Jump Into a "Hot Homicide!"

We are currently on the cusp of Autumn, breathlessly waiting for a nip of cold air and the excitement of watching the seasons change. What better way to celebrate the appearance of Fall than with a great mystery about a frozen wilderness or a tropical paradise! The Mystery Book Club met at 6:00 pm. on Monday, September 28 to discuss "Cold Crimes" and "Hot Homicides." In honor of this book club meeting, the blog this week will discuss a mystery set in Alaska and a mystery set in Hawaii. One of the first Alaskan mysteries I read was Dana Stabenow's Cold Day for Murder. The book stars Kate Shugak, who has recently returned to her "roots" in Northern Alaska after leaving her job in the Anchorage District Attorney's Office. When a Ranger disappears, it is up to her to discover the clues of his disappearance, amongst the hard-working men of the Aleutian pipeliners. This book has a great, strong heroine, who easily moves among the male-dominated pipeline world with a "take-no-prisoners" attitude. She has similar traits to Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon, and is just as an enjoyable character as Anna. The setting in Northern Alaska, and it figures prominently in the story. You are bound to love this great story filled with wildlife and folk tales about Alaska.

The Devil's Punchbowl

Greg Iles' latest book, The Devil's Punchbowl is another rollicking ride set in Natchez. Iles re-visits beloved characters Penn Cage, his daughter Annie and the rest of his family, as well as his ex-girlfriend, Caitlin Masters. Penn is fulfilling his duties as Mayor of Natchez, when one of his high school buddies, Tim Jessup, pays him a surprise visit. Tim works on the casino boat, the Magnolia Queen, and while working there discovers a few unsavory things about his employers, two men from Northern Ireland, and asks for Penn's help in bringing them to justice. The book's action is fast-paced, and once the story is set up, it flies by. This book is another example of great writing by Greg Iles. Fans of Natchez, and Mississippi politics, will get a big kick out of reading about the inner workings of the city of Natchez, its customs and cultural activities. Included is a wonderful description of the annual hot-air balloon festival which I'm sure will encourage several readers to plan a visit! There are a few graphic descriptions of dog fighting in this book, so reader be forewarned. If you like action-packed books filled with drama, good family stories and descriptions of Mississippi, you'll really enjoy this book!

Visit New Orleans for a Haunting Mystery

Mary Ann Evans' newest book, Floodgates, is set in the beautiful city of New Orleans. Faye Lonchamp, the heroine of the story is an archaeologist who, along with her team, are fighting to save New Orleans' past. Centuries of tragedy surround New Orleans, from the Civil War to slavery and hurricane Katrina. Faye and her team are horrified when they discover a corpse that is "too newly dead" to be an archaeological find. The police assume the body is just another victim of Katrina, until Faye convinces them that the debris piled on top of the woman is wrong for a flood victim, and that someone brought Shelly Broussard to a flooded house and left her body behind. A smart New Orleans Detective is convinced that Faye Longchamp and her assistant, Joe Wolf Mantooth, are crucial components of the case, and can use their expertise to assist them in finding the killer. One big question arises from the police's investigation: Was Shelly's heroic rescue work after Katrina the reason why she was murdered? This book is the fourth archaeological mystery written by Mary Anna Evans. Ms. Evans is a mother of three, an avid amateur musician and can be reached at http://www.maryannaevans.com/.

Have a Laugh

I picked up Laugh Track by David Galef recently, because I noticed that my library had placed a "Mississippi Author" sticker on its spine. David Galef is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Mississippi who has published two novels (Flesh and Turning Japanese) as well as many short stories and essays and reviews that have appeared in the New York Times and Twentieth Century Literature. He has also written eight other books, including Japanese translations, literary criticism and children's stories. Laugh Track is a collection of fifteen stories that are an eclectic mix of styles and explore fifteen different worlds. Some of the stories are based in the United States, while others are set in Mexico or the not-too-distant future. According to the book flap, all of the stories "flirt with the veil of fantasy and yet in the end reveal vulnerable sides of humanity." Each character in the fifteen stories does share one common trait; they are all looking for the one thing in their lives that will solve all of their problems. However, what each person wishes for may end up not being the solution that they need. This story collection is a great exploration of complex characters and is an enjoyable read.

A Cat’s a Cat and That’s That

Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper is the story of a fearless feline. The last thing Gwen wanted was another cat, because she already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s vet called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten (he lost his eyes due to an infection) who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight. Everyone warned her that Homer would always be an "underachiever,” never as playful or as independent as the other cats. But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo, a tiny daredevil with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease and leapt five feet into the air to catch flies in mid-buzz. He survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night.

But, it was Homer’ unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love and his joy in the face of all obstacles that inspired Gwen daily and transformed her life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most important lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes. This book is a wonderful read for cat lovers, and is an inspirational story that many readers will appreciate.

Get Obsessed or have an Everest Adventure!

