An Unplanned Treats Weekly Link Round-Up

 

This past Sunday was the first time in a long time that I've felt like "me." It's been so long that I was surprised when I realized it. Life does go on. 

I've been taking it easy with my clearing out and reorganizing things in the house. I overdid it to the point where my lower back was killing me and I could barely move my right arm. (I really don't want to check the odometer on my scooter either!) Life goes on, but some things never change... like the fact that I'm a goal-oriented person, and once I have a plan in mind, my common sense can get tossed out the window. A drawer at a time, a shelf at a time is my current mantra. 

Tucker, the woman who cuts my hair, is about to become a first-time grandma, and I told her to go through my stash of baby blankets and choose as many as she liked for her grandbaby. She chose two and gave them to her daughter Monday. It was a treat, and Taylor was thrilled, as you can see in the photo. 

Speaking of treats-- it is Halloween after all-- I received an unplanned one from a special person that made me smile. Unexpected acts of friendship and kindness can be such spirit lifters. May all of you receive some unplanned treats of your own. Virtual hugs to you all.

Enjoy the links!

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• Ellery Adams on the allure of psychics and mediums in crime fiction.
• Miami Vice is back-- again!
• Agatha Christie's first published work has been discovered after 120 years.
• The case for whole books. (I didn't realize the educational system was moving away from having students read entire books?!?)
• The Harry Potter full-cast audiobook adds Bill Nighy as Slughorn, with eleven others.
• Breastfeeding has long been linked to reducing cancer risk. Scientists may have just discovered why.
• AI models get brain rot, too.
• How the Hardy Boys book series cracked the case of getting kids hooked on reading. (Admission here. As a child, I much preferred the Hardy Boys to Nancy Drew.)

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• 900 years ago, Indigenous Americans dragged, carried, or floated a 5-ton tree more than 100 miles to North America's largest city north of Mexico. (And I've been there, and once was not enough.)
• A 2,000-year-old sarcophagus was unsealed-- and the mummy inside is mind-blowing.
• A family found these rare Tudor coins buried in their backyard. Now the trove is heading to the auction block.
• The Roos Carr figures: Creepy 2,600-year-old carvings with "removable genitalia" and eyes that may have symbolized Odin's soothsayer powers.
• A pair of "holy" islands in an eerily green African lake hold centuries-old relics and mummified emperors.
• A treasure trove of shipwrecks along China's coast reveals how East met West on the Maritime Silk Road.

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄

• Horseshoe crab blood has long helped us make safe medicines. Now alternatives that spare the ancient creatures might be breaking through.
• See this year's hilarious finalists from the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards, from gossiping leopards to breakdancing foxes.
• "Feisty" otters are once again hijacking surfboards in Santa Cruz.
• To hide from predators, some animals camouflage into their surroundings, while others display bright colors as a warning. What keeps them safest?
• Getting annoyed at your noisy neighbor? Spiders are, too. New research finds they'll build webs differently in loud conditions.
• Texas puma genes rescue Florida panthers from extinction-- for now.

►The Wanderer◄

• The Loch Ness Monster look-alike lurking beneath Lake Tahoe.
• A car backed up into the home where Shakespeare's daughter lived, causing serous damage.
• National Geographic's best places in the world to travel to in 2026.
• Why Paris designed its peculiarly popular grand graveyards to evoke a celebration of life amid all the death.
• Australian rainforests have become the first to emit more carbon than they absorb.
• One of Frank Lloyd Wright's rare Usonian automatic homes has achieved landmark status.
• Iceland is no longer mosquito free.

►Fascinating Folk◄

• See how Manet and Morisot's creative friendship influenced their artistic styles.
• The mystery Waterloo soldier depicted in a painting at London's National Army Museum has been identified.
• Thirteen-year-old painting prodigy Andres Valencia releases his first limited-edition print collection.
• Trailblazing dancer Misty Copeland performed one last time before retiring from the American Ballet Theater.
• The Amazon has been Peruvian artist Sara Flores' home, inspiration, and palette. Now the world is her gallery.
• Molly Young is the GOAT book recommender.

