4 in 1

Odd Hours, Dean Koontz; Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder - (Hannah Swensen Mysteries), Joanne Fluke; Catering to Nobody (Goldy, Book 1), Diane Mott Davidson; and finally, A Is for Alibi, Sue Grafton...in that order.

Not much I can say about Odd Hours, except, of course, I cannot wait for the next one. This series is one of the nicest things my MIL ever did for me.

I was forced to read The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by the BFF, who wanted us to join a mystery book club, and this was the first offering. If this is the best this book club can do, in the way of mysteries, then they surely do not need us to join..the BFF wouldn't even read the book. 'Nuff said.

When searching the library for The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, I ran across Catering to Nobody and thought it very funny how similar the covers were...needless to say, I had to pit them against each other...read them both and determine which series deserved to be continued. Let's just say the next book after Catering to Nobody is Dying for Chocolate. I can't even tell you what comes after The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.

Which brings us to A is for Alibi. These alphabet mysteries were started in the 80's and I can't believe it's taken me this long to start reading them. Thank Bob there have been enough written over the years to keep me busy, probably until they're finished. I think the current letter available at your local bookshop is S or T.

Beatrix Potter?

One rainy afternoon the BFF and I were wandering aimlessly through our favorite used book store, looking for nothing in particular, and talking between ourselves. The shopkeeper was listening in, and trying to give suggestions on books/authors that would be new to us. She seemed very intent on Susan Wittig Albert and The Tale of Hill Top Farm (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix P). We make the purchase, and off we go. It was decided that I should be the guinnea pig and, therefore, the first to read the book.

While I found it 'cute', it was certainly not a nail-biting page-turner. I would imagine it would be difficult to evoke that type of response from a story set at the turn of the century (the LAST one, not this past one) in a small English village where the local animals help solve mysteries. The very fact that the animals spoke to each other was enough to turn the BFF off of ever reading this series. Although I did finish this first book, I cannot see myself finishing the series unless all other authors cease writing and I'm left with no choice.