The Diva Runs out of Thyme by Krista Davis

★★★★

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Subject: Cooking professionals

Sertting: Alexandria, VA

Main Characters: Sophie Winston, Mars Winston, Natasha Smith, Wolf Fleishman

Series: yes, #1 Domestic Diva

Dates Read: March 21 - March 29

Number of pages: 304

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: yes

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Home Ec, Homework

Sophie Winston and Natasha Smith grew up as rivals and little has changed in the present. Not only are these two divas dueling as to advice columns, Natasha is dating Sophie's ex and Sophie is trying to win the Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown. Here starts Sophie's problems. While at the grocery store trying to get her ingredients for the contest as well as Thanksgiving dinner, Sophie stumbles across a corpse. The police think she's involved so haul her down to police headquarters. Released and at home, Sophie prepares for the bakeoff but before they can start their cooking the next day, Sophie does it again and finds a second body.

It's startling how Sophie not only can prepare a marvelous Thanksgiving meal scheduled for 5, ballooned to 14 with no notice, with 4 unexpected houseguests with 4 other relatives visiting and still find time for the Stuffing contest and solve the mystery, but Sophie is terribly organized, so she managed brilliantly.

This book was so much fun! Each chapter started off with a question, alternating between Natasha and Sophie, that seemed to be straight from Heloise and I laughed frequently at the answers. In fact, one of the answers figures prominently in the story. But that isn't all that made this so much fun. The main characters (Sophie, Nina, June, Hannah) are so endearing, they make you just smile. Don't get me wrong, we know in our hearts this can't be real, but I certainly hope that they continue in the same fashion in the future anyway!

The Sheen on the Silk by Anne Perry

★★½

Genre: Historical Fiction

Subject: Christian church wars

Sertting:Constantinople

Main Characters: Anna Zarides

Series: no

Dates Read: March 13 - March 28

Number of pages: 528

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: no

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Foreign Languages, Extra curricular activites

Anne Perry, renown for her Victorian mysteries, has taken a backwards turn in time and place and landed in Constantinople in the late 13th century. The book centers around Anastasius Zarides (Anna), a Venetian woman who disguises herself as a eunuch, and arrives in Constantinople ready to practice medicine and try to find the truth about a murder that has been blamed on her twin brother. At the same time as Anna is searching for the truth, the Eastern Orthodox (Byzantine) and Western Roman Churches are battling for supremacy.

This was a great plot idea and the background brought multiple possibilities to the table but this book just didn't work for me. With Anna as a eunuch, there really wasn't much of a way for her to interact with the other characters except in her capacity as a doctor and that was very flat and very boring very quickly. There were so many characters that were conspiring against this person and that person it was hard to keep things straight.

The descriptions of the location and surrounding/competing areas was just what was expected from Anne Perry, but the book was a disappointment. I feel that the many subplots detracted from the book. I could have had a much tighter structure which would have made the book easier to read and much more enjoyable, IMO.

Chili Con Corpses by J. B. Stanley

★★★

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Subject: inheritances,

Sertting: Quincy Gap, VA

Main Characters: James Henry, Parker Willis, Kinsley Willis, Murphy Alistiar, Lucy Hanover, Colin Crabtree, Camilla Fields, Jackson Henry

Series: yes, #3 Supper Club Mysteries

Dates Read: March 26 - March 27

Number of pages: 304, with recipes

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: Nook Stockpile

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: home ec, ClassSchedule

James Henry, the main librarian in Quincy Gap, VA has been dating Lucy Hanover but their relationship has met a stumbling block and they breakup. Enter - town reporter Murphy Alistair, who has the hots for James. Murphy joins the Supper Club when the start a new food adventure at the Fix 'n Freeze with head chef Milla Fields. We also meet Murphy's college roommate Parker Willis and her twin sister, Kinsley.

As usually the Supper Club members support each other with more than their diets, so when Lindy needs extra chaperones for her students field trip to Luray caverns, all the Fix 'n freeze gang are recruited. Disaster hits when Parker Willis is found dead in the caves during the field trip. This story was a little disjointed for me and left me with more questions than answers.

I really enjoyed the previous two installments of this series, but this was a little flat for me. Do you think it's because I don't like Mexican food?

Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend

★★★★

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Subject: Psychic powers,

Setting: Divinity, NY

Main Characters: Sunshine Meadows, Mitch Stone, Morty

Series: yes, #1 Fortune Teller Mysteries

Dates Read: March 22 - March 23

Number of pages: 304

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: yes, Nook stockpile

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Study hall, Home Ec

Sylvia Meadows didn't like her name. Her parents didn't like her choice of occupation. So Sylvia changes her name to Sunshine Meadows (very hippyish) and moves to Divinity,a small town in New York state and opens up shop as a fortune-telling psychic. The funny thing is, she really is psychic.

Her first customer is the town librarian and Sunny sees the woman's death. Fleeing in terror, the librarian is found a hour later, dead in her apartment. Who is the main suspect, none other then our newest resident Sunshine Meadows.

I loved this book. The characters were funny and charming, typical but unique. In most Cozies the main character sets out to solve the mystery because they don't trust law enforcement, but in this cozy, Sunny knows that it really should be investigated by the cops but the Police Chief makes her work with the detective so that they can keep an eye on her and if she does have psychic abilities use them. But Sunny isn't exactly helpful - blurting out info that the police would prefer to keep quiet, and apparently hurting rather than helping.

The clues and investigation with a hint of whimsy was LOL funny at times or downright slapstick at others. There were instances of the "paranormal" (Morty the cat - white as a ghost - doesn't seem to need to eat and appears and disappears quite easily.) and a bit of romance maybe. Definitely a new series to watch and wait for with high anticipation.

Affairs of Steak by Julia Hyzy

★★★★

Genre: Cozy Mystery Setting: Washington, D.C. Main Characters: Olivia Paras Series: yes, #5 White House Chef Series Dates Read: March 22 - March 23 Number of pages: 322 with recipes Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: yes, Nook stockpile Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Class Schedule Home Ec Olivia Paras, the White House Head Chef, is put into the position of working with her not-so-favorite Sensitivity Director Peter Sargeant on a project for the First Lady and their very first efforts yield 2 dead bodies. Without any preamble they are directly in the frying pan of a conspiracy that threatens not only their jobs but their lives as well. Ollie, while thinking that she and Sargeant are not involved in anything more than discovery, realizes that she is being followed on her trip home and while alluding her stalker, she rescues an elderly man who is a bit lost. With her instincts on alert and an Secret Service escort outside of the White House, Ollie figures out the threats that are hovering over the President and his family. The story ,characters, and writing were all so enjoyable. The story was tight, presenting clues in multiple ways, Characters that not only pushed the plot but also improved our knowledge of other characters, and the writing was clear and crisp. Love the series, love the characters! Can't wait for the next one.

Agony of the Leaves by Laura Childs

Challenge Book #48/49/26

★★★

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Setting: Charleston, SC

Main Characters: Theodosia Browning, Drayton Connelley, Hayley, Detective Tidell, Delaine Dish, Parker Scully

Series: yes, #13 Tea Shoppe Mysteries

Dates Read: March 19 - March 21

Number of pages: 314

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: author, for review

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Home Ec, Extra Curricular

The Tea Shoppe Mysteries by Laura Childs is one of my favorite series, so when I received it in the mail from the author I was excited to read it, but I wanted to have the right amount time to savor it. So it was at the top of the pile when I headed off to my Florida vacation. It barely made it to Florida before I was finished having entertained me in the airport and on the plane.

Theodosia Browning and her friends at the Indigo Tea Shop are front and center trying to solve the murder of Theo's former boyfriend Parker Scully. The same background characters allow the reader to snuggle in and concentrate on the villains du jour and solve the murder. SPOILER

Here in lies my problem with this installment. The mystery lacked a gel that would hold it together. The murderer isn't even introduced until well into the book and the clues just weren't there for the reader to solve the mystery along with the characters. A disappointment - yes. Bad book - definitely not for those that love the series. I hope that the future books are back on track because, no matter what I enjoyed it and that's all that's necessary IMHO.

Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson by David O. Stewart

★★★½

Genre: History

Subject:impeachment of President Johnson

Setting: Washington, D.C.

Main Characters: Pres. Johnson, Ben Butler, Ben Wade,Thadeus Stevens

Series: no

Dates Read: March 5 - March

Number of pages: 343

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: no, public library

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: History class

Until President Clinton came along President Andrew Johnson had the dubious honor of being the only US President who went through an impeachment trial. Others may have come close, but these two stand alone in that aspect.

President Johnson was in a difficult position after the assassination of Lincoln - he was a Democrat that had been elected VP on a Republican ticket. He had been chosen to help solidify the voters in the election of 1864 for the areas that may have had southern sympathies but remained in the Union.

