Edith's War - Andrew Smith,Author

2:07 PM Posted by MAC

Mrs. Maquire's favorite recipe
  Tarragon Chicken Stew


During World War II, with its accompanying food shortages and rationing, Edith’s mother-in-law, Mrs. Maguire raised chickens. They provided a handy supply of eggs and occasional meat. Her neighbor, Anna Baccanello, often snared some wild rabbits in the surrounding countryside. Whenever Anna was kind enough to share them, Mrs. Maguire substituted rabbit meat instead of her treasured chicken. If you like rabbit and can find it, you too can use it instead of chicken to make a variation of this delicious stew.
Mrs. Maguire grew the vegetables in her garden and picked the mushrooms in the meadows down by the river. But sometimes Mrs. Maguire had to substitute other ingredients when they were impossible to find, but we’re fortunate to be able to find everything in our local stores.
4 chicken breasts (about 8 oz each)
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
2 tsp crushed dried tarragon
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp each, salt and black pepper
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1. Remove skin from chicken and trim any fat. Melt butter in a large skillet; brown chicken (about 3 minutes each side). Remove from pan.
2. Dissolve flour in unheated chicken broth.  Add to skillet with wine, tarragon, lemon zest, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook until boiling, stirring constantly. Return chicken to pan along with carrots, potatoes, and whole garlic cloves. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside and vegetables are tender.
3. Remove chicken from skillet; debone and cut into bite-size pieces. Remove garlic and mash with a fork. Add mushrooms. Cook on high heat until sauce boils gently. Return chicken to pan, add peas and heat through.

Edith’s War – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat


“You know,” said Anna.  “We all think we’re so clever.  I know I used to be too proud.  I had a good husband, three handsome boys who speak English and get along so good at school.  Three fish and chip shops, a nice house – I thought I have it made.  And then bang, suddenly it all disappeared.  When a war happens, it shows you we don’t know nothing.  War or no war, we’re all like leaves being blown around.  No matter how much we think we’re the boss, we’re not.”

Edith’s War takes place not far from Liverpool in a town called Shrimpley.  The time is the beginning of World War II. 

Shortly after their marriage, Edith Maguire’s husband Joe must leave to help fight the war.  Edith, being pregnant with their first child, leaves Liverpool to stay with her mother-in-law and brother-in-law in Shrimpley.  There she meets Anna and Gianni Baccanello, along with their 3 sons, Paolo, Domenico and Carlo. 

When Edith moved in with her in-laws she was a naive young lady.  What she experienced during the 4 years that Joe was away, changed her completely.  But more changes were in store for her when Joe comes home and her second son is born.

Edith’s War was created with fictional characters surviving real history.  It’s written in two periods of time.  One time period takes you through the trials of surviving as a wife and mother in the 1940s during WWII while your husband is away fighting a war that no one understands.  The second time period takes place over sixty years after WWII in the 2000s when Edith, her two sons Will and Shamus and Edith’s secrets from the past all meet up in Italy. 

Edith’s War is a love/hate book that tore me between characters.  I could understand, yet not understand the events that took place.  I could approve of, yet disapprove of the feelings felt by the characters.  When you put together the story, the circumstances and the history revealed in Edith’s War, you can’t help but feel the feelings of each character as they struggle to survive.  As I read this book I had another book come to mind.  I know the stories are totally different but the style of Andrew Smith’s writing reminded me of Nicholas Spark’s writing “The Notebook.”  This is a very well written book and a very engrossing read.  You can't help but love it.

Dead of Knight - A Jack Staal Mystery - William R. Potter, Author

6:02 PM Posted by MAC



Detective Staal's Killer 30 Minute Chili

Detective Constable Jack Staal doesn't normally have time to entertain; however, when it's his turn to host the Superbowl or poker night he goes for his own brand of sizzling chili. It starts with ground beef, although cubed steak or shredded chicken will do as well.

Staal tends to throw in whatever is on hand but these are the main ingredients.

