Mysteries on Martha's Vineyard

Victoria Trumbull is the main character in Cythnia Riggs' mystery series. She is ninety-two and solving crime on Martha's Vineyard. And she makes these mysteries great fun. She knows everyone on the island and it is very funny when she takes bullies, who are trying to threaten her, down a peg by asking after their grandmothers. Her helpfulness to the sheriff in town - who is an outsider - earns her a deputyship! She is not perfect - she has aches and pains, disdains anyone who puts old people down, and can be mule headed. But how could you not love a person so full of life, her love of place - the island and it's people - and with the curiousity and the energy of a person half her age?

Deadly Nightshade,

The Cranefly Orchid Murders,

The Cemetary Yew

I have read the first three and am looking for more. Try 'em you'll like 'em.

The Serpents Trail

The Serpents Trail is part of a newer series by Sue Henry. Henry took her character Maxie McNabb and her dog Stretch and gave them their own books. Maxie is a twice widowed retiree who with her Winnebago travels from her home in Alaska, to parts known and unknown.

This story starts with Maxie traveling to Grand Junction Colorado to visit her close friend from college, Sarah. Sarah is dying and Maxie knows that this will be a sad journey. When Maxie arrives Sarah's house has been broken into and she is in the hospital. Sarah gives her a message and then dies. Maxie discovers that she has been appointed as the executor of her estate.

What seems simple, becomes complex when Maxie discovers that Sarah may have had another child she knew nothing about. Who inherits? Who keeps rummaging through the house? (Although this bit bothered me - after the first time I would have had the locks redone!) Who is the stranger who says she is Sarah's daughter? Why is Sarah's old boyfriend from college hanging around? And where would Sarah - a puzzle lover - hide the information about her last will?

A puzzler of a mystery - with a good bit of introspection on Maxie's part. How well do you really know your friends? And their secrets? A fun read - would try another one.

1776 - a Microhistory

Did you want a taste of what the War of Independence was like? A sampling as it were? Try David McCullough's most recent title 1776. He focuses on one year at the beginning of the war and leaves you yearning for more.

McCullough is a great writer for finding great source materials, and the letters from George Washington, Nathan Greene and Henry Knox and others do not disappoint. He lets you know these great men and their mistakes, and it allows you to realize that they weren't the demi-gods that some portray them. It is somehow reassuring that in the midst of the struggle - Washington is sending letters to his estate manager about remodeling his house. It sounded as if George would have loved Home & Garden television!

If you grow up in the United States you think you already know the ending of this story and in some ways maybe you do, but McCullough shows you what a narrow victory it sometimes was. Reading of the struggle of the soldiers on the ground reminds you of the dedication they had, to be committing treason against the crown. It sounded a lot easier in your high school text book.

McCullough writes with eloquence and if he's done his job - makes you wonder more about the people and the rest of the war. Excellent read.

The Man from Stone Creek

Linda Lael Miller's The Man from Stone Creek is a western based romance. At first it seems as if it is a "typical" western romance - the strange guy rides into town to help out with the bad guys, meets a gal and gets the bad guys and the gal. Well - some of that does happen, but what Miller does so well is give her characters life.

Sam O' Ballivan seems a bit too brawny to be the new schoolmaster. But in him, Miller creates a wonderful character that you would like to meet. He has a bad habit of picking up and caring for strays - dogs, horses, and people. And he is a Ranger who is looking for bad guys - but he needs to see the lay of the land to know who and where the bad guys are. Meanwhile he is teaching, and getting a little too interested in Maddie the local postmistress and store clerk. Maddie has had her share of ups and downs in life with her younger brother and she is just trying to keep a roof over their head.

As these two interact and get to know each other and their pasts, the reader comes to appreciate both characters. Miller has a great way of giving characters great backgrounds and she succeeds again in this book.

Although it seemed that the whole world was coming apart in the book's climax - it's just one thing after another - you forgive Miller because you want these two to be together - what ever it takes. A fun read.