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!

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.

Compulsion - Jennifer Chase, Author

3-Way Spinach Artichoke Dip
(Emily's favorite)

1 small can (8 ½ ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

½ package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup mayonnaise

1 clove of garlic, finely minced

Combine artichoke hearts, spinach, cheeses, mayonnaise and garlic in a medium bowl; mix well.

Enjoy as an appetizer, light lunch or party dip.

1.   Enjoy with your favorite chips or crackers as a dip.

2.  Spread on sliced bread or baguette and heat in oven.

3.  My favorite - use mixture inside a wonton wrapper. Follow cooking instructions with wonton wrappers.

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

Detective Rivas wastes no more time and clicks on the first email.  It quickly loads several photos and a video showing a man clearly digging in a deserted rural area.  The detective's blood turns cold and he feels sweat trickle down his neck.  He watches the man in the cheap neon Hawaiian shirt talking to himself explaining how sometimes dying is the right thing to do and how brave the little boy was to die for him... clicking on the other emails, Detective Rivas obtains detailed metro-scan maps fro the Yuma county assessor's office and clear photographs of the suspect with a complete background of criminal and personal history.  An entire detailed investigation unfolds in less than five minutes in front of him from a phantom super sleuth.  He is just one of many who has been blessed with the help of this serial killer hunter.

Detective Rick Lopez of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office has his own serial killer to deal with.  Women are turning up dead after being tortured.  He is convinced that this is not the work of just one serial killer but a team of two, which is extremely rare.  Apparently the killer will remove an arm from his victim and replace it with the arm of the victim before her.  This in itself is a puzzle but Lopez knows that the killing will go on until the killer is found and destroyed.

Emily Stone is a loner.  Her parents were murdered when she was only twelve and she sent from her home in Indiana to live with her uncle in California.  Over the years she has seen her share of crime.  Stone crazy men abducting and molesting children and now her attention is being turned to women being abducted in her own town by a deranged killer.  Something has to be done and soon but apparently the police haven't a clue as to the person's identity.

Someone is sending high-tech emails and evidence to the police departments that lead them to the arrest of serial killers.  Who, no one knows.  Could it be a policemen?  Could it be Emily Stone?  Or is it someone you would least expect?  As I read this story I had my killer nailed about half way through the book.  Well, I was wrong.  The first killer was eventually revealed but not the second.  I was firm in my decision as to who the second was.  Again I was wrong.  See if you can figure this one out before the end of the book.

This is the first in the series and I can't wait to read the next titled Dead Game so I've already bought it and have it in line to read.  If it is anywhere as twisting and full of surprises as Compulsion I will find myself up late reading again.

Echoes of Mercy - Lynette Hall Hampton, Author

Barbecue Cups

(One of Willa's favorite)

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup your favorite barbecue sauce

1 Tbsp. minced onion

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 can biscuits

3/4 shredded cheese

Brown beef - drain.  Add barbecue sauce, onion, sugar and mix well. Place each biscuit in a greased muffin tin. Press dough up the sides of muffin cup. Spoon mixture into cups and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 375 - 400 for 10 to 12 minutes or until dough is brown.

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

"As I said, I noticed you bring the flowers for your husband's grave,"  I was grappling for words to explain the situation.  She nodded and I went on.  "Shortly after you left, there was a disturbance in the graveyard.  Something exploded and I'm afraid Mr. Kingsfield's tombstone was destroyed in the mayhem."  "Oh my goodness."  She put a dainty hand at her throat, "What caused the explosion?"  "We're not sure."  I looked at her expecting more of an outburst.  When it didn't come, I went on.  "We felt sure you'd want to know about it."  "Of course I do, and it was kind of you to come tell me."  "The grave is fine.  There will have to be some soil added and grass planted but other than that, it will be ok."  "That's good.  I wouldn't want to think that Leo's body was disturbed."  She picked up the teapot.  "Would you like more, Willa?"  I shook my head and sipped the tea already in my cup.  I was trying to understand what was going on in Elva Kingfield's mind.  She was taking the news awfully well.

Reverend Willa Hinshaw had the duty of informing Elva Kingsfield that there was a bomb in the flower basket that she had placed on her deceased husband's grave.  From the way this aging lady was acting, could she possibly have been the one to place the bomb in the basket or is someone else simply trying to do away with this little lady with hopes of inheriting her rather large estate?   After getting to know Elva, Willa is sure she had nothing to do with the bombing.  But when Elva starts insisting that her deceased husband is paying visits and her niece Penny tries to solicit her help to have Elva committed, Willa knows that there is someone sinister behind the scenes.  And this all proves true when Willa starts receiving warnings to stay away from the family or face death herself.  Now she has the responsibility of helping save this lovely woman from her own family.

