Dear Friends, I have a short but fun video to share with you this week. I found this by chance and loved it. I think you will enjoy it too! There is a show (that I have never seen) called Britain's Got Talent. A woman named Diana Vedyashinka appeared on the show with her troupe of dancing dachshunds. They are very impressive - they dance together, synchronized, and even roll over at the same time. Without further ado, here is the short video: I smiled just seeing it again! I hope you did too. Love, Abby xoxoxo
My Review To Fetch a Scoundrel is a collection of four short novellas. All the stories are mysteries, and all features dogs in some way. The collection includes: The Fast and the Furriest - a mystery set at a small race track Pawsitively Scandalous - a surprising mystery in a quiet suburban neighborhood Ruff Goodbye - a mystery at a bar and wake involving some shady characters A Doggone Scandal - a dogwalker becomes involved in solving a murder mystery
I wanted to read this book because the four novella format appealed to me, and of course, I love dogs and cozy mysteries featuring dogs!
I enjoyed reading four short novellas in this book. The authors all did a good job of telling a complete, well plotted mystery story in this short format.
Pawsitively Scandalous and A Doggone Scandal both had strong dog theme storylines, so those were particularly enjoyable reads. I thought Pawsitively Scandalous, with the drama of a little suburban neighborhood, was a particularly fun read and could have been expanded to a full length novel or even the start of a series.
I have not read the earlier book in this series, but this is a fun idea, and the short reads are appealing. I think other dog lovers will enjoy this book. Book Synopsis The mystery-solving mutts are back! To Fetch a Scoundrel, the second in
the Mutt Mysteries collection, features four tail-wagging novellas. Each
story puts pups’ noses to the ground, as scandals are unleashed and
killers are collared. Once you’ve finished reading these tall “tails,”
you’ll no longer wonder, “Who let the dogs out?” You’ll just be glad
somebody did! Author Bios
Heather Weidner
Originally from Virginia Beach, HEATHER
WEIDNER has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She
lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell
terriers. Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries
series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, and Deadly Southern Charm. Secret Lives and Private Eyes, The Tulip Shirt Murders, and Glitter, Glam, and Contraband
are her novels in the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, and her novellas
appear in the Mutt Mysteries. She is a member of Sisters in Crime –
Central Virginia, Guppies, James River Writers, and International
Thriller Writers. Through the years, she has been a cop’s kid, technical
writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager.
Jayne Ormerod JAYNE ORMEROD grew up in a small Ohio
town then went on to a small-town Ohio college. Upon earning her degree
in accountancy, she became a CIA (that’s not a sexy spy thing, but a
Certified Internal Auditor). She married a naval officer and off they
sailed to see the world. After nineteen moves, they, along with their
two rescue dogs Tiller and Scout, have settled into a cozy cottage by
the sea. Jayne is the author of over a dozen published stories, from
novel length to short-short.
Rosemary Shomaker ROSEMARY SHOMAKER writes about the
unexpected in everyday life. She’s the woman you don’t notice in the
grocery store or at church but whom you do notice at estate sales and
wandering vacant lots. In all these places she’s collecting story ideas.
Rosemary writes mystery, women’s fiction, and paranormal short stories.
Stay tuned as she takes her first steps toward longer fiction.
Teresa Inge TERESA INGE grew up reading Nancy Drew
mysteries. Combining her love of reading mysteries and writing
professional articles led to writing short fiction and novellas. Today,
she juggles assisting two busy executives and is the president of the
Sisters in Crime, Mystery by the Sea chapter. Teresa is the author of
the Virginia is Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, and the Mutt Mysteries series.
Murder in the Secret Maze is the start of a new cozy mystery series featuring landscape architect Tory Benning. When we first meet Tory, she is marrying Milo, the man of her dreams -- but he vanishes right after the ceremony. His disappearance comes right after her father's sudden passing and Tory channels her grief into solving the mystery of what happened to her husband. The mystery involves a maze at a luxurious hotel, and Tory is helped in her detecting by her lifelong best friend.
I wanted to read this mystery because I was intrigued about the secret maze. I know very little about landscape architecture, but find it interesting, so that was appealing too.
This is a solid start to a new series. Tory is established as a character, and readers get to know her friends and relatives too. She even has a lovable Pomeranian dog named Iris!
The mystery aspect of the story was well done and it kept me guessing right up to the resolution. There were several plausible suspects, and Tory did a good job pursuing clues.
Tory actually was so obsessed with the mystery that I was taken a bit aback a few times, like when a gypsy fortuneteller entertainer is dying in front of her and she pulls out her phone to take pictures of some clues. She also seems more focused on the mystery at times than with dealing with her feelings about her father and newly disappeared husband.
The pacing is particularly strong; the book moves quickly and the various mystery storylines flowed together well.
