Bloody Mary-Life is never easy for Jack Daniels

Life is never easy for Jack Daniels and in this second book in the series, it just gets a little weirder.

I like this series. It's hard to describe why. It's much bloodier than a cozy, which is what I usually read and yet, it's light. It is somewhat reminiscent of Stephanie Plum and yet quite different. It's a police procedural with humour. It's a bit of a whodunit but this particular book tells you whodunit about halfway through. Jack's personal life plays in very heavily. Even writing about it sounds like a jumble of discordant elements and yet, for me, it works really well. I should just stop trying to compartmentalize it.

Jack is once again on the track of a killer that seems to be taunting her personally.  When her handcuffs turn up on a victim, it's definitely personal.  But as in the first book, Whisky Sour, it's not just her professional life that's giving her fits.  Her personal life has taken a strange turn.  Jack finds out that her mother is sick and brings her to Chicago so she can keep an eye on her. Her mother's name happens to be Mary and she happens to be an ex-cop.   I think any time you put an adult character's mother into the mix, you're going to come out with something interesting.



Just two books in and I'm already feel like I know Jack well. Even though it's bloodier than I care for, I'll be starting the next one in the series right away.

More about J.A. Konrath 

Other Jack Daniels books reviewed 
Whisky Sour
Rusty Nail

Would I pay money for it?Yes

Would I read more by this author? Yes I will

Would I recommend this to a friend? Depends on their level of tolerance for graphic violence

Purchased as a Kindle freebie February 9, 2013

The Sourdough Wars-An entertaining look at San Francisco several decades ago

The Sourdough Wars-by Julie Smith

I had not read the first book in this series when I read this, the second one.  There were a few things that I would had a better grasp on if I had, but not enough to stop my enjoyment of it. After finishing this one, I immediately found the first of the series and read that one also.

This book is an interesting view of San Francisco from a few decades ago. The characters, starting with Rebecca Schwartz, were entertaining and the answer to the mystery wasn't immediately obvious which, of course, is what I want in a mystery. I learned more about sourdough bread than I had ever known before.

The mysteries written in the 1980s and 90s have a different feel than today's cozies.  They are slightly grittier and less cutesy.  This was originally published in 1984 and you can feel the difference.  Sometimes I prefer this feel.  It kept me engaged and entertained.  I'll be looking for the others in the series.

Would I pay money for it?Yes

Would I read more by this author? Yes

Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes

Purchased as a freebie January 21, 2013

City of Light-Victorian mystery in my favorite city

I enjoyed the mystery and the characters in this book very much. I also enjoyed the historical information about the Eiffel Tower and the Paris Exposition. Even though I have been to the Eiffel Tower, I learned things about it in this book that I didn't know before. I did, however, find the topic of the mystery to be disturbing and not something I needed quite so much information on. I also agree with other reviewers that the editing needs to be better. I do enjoy this series and will keep reading them but they aren't as cozy as I usually prefer.

Would I pay money for it?Yes but with a little hesitation because of the topic

Would I read more by this author? Yes

Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes but again with a little hesitation.  Would depend on the friend.

Purchased as a freebie February 5, 2013

A Dyeing Shame-A fluffy piece of fun!

A Dyeing Shame is a fluffiest of the fluffy type piece of fun.  A cozy mystery with an 80 year old sleuth-heroine set in a small town with the murder in the town beauty parlor?  Can't get much fluffier!

Myrtle Clover is a retired English teacher with a Chief-of-Police son.  She writes a helpful tips column for the local paper but that isn't enough to keep her mind busy and when a dead body shows up in her local beauty parlor, she can't help herself.  She has to find out what happened.  Over the protests of her son and the state police detective, Myrtle sets out to solve the case.  Since all the suspects are her friends, neighbors and acquaintances, she might have more luck than the officials!

This book is light, fun and, as I've said, fluffy.  The characters are definite "types", the stressed out mom, the socialite, the old maid, the reformed bad girl.  This isn't a drawback, it's one of the things that makes it comfy.  Quick and easy reading, nothing stressful, controversial or disturbing.  A fun way to spend a couple of hours and you could recommend it to your 13 year old daughter or your 83 year old grandmother.

Would I pay money for it?Yes

Would I read more by this author? Yes

Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes

Purchased as a freebie February 22, 2013