A Cold Day in Hell

A Cold Day in Hell (A Cold Case Investigation #1) by Lissa Marie Redmond. Minnesota: Midnight Ink, 397 pages. Publication Date February 8, 2018. ****

Lauren Riley is a very dedicated detective who with her partner, Shane Reese, works in the Cold Case Homicide Office. Thirty years' worth of unsolved cases are stuffed into three rooms on the second floor of Buffalo police headquarters. She is so good at what she does that defense attorney Frank Violanti wants to hire her as a private investigator in the case of his eighteen-year-old godson, David. Lauren is a thirty-eight-year-old, twice-divorced mother of two college-age daughters and has been feeling lonely and out of sorts which may be why she accepted the ten thousand dollar retainer. Lauren soon realizes that investigating the high-profile murder of Katherine Vine could mean the end of her career. A punch in the mouth by the defense detective on the case and her ex-fiance, Joe Wheeler, does not deter Lauren in her search for the truth. Is David the innocent eighteen-year-old he claims to be and was just in the wrong place? Or will Katherine Vine's husband's alibi hold up in court?

A Detective who dunit at it's best! The murder case has enough subplots to keep me guessing and Lauren's propensity for choosing the wrong lover adds to the intrigue of the story. The ending was a surprise and I look forward to #2.

I received an ecopy for a review.

Lissa Marie Redmond (Buffalo, NY) is a recently retired cold case homicide detective of the Buffalo Police Department. She’s also a member of Sisters in Crime.

#detectivefiction #mystery #thriller #suspense

Aurifil Thread

This afternoon I listened to a lecture at The Old Country Store, Intercourse, PA, from Alex Veronelli on how Aurifil thread is manufactured. He showed us a video capturing the manufacturing process, absolutely fascinating!

Quilters seem to complain about the price of the thread, however, after seeing the process from cotton to packaged spool, it's a bargain!

 Alex shared with us many quilts designed and sewn by well-known quilters. 

 

Of course, there was fabulous,  colorful thread on sale, all weights! I use 50 weight to piece and quilt. 

 

Each participant was given an Aurifil Bag with a small spool of thread in each weight available. I am so excited to try the wool and embroidery thread.

I asked about clear monofilament thread and there was none available today. Aurifil does sell a clear and a smokey color, but they do not manufacture it at their Milan plant.

Aurifil is coming out with a three strand of thread in cones for longarm quilters later this fall.  My HQ Sweet Sixteen loves this thread and so do I!

#aurifil #aurifilthread #theoldcountrystore @alexveronelli

The Stolen Marriage

The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2017. 384 pages. ***** Published October 3, 2017.

It's 1944 and Tess DeMello has her life planned. She is engaged to marry her first and only love when her doctor fiancé volunteers to go to Chicago to help out during an infantile paralysis epidemic. Tess has a one-night stand when Vincent extends his stay in Chicago and she soon realizes she is pregnant. Filled with shame and having nowhere to turn, she agrees to a loveless marriage to the stranger who is the father of her child. When Tess travels from Baltimore, Marland to Hickory, North Carolina, she discovers that her new husband has even more secrets than she does and isn't the man he seems to be. Tess is bored in her new role as a wife and has a difficult time adapting to her mother-in-law's expectations. She yearns to be reunited with her family and to confess all to Vincent. Would he have forgiven her? Will Henry grow to love her and his mother and sister accept her?

Chamberlain is a master at writing historical suspenseful fiction. Her research must be extensive to transport the reader to a time and place so successfully. Fans of Jodi Picoult and Lisa Scottoline will enjoy her stories. I love a book that takes a social issue and presents it in a way that causes me to question my beliefs on that issue. What do I think, what would I do? 73 years later and there are probably still places in the U.S. where someone like Tess or Henry would encounter the same prejudices and societal expectations. I enjoyed and was captivated by this story and recommend it for Book Clubs to consider. There are many discussion points and topics to be debated.


I received and ecopy for a review.


Diane Chamberlain is the New York Times, USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of 24 novels published in more than twenty languages. Influenced by her former career as a social worker and psychotherapist, she writes suspenseful stories that touch both heart and mind.

