Alter Ego - Tory Allyn, Author

CREAM CHEESE SWIRL BROWNIES
(A Tory Allyn Speciality)

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 25 min.

MAKES: 12 servings

Ingredients

3 large eggs, divided use

6 tablespoons reduced-fat butter, softened

1 cup sugar, divided

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Separate two eggs, putting each white in a separate bowl (discard yolks or save for another use); set aside. In a small bowl, beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar until crumbly. Beat in the whole egg, one egg white and vanilla until well combined. Combine flour and cocoa; gradually add to egg mixture until blended. Pour into a 9-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray; set aside.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth. Beat in the second egg white. Drop by rounded tablespoons over the batter; cut through batter with a knife to swirl.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until set and edges pull away from sides of pan. Cool on a wire rack.

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

"In layman's terms, I said that the three victims were injected in the carotid artery.  I showed it to you in the morgue.  It caused a chemokinesis, which is the accelerated locomotion of cells due to the response of chemical stimuli.  Basically, the cells in the body went berserk.  They reacted against the foreign agent in a dramatic way, thus causing a cytomorphosis.  It's an extreme metamorphosing of the body."

"So what you're saying is that the chemical compounds caused our guys to turn into she-males?"

"What I'm saying is once the chemical compounds were introduced into their bodies they initiated a metamorphosing affect, causing a male to female alteration, thus the appearance of both characteristics.  Somewhere, in the process of morphing they died, not systematically bearing the exchange."

After being sent to Rockfort, Virginia, FBI Agent Jack Stanwick finds himself having to deal with the third victim that had been found dead under some truly strange circumstances.  It seems that all three men were in the process of changing into women prior to their deaths.  Things get worse when reporter Simone Wellington publishes an article that the Governor of Virginia's son is missing and there may be a connection.  Someone is feeding her information that must be stopped.

This has to be one of the most unusual books I've ever read... yes that's good.  I've read MANY books but Author Tory Allyn writes in a fashion that I've never had the pleasure of enjoying before.  The book was very interesting and took me on a ride but what Allyn does that is so different are the 'conversations' that are carried on with the different characters.  Normally you will find the characters stating what they want to say and the writer goes on to the next scene.  Not Allyn.  His conversations are exactly that.  They talk to each other just as you and I would.  It gives each character a true personality and a little history as to why they are the way they are.  I loved it!!!  And the story too.  I also loved that it closed with another story in the works which I'm looking forward to reading.

Murder by Proxy - Betty Gordon, Author

Fudge Brownie Pie
(One of Vicki's favorite pies)

2 eggs

 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or marg.,  melted

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup Cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla flavoring

1/2 cup walnuts

1 uncooked pie pastry (favorite recipe or Pillsbury at store)

Spray pie pan with cooking spray. Spread uncooked pastry shell in pan.

In small bowl, beat eggs, blend in sugar and butter, combine flour, cocoa and salt, add to butter mixture, stir in vanilla and nuts. Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake about 30 minutes until set. Serve warm with ice cream or  whipped cream.

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

How entertaining!  The investigator and cab driver are humorous.  They don't have an inkling how to find me.  They look like kids scrambling around for a huge game of hide 'n seek.  Everything is going according to plan.  All I have to do is exercise patience until the two women leave Cairo and the cab driver gets back to whatever he does.  I'm sure the Cairo police aren't any further along with their investigation.  They'll probably drop it after the Americans are gone.

Sandy Olsen and her best friend are in Cairo for the trip of their dreams with the highlight being the King Tut tomb and artifacts.  Things are going great until Sandy's friend Desiree doesn't make it back to the hotel after an evening out.  And when her body is found at the Opet's Chapel, Sandy had no choice but to ask for help in finding her killer.  That is when Vicki Sanders comes to her aid.  Vicki and her partner Paul run an agency in Houston and are known for their ability to solve some of the harder cases.  This being their first out of the country job will lead them, especially Vicki, into more problems than she ever expected.

Normally, about half way through a book, I have my ideas as to who the killer/murderer might be.  Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong.  This book was different.  I had no idea who the murderer would be nor why he committed the crime, until the end.  Author Betty Gordon had me going from page to page in hopes of solving this case before the end.  She gave me several suspects but none that I could see would have a reason to kill Desiree.  It was truly an enjoyable book and showed me that I'm not as good 'book detective' as I thought I was.