No Lesser Plea by Robert K. Tanenbaum

I was really worried when I started this book because being set in the 1980's when it was written, I thought that it might show age in  missing technology (computers and cell phones, etc.) but was very pleasantly surprised that it really wasn't an issue.

The story is of a young Asst DA trying to get justice for 2 murder victims and having to deal with a murderer who plays against the system by faking mental disorders.

The writing was crisp and the story well-told keeping this reader on the edge of her seat while characters worked to find enough evidence for conviction along with proof of the mental illness deception.

★★★★

GENRE: Mystery
CHARACTERS: Butch Karp, Marlene Ciampi,Mandeville Louis, Donald Walker, Preston Elvis
Series/ Progress: Butch Karp and Marlene Ciampi 1/28
DATE READ: October 23 - October 31
NO. OF PAGES: 316
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI 
SOURCE: Nook

A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch

Charles Lenox and Lady Jane Grey have been friends since childhood so when the death of one of her former servants doesn't seem right, Lady Jane asks her friend to check into the circumstances for her.

Inspector Exeter doesn't want to offend George Barnard, the employer of the victim so he's perfectly happy to call the death a suicide until Charles convinces him that the death may be more than that and be critical to saving a major government problem from occurring.

The story was entertaining and the characters were well-developed.  I enjoyed the book and will be looking for more in this series.

★★★★

GENRE: Cozy Mystery
CHARACTERS: Charles Lenox, Lady Jane Grey, George Barnard, Dr. Thomas McConnell, Inspector Exeter
Series/ Progress: Charles Lenox Mysteries 1/10
DATE READ: October 20 - October 22
NO. OF PAGES: 324
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI 
SOURCE: Kindle/NetGalley

Path of the Crooked by Ellery Adams

Cooper Lee's life hasn't been going great - her boyfriend of 5 years dumped her and her parents are worried because she moved back to their home (living over the garage) so when one of her clients (she repairs copiers) invites her to her church, Cooper goes only to find that while attending a Bible class, the lady who invited her has been murdered.

Making new friends while trying to find the person who  really killed her client keeps Cooper on her toes as well as helping adjust to her new circumstances.

★★★½

GENRE: Cozy Mystery
CHARACTERS: Cooper Lee, Brooke Hughes, Nathan Dexter, Cindi Rolfing, Savannah Knapp
Series/ Progress: Hope Street Church (1/4)
DATE READ: October 14 - October 15
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI 
SOURCE: Nook

As Gouda As Dead by Avery Aames

Valentine's Day is approaching, the day that Charlotte and Jordan have chosen to get married but the evening of bachelorette and bachelor parties is disrupted by the murder of a friend.  Postponement is inevitable, and Charlotte needs to find the motive and the murderer before they can move forward with their lives.

This was the best of the series so far - the way that the story is woven around the town's Love Festival and how Charlotte along with Jordan search to find answers for their friends is entertaining as well as heartwarming.

★★★★

GENRE: Cozy Mystery
CHARACTERS: Charlotte Bessette, Jordan Pace, Devon O'Shea, Tim O'Shea, Dottie Pfeiffer, Violet Walden, Ray Pfeiffer, Belinda Bell
Series/ Progress: Cheese Shop  6/6
DATE READ: October 14 - October 15
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI 
SOURCE: Nook

Long Stitch Good Night by Amanda Lee

Marcy is startled when she learns that her BF's husband and one of her current gentle friends have been arrested for the murder of their Frat brother.  Not believing that either is capable of the deed, Marcy sets out to uncover the truth since neither one of them is talking.  Keeping her needlework shop running while looking into her friends' past proves tricky but Marcy is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I like the way the characters interact and how the needlework shop still plays a part of the story.

★★★½

GENRE: Cozy Mystery
CHARACTERS: Marcy Singer, Blake MacKenzie, Graham Stott, Todd Calloway, Charles, Siegel
Series/ Progress: An Embroidery Mystery  4/8
DATE READ: October 13 - October 14
NO. OF PAGES: 336
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI 
SOURCE: Nook

Threads of Evidence by Lea Wait

Angie is settling in after returning to her hometown and she becomes involved with the renovation preparations of the neglected mansion in Haven Harbor.  When the new owner becomes endangered because she is researching the mysterious death of a former resident, Angie takes up the investigation to find out what happened years ago.

