Showing posts with label A Book and A Dish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Book and A Dish. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Butterfly Lake - Robert J. Saniscalchi, Author



Tex’s Favorite Chocolate Cake

1-3/4 cups All purpose flour 
1-3/4 cups of Sugar 
 ½ cup Cocoa
1/3 cup instant nonfat dry Milk 
1-teaspoon Baking Powder
1-teaspoon Salt
Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup Vegetable oil
3-Large Eggs
1-tablespoon
Vanilla extract

Cake Mix
In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, dry milk, baking soda, salt
Add 1-1/4 cup water, oil, eggs, vanilla and whisk everything together in large bowl
Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper coated with cooking spray then added contents of bowl and Bake at 350 and let cool when done.

Icing for Cake

¼ cup butter
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup milk
3-1/2 cup Confectioners’ Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Sift Sugar and set aside, heat butter and mix in a large bowl with cocoa, milk, vanilla, then add sifted Sugar and whisk until smooth.

Pour Icing over chocolate cake and enjoy!

Butterfly Lake - Review by Martha A. Cheves

Sam and Bill McCoy were from Southern Georgia.  Sam, the oldest, smartest and tallest, might have been considered plain-looking, were it not for his tangled mop of hair and his scraggly beard; Bill, on the other hand, was not too bright, albeit not from lack of trying.  He had always been slow - he just couldn't help it - but he was intelligent enough to follow his big brother and do whatever Sam told him to do.

Tex is from Texas.  In the Fall, he had invited his best friend Rob to his ranch for fishing and riding horses.  Rob has returned the favor by inviting Tex and his family to his lake cabin in the mountains of Pinecrest, PA.  The two men, both in their mid-forties, had been close friends since their days in the jungles and villages of Vietnam.  Rob was a decorated Army field medic, and Tex a decorated Marine sniper.  

When the unthinkable happens, Tex, Rob, Sam and Bill will meet and that's when the suspense begins.  Their travels will take them through the mountains in their attempt to bring justice to the little town of Pinecrest.  But their task doesn't come without life threatening events that may make them missing in action.

This book is full of twists and turns that kept me wanting more.  It gave me admiration for not only Tex and Rob, but also for the author.  Looking forward to his next book of adventures with these two guys.

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Suddenly Psychic - Elizabeth Hunter, Author


White Chocolate Energy Blend

3 Pkg. (2.75 oz. each) Imperial Nuts - Energy Blend
1 pkg. white chocolate chips

Melt the white chocolate and stir in the Energy Blend.  Pour onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until cooled.  Break into pieces.

Suddenly Psychic - Review by Martha A. Cheves


Glimmer Lake was a year-round vacation town.  In the summer, the cool waters of the lake attracted swimmers, boaters, and anglers from valleys at the base of the Sierra Nevada.  They came to escape the baking summers in the lowlands and to enjoy the crisp air.  In the winter, heavy snow made the lake town a destination for skiers, sledders, and those looking for the rare white Christmas in California.  The town that occupied the banks of Glimmer Lake had replaced the old logging and mining town of Grimmer, which had been flooded in the 1940s to create a reservoir that could serve the thirsty population boom in Southern California.  

Robin Brannon and her two best friends Val and Monica are on their way to Big Creek Lodge where they could enjoy karaoke and half-priced drinks.  The road leading to the lodge was narrow, twisted and had almost zero lights.  As Val and Monica sang "Always Be My Baby" Robin took her eyes off the road and looked into the rear-view mirror.  When Monica yelled, she glanced back at the road to see a massive white deer frozen in the middle of the road.  She swerved in the darkness to avoid the deer.  But her stomach dropped when she realized there was nothing.  No deer.  No road.  Nothing but the darkness and the moon over the water.

This book is more than a mystery.  It's a book of life both new and old, both dead and alive.  It's the life of 3 middle aged women who escape death only to find themselves with special 'powers' that they never had before.  One can see ghosts, one is a touch telepath and the other is a seer.  As they combine their powers, they're able to solve a murder that is half a century old, as well as give life to Robin's grandmother.  They also find that through their newly acquired abilities they find themselves and the lives they are meant to have.

This book is an enjoyable mystery but it's also a book that makes you stop and look at your own life.  A book well worth reading.

Monday, May 4, 2020

Vegas Lies ("Lies" Mystery Thriller Series Book 3) - Andrew Cunningham, Author


ANISETTE COOKIES
(Andrew Cunningham - My wife’s mother—the greatest baker in the world--used to make them every Christmas)

2 ½ Cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon anisette
1 cup sugar
½ cup shortening

Cream shortening, add eggs one at a time. Beat well. Add flour, salt, and baking powder (all sifted together). Add milk. Add anisette.

Put on greased pan (each one about a heaping tablespoon size). Cook 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Glaze:

Mix confectioner’s sugar and milk to make a thick glaze
Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze

While the glaze is still wet, cover with sprinkles or nonpareils

Vegas Lies - Book 3 - Review by Martha A. Cheves

Emma began to cry.  Lucy nuzzled up against her in an effort to comfort her friend, but there was no comfort, just abject fear.  If his hand being there had been so unpleasant, what would the other thing be like?  Slowly the crying subsided, only to be replaced with anger.  No, she wasn't going to let that happen to her.  It would be far worse than death.  She was going to find a way to escape, and if she couldn't, she was going to die.  

Five young teenage girls from the small town of Vista, Oregon disappeared in the same night.  At first it was thought that the five friends, who were coming home from a movie, had run away together, escaping the stifling atmosphere of small-town America.  But once it was determined that they were all reasonably happy, fairly well-adjusted young people, the focus shifted to the unthinkable.

