Winter weather hasn’t decided whether to stay or let us move on to spring. Either way, let’s read and stay warm until Mother Nature makes up her mind.
Books are better than candy. Take a book bag door to door and trade books with neighbors. Here’s some cozies coming out this month and Christmas books for early shoppers.
Once again another year has ended, and we take a look back at a few of the many books reviewed in KRL in 2017. All but one of our main reviewers share in this post their top 5 favorite books they reviewed in 2017 (well some of them may fudge on that a bit).
As a town that reinvented itself throughout the decades, it only makes sense that Proper City, Nevada, would celebrate extended holidays through ever-changing costumes. For the annual Spring Sagebrush Festival the town is hosting a family friendly week of board game-themed events, a counter to the more lascivious Las Vegas casinos.
Bonbons and bon mots (witty stuff) are the order of the day in this month’s collection, along with knitters, astrologers, beauticians, and a costume shop. Enjoy reading!
A surprise trip to Palm Springs was to be the first romantic vacation for Mad for Mod decorator Madison Night and her new boyfriend, Hudson James. It was also planned as a paid working gig for Mad and the contractor, as Hudson’s brother-in-law was constructing a strip mall revolving around a modernized, mid-century theme. It should be perfect for the 50s and 60s loving Madison, especially as it would also give her a brief escape from Texas, where she had become far too intimate with Death. Her first meeting with Emma and Jimmy McKenna does not go as Mad had imagined, as just before they arrive she and Hudson are run off of the road and their car overturned by a speeding SUV.
It’s not surprising that for Disguise DeLimit costume store owner Margo Tamblyn, Halloween is the busiest time of the year. What is surprising is how the entire town of Proper City goes more than a little bonkers over their Halloween celebrations. The planned Nevada city, without a given identity, took on that of the Costume Capital of the World, making every event one suitable for a masquerade. The highlight of the season is a kickoff party and costume competition at the Alexandria Hotel, with the winning prize for the last twelve years going to one sold out of Disguise DeLimit. That record looks to be stopped in its tracks when Margo receives a letter from the new owner of the hotel, proclaiming that her store is banned from the competition.
As summer heads for the home stretch, here are a few more fun mysteries from Penguin & Kensington authors to see you through the rest of summer! We have food, crafts, and fashion. Grilling the Subject: Cookbook Nook Mystery by Daryl Wood Gerber, Knit Your Own Murder: A Needlecraft Mystery by Monica Ferris, Shots in the Dark: A Mack’s Bar Mystery by Allyson K. Abbott, and Silk Stalkings: A Material Witness Mystery by Diane Vallere. Details on how to enter to win copies of all 4 books at the end of this post along with links to purchase them.
Is it too soon to think about Halloween? Apparently not! Several authors are jumping the gun and offering novel treats, recipes, and first-in-a-series titles for those of you searching for the next good read.
Proper City, Nevada was a town without a real identity, so perhaps that is what led to it becoming renowned for the residents who don costumes to herald every holiday and celebration. Although Margo Tamblyn always loved working in her father’s costume shop, he was the one who encouraged her to leave and explore new opportunities outside of Proper City.