►I ♥ Lists◄

• Halloween postcards, ca. 1900-1920.
• Seven supposedly haunted artworks.
• Esquire names its Best Books of 2025.
• Ten historic events that happened on Halloween.
• Ten novels featuring unabashedly unhinged female characters. 
• Twenty books that offer pure escapism, from Kirkus.
• Five delicious mysteries that focus on food and cooking.
• Stephen King thinks you should read these books.
• Twelve biographies of forgotten women of history.
• Thirteen mysteries and thrillers set on trains.

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!  

Dia de los Muertos 2025 at Casa Kittling

 I put up my ofrenda for Dia de los Muertos early this year, probably because I'm rattling around in Casa Kittling solo and missing a few special people. However, it just dawned on me that it really doesn't matter when I do things. For example, if I want to have Christmas decorations up year round, there's nothing to stop me, right?  😉

By the way, it just occurred to me that some of you may not be familiar with Dia de los Muertos and what an ofrenda is. Here's what Google says: 

"An ofrenda is a traditional altar or offering set up in homes during Mexico's Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration to honor deceased loved ones. Families create them to welcome the spirits of the dead back to the world of the living for the holiday, decorating them with photos, favorite foods and drinks, candles, and personal belongings to create a welcoming and celebratory space. The ofrenda is intended to welcome the spirits of deceased relatives back to visit their families. It is a place of joyous recollection and celebration, not sorrow, meant to remember the cherished moments shared with the deceased."

I've never been a fan of Halloween. When I was growing up, it seemed to be a time of tricks and not treats. Toilet paper strung everywhere, drive-by rotten tomato throwers, and the like. When I moved to Phoenix, I found Dia de los Muertos much more my style. I love the colors and the meaning of the celebration even though I don't have a traditional ofrenda. (For example, I don't put food on my ofrenda.)

Here are a few photos of my Dia de los Muertos ofrenda.

This table has the family photos.

This table holds some of the Dia de los Muertos items I've collected over the years.

The large photo is of my mother and me. Mom was incredibly camera-shy, but the last time we visited my grandparents/her parents, she insisted on being included in a couple of photos. It's almost as if she knew this would be the last time we'd all be together. The Donald Duck figure is in honor of my dad's (small photo-- the one Mom carried in her wallet) spot-on imitation of the Disney quacker. He liked to sit in the movie theater and give Donald x-rated dialogue during the cartoons.

Top photo: my grandfather. Next one down: my grandmother. Lower left: my aunt and uncle. Lower right: my great-grandparents. The chicken is for my mother (it wouldn't fit on the other stand). She had a long-standing feud with one of my great-grandmother's chickens. The little sewing machine is for my grandmother, who made most of my clothes when I was a child. She even made my prom dress.

I couldn't forget to show my Dia de los Muertos playing cards. Growing up, winter Saturday nights were spent at my grandparents' playing pinochle and canasta.

Denis's digital photo frame that cycles through many photos taken over the years we were together. The Kodak truck is for his work at Kodak. The yellow submarine is for his years as a submariner and also for his love of the Beatles. This photo was taken at the Oath Ceremony when he became an American citizen.

If any of you noticed the knitted runners on the tables, yes, I made them. Like I said at the beginning, I love the bright colors of Dia de los Muertos. They are an immediate sign that this is not a sad time but a time to celebrate.

Contesting the Wool by Diane Vallere

 

First Line: The reading of Reginald Villamere's will was the event of the season, and until last week, I didn't know the man existed.

It was a shock when Poly Monroe learned she was going to inherit something from millionaire Reginald Villamere. She never knew the man who preserved San Ladron's historic movie theater, but her relatives did. Since Villamere's thirty-year-old will named them and they were both dead, Poly inherited in their place. When she goes to the theater to see her inheritance, she finds one of Villamere's lawyers dead in a storage room.