This is my first reading of this author's work and I must tell you that I'm hooked.  The reading is easy, not too many characters to get them confused, and the mystery keeps you guessing.  I loved every word of it and can't wait to get my hands on another of her books.

Murder in the Air - Marilyn Levinson, Author

Johanna’s Fruit Mousse

1 cup crushed strawberries or peaches (if using peaches, remove peel)

 3/4 cup sugar (if canned or frozen fruits are used decrease sugar to at least 1/2 cup)

 dash of salt

 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Mix fruit, 1/2 cup sugar and salt and chill thoroughly. Fold in whipped cream. Beat egg whites until stiff, then beat in gradually remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Told into fruit cream mixture.  Pour into large bowl and place in freezer. Takes about 4 hours to get firm.  Makes about one quart.

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

Lydia Krause is present when the discovery of a body puts a stop to all work on the Twin Lakes' newest addition that includes a miniature golf course and putting green. The body is removed and sent to the lab, which estimates it was in the cellar between fifty and seventy-five years. There is no ID, but they determine that the remains are that of a male between thirteen and seventeen years of age.  As to what happened to him, why and how he ended up in the cellar is anyone's guess.

Lydia’s boyfriend Detective Sol Molina, who referred to her as "Miss Marple after her help in solving murders that took place in Twin Lakes a few months earlier, warns her to stay out of this investigation. And stay out is exactly what she plans to do. She has more important things to occupy her time, such as her job and attending the eighty-fifth birthday party for a friend and neighbor Daniel Korman. But that changes when Daniel visits her, hinting that he might know something about the body though apparently he isn't ready to share his suspicions. At his birthday party, Daniel announces his engagement to his beloved Evelyn, upsetting many members of his family. Daniel is a very wealthy man, and they see Evelyn as someone out for his money. Then the unexpected happens. The day after Daniel's party he is rushed to the hospital writhing in pain. Hours later he is dead.

Does someone want Daniel dead before he marries Evelyn? It appears that two of his three children are up to their ears in debt and could use his money.  But they don't know he has already changed his will leaving most of his money to Evelyn, to go into trust for his kids after she passes. That could prove to be a danger to her life.  

With all that is going on around Lydia, there is no way she will let her friends down and not try to get to the bottom of this situation, even though Sol doing his best to keep her from investigating.  She is one spunky 59-year-old lady. This is the second book I’ve read in this series. My first was A Murderer Among Us, which hooked me on the characters of Lydia and Sol. These books are light reading mysteries that are hard to put down. And despite the many books I read, I still had a hard time coming up with the truly bad guy until the end.

Contrived - Jay Deb, Author

Cottage Cheese Lasagna
(a Tyler special)

1 lb.  extra-lean ground beef

3 cloves  garlic, minced

1-1/2 tsp.  dried oregano leaves

1 jar   (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1 large  tomato, chopped

1 egg

1 container  (16 oz.) Cottage Cheese

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

9  lasagna noodles, cooked

1 pkg.  (7-8 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Brown meat with garlic and oregano in large saucepan. Stir in spaghetti sauce; simmer 5 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes. Mix egg, cottage cheese and Parmesan until blended.   Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with layers of 3 noodles, half the cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1 cup sauce; repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and sauce; cover with foil and bake 30 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining mozzarella; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted. Let stand 5 min. before serving. 

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

Tyler arrived in Dallas from New York to attend his father's 69th birthday party.  His flight was late getting in, and he checked his watch - 9:05 p.m. - as he stepped off the plane.  He had grown up in Dallas, but now lived in New York City with his girlfriend, Lisa.  He had graduated Harvard cum laude and was working as a fund manager at a hotshot hedge fund company on Wall Street.  He had not visited Dallas in three years.  Lisa didn't like his family, particularly his dad and Tyler couldn't blame her.  His dad alienated many in the family with his philandering nature.  Over the years, Tyler felt as though he had been losing touch with his family.  He was looking forward to this trip as a way to reconnect with his dad and his two brothers - Wolf and Ron.

What Tyler walked into was no longer a birthday party but a murder scene.  Someone had been shot in the head in one of the upstairs bedrooms and Tyler's nephew Nick was the one to find the body.  With blood on his shirt, he was also a suspect.  Then came the 2nd murder.