Peep was Mo's partner.  Even though they didn't live together, they had been a couple for about five years.  Peep was in Las Vegas for a trade show.  Sabrina and Del are on their way to Las Vegas for a BookExpo.  Sabrina, a best selling mystery author, hates the publicity that follows her but had agreed to take the trip and had also promised Mo that she and Del would meet Peep for dinner the night of their arrival.  For some reason Peep never showed up.

As Author Andrew Cunningham combines the stories of the missing teenagers as well as the disappearance of Peep, the tension grows.  Where is the connection between the missing girls and Peep?  Can they all be found before it's too late?  And who is behind the disappearances?  These, plus many more questions popped into my head as I read, yet another, suspense filled book in this series.

So, if you enjoy a good page turner, full of twists and turns, don't miss out on this book.  It's one that kept me up late at night reading just to see what happens next.

Friday, December 1, 2017

In the Weeds - Mark Ozeroff, Author



Potato Leek Soup
(Mark Ozeroff's favorite Recipe from the Old World
)

2 large leeks
3 T. butter
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1 med. onion, chopped
4 med. potatoes, cubed
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Chives, optional

Slit leeks and wash THOROUGHLY. Chop and sauté leeks with onion in butter for 5 minutes, stirring. Add broth and potatoes, simmer for 15 minutes. Blend slightly and add cream. Serve hot or cold with chives.


In the Weeds - Review by Martha A Cheves, Author of: Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; and A Book and A Dish

I sat on Bian's bed, staring out the only window in the tiny room.  She'd been looking west, toward the Everglades.  The fleeting patches of sun a couple days ago probably would have seemed familiar to her, perhaps like her memories of Vietnam.  Here, she'd known nothing but strangers, uniforms, and pain.  But perhaps a familiar sight, and a memory of home, drew her toward the unknown.

I left her room and descended the stairwell, just as she must have done.  I turned left on the landing toward the exit and found myself looking at the eastern edge of the Everglades.

I dropped to my knees to get a child's perspective, and could clearly see a gap in the vegetation, the start of a trail.  I stood and followed it, then closed my eyes.  Burrowing as deeply into the mind of a young girl as I could, I took a fresh look down the trail.  To a hurting and exiled orphan, this must have looked like a path to freedom.  I took my bearings, like the pilot I was, then marched back to the orphanage.

This young child, aging around 4, was brought from Vietnam to the US to start a new life.  She had been burned over thirty percent of her body and one of her legs had been amputated below the knee.  She is lost and looking for someone or something that might make her feel that she is safe and cared about.

This young child will also be what brings Vietnam veteran "Slats" Kisov, back to a new start of his own.  Slats flew an O-1 for the Air Force as a 'spotter' who would fly low enough to spot the enemy and report their position to the pilots flying the F-4 Phantoms.  After being shot while on a mission, he was eventually sent home to what should be a normal life.  It didn't take long for Slats to find his life was going to be far from normal.  When you combine PTSD, pot, a girlfriend who used to be the sheriff's wife, the fact that the sheriff is a member of the Klan, and a hurricane that should have taken his life, you find a man with a really mixed up life.  Just the kind of life only a child can smooth out.

This book is full of Vietnam War history.  I've know several who served during this terrible war and when asked about events as I read them, they assured me that what I was reading was true.  All the way down to the orphans that were brought over, some in very sad health.  Reading about some of the events we were never told here in the states, it broke my heart to know what these men went through.  So when Slats took his flying ability to an illegal level, I actually worried about him making it through the dangers of his actions.  I've read hundreds of books and have to say that this one is written in a fashion that made me feel like I was listening to a real person as he told me about his life.  It's very believable and well worth reading.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Girl With Pencil, Drawing - Linda Maria Frank, Author



Irma’s Apple Cake
(An Annie Favorite)

4 to 5 apples, peeled and sliced
5 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
Combine and set aside.

In another bowl, hand mix the following:
3 Cups unsifted flour
2 1/3 Cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 Cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 Cup Orange Juice
8 oz. can walnuts
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda


Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a Bundt Pan.  Alternate batter and apples in pan, starting with batter.
Bake 1 1/2 hrs.


Girl With Pencil, Drawing - Review by Martha A. Cheves Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

He busied himself rummaging through the kitchen drawers, two sets of panic-stricken eyes following his every move.  He found some emergency candles and went into the small dinette adjoining the kitchen.  He lit them, let the was drip onto some paper plates from the counter and affixed the candles to the plates.  There were six candles in all.  Was he into satanic rituals?  He came back into the kitchen and turned on all the gas jets at the range and the oven, leaving its door ajar.  He blow out the flames, letting the gas escape freely.  "Bye, bye, ladies."  He hurried out the back door locking it behind him.

When I was a young girl I loved reading the Nancy Drew mysteries and to this day I still enjoy the style and mysteries of the young 'detective' but you can only read them so many times before you know them by heart.  Well... Author Linda Maria Frank has brought my young memories back.  Annie Tillery is today's Nancy Drew!  In fact, she is great at getting herself into trouble but working it out in a fashion that would make Nancy proud.  In Girl With Pencil, Drawing Annie goes to art school and finds that her instructor/teacher is mixed up in a murder that Annie doesn't believe she committed.  Can she prove her innocence without getting both of them killed?  What do you think?

This the second book in the Annie Tillery Mystery Series.  I've read the first, loved it and couldn't see how it could get any better.   Well it does.  I'm now looking forward to reading the third book to see what Nancy, oh excuse me, Annie gets into and how she gets through it.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Dead Burn - Emily Stone Series - Jennifer Chase, Author


Anytime Protein Blast Smoothie
(Emily's Favorite Energy Drink)

Ingredients:
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup milk (or almond or soy milk)
¾ cup strawberries (or any preferred berry)
½ banana
2 handfuls spinach (or kale leaves)
1 Tbsp. peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 tsp. honey
 
Prep:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more milk for a thinner smoothie, or less for a thicker smoothie. (Makes 1 serving)
 
Note: This is a great morning boost or a replacement meal. Use organic whenever possible.