Townspeople are more interested in "who got what" in Villamere's will than they are in the murder of a stranger, so it's up to Poly to unravel all the clues and button down the killer.

~

The more books I read by Diane Vallere, the more I find we have in common, like believing that one of life's great experiences is watching a movie in an empty theater. In Contesting the Wool, readers follow Poly in and out of a historic theater, and I enjoyed every minute.

One of the things I love about this Material Witness series is the creativity with which Vallere imbues her main character. In this sixth entry, Poly is inspired by her inheritance, and I loved watching her brainstorm a new idea to grow her business. 

I also admit I had to smile when I learned that the plot revolved around a thirty-year-old will that raised no questions, especially since the will was a millionaire's. You see, I recently had problems getting a thirteen-year-old will accepted by various businesses. ("There could be others floating around!" one person said.) I guess that's one of the perks of being a millionaire? But that will really keeps the plot hopping from named beneficiaries to those who thought they should have been included-- and weren't. 

No matter how strong the plots are, this series shines because of its cast of characters. Not just Poly, but her friend, Charlie, who has the best auto repair shop in San Ladron and relishes her reputation as the town's bad girl. Charlie lives life on her own terms, and her character grows with each book. By the way, so does Poly's. For one thing, she's learning that she can't keep expecting her parents to fill in whenever she needs help in her fabric shop. But it's not just Charlie and Poly. There's Sheriff Clark, Tiki Tom, Duke, Poly's old boss Giovanni... the list goes on. 

If you haven't given the Material Witness series a try, I hope you'll change that. A great cast, humor, good mysteries to solve, and watching creativity in action. What's not to like?

Contesting the Wool by Diane Vallere

eISBN: 9781954579231

Polyester Press © 2025

eBook, 277 pages

Cozy Mystery, #6 Material Witness

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley

A Tempus Fugit Weekly Link Round-Up

 

I've got lots going on today, and if all goes well, I'll be boarding Dial-a-Ride for a trip to the Desert Botanical Garden tomorrow morning. Since my attention is being pulled in multiple directions, I wanted to make sure I got this link round-up posted because I know I won't have time in the next two days.

So...very little chatter before the links. I'll just share a sneak peek at something I'll be sharing next week...

...and add that, as I was reading in bed last night, a fight scene in Lee Goldberg's Killer Thriller made me laugh so loud that I woke up the neighbors' grumpy dog! I hope you are well and happy and have plenty of good books to read. Virtual hugs to you all!

Enjoy the links!

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• Why you should think twice before using shorthand like "thx" and "k" in your texts.
• Barf, funk, tug, and other etymological mysteries.
• On creating the quintessential murder village in cozy mysteries.
• Wyoming lawmakers advance a bill banning "sexually explicit" books in school and public libraries.
• Bibliomania, the dark desire for books that infected Europe in the 1800s.
• Why an elderly woman character is the perfect serial killer.
• Over 50% of new online articles are being cranked out by AI.
• We're in a book affordability crisis.

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• A 3,500-year-old Egyptian military fortress with ancient ovens and fossilized dough has been discovered in the Sinai Desert.
• Easter Island statues may have "walked" thanks to "pendulum dynamics" and with as few as fifteen people. 
• 5,000-year-old skeleton masks and skull cups made from human bones have been discovered in China.
• Miniature skeleton: a ghostly 2,000-year-old party favor from a Roman banquet.
• Archaeologists have discovered mysterious earthwork circles built 6,500 years ago-- nearly 2,000 years before Stonehenge.
• This rare Fabergé egg might set a world record at auction for the third time in its history.

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄

• Sea otters may be small marine mammals, but their effect on an ecosystem can be huge.
• Does your dog love chasing a ball? A study suggests that dog toy "addiction" is real.
• The Asian Golden Cat: the "Feline of many costumes" that plucks birds before eating them.
• Indian Relay may just be America's most extreme sport.
• Birds make an alarm call that spans species and continents-- and may offer insight into the evolution of human language.
• U.S. whale entanglements are on the rise.

