Author: kathyscottage

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The Cape Cod Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor

When I purchased this book, Phoebe Atwood Taylor (1909-1976) was new to me! She was apparently a popular author. It is certainly an interesting mystery.

When a man is discovered murdered, Bill Porter is accused of the nefarious crime. Bill asks Asey Mayo and Snoodles aka Prudence Whitsby to investigate and solve the nasty crime. As they investigate, they discover the deceased wasn’t a nice man at all. He had plenty of enemies. So, there were plenty of suspects. And! I thought it was an unorthodox mystery and investigation. Asey was a likable character. He did have unique methods of investigation and an interesting way of questioning people and getting at the truth. Snoodles was alright. I liked her. Asey did most of the investigating. They had their work cut out for them. There are sardines, a cat, a blanket and no murder weapon??? It was an entertaining mystery. I found myself chuckling off and on throughout the story. The names of the some of characters might get you to chuckle.

I am thinking of reading the second book in the Asey Mayo series. Apparently, the author wrote 24 novels with Asey investigating.

Happy Reading!

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The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

Hello Peoples! I think this review will be short, because to be honest, I didn’t like the book. I was disappointed.

Margaret is recently widowed. She is left penniless and decides to take a position as a governess. So, she travels to an isolated home in England and begins her new job as governess to a young boy, Louis. He is a sweet boy. I liked him. The family’s home is large and there is an abandoned wing that no one is allowed to enter. The staff is small for the size of the house and for the work that needs to be done, but they seem to manage. Mrs. Eversham, the owner of the house, is gone from the home frequently. She attends to business elsewhere. She’s a little mysterious and the community gossip about her and believe the house is haunted. There are those who claim to have seen a ghost. Then, it does go bad for the inhabitants of the mysterious house. *sigh*

There are elements of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte throughout the story, however, this story is also very different from Charlotte’s and Anne’s work.

There is adult content in the story ~ it is not graphic.

I would do my best not to discourage anyone from reading a book they wanted to read, however, I do not recommend this book.

Stay warm and cozy!

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Charlie Chan The Chinese Cat ~

Charlie Chan in the Chinese Cat (1944)

Sidney Toler Benson Fong Joan Woodbury Weldon Heyburn Mantan Mooreland

Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) takes on a cold case when he decides to investigate the murder of Thomas Manning (Sam Flint). This is a good mystery the police couldn’t solve, but Charlie Chan and his number three son Tommy are beat up in this mystery. I didn’t like that, not at all. 🤨

Charlie Chan quote ~

“Dog cannot chase three rabbits at same time.” ~ Charlie Chan in the Chinese Cat

Much Love ~

Kathy

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Thursday ~ 16th

Hello Peoples! It’s raining and snowing. It’s a good day to have a good day. I hope you are warm and cozy and full of hot chocolate! 😅 FedEx is making a delivery here today. So, I will be busy busy.

This week I visited a used bookstore and purchased three books. One is Gothic and two are cozy mysteries. I need more used bookstores in my life! 😉

The Gothic I purchased is The Moorwood Legacy by Iris Foster.

How’s that for creepy cover art??? I’ve never heard of this author. I don’t know nothing! 🧐 Have you heard of Iris Foster???

Currently Reading ~

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

This author is new to me. Creepy! I do like it. Do you like Gothic? Do you have a favorite Gothic author?

My favorite is Ann Radcliffe. A Sicilian Romance and The Italian are very very good! Highly recommend!

If I was to list the creepiest books I’ve read, well, here they are ~

Breath Kathy Breath. 😲 Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno – Garcia. She wrote one horrifying tale! On the creep factor scale of 1 to 10, Mexican Gothic is 15! *LOL*

The Body-Snatcher by Robert Louis Stevenson!!! As my neighbor was known to say, Never in all my born days!!!

The Body-Snatcher is a short story by Stevenson. I read it in a collection of short stories by this author.

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo

I shiver to think about it! Horrible!

The Italian by Ann Radcliffe

This is a dark tale. The author transports the reader to the Spanish Inquisition! It’s GOOD! Well, the Spanish Inquisition isn’t good, the book is good! 😲

A Sicilian Romance by Ann Radcliffe

WOW!

Well, there you have it. Now I need to brew hot tea, relax and breath. LOL.

Have a great and wonderful day!

