoyment even for those of us who aren't country music fans.

WHAT I THOUGHT: This is definitely what I call a literate mystery. It's not so much the action but the research into finding out why that is compelling. And while you're following along with Jamie as she tries to pay tribute to her friend, you'll learn a little about country music!

FIRST LINE: "This gem might be well known among seventies tabloid readers and longtime county music fans, but perhaps not to the general reader: Tammy Wynette once saved Burt Reynolds from drowning in a bubble bath."

BOTTOM LINE: Highly recommended for readers of Laura Lippman and Tana French.

Title: Miss Me When I'm Gone

Author: Emily Arsenault

Genre: Literate Mystery

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 336

Copyright: Original edition (July 31, 2012)

ISBN-10: 0062103105

ISBN-13: 978-0062103109

Emily Arsenault is also the author of The Broken Teaglass, In Search of the Rose Notes, and Miss Me When I'm Gone. She lives in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, with her husband and daughter. (From Amazon) Her newest book What Strange Creatures came out in original paperback July 22, 2014.

What Happens When You Read A Lot?

I just came across a blog posting which discusses some of the issues I have been thinking about concerning reviewing which I do for books and stage plays. It seems that I find it more and more difficult to embrace either as openly as I might once have. I have often found myself changing my mind after 'a little reflection' as one respondent commented. Were my expectations too high?

Read this post from Socratic Salon called "Can You Keep Raising the Bar for Books"  and let me know what you think.

MURDER AT BARCLAY MEADOW (2015)

Murder at Barclay Meadow by Wendy Sand Eckel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I get excited when an unexpected book shows up in my mailbox. Last week it was a new cozy mystery from Minotaur. Since I am drowning in books, I, of course, immediately read a few lines with the idea of setting the book aside. Instead I found myself drawn into the story immediately.

THE STORY: Rosalie Hart thinks she has the perfect marriage until she discovers her husband Ed is having an affair and wants a divorce just as their daughter Annie heads off to college.

Unwilling to stay in the home they shared, Rosalie escapes to the farmhouse left her by her late aunt on Maryland's Eastern Shore. But Barclay Meadows doesn't turn out to be a safe sanctuary when Rosalie discovers a body floating in the marsh.

Everyone insists that the death was accidental, but Rosalie senses something is wrong and begins to ask questions.

WHAT I THOUGHT: This debut novel by Wendy Sand Eckel uses social media in a clever and totally integrated way. She also makes cultural references that connect with the reader's experiences. And, what might be the best part for some readers, there are recipes! Do I have to confess that I read this book in just a couple of days? It's well-written, has enough scary moments (but not too many), and lots of interesting quirky characters. The small town setting is charming and you'll want to join me in a road trip to visit the area. I will be watching for the next entry in what has all the ingredients to be a popular new series.

FIRST LINE: "Before my only child left for her first year of college, she suggested I create my own Facebook profile."

BOTTOM LINE: A most worthy entry to world of cozy mysteries. The book will be released on July 28, 2015.

Title: Murder at Barclay Meadow

Author: Wendy Sand Eckel

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Minotaur

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 320

Copyright: July 28, 2015

ISBN-10: 1250058600

ISBN-13: 978-1250058607

Disclaimer: An advanced reading copy (ARC) of this book was provided to me by the publisher Minotaur for an honest review.

"WENDY SAND ECKEL is a psychotherapist who lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where she enjoys her family, multiple pets, and life on the water. Murder at Barclay Meadow is her first novel." (AMAZON)