Dead Burn - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

The man pushed his hands deep into his coat pockets, nervously pressing the thumbs against the forefingers, each time with more force, staying in the moment, wanting to experience life dwindling from another person, but not just any person - a sinner.  The screaming had stopped... The burning building captured the man's soul and deep seeded emotions with the hypnotizing and inviting spirits.  It amazed him each time with a wondrous performance.  A sin repaid.  The arsonist patiently waited for a hidden message to exit from the fire to commend him on his sacrifices of righteousness, but it never did... The deeds piled up, and once he reached the appointed number, the words would push him to the next level...

Emily Stone has finished a energy straining rescue she knows there is no time for rest.  Apparently there is a serial killer that is targeting those who have escaped justice and those who helped them.  And his mode of revenge is death by fire.

With each death, the clues evade the police as well as Emily.  With each fire there is only one specific victim in the carefully executed fires.  Could this be a different kind of serial killer?  As the bodies increase the case gets colder and colder leading Emily and her team in directions that fail to find a connection.

This is my 4th Emily Stone Series book and I have to say that as one ends I tell myself that the next one simply couldn't be better, but I'm wrong - it is.  This series has me turning pages, biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my chair.  Author Jennifer Chase just gets better with every book.  I would love to see these books made into a series of movies!

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Phantasms in the Infirmary - Ram and Julie Gulrajani, Authors


Spinach Pie

Wash the spinach after removing the thick white stalks.  Roll up the leaves and cut very fine, place in a bowl and add salt.  Pour sufficient boiling water to cover and then squeeze out the water.  Now take 3 bunches of spinach, 3 beaten eggs, two Tbsp. of grated cheese, salt, pepper, a little garlic and a little oil.  Line a deep Pyrex dish with a pie crust and fill with the spinach mixed with all the other ingredients.  Make two wells and drop 2 eggs very carefully.  Cover with more crust, brush over with milk and bake for 2 hrs.



Phantasms in the Infirmary - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

Not so long ago I took a friend to the hospital for an endoscopy.  In the past this was done at one of the smaller facilities but my friend had changed doctors and he only did the procedure at the hospital.  As we boarded the elevator I noticed that the nurse pushed the button for us to go down, not up.  OK, there are a lot of floors that I've never been on in this hospital and with all the new construction we are probably just going to another above ground floor in the back.  As we stepped off the elevator and started walking down the hall I started feeling closed in.  I felt like I was walking into air that was really thick with something but I had no idea what.  I sat by my friend's bed as they prepared him for the procedure and since there was only a curtain between us and the next patient I could hear his conversation with one of the nurses.  He was telling her that he was born in this hospital 80 years ago.  She proceeded to tell him that we were in the oldest part of the hospital in the basement which at one time was actually the morgue.  I still didn't make the connection between my feelings and the location until I started reading Phantasms in the Infirmary.

Even though Authors Ram and Julie Gulrajani created a single hospital for the events to take place, they are still stories from several hospitals that have been passed on by hospital workers over the years.  Both Authors work in the medical field which brings them in contact with those who have experienced the events as well as those who have heard the stories.  Many of the hospitals have long histories of being everything from asylums, orphanages, workhouses, convents and monasteries in their past.  They also all have one thing in common - death.  Some even carried the ghosts of these deaths into the halls of the modern hospitals.

Is this what I was feeling while in the basement/old morgue of the hospital I was in?  After reading this book of ghosts from the past I'm pretty sure that was exactly what I felt.  Read Phantasms in the Infirmary for yourself and see if you agree.

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Mixed Messages (A Malone Mystery Book 1) -


"Dottie's Barbecue"

1 lb. ground beef
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tblsp. sugar
1 tblsp. dried mustard
1 tblsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
8 oz. ketchup
Brown meat, add onion and pepper. Combine all remaining ingredients. Add to meat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour

Mixed Messages - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

She went directly to her grandmother's grave and stooped down to clear away the debris that covered the inscription on the tombstone.  She heard a noise behind her that sounded like light footsteps making their way through the dried leaves and twigs... But there was no one there.  It's probably your imagination, she said out loud but, when the sun went behind a cloud, she shivered.  Then, she heard the noise again... All of a sudden, a black cat sprang from the woods... As she turned back toward her grandmother's grave, she noticed a mound of freshly dug earth a few feet away.  Curious, she went over and looked down.  Her eyes opened wide and her hands flew to her mouth to stifle a scream.  There, printed in bold black paint on a large rock were the words, "FUTURE HOME OF ANN KERN."

Ann is a wife and mother of two beautiful children.  Most of her married life has been spent being a stay at home mother but now her husband David has decided that she should get a job.  He said he was tired of trying to support the family by himself.  The stress was getting to him and he was staying out late and drinking heavily.  His mother Louise takes her only living son's side and blames everything that he is going through, including the drinking, on Ann.  She agrees that Ann needs to earn her part of the income and even puts in a good word with Father Andrew from their church who is looking for a part-time assistant.

Father Andrew finds Ann very suitable for the position but also finds out who she really is.  He actually has a past with her family.  A bad past and this just might be his chance to get the revenge from years past.

You can't help but feel the love yet anger, sorrow, and pain that goes through Ann as she tries to be a good wife and mother.  But it seems that the harder she tries she can't help but watch everything slip away from her.  This story is so well written and so real that I found myself comparing it to people I knew in my own life.  I'm now looking forward to reading the next book in this series titled Unfinished Business.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Dead Man Ohio - T. M. Simmons, Author

Granny's Bread Pudding with
Jack Daniel's Whiskey Sauce

Ingredients for Bread Pudding:

2-1/2 cups stale French bread, cut in cubes
1-1/2 cups whole milk
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup raisins
1 cup coconut
1 cup pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8X12 glass baking dish with olive oil cooking spray and set aside.

