Murder at Cape Three Points by Kwei Quartey

First Line: Cape Three Points, the southernmost tip of Ghana, is beautiful and wild.

When a canoe drifts into an oil rig site, the bodies of a prominent local couple are discovered inside. The gruesome manner of Mr. Smith-Aidoo's death seems to be a message of some sort, but no one knows whom the message is for or what exactly the message is. The deceased couple's niece Sapphire, a successful pediatric surgeon in Accra, Ghana, contacts the federal police when three months have gone by with no closure.

When the federal police agree to get involved, they send Detective Inspector Darko Dawson to the Cape Three Points area to investigate. Since his youngest son is still recuperating from surgery, Darko is not happy to leave his family, and he vows to solve the case as quickly as possible.

Once again author Kwei Quartey takes readers right into the heart of Ghana. As Dawson investigates, we see Ghanian home life, we sample the country's food, and we are shown the gaping divide between those who have money and power and those who do not. Darko Dawson is a complex character who grows with each book. He has a wife and children whom he loves dearly, but life can still throw temptation his way. Marijuana used to be his stress reliever, but he knows he must stay away from it. He's learning how to work well with his politically connected partner, and his partner is learning how to be a better detective by working with Darko. Dawson is walking a path we all must walk: he knows the life he wants to have, and he realizes that he's going to have to work to reach that goal.

In this third book, Dawson's investigation takes him out of the city and into the environmental wonderland of the Cape Three Points area. But there is trouble even in this lush paradise. The area has long been inhabited by subsistence fishermen, but oil companies are dictating where they may and may not fish, and real estate entrepreneurs are trying to get the locals moved out as cheaply as possible. It's a situation ripe for a very long list of suspects, and Quartey works it very well. I particularly liked the way he brought locals (like a taxi driver) in as secondary characters to add even more texture to an already spicy tale.

Kwei Quartey writes incredibly well about Ghana, about crime, and about the people he has created. If you're an armchair traveling sleuth like I am, I advise you to add him to your list of must-reads. 

Murder at Cape Three Points by Kwei Quartey

ISBN: 9781616953898

Soho Crime © 2014

Hardcover, 336 pages

Police Procedural, #3 Darko Dawson mystery

Rating: A-

Source: publicist 

The Jewelry Test

You Are Devoted

Whether your favorite object is a wedding ring, engagement ring, or other ring, you are serious about commitment. Once you've bonded with someone, that bond can't be broken. You love unconditionally. Of all the types, you are most likely to wear the exact same jewelry every day. You cherish your jewelry that much. You are old fashioned and loyal. You carry yourself with class and grace.

The Jewelry Test

@ The Poisoned Pen with Martin Walker!

Here it was, a Monday evening, and I was fighting my way through rush hour traffic to get to my favorite bookstore, The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale. I was really looking forward to this evening's author, and not just because of the delicious spread of food and drink that always seems to accompany him, but because Martin Walker writes one of my favorite mystery series. Anyone who hasn't read a Bruno, Chief of Police novel is missing a treat!

The evening was even more special because Walker was to be interviewed by another very talented writer, Dana Stabenow. I had to get there in plenty of time to get a good seat!

I'm happy to say that so many people turned up that The Poisoned Pen's staff had to hustle and bring in more chairs, and as I sat and people-watched, I saw yet another author, Rhys Bowen, come in to take one of those seats. It's fun to see some of my favorite authors attend signings as fans, and it's just as much fun to watch them browse the shelves and make purchases. (Bookaholic to the core, aren't I?)

Before the interview began, bookstore owner Barbara Peters came out to make introductions. Peters is a notorious traveler, and those of us who attend events at her bookstore get a kick out of seeing her wear clothes and jewelry she's purchased in countries around the world. However, in honor of her bookstore's 25th anniversary, Barbara has vowed to stay home the entire year. "It's only February, and I already have itchy feet," Peters quipped. "It will be interesting to see if I can last an entire year."

"That's not doing me any good, Martin!"

Dana Stabenow interviews Martin Walker

Once the interview began, Walker told us he was "especially happy to be in Arizona," because it was -6°F. when he left Washington, DC that morning. Walker lives part of the year in the Périgord region of France-- the area he brings to life in his books. After being honored as a Chevalier of the Confrérie de Paté de Périgueux, Martin had to judge the Foie Gras of the Year. Even though he took tiny bites, he "still had more foie gras than I thought possible for any man!" 

Walker's books are published in English, and only the second Bruno book has now been published in French. It will be interesting to see how the French react to them. (I can't see how they could be anything but pleased.) "These aren't just mysteries that I write; they're small documentaries of the life in that area," Martin said.

