Corpse in a Gilded Cage

Did someone say cosy? It's all here: the Stately Manor, the not-quite-functional family, the long-lost relative, the solicitor, the butler (!), murder with a blunt instrument, and the classic denouement with all the suspects (that is, everyone) gathered for the pronouncement of whodoneit.

An offshoot a rich family, the new Earl and Countess of Ellesmere (formerly, Elsie & Perce Spender) arrive at Chetton Hall following the deaths of the two previous Earls. But Elsie and Perce don't like the massive and drafty (draughty) stone pile. They want to go home to Clapham. They instruct their man of affairs to sell the lot and they'll distribute the proceeds among their 3 children.

Mr. Lilywaite, though, is a traditionalist. He tries to persuade the Earl and Countess of their responsibilities: to the family; to Engand; to the law of primogeniture.

While sorting out the affairs of the estate, Perce and Elsie's children arrive to celebrate the Earl's 60th birthday. The children are divided on what is to be done. Phil, the eldest and new Lord Portsea, has three weeks to serve on his sentence, but his harridan wife, Elsie, fighting her corner, sees herself as the next Countess. Trevor, the youngest, is easy, although he does think the house would be a fine setting for his next starring porno role with his girlfriend, Michele. The new Lady Joan and her husband, Digby, are busy calculating what the sale will bring.

Then comes the murder.

Enter the rural, but intelligent, inspector and his, self-effacing, but intelligent, sergeant.

A perfect setting and a perfect vehicle for Robert Barnard's sly humour. Highly recommended.

The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

Arielle Montero never knew her mother. She disappeared shortly after Ari was born and never returned to the house in New York. Ari is home schooled and rarely ever is allowed to leave her house. Shortly after she makes friends with the housekeepers daughter, she begins to notice how different she is from others and how different is her household. Her face is always blurred in pictures and in one taken of her father, he doesn't show up at all. She begins to suspect her father is a vampire. After her best friend, Kathleen, is savagely murdered, she demands that her father tell her why they are different and where is her mother. He doesn't know where her mother is and yes, he is a vampire. Is Ari a vampire also? What happens when a mortal and a vampire have a child together?

This is an amazing book. I did not expect to be this good!

Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert

A young man is missing and an old friend of Gabriel Blackstone calls in a favor. “Frankie” Whittington asks Gabriel to help her husband find his missing son, Robbie. Gabriel has a talent few others have, remote vision. He can enter someone’s mind, see what they see, hear what they hear, and experience what they experience. Using his talent, he discovers that the young man is dead and has most likely been killed by one of two very extraordinary sisters, Morrighan and Minnaloushe Monk. Hacking into their computer, he reads a diary. He also discovers that one of the sisters has his same ability, only she is much stronger. He falls in love with the writer of the diary. He fears the sister with remote vision. Which sister is which?

This was a really good book. I was almost not able to put it down once I started reading it.

Cooking Up Murder by;Miranda Bliss- Reveiwed by;Deanna

Annie and Eve are best of friends.When Annie has trouble getting over her ex-husband who has left over a year ago to be with a dry cleaner girl.Eve comes up with a way to get Annie out and to meet new people or maybe a new guy.Maybe at the same time Annie can brush up on her kitchen skill at the same time.Eve's idea is to sign them up for cooking classes.

Annie was not to sure about the cooking class as she know she can not even boil water without almost burned down the house.She said o.k. to the class to keep Eve happy.She know going with Eve to meet someone new was out of the question.Eve was the gorgerous one.She walks into the room and all eyes would be on her.Annie is an average looking woman who can not cook to save her life.

First night at cooking class she meet the teacher with a scottish accent named Jim.She think is hot but knew she was out of his league.Guys like him aways go for the model types like Eve.Has they are leave and go home Eve remembers she left her watch at the cooking class.All Annie was think about seeing Jim again at the school.When they return to the school they saw agruement between a student for the class and a guy in the alleyway.

As they where leaving the building they heard noises from the alleyway,so they what to see what the noise was.The guy who was agruing earlier laying on the ground dying.By the time help came he was gone.They decided to undercover what take place in the alleyway and a murderer.

The only danger they throught they would encounter was Annies cooking.Maybe this class is cooking up more then a full-course gourmet meal.Maybe this one time Annie will win a heart of a man who she throught to be out of her league.The story has a little of everything.Mystery,love,hero,and alot of gourmet spice and some salt to add to the wounds.There is definitely more things cooking in the class then food.