Six Informational Children's Books

Genre: Children’s Picture Books

Source: I received copies to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Steak at Stake by Desirée DeNourie

This book won the Mom’s Choice Awards and once you read it you will understand why. The story is told of a young boy named Cole who goes skiing with his family. After a long and tiring day of skiing, they stop at a steakhouse to eat. Cole has several food allergies. He politely asks for his food to be prepared in a manner that he can safely eat it without ending up in an emergency room. The server and the manager are not only not accommodating, but also very rude. They find a restaurant across the street that is more than happy to make his eating experience pleasant and safe. I am hoping that many places are beginning to understand that many people need accommodations as Cole did. Something as simple as serving food up in a dish that held peanut oil could be deadly to some people. This book does an excellent job of educating people and getting the message out.

Blue Angels for Kids by Eric Z

This book has everything you would want to know about the Blue Angels. I had no idea there were so many flying formations. More importantly, I had no idea what they were called or how they performed them. This is a very interesting book full of other links for more information. I am proud to put this book on my classroom shelves.

If You Were Me and Lived in the Ancient Mali Empire by Carole P. Roman

I learned so much about ancient Mali from this book. Many of the people became Muslims. Men had many wives. There were major trade routes used for transporting salt and gold. A griot was a storyteller who memorized the history. This was one of the most important jobs and was passed down from father to son. The book also talks about the importance of each job and the people. There is so much history here that the book should be read multiple times to et it all down.

If You Were Me and Lived on Mars by Carole P. Roman

The author has done a lot of research for this book. The reader will learn the three reasons Mars is unlivable. The reader will learn about the two moons of Mars, and how many times they each orbit the planet. The two hemispheres have a summer and winter. It was interesting to learn Mars has an active volcano. There is a lot of interesting information about what it would be like to live on Mars.

If You Were Me and Lived in Germany by Carole P. Roman

The author gives a quick cultural snapshot of Germany. As usual, I always learn something new no matter how much I think I know. I was unaware that Germany had sixteen states and is the second most popular place in the world for immigrants. She shows how much the outdoors means to the German people. From the large Neuschwanstein Castle, that Disney’s Cinderella Castle is modeled after, to the Miniature Wunderland full of hundreds of miniatures; Germany is definitely a place of contrasts. The author’s short informational book for children is sure to please adults and children alike.

If You Were Me and Lived in the Mayan Empire by Carole P. Roman

As always, there is so much to learn from Carole’s books. I didn’t know that the Mayans were the only ancient American society whose history was written down. Now it was not written in the language we know today, but through carved pictures. They had over 800 symbols. Like many ancient cultures, your job was inherited. Women didn’t have a lot of rights. They could not inherit any land. Everyone in the family worked hard. Prayers were said daily before the shrine every home had. Clothes identified your place in society. They were simple, yet colorful and filled with embroidery. There is so much to learn from this book. I recommend it to all.

Then She Was Born by Cristiano Gentili

Genre: Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

When I was asked to review this book I told the author I could not guarantee them a date for the review as we were approaching our month of testing at school.  However, while on spring break something about the book kept drawing me to it. Out of all of the books I read over my break, this one to me is the most important. For that reason the review was bumped to the very front. I had a student four years ago who was an albino African American. I understood some of the physical issues she faced.  I had no idea of the history of African albinos until this book. Although this book is the fictional story of Adimu, an albino child born to a black couple, I had no idea of the stigmatism or superstitions that accompanied that birth. The child along with the  mother is rejected by her father. The mother rejects the child. The village demands she be taken to the forest to die.  The grandmother is given permission to raise the child if she survives not being trampled by the herd as they leave their pen. Her wise grandmother wraps her in a cloth soaked in the cattle urine. They step over her and the people decide the gods of the lake are allowing her to live.  At times I found myself angry with the way the grandmother treated her until I realized she was teaching her skills to survive any danger that arose long after she was gone. The fortunate meeting with the rich, white mine owner Mr. Fielding and his wife play a large part in her life. Unfortunately greed on Mr. Fielding’s part almost cost her the very life she has fought so hard to keep. 