* 2-3 lbs lean ground beef
* 1 large chopped onion
* 1 chopped medium green pepper
* 2 chopped celery stalks
* 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 (12 ounce) cans of pork & beans
* 1 (12 ounce) can of niblet corn
* 1/4 to 1/2 cup ketchup
* 2 diced tomatoes
* 1 can low sodium beef broth
* 1-2 cups water, or 1 can of beer, or 1 can of ginger ale
* up to 1/4 cup chili powder
* 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon dried basil (optional)
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin (optional)
* 1 clove diced garlic (optional)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream

3 Step Directions

1.) In a large skillet, cook the beef, onions, green pepper, and celery over medium heat until meat is browned and vegetables are tender; drain.
2.) As the beef browns, in a large pot add all the remaining ingredients (beans, tomatoes, corn, spices etc.) and heat over medium.
3.) When the beef, onions, green pepper, and celery are ready, stir into main pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until chili reaches desired thickness.

Serve hot. Add shredded cheese and sour cream to taste. Even better with garlic toast on the side. Try it served over cooked rice!

Dead of Knight – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

“It’s a good day to die,” he said quietly. “Pardon?” “Happy birthday, Kim.” “What?” She retreated a step. “How did you know it’s my birthday?” Tyro clenched the lighter in his fist, pulled back and struck a quick blow to her throat. The porcelain cup of steaming coffee burst from her grip and smashed to the ground. Her eyes widened in shock as she clutched at her neck and sunk to her knees. He grabbed her hair in both hands and slammed her face down against his rising knee once, twice, releasing her so that she cracked her head against the wall. He stepped aside to survey the results of his attack. “You have accomplished a great deal in your thirty-two years, haven’t you, Miss Walker?” he said as he dragged her into the hidden space between the two dumpsters. “Two illegitimate children, a deadbeat boyfriend, and a minimum wage job slinging burgers to the scum of the earth.” He undid his leather belt and pulled it from his waist.

Jack Stall is a detective with the Hanson Major Crime Section. At times, teams from his department are sent to a crime scene to start the work-up and secure the scene until the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team arrives. Jack and his partner Rachel Gooch have both been assigned to this preliminary work for two prior cases where the victims have been violently raped and murdered on their birthdays. The media has dubbed the killer as “Birthday Boy.” Now they can add a third victim to the list with the killing of Kim Walker, who has been murdered on her birthday.

Author William R. Potter takes Jack Stall through the wringer with Dead of Knight. He is already fighting depression from a mass killing in the park. His deceased partner’s wife Wendy Reynolds has called asking him to find her missing daughter and now the Birthday Boy killings. This may be a lot for one person to deal with, even in fiction, but the writing abilities of William R. Potter not only makes the characters believable but the story as well. This story was so well written. There were no super cops coming along to save the day. The events unrolled so well that you actually felt as if you were following a real police story. This is one author that I will continue to follow and will be waiting on his next Jack Stall Mystery. Until then, I’ll be indulging myself in his book Lighting the Dark Side.

Sounds of Murder - Patricia Rockwell, Author

4:05 PM Posted by MAC


Italian Sausage Soup
  A Favorite Recipe of Rocky and Patricia Rockwell
 
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup white wine
1 container (16 oz.) chicken stock
1 large potato
1 cup fresh spinach
Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Rocky first removes the sausage from the casings and sautés it in a frying pan.  He chops the onion and garlic finely and sautés them in a separate pan until golden brown.  He peels and chops the potato into small chunks.  Eventually, he puts all ingredients except the cheese into a large pot and lets them simmer on the stovetop for several hours.  He sprinkles the cheese over each bowl just before serving.

Sounds of Murder – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘Pamela followed Kent, running behind him around the corner of the main hallway towards the experimental computer laboratory at the far end of the side hallway.  She could see in the distance that the door to the lab was wide open and the lights were on.  Kent ran through the doorway and Pamela followed on his heels.  He went immediately to the first row of computer carrels, to Carrell #4, one of the department’s special “souped up” computers.  Pamela could see a woman in the carrel bent over the computer desk, a tousled head of blond curls.  As she drew closer, she realized that the woman was Charlotte Clark.  “It’s Dr. Clark,” said Kent, “Dr. Barnes!  I think she’s dead!”

Dr. Charlotte Clark was Chair of the Tenure Committee and taught courses on addiction at Grace University.  She was world famous and popular with students which lined up to take her classes.  But by her peers, she was considered abrasive and confrontational.  More often than not creating verbal attacks on anyone who crossed her.  So, when word of her death made its way around the campus, very few tears were shed.