Place bread cubes and milk in a bowl. Squeeze the milk into the bread very well and let set for at least 10 minutes.

Using an electric mixer on high, beat eggs with sugar in another bowl until thick. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, raisins, coconut and pecan pieces. Add to the soaked bread crumbs and stir.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until firm. Check with a knife inserted in the middle. If it comes out clean, the pudding is done. Let cool in the dish.

Jack Daniel's Whiskey Sauce:

½ cup brown sugar
½ cup Half and Half
1 stick butter (real butter, not margarine)
½ cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey
Combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until mixture reaches a low rolling boil. Pour a generous amount over the individual servings of bread pudding. Serve hot.



Dead Man Ohio - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

The thing in front of us drew himself up and glared at me.  I could tell it was male - or at least projected a male appearance.  Bare skin gleamed in the overhead light as though he'd smeared himself with bear grease, and there were no breasts other than the small brown nipples on his muscular chest.  The rest of his body rivaled pictures I'd seen of men with toned but not over-blown bodies.  He exuded maleness, even beneath his outlandish facade.  Still, no amount of projected masculinity could overcome my senses.  Mr. Muscles had been dead for a long while.

Yet, the image was a ghost, spirit or whatever you want to call him.  And as it turned out, he wasn't the only one lingering around Alice's Aunt Twila's home and that of her neighbors.  Turns out that this spirit was called Free Eagle and he had been dead for centuries.

Alice had been called by her ex-husband to 'please' come to Ohio to see if she could help out her Aunt Twila.  Apparently there was a spirit that had been causing her trouble and she didn't seem to be able to gain control over it.  That was all it took for Alice and her neighbor and friend Granny to jump into the car and make the trip from Texas to Ohio.  And it didn't take long for Alice to discover that there was more than one ghost to be dealt with.

Then there are the Ohio Grassmen.  Story goes that they live in the area, are covered with grass and stand 8 - 10 feet tall.  They are big!  Just like the 'thing' that was seen depositing a body on Twila's property the night Alice and Granny showed up.  Turns out that he had been murdered and he refused to leave until he found the person who killed him.

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that Alice and Aunt Twila are 'ghost hunters.'

I think I've read everything paranormal this author has written and I can't get enough.  Be it her series with Alice and Twila or her true Ghost Hunting Diaries, I have a hard time putting them down.  This author is addictive and I hope I'll have another fix coming my way from her soon.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Avenue of the Dead - Brian L. Porter, Author



White Chicken Chili
(A Brian Special)


3 15 ounce cans Great Northern, pinto, or cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 1/2  cups chopped red, green, and/or yellow sweet peppers (2 medium)
1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
2 fresh jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3 1/2 cups chicken broth 
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
Broken tortilla chips (optional)



1.  In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine drained beans, chicken, sweet peppers, onion, jalapeno peppers, cumin, garlic, salt, and oregano. Pour broth over mixture in cooker.
2.  Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.
3.  If desired, top each serving with cheese and/or tortilla chips.

Avenue of the Dead - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds, A Book and A Dish

The remaining hours of that first day of the investigation proved as frustrating as they did fruitless for the two detectives.  Little progress was made by any of those involved in the investigation.  A painstaking search of the area surrounding the site of the discovery of the body had revealed no physical or trace evidence whatsoever.  They were nowhere nearer to identifying the unfortunate victim, and Doctor Hernandez had telephoned Tamayo to inform him that the autopsy results wouldn't be available until the following day.

Mexican Police Captain Juan Morales decided to take a vacation after the death of his brother Father Rodrigo who had spent his last years in the sanctuary of the seminary.  Rodrigo had been a Priest who fell from the bell tower and never recovered mentally nor physically.  Juan's vacation came to a halt when his old time buddy Tamayo received a call informing him that a body had been found at the ancient ruins of the city of Teotihuacan.  With Juan tagging along, Tamayo finds himself standing on the Avenue of the Dead looking at the horrific sight of a corpse whose chest cavity shows evidence that the man's heart is missing.  Now the search is on to find the identity of the man as well as his killer before he kills again.  As Morales finds himself being drawn ever closer to the beautiful archaeologist Sophia, developments in the case lead the two of them into grave danger as the killer senses an opportunity for another outlet for his (or her) escalating bloodlust."

As I read the story about the Priest Rodrigo whose mind kept seeing the devil I couldn't but feel that even after his death, there had to be a connection to the body with the missing heart.  Then another body turned up making me truly believe there was a connection.  Could this be the Priest coming back?  Could it be that the devil has decided to visit yet another human?  Or is this the doings of a truly sick person on their own?  I will tell you this, I stayed on the edge of my bed the whole time I read this book.  It really grabs at your heart!

Monday, December 22, 2014

A Millionaire's Christmas - Brian L. Porter, Author



Strawberry Twinkie Cake
(Perfect for the holidays)

1 box Twinkies (or any cream filled snack cakes)
1 box vanilla instant pudding mix
2 (10 oz. each) boxes sweetened strawberries
8 oz. Cool Whip

Layer in a casserole dish in the following manner.  Twinkies (cut in half lengthwise) on bottom, pudding (follow package directions to make), strawberries and cool whip.  This is a pretty dish and oh so delicious!




A Millionaire's Christmas - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

Never the most gregarious of men, the shipping magnate Aristedes Miklos found himself further removed from everyday life as his empire grew.  He had few friends and no other family to divert his attention from work, and Aristedes became something of a recluse.  By the time his illness struck him, Bob Garrett had been the only real friend he'd made in the previous twenty years.  He had worked tirelessly at building his fleet and his bank balance, and though his employees respected and revered him as a good man to work for, he would never have considered any of them as anything more than what they were.