I learned so much from this book and what I learned from researching afterwards. 1 in 20,000 people around the world are albinos. However, in Africa, 1  in 2,000 to 4,000 African’s are born with albinism. They are still sought after by witch doctors and people who want to get rich quick. They fear the night as that is when  their homes are broken into and they are viciously attacked with machetes where they are hacked apart while alive then left to die.  There are many arrests but few prosecutions.  There are many people who have tried to change old superstitions. Josephat Torner is one. I would not have been inspired to start researching about him if it had not been for the author of this book who sought me out. I would not be inspired to reach out and teach my students about this plight if not for this book. Mine is just one voice, but I proudly raise it along with others to bring this problem to the forefront.

Author Bio from Amazon:

Since his graduation, where he obtained a BA in political science, a MAs in humanitarian assistance and a PhD in social science, Cristiano’s work has taken him to some of the most challenging locations around the world, often dealing with the after effects of war and natural disasters. He currently works in Ukraine, in the hazardous border area with Russia.

In 2011, he went on a personal fact-finding trip to Tanzania, to assess the living conditions of Africans with albinism. From that experience his goal became to raise awareness of the living conditions of African albinos through the #HelpAfricanAlbinos campaign. His novel, Then She Was Born, is the English translation of his book, originally written in Italian.

Cristiano has met with eleven Nobel Peace Laureates, the Dalai Lama and Pope Francis, who have each read a part of his novel and have leant their considerable support to the campaign.

In the case of Pope Francis, Cristiano was invited to an international symposium on Africa at the Vatican, to speak about Africans with albinism. He stayed in the Pope’s residence for four days and had a private meeting with him during that time. As a result, the #HelpAfricanAlbinos campaign is now endorsed by Pope Francis as an universal and interreligious message of peace and brotherhood.

Cristiano’s next target is to get celebrities to record video messages, just as the Nobel peace laureates and the Pope did, and spread them on social media to increase awareness of the living conditions of Africans with albinism, the last among all others.

The official campaign website is www.HelpAfricanAlbinos.com
#HelpAfricanAlbinos

Cascadia by H.W. "Buzz" Bernard

Genre: Adult, Thriller

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

At the time I scheduled this review I had not thought about what I would be teaching in my classroom around the time this review was due. It just worked out that we are reading stories on disasters. My students have been reading about Tsunamis and the earthquakes that cause them, specifically the 2004 tsunami. An interesting point in the article they read dealt with geomythology. Scientists are using stories told by Native Americans to back up stories of earthquakes and tsunamis that occurred in the past. Those were things I thought about as I read this wonderful thriller by “Buzz” Bernard.

One of the reasons I really like his work is you can tell how much research he does. I’m not sure how difficult that is for him with his background. I felt like I was reading a real life event.  His main character has to face one of the biggest challenges of his life. Dr. Elwood is a geologist who keeps having nightmares about a quake that devastates the northwest coast.  The more he has the dreams the more he believes the quake will actually happen. The challenge he faces is whether he should risk his career to go public with what he ‘believes’ will happen or if he should keep quiet to protect his career. If he is wrong it would be career over. If he doesn’t tell anyone and his dreams come true then he lost the opportunity to save lives.   I wondered if meteorologists and geologists ever actually go through this. I found it interesting that the “Thunderbird and Whale” reference was also mentioned in the articles my students read. This is such a well-written book I could see it as a movie.  I want a book like this that will keep me reading from cover to cover. I enjoy books that are so realistic I wonder how much truth there is to them. I definitely recommend you read this book and any of his other books. You won’t be sorry you checked out this author.

I See You by Clare Mackintosh

Genre: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is one of those stories that has you looking over your shoulder. We live in a world that is constantly under surveillance. It seems common place to the point we tend to ignore it. Think of all of the criminals who are caught because they forgot there is the ability to provide surveillance in most every situation. Zoe finds herself stuck on a train on her way home one night. When she begins to read the ads in her paper she sees a picture of herself. There is also a website attached to her picture. Later she finds out that another woman who’s picture was in the paper ended up dead.  This pattern keeps happening and she is sure that she is being targeted.  I tend to do a lot of reading late at night after I’ve finished grading papers. This one had me so creeped out about being watched that I dreaded having to get out of bed and go to the bathroom. I kept hearing what are normal creaks of our house, but kept imagining someone was in the house.