After completing her evening class, Dr. Pamela Barnes, a Psychology Professor, and her graduate assistant Kent Drummond, found Charlotte’s body in the computer lab.  Charlotte being in the lab was normal but the question that pops into Pamela's mind is “why was she in the lab late at night?”  Before class, Pamela had heard Charlotte and Department Head, Mitchell Marks, arguing.  Charlotte had even made threats to go to the Dean to resolve their argument.  So, did Mitchell Marks follow Charlotte to the computer lab and murder her?  As Pamela soon finds, there are many others that have reason to take Charlotte out of the picture.  For starters there are 3 candidates up for tenure with the Dean only allowing 2.  There is also the Animal Psychology Lab which became upset with Charlotte after she  announced that their research wasn’t needed and should be cut.  The more Pamela searches, the more suspects she ends up adding to her list.

Sounds of Murder ends up being solved by “sound.”  This, to me, took the suspense to an entirely different field for.  As I read, I found myself listening to Pamela as she details each sound in her attempt to decide which would are beneficial clues in solving the crime.  Near the middle of the book I had the case solved as to who had committed the murder but not why, so I thought.  It turned out that I was totally off base. The murderer wasn't revealed until the end and to my surprise this character wasn't even on my list of suspects.  This book kept me in suspense from beginning to end.

2010
Cozy Cat Press
204 pages
ISBN# 978-0-9844795-0-4


Bingo The Banjo Picking Bear - Jay Miller, Author

2:49 PM Posted by MAC




Bingo’s BBQ Jelly Bean Chicken Legs
  One of Bingo's favorite recipes
 
Sauce Ingredients
1 Small Bottle Kraft Original BBQ Sauce (or other)
1/3 small jar orange marmalade
1 oz. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lemon
1 small handful mixed Jelly Beans (Save at least one for topping each leg)
Chicken
12 – 18 pc. Chicken legs (Plucked)
Directions
Mix sauce ingredients in a small pan and heat slowly until hot, but not boiling. Allow mixture to cool and thicken somewhat.
Season chicken to taste and grill on medium heat BBQ pit.  15 minutes before chicken is fully cooked, baste generously with sauce, turning to prevent burning..
5 minutes before chicken is completely done, lower flame, stack one Jelly Bean on top of each leg. (It should only partially melt on the bottom and stick to BBQ sauce.)
Remove carefully and place chicken on tray to cool, careful not to let any legs hop off and burn the children’s mouth.
For a faster time, use three legged chickens, or allow the children to blow cool.
 
Bingo The Banjo Picking Bear – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
 
Bingo is a young bear, with music in his soul, who believes that fish are like genies and will grant your wishes.  Bingo's wish is to have a banjo so he can make up songs and sing them to his Grandpa.  Will the fish grant his wish?
 
This is a sweet little book, with beautifully done artwork, that will have just about any child making up their own tune to Bingo’s words.  I actually found myself doing just that.
 
2007
Outskirt Press, Inc.
33 pages
ISBN 978-1-4327-0739-2

Killer Cousins - June Shaw, Author

3:00 PM Posted by MAC


Cajun Delights
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo A La Bob
  A June Shaw Favorite Recipe
3 lbs. chicken
1 lb. smoked sausage
1/3 c. oil
2 lbs. cut okra (frozen)
1 #303 can whole tomatoes (cut up)
1 lg. onion
½ lg. bell pepper
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 qts. Water

Step 1 – cut up skinned chicken and season generously with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 degrees until you can easily take the meat off the bone, possibly 45 minutes.
Step 2 – while chicken bakes, smother the okra;  In a heavy pot, combine vegetable oil, okra, tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper.  Cook over medium heat about 45 minutes or until slime of okra disappears, stirring constantly. (Cajuns usually cook large amounts and freeze in quart bags for future gumbos.
Step 3 – In a large pot combine smothered okra, de-boned chicken, cut-up sausage, sugar and water.  Cook over medium heat for approximately ½ hours.  Serve over cooked rice.