I think Murder in the Secret Maze is a strong start to a new mystery series, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Book Synopsis
First in a new series featuring California landscape architect Tory Benning! Landscape architect Tory Benning knows the lay of the land, but she’ll have to dig through the clues to unearth a killer . . . After a whirlwind romance and a glorious
wedding at the luxurious Hotel Santa Sofia, Tory Benning is ready to
let down her hair, slip into her dancing shoes, and celebrate—until she
discovers that her newly minted husband has vanished. The police suspect
cold feet and second thoughts are behind Milo’s disappearance, but
Tory’s certain he’s met with foul play. And since she designed the plush
resort, she knows every nook and cranny of the grounds and adjoining
secret maze, and wastes no time delving into her search. As clues begin to emerge that Milo may
have taken his last breath in the maze, Tory steps up her sleuthing,
even as she learns she’s the prime suspect of a cop with a chip on his
shoulder and is squarely in the sights of a menacing stalker. And when a
second body is found on the grounds, Tory fears she’s up against a
killer determined to silence any and all who get in the way. . Not to be deterred, Tory forges ahead,
navigating a case with more twists and turns than the maze itself, until
the labyrinth of clues leads her to shocking revelations about her
husband, her family, and the identity of a killer who’s dead set on
making her the next victim . . . .
Author Bio
Judith Gonda is a
mystery writer and Ph.D. psychologist with a penchant for Pomeranians
and puns, so it’s not surprising that psychology, Poms, and puns pop up
in her amateur sleuth mysteries featuring California landscape architect
Tory Benning.
Dear Friends! Easter is coming up this weekend, so I've been looking for vintage Easter postcards to share with you. I found some that I hope you will enjoy!
A little girl in an Easter dress hugs her dachshund, while another doxie looks on:
A dachshund and Jack Russell Terrier chase the Easter bunny to the top of a giant egg.
A dachshund is pictured with snapdragons and little chicks.
Dachshunds play with flowers and an empty oversized Easter egg.
Dachshunds visit the Easter bunny's booth to collect Easter eggs.
A chicken and dachshund find a nest of eggs!
A dachshund plays with the ribbon trim on an Easter egg while looking at a little chick.
A dachshund meets several bunny rabbits!
A little girl holds a giant Easter egg while her dachshund plays with the egg's ribbon trim.
I hope you enjoyed these sweet vintage postcards. Wishing you and yours a happy and blessed Easter!
My Review The German Heiress is the story of Clara Falkenberg. When we first meet Clara, it is 1946 and she is living under an assumed name in Hamlin, Germany where she becomes engaged to a doctor who has secrets of his own. However, her past compels her to return to Essen. Her family owned a huge ironworks business in Essen and Clara helped run it during the war. Her wartime work makes her sought after by the Allies, and especially one British officer who is determined to bring her to justice. As she searches for a mysterious childhood friend, she meets Jakob, a marketeer on the black market who Clara calls on for help.
I wanted to read this novel because I am interested in the 1940's and World War II historical fiction. This story sounded very intriguing and different. This book is a whirlwind ride. Although it is beautifully written historical fiction, it is also a fast paced mystery. The story of Clara's past, her family's many secrets, and her missing friend Elisa is peeled back layer by layer on the pages. Clara is such an interesting protagonist -- not an admirable character but one who is very human and multi-layered. Jakob is similar -- he is a black market seller but he is brave and caring. (I loved the character of Jakob and thought his scenes were particularly compelling.) The settings in this book were so atmospheric - the bombed out iron factory, Clara's childhood home (now occupied by Allied officers), and a mysterious bunker full of rations and weapons. It would make an amazing movie! A few chapters in I had to stop and re-read the author's biography from the back of the book. It is astounding to me that this is Anika Scott's first novel. It is so skillfully written and complex, and the language often sings like poetry. I won't say more about the plot because there are so many twists and turns in this story. I will say the ending of this book absolutely blew me away. It was so unexpected and powerful. I cannot recommend The German Heiress highly enough for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone who loves 1940's settings. This is a must read! Book Synopsis Clara Falkenberg, once Germany’s most eligible and lauded heiress,
earned the nickname “the Iron Fräulein” during World War II for her role
operating her family’s ironworks empire. It’s been nearly two years
since the war ended and she’s left with nothing but a false
identification card and a series of burning questions about her family’s
past. With nowhere else to run to, she decides to return home and take
refuge with her dear friend, Elisa. Narrowly escaping a near-disastrous interrogation by a British
officer who’s hell-bent on arresting her for war crimes, she arrives
home to discover the city in ruins, and Elisa missing. As Clara begins
tracking down Elisa, she encounters Jakob, a charismatic young man
working on the black market, who, for his own reasons, is also searching
for Elisa. Clara and Jakob soon discover how they might help each
other—if only they can stay ahead of the officer determined to make
Clara answer for her actions during the war. Propulsive, meticulously researched, and action-fueled, The German Heiress is
a mesmerizing page-turner that questions the meaning of justice and
morality, deftly shining the spotlight on the often-overlooked
perspective of Germans who were caught in the crossfire of the Nazi
regime and had nowhere to turn.
Author Bio Anika Scott was a journalist at the Philadelphia Inquirer and the
Chicago Tribune before moving to Germany, where she currently lives in
Essen with her husband and two daughters. She has worked in radio,
taught journalism seminars at an eastern German university, and written
articles for European and American publications. Originally from
Michigan, she grew up in a car industry family. This is her first novel. Find out more about Anika at her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins and TLC Book Tours.
