Prime Time Mystery

The tag line for this novel is "You're only as good as your last story".  Well, if that's the case then author Hank Phillippi Ryan is very, very good indeed.  But I already knew that, because this is not the first in the Charlotte McNally mystery series that I've read. 

Charlotte, actually Charlie, is such an engaging character.  I just love reading along in her stream of consciousness.  It's really fun writing.  Charlie is a seasoned television journalist looking for a high ratings story during sweeps.  Well, one finds her.  In this book in the series, the murder mystery plot is around high finance.  The clues are all there for the reader.  I admit, I was positive I'd solved who the murderer was, but I was wrong.  Although I was firmly convinced of the guilt of my suspect up to the very last few pages.  Great mystery!

Can high finance success be found by email?  Electronic trades and files?  And how do you follow the paper trail to the source when it's all electronic, without getting spammed?  An intrepid journalist will find the way.

In her career Charlie works with a smart Producer, and a somewhat terrifying boss.  Charlie has been a workaholic.  But is "smarts" enough in the competitive television field when the camera doesn't love your older/experienced self the way it used to love the younger reporter?  Struggles continue striving to be wholly fulfilled in both career and also in personal life.  Charlie designs and dreams of the perfect relationship. Well, an interesting relationship finds her.

Here's an example of the wonderful writing - "Here I am, uncovering the biggest story of my life, and someone else is going to write it.  I've got no notebook, no tape recorder, no camera, and it's looking more and more like the only eyewitness to what's apparently planned to be a fatal shooting, one Charlotte Ann McNally, is not going to be around for the big interview.  Because Charlotte Ann McNally is also going to be the victim.  And dead.  I guess this is what my sixth-grade English teacher meant by irony."

Hank Phillippi Ryan is well qualified to spin this tale.  She is on the air at Boston's NBC affiliate.  She's won 26 Emmy awards and 10 Edward R. Murrow awards, plus additional honors.  This book is an Agatha Award winner.

You will really be entertained by this fun mystery.

Happy sleuthing!

 

Me Before You

 

 Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes
Two people are thrown together by circumstances, and destiny. When you meet each of them you’re certain that these two personalities are not naturally drawn to each other. That is a description of me before you . . . for them. By that I mean, it’s a description of what they were before coming into each other’s lives, not what they become.
Louisa (Lou) Clark is a working-class girl living a simple life in a tiny village in England. Will Traynor is upper class and now in a wheelchair after an accident ended his life as he knew it. His life was London big city, fast-paced financial deals, . . . .

Link to my recommendation of Me Before You



A Purse of Your Own, Financial Guide

Purse of Your Own: An Easy Guide to Financial Security, by Deborah Owens with Brenda Lane Richardson

Have you resolved to get your finances under control and make headway on defining and achieving your financial goals? Here is a very helpful guide for how to do just that. It is written especially for women, encouraging them to take control of their lives, their futures, and their purses by leveraging knowledge detailed in this book.
The author, Deborah Owens, is a wealth coach and has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and is a Wall Street veteran. She is a former vice president . . . .

Link to My Recommendation for A Purse Of Your Own
 

Eagerly Plowed Through The Evil Days

It was irresistible to take another dip into the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne novel series.  So glad I did, it sent chills up my spine.  Through the Evil Days is the 8th in the series.  The apparently sleepy town of Millers Kill is once again anything but.

The criminal adventure that occurs is a very smart and suspenseful investigation.  The matured relationship between Clare and Russ has only gained in appeal and certainly gained new complications.  I really appreciated the side stories of the supporting characters as well, which were also compelling.

A frigid New England January, murder, arson, kidnapping, drug dealers, custody battles, and the ice storm of the century.  An ambitious scenario executed superbly in this talented writer's hands.  The dialog between characters is very realistic, and their passions are stirring.  The criminal situations are so well researched, making the actions very realistic as well.

Treat yourself to this chilling winter adventure that will warm your heart.

Thieves Among Us - Those Gentlemen Bastards

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch

Herein is an epic adventure story. It begins curiously as a narrative like Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist,” with an orphan gang and the Fagin type of character. It develops into parallel plot lines that tell, in alternating chapters, about the main characters’ childhoods and their adult magical adventures. Yes, it is magical adventures. This fantasy novel uses . . . . Link to my complete recommendation