Dana Stabenow

Walker and his wife Julia have published a cookbook. Before any of you rush out to get it, it's only available in German. Dana Stabenow looked at him in mock dismay and exclaimed, "That's not doing me any good, Martin!" The book contains the Walkers' own twists on familiar recipes like Quiche Lorraine, and as he described the recipe for Boeuf Perigourdin, I think our mouths all began to water.

Walker doesn't know when the cookbook will be published in English, but it will be. When he and his wife were notified that a photographer would be coming to take photos for the book, Martin and Julia found themselves cooking non-stop. Afterwards, they held a huge party for all the villagers so the food would not go to waste. "Now you're just torturing us!" Dana groaned.

From Scarlett to Crimson

Walker describing French food

Walker then began to talk about his Bruno novels in general, and The Resistance Man in particular. The last known (but one) head of MI6 in the UK was John Scarlett. In The Resistance Man, the author introduces a man named Crimson who's retired to Bruno's area. When Crimson's house is burgled and the police discover he's a former spymaster, the robbery is taken much more seriously than it had been at the beginning.

Walker likes to add tidbits of World War II and French Resistance lore into his Bruno novels because that era was so important in the region where he lives. In this book, it's a train robbery. The Germans had loaded a train with money and were moving it away from advancing allied troops. The French Resistance robbed the train to keep the money out of German hands. 15 tons of cash ($300 million in today's money) was taken from the train... and disappeared. Martin had fun doing research and coming up with his own theories on what happened to the money from the train robbery.

Another bit of research that went into the book involved the Marshall Plan and the secret CIA slush fund that was the source of France's nuclear program. (Something the French would love to deny.)

The seventh book in the Bruno series, Children of War, will be released in the UK this summer, at the end of May or the beginning of June. Walker is already working on number eight. "No end in sight, and that's what we like to see!" Stabenow said.

"...more history than what is good for us."

Martin Walker

When Dana mentioned how often World War II and the Resistance appears in his novels, Walker said, "One of the problems in Europe is that we have more history than what is good for us. And people have long memories.

"You can't move in France without seeing a street sign with a date on it, and all these dates matter. The dates serve to keep people picking at the scabs."

Dana asked if Bruno was going to leave St. Denis to avoid Cabot Cove Syndrome. Walker replied with an emphatic "Absolutely not! I could no more leave St. Denis than I could have Bruno marry!" Stabenow responded with, "I'm really glad to hear that."

However, Martin did share the information that the next Bruno book, Children of War, will introduce a new American love interest for St. Denis's Chief of Police. You could feel everyone's heightened interest fizz and zing throughout the bookstore!

Longtime Basset Hound lover and owner Martin Walker hadn't written many Bruno books before he realized that Gigi, Bruno's own faithful Basset hound, was living on borrowed time, given the breed's average life expectancy. Instead of letting the dog slip away quietly, he decided that Gigi would go out a hero, and that's exactly what Gigi did. (This dog lover cried through those scenes.) "You have no idea how many phone calls, emails, and death threats I received over Gigi's death!" Walker said.

Bruno on the Small Screen

Available NOW!

A combined German-French production company is making a television series based on Walker's books, and the author made sure the contract included a "Hitchcock Clause," which means that he gets a tiny walk-on scene in each episode. The series is set to premiere in the fall.

The actor portraying Bruno is evidently quite handsome because Walker's wife, Julia, kept wondering, "Do you think he'd like a private tour of the Périgord?" The actress who portrays Isabelle is a martial arts expert, and Martin had us all laughing when he said, "I'm going to be very careful around her!"

A fellow fan in the room told us that there was already a series based on Bruno being broadcast in Switzerland. This was news to Walker, and he smiled and exclaimed, "I must call my agent at once!"  He then told us that this reminded him of a book he'd written, The Cold War and the Making of the Modern World, which was published in an unauthorized Chinese version. It was bad. The book looked as though it had been run through one of those clunky computer translating programs, and any mention of Mao Zedong had been changed to follow the Chinese Communist Party line.

The wonderful evening ended with Martin Walker telling us that his books are extremely popular in Germany, and the French have told him that he "is responsible for bringing more Germans to the Périgord than anyone since Adolph Hitler." I know that many of us in the room wanted to board the next plane for France. Bruno, the chief of police of St. Denis-- and Martin Walker-- have that effect on readers.

The Gadabout Weekly Link Round-Up

Some weeks are quiet; some weeks not so much. This week I stopped pulling weeds, repotting plants and feeding hungry birds to go to the dentist and The Poisoned Pen (twice-- Denise Mina and C.J. Box), and I might even head back to my favorite bookstore on Saturday. Then more weeding and pruning, followed by appointments at the bank, lunch with the girls, another trip to the dentist (good thing he's cute), and helping Denis put new parts on the evaporative cooler. And I'm in the midst of reading some excellent books. I guess it pays to gad about once in a while, eh?

