I read mysteries like this as palette cleansers between heavier tomes, and, as such, this series performs that role admirably. Is it a great or important book? Of course not. Is Laurie Cass the new Agatha Christie? Not even close. Did it distract me without too much effort and keep me engaged? Ye...
The Axfords played big band music, hauled in tubs of fresh oysters, and handed out plastic champagne flutes to hold the freely flowing beverage. They were wizards at making sure their guests had a good time, and I wasn’t surprised when I felt Louisa Axford’s firm hand on my shoulder as I stood at...
Rafe and I had regular bargaining sessions regarding exchanges of labor, and last summer I’d agreed to set up recommendations for an after-school reading program if he did the electrical repair of my houseboat. As often seemed to happen, I was still working on his project when he was long done wi...
Eddie sat at the bottom of the lowered steps and stared upward, offering the occasional suggestion.On the third trip down, my arms laden with dusty cubes of cardboard, I looked at him and said, “I’d take your comments more seriously if you were actually offering to help, but since all you’re doin...
He blew off the steam, sending it my way, and lifted the mug toward his mouth. I looked away, hoping somehow that if I didn’t look, I wouldn’t be able to hear the slurping noises as clearly as I had a moment before, but, once again, the technique was a complete failure. Th...