We have Kelly a detective who has her own issues and is actually trying to build her reputation back up. She is one person who believes Zoe.  This is one of those books where things build up slowly until you suddenly realize how tense the situation is. I was unable to guess who was behind this. That is a plus for me. I hate reading a book and figuring things out so quickly.  I loved this book and the way it was written in different points of view.  This is a book that I will definitely recommend.

Guest Post: John Achor Author of "Five-Six Deadly Mix

COINCIDENCE OR KARMA OR FATE?

A short while ago, I was musing about the infinite number of events that had to occur before I would meet my wife. Considering she was born in Vermont while I was raised in Indiana, there was a darn good chance we would never meet. But … World War II, the Manhattan Project and dozens of less significant occurrences did happen and we did meet.

I began thinking about my female protagonist, Casey Fremont, and how and why she came to be and where she lives ― in my warped mind. We were living in Phoenix, Arizona when I completed a pair of thrillers with a male protagonist. I was casting around for a change of pace ― I decided to switch from male, third person thriller to female, first person mystery. Casey’s odyssey began.

In my home library, I found “Writing the Private Eye Novel,” edited by Robert Randisi — and a chapter by Jeremiah Healy titled: Developing a Series Character. I used the information there as my basis for developing a new character. I began the work in Phoenix.

During a workshop presented by the Scottish author,  Val McDermid, she said it took her a couple of years to take an idea to fruition. I wondered if it would take that long for me. Little did I realize … You may wonder how I was able to attend a seminar by such a prestigious writer. Easy answer ― in Phoenix, Barbara Peters who owns The Poisoned Pen bookstore arranged the class. Barbara is well known for her acumen and as an independent bookseller; she is often invited to present at large conferences in the U.S as well as the United Kingdom.

Back to my story. I worked on my character, using a four-page development checklist I devised combined from several other writer’s efforts. It’s so comprehensive, I’ve never completed the entire checklist ― even for Casey. I did decide on her physical characteristics, her back story, where she would live and other details which may never be revealed in her books. Then fate/karma/coincidence stepped in.

My wife and I decided to move from Phoenix to Arkansas. Don’t ask: we didn’t have relatives there; we didn’t know anyone there ― but the state did have green things. I later learned the things were called trees and grass. Phoenix, is basically brown.

I moved Casey from Arizona to Little Rock, Arkansas. Our retirement village was about thirty miles southwest of Little Rock, so I found it easy to visit the big city often enough to gather needed details ― and know when to make it up.

We recently moved 600 miles north to the Omaha, Nebraska area. Will fate catch up with Casey and find herself in Nebraska? Or will she remain in Little Rock. In her third mystery  “Five, Six - Deadly Mix” (released January 2017) she’s in Little Rock. I’ve begun writing the next one ― working title of “Seven, Eight - Full of Hat” ― and she’s still in Arkansas. Where next? We’ll see …

Casey Fremont’s latest mystery  

John Achor posing with a poster at his first book signing  

Author Bio

The first of John Achor’s three careers spanned twenty years as a U.S. Air Force pilot. He accumulated over 4,000 hours flying planes from Piper Cubs to the military equivalent of the Boeing 707. After the military, he entered the real estate industry. He joined a national real estate franchise as a management consultant working at the regional and national levels. Those positions led him to Phoenix, Arizona, and an affiliation with a major Savings & Loan institution.

In John's words, “When the Savings and Loan industry melted away like a lump of sugar in hot coffee, I knew it was time to develop a third career.” He became a freelance computer instructor, user-developer, consultant, writer and Community College instructor.

In mid-1999, John moved to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, where he lived in the piney woods with his wife Pat and their two cats, Lexus and Betsy Ross. As you may know from his latest book or web site; these two cats are no longer with them. Big hole in their lives, but both are waiting for us by The Rainbow Bridge. Their latest move was a recent relocation to the Omaha, Nebraska area where John is busy meeting and greeting new writers, readers and writing groups.