Aristedes has found himself in a hospital room all alone.  He has a brain tumor that is aggressive and inoperable.  He is dying.  As his memory begins to fade he becomes aware of his past life.  With his life holding no future, what will happen to his fortune that he spent his life to develop?  He simply has no one!

Then he meets Dr. Elijah.  Elijah knows Aristedes is dying and introduces him to a young boy named Christos Karamanlis who is also dying of cancer.  But, with just a little help from Aristedes, Christos' family could pay for the treatments needed to keep him alive.  Elijah also has the idea that more money could be given to help other children who need medical help.  Well, Aristedes didn't create his fortune by falling for cons and decided to do a little checking on Dr. Elijah before handing over any money.  But first he needed some sleep.

So, is it a con by Elijah or is he and the boy for real.  That my friend you'll have to find out by reading this Christmas story that has a real twist.  You won't regret it.


Saturday, December 13, 2014

All Because of the Tip of a Needle - Philip Nork, Author



Reuben Dip
(A Philip Nork favorite)

4 packages of Bunning Corned Beef shredded
8 ounces of shredded Swiss cheese
8 ounces of shredded Cheddar cheese
1 16 ounce can of sauerkraut
1/2 cup of mayonnaise


Mix all together and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted. Try to serve on a hot plate along side rye bread slices or your favorite cracker.

All Because of the Tip of a Needle - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

An excerpt from the book- This last six years was a mentally draining one for me. I had everything I lived for - horse racing, my family, and my wife and kids - taken away from me.  All I could do was wait and wait and wait.  The lawyer told me not to talk to anyone, including my family, about what had happened.  He said it would hamper our case.

Sam Newman, twenty-one years of age, became known as 'Sam-the-man' at the track because he won with regularity.  He was disliked by some, and apparently, hated by more. His young life was going just as he dreamed it would. Using the advice his grandfather had taught him he found the best ways to work with horses and also to make them work for you. He had learned well and it was paying off in more ways than one.  Thanks to his success he was able to marry the girl of his dreams, have kids, and most importantly to him, he was winning at the tracks of his hometown, Chicago, Illinois.  His special 'way' with horses allowed him to spot a rundown horse and turn him back into a winner.  How did he do this?  He just had a way with the equine, but if you talked to the other owners and drivers of Chicago they would tell you it was because of a needle and a drug known as Etorphine, an elephant tranquilizer also known as M-99.  This drug was rumored to make the horses run, fast and straight, to the finish line.

Sam's longtime vet, known as Doc Brown, turned against him when Sam replaced him with another vet.  After losing his temper, he made a promise to Sam's brother, Dave.  His threat was "Payback is a bitch..." and apparently this threat was carried out.  It wasn't long after the threat was made that officers from the Illinois Bureau of Investigations searched Sam’s barn area and discovered a hypodermic needle in his car.  After supposedly testing it, it was confirmed that the needle had contained the M-99 drug.

This book is written as fiction but it based on the 'scandal' back from the 1980's between Scott Nance, the Illinois racing board, and the owners of the harness tracks in the Chicago area. From what I've read, it leads me to believe this young man was 'thrown under the train' due to revenge and greed of others. I'm a horse lover and from this man's story I feel he had a special gift in dealing with them. I find it hard to believe that with the constant testing of the horses, anyone can train and/or drive in over 2,000 races in eight states and two countries, have 300 winners with many seconds and thirds, and still be accused of drugging his horses.


A recommended read for harness fans, conspiracy fans, and just the everyday reader.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Jilted by Death - Lynette Hall Hampton, Author


Barbecue Cups
(My grandchildren love this recipe and
I thought maybe my readers would, too -
Lynette)

l lb. ground beef - browned and drained
1/2 cup barbecue sauce - whatever you like. I use Sweet Baby Ray's
2 Tbsp. onion - chopped fine
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 can of biscuits
3/4 cup. Shredded cheese - I use cheddar

After draining beef, add barbecue sauce, onion and brown sugar.
Place each biscuit in a greased muffin tin. Press dough up sides, to the top of tin to form a cup.
Spoon mixture into cups and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until dough is brown.


Jilted by Death - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds: A Book and A Dish

"This is Willa," I said into the receiver.  "And I can be your worst nightmare," a deep muffled voice said.  "Stay away from Reba Wilkinson.  No more lunches with her, if you know what's good for you, Preacher Lady."  The receiver slammed in my ear and I slowly hung up.  I was stunned, confused, and a little afraid.  I looked around my office and shivered.  Whoever this person was, he knew that I had spent my lunchtime with Reba, and he didn't like it.  But why would anyone care?  The visit had been fruitless.

Willa Hinshaw has only been the associated minister at the First United Methodist Church for about three weeks when everything seems to start turning upside down.  First came the canceling of a wedding for the daughter of one of the town's leaders to an up-and-coming attorney.  The daughter seemed to have run off with her childhood sweetheart causing much grief for her family, not to mention the loss of money it had cost her father to put this event together.  Then came the call to Willa from the daughter telling her she had made a mistake and was afraid for her safety.  She begged Willa to come and get her at a motel several miles away from Liverpool.  And when she read the note left with the motel clerk saying it was all a mistake and that she was ok, Willa wasn't convinced.  Thus starts her search for the real truth, as well as the threats made to her if she continued to keep digging into matters that don't concern her.

Then comes the ransom note.  Someone is determined to destroy the Poole family through their daughter Lee Ann and the Swanson family through their son Justin.  But why was a question no one seemed to have the answer to.