This book takes you through so many possibilities.  I shifted from one suspect to another with almost every chapter.  I would convenience myself that I knew who did the killings and possibly why but seems I was wrong each time.  This book will really keep you guessing.  This is the 1st book I've read by Jay Deb but I hope it won't be my last.

This House is a Home - Philip Nork, Author

Great-Great-Grandma Elga’s Squirrel Stew

2 or 3 squirrels cut into serving sized pieces

2 green peppers, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 rhubarb ribs, chopped

3 or 4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 large potatoes, chopped

3 quarts of water

Corn or a bean of your choice

Salt and pepper

3 quarts of water

4 large tomatoes, whole

Add the water and seasonings to a large pot and turn on the heat to simmer. Add in the squirrel meat and all the vegetables. Let simmer for 2 or 3 hours and then add in the whole tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Let simmer until ready to eat.

For an added treat make some homemade sourdough or wheat bread with whipped butter and you have a feast made for a coal miner after a hard day in the mines.

This House is a Home - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds, A Book and A Dish

"Just go in and do your business,” Uncle Rich said as we approached the wooden shack.  “This is old school all the way.  Do me a favor though. See if you can find any toilet paper in there."  

I was stunned.  What did he mean by that?  I slowly walked into this small shack that looked like it was falling down and searched for the light switch.  Not finding one I left the door ajar to allow the sunshine to stream in. Once fully inside I saw a long piece of wood along one side of it that looked like a couch without any cushions. There was a hole in the middle of it with a toilet seat attached to it. I assumed this was where I had to go.  I closed the wooden door behind me that had a half moon cut out near the top if it and slowly lifted the seat.  A tremendously bad odor arose very quickly... I squeezed my nose shut with two fingers while I did my thing... Even though I didn't need it, I looked around like Uncle Rich suggested and found no toilet paper. I did find a Sears catalog and wondered why it was there but there was nothing to wipe your butt with... Uncle Rich was waiting for me when I finished.... "What's the catalog for?" I asked. "That's old-time toilet paper,” he answered with a smile. “You can read while doing your business and then just rip a page out and use it."

In the 1970's teenager Peter was assigned to do a summer report on his family history.  Being from a family of divorce he didn't know his dad's family all that well and knew very little about his mom's side either. He did know his grandfather but when Peter tried to talk to him about the ‘good old’ days, his grandfather, Vern, would joke around, take a draw off his cigar and another swig of his always present bottle of whiskey.  Peter's mom and uncle decided the best way for him to find out about his family was to go back to the coal mines of Southern Illinois. Boy was he in for a surprise, as well as an education.

Once in a while I pick up a book that takes me back in time.  This was one of those books.  As I read about the 'outhouse' I couldn't help but go back to my own life in the 1970's when we would visit my dad's distant relatives in the North Georgia mountains. They too had the outhouses, the cow and chickens, the pot belly stove for heating and cooking, and the way of talking that only comes from the mountains.  My first visit was much like what Peter first experienced. I couldn't believe people actually lived like this.  Where was the AC?  Where was the TV?  What was that thing my 4th cousin was pushing up and down after pouring milk into it?  And best of all, what did I just eat?  

Whether you grew up in the 1970's or not, this book will not only transport you to the way life used to be, and I'm sure still is in some places, but it will also teach you the same lesson that Peter learned from his great-aunt Maddy, "A house is just a building, what makes it a home are the people in it. It doesn't matter where you live or what you do as long as you have family you're taken care of."  

I love this book!

Ghost Writer - Lorna Collins, Author

HELEN’S MULLIGATAWNY SOUP

1 medium onion, chopped

¼ cup butter or margarine

1 medium carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 bell pepper (green, red, or yellow), seeded and diced

1 medium apple (I like Granny Smith or Fuji), pared, cored, and diced

1 cup diced or shredded chicken or turkey (I love using left-over Thanksgiving turkey, just like Helen)

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/8 teaspoon mace

2 whole cloves

1 sprig parsley, minced

2 cups stock (chicken or turkey)

1 cup cooked tomatoes (I use canned diced ones)

salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the onion in the ¼ cup butter or margarine. Add the carrot celery, bell pepper, apple, and chicken or turkey. Gradually stir in the flour, curry powder, mace, cloves, parsley, chicken or turkey stock, tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Simmer for half an hour or longer. Serve hot.

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

 "I don't believe in ghosts," I used to tell anyone who'd ask.  I'm a 'techie,' a computer programmer.  I deal with data and facts, not fiction and fantasy.  So how did I get mixed up with a temperamental, egotistical, rude, smart, funny, aggravating, self-centered, loveable... uh... spirit?  Okay, if you insist, ghost. 

