New Mercies

New Mercies by Sandra Dallas

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the whole, I liked it. There were good characters and an interesting plot. Nora Bondurant Tate is recovering from her divorce and finds that she has inherited a crumbling antebellum house from a aunt that she didn't know she had. Nora knew little about her father and had no idea that he was from an old Natches, MS family. Even more incredible was the fact that her aunt was murdered by an old lover who committed suicide after he shot her. Her aunt was known affectionately as "the goat lady" because of the goats she raised and the milk she sold. She lived with 2 family servants in the crumbling house, the apparent last remnant of a proud old family.

I love most of Sandra Dallas' work and I think she does a great job of creating believable characters, but these people seemed to be wooden much of the time. I have Mississippi roots and family that still live there and I found some of the sayings and customs wonderful reminders, but others just weren't right. People who held certain opinions did not do certain things. It's hard to put this and not spoil the plot, but I will try. First, the book takes place in the 30's but many of the attitudes towards blacks did not ring true at all. Many of her white characters hold attitudes that just were not prevalent during that time. I also found it hard to remember that it was the 30's the book was about because certain figures of speech from the present day intruded. I guess what I am saying is that Sandra Dallas knows the Colorado mining culture and writes beautifully about it. She also knows the Persian Pickle culture. I don't believe she knows the Southern culture and was writing out of her element, making her characters less alive than in her other books.

With that being said, it is still an enjoyable book and holds together despite the above mentioned difficulties. I developed a real fondness for Nora's aunt and wished there had been more information on her. Nora is an engaging character and the only flaw I find in her is her lack of understanding of her husband and its consequenceses and the way it is handled in the book. There is too big a jump from his death and her actions in Natches. This is one time when I believe the character has more emotional baggage than the author allows her to show.

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Spanish Dagger (China Bayles Mystery, Book 15)

Spanish Dagger by Susan Wittig Albert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When China finds a body while looking for some Yucca, or Spanish Dagger, she knows she has the unpleasant task of breaking the news to her good friend and business partner, Ruby. She is doubly reluctant because Ruby is dealing with her mother, who is difficult at best, and is now suffering from dementia and even more quarrelsome. There has always been a mystery about Colin and now China feels that he is not what he appeared to be and has been living a double life. When another body is found, the situation is even more complicated. People are not who they appear to be and seemingly nice people are involved in the most unexpected things.

This mystery was pretty fast paced and entertaining. There was plenty of suspense and the conclusion was neat and believable, however sad it was. As always, the author's comments about various herbs and recipes enhance the book.


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The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad Mystery, #2

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter by Sharyn McCrumb

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This story is as odd as the several mountain stories that are told within it. Nora Bonesteel has the second sight and she often has the coffee poured and plates of cookies out arleady when the visitor comes up the road. She is the character around whom the story is told although she is not the main character. There is a terrible tragedy and four members of the Underhill family are dead and the remaining two children are dazed and left without kin to take them in. There are several more stories which thread through the book, a young woman's struggle to bear a child, a tragic fire and the sad death of a farmer suffering from fatal cancer from toxic chemicals leached into the stream that runs through his property.

The stories are a window into the Appalacian culture, its strengths and its weaknesses. The characters are vivid and real and the story telling is just as it should be...dark stories of mystery, love and tragedy. This is a wonderful book to sit back and enjoy


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Bloodroot (China Bayles, #10)

Bloodroot by Susan Wittig Albert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this book, Susan Wittig Albert takes China Bayles back to the Old South and immerses her in her childhood. Her mother, Leatha needs help with her Aunt Tullie and there is no one but China who can help.

I got the feeling that the mystery was just a vehicle to carry China back to her roots and untangle the fascinating story of her ancestors. Many of the characters in the book are extremely well drawn and the reader is able to establish a connection, but the crime and its victim are not as fleshed out. Never the less, it is one of her best books.


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Shakespeare's Landlord (Lily Bard Mystery, #1)

Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lily Bard is trying to live quietly in Shakespeare to get over her traumatic past. Her life is limited to the people whose houses she cleans and gym where she trains in body building. Physically tiring herself is the only way she can sleep and often not then. One sleepless night, she sees someone disposing of a body which seems to come from the apartments she is also the manager of. She follows the mysterious stranger and finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation in which she seems to be a suspect.

