Don't Make Me Choose Between You and My Shoes

Don't Make Me Choose Between You and My Shoes by Dixie Cash


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the second book by this author that I have read. Debbie Sue and Edwina from a tiny Texas town have been invited to New York to a detectives conference. They are detectives who operate a beauty parlor along with their detective agency. This is a cozy Southern mystery and has lots of local color. There is romance, hi-jinks and some pretty good reasoning all wrapped up in one lighthearted mystery.

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Since You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash

Since You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash by Dixie Cash


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was the first book by this author I have listened to. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the Deep South novels because they remind me of Mississippi, so I am more attuned to the characters than the plot, but this one was pretty good. Usually books in which you know the perp early on aren't very good, but this one was entertaining. The two detectives from a small town in Texas also are beauticians. They get involved in tracking down the murderer because Debbie Sue is up to her eyebrows in debt and is in danger of losing the beauty shop. This is definitely a cozy type mystery and is more about crazy situations and cross purposes.

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The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was excellent. The complicated relationship between the characters was rich and well articulated. I liked this especially because it gave me some insight into the complicated thinking of the Taliban and the people who are effected by them. Apart from that, the book was an excellent thriller.

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Aunt Dimity Mystery, #1

Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When Lori Shepherd receives word that she has received an inheritance from Aunt Dimity, she is shocked. Aunt Dimity was a fictitious character her mother told stories about to entertain Lori when she was young...at least that is what she thought.

With the help of her lawyer and his interesting assistant, Lori follows the trail of the real Aunt Dimity by following the letter of her own dead mother. Nothing is simple in this unique plot, but it is all entertaining. I liked this character very much and will be reading more.

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Hard Truth (Anna Pigeon Mysteries, #13

Hard Truth by Nevada Barr


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is much darker than the earlier books. I think it is because it deals with a psychopathic killer of children and the oppression of women and children in the fundamentalist break-away sect of the Mormon church similar to the enclave of Warren Jeffs. In both cases, the helpless are being oppressed and the reader is helpless.

There is a new character introduced that I would love to see again. Heath is an embittered woman who has become a paraplegic due to a climbing accident. She is a very resentful woman who comes to an area of the park designed for handicapped campers with her psychologist aunt. As the story progresses, she gets caught up in the lives of the children and she ends up being very involved in the whole cast. I would love to see her appear in some of the newer books...that is, if she hasn't already. I haven't finished the series, and I can hope that she is brought back.

The language is pretty rough as is the Christian bashing. Barr herself seems to be very conflicted about this issue and has a supercilious attitude to Christians that is more intolerant than the people she is confining to the lower end of the IQ range. It would behoove her to look at the huge number of intelligent and respected human beings past and present who are deeply committed Christians.

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The Polar Express

The Polar Express by Chris VanAllsburg

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful book for both children and adults. It's all about a cynical little boy who is not sure he believes in Santa or Christmas. He takes a ride on the Polar Express, meets two special friends and gets a special gift from Santa.


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