►The Wanderer◄

• You can see the Parthenon without scaffolding for the first time in decades.
• After the L.A. fires, locals turn to native plants to help shield homes from flames and clean contaminated soil. (Personal Pet Peeve: People who move here to the desert and proceed to turn their property into a clone of where they moved from. This is the desert, not the bleedin' Midwest!)
• Seven ways to see the world come alive at sunrise.
• Step away from Peru's Inca Trail to these five lesser-known wonders.
• Chainsaw-wielding robbers flee the Louvre with priceless jewelry.
• Get an eyeful of Iceland in these twenty photos that capture its natural beauty.

►Fascinating Folk◄

• Zelia Nuttall, the globe-trotting scholar who unlocked the secrets of the Aztecs.
• Artist Iris Scott uses finger painting to evoke a rush of emotion with her fantasy-inspired compositions. (Definitely not your run-of-the-mill finger painting!)
• William Dampier, the pirate who penned the first English-language guacamole recipe.
• "You think me a bold cheat" -- Mary Carleton, counterfeit princess.
• Dan Pelzer kept a meticulous list of all 3,599 books he'd read since 1962. When he died, his family published it online.
• Martin Couney, the man who ran a carnival attraction that saved thousands of premature babies, wasn't a doctor at all.

►I ♥ Lists◄

• Kirkus' 20 Best Books to Read in November.
• Five essential books for understanding Haitian history.
• Seven historical horror novels inspired by true events.
• Fourteen novels set in the scenic Carolinas.
• Six firefighter mystery and thriller books to spark your interest.
• The best historical fiction of the second half of 2025.

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!  

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

 

First Line: To some it's a stage.

Needing a new direction, Mickey Haller has turned to public interest litigation. He's filed a civil lawsuit against an artificial intelligence company whose chatbot told a sixteen-year-old boy that it was okay for him to kill his ex-girlfriend.

As Mickey explores the mostly unregulated and exploding AI business and its lack of training guardrails, he joins up with investigative journalist Jack McEvoy. McEvoy wants to be a fly on the wall during the trial so he can write a book about it. Haller puts McEvoy to work wading through the mountains of printed discovery materials in the case, and McEvoy's digging delivers the reluctant key witness. The witness has every reason to be reluctant. This is a very dangerous case because billions of dollars are at stake, and Mickey Haller will have to come up with a brilliant strategy to defeat the forces of the AI industry lined up against him and his clients.

~

Michael Connelly has done it again-- and with a subject that concerns me more with each passing day. While readers get an update on Harry Bosch as well as being able to see what happened in the Los Angeles area during Covid and the wildfires, Mickey Haller's battle against the artificial intelligence industry takes front and center stage in The Proving Ground.

While Mickey hoped that his switch from criminal law to civil law would be less fraught, this lawsuit soon shows him that civil law is every bit as grimy and dangerous. McEvoy's expertise in digging through endless reams of facts is invaluable, and I enjoyed his inclusion as well as watching the rest of the team do everything they could to bring a heartless business to justice. 

The plot of The Proving Ground is filled with twists and turns, even bringing in a case that Mickey lost years ago. The Lincoln Lawyer anticipates some of those twists and turns, but he gets blindsided by others, and this really keeps readers on their toes. 

As much as I enjoyed the plot and the characters, I think what I learned about artificial intelligence meant even more to me. When I think of AI, I'm often reminded of Jeff Goldblum's character in Jurassic Park when he says, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should." Michael Connelly's The Proving Ground is not only excellent entertainment, but it also warns us of a clear and present danger.

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

eISBN: 9780316563840

Little, Brown & Company © 2025

eBook, 400 pages

Legal Thriller, #9 Mickey Haller

Rating: A+

Source: Net Galley

The Dentist by Tim Sullivan

 

First Line: The young woman standing in front of him was smiling.

The most successful detective in Bristol's police force is Detective Sergeant George Cross. He's on the autism spectrum, and his single-minded persistence and attention to detail make him difficult to work with, but his 97% conviction rate speaks for itself.

