Book Review--Carrot Cake Murder, by Joanne Fluke

Our heroine Hannah is back, with her extraordinarily-bright cat, her two suitors--exciting cop Mike and dependable dentist Norman, and a new whodunit to solve. Personally, I would never ask Hannah to look for people, given the number of dead bodies she's stumbled upon. This is a fun mystery series though, especially if you like mysteries that contain recipes to try.

Hannah's business partner, Lisa, and Lisa's husband Herb are getting ready for a big family reunion. Herb's mother, as well as the rest of the family, gets a pleasant surprise when Herb's long-lost uncle, Gus, makes an appearance. Gus had disappeared thirty years previously and had not been heard from since.

Unfortunately, they aren't graced with his presence for too long. The morning after he arrives, Hannah goes looking for him at her mother’s request and stumbles on his dead body. Of course, Hannah immediately puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test, with some help from her mother and sisters. She is surprised and suspicious when Mike gives his blessing and even offers to share information, as long as she'll share her information with him. Personally, I thought it was a smart move. He knows her well enough to know she'll investigate no matter what, and this way she will come to him with crucial information.

In her investigation, Hannah discovers that many people had reason to hate Gus, and she is putting herself in danger with her nosing around.

On a personal level, Hannah seems to be leaning toward choosing one of her suitors. . .will she finally choose one, or move off in a different direction altogether?

As always, these mysteries are fun and leave me looking forward to the next one.

Book Review--This is How it Happened (Not a Love Story) by Jo Barrett

This is a great girl-power book. Our heroine, Maddy, was dumped by her boyfriend over email. This would be one thing if they'd only gone out a few times or something. But no. He was her live-in boyfriend, and they'd been together four years. Not only that, but they started a company together, and Maddy did everything you're not supposed to do if you don't want someone to steal your ideas and be able to oust you from a company you helped found that was based on your idea. Carlton, her ex, had a rich and sociopathic dad who said he'd only fund their venture if Carlton was CEO and Maddy didn't get any shares in the company.

So anyway, Maddy is left with no boyfriend and no career (another downside to working with your significant other. You can't console yourself about the breakup by saying at least your career is going well. Two life spheres down in one shot). She decides she needs to take revenge on Carlton. Actually, she decides he needs to die. She experiments with some different methods--poison brownies, carbon monoxide. The main problem is that she is more suicidal than homicidal at this point and nearly offs herself. With the connections of her formerly drug-addicted brother she hires a hit man.

While I obviously don't advocate more illegal and violent forms of revenge, certain other types of revenge can be fun and won't land you in jail. This book is loads of fun to read for anyone, but especially if you are in need of a feeling of solidarity (and revenge ideas, of which this book has several). There is even a section at the back where people sent in their ideas.