Now... where did I put those links????

Bookish News & Other Interesting Tidbits

• As much as I sometimes think everything on this planet is for sale, there are some very clever advertisements out there.
• People of a certain age will remember the phrase "I didn't want to get involved." I enjoyed reading this article about the book Kevin Cook has written about Kitty Genovese's murder-- and I'll be looking for the book to read as well.
• How about a Classic Literature Travel Guide?
• I loved this British commercial Kevin Bacon did.
• A thought-provoking article about our ideas of beauty.
• Some publishers still insist that gender-specific children's books are easier to sell. (Perhaps we should teach our children not to buy into everything they're fed?)
• Someone else is saying that the future of books looks a lot like Netflix.
• Now when I watch a movie and see the World Trade Center, it brings me up short. There's a website that catalogs all the movies that those twin towers appear in. (Thanks for the link, Ken!)

Archaeology, History, Mother Nature...

• What scientists discovered when they scanned the brain of a woman while she was having an out-of-body experience. (Okay... no wisecracks, please!)
• Newborn turtles' mysterious "lost years" have finally been revealed.
• Mexico's Pyramid of the Sun is slowly turning into a pile of dust. (You might have to click once to get past an ad and to the article itself.)
• Speaking of the Pyramid of the Sun, a well-preserved jade mask was discovered in it.
• A 30,000-year-old giant virus was recently awakened... and it's still infectious. (Once in a blue moon I wish humans weren't quite so curious.)
• Historians have unraveled the mystery of a cryptic note written by Abraham Lincoln.
• They're taking a good long look at a centuries-old mass grave of Irish laborers in Pennsylvania.
• 9,000-year-old masks have gone on display in Jerusalem.

I  ♥  Lists

• Rejection letters to famous people that prove you should never give up your dreams.
• 5 crime novels where women are the true detectives. (Two of my favorites are listed.)
• 10 fictional characters who just might be psychopaths... which can lead to quite serious debates on the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath.)

Book Candy, Eye Candy... My Pretties

•  Century-old color photographs of Russia. Some fabulous shots!
• 13 bookshelves that make us want to drop everything and read.
• The coolest places on earth to read a book.
• 20 of the world's most stunning libraries.
• Life can (very cleverly) imitate art... at least with these book covers.

That's it for this week. Don't forget to stop by next weekend when I'll have a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure!

Artscape by Frederick Ramsay

First Line: The sun, still low in the east, heated the morning air and sent it shimmering off the asphalt.

When his wife of one month was killed in a misguided CIA operation, Ike Schwartz came home to Picketsville, Virginia, and became its sheriff. Picketsville's only claim to fame is Callend College, a private women's school which houses one half of the billion dollar Dillon art collection. Although Dr. Ruth Harris, newly hired president of the college, fights passionately against it, the collection is scheduled to be moved from its secure underground bunker at Callend to its new home in New York.

This is bad news for the college, and bad news for the New Jihad, which plans to steal the collection and hold it for a huge ransom. The men the New Jihad has hired to steal the collection have to move up their time table. When things begin to go wrong, law enforcement waves Ike Schwartz off as just another hayseed sheriff who couldn't pour water out of a boot with the directions written on the heel. Boy, do they have some surprises in store for them! Schwartz is a man with a tough hide and an unusual skill set.

After reading the synopses to Frederick Ramsay's books, I downloaded two titles to my Kindle because they certainly sounded like the sort of books I enjoy reading. Unfortunately both titles languished there until I happened to attend an author event for his latest book featuring Ike Schwartz (Drowning Barbie). After being completely charmed by his knowledge and wit, I came home and dialed up Artscape.

The mystery is a good one, and I relished the details of how the group of thieves planned to circumvent all the college security measures and steal the collection. Ramsay's writing style made for vivid mental visuals as the chapters flew by. More importantly, the characters-- in particular Sheriff Ike Schwartz, college president Dr. Ruth Harris, and a young female college student-- came to life. Plenty of sparks fly in the early scenes between Schwartz and Harris, and I liked how Schwartz dealt with Harris' razor-sharp tongue and preconceptions. Both characters are complex, and I am really looking forward to future meetings between the two.

This is one series that I really want to follow, and I would recommend that you do, too, if you like well-written, fast-paced mysteries with excellent characterization.

Artscape by Frederick Ramsay

ISBN:  9781615951611

Poisoned Pen Press © 2014 

eBook, 252 pages

Police Procedural, #1 Sheriff Ike Schwartz mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased as an eBook through Amazon.

A Dyeing Shame by Elizabeth Spann Craig

First Line: "Congratulate me, Red!"

Octogenarian Myrtle Clover may be the police chief's mother, and she may have a bit too much time on her hands, but she knows how she prefers to fill it: by solving any crimes that may happen to cross her path in Bradley, North Carolina.