Lynette Hall Hampton has become one of my favorite authors.  Her stories are simply beautiful as well as mysterious.  Her style of writing is one that keeps me in the dark through many pages.  In Jilted by Death, I thought I knew the killer about 3/4 of the way through but the more I thought about it the more I felt I was wrong.  So, when the killer was finally revealed I was surprised but also not surprised.  I can't wait to read more works of art from this author.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

The Deepest Dark - Joan Hall Hovey, Author



Joan Hall Hovey's Dark and Stormy
  Date Squares

1 pkg. pitted dates
1 1/2 cups of orange juice
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups of rolled oats
1/3 cup water

In a pan, cook dates together with orange juice, 1/3 cup brown sugar and water.  Set aside.
Cream butter with remaining 2/3 cup of brown sugar.  Stir in flour, and add oats.  Mix until crumbly.  (It's easiest if you use your fingers.)  Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a lightly buttered 9" glass dish.  Spread date filling over crust.  Lightly press remaining mixture on top.  Bake in a 350 degree oven 25-30 minutes ( until light brown).  Makes 64 1" squares.



The Deepest Dark - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish - (I couldn't put this book down!)

She had started for the kitchen when she stopped in the doorway between the living room and kitchen, thinking she'd heard a noise outside.  She listened.  Heard it again.  A squeaking of the porch swing chain?...Hearing nothing further, but still wearing the same uneasy frown on her face, she continued on to the kitchen.  She was reaching into the drawer for a knife to cut the pie with when she heard the noise again.  She looked in the direction of the sound and that's when she saw the grinning face in the window.  Her heart lurched painfully but before she could cry out, something crashed against the back door.  It burst open and three men strode into her kitchen, big as life.  Three men she had never seen before.

Ethel and Hartley have raised their daughter and still lived in their country home where neighbors were not a walk away but a drive away.  In their 80's they had grown use to their solitude so when their uninvited visitors bust through their door they are at a total loss.

Abby used the facilities, washed her hands and splashed warm water on her face, patting it dry with rough brown paper.  When she came back out of the washroom, the woman was behind the counter. "Help yourself to the coffee, dear," she said.  "Freshly made."... "Thanks.  I needed that."  "You're welcome.  Don't know about you, but this rain is getting me down.  Awful about those three escapees, isn't it?"

Abby is on her way to the lake cabin her husband had bought for their secret get-away.  After the disasters she had faced just a few months earlier she wasn't sure of her real reason for going there.  She needed time away from everyone but with the bottle of pills in her purse, along with her depression, she just might make this her final resting place.

This book is one for the movies.  As the author brings the Ethel and Hartley, Abby, and the three men together it becomes a book that I had hard time putting down.  I actually read it in just three nights.  I hurt for Abby and her previous problems.  I felt for Ethel and Hartley as they are subdued by the three men.  I feared the three men as they prompted fear on everyone that came into contact with them.  But I learn something from reading this book.  There have been times that I go to the mountains alone just for the quiet.  As with Abby's lake cabin, my favorite place had no telephones and no TV... just peace and quiet.  Never again will I visit my favorite cabin without a phone!

So, if you want a real page turning, grip the edge of the chair and leave the lights burning read, you will surely have it with The Deepest Dark.




Thursday, August 28, 2014

After Armageddon - Brian L. Porter, Author


Conglomerate Salad
(Due to the mixture of stories this salad is perfect for this book)

1 bag boil in the bag brown rice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup light Caesar salad dressing
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chicken, cooked and diced
1 can (11 oz.) Mexican-style corn, drained
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Spinach leaves (optional)

Prepare rice according to package.  In a large bowl, combine Dijon mustard and Caesar salad dressing.  Toss in rice, beans, chicken, corn and green onions.  Chill or serve at room temperature.  Garnish with spinach leaves, if desired. 


Suggestion - Serve in large tomato with pulp and seeds removed.

After Armageddon - Book Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

Imagine a world devastated by the unthinkable, a global war enveloping almost every nation on Earth.  Imagine the death, the disease and the wholesale slaughter of million upon million of our fellow beings.  This, then, is the post-apocalyptic setting for After Armageddon, as one solitary scribe attempts to set out in words, for posterity, the results of the terrible religious wars which rose from the intolerance and ignorance of fanatics from all sides of the religious spectrum, at some time in a future we have yet to meet.  Is this a portent of what may be yet to come, or a timely warning for mankind?

After Armageddon is just one of the short stories included in this book but I must say that due to the world as it is today it was one that hit home most.  It scared the heck out of me because it is so possibly true.  So if you don't read any of the other stories within this book's pages, make sure you read the 2nd story in the book titled After Armageddon.

The other stories within this book are at times dark as well as entertaining.  I found that I had to read at least one each night and when time permitted two.  The story 'The Devil You Know' takes place in Mexico after the death of a priest.  It will take you into the depths of crime as well as archaeological events in history.  You will follow a young lady as she is kidnapped  where the kidnapper finds out he made a really big mistake.  And then there is the story of a woman and her husband as they attend the 'festival'.  Will they enjoy it or will they find themselves lost forever?  You'll also go back in time to the year 1816 where you'll meet James who loves dead things.

So, if you enjoy a good scary story, this book is for you but be careful when you read them at night or you might be like me... hearing noises that I know aren't there.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

And Don't Bring Jeremy - Marilyn Levinson


Cauliflower Casserole
(A Marilyn Levinson Special)

1 medium head of cauliflower
1 red pepper
1/2 large onion
4 mushrooms
4 eggs
1/4 cup of milk or yogurt
2/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons of slivered almonds
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
to taste:
salt
pepper
fresh cilantro, cut up
fresh parsley cut up
red pepper flakes
nutmeg
cinnamon
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

Cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Discard core. Cook in microwave until still firm. (Shall we say al dente?) If done the day before, refrigerate cauliflower.  Spray a deep casserole with oil. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut up and sauté the red pepper, onion, and mushrooms in olive oil, and set aside.  Beat eggs In mixing bowl. Add milk or yogurt, the cheese, breadcrumbs.   Mix together, then add the sautéed veggies and cauliflower.   Mix together, then add slivered almonds, fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes.   Mix and cover with Parm. cheese, a 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and cinnamon.   Bake covered 40-50 minutes.


