The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

Author: Marie Benedict
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sourcebooks, 2020
Pages: 288
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: In December 1926, Agatha Christie goes missing. Investigators find her empty car on the edge of a deep, gloomy pond, the only clues some tire tracks nearby and a fur coat left in the car - strange for a frigid night. Her World War I husband and daughter have no knowledge of her whereabouts, and England unleashes and unprecedented manhunt to find the up-and-coming mystery author. Eleven days later, she reappears, just as mysteriously as she disappeared, claiming amnesia and providing no explanations for her time away.

The puzzle of those missing eleven days has persisted. What is real, and what is mystery? What role did her unfaithful husband play, and what was he not telling investigators.

Review: This is my favorite Marie Benedict book to date. I felt these characters come to life, and Benedict finally dove headlong into a subject instead of staying on the surface. Really enjoyed this novel, although I would really love to know where Mrs. Christie went. The details in this novel are plausible, but I want to know.

Other Marie Benedict novels:
Carnegie's Maid
The Only Woman in the Room

The Christmas Shoppe

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction / Christmas
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2011
Pages: 176
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: The small town of Parrish Springs is not ready for Matilda Honeycutt. A strange older woman with scraggly gray hair and jewelry that jangles as she walks, Matilda is certainly not the most likely person to buy the old Barton Building on the town's quaint main street. When it becomes apparent that her new shop doesn't fit the expectations of Parrish Springs' residents, a brouhaha erupts. After all, Christmas is approaching, and the last thing this town needs is a junky shop run by someone who looks and acts like a gypsy. But as townsfolk venture into the strange store, they discover that old memories can bring new life and healing.

Review: Melody Carlson has been one of my favorite authors throughout this pandemic, but this one didn't do it for me. At only 176 it was long enough.

All Summer Long

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2016
Pages: 320
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Tia D'Amico is thrilled to move to San Francisco to help her aunt transform an old luxury yacht into an upscale floating restaurant. What's not to love? Sunset dinner cruises, upscale wedding receptions - the possibilities are endless and far more appetizing than staying in a monotonous job in her Podunk hometown. Besides, some of her best memories are tied to San Francisco - especially the memory of Leo Parker, her crush from a long-ago sailing camp.

When the self same Leo Parker turns out to be the yacht's captain, Tia is floating on air. But will it all come crashing down around her when she discovers his heart belonw to someone else.

Review: I really enjoy Melody Carlson's novels, but this particular one was a miss. The plot was weak to the point of being annoying to read. The main characters are in a love triangle and it takes entirely too wrong to resolve. Secondly, one of the characters has an "issue" that should have come to light years earlier. In this situation and circumstances it's impossible to believe she was able to hide it like she did.

This genre of chick lit isn't meant to mirror real life, but it does need to be believable at least until the reader is able to suspend their belief, and this just didn't strike that sweet spot.

The Strawberry Hearts Diner

Author: Carolyn Brown
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Pages: 286
Rating: Do Not Recommend 

Synopsis: Being broke, unemployed, and stranded back in the tiny town of Pick, Texas, was not part of Jancy Wilson's plan. Yet here she is, watching her car literally go up in smoke - along with her last-ditch hope of staying with her cousin in Louisiana. When Jancy spies a Help Wanted sign hanging in the window of the quaint Strawberry Hearts Diner, the memories of the two years she spent there as a teenager - and the lure of the diner's beloved strawberry tarts - are enough to draw her in and plant her feet - but only temporarily.

Raised by parents who refused to settle anywhere for long, Jancy has never known what it is to have roots. Now that Jancy's swept up by the warmth and character of this quirky little community - and by the pull of an old crush - it's beginning to feel like home. She's making friends and even discovering the sweetness of falling in love. But when the town is threatened, Jancy knows it will take more than its legendary tarts to save it. Can she fight for this little Texas town-knowing she might not stay forever. 

Review: This is easy reading and a cute story, but the vernacular was just too much for me. This was written in a Texas stereotype. There are better authors in this genre, for example, Melody Carlson.

Once Upon a Summertime

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2015
Pages: 320
Rating: Recommend 

Synopsis: Managing the Value Lodge in her hometown was not what Anna Gordon had in mind when she set out in the hospitality industry. But it's a safe choice for a woman whose childhood was anything but stable. Out of the blue, she gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reinvent herself by moving to New York City, where she hopes for a management position at a stylish new boutique hotel. The big city is full of surprises - not the least of which is Sean O'Neil. Her childhood crush has applied for the very same position!

Review: This book was everything I like about Melody Carlson's writing. It's a cute, predictable escape and I read it while on vacation in Florida.

I identified with Anna and her career struggles and insecurities. I liked this book a lot.

This is book #1 in the Follow Your Heart series, but it's not necessary to read the books in order - I didn't, I started with #3, Under a Summer Sky, not realizing it was even part of a series.

Follow Your Heart series:
Book 1: Once Upon a Summertime (set in New York City)
Book 2: All Summer Long (set in San Francisco)
Book 3: Under a Summer Sky (set in Savannah)