Nanette (or Nan as most called her) Burton found herself caught up in the downfall of the mortgage industry only five years after graduating from college.  But that was just the beginning of her problems.  The building she lived in went into foreclosure, so she was also out of a place to live. Then her live-in boyfriend decided to bail out when she received an eviction notice.  Well, his leaving was actually a blessing because he didn't work, wasn't looking for work, and simply lived off Nan. So when her paycheck left, he found himself another victim to mooch from.  Final step, move back home with Mom and Dad until she could find a job and buy a car.  Oh yeah, her car died, too.

Living with Mom and Dad wouldn't have been so bad except they had turned her bedroom into Dad's study so she had to sleep on the sofa.  The Victorian sofa with all its wood and firm springs.

Then Nan's great-great-aunt Nanette Burton, whom she had been named after, passed away at the age of 104.  When Nan and her dad were called to the lawyer's office for the reading of the will, there seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel.  Nan would soon be living at her rich great-great-aunt's beach cottage.  Finally a place to live and a bed to sleep on.  But her living at the cottage came with a few things Nan didn't expect.  One being her aunt's dog, Mitzi, and the other being her aunt's famous author friend Maximilian Alexander Murdoch.  Max actually wrote women's fiction under the name of Maxine du Bois and had done extremely well.  But when Nan moved into the beach cottage, Max didn't take it too well.  This was his house and had been for years... before and after his death.  Yes, Max is a ghost, who ends up allowing Nan to live in 'his' house if she will help him finish his last book.

I can never get enough of this writer's light reading.  She always grabs me right in the beginning and continues until the very last page.  She makes me laugh and she makes me feel sad now and then but she always delivers with a great book.  You can't help but love this book.

Loran's Bio:

Lorna Collins and her husband, Larry, helped build theUniversal Studios Japan theme park. Their memoir, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park, was published in 2005. They have also written two mysteries: Murder… They Wrote and Murder in Paradise, and are currently working on more. They just completed The Memory Keeper, set in San Juan Capistrano.

Lorna co-wrote Snowflake Secrets, Seasons of Love, An Aspen Grove Christmas, The Art of Love, and Directions of Love, 2011 EPIC eBook Award winner. Her fantasy/mystery/romance, Ghost Writer, was published in 2012.

In addition, Lorna is a professional editor.

The Demeter Code - Russell Brooks, Author

Sugar Cakes
(A specialty from the Author)

1/2 lb. grated coconut
1/4 pt. water
3/4 lb. sugar

Place the sugar in a saucepan and add water.  simmer until the sugar melts.  Then add the coconut.  Let boil slowly, stirring constantly to avoid burning.  Allow to cook until it thickens and takes on a greasy look.  Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto a shallow plate or cookie sheet that has been moistened with water.  Leave to set.


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

The grounds surrounding the cottage had every kind of electronic surveillance and anti-trespassing device imaginable, including a German shepherd named Roosevelt.  If anyone were to be able to get within thirty years of the house without being detected, there was a chance that the CIA would recruit them.  Even if anyone managed to beat the surveillance and thought of shooting through the windows with a sniper rifle, the one-and-a quarter-inch polycarbonate bullet-resistant windows would present a challenge.  And if the sniper were to think of attacking at night, they'd also have to content with the blinds being closed.  In addition, the house had live-in operatives who anyone would've assumed were just the average elderly couple spending their retirement years living in the country.  Although they may not appear to present a danger to anyone, the so-called retired couple that a few people knew as Dennis and Glenda, were well versed in handling any kind of firearms.  They both came form the previous generation of spies who first cut their teeth in the business when they worked at the Moscow Station during the 1980s.... Now that is a safehouse!  And that is just the place Ridley Fox feels safe depositing his "asset" to keep her safe until all is clear for her to come back out into the public.

Ridley Fox, a former Joint Task Force 2 Warrant Officer, has joined back up with Dr. Nita Parris on a mission far more bizarre than in Pandora's Succession. As I read The Demeter Code, I came up with many guesses as to what the Code was, what it represented and who was behind it.  Turns out that I was wrong in all of my guesses.  This book scared me, it gave me cause to stop and take a good look at the world today, realizing that this could actually happen and it made me thankful that we do have security in line to prevent these events from happening, I hope.  This book may be filled with action, murder, suspense, espionage, and all those things that most men seem to  love in a book but it's so well written that I recommend it to all readers.  As with the book before this, Pandora's Secret, I couldn't put this book down.  This is one writer that I plan on following through his books.

