"A Crochet Mystery" series by Betty Hechtman

This series follows the life and amateur sleuthing of character Molly Pink. She works in a bookstore and participates in a crochet group and helps solve murder mysteries on the side. There are colorful characters which include a celebrity, an over the top flamboyant knitter, and male model turned businessman.

I tend to find that it is pretty easy for me to love 'cozy' mysteries so I really tried to give this series a good shot. After reading four of the books, I can't escape a few facts. I just couldn't enjoy the series because I could not find a way to empathize or identify with any of the characters with the possible exception of Dinah who is Molly Pink's best friend.

I have highlighted the books I read below in the list:

A Crochet Mystery Series

1. Hooked on Murder (2008)

2. Dead Men Don't Crochet (2008)

3. By Hook or By Crook (2009)

4. A Stitch in Crime (2009)

5. You Better Knot Die (2010)

6. Behind the Seams (2011)

7. If Hooks Could Kill (2012)

8. For Better or Worsted (2013)

9. Knot Guilty (2014)

10. Seams Like Murder (2016)

11. Hooking for Trouble (2016)

12. On The Hook (2018)

She also has written five books in a knitting series, but I haven't read any of them. I'm probably not going to as I really didn't find myself very enthralled with the series I did read a few books from. If you have read any of her books I would be interested on your take. I rarely dislike a book so I am a bit disappointed that I didn't like these. So please feel free to chime on in with your opinions of the novels if you have experienced them. I'm curious for other viewpoints.

I'm starting a series by Virginia Lowell. Maybe I will like that series better.

The Danziel and Pascoe Series - In Order

I was first introduced to these series of mystery novels when I moved to Maine. It was recommended by a librarian in the area and I devoured the books until the series ended with the death of the writer. Reginald Hill had an extraordinary talent in being able to write mystery novels out of chronological order and stories within the stories while working within he framework and stories he had already written. He also had a rare habit of letting the murderer get away with his crime causing much consternation in my mind as my sense of justice felt thwarted. He passed away in January 2012. Andrew Danziel is the 'Fat Man' who works as a Detective Superintendent while Peter Pascoe is his Detective Sergent until a promotion later on in the novels. Another character worth mentioning is Ellie (Soper) Pascoe who is married to Peter and is an integral part of the lives of both Pascoe and Danziel.


1. A Clubbable Woman (1970)

2. An Advancement of Learning (1971)

3. Ruling Passion (1973)

4. An April Shroud (1975)

5. A Pinch of Snuff (1978)

6. A Killing Kindness (1980)

7. Deadheads (1983)

8. Exit Lines (1984)

9. Child's Play (1987)

10. Underworld (1988)

11. Bones and Silence (1990)

12. One Small Step (1990), novella

13. Recalled to Life (1992)

14. Pictures of Perfection (1994)

15. The Wood Beyond (1995)

16. Asking for the Moon (1996), short stories which include "The Last National Service Man", "Pascoe's Ghost", "Dalziel's Ghost", and "One Small Step"

17. On Beulah Height (1998)

18. Arms and the Women (1999)

19. Dialogues of the Dead (2002)

20. Death's Jest-Book (2003)

21. Good Morning, Midnight (2004)

22. The Death of Dalziel (2007), Canada and US Title: Death Comes for the Fat Man

23. A Cure for All Diseases (also titled The Price of Butcher's Meat) (2008)

24. Midnight Fugue (2009)

I love these characters and it feels a bit sad that there will be no more books. That I won't be able to know how the Pascoe's life changes and is lived and how their community changes with time. But I can always come back and pick up a book to make them alive again for that brief period of time... to listen to the Fat Man and sigh at his crudity even while I find myself in aw of his instincts. Good books indeed.

Service Day

I love Saturdays. Every Saturday I head to my local non-profit clothing store and work in the back to sort clothing. I grab the bags from the special bin and then dump the contents onto the table and then sort. I have a few different choices as to where I put clothing depending on how I judge its condition. Great or better clothing is hung up to go out onto the sales floor or set up to be steamed or pressed before going out. Then clothing can be placed in the free boxes for locals, bagged up for the Emmaus Shelter (a local homeless shelter),or into bags to be hauled off to Goodwill. Reusable bags that are not in good enough condition to sell can be donated to the free bag bin at the local supermarket and household items are sorted and donated to the local non profit thrift store to earn money to help the local animal shelter. The plastic bags that the clothing come in are gathered together and then recycled. There really isn't a lot of waste if we can help it. So I spent the day in the routine and organized assembly line of sorting and packing. There are not many volunteers on Saturdays and some weeks, I listen to audiobooks on my phone while I work the table. It's a lot of work and sometimes I feel almost too tired to go in, but I still do because I know that I am really needed there. Today I got some time to chat and joke with a few other volunteers and that was a nice addition to the day today. It actually felt a little bit sad to head off and teach my CPR class.

I enjoyed time with a friend tonight as we chatted while her husband did a little home repair for me and I am so thankful to end the day with a great book. When I went to Bangor the other day and swapped some books with Bull Moose I got some great books to goof of with. They have these large miscellaneous book bins and I made a great finds the other day. Now I just need to decide which of these ones I'm going to tackle. :)

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: A Review

Our protagonist, Christopher John Francis Boone, is our eyes and ears in this heart-rending tale of mystery, deceit and disability. Written in journal form, this novel tells the reader about Christopher as he attempts to solve a mysterious death of a dog and, through those investigations, discovers more about himself and the people in his life than he ever imagined.

