In what I think of as a "Cozy Mystery", an elderly couple is murdered by their nephew for, predictably, money. There is also a major town celebration, which really has very little to do with the plot. Not going to be a great real for real mystery fans.

This book was absolutely hysterical! It’s done as a compilation of short stories, from the man’s point of view, about being a man. For Example, the first story is about the God Dionysus who has lost his immortality and is now 50 years old and who was previously in charge of wine and orgies, but because of his age is now only in charge of wine. If you want something to make you laugh out loud, this is it!

While the writing was not terrible, the trouble is that while the author had a lot to say, there really is no story here. A 40-year-old woman loses her mother and is so distraught that she cannot get beyond it. The setting is Spain and all the character talks about is seducing men. The only interesting part was the epilog which was very articulate and summed up thing well.

This translated book from Japanese was very interesting. A boy of high school age who works in his family’s bookstore has just lost his grandfather who he lived with. He shuts himself away in the bookstore until a strange visitor comes into the shop. I liked the different writing this book presented as well as the way it presents a different way of looking a books.

A charming book. My best description is that it's a cozy adventure.

This was a fun story about a boy’s youth as told by his point of view. It is set in 1964, which for me is a time I can relate to. Unlike many stories about children growing up that focus on hardships, this one is set in a middle-class family and focuses more on fun and experiences than challenges. It’s a good read. My only problem is that based on the way the title was written, I was expecting something less polished, but I was pleasantly surprised

In this story about women who go missing and then have their dead images appear in paintings, Isles does an excellent job in developing the characters and their connections to one another. And this is important because the subject matter here is often harsh and without this development of characters, it would simply be a brutal story. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and liked the ending.

At its heart, this is a police procedural. But the characters are so well explored within this context and the circumstances so bizarre, that the story, though bloody and twisted, is very interesting. If you like cop drama, you will definitely enjoy this one.

This is an interesting look at friendship and how It both changes and endures over time. It’s also an examination of how friends enrich each other’s lives, even in the face of conflict. I love how the starting point of the book is when the 2 women are young and how they reunited after many years. A good read for everyone.

A very emotional book about family, reminding us that no family is perfect. I loved every character and empathized with them through their pain and heartache. A powerful debut, can't wait to read more from this author.