Stranded In Time - Kelli Sue Landon, Author

Banana Pudding
(Served at Thanksgiving in the 70's)

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg. (5 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups cold milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 container (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 bananas, sliced
1/2 of a 12 oz. box of vanilla wafers

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk and vanilla until smooth.  Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping.  Line the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2 dish with vanilla wafers.  Arrange sliced bananas evenly over wafers.  Spread with pudding mixture.  Top with remaining whipped topping.  Chill.


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

"You know how it started?  There was a crack in that wall.  I didn't discover it until I worked there for about six months.  I subbed for the teacher, and I just had to use the bathroom.  Normally I used the one we had in the teachers' lounge, but we had a fire drill that day.  We had to stand outside longer than I thought, after getting all those kids out of the building.  On our way back in, I excused myself form the class to use the bathroom.  I had one of the more responsible girls watch the others, which made it fun for her.  She loved playing teacher, you know.  I knew it wouldn't take me long to pop in and out.  And there it was.  I could hear cheers..  I could eve hear a coach training them.  I tried to look through the crack, but all I saw was light coming form the gymnasium floor... I kept going back to that room.  I'd sneak in after school was out.  Sometimes I heard nothing.  Other times, there were kids shooting hoops before a practice and setting up for school plays.  I was becoming obsessed.  I would watch through the crack, and the only time I saw any kids was when someone was on the stage.... I made sure the place was empty before I started knocking down the wall with my hammer."

Samantha (Sam) has a paper to write for school.  Her professor told the class it could be anything as long as it wasn't something that had been covered in the news.  Sam decided to write her paper on her mother's family, which she actually knew very little about.  She knew her mother had gone to Lotus School for just a few years and then she and her mother had moved away.  Her mother had never been married to her father who had been just a one night stand.  After her mother's death due to a wreck, Sam had met and gone to live with her father.  She now wanted to know more about her mother and the relatives she never knew.

Sam's adventure starts when she goes to Lotus School, which is no longer in use, just to be closer to where her mother grew up.  It was at the school that she discovered a little girl playing on the stage behind the wall that had a hole in it.  As she stepped through the hole, she found herself in another time.  Sam had just stepped back into the 1970's.  Her great-grandmother was still alive, as was her grandmother and her own mother was just a child.  Then she meets Suzanne.

Sam came into this past world with knowledge of what the future holds.  She, along with Suzanne, can make changes and correct some of the events to happen... but will they?... should they?  There is a child that will die, unless Sam and Suzanne can prevent it from happening but if they do what will it change in the future?  What will any events that take place in the 1970's change in the future if they try to make changes?

This book took me just a few pages to become involved in the story but when I did, I didn't want to stop reading.  As each event is to take place, I find myself wondering how this is going to affect Sam's life if she ever makes it back to her own time.  And if she doesn't, what will happen when her mother grows up and gives birth to her?  Will there be 2 Sams in the world or will she not be born at all?  This book was a very entertaining read that I really enjoyed.

St. Louis Hustle - Claire Applewhite, Author

Sour Cream and 7-Up Biscuits

Servings--18

4 cups biscuit mix
1 cup sour cream
6 ounces Sprite (or 7-up)

Directions:

1. Mix the sour cream into the biscuit mix, using a pastry blender or two table knives, until mixture is crumbly. Add 7-Up all at once, stir quickly with a large fork.
2. Turn out onto lightly floured board and quickly knead 6-8 times. Don't overmix or biscuits will be tough. Pat into a square and cut into about 18 equal pieces using a knife dipped in flour. Can also use a 2 to 3-inch biscuit cutter.
3. Preheat oven to 400° and cook biscuits for about 7 minutes or until golden.

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

From the day that Angel moved into her apartment, the bills in the mail rack spilled out of the holder like garbage.  Now, in a neat pile, they looked like a deck of playing cards.  Nice, but not her style.  Suspiciously, she opened the pantry.  Rows of bottles and cans, arranged by size and shape, filled the space.  She crept into the bedroom... The top drawer of the dresser, usually a wild mess of lingerie, was not neatly organized by color and design.  But, the intruder made one mistake.  A pair of black panties had been jammed between the drawer and the dresser.  Angel wouldn't have done that.  Who did, and why?... Angel works for Marvel Candy Company, along with Nick Davies.  They have been having a closet affair for some time and it's become apparent that Angel wants more, but who would have gone through her apartment while she was meeting with Nick?