Johnson was trying to have the Reconstruction governments in the South based on Lincoln's plans per se - generosity of spirit - reduced animosity between that "conquered" and the victorious. But the Northerners in the Congress wanted their "pound of flesh" and wanted to increase their power over the southern states.

The abolition of slavery removed the 3/5 counting of slaves for representation purposes and adjusted the negro counts to full. This would entitle the southern states to 28 additional representatives in the Congress plus 28 more electoral votes. Efforts were made to adjust this "outrage" by introducing a law that denied the southern states the right to include the counts of the blacks for representation if the blacks were denied the right to vote.

The method of Reconstruction was a point of dissention between Johnson and the Congress. During his administration Johnson used his veto power 29 times and was overridden 15 times. At this time the Congress was trying various ways to curtail the Executive power.

There were actually three different attempts at impeachment. First try at impeachment, Congressmen tried the facts that Johnson was wrong when he restored Southern railroads and when he removed men from office citing usurpation of Congressional powers. This attempt was abandoned by the Committee Chairman Wilson when he said "Political unfitness and incapacity must be tried at the ballot box, not in the high court of impeachment." The second attempt was also deemed to be a political rather than legal issue and was again abandoned.

However, Thaddeus Stevens, the driving force behind impeachment, resolved to cut Presidential powers. For example, Stevens proposed to give Grant complete control over the Reconstruction efforts in the South - something Grant didn't want. He also tried to limit the Supreme Court influence by introducing a bill requiring 3/4 approval of the Court before a law could be declared unconstitutional.

In early 1867 the Congress enacted the Tenure of Office Act which denied the president the power to remove from office anyone appointed by a past president, without the approval of the Senate during the next full session of Congress. This legislation would be the main blockade for Johnson. This struggle between Johnson and Stanton gave Stevens what he needed.

All 11 articles of impeachment were related to the ongoing struggle between Johnson and Secretary of War Stanton. Johnson wanted to remove him from office but the Tenure of Office act which allowed only the Congress to remove a high level official from his office and also that should anyone try to violate this law, they would be guilty of a "high misdemeanor". A High Misdemeanor was one of the provisions of the constitution for removal from office of the President.

Johnson was defended by Benjamin Curtis, a former Supreme Court Justice. At the beginning of Johnson's defense, Curtis dissected the Tenure of Office Act and analyzed how it could be interpreted in several different ways explaining how Johnson acted as he did. A senator from Maine praised Curtis by saying "Judge Curtis gave us the law and we followed it."

As the trial progressed, it blatantly appeared more a political dogfight that a legal battle. At times the Senate allowed certain types of evidence admitted, and then would reverse themselves again later. Because of the handling of the procedures, few had any idea of what the outcome would be.

When the time came for the vote, Senators who could barely walk or talk, suffering from strokes and other illnesses, still managed to appear in the Senate to cast their vote. By one vote, Johnson was acquitted. There was speculation that some of the votes had been purchased but no clear evidence was ever brought forward. The senators that voted for his acquitted were treated badly by their parties but in the end Johnson survived the trial.

60 years later the Tenure of Office Act was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court headed by former President William Howard Taft now Chief Justice. How ironic that the law that brought Johnson to the brink of removal from office wasn't even Constitutional.

I thought this book would be very dry and hard to get through, but it read more like a novel than historical fact. The writing was clear and concise and the information was presented so that the reader could understand the fight between Johnson and Congress. Now I really understand what the impeachment proceedings were about. I'm definitely glad I read this one.

Killer Weekend by Ridley Pearson

Challenge Book #45/46/24 ★★★★

Genre: Mystery

Subject: political assassination, hire killers

Sertting: Sun Valley, Idaho

Main Characters: Elizabeth Shaler, Walt Fleming, Patrick Cutter, Danny Cutter, Dick O'Brien, Trevalian

Series: yes, #1 Walt Fleming

Dates Read: March 11 - March 15

Number of pages: 314

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: no, public library

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Geography, Study hall

Sheriff Walt Fleming is responsible for the safety of the Sun Valley resort and normally things are quiet, but now Patrick Cutter has brought his International Corporation's meeting to the resort and along with it has come danger. Liz Shaler, a frequent Sun Valley visitor has come to announce her candidacy for President. She has Secret Service and private security but none of them want to listen to the hometown sheriff who knows that something is amiss.

The diligent efforts of Sheriff Fleming not only solve a murder but much more. The writing in the mystery was tight and intensive. The tension held throughout and was terribly interesting. A definite recommend!

