Thursday, November 30, 2006

Gilt By Association

Tamar Myers - Gilt By Association [2nd Den of Antiquity]; 248 pages (B+)

When Abigail Timberlake buys some antiques for a client, little does she know a body comes with one of the pieces, an armoire from the time of Louis XV. Of course, the police close down her shop to the public as it is considered a crime scene – despite it being the busiest shopping season of the year. Naturally, Abigail tries to speed up the investigation by doing a little research of her own.

I enjoyed the book, but some parts were rather slow. I can't tell why exactly, even though it's been quite a while now since I finished the book. Despite the slow parts I still enjoyed the book and can't wait to read the third in series, which is already waiting for me on my shelf already :-) I'd always recommend this series to those who are interested in antiques, cozy mysteries and good characters.

Monday, November 06, 2006

The Cat Who Played Post Office

Lilian Jackson Braun - The Cat Who Played Post Office [6th Jim Qwilleran, Koko & Yum
Yum]; 262 pages (A-)

Warning: If you haven't read #6 yet, don't read the next paragraph, it contains spoilers!

This was my first The Cat Who ever, despite the fact that it is not the first in series. And I can assure you it won’t be the last, either. Qwill inherited an estate and a whole bunch of money on one condition. He has to live in Moose County for five years, otherwise, verythign goes to a syndicate in New Jersey. He barely moved to the estate when Koko starts dragging up letters and finds old boxes that contain the belongings of a former maid, Daisy Mull. At first, Qwill doesn’t think much of it, but when he discovers that no one heard of Daisy after she left the mansion, he starts to ask questions. I won’t give away more as this is already a biiig spoiler if you haven’t read the books up to at least #6.

Start reading from here on to avoid spoilers above!


I simply loved this mystery! It was a completely new concept for me to have a cat find the hints to solving the mystery and Qwills sometimes really hilarious ways of trying to find out what the cat meant to tell him. I was not even done reading this book when I already ordered The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. If you have not yet started this series, go and get a book now, no matter whether you’re a cat lover or not. You just have to love Koko for his stubbornness and attitude, and Yum Yum a cat you just want to cuddle.

*K*

FIRC update

I'm still reading L'Ombre Sur Montparnasse, but I finished Truffled Feathers almost 2 weeks ago now, so it really is ime for me to update my FIRC info.

My up-to-date list of books to read till December 21, 2006 is:


want to's:

Maria Beaumont: Mis(s)fit
L'Ombre Sur Montparnasse
Sue Grafton: C is for Corpse
Cameron West: First Person Plural
Laurell K. Hamilton: The Laughing Corpse
Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity and The Good Deed

extra credit:

Azar Nafisi: Reading Lolita In Tehran
Tamar Myers: Gilt By Association
Jeanne Ray: Julie and Romeo
Meryl Sawyer: Lady Killer

My next FIRC read will most likely be Aunt Dimity and The Good Deed, but before I think I will be reading one of the three bookrings that are waiting to be sent on:
Chris Manby: The Matchbreaker
Madeline Wickham: Swimming Pool Sunday
Anita Diamant: The Red Tent

Truffled Feathers

Nancy Fairbanks – Truffled Feathers [2nd Caorolyn & Jason Blue]; 272 pages (A-)

Carolyn and Jason Blue are in New York for some business meetings. Jason is supposed to meet some people from a company who are interested in hiring him as a consultant and Carolyn is supposed to meet her agent and her excentric editor for "Eating Out In The Big Easy", a cook book she researched for in the first book. Right after they arrived in NY, their chauffeur informs them that the man Jason originally came to meet died that very day. The two find out that he was stabbed in a deli over a pastrami sandwich, which he had always at the same time. Jason at first doesn't tell his wife that he suspects murder (intent on Max, the victim) and tries to find out what is actually going on by himself while Carolyn meets with her agent who is absolutely not interested in her writer's block due to the ongoings in New Orleans.

I enjoyed the book a lot. It was funny, delicious, full of suspense and I just can’t get enough of Carolyn and Jason. I’m glad I already have the third book on my shelves and hope to have the time to read it soon :-)

*K*