Website URL: www.johnachor.com

Blog URL: www.johnachor.wordpress.com

Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/jachor1

Twitter: www.twitter.com/caseyfremont

Amazon buy link for Five-Six, Deadly Mix:

https://www.amazon.com/Five-Six-Deadly-Mix-Fremont-Mystery/dp/1542612063/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485987610&sr=8-1&keywords=John+Achor

Amazon buy link for Three-Four, Kill Some More:

https://www.amazon.com/Three-Four-Kill-Some-More-Fremont/dp/151514805X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478131870&sr=8-1&keywords=three+for+kill+some+more

Guest Post: Judy Alter author of Murder at Peacock Mansion

Living—or Writing—My Dream  by Judy Alter

I learned to cook well before I was ten. My mom was a terrific cook with an intuitive sense about flavors and textures and what works together and what doesn’t. She was also a nurturer, as eager to feed her maiden lady friend who didn’t eat properly as she was twenty of Dad’s colleagues.
At ten I was first assist in the kitchen for dinner parties, specializing in appetizers but always alert to what Mom was doing with a roast or mashed potatoes or whatever the menu called for. While my parents entertained guests, I cleaned the kitchen. By the time the guests departed, there was little left to done in the kitchen. Except the night it got to be eleven and the guests hadn’t left. “Well,” my dad said rising from his chair, “I guess I’ll vacuum the floor.”
My first specialty was a blue cheese dip that mixed the cheese with sour cream, cream cheese, and scallions seasoned with dry mustard, Worcestershire, and whatever else caught my fancy. Guests loved it, but one close friend of the family swore I didn’t give here the right recipe because it was a disaster when she tried it. Actually, there is no recipe—it was and is only in my head.
In creating Kate Chambers of the Blue Plate Café Mysteries, I called up these childhood memories. Kate inherits half her grandmother’s café in the small Texas town of Wheeler and buys out her twin sister’s half. Kate will leave her high-powered job and the unsatisfactory singles life in Dallas to return to her hometown and the café where she spent her early days watching Gram cook and beginning her own first ventures into food service. My mom was nothing like Gram, but they serve the same purpose in the young girls’ lives.
Kate inherits a café where chicken-fried steak and fried catfish are the staples, pies are store-bought, and the tuna salad comes straight from Sam’s. She works to upgrade the menu without driving off the locals who are loyal to Gram’s food. One recipe she introduces is Shepherd’s Pie, an English dish that combines hearty foods café patrons relish—ground beef, vegetables, cheese and potatoes.
In her personal life, Kate resigns herself to a lack of social life in Wheeler, and she is surprised when she finds not one but three men vying for her attention. To see who wins out,
you’ll have to read Murder at the Blue Plate Café. Kate cooks to win hearts, and her small-scale entertaining—one man at a time—gives her a chance to. fix the more elaborate dishes she’s come to love in Dallas, such as Scallops Saint Jacques. Unfortunately, this part of Kate’s life does no mirror my own.
Oh yes, Kate has mysteries to solve. Small towns are supposed to be idyllic and peaceful, but Kate soon learns Wheeler is not the comfortable place it was when she grew up. First there’s Gram’s sudden death, which leaves her suspicious, and then the death of her married sister’s lover. Kate must defend her sister against a murder charge, solve a food poisoning charge to keep her business open, and figure out where the café’s profits are going. Even Kate begins to wonder about the twin sister she has a love-hate relationship with. Gram guides Kate through it all, though Kate’s never quite sure she’s hearing Gram—and sometimes Gram’s advice is off the wall.
Shepherd’s pie
Mashed potatoes, made of about 1⅓ lbs. red potatoes. (Kate doesn’t skin them to mash anymore.) A good trick: put some garlic cloves in the water when you boil the potatoes. Another good one: as you add butter, salt, and pepper, substitute sour cream or cream cheese for the milk.
½ c. shredded sharp cheddar—stir into hot, freshly mashed potatoes and set aside
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 Tbsp. flour
4 c. frozen mixed vegetables (Kate prefers corn, green beans, and sweet peas.)
¾ c. beef broth
2 Tbsp. ketchup
¼ c. shredded sharp cheddar
Heat oven to 375°.
Brown meat in nonstick skillet (an iron skillet is always best). Stir in flour and cook briefly. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring, for five minutes.
Spoon into 8 in. square baking dish. Cover with mashed potatoes. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheddar over the top and bake another 3-4 minutes, until cheese melts and casserole is bubbly. Serve six, but only if they’re not hearty eaters.