Be creative! Use broccoli instead of cauliflower, basil instead of cilantro, or a different kind of cheese. 


And Don't Bring Jeremy - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

"Adam?”  
I turned around to see what Eddie wanted.  
“We— Mark and Danny and me—well, we were thinking of going out for pizza before the game tomorrow.  At Gino's.  Want to come?”  
"Sure, why not?  I'll check with my mom and let you know."  I shrugged my shoulders, trying to shake the uneasy feeling that just took hold of me.  What was wrong?  
"Great.  Meet us there at twelve.  Bring your bicycle. Then we'll ride over to the field early and practice before the rest of the team comes”  
I suddenly knew.  “All right."  In spite of myself, Mom's drilling me to try to include Jeremy whenever I could won out.  "But is it alright if I— “ 
"And Adam—“
“Hmm?”  
His voice cut across my question. "And don't bring Jeremy. Okay?"

Sixth grader Adam and his older brother Jeremy are new to the neighborhood, and Adam is finding it hard to make friends. When Adam joins a Little League baseball team, his mother sees to it that Jeremy, who has disabilities and no interest in baseball, is placed on the same team. Because Jeremy is awkward and always doing something to embarrass Adam, Adam is ashamed to have people know that Jeremy is his brother. When Eddie Gordon, the coach’s son, befriends Adam, he makes it very clear that he wants no part of Jeremy. 

Adam and Eddie spend more time together, and Adam finds himself saying nothing when Eddie calls Jeremy names and picks on him. Jeremy tells Adam that Eddie has done some bad things, but Adam defends Eddie. And then Eddie accuses Jeremy of ruining the sets for the sixth grade’s play. Adam learns a few home truths about Eddie Gordon and just how strong the bond between brothers can be.

When I started reading this book I felt the pain that Adam and Jeremy both felt. This book brings to light the emotions and difficulties children who have siblings like Jeremy must face.  Even though this is a book written for children/young adults, to me it is one that needs to be read by all young people who have a slower sibling. It needs to be read by all parents that have a child with any kind of handicap. It needs to be read by every teacher.  Actually... this book needs to be a #1 seller and read by everyone, young and old, whether you do or don't have dealings with a disabled or challenged child OR adult. I really feel it will help you to see that person in a totally different light. This isn't a hard book to read. I read it in 2 nights but learned a life's worth of knowledge.



Saturday, August 23, 2014

Nightmares Can Be Murder - Mary Kennedy, Author

(Pre-order now for this September 2 release!)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread
(One of Ali's favorite)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups strawberries, rinse, dried and chopped


1. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. I use "Pam for Baking."
2. Use an electric mixer to cream butter, sugar and cream cheese until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla.
3. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Blend flour mixture with butter mixture just until blended. Add buttermilk and only stir until just combined; do not over mix.
5 Carefully fold in strawberries. Dough mixture will be thick.
6. Bake in a 350°F oven for 50 to 60 minutes

Nightmares Can Be Murder - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

I felt a little chill go through me, but I tried to keep my tone neutral and plastered a bland expression on my face.  "Bad dreams happen for a reason, Taylor," she said carefully.  Her voice was now barely a whisper, her eyes were full of shadows.  "They have something to tell us, and the message becomes apparent soon enough.  You know what they say, the truth always comes out in the end."  She paused.  "Oh, and tell Barney he can find that little catnip mouse - the blue one with the orange tail - under the refrigerator.  He lost it a week ago, and I finally had a dream about it last night."

When Taylor Blake left Chicago to help her sister Ali get her candy store business in Savannah, GA up and running, she finds herself involved in more than chocolate.  It doesn't take long to learn that Ali not only has a slow running vintage candy business but also a Dream Club that meets at the store.  It also doesn't take her long to realize that these people are actually serious about their dreams as well as their meanings.  So when one of the members tells of a dream she had where a man is murdered while Latino music is playing in the background, she suddenly becomes a bit skeptical when the dream comes true.  Could the dreamer be the one who actually killed him?  No matter what, Taylor will find out!

I thought I had this book pegged within the first 50 pages.  Then I decided I was wrong but after about 100 pages I knew who committed the murder.  Wrong again.  At about 150 pages I simply couldn't be wrong and knew who it was and why.  Finally I'm at page 260 and know who the killer is but not the why.  That I didn't learn until the last 10 pages.  This book turns with every page!  I loved it!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

The Orange Moon Affair - Afn Clarke, Author



Veal Marsala with Asparagus Tips
 An AFN Clarke Recipe

This recipe is based on a meal that my character Thomas Gunn has at London's Royal Overseas League in Chapter Six of The Orange Moon Affair.

Both my father, my mother and I were members of the Royal Overseas League and it was there as a family that we celebrated my father's award of the MBE by the Queen at Buckingham Palace for his services to the British Community in Libya during the 1969 revolution. He enjoyed veal marsala very much and this recipe is dedicated to him. We lived in Libya for many years and travelled back to UK by car (ferry from Tripoli to Siracusa) through Sicily and Italy enjoying the food. Libya was once an Italian colony and one of my fondest memories as a teenager was enjoying Spaghetti Bolognese served in big white bowls in an Italian restaurant in one of the Italian style piazzas of what was then Istaklal Street in Tripoli on a balmy summer evening..