Elvin Suggs, Dimon "Di" Redding, Elvin's Vietnam friend Cobra Glynes and Elvin's Airedale Savannah or just "Vanna" decided to open a detective agency after they were instrumental in solving a case at the Jewel Arms Apartments where Di had lived before it burned down.  Their agency The Grapevine Detective Agency has just taken on it's first client, a lady named Emily Davies.  Apparently Mrs. Davies suspects her husband of having an affair with one of the women he works with.  Elvin and Cobra both see this as a simple case.  Follow the husband, see where he goes at night while the wife works and see who he meets.  Di, on the other hand, doesn't see it quite that clearly.  She has a gut feeling that Mrs. Davies isn't telling everything.  So while Elvin and Cobra follow the husband Nick, Di follows the wife.  Turns out, they both end up in the same place, the Coral Court Motel which is known for its by the hour rate.

This book has more turns than a mountain road!  Most of the characters turn out to be totally the opposite of what they are shown to be in the beginning.  And someone is killing them off, one by one.  But who and why?  If you want a book full of twists, you can't beat this book.  The ending was nowhere near what I expected it to be.

Chick and the Homestead Chickens of Grymme Creek Hollow - David Boyette, Author

Tater Jack
(A Chick Special)

Tater Jack is similar to Latkes a Yiddish potato patty but with a slight difference.  In Tater Jack you don't use any flour or corn starch

1.  Take 2 medium sized unpeeled potatoes and boil them in a pan of water until done.  You can nuke them in the microwave or bake them in the oven but boiling is better.
2.  Mash the potatoes in a bowl, skins and all.
3.  Add just enough buttermilk and mix until everything is the consistency of paste.
4.  Preheat a skillet with oil for about 10 minutes on medium heat.  Bacon drippings also work really well.
5.  When the pan is hot, spoon out the desired size patty in the skillet and let them cook for about 10-12 minutes, flip them over and cook another 10-12 minutes.  If you add cheese or onion, allow 3 minutes more for cooking.  When done the Tater Jacks should have a golden brown crust.  Serve up with the toppings or condiments of your choice - sour cream works great.

Chick and the Homestead Chickens of Grymme Creek Hollow - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

Many years ago a young man from the city decided to be a pioneer so he loaded up his belongings and started a homestead in Grymme Creek Hollow which, by the way, was in the Ouachita Mountains.  It didin't take long for the young man to decide this wasn't for him so he packed up his personal belongings and moved back to the city.  Legend has it that the chickens he left behind decided to make their own homestead out of what was left behind.  These chickens became the Homestead Chickens of Grymme Creek Hollow.

The homestead chickens were divided up into family groups known as broods.  In each brook there was a Mother Hen who was in charge.  The roosters in the brood were not in charge.... Among some of the more influential broods of the homestead were Midhens which were a combination of killer security guards and nannies.  The leader was the Superior Mother Hen - Hypatia Rosecomb.  She is advised by a group of Mother Hens which make up the Council of Aunties.  There were also different classes of chickens which determined their pecking order.  Like most, there were the upper class chickens and there were the lowerclass which were called coopies or coop chickens.

The Pinfeathers family was the smallest and poorest chickens of the coop.  They were June Pinefeather, the Mother Hen; Walter Pinfeather, her rooster; and of course their chick which they named Chick.  Chick was a born explorer.  Nothing amused him more than running around investigating everything that made up the homestead, even if it took him to the outskirts of the upperclass.  But his real trouble came when he spotted a chick younger than him being bullied by another chick.  His defense of this chick, named Peq, brought the anger of the bully's mother who just happened to be Aunty Hysidia, the 2nd most powerful Aunty in the Council.  Second only to the Superior Mother Hen.  Her anger has her pressing charges against Chick's father Walter for what boils down to theft and treason.

I read a lot of books but this book is one that I can't say enough about.  We spend our lives hearing about bullying, discrimination, politics, and everyday life in general, but after a while it just becomes words that we hear but don't listen to.  As I read Chick and the Homestead Chickens I would be reminded of things happening around me.  As Peq is bullied I pictured the kids on the news that attempted to kill their friend.  As I read about the order of the broods, I pictured the different housing districts we have within every city.  As I read about the Aunty Council, I pictured the court systems we have in effect.  And as I read about the Superior Mother Hen, I pictured our presidents and their cabinets.  This book, which made me laugh also made me pay attention to my own surroundings.  This is a book that can be read by those of all ages and they will all learn something from it.  OH YEAH!  You do realize I learned this from a Chicken!  Great Book!