Author Bio

An award-winning novelist, Judy Alter is the author of several fictional biographies of women of the American West. In The Gilded Cage she has turned her attention to the late nineteenth century in her home town, Chicago, to tell the story of the lives of Potter and Cissy Palmer, a high society couple with differing views on philanthropy and workers’ right. She is also the author of six books in the Kelly O’Connell Mysteries series. With the 2014 publication of The Perfect Coed, she introduced the Oak Grove Mysteries.

Her work has been recognized with awards from the Western Writers of America, the Texas Institute of Letters, and the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame. She has been honored with the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement by WWA and inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame and the WWA Hall of Fame. http://judyalter.com/

Blog URL: http://www.judys-stew.blogspot.com

Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/judy.alter

Skype: juju1938

Buy link for Murder at Peacock Mansion:

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Peacock-Mansion-Plate-Mysteries/dp/0996013156/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485799111&sr=1-1&keywords=murder+at+peacock+mansion

Buy link for The Gilded Cage

http://www.amazon.com/Gilded-Cage-Judy-Alter/dp/0996013121/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460738028&sr=8-1&keywords=the+gilded+cage+alter

What the Fly Saw by Frankie Y. Bailey

Genre: Adult, Mystery

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

Albany, New York, January 2020

The morning after a blizzard that shut down the city, funeral director Kevin Novak is found dead in the basement of his funeral home. The arrow sticking out of his chest came from his own hunting bow. A loving husband and father and an active member of a local megachurch, Novak had no known enemies. His family and friends say he had been depressed because his best friend died suddenly of a heart attack and Novak blamed himself. But what does his guilt have to do with his death? Maybe nothing, maybe a lot. The minister of the megachurch, the psychiatrist who provides counseling to church members, or the folksy Southern medium who irritates both men—one of these people may know why Novak was murdered. Detective Hannah McCabe and her partner, Mike Baxter, sort through lies and evasions to find the person who killed their “Cock Robin,” But McCabe is distracted by a political controversy involving her family, unanswered questions from another high-profile case, and her own guilt when a young woman dies after McCabe fails to act.

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the Detective Hannah McCabe Mystery series. I have not read the first book. It is also the second detective mystery I have read this week. This could easily become a habit. The thing that is really different is that this mystery takes place in the future.  For me the beginning of the book starts a little slow and then picks up the pace. Detective McCabe and her partner Mike Baxter must solve the murder of Kevin Novak. He is a funeral director. Was it murder or suicide? Was it a coincidence he was killed in his own funeral home? There are many people in this story who have secrets. We have some very interesting characters like a medium named Luanne. Maybe she knows who murdered Kevin Novak. There are several smaller story lines that are mixed in with this story to make it more interesting. I’m not very good at figuring out mysteries and this one was no different. With all the clues I didn’t figure it out.  I enjoy being kept in suspense until the end. I definitely need to check out other books by this author.

The Case of the Stolen Case by Carl Brookins

Genre: Adult, Mystery

Source: I purchased a copy.

From Goodreads:

Short private eye Sean NMI Sean grabs his gat and gets on his high horse to battle a roving gang of thieves and murderers. The gang has come to town after an unsolved pharmacy murder and robbery. A mysterious silver-colored case of unknown contents appears and disappears as Sean sorts a tangled web. When the gang targets Sean's lady love, he mounts his high horse and like a house afire rides to retribution.

My Thoughts:

I love a good mystery, and this is definitely a good one. This book is a private eye detective mystery, not something I usually read. When PI Sean Sean is called by a friend and asked to meet him at a specific address he shows up to find a house on fire. It isn’t long after Sean starts to investigate that he learns that there is more to his client’s story. He is given several warnings from people who want him to leave things alone. When his girlfriend’s third cousin’s name comes up he feels he has to follow the case all the way through.  This is a very descriptive and full of action book. It is one you will need plenty of time to read because you will not be able to stop once you start. I know because I couldn’t. If you are someone who really loves detective stories then pick up one of Carl Brookin’s many books.

