Happy Rock, OR, is the stereotypical small town found in books and sitcoms created by native NYCers. Everyone is quirky. There is exactly one of every type of business (even florist when there can’t be enough sales to keep it afloat), all locally-owned by the same families for at least 3 generations. Everything is in easy walking distance, except the big city which is an hour’s drive. And there are no possible secrets. Enter Hollywood has-been Miranda, former star of an 80s(?) mystery show. She’s broke and forgotten, but delusional that she’s still entitled to full star treatment. The first half of the book is dull exposition in flashbacks, reminiscences, and awkward character introductions. The authors start promising there is a murder coming at about the 40% point. They do not bother with subtle foreshadowing, going more for pleading readers to stick around. The actual murder happens at 64%. wow. Miranda believes she was the intended victim and pretty much accuses all of the other characters, mostly based on her “humorous” misunderstanding of these characters based on the how they were all initially (mis)introduced — to Miranda and to readers. Eventually she gets it right in the lamest drawing room reveal scene ever. And we know self-centered Miranda has grown as person because she doesn’t rush back to LA at the end. It’s the worst Hallmark movie tropes forcibly merged into the blandest cozy.

A typical police procedural mystery. Murder made to look like an accident at a fabulous island resort. But the island has a dark history — teens murdered almost 20 years ago and long before that students traumatized at a school for behavioral problems. More murders in the present day. Do they tie in to the murdered teens? To the abuses at the school? Was the wrong person convicted leaving the actual killer free to kill again and again? Clues seem to point to one person, then another. The final dozen chapters are all action: chasing, fighting, hiding, shooting, ending with a monologing villain and an arrest. It’s not a bad book, just very typical of its genre. If procedurals are your thing, then give it a try. The Retreat is part of a series. Obviously it can be read on its own, but there are references to a previous case and a lurking evil that has nothing to do with the current case.

Lucy Delaney's memoir is the only firsthand account of a freedom suit. Lucy's mother, Polly, and several other free black citizens of Illinois were kidnapped, taken to Missouri, and sold as slaves. Polly married the valet of the man who bought her and they had two daughters. After the death of the owner and his wife, Polly's husband was sold "down south." Polly remembered growing up free and encouraged her daughters to always look out for the chance to run away. Lucy's older sister did make it to freedom in Canada. Polly ran away, but was captured in Chicago by slave hunters. She sued for her freedom, proving she was born free. Polly sued for Lucy's freedom, too, on the basis that a slave could not be born to a free woman. The jury agreed. Polly (laundress) and Lucy (seamstress) worked and saved, finally having enough to visit Lucy's sister in Canada. Polly died without ever knowing what happened to her husband. After Emancipation, Lucy located her father in Virginia. Lucy was a leader in the black churches, social, and political organizations of St Louis.

The series would be better if I read the books in order. But, this was still a good read. Enjoyed the efforts the sheriff has to put in to get the crimes solved. Could have done with a little less narration about how long it takes to drive hither and yon.

A sweet little story of life growing up in the 1940’s in Queensland Australia. Very true to the times & evoked many memories

#7 in the Murderbot Diaries series. Murderbot’s mental illnesses continues to grow since it attained full self-awareness. Still stuck on the abandoned colony planet, it stressed out, experienced a false memory of its encounter with the alien contamination, and suffered a brief system collapse. The combined Preservation and university crews are trying to destroy the contamination remnants while helping the colonists avoid corporate wage slavery, but Murderbot doesn’t trust itself. Obviously start with the first in the series. Then read as fast as you can to get to this one.

Very good book

The book was written a few months before Alex Trebek died. It seems odd to me that they knew he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, but didn't chose to wait until after he died before publishing the book. It would have been more complete if the author/publishing house had waited. Despite that, it was a well-written book about Alex, warts and all.

Easy read, fun book

Confusing, tedious, annoying read. Life after Life will be interesting only to someone equally fascinated by multiverse theory of time and everyday life in the first half of the 20th century. Ursula is born, but immediately dies, in 1911. Ursula is born in 1911, but drowns in early childhood. She falls off of the roof. She dies of Spanish flu (several times). Ursula doesn’t know why, just knows she must stop the housemaid from going to London to celebrate the end of the Great War (the maid will catch the flu in the crowds and bring it back). Ursula finally survives 1918, but is raped at 16 and eventually beaten to death by an abusive husband. It’s almost a relief when Ursula makes it to WWII, but then her story is just variations on death in the Blitz. I guess if you have always looked at death stats in various years and wished you could read a narrative to really understand beyond the numbers, you might enjoy this book.