A homeless man's death is dismissed as a random act of violence, but George insists on investigating it further. His determination pays off when he finds a connection to a fifteen-year-old cold case. Despite skepticism from his colleagues, George can be counted on to solve both cases and bring a murderer to justice.

~

Having read high praise of this series from trusted sources, I knew I had to give the first book in the DS George Cross series, The Dentist, a try. Those trusted sources did not steer me wrong. Although crime solvers on the autism spectrum seem to be the flavor of the month, so much so that I've not finished a few books featuring them, Tim Sullivan drew me right into his story.

Part of the reason why The Dentist works so well is that readers get to see George, not only from his own perspective, but also from other characters' viewpoints. His partner, DS Ottey, is both exasperated by and protective of him, and watching brand-new rookie Alice MacKenzie figuring out how to work with him is a treat. George's father, Raymond, is also on hand to provide a little backstory as well as some of the wit and humor that shines throughout this book.

I enjoyed how the mystery unfolded and was anxious to see how George would bring the guilty to justice. This Maigret-loving, church-organ-playing detective has become a character I definitely need to read more about. Bring on the next book!

The Dentist by Tim Sullivan

eISBN: 9780802167101

Atlantic Crime © 2025

eBook, 384 pages

Police Procedural, #1 DS George Cross

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley

The Best Laid Plans Weekly Link Round-Up

 

We had another storm roar through the Phoenix metro area, and for the first time in over a century, we received five straight days of rain. Fortunately for Casa Kittling, we received five straight days of rain (that flooded the yard, not the pool) but very little wind. Southeast Phoenix wasn't so lucky. There was a microburst in the Tempe/Scottsdale area accompanied by winds in excess of 70 MPH. I've experienced three microbursts here, and, let me tell you, they are very scary and can cause quite a lot of damage. 

I was planning to go to the Desert Botanical Garden this week, but after viewing videos of the damage in the Phoenix Zoo (which had to close for three days for cleanup and repair), I began to wonder if it was wise to go. The Phoenix Zoo is next-door to the Desert Botanical Garden. Then I read that many of the trails in the garden had been flooded. Not wanting to bog down on my scooter, I decided to let everything dry out and go next week.

Some of the damage at the Phoenix Zoo.

As I watched videos of the storm damage, I saw that many of the downed/uprooted trees were either palo verdes or eucalyptus. The eucalyptus trees caused the most damage because of their size. Thinking about those trees at the zoo jogged my memory. When I read Adrian Hyland's The Wiregrass, I learned that Australians called eucalyptus trees "widow makers." Seeing all the damage they've caused in the latest storm here, once again, I am glad that I don't have any of those trees here on the property!

So while I wait for everything to dry out, I continue to work on my clear-out, a shelf and a drawer at a time. I hope you are all safe and well. Virtual hugs to you all!

Enjoy the links!

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• Exploring the use of illustrations and artwork in horror novels.
• The future of technology makes it harder to solve fictional crimes.
• A new law will make New Hampshire library records available to parents.
• The AI industry is horrified to face the largest copyright class action ever certified. (Then don't steal other people's hard work without even a by-your-leave.)
• The semi-fictional book that transformed the culinary world.
• Bookshelves to Bylines: When libraries and journalists join forces.
• Halloween used to be a lot more romantic.
• Why independent bookstores will save us from censorship.

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• A married couple in New Orleans found a stone in their backyard. It turned out to be an ancient Roman soldier's gravestone. Mystery solved.
• You can now walk through the Colosseum's secret tunnel once used by ancient Roman emperors.
• A skeleton-filled well in Croatia likely holds the remains of Roman soldiers.
• Up to 20,000 coins from the early Middle Ages were discovered by a man digging for worms near Stockholm.
• An anthropologist claims the hand positions on a 1,300-year-old Maya altar have a deeper meaning.
• Psychedelic beer may have helped a pre-Inca empire in Peru schmooze elite outsiders and consolidate power.