Guest Post: The Secret of Bramble Hill by Sue Owens Wright

MYSTERY GOES TO THE DOGS

by

Sue Owens Wright

When a writer and lifelong dog lover has been owned by a total of thirteen dogs over the years, it’s reasonable to assume that they might end up being written about.  If that person is a mystery writer, like I am, her dogs can end up as a character in a series, like Cruiser, the canine sleuth in my Beanie and Cruiser Mystery Series.  The Basset Hound breed, whose scenting ability is second only to that of a Bloodhound, seemed to be the perfect sidekick for my human sleuth, Elsie “Beanie” MacBean.  In my first book, Howling Bloody Murder, Cruiser sniffs out the first victim while he and Beanie are hiking on the Tahoe Rim Trail.  He’s been helping Beanie track bad guys (and gals) at Lake Tahoe ever since.  Cruiser and Calamity, his new canine partner in crime in Braced for Murder and the upcoming Ears for Murder (Black Opal Books 2017), also provide some comic relief in these tales of murder in the High Sierra.  With their sausage-shaped bodies, short, crooked legs, and Dumbo ears, bassets are just natural born clowns.

My own dogs have never failed to provide me with a wealth of material for my books.  They are always doing something amusing or remarkable that ends up in the plot. My fictional dog, Cruiser, is most like my first male Basset Hound, Bubba Gump.  He was a great guy and lived to the ripe old age of 14 years.  He became Cruiser in my mind, gentle and easy going but ready to protect his mistress if called upon.  I remember the time my Bubba once chased a paramedic, who had come to our house in an emergency, and ripped the seat of his pants.  The surprised man bolted out the front door, with Bubba hot on his heels, and cleared our picket fence in the nick of time.  I was shocked!  I didn’t know the old boy had it in him to be so protective of his mom.  In my mysteries, Cruiser does the same for Beanie on numerous occasions.  Bubba was a wonderful companion to me, just as Cruiser is for Beanie, a widow who lives alone in her secluded mountain cabin.

My newest stand-alone novel, a paranormal romance titled The Secret of Bramble Hill, is a different kind of story than I usually write, but dog-loving readers won’t be disappointed. There’s also a faithful canine that figures largely in the book.  Gemma the English Springer Spaniel may not be a Basset Hound like Cruiser and Calamity, but she provides the same unconditional love and companionship as any other breed of dog.  

     

 About the Author  

Sue Owens Wright is an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction. She is an eleven-time finalist for the Maxwell, awarded annually by the Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA) to the best writer on the subject of dogs. She has twice won the Maxwell Award and earned special recognition from the Humane Society of the United States for her writing. She writes the acclaimed Beanie and Cruiser Mystery Series, including Howling Bloody Murder, Sirius About Murder, Embarking On Murder and Braced For Murder, which is recommended on the American Kennel Club’s list of Best Dog Books.

Her nonfiction books include What’s Your Dog’s IQ?, 150 Activities for Bored Dogs, and People’s Guide to Pets. She has been published in numerous magazines, including Dog Fancy, Mystery Scene, AKC GAZETTE, Fido Friendly, The Bark, and Animal Fair. Her work also appears in several anthologies, including PEN Oakland’s “Fightin’ Words,” along with Norman Mailer and other literary notables. Her newest novel is The Secret of Bramble Hill.

Website URL: www.sueowenswright.com

Blog URL: http://dogearedbooks.blogspot.com/

Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/sue.o.wright

The Secret of Bramble Hill buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Bramble-Hill-Owens-Wright/dp/1626945861/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485128293&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=the+secret+of+bramble+hill+weight

Murder on the Mullet Express by Gwen Mayo and Sarah Glenn

Genre:  Adult, Mystery

Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I enjoy mysteries. This has always been my favorite genre no matter what age it is for. In this story, we have three really great characters. Two of them are former nurses during World War I. The third character is their elderly uncle Percy. The three of them find themselves on The Mullet Express, when their car breaks down. They are headed to Homosassa Springs. This is a place that is just about an hour and a half north of where I live in Florida. They witness a fight between two men on the train. The problem is that one of them ends up dead shortly after arriving at his hotel.  Uncle Percy becomes the prime suspect. Teddy and Cornelia must help find the real killer. After all, Cornelia’s uncle may be a bit crazy, but he is definitely not a murderer. I loved Cornelia because she was a very independent woman for the time.  I learned a lot about the time period. I’ve lived in Ocala and I am very familiar with the areas mentioned or alluded to in the book. This is a great mystery with a lot of history and one I would definitely recommend.