The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook edited by Kate White

A collection of recipes from established mystery writers with little stories from them about where they came from?  How could a mystery reader like myself not review this one?

Quirk Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so grab a copy now at your local bookstore.

This book is filled with recipes from easy to complex.  There are flavorful gatherings of spices and ingredients that I've never used.  The authors are sure to tell you if you get a bit or less of one ingredient in there, it won't matter.  They also tell you when you must be most precise.  They cover every type of food and drink.  If you enjoy cooking, you'll have a lot of fun with these recipes.

I've picked a few to share with you.  They are recipes that sound real good to me and they are easy to cook.  (One of my requirements.  If you get too many types of spices or too many food items, it puts me off.)

Nelson DeMille offers Male Chauvenist Pigs in the Blanket.  If that recipe name doesn't make you smile, the real change in ingredients here is a can of beer and chili powder.  Sounds intriguing to me.

Next one up is Sue Grafton.  She does Kinsey Millhone's Famous Peanut Butter & Pickle Sandwich.  That whole idea has made me shudder for ages (I've read all the books).  When I found out the pickles were bread and butter pickles, it changed the whole picture.  Still sounds a bit strange, but I like them on ham and would try peanut butter.  At least once...

Hallie Ephron offers Simplest Ever Potato Pancakes.  They've always sounded good and these appear to be easy to make.  I might actually do this!

Joseph Finder's Doreen's Apple Crumble is European and has no rolled oats in it.  It sounds and looks delicious.  The recipe sounds a lot better than what I've eaten in the past.  I'll have to try this.

My favorite recipe though is Lee Child's.  He offers:  Coffee, Pot of One.  He not only tells you how to make it, he tells you what kind of cup to drink it out of.  He's definitely a coffee addict.

It's fun to read, has good recipes and it feels like visiting old friends.  What more could you want?

Eyes on You by Kate White

Robin Trainer is coming back to work after a two year hiatus.  She's got the right clothes, the right make-up, the right moves and quick repartee as well as exudes confidence.  She's got it back and she wants to make it big.  Someone else wants her to fail...

Harper sent me an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  It will be published this month, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

This is an interesting look at how media works on the front line.  It's not easy to always look your best and act cheerful all the time.  You also have to watch the others on the set because each person there is trying to get ahead.  They don't care who they step on.

The story quickly turns into a psychological thriller when Robin finds a nasty note in her purse that was only unattended for a few minutes.  Her photos on the back of her best seller have been cut in pieces.  A Barbie doll is left on her chair with the eyes cut out.  And if that's not enough, she gets burned by a chemical put in her makeup.

You flip pages through the story trying to figure out who has Robin in the crosshairs.  It's suspenseful, interesting and imaginative.  On the other hand, Robin is a shallow character I had a hard time liking.  She does some dumb things, call her shoes nicknames, and it made me wonder how she got to be a favorite.  It takes all types.

The ending is exciting and it takes all Robin's friends to help her find out who was after her.  The final confrontation is thrilling.  It's a good beach read.  And you may wonder afterwards what you would do it if someone was trying to destroy you...

So Pretty It Hurts by Kate White

Bailey Weggins is back and now she's involved with the high and mighty of the fashion world.  Being beautiful does not always mean you're nice...

HarperCollins sent me an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  This book is being published this month, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

This was my first read about Bailey Weggins and the author does an excellent job of writing an interesting story and introducing you to the world of high fashion.  It's not uncommon for the women trying to be successful finding themselves falling victim to pills, drugs, starvation, heart attacks and other illnesses.  But this death was no natural accident.  Someone combined medications and caused Devon's death.

Since Bailey was staying at the home where the death occurred that weekend, she isn't willing to walk away from the story.  She's a journalist that is after a hot story but is also an investigator that loves a mystery.

The people in this story are all a bit warped.  You don't get to the top of fashion modelling by being shy or kind.  It's a scramble to the top and you climb person by person until you're the one on the top of the mountain.  Then the rest of the ladies attempt to knock you off the mountain.

This author gives you lots of suspects to think about, lots of twisted relationships, and the ending is one of the most ironic I've read in a while.  I won't spoil it for you, but it really grabbed me and was the final finishing touch on a good story.  Payback is a bitch.

If you'd like my ARC of this book, please comment here on my blog and email me at info at bookfaerie.com with your name and address and tell me why you'd like to read this book.  I will pick a winner in about a week.

Happy reading.

The Sixes by Kate White

Never underestimate the vindictiveness of young women...

Harper sent an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  It was published in August, so you can pick up a copy at your local bookstore now.

Ms. White's main character disappointed me in a way.  I suppose it's just because she made her too human.  Phoebe Hall is a journalist who did very well at interviewing celebrities and creating stories from the facts they revealed to her.  Her downfall was that she did not check her researcher's facts and ends up being accused of plagiarism.

Phoebe ran from her problems in school in the past, and she leaves town again under this new onslaught.  But instead of things getting better, it gets worse.

Ms. White writes of a clique in school that operates undercover.  Such societies do exist and she shows how their use of power and an inborn nastiness of the young can scare even older adults.

Phoebe's friend hires her to teach a class on a journalism, and asks her to see if such a society does exist and who belong to it.  She suddenly finds herself involved in murder...

The action is fast, there is a bit of horror in what the Sixes will do, and the killer is the last one anyone would expect.  This is a busy story with lots of cross-ties between the past and the present.  You won't be bored reading it.

If you'd like my copy of the ARC, leave a comment here on my blog and email me at info at bookfaerie.com with your name and ADDRESS to be entered into the contest.  

Let me know how you felt about the lead female character, too.  Was I offbase in my feelings about her?

Happy reading.