Ingredients
4 Veal cutlets about 4oz each and 1/2" thick
3 Eschallots
Butter
Plain Flour
1/2 teaspoon Fennel seeds ground
1 Brown mushroom
1 Porcini mushroom
1 Shitake mushroom
2 white mushrooms
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup Marco de Bartoli Vignas la Miccia Marsala Superiore Oro DOC
1/4 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
16 fresh Asparagus
4 medium roasting potatoes
1 Rosemary sprig
3 Green onions
8 small salad tomatoes de-seeded
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Italian dressing
2 bottles of Pienantroj Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2007
Serves 4

Method
Preparation is the key word here. If you don't get everything in order then you're going to be behind all the way.

So let's start with the potatoes. Heat the oven to 180°C or 160°C for a fan oven. I use the Heston Blumenthal method, which delivers every time. Peel so they have sharp edges, cut into quarters and boil in well-salted water until they start to crack and are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Take them out gently, you don't want them falling apart, and cool in a colander.

While the potatoes are boiling grind the fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar until you have a medium fine powder, mix with salt and ground black pepper, then rub well onto the veal cutlets. Do not use too much fennel, you want a delicate taste not an overpowering one. Cover and set aside for a few minutes so the seasoning settles with the meat. Cut the asparagus stalks at the point where a sharp knife goes through easily. Slice tomatoes and deseed, then slice again into thin strips. Dice green onions. Cut mushrooms into 1/2 centimetre slices. Take the rosemary sprigs and strip off the leaves into a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix with a little salt and ground black pepper. Not too much.

Once the potatoes are cooled, toss them in the rosemary olive oil, lay on an roasting tray and put them in the oven. Cook for 1 to 11/4 hrs. turning every twenty minutes until golden and crispy.

Heat oil and butter in a frying pan and sear the veal cutlets on all sides. Do not overcook, the idea is to seal the outside and leave the inside still pink. It will cook to temperature in the sauce. Take out and leave to one side while the sauce is prepared. In the same pan sauté eschallots and mushrooms until they soften, cook a further two minutes to remove a little water from the mushrooms.

There are many ways to thicken sauce, but I always make a roux and then add the sauce ingredients to it. It's more time consuming but the texture is so much better and I don't like the flour on the meat. So take your vegetable stock that you so loving made yesterday and heat it to boiling, turn it down then melt the butter in a saucepan. Add flour stirring until the roux thickens to a soft glistening paste. Cook for two to three minutes stirring all the time to make sure the flour is cooked through so you don't get the taste of flour, then remove from the heat, stir in your vegetable stock and marsala a little at a time making sure there are no lumps. Add more stock and marsala until the sauce is the consistency you want.

Add the mushrooms and eschallots to the sauce and cook gently for about ten minutes. Taste the sauce and season accordingly. Bring back to boil and add the veal and cook for about five to seven minutes until the interior of the meat is to temperature.

Now for the asparagus. I like to saute them with the tomato strips, garlic and green onions and enough olive oil to coat but not drench. Use a high heat and cook until the outside of the vegetables are browned a little.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and plate up, drizzling Italian dressing on the potatoes. Garnish veal marsala with the parsley and pour generous glasses of Pietantonj Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2007 and enjoy.


Before & After
For an appetizer, a really fresh bruschetta works well.  Here's an easy recipe:

Fresh basil leaves torn and mixed with olive oil, finely diced garlic, diced plum tomatoes and diced red onion on slices of garlic and rosemary foccacia bread that has been drizzled with olive oil and toasted in the oven.

And to finish the meal, a cheese platter with grapes and black pepper crackers. Cambozola cheese is creamy with a hint of blue vein and goes very well with the rest of the bottle of Marsala. Add whatever other cheeses and grapes take your fancy. While not strictly Italian, Cambozola is a mix of French Brie and Italian Gorgonzola with just the right tang to set off the meal.

Serves 4


The Orange Moon Affair - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

 "I saw the FIM-92 Stinger ground-to-air missile spearing up toward us from the far ridge.  My reactions were slow and for a fatal moment I watched the white smoky trail from the rocket motor arc its way through the sky.  I pulled on the collective and kicked the anti-torque pedals to port, almost escaping the oncoming death, but the rocket slammed into the tail boom.  The earth spun in a lazy arc as the helicopter arched over backwards at fifty feet above the rocky desert as I lost control, spiralling to the ground, pieces flying in all directions, the only section remaining relatively intact being the forward cockpit, saved because the main rotor head deflected the impact.  There was no pain, just a smashing, grinding, splintering sound.  I felt a violent lurch as my head slammed into the side door, then silence."  

When Thomas Gunn's father Sir Ivan Gunn talked to him about taking over the family business, Gunn Group Industries, Thomas had declined.  He decided instead to join the military.  After eight years as an officer in the Special Forces Support Group, Thomas was injured and now spends his life on board his fifty-seven foot Fountaine Pajot with the love of his life, Julie.  But when his father was kidnapped and then murdered, Thomas was forced to take over the company.  It didn't take long for him to understand that someone had been transferring money into a project that only his father knew about, or so he was told.  And when Julie's father started tracking the project, its people and those running it, there was nothing to be found.  With billions of dollars being transferred to the project, someone was getting rich but who.


This book has more ups and downs than the biggest roller coaster.  There are government conspiracies that take in some of the top names all around the world.  Thomas and the few he feels he might be able to trust, find themselves running all around the world tracking those involved as well as the money.  Try as I may, I did not guess what was actually going on until it was exposed to me by the Author near the end.  This book was one I didn't want to put down.  It was one that irritated me (in a good way) because I couldn't guess the ending.  And it's one that I recommend, especially to the male readers who love a good espionage, action book as well as those female readers who want a book that will really grab them too.  I loved this and am looking forward to reading the next book in this series The Jonas Trust Deception.


 
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