#thestolenmarriage #historicalfiction

Losing Leah Holloway

Losing Leah Holloway (A Claire Fletcher and Detective Parks mystery) by Lisa Regan. Thomas & Mercer, 2017. 381 pages. Published October 17, 2017. *****

This second book in the Claire Fletcher and Detective Parks mystery series is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. Five years ago Claire Fletcher escaped her abductor and is working hard to put the past behind her and to live a normal life. Her quiet life abruptly changes when she and her sister, Brianna, are fishing and see a car careen through a concrete overpass and dive into the river. The car begins to sink, Claire throws her fishing rod down and races into the water to help. When Claire sees children in the car, she attempts to open the door and break the windows. The driver is slumped in her seat and is unresponsive when Claire bangs on the window. When she comes to, she refuses to unlock the door so Claire can get the children out of the car. What would cause a mother to drive recklessly and risk the lives of her children? Leah seems to be a model mother, wife, and employee. Nothing in her life indicates that she is under duress or stressed as a mother. Will Claire and Connor be able to unravel Leah's motivations for her actions and in doing so will Claire finally be able to overcome her fears and build a future with Connor?

I love a story that draws me in and keeps me guessing. There are many twists and turns to this story and the plot is unpredictable. I couldn't put it down. I did not read the first book and it isn't necessary because Regan explains enough of the backstory. However, I wish I had and will certainly do so now. You will not be disappointed in this suspenseful thriller.

I received an ecopy for a review.

Lisa Regan, the author of Finding Claire Fletcher, is a bestselling suspense novelist and a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. She has a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in education from Bloomsburg University, works full-time as a paralegal, and lives with her husband and daughter in Philadelphia, where she writes books while waiting in line at the post office. Readers can learn more about her work at www.lisaregan.com.

#losingleahholloway #suspensefulthriller #mystery

Merry and Bright

Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber. New York: Ballantine Books, 2017. 140 pages. **** Published October 3, 2017.

Debbie Macomber has once again written a heart-warming Christmas story. Merry is a temporary employee at Matterson Consulting and with mandatory overtime has little time for anything else in her life. She lives with her mother who has mobility issues due to complications with multiple sclerosis, her father, and her eighteen-year-old Down syndrome brother. Merry is working as a temp to save money for college and tries to help at home as much as she can. Her job on the Boeing project is winding down and after the Christmas holidays her job will end. Merry has made many friends at Matterson and tries to make the workplace better by decorating for the holidays until reprimanded by her inflexible, curmudgeon boss, Jayson Bright. Merry's mother and brother worry that she will never find someone to date, so they surprise her with a subscription to "Mix and Mingle" for an early birthday present. Merry is not amused when she finds out that they used a photo of Bogie, the dog, on her profile. 

Merry meets and talks to a guy on the Internet, but is reluctant to meet him in person. When they agree to meet for coffee, Merry panics and leaves him waiting and wondering what happened. Has Merry met the man of her dreams or is he a fraud?

There is a certain predictability in Macomber's books and it is for this reason that her followers read her books. They are heart-warming, sincere, and full of hope in this unpredictable, crazy, world. Merry and Bright should be on your Holiday list and books to be read this season. 

I received an electronic copy for a review. 

Debbie Macomber is a leading voice in women's fiction, with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. Twelve of her novels have hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, with three debuting at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly lists.  Follow her at debbiemacomber.com and Facebook.com/debbiemacomberworld, Twitter:@debbiemacomber

Instagram: @debbiemacomber,  Pinterest.com/macomberbooks.

I'm the one who got away

I'm the one who got away: a memoir by Andrea Jarrell. Berkeley: She Writes Press, 2017. 153pp. Book Club Discussion Guide. ****

Reading like a mystery novel, Andrea relates her experiences as the daughter and wife of an alcoholic who is determined to find the life that is right for her. When a woman she knows is murdered, Andrea must face her past and question her motives for avoiding the woman and her family. Estranged from her abusive father and escaping his charm, Andrea and her mother form a bond that helps them to survive. Andrea doesn't understand the choices her mother makes when it comes to men; however, she is determined not to make the same mistakes. Andrea takes us on her journey of marriage, motherhood, and the search for love and self. It's not an easy journey, however, it is a relatable one and a compelling read! 

Complete with a Discussion Guide, this memoir will appeal to Book Clubs. 

I received a copy for a review.

Andrea Jarrell's work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many other popular and literary publications. She earned her BA in literature at Scripps College and her MFA in creative writing and literature at Bennington College. A Los Angeles native, she currently lives in suburban Washington, D.C.

#memoir 

Obie's Country Store

My sister and I were out fabric shopping and stopped in Obie's Country Store at 1585 Main Street, East Earl, PA  17519. It is definitely not for the faint of heart, the fabric is floor to ceiling!

 

My sister asked about a particular fabric and the woman working there plucked it out of a huge pile! The prices are reasonable and there are many character fabrics...Betty Boop, The Muppets, etc. There are also College fabrics, I ordered University of Pitt fabric from an online vendor two years ago and she had some of that fabric as well as sports teams.

We couldn't believe it!

 Here we are standing in the aisles!

Unbelievable!

#obies #fabricgalore #pennsylvaniafabricstore