Killer Cousins – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

I’d flown into Gatlinburg, reached my cousin’s house, shoved on the stuck gate of her backyard’s wooden fence, and fallen.  “Stevie!” I cried, lying face down in tall grass.  “Ste—vie!”  Her screen door slammed.  “Oh, Cealie, it’s you!  You came!”  She squatted beside me and I noticed my hand landed in dog doo-doo.  I jerked my hand back.  I wasn’t wearing my bifocals but could tell the poop was dry.  Still – I swiped my fingers through the grass.  “You didn’t answer the doorbell,” I said, checking my hand to make sure it was clean, “so I came back here.  I tripped over something.”  I moved my legs slowly to make sure my stinging knees weren’t broken. So many trees cluttered Stevie’s yard, I figured a thick branch had fallen, and it was the object my shins lay across.  “I’ll help you move that thing out of the way.” I pointed back to it.  Stevie didn’t speak.  I glanced back to see what brought about this bizarre occurrence.  She stooped near me but didn’t look at my face.  Stevie stared at my feet…  I took my time rising.  Until I glanced toward where she stared.  “It’s a man!” I yelled, scrambling to my feet.  “Stevie, there’s a man in your grass.”

Cealie and Stevie are cousins and had grown up close, but in distance only.  Their mothers were sisters but their grandmother seemed to favor Cealie over Stevie.  This ended up giving Stevie a problem with jealousy, and she made Cealie cry whenever possible.  So as Cealie prepared for her trip to Acapulco the call from Stevie begging her to come for a visit was a surprise.  She insisted she “needed” her presence and that she, Stevie, was in danger.  What caused Stevie to believe she was in danger?  Her tarot cards, candles and crystals, of course. 

Reading this book and hearing the feelings these two women had for each other brought back memories of some of my own cousins.  There always seemed to be one that just stood out in the family as being special, causing others to feel jealous and left out.  That’s what appeared to be the problem with the relationship between Stevie and Cealie in Killer Cousins.  So, will the death of a member of Stevie’s stop smoking group change things for them?  Will it make matters worse when another member of the group ends up dead in a restaurant owned by Cealie’s lover Gil?  Or will it bring the two cousins closer together?  Why would anyone kill two people who had only one thing in common, which was to quit smoking?  And how did they kill them?  There are no apparent signs of a struggle on either victim.  I’ll give you a clue.  I guessed the cause around page 115 for the 1st murder.  As to the who the killer might be, there are 321 pages in Killer Cousins, I thought I had the answer on page 300 but I was wrong.  The killer was a total surprise for me.

2009
321 pages
Gale Cengage
ISBN 978-1-59414-730-2

Reel Murder - Mary Kennedy, Author

1:22 PM Posted by MAC


HASH BROWN QUICHE 
  a Mary Kennedy favorite

3 cups shredded, frozen hash browns, thawed and drained
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup diced cooked ham (optional)
1/2 cup diced green onions
1 cup shredded Cheddar
Salt and pepper

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Gently press the drained hash browns between paper towels to dry them. In a 9 inch pie plate, toss potatoes with melted butter; press into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate to form a crust. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp.
In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Pour egg mixture over baked crust and return to the oven. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 30 minutes or until light golden brown and puffed on top. Makes 6 to 8 servings.    

Reel Murder – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
‘It was giving me a little chill to think that the murderer was probably right here on the set with us.  It had to be someone connected with the Death Watch production, didn’t it?  So many possibilities.  I’d narrowed them down in my mind, turning them over and over, and outside of Frankie Domino – who still was the mystery man – all of them had a motive for killing Adriana.  Sidney Carter had Adriana to thank for his ruined career.  There was no love lost between Sandra Michaels and Adriana, that much was clear.  Carla hated Adriana, and blamed her for the loss of a lucrative book deal.  And Hank Watson?  Adriana’s death certainly paved the way for his young girlfriend, Tammilynne, to step into the starring role.  And if Adriana really had been having an affair with Lori’s husband, maybe the actress would have been angry enough to kill her.  My head was reeling, and Nick interrupted my jumbled thoughts.’

Maggie Walsh is a Cypress Grove, Florida talk show psychologist.  Her mother Lola is an aging actress still waiting to be noticed by an A-list producer.  Hopefully, someone will notice her as she plays a part in a movie being produced in Cypress Grove called Death Watch.

