I enjoyed this book. Sam Sweet is believable in her struggle for work in this economy, and she is down-to-earth and motivated, too. I think her work ethic is admirable, and her character is written well. The plot was well thought out and outlined. Saw the ending coming, but that didn't deter from...
Charlie returns from her vacation to find her brother involved with a deceitful younger woman. Is it just mid-life crisis, or something more sinister? When a friend's business partner is murdered, Charlie's investigation uncovers tax fraud, high level political connections, and duplicity. The two...
Charlie's Hawaiian vacation doesn't turn out like she planned. Her first day there, she takes a helicopter ride. She and the pilot Drake Langston see a dead body on the rocks below. When Drake's friend, Mack, is arrested for the murder, Charlie agrees to help find the real killer.
From the back - When former vanity license plate inspector Claire Montrose finds a valuable diamond ring embedded in an old stone wall, she's uncovered more than lost jewelry -- she's just unwittingly exposed a fifty-year-old murder. Claire's octogenarian housemate, Charlie, recognizes the ring w...
How nice to be away from the streets of the new District of Columbia where construction continued non-stop and the plethora of workers, slaves and conveyances kept the muddy roads continually churned and boggy. Alexandria was a refreshingly quiet, charming town by comparison. His two-wheeled trap...
The woman who approached Sam on the sidewalk outside Java Joe’s Joint was nearing sixty and wore a soft cotton pastel yellow skirt, blue top and earthy sandals. She carried a cloth drawstring bag. Her all-gray hair hung in waves to her shoulders, with a strand on either side pinned back from her ...
"What is it? Are you worried about the case, or is it about going home?" She busied herself with a large bite of her sandwich, shaking her head as if to say neither. It was obviously my cue to butt out. I changed the subject and we finished the meal reminiscing about high school. The Tanoan commu...
4:37. The last time he’d checked it was 3:21. He groaned and turned back to his right side. On the floor beside the bed, Rusty stirred briefly in his sleep, but didn’t even raise his head. Charlie’s side of the bed was cold and empty. He missed her but it was probably just as well that she wasn’t...
That was about how long the power of the box seemed to stay with her. She fell into bed, completely exhausted. The alarm woke her Saturday morning. She’d remembered to set it, thank goodness, or she’d never get everything done today. She rushed to the kitchen and retrieved the cooled cake from th...
I noticed that his shirt had some kind of food stain on the front and his cardigan sweater hung a little off-kilter, as if he’d not looked in the mirror when dressing this morning. The lack of a woman’s influence was beginning to show. Maybe that’s why they had all begun showing up, to mother him...
Waters had vanished into some other part of the building. She pecked at Beau’s window with her fingernail and gave him a tiny wave. No point in waiting around his office; she still had a complex cake to finish this afternoon. Back at the bakery, she tinted fondant to the exact color of terra cott...
Sally, our part-time receptionist, was already there. Her car sat in the parking area behind the gray and white Victorian that houses the private investigation agency I own with my brother, Ron.“Hey there,” Sally greeted as Rusty and I blew in through the back door. “Weather’s kind of taken a tur...
As long as it didn’t leave again right away, his suspect would most likely stay put all day. Sam had mentioned a special order she’d assigned to her temporary helper, and she would be there to keep an eye on the woman. He dialed Kent Taylor’s number and the detective thanked Beau for the report o...
At home, all was quiet. Kelly must have had other plans. Sam went to her bedroom and picked up the wooden box from her dresser. Sitting on the edge of her bed with the box on her lap she spread her fingers to touch the full width of its carved surface. Immediately the wood went from yellowish bro...
When she’d first heard of Taos’s Sweet Somethings chocolate festival she envisioned a lovely park-like atmosphere, with colorful booths displaying masses of delectable chocolates, maybe Willie Wonka music setting the tone—something no one from three counties would be able to resist. What she’d go...
Maybe I need to class up my act more often." He raised his eyebrows, but didn't comment. That's when I noticed the bouquet on my desk. Anthuriums. Shades of red, from crimson to pale pink, fell in a cascade interrupted by a few touches of greenery. Hawaiian anthuriums. My heart tightened up as I ...
The past twenty-four hours still had a surreal feel. Yesterday morning I’d awakened with anticipation. The wedding and reception were just ahead of us and my main concern had been about feeding the guys and getting us all out the door on time. For one moment I relived that, almost capturing the f...