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄

• See 15 winning images from the 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards.
• A maternal lynx who was rescued from a fur farm helps to raise kittens, puppies, and bear cubs.
• Once smuggled animals are rescued, law enforcement officers call Mandy Fischer.
• Colorado is building the "world's largest" wildlife overpass, giving elk and other big creatures a safe path to cross a busy freeway.
• Why Fire Island has seen an explosion of feral cats.
• Leafcutter ants have blind spots, just like truck drivers.

►The Wanderer◄

• Six supposedly haunted libraries.
• Claude Monet's beautiful paintings of Venice are headlining an exhibition for the first time in more than a century.
• Where was Karen Pirie shot? Revisiting key filming locations of the Britbox crime series.
• The Coral Triangle: the giant hidden "Amazon" beneath the sea that appears somewhat resilient to climate change.
• A secret room of Michelangelo's drawings will open to the public for the first time ever. 
• Crime and the City: Western China's Chengdu.

►Fascinating Folk◄

• A legal loophole allowed New Jersey women called the "petticoat band" to vote a century before suffrage.
• Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela's "Iron Lady," has won the Nobel Peace Prize.
• This Hungarian author once wrote a 400-page book with a single period. Now, László Krasznahorkai is a Nobel Prize winner. (Sorry, but I won't be adding that particular 400-page book to my Need to Read list...)
• My first thriller Isabella Maldonado.
• How legendary artist Robert Rauschenberg's obsession with flight led him to create stunning imagery featuring spacecraft, birds, and insects.
• Visionary African American politician Edward P. McCabe dreamed of creating an all-Black state in Oklahoma Territory.

►I ♥ Lists◄

• 65 essential children's books.
• The Millions' Great Fall 2025 Book Preview.
• Eleven uniquely structured mysteries and thrillers.
• 18 must-read books by Indigenous authors.
• 15 new books set in haunted houses.
• 22 highly anticipated book-to-screen adaptations coming later in 2025.

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!  

The White Girl by Tony Birch

 

First Line: Odette Brown rose with the sun, as she did each morning.

For thirteen years, Odette Brown has quietly raised her granddaughter, Sissy, on the outskirts of Deane, a small rural Australian town. As far as Odette is concerned, the quieter their lives, the better. Sissy is a fair-skinned Aboriginal child, and welfare authorities remove such children from their families. But Odette's world could be destroyed by the arrival of a cruel-eyed, by-the-book policeman. It's going to take every bit of Odette's courage and cunning to keep her granddaughter out of the hands of the government-backed Sergeant Lowe.

~

I was immediately swept away into the world of Australia's post-colonial past when I began reading Tony Birch's The White Girl. Australia's treatment of the Aborigines mirrors that of the U.S. government's treatment of Native Americans. In Australia, the policy of separating Indigenous children from their families is now referred to as the Stolen Generations, and Odette Brown is desperately trying to keep her granddaughter from vanishing into an uncaring government's maw.

Odette lives on the outskirts of a rural small town where Aborigines are only permitted in town on Saturday mornings between eight and noon when they are allowed to shop at the company store. Tony Birch had me walking down the road, side by side with Odette. He had me worrying about her bright little granddaughter, who was still so naive about the world she lived in. When by-the-book Sergeant Lowe came to town, it soon became apparent that he loved having the power of life or death over people. Birch's writing is so evocative, so powerful, that I not only cared for Odette and Sissy, I not only worried about them, but I became very angry over how they were forced to live.

One passage in particular broke my heart: "The first children of the mission had been buried in nameless unmarked graves...The only indicators of the presence of the children beneath the earth were the wildflowers that revealed themselves each year. The seeds had been sown by mothers."

The White Girl is so incredibly powerful that it will remain with me for a long, long time. Read it.

The White Girl by Tony Birch

eISBN: 9780063213548

Harper Via © 2022

eBook, 272 pages

Historical Fiction, Standalone

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.