Dire Threads by Janet Bolin

★★★½

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Subject: needlework, relocation

Setting: Threadville

Main Characters: Willow Vanderling,

Series: Yes, #1 Threadville Mysteries

Dates Read: March 5 - March 10

Number of pages: 259

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: YES, Nook stockpile

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Home Ec, Class Schedule

Tired of the corporate world in the city, Willow Vanderling leaves her job and heads to Threadville in Elderberry Bay, PA where she opens her own little embroidery store called In Stitches. Her best friend Haylee also has a store in Threadville so they are both determined to make their businesses work but Willow has problems with the town bully and things just get worse when he is found dead in her backyard.

Willow and Haylee work together to find out who they can trust and who is behind the murder. The characters are entertaining and full bodied and the background of the stitching community is heartwarming and endearing. Threadville is a place I definitely want to visit again - too bad it can only be done in a book!

Out of the Deep I cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming

★★★★

Genre: Mystery

Subject: desertion, charitable bequests

Sertting: Millers Kill, NY

Main Characters: Clare Ferguson, Russ Van Alstyne

Series: yes, #3 Clare Ferguson/Russ Van Alstyne

Dates Read: February 29 - March 10

Number of pages: 322

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: yes, audio stockpile

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Study hall, Home Ec

Reverend Clare Ferguson has a problem at St Albans -

the roof is leaking. Presenting her need for funding to

repair the roof, the vestry members are stunned when

Lacey Marshall offers to end her mother's trust which

supports the local free clinic and give the funds to the

church for the repairs.

Feeling that she needed to be present when the Doctor

at the clinic is told that his funding is being withdrawn,

Clare goes to the clinic with Lacey where they are

confronted by protesters.

After matters settle, Dr. Rouse from the clinic disappears.

His disappearance even seems to resemble the

disappearance of Lacey's father in 1930.

The mystery frequently flashes back to the time when

Lacey's parents were dealing with the death of 4 of their

children from diphtheria which was the driving force

for the endowment to the clinic.

As Clare and Russ delve into the connections between

the two disappearances, we learn more about the past

of Millers Kill during Prohibition and the Depression.

A great installment to the series, looking forward to

the next.

The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison

★★★★

Genre: Youth Fiction, fantasy

Subject: superstition, magic

Sertting: Elolira

Main Characters: Richon, Chala

Series: yes, #2 The Princess and ….

Dates Read: March 1 - March 4

Number of pages: 322

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: no, public library

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Foreign Languages

This book is a supplement to the Princess and the Hound and yet it tells the reason of why that book started in the first place.

King Richon objected to the animal magic that spread through his kingdom so he made it a criminal offense. Because of this a magic man turned the king into a bear and for two hundred years the bear wonders alone and never understood by any of the other animals. Then he meets Chala a hound who had been the Princess' companion (of TP&TH) where for a while she had been the princess. Realizing that the time had come for efforts to solve the problem, the bear and hound go back to the magic man.

The story that follows shows how short-sighted individuals can learn to progress and accept others for who and what they are.

A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams

★★★★

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Subject: writers, development

Setting: North Carolina

Main Characters: Olivia Limoges, Captain Haviland, Chief Rawlins George-Bradley Staunton,

Series: Yes, #1 Books by the Bay Mystery

Dates Read: February 26 - March 6

Number of pages: 311

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: no, borrowed from Tutu

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Home Ec, LT Rec

Olivia Limoges is as special as her last name suggests. Living on the Outer Banks, Olivia owns a 5* restaurant and is working on writing a book. Her constant companion Captain Haviland, a well-trained Poodle, seems almost human when the "conversations" between the two come to the fore front.

This first book in the Books by the Bay Mysteries has wonderful characters, numerous villains (non terribly bad except the murderer, of course)and with the small town feel that the secondary characters exude, it's a place you want to visit, so make your reservation at the Yellow Lady.

Well, maybe you need to be a bit careful because there's a murderer running around and he's a cut above the norm leaving HAIKUs at the scene of the crime. Could the murderer be part of Olivia's writers group? Well, the Chief of Police is a writer so maybe you'll be safe there.

There are all different angles in this murder mystery and Olivia is so multi-dimensional, I was enthralled through the entire book. Even at the end, there were still areas of Olivia that were left unexplored, so I am definitely looking forward to the next one. Too bad I have to give it back, it's a keeper!