Much Love ~

Kathy

They must be watching a Gothic!!!

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Top Five Tuesday ~ Top 5 Books With Numbers In the Title

Hello Peoples! We do have a couple of feet of snow outside, however, spring is on the way. The high today is 38 degrees and tomorrow the high will be 46! YAY! It has been a snowy winter. What a time change! I mean really??? Sleepy *yawn*

I trust you are all well and safe.

This week on Top Five Tuesday, we are sharing five books with numbers in the title. Just skedaddle on over to Meeghan’s blog for more information on top five Tuesday! The link is below ~

https://meeghanreads.com/

Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie

A Hercule Poirot Novel

Murder, She Wrote The Murder of Twelve by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land

The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

Murder She Wrote Murder On the QE2 by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

Have a great day!

Much Love ~

Kathy

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Hello Peoples! We have mountains of snow! 😉 The way I see it, the snow won’t melt until July! It just keeps coming. ⛄⛄⛄

My birthday is March 15th. My sister sent me a wonderful birthday gift. I love it. It’s a clear glass teapot. Flowering plants come with the teapot. I put the flower bud in the teapot and pour hot water in it and the flower grows and blooms and steeps the tea at the same time. The tea tastes like a flower. 🌸 I’m having difficulties downloading my photos, so I included the link to these amazing teapots below.

https://www.teabloom.com/?sscid=31k7_eth3

A BIG thank-you to my sister!

Stay warm and cozy. Spring will come.

Much Love ~

Kathy

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The Bookshop On the Corner by Jenny Colgan

Hello Peoples! I joined a monthly book challenge (2023), hosted by Jessica at A Baker’s Perspective. To learn more or to follow her blog, just click on the link below. For March, the challenge is to read a book with green on the cover. The Bookshop On the Corner by Jenny Colgan fulfills that requirement. I honestly don’t know how long this book has been sitting on my shelf waiting for me to read it??? Hard to say, but I did find it at a used bookstore. I really like used bookstores.

https://abakersperspective.com/

I liked this book, and I loved Nina, our female protagonist. When the story begins, she’s a little shy, but during the course of the story I thought she came out of her timidity. She has a sense of wonder; a romantic heart and she loves books, and she enjoys matching people with just the right books. She is a librarian; however, she loses her job. Not to worry, she travels to Scotland, where she purchases a van and converts it into a bookshop. She settles in a small community in Scotland and makes a difference! She grows so much, but at the same time, she is the Nina I came to know and love. She meets interesting people, eats extraordinary food and becomes a part of the community, always matching the proper book with the right reader.

I would recommend this book for adults. There is profanity in the story and mild adult content ~ not to graphic.

Happy Reading!

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Top Five Tuesday ~ Books With One Word Titles

Hello Peoples! I know you have been waiting eagerly for Top Five Tuesday. 😉 This week we are having fun with Five Books With One Word Titles! YAY! If you would like to learn more about Top Five Tuesday, meet the host, or follow her fun blog, just click on the link below. Here we go!

https://meeghanreads.com/

Arabella by Georgette Heyer

Provenance by Carla Laureano

Domino by Phyllis A. Whitney

Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer

FALLOUT by Carrie Stuart Parks

I recommend all of these books! Have a great day. Stay warm and cozy.

Much Love ~

Kathy

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The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragon

Pastor Pete has a tough job to do. That’s right, he has Margaret! She is one of the few members of his small congregation and she is a force to be reckoned with. Margaret is one of four ladies who belong to a knitting/prayer group. They knit prayer shawls, while praying, and give them to individuals who need the shawls. The ladies knit and pray in the chapel and our beloved Preach is going to kick them out and send them to the mall! Of all places to knit and pray! What is that man thinking??? I loved what happened as a result of praying and knitting at the mall.

This story is so sweet and inspiring. It’s well written and the ladies in the knitting group are lovable, even bossy Margaret. Rose, Jane and Fran, the other knitters in the group, were never against the change and embraced the challenge and adventure at the mall. They make new friends, teach people to knit, share their own struggles and pain and the pile of prayer requests is bigger and bigger. They never turned anyone away. All were accepted and prayed for. If you would like to read an inspiring story with lovable, messy characters and a fun Preach, I highly recommend the Dragon Lady.

Happy Reading! Happy National Reading Month!