Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I first listened to the sample because the plot sounded good. I bought it (from Audible.com) because the narrator was excellent! I was not disappointed.

What do you do if you are a ROYAL but penniless? Your royal father is dead but your mother, a beautiful often married non-royal. Your maternal grandfather is an ex-bobbie. Your half brother is a ROYAL married to penny pincher who has little love for you and would like to get you married off as soon as possible.

Why you go off to London to the "family" house. With no money, no servants can be hired to lay fires or turn on the boiler for heating the water for the bath. Thank God for the grandfather who can teach!

Ok, lodging in hand and house tidied (by your hand). Next item is MONEY. You can't hire yourself out as a maid...what would the queen say! Besides, you don't really know how to do that job. But having open the family town house, you could do that and none would be the wiser...hopefully.

When dressed as a maid, you enter empty homes, get things readied for the family's return and leave. If someone enters unexpected, no one notices you if you keep your head down, do your work and get out after all, you are dressed as a maid.

This is how it starts.

There is the QUEEN who wants our heroine to do her a favor and spy on Cousin Dave and "that woman".

There is a ROYAL the family thinks would be a "good match" (doubtful).

Brother comes to town.

Strange things start to happen. Is she just more clumsy than normal or is someone trying to kill her?

A dead body is found in the bathtub.

Brother leaves town.

Who is the dead man? Why was he killed? Who did it? (Can't blame it on the butler, there is none.) Did Brother do it? Surely not!

There is still house party to go to to meet her "potential" husband, to watch Cousin David and Mrs. Simpson, while pondering who the murderer is (all suspects will be in attendance). All this will make it hard to enjoy the perks of being a royal when she is not only trying to ferret out a killer but avoid being the next victim!

Pillow Puppy

When your pet boy is away, his pillow is your pillow! So says Oscar Wild.

The Blight Way by Patrick F. McManus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sheriff Bo Tully gets a call from one of his citizens who he jailed and later did the same to his sons. He wants the sheriff to come out about a dead body draped over one of his fences. Having viewed the corpse through binoculars, he gives a description of said corpse; white, pinstriped suit, one shoe on, one off but covered with a black sock...not the style of the average citizens.

Thus the story begins. It's a ton of fun with some really good lines added to a good mystery.

Dead Center by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Andy Carpenter, the Paterson, N.J., lawyer whose wealth allows him to work as seldom as he chooses, is recovering from the loss of the love of his life, Laurie Collins, who has moved home to Findlay, Wis., to become the acting chief of police. When Laurie calls Andy for help after arresting 21-year-old Jeremy Davidson for murders that she thinks he didn't commit, Andy can't resist heading off to Findlay with his faithful dog, Tara."

Who should read or listen to this one? People who love a good mystery. People who enjoy humor. People who enjoy the romance between Andy and Laurie. People like ME!

Loyalty in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lt. Eve Dallas not only has to fight a mad bomber but solve a murder mystery ...wait, could the 2 be connected? If so, How and Why?

Read or listen and find out for yourself! It's very exciting!

Sex, Murder And A Double Latte by Kyra Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Remember, I've read other of Kyra Davis' books...not in order...love books you don't have to read in order to enjoy!

This series is witty and quick and great fun! Perfect for a cozy read or listen when the weather is icky or you just need a bit of a giggle. In this one we have art and murder and new men but who is the really bad boy? A Russian who is not who he "claims" to be, an artist who's work some people think a 5 year old could do, or a vampire want to be?

I'll never tell, so you better go get a copy of your own!

Chesty got a hair cut!

 I'm sitting! I'm sitting! Give me the cookie!!!

 I brought her the moonkee but she keeps playing with the outer! 

Ok, I know it's silly but you gotta get baby pictures in the first year!

Time to Laugh!

WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED:  

Men Are Just Happier People --

What do you expect from such simple creatures?

Your last name stays put.

The garage is all yours.

Wedding plans take care of themselves.

Chocolate is just another snack...

You can be President.

You can never be pregnant.

You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.

You can wear NO shirt to a water park.

Car mechanics tell you the truth.

The world is your urinal.

You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.

You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.

Same work, more pay.

Wrinkles add character.

Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.

People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.

New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.  

One mood all the  time.  

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.

You know stuff about tanks.

A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.

You can open all your own  jars.

You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.

If someone forgets to invite you,

He or she can still be your friend.  

Your underwear is  $8.95 for a three-pack.

Three pairs of shoes are more than enough..

You almost never have strap problems in public.

You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes..

Everything on your face stays its original color.

The same hairstyle lasts for years, even decades.

You only have to shave your face and neck.  

You can play with toys all your life.

One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.

You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.

You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.

You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.  

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives

On December 24 in 25 minutes.

 

  ___________________________________

Men Are Just Happier People

  NICKNAMES

If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.  If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Bubba and Wildman.

 

EATING OUT

When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50.  None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.

 When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

 

MONEY

           A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.

            A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.

 

BATHROOMS

A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel.

The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337.  A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

 

ARGUMENTS

            A woman has the last word in any argument.

            Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

 

FUTURE

            A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.

            A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

 

 

MARRIAGE

            A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.

            A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

 

DRESSING UP

A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.

            A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

 

NATURAL

         Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.

            Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

 

OFFSPRING

 Ah, children.  A woman knows all about her children.  She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.

 A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

 

 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

A married man should forget his mistakes.  There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!