The library recently added two wonderful dramas to its DVD collection: Obsessed and Everest. Obsessed stars Beyonce' Knowles, Ali Larter and Idris Elba. When successful financial advisor Derek Charles (Idris Elba) moves into a new neighborhood with his loving wife Sharon (Beyonce' Knowles) and their young son Kyle, Derek believes he has the perfect life. Then, a new temporary employee, Lisa (Ali Larter) joins the firm and sets her sights on Derek. After several misunderstood encounters, Lisa's behavior begins to spiral out of control and it is up to Derek and Sharon to take charge of the situation and Lisa's outrageous behavior.

Everest is the chilling motion picture adventure based on a group of climbers' 1982 trip to Mt. Everest. When an unexpected solo mountain climb ends in catastrophe for John Laughlin (played by Jason Priestley), his fellow climber friends decide to follow his dream and conquer the world's tallest peak. The film examines their daily struggles to reach the summit, including the drama of accidents and rescues, the tragedies of death, and the challenges of dealing with the elements. The scenery in the film is beautiful and the events are harrowing. Both of these films are action packed thrillers that will leave you breathless.

Humor in the Movies

I've spent some time recently watching movies, and watched two really funny ones that I wanted to share with you. The first one is 17 Again, starring Zac Efron (the really cute guy that stars in the "High School Musical" series) and Matthew Perry (from the "Friends" television show). The basis of the story is that Mike O'Donnell (Matthew Perry) is getting a divorce, because he's bitter and angry and has blamed his wife for his really unlucky life that he's had for the past eighteen years. The reason why O'Donnell has had such a bad life is that on the day that he, a huge basketball star, had a scout visit him during the game of his life, his girlfriend revealed a huge secret and he "gave up" his chance to be a college athlete in order to help her out. O'Donnell is musing on his past when he receives a chance to be "17 again" and he goes back to High School to try and change the outcome of his life. Zac Efron plays the 17-year-old Mike O'Donnell and Matthew Perry plays the 35-year-old Mike O'Donnell--both men are great actors and there are many humorous scenes. If you've ever wanted to go back to high school and re-live your stellar moments, this is the perfect movie for you! The movie is rated PG-13, and it would be a good movie to share with your kids.

Another humorous movie I've watched lately is Applause for Miss E, a stage play filmed live and produced on DVD. The play stars Vanessa Bell Calloway, Jazsmin Lewis, Gina Torres and Roger Guenveur Smith, in a funny but poignant family drama. Miss E (played by Calloway) walked away from a promising career as a comedienne to save her marriage and raise her daughter. Years later, Miss E has another chance to fulfill her dreams but she has to first rely on her sleazy ex-manager (Roger Smith) who's sudden appearance leads to the hysterical revelation of some long-held family secrets. Miss E's interactions with her friends are funny and the filming is superb. The play was filmed with a live audience in attendance, so the watcher is treated to a fine "laugh track" while watching the DVD. There is some strong language in the film, and it is not rated, so mature audiences might enjoy this film more than kids would.

Join Us on an Iron Hunt

Iron Hunt by Margaret Liu is one of the best supernatural stories I have read in a long time. The basis of the story is that Maxine Kiss, by day, is a fearless woman covered neck to toe in tattoos. At night, however, the tattoos peel off and become her loyal protectors. The five tattoos Maxine carries on her body are demons and her friends as well as an extinction of herself--they make her impossible to kill during the day and become her shadowy guardians at night. Each demon has a distinct personality, and they have been Maxine's friends (and her mother and grandmother's friends) for many years. Maxine hunts demons, and is known as the "Hunter" --in a world of zombies and other supernatural beings, she is kept very busy! The story is set in Seattle and the writing is beautiful. Maxine is a strong, flawed character and the reader grows to love her tough exterior covering up her vulnerable insides. In this story, Maxine is trying to corral the demons that have escaped the prison veil that exists in the dimension between Earth and other worlds, as well as figure out some crucial details about her past. If you enjoy reading Iron Hunt, try also reading Witchling by Yasmine Galenorn, another supernatural suspense story.

Experience a Panic Attack!

Jason Starr's Panic Attack is a taut, psychological thriller that will leave you breathless from the minute you open the first page. The story centers around Dr. Adam Bloom, who is living the perfect life in a beautiful home with his wife and their twenty-two year old daughter, Marissa, a recent college graduate. Dr. Bloom's life is wonderful until one night when his daughter wakes him up with the announcement that "someone is downstairs." Dr. Bloom heroically kills one of the unarmed thieves, but the other one escapes--this begins a harrowing ordeal as Dr. Bloom and his family face the daily fear that the other thief knows where they live, is lurking around every corner, and wants to seek revenge for the death of his friend. The fear of not knowing when the thief might re-appear creates a rocky relationship between Adam and Dana, his wife, and when Marissa meets a suspiciously-acting artist named Xan, Dr. Bloom begins to suspect that his life is about to get much worse. This is a wonderfully written, action-packed story that tempts you to read it all in one sitting. If you like this story, try also reading 24 Hours by Greg Iles--it too is an "edge-of-your-seat" thriller full of non-stop action.