Lily is an interesting character. Like Harper Connelley, there is a dark and tragic feeling surrounding her. Her life has not been easy and she is struggling to reconcile the unhealthy memories of the past with the present. She is a little more complex than the ordinary cozy mystery sleuth which makes these books interesting on a second level.


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Murder Past Due (Reading Group Mysteries)

Murder Past Due by Doris R. Meredith


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dr. Megan Clark and the Murder by the Yard Reading Circle decide to do a book tour of all the old murder sites in Amarillo, TX. Her best friend, Ryan, hopes that this will keep her out of trouble. Ryan is her widowed next door neighbor and father of her childhood best friend. He comes to the meetings of the book club with her in hopes of keeping her out of trouble.

Megan is a petite young woman who has a Phd in anthropology and an interest in murder. Her training helps her to see relationships that the police often miss, but lead her into danger. While conducting this tour, Megan is approached by the grandfather of a murder victim and asks her to find out the murderer of his grandson even though it is almost assuredly a member of his own family. As Megan circles closer and closer to the murderer, Ryan becomes increasingly alarmed by her danger.

I found this to be a better than average cozy murder and the characters are quite likable. The relationship between Ryan and Megan is a stretch, but adds interest to the plot.

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An Ice Cold Grave (Harper Connelly Mystery, #3

An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the second of this series that I have read. Harper Connelly was struck by lightning when she was young and since then can find dead people and knows how they died. She is reluctantly called in by a local sheriff who has been given the money to pay Harper to find her grandson and other young boys who have gone missing. It becomes apparent that there is a serial killer in the area.

I thought this was pretty good although very depressing, as all child murders or serial killer books are. The discovery of the killer is a little far fetched although one part of it, the actions of a young boy, is intriguing.

Still, this is very compelling and easy to stick with. Most of the characters are fairly well drawn and distinctive and Harris has some interesting repeat characters.

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A Bone to Pick

A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris



This is the first book in this series that I have read and I enjoyed it so much more than the one Sookie Stackhouse book I read. I guess it was the subject matter rather than the author. I'm glad I gave this one a try. Something of a cozy mystery, the characters are amusing and the heroine is delightful. Aurora has been left a house and sizable inheritance by an elderly friend who was in murder mystery group with her. The house includes a hidden skull and a mystery to solve. The book is character driven rather than plot driven, but the characters are amusing and easy to follow. I'll be reading more of these.

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My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great (Domestic Equalizers Book 2)

My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great by Dixie Cash


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the second book in the series and Debbie Sue Overstreet and her friend, Edwina, are still running their beauty shop and the detective agency "Domestic Equalizers." The agency's business is all about tracking down erring spouses and getting the goods on them, so the pair find it a challenge to try to discover why neighboring horses are going missing. A spoiled little rich girl turns into a friend and horse lover and catches the eye of the new bachelor vet, Spur Atwater, and the four of them put their heads together to get to the bottom of disappearances.

The mystery is only the top surface of this madcap adventure. There's tons of local color and Southern traditions. For Southerners who have moved away from their roots, this is a refreshing reminder of simpler times.


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Grave Surprise (Harper Connelly Mystery, #2

Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book of this series which I have read and I enjoyed it. The characters are well drawn and interesting. Harper was struck by lightning when she was young and she can now find dead people and tell how they died. She is asked to tell about an old grave in a cemetery and she finds a second person, a child, buried in the grave also. When it turns out that is was a child she tried to find the year before, she is doubly involved.

I think the characters of Harper and her step brother are well drawn. Toliver is not actually related to Harper as his father married her mother, but he has become her manager and helps to keep her balanced. Their relationship is close and well balanced.

I enjoy paranormal books like this if they don't get too far out. Some people do seem to have a gift of seeing more than meets the eyes, but they aren't all knowing and they don't pluck information from left field. I think that is what makes these books more palpable. As soon as the child is identified, we understand that however powerful Harper's gift is, she was unable to find this child before.

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