The hints that are buried in the needlepoint of the former owner were beautifully woven throughout the mystery.

★★★

GENRE: Cozy Mystery
CHARACTERS: Angela Curtis, Skye West, Millie Gardener, Jasmine Gardener, Elsa Fitch, Sara Byrne
Series/ Progress: A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery 2/2
DATE READ: October 9 - October 12
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI
SOURCE: Nook

Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

First, I never realized that there were separate adventures for Alice and I was startled to find that one of them included Humpty Dumpty.  This was a fun few hours reliving a story from childhood.

★★½

GENRE: Classic
CHARACTERS: Alice, Tweedledum, Tweedledee, Humpty Dumpty
Series/ Progress: Alice's Adventures 2/2
DATE READ: October 12 - October 12
NO. OF PAGES: 126
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI
SOURCE: Overdrive, Library

Pinned for Murder by Elizabeth Lee Casey

A hurricane has blown through Sweet Briar, causing damage to several older homes and drifters have arrived to offer their services for the repairs.  

Torie has cleaned up the damage in the library and heads over to check on her elderly friend, Rose.  Rose's former pupil, Kenny has come to help her but Rose sends him next door to help her neighbor Martha Jane first.  Then the trouble starts with Kenny being accused of robbery  but when Torie shows that there wasn't any robbery and Martha Jane refuses to apologize, things look bad for Kenny when Martha Jane is found dead.

Since Martha Jane was a rich, mean, old biddy, there are plenty suspects for Torie and her Sewing Circle to sort through to free Kenny and prove that Rose is right about her former pupil.

★★★

GENRE: Cozy Mystery
CHARACTERS: Victoria Sinclair, Margaret-Louise Davis, Rose Winters, Kenny Murdock, Martha Jane Barker, Doug Hewitt
Series/ Progress: Southern Sewing Series 3/7
DATE READ: October 5 - October 9
NO. OF PAGES: 288
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI 
SOURCE: Nook

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Okay, I admit it, I'd read Alice.  But to my defense there really wasn't anything new that I had seen in cartoons and films.  A cute little story but maybe a bit violent for kids?

★★★

GENRE: Classics
CHARACTERS: Alice, White Rabbit, Mad hatter, Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts
Series/ Progress: Alice's Adventures 1/2
DATE READ: October 2 - October 4
NO. OF PAGES: 126
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI 
SOURCE: Nook

Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

There's no more time!  The battle to prevent Gaea awakening is now!  But the questing demigods have to first prevent all out war between the Greeks and Romans and unite to prevent the monsters and Titans from destroying the Earth as they know it.

The gods themselves can be no help (they're all suffering from Multiple personality disorder - both their Greek and Roman sides are warring) so the demigods each must complete their mission to prevent the catastrophe.  Nico and Reyna are tasked with return the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood which should stop the infighting between Greek and Roman.  

The rest on the Argo II must rescue Percy and Annabeth (they always seem to be in trouble) and prevent the spilling of their blood on Olympus.

This was an action finale to a fun and enjoyable series!  My only disappointment was the ending seemed unsettled - not a cliffhanger - as if the author was leaving an opening for another? 

★★★½

GENRE: Young Adult
CHARACTERS: Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Jason Grace, Nico DiAngelo, Leo Valdez, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang
Series/ Progress: Heroes of Olympus 5/5
DATE READ: September 29 - October 3
NO. OF PAGES: 516
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI 
SOURCE: Library Overdrive

Pane and Suffering by Cheryl Hollon

First in this series and it was great!

Savannah Webb returns to town because of her father's untimely death and finds that he has left her a warning that he was probably murdered and that she is in danger.

When Samantha finds her father's assistant dead as well by apparently the same cause, she contacts the police who don't take her seriously.  With the help of her father's young apprentice and his "business partner"  Samantha has to determine for herself, what happened and how to convince the police that there really is danger.

The characters were likeable with lots of room for growth and the plot was well executed.

Will be waiting impatiently for the next one!

★★★½

GENRE: Cozy Mystery
CHARACTERS: Savannah Webb, Edward Morris, Jacob Underwood, Reverend Kline, Frank Lattimer
Series/ Progress: Webb GlassShop Mysteries 1/1
DATE READ: September 30 - October 2
NO. OF PAGES: 320
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI , ALPHAKIT
SOURCE: NetGalley