Maggie is invited to serve as a script consultant for the show, working mainly with by Sandra Michaels in her part as a forensic psychologist.   As Maggie, the director and assistant director watch the scene taking place on the water’s edge between Adriana St. James, the leading lady, meets with the killer Jeff Walker, the unthinkable happens.  When Walker pulls the trigger of the prop gun, Adriana falls but the blood flowing from the wound is not prop blood.  It’s real.  As Maggie starts her own investigation in the death of Adriana, she finds the wasn’t the most fondly thought of person on the set.  It seemed that everyone Maggie met had nothing but bad things to say about Adriana, making everyone a suspect.

This is my second book in the Maggie Walsh series that I’ve read.  The 1st in the series is titled “Dead Air.”  And it kept me going to the end.  When I read a mystery, I like to see how quickly I can discover the guilty party.  I usually make a note of the page number that I’m on when I make my decision.  Sometimes I have to change that number many times before the end of the book.  With Reel Murder, I had no clue until page #268 and this book is only 292 pages long!  Mary Kennedy kept me in suspense that long!  As in Dead Air, you will find humor as well as excitement and fast page turning.

Osbidian Mystery
June 2010
292 pages
ISBN #978-0-451-23084-3
 

Future Imperfect Book Two - Miraculous Deception - P. I. Barrington, Author

2:00 PM Posted by MAC


Tortellini Spinach Soup


**Even if you or someone you know does not like spinach, this will make you (or anyone else!) a true supporter! Few ingredients and fairly fast and easy to make, this is tasty and filling!


2 packages (9-ounce each) Creamed Spinach (defrosted)
3 ½ cups water
1 envelope 1.4 oz. dry vegetable soup mix
1 package Refrigerated Three Cheese tortellini
Parmesan cheese to taste (optional but highly recommended!)


Heat water and soup mix in large saucepan to boiling; reduce heat to low. Add tortellini and creamed spinach; cook for five minutes until tortellini is tender. Either add Parmesan to pan or top each serving with it. This makes 4 servings.


Future Imperfect Book Two – Miraculous Deception – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat


“Gavin. Gavin!” Payce’s voice hissed urgently in his ear. Only she wasn’t speaking, physically at least. He sat up in the chair and looked at her, lying silent and unmoving in the hospital bed. He frowned, drawing his brows down and together. Gavin shook his head, attributing it to his lack of sleep. He remedied that by leaning back into his chair and closing his eyes again. “Ga-vin! Listen to me!” “Okay, that does it!” He jumped up and leaned over her inert form. “Open your eyes and look at me, Payce.” Silence answered him. “Payce?” Still nothing. I can’t even tell if I’m awake or asleep anymore. I need some of that good old American coffee. Gavin turned toward the door and got one step. “Gavin. Listen to me. Just shut up and listen.”


Payce and Gavin’s both work for the LVPD as partners but while investigating the murder of several women in the Las Vegas area, Payce had been hurt and was now on a type of “life support” which would allow her body to heal. But someone doesn’t want her to live and went to the extreme of turning off her support system. She is in a comatose state and there is no way she can be speaking to Gavin.


Due to his job as well as his personal feelings for Payce, Gavin finds himself trying to find a way to protect her while at the same time determine who wants her dead and why. His search for the truth will take him back to the their original investigation of a group of people that call themselves “The New Creation.”


P. I. Barrington has me hooked on the Future Imperfect Books. They take place a bit into the future but not so far ahead in time that they are unbelievable. The future that Barrington exposes, is actually quite possible. The stories take place in Las Vegas, where due to the destruction of Earth’s atmosphere, the city is in ruins but still living up to its name “Sin City.” Drugs have been legalized and are being distributed by a company named Chemical Recreational, Inc. Crimes are at their normal high rate with the police department and the medical field personnel being at a sad low. Mix this with a recall being placed on the most popular recreational drugs “Glycerine” and you have the perfect target for a religious cult such as The New Creation.


Barrington seems to start a book with a bang and end it with a bang, leaving you craving the next one. And that’s exactly what I’m doing right now. I’m waiting and watching for a message telling me that Future Imperfection Book Three – Final Deceit is out there for me to read.