MISS DIMPLE DISAPPEARS

Miss Dimple has been teaching first grade for over 40 years. She is the most dependable teacher imaginable. When she doesn't show up for school one day without letting anyone know that she will be gone, well, everyone knows that something is wrong. Charlie Carr and her friend, Annie, try to figure out where Miss Dimple might be. World War II is going on and everyone's lives are affected. Charlie's brother is missing and one of her boyfriends has decided to enlist. Could something related to the war be the reason that Miss Dimple is gone?

This is the first book that I have read by Mignon Ballard. I like WWII stories and this one was lots of fun. All of the characters were enjoyable but Charlie and Annie were especially fun. One got a very good sense of the time period and the worries that all of the families at home had for their loved ones fighting the war. Miss Dimple herself was the kind of teacher that everyone would like to have had.

Rating - A-

ABOUT FACE

I won't try to give a summary of this book because I was interrrupted listening to it and came back about a week later and finished it. Mostly, it focused on an intriguing woman that Brunetti met through his in-laws. The woman appeared to have had extensive plastic surgery done on her face to the point that her face was entirely unnatural. In the meantime, there has been a murder that Brunetti is investigating that appears to be related to some sort of Mafia connections.

I enjoy Donna Leon's descriptions of Venice and Brunetti and his family. I did get kind of confused with all of the characters and what was really going on with the mystery. Maybe it would be easier to keep things straight in print. I will try another one, though!

Rating - B

VERMILLION DRIFT

Cork O'Connor has been asked to help with security regarding nuclear waste being stored in an old mine. Cork also is asked to help find the sister of a wealthy businessman. Cork is no longer the sherrif but his private investigative services are well known. The sherrif's office asks him to work with them as they try to solve the disappearance and to figure out who is threatening mine officials. As Cork digs deeper into the disappearance, he finds himself involved in a forty-old mystery that leads him to question the actions of his father who was sherrif at the time of the incident.

I have often heard that William Kent Krueger's books describing life in northern Minnesota are well worth reading. I just hadn't gotten around to them. I am certainly glad that I did and I plan to go back and read some others. Cork is a very likeable character and although his Indian heritage is a central part of the story, it does not over power or preach.

Rating - A

BERRIED TO THE HILT

Natalie thinks that the scariest thing that she has to face is being the judge of the annual Cranberry Bake-Off contest for Cranberry Island. That soon changes when Adam and another fisherman find evidence of a sunken ship. Could it be a pirate ship that was captained by Davey Blue? Archeologists from the university are eager to find out but so is a private investigative team who search for treasures and sell them. When the owner of the private company is found dead, Natalie's friend, Eli, is charged with the crime. After all, he was overhead by everyone threatening the company for trying to loot the ship. Natalie is sure he is innocent but it won't be easy to prove it.

This is the fourth in the Whale Inn series by Karen McInerney. It is always fun to hear what it is like to live on a small island and to be an innkeeper. I enjoyed this book but the end did have a TSTL moment when Natalie went off on her own to try to stop the killer. Still, it was an enjoyable read and it is fun to have Natalie and John engaged. I'll be looking forward to the next installment.

Rating - B+

HUCKLEBERRY MURDERS

As usual, Sherrif Bo Tully has his hands full. He and his father decide to go hunt for huckleberries in a secret place that Bo is convinced he is the only one who knows about it. They encounter some women who are also hunting for huckleberries and found three young men, shot in the head. With the help of a pretty FBI agent, Bo has to find the killers. He also has a woman who insists that someone has killed her ex-husband. In the meantime, Bo seems to have the attention of more women than he knows how to deal with, including one who might be psychic.

This is the fourth in the Bo Tully series that I have read and I think it was my favorite. Patrick McManus has created quirky and fun characters who are fun to re-visit. In Bo's laid back and not always so brave way, he manages to solve the crimes that occur in his lovely part of Idaho. I'll be ready for another visit when Mr. McManus completes the next installment!

Rating - A

BLIND YOUR PONIES

Sam Pickett lost his wife six years ago in a random shooting in a Burger King. Since then, he has been trying to hang on but it seems that mostly, he is just trying to fight off despair. Sam is living in Willow Creek, Montana. He coaches the basketball team that has lost 93 games in a row. He is ready to throw in the towel when two new boys come to town. One is living with his Grandma while his parents go through a divorce. The other is a 6'11" foreign exchange student from Norway who has never touched a basketball in his life. Sam and the boys decide to try for one more season. With only six boys, their chances seem slim, but these are special boys, each with a story of their own, in a small town who desperately needs something to believe in.

This is the first book I have read by Stanley Gordon West and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love basketball stories anyway. This may have been a little too good to be true but it was a great journey. You had to love Sam, Diana, the boys and all of their families and supporters. It was a wonderful reminder that everyone is trying to do the best they can in a world that can be very cruel and most importantly, that we can never give up on life. "As long as she swims, I will cook!"

Rating - A

EDGE

Corte is a shepherd. His job is to protect his "principals" from people who are trying to get information from them. Those trying to get the information always want an "edge" or something to use as leverage to convince those involved to cooperate. Corte has the assignment of protecting a police officer, his wife and her sister plus their daughter. The man trying to get information, Henry Loving, is the best in the business. In fact, he killed Abe, Corte's mentor several years ago. Corte has to keep his principals alive and maybe, get his own revenge on Loving.

I am a huge Jeffrey Deaver fan. Lincoln Rhyme, Amelia Sachs and company are some of my favorite characters. I ended up liking Corte lots, too. At first, he came off as cold and distant. As we read on, we realize that he is brilliant (like Lincoln Rhyme!) and very focused on doing his job. Sometimes, it was difficult to keep up with all of the twists and turns, but it certainly stayed interesting. I hope that Deaver brings Corte back again. I especially loved the end of this book.

Rating - A-