This book begins with Christopher’s discovery of his neighbor’s poodle, who has been murdered; he discovers the dog bleeding on the ground with a pitchfork through its body. The reader then learns that Christopher lives alone with his father, that his mother is dead, that one of his neighbors has gone missing as well, and that he attends a special school where he does very well at math and is hoping to take A levels at some point. Determined to discover who killed his neighbor’s dog, he starts a journal to write down the clues he finds and to keep better track of the things he is thinking. While he is casually questioning the neighbors, one neighbor admits that Christopher’s mother had an affair with someone else from the neighborhood and, as Christopher continues to investigate, he learns that his father has lied to him- his father not only killed the dog, but he learns that his mother is actually still alive and is living in London with the missing neighbor. These discoveries are so hard on him that he runs away after a confrontation with his father and manages, with much luck and difficulty, to make it to his mother’s apartment. The story ends with Christopher’s father trying to regain lost trust and his mother single again with all parties trying to figure out how to live with and understand each other.

This novel is steeped in the challenges inherent in the lives of individuals with high functioning autism and/or Asperger’s syndrome: A pervasive developmental disorder in which the affected individual displays unusual nonverbal communication, difficulties with empathy and understanding the emotions of others, and other mental and physical symptoms. This particular book has many potential uses for a general education teacher. A teacher can use the texts to discuss different ways of thinking in general and autism in particular. Discussion of emotions, how they are expressed, and how we as individuals ‘read’ people’s emotions is also possible. As the protagonist writes the ‘story’ in journal form, creative writing about the students’ own lives could be encouraged as well. (One assignment could be for the student to write about how they would end the story after only reading the first two chapters. Another option could be writing about what metaphors are and why they can be confusing to someone with a logical mind.) Discussions of math and maps would also be relevant and assignments meant to enhance a student’s knowledge of these subjects would be worthwhile.

Giving this novel an overall rating is a bit challenging, but I finally settled on four stars. This book does several things very well: the protagonist is rather sweet and engaging and the reader finds themselves anxious to follow him through his life. We genuinely worry about him even though Christopher probably wouldn’t be able to acknowledge our concerns. The novel’s prose manages to let the characters express their emotions clearly even though the anger, fear, sadness, and frustration are never explicitly articulated. Through the actions and journal entries shared by Christopher, the reader is able to casually absorb information about Asperger’s syndrome and some of the challenges it can cause for individuals who live with this particular disability. The novel is well- written and the plot feels fairly flawless and begs us to understand and be patient with our protagonist as he navigates his challenges. However, while the written and sometimes strong language brings about positive reflection and understanding of the story, it also can turn off a reader and make it more challenging for some individuals to be willing to complete the book. The adult themes are appropriate- Christopher is 15 years old, after all- but these themes can also offend the reader or invite censorship. While this book is meant for young adults, its themes and plotline can be quite challenging for any reader including adults. This book has won awards for its storytelling including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, Costa Book of the Year, the Boeke Prize, and the Waverton Good Read Award. I highly recommend this well-written novel by Mark Haddon for mature young adults and older students for an entertaining and educational read.

pictures from: http://www.benjaminmadeira.com/2014/09/analysis-haddon-mark.html, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/heads-up-the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time-7856401.html, https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/find-your-next-read/reading-guides/2016/nov/23/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time-mark-haddon/

The Agatha Raisin Mystery Series (in order)

I am a pretty rabid fan of the two mystery series developed by M.C. Beaton aka Marion Chesney aka Marion Gibbons. This series features the detective and public relation skills of a character called Agatha Raisin who lives in a small village in Carsley. If you haven't ever heard of this series before and you like mysteries, take some time to explore it as it is a fun explore! Here are the books in chronological order for the new reader. Also for fun, these characters have finally been turned into a TV series so you can explore the characters in another format... the books are the best though!



Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (1992)

Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet (1993)

Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener (1994)

Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley (1995)

Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage (1996)

Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist (1997)

Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death (1998)

Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham (1999)

Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden (1999)

Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam (2000)

Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell (2001)

Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came (2002)

Agatha Raisin and the Case of the Curious Curate (2003)

Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House (2003)

Agatha Raisin and the Deadly Dance (2004)

Agatha Raisin and the Perfect Paragon (2005)

Love, Lies and Liquor: An Agatha Raisin mystery (2006)

Kissing Christmas Goodbye: An Agatha Raisin mystery (2007)

Agatha Raisin and a Spoonful of Poison (2008)

Agatha Raisin: There Goes the Bride (2009)

Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body (2010)

Agatha Raisin: As the Pig Turns (October 2011)

Agatha Raisin: Hiss and Hers (2012)

Agatha Raisin: Something Borrowed, Someone Dead (2013)

Agatha Raisin: The Blood of an Englishman (2014)

Agatha Raisin: Dishing the Dirt (2015)

Agatha Raisin: Pushing Up Daisies (2016)

If you are exploring this series for the first time, please let me know how you liked

pictures from: http://www.mcbeaton.com/us/author/, http://www.mcbeaton.com/us/books/agatha_raisin_mysteries/pushing_up_daisies/

2013 Poetry Corner #3 : A View into Eternity

If I could see beyond the veil
at the images past it's blinds
Would I recognize the views without
the feelings they provide
Would I feel love, joy and wonder
a smile within my heart
or would I wish to hide, to wipe
my tears inside my mind

If I could see beyond the ridge
at the mysteries I crave
Would I feel the peace of knowing
... the illuminated sight
the joy that comes from challenge met
the joy from knowledge gained
or I feel let down, bereft
the wearyness of the end

I do not know what I will feel
nor do I know that which I seek
To have that knowledge I must know myself
... to understand and seek
Can I reach out and grasp ahold
of that rod of which I need
To struggle forward, to push my soul

What do you see when you look through
...look forward in the light
Do you stand tall and confident
your back toward the night
Can we move forward side by side
support and strength in numbers?
Spend the light and joy together
to learn and grow hand in hand
together, forever, peaceful.... eternity