Tammy Smith has been running the Beauty Box for several years now, and as the beautician to many of the women in town, she is privy to a lot of secrets. But when Myrtle drops in to have her hair done, she's witness to an inebriated Tammy blabbing all sorts of tidbits about her customers in front of mortified clients-- and it's not the first time she's done it. When Tammy is later found dead at the bottom of her basement stairs with a pair of shears in her back, Myrtle just knows she has the inside track on finding a killer. Trouble is, the killer may also have the inside track on stopping her. 

Myrtle Clover is just the type of crafty, snoopy little old lady that you have to laugh at... and give thanks that she doesn't belong to you. Even though her son Red has told all of his police officers not to say a word about this murder investigation to his mother, Myrtle still finds out bits and pieces of information that spur her on. This woman is sharp-- and she's not above playing the age card when she thinks it will get her what she wants. There always seems to be someone who falls for the "confused little old lady" or the "worn out little old lady," and once they do, Myrtle  swoops in for the kill. Metaphorically speaking, that is.

The mystery's a good one, with a long list of suspects, but it's Myrtle who's the star of A Dyeing Shame. If you're in the mood for some fast-paced fun, this is one old lady to spend the afternoon with. Just make sure your house can withstand a snoop-through.

A Dyeing Shame by Elizabeth Spann Craig 

ISBN: 9780983920823

Elizabeth Spann Craig © 2011

eBook, 216 pages

Cozy Mystery, #2 Myrtle Clover mystery

Rating: B

Source: Purchased as an eBook from Amazon. 

The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths

First Line: "And we ask your abundant blessing, Lord, on these, the outcast dead..."

Forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway likes the Service for the Outcast Dead-- prayers said for plague victims, paupers, and prostitutes who were buried in mass graves-- but this time she has another reason for attending the service at Norwich Castle. She's almost positive that she's uncovered the remains of the infamous child murderer known as Mother Hook. Her boss is thrilled, and before she can blink she finds herself in front of the cameras for a television series called "Women Who Kill." It's not all bad, since she gets to work with the handsome and intriguing American historian, Dr. Frank Barker. 

In the meantime, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson is working the type of case he dreads. A woman's third-- and last-- child has died, and Harry believes she's killed all three of her children. Before he can find definitive proof, children begin to go missing, and notes are left behind by someone self-styled "The Childminder." It's just the sort of case that strikes terror into the hearts of every parent.

This series is one of my favorites, and The Outcast Dead is the best so far. Griffiths continues her theme of parenthood with two storylines. Mother Hook is an infamous Victorian child murderer who is alleged to have killed at least twenty children in her care and sold their bodies to the resurrection men (grave robbers who sold corpses to medical schools). Against everything, Ruth believes the woman to be innocent, and the reader gets to follow along as she finds information and pieces things together. The second storyline with a mother accused of killing her three children as well as the child abductor is DCI Harry Nelson's bailiwick, and suspense builds as his team tries to find the truth before any more children disappear.

As good as the storylines are, I have to say that Griffiths' cast of characters is superb. Ruth is intelligent and strong, but she's also a single mother who's been living in a sort of limbo. Her house is out in the marshes-- neither land nor sea. She's neither married nor single, really, since she has a very young daughter. She's written a book, but it's yet to be published. It was good to see that there may be changes afoot for one of my favorite characters.

Although Ruth is the star of the series, this is very much an ensemble cast. The father of Ruth's daughter, DCI Harry Nelson, is very much married, and we get to see how these people deal with their mistakes because they certainly haven't been swept under the rug. As Nelson works his cases, readers get to know the team of police officers who work with him, and their lives begin to figure more strongly into each book. This small group of characters have formed a very modern sort of family-- dysfunctional at times, but capable of working together with energy, intelligence, and compassion.

In the mood for a little history, two good mysteries, and a cast of characters so real that they feel like family members? I highly recommend Elly Griffiths' Dr. Ruth Galloway series. I can't get enough!

The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths

ISBN: 9780547792774

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt © 2014

Hardcover, 384 pages

Police Procedural, #6 Dr. Ruth Galloway mystery

Rating: A+

Source: publicist 

What Flavor Macaroon Are You?

You Are a Lemon Macaroon

You are very blunt and honest - maybe to a fault, but at least people know where they stand with you. You are very self-reliant and productive. You have the benefit of being a realist. You know what needs to be improved. You have a strong point of view, and you're reluctant to tone it down for anyone. People may reflexively try to sugar coat what you say. You may have a strong personality, but you are a good fixer. You can go into any situation with fresh eyes and new solutions.

What Flavor Macaroon Are You?


[Not really me. Oh yes, I do have strong opinions, but I also have a finely honed sense of diplomacy that I can and do use!]