The Deputy - C. M. Albrecht, Author

Chef Merle Blanc's Secret Potato Salad Recipe

2 med. potatoes
1 hard-boiled egg, cut into cubes
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup sweet relish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
pepper
Seasoning salt to taste

Boil potatoes until tender.  Cool, peel and cut into 1" cubes.  Makes about 2 cups.  Blanch onion and celery in boiling salted water for one minute.  Drain.  Fold all ingredients together and refrigerate in a covered bowl.  Serves 4

You should keep these salads refrigerated and preferably consumed the same day.  If the Macaroni Salad becomes dry and/or sticky, a few drops of milk blended in may help.

For boiling your egg, place egg in salted gently boiling water for 14 minutes.  Cool quickly in cold water and roll around to gently crack the shell all over and peel.  Cooking too long results in dark green edges around the yolk.

But wait!  There's more!  This recipe works equally well to make a Macaroni Salad.  Just substitute two cups of cooked salad macaroni.  (One cup of uncooked macaroni should give you 2 cups cooked.)  If you prefer your salad a bit more tart, substitute Dill Relish or minced Dill Pickles for the Sweet Relish.

To add that special gourmet touch to either of the above, you may add your choice of chopped Parsley, Olives, Capers or chopped and blanched Red and/or Green pepper.  Some like minced cooked bacon.

The Potato Salad recipe is just one of the famous Chef Merle Blanc's dishes.  It's your creation now.  Make it the way you like!  You can read more about Chef Merle Blanc in "Deadly Reception" by C. M. Albrecht.  Bon appétit!

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

Just half a block from the sub-station, crossing the railroad track, Wayne's eyes caught sight of a wiry bandy-legged little guy walking along by the track.  The man limped slightly, and from the look of his oversize coat and unshaven face, he was obviously down and out.  As he neared the man, he stopped and leaned out of his side window, said, "Howdy."  The little man stopped abruptly, looked over at Wayne sitting in his cruiser and hesitated.  he looked as if he was debating whether to stay or run.  "Hi," the stranger said.  "You're new around here," Wayne said swerving his vehicle to a stop in front of the man.  "Just passing through," he said.  "I been looking for work."  "What kind of work do you do?" inquired Wayne.  "Oh...most anything.  "My name's Deputy Terwilliger, but most folks call me Wayne.   "I'm Ray Stark from Montana," the man said.  "Well, what I was thinking, Ray, is that I'm tied up here in town so much of the time.  You know, a sheriff's always on duty, and my wife, Janie, she's alone out there at the farm all day with all those chores to take care of.  I was just thinking, I can't offer much in the way of money, but we do have a spare room.  I've been using it for storage, but we could clear it out and make up a little room for you there and my Janie's a good cook." Wayne said to him.  "As to wages, I just need maybe enough to keep me in a few things."  replied Ray.  The two men shook hands as Wayne said, "Come on.  We'll get in the cruiser and I'll take you out there.  It isn't far." 

This was the hiring of Ray by Deputy Terwilliger to help his wife Janie with the chores around their farm.

Ray couldn't believe his luck in finding a job and by a Deputy to boot.  This was going to make his life so much easier... so he thought.  What he was unaware of was that the Deputy had other 'chores' in mind for Ray and they weren't exactly up to Ray's liking.

What the Deputy lacked in morals he made up for in his bravery.  When the bank in Franklin was robbed, he showed no fear in going after the robbers.  He had a loving wife at home, Sandy in town, a job that made him proud and the 'respect' of those around him.  So when he read about a bus load of convicts escaping after killing the driver, he came up with a plan and Ray fit in perfectly.  A plan that would give him the freedom to do and have everything he wanted, and deserved.

This book kept me on the edge.  I was able to come up with Ray's fit into the story but I had no idea as to how he would handle what had been planned for him to do for Wayne.  The ending was a bit of a surprise for me.  Loved this book as much as I've loved all books I've read by this Author.

The Dark Before Dawn - Laurie Stevens, Author

Chocolaty Caramel Pecan Bars
(In honor of the book series, which is dark and
   deals with mental issues!)

Crust
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 cup all purpose or unbleached flour

Filling
24 vanilla caramels (unwrapped)
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 cups pecan halves (or pieces)

Topping
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet
2 Tbsp. whipping cream

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with parchment paper.  If you don't have parchment paper, grease the pan.  In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter and 1 Tbsp. whipping cream until well blended.  Add flour and mix until crumbly.  With floured hands, press evenly into pan.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine caramels and 1/3 cup whipping cream.  Cook over low heat until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Add pecans and stir well to coat.  Immediately spoon over baked crust, spreading carefully to cover but not rip the crust.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter and chocolate chips, stirring constantly until melted.  Stir in 2 Tbsp. whipping cream.  Drizzle over filling.  Refrigerate 1 hr. or until the filling is firm.  Cut into bars.  (You can also toss the topping ingredients in a microwavable cup, heat and stir until it's smooth enough to drizzle.)

The Dark Before Dawn - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

Dr. B sniffed and repositioned his glasses atop his nose.  "This last case you were on - you assaulted a grandmother."...  "Grandma had a twelve-gauge shotgun lying on a table in plain view from the front door.  Her drug-pushing grandson lives with the old lady and was a known gang-banger.  Grandma was very agitated with me.  Now, what am I supposed to think?" ... Dr. B chose his words carefully.  "But did you think first, Gabe?  When you pushed her, she fell and broke her hip.  She's an eighty-year old"...  "In a separate case two weeks ago," Dr. B said, "you nearly throttled a fifteen-year-old boy."...  "Then let's talk about the young man who was shot at that Halloween party you responded to when you were in uniform."

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Detective Gabriel McRay has seen and even created his share of problems.  Enough so that he has been sent to the department's psychiatrist Dr. Berkowitz, better known as Dr. B.  Gabe's problems are showing through his temper but Dr. B feels it goes a lot deeper than that.  He feels Gabe's problems stem from a deeply suppressed past.  Gabe is not only suffering from his temper but also blackouts which leave him not knowing where he has been nor what he has done.  And to top it all off, someone has gone on a murdering spree that always ends with a message being left for Gabe with the 1st one reading "We are one."

As Gabe's memory starts to surface he finds himself wondering if he could possibly be the killer.  Is this what he does when he blacks out?  Turns out that Gabe isn't the only one with these same thoughts.  Some of his fellow officers are having the same thought.  As the murders and notes continue with each becoming more and more morbid the suspicion reaches the point that the department has decided put a watch on him.

This book isn't for the weak.  It's graphic and nothing is held back but it's also one of the best books I've read in some time.  I had a very hard time putting it down after reading the Prologue.  I could see it being a great story for Criminal Minds.  Now I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series Deep into Dusk.

Murder in Paradise - Larry K. and Lorna Collins, Authors

Larry's Hawaiian Pineapple Boats
(The big trick is to cut the pineapple as shown in the photo)

Cut off most of the top, leaving only a few inches of green.  Quarter the entire pineapple lengthwise.  Cut under the core in a straight line, and then along the outer edge of the fruit. (Larry usually has to do one side at a time.)  Cut the fruit crosswise in about 1" sections, leaving the pieces intact in the shell.  Push alternate sections to each side as shown.

Now for the fun part!  Garnish each section with either a maraschino cherry or a mandarin orange slice (or both) on a toothpick.  When all slices have been garnished, insert toothpick and sprinkle coconut over the whole thing.

This is a finger food and perfect for an appetizer or dessert.  (Warning:  if the pineapple is especially juicy, it can become stick - but SO good!)

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

"But you're retired," she objected several times during the discussion.  "You're not getting into any dangerous work, are you?"  "No," I insisted.  "I'm just helping Detective Duke with investigative procedures, evidence gathering protocol, that kind of thing.  Police in Hawaii don't get many high-profile cases, and Duke wants me to train their people in some of the NYPD procedures."  I didn't tell her I would be the special investigator... There are two kinds of police officers' wives: one wants to know everything, usually keeping a radio scanner on all day; the other doesn't want to know anything.  Gerry was the second.

Agape Jones retired from the NYPD after taking a bullet in the thigh.  Looking for a quieter life, he and his wife Gerry moved to Hawaii but that quiet was disrupted when he and the other members of an outrigger canoe racing team found a body floating about a mile from the shore.  The body turned out to be the son of State Senator Thomas Fowler. 

Due to his knowledge of police work, Detective Duke recommended Agape to the Senator as the person to hire to investigate his son's death.  His biggest problem was convincing Gerry that this was nothing more than an advisory position and he would be in no danger at all.

Murder in Paradise has taken me back to Hawaii in my reads.  The Authors have made me not only feel a part of the scenery but also an investigator.  I tossed around the suspects trying to decide who would benefit and how.  I suspected the girl friend, brother and even the Senator himself.  Then there was the mystery blond.  Could she have committed this murder and if so why?  And what about the surf board makers?  Could they be involved and if so why?  The list kept going on and in the end... I have to admit I was a bit surprised.  This is yet another light read mystery that takes you on a trip across the ocean.