If I was a dog, you'd shoot me

Those Irish Walsh sisters are at it again.  Over the years, each of the older of the 5 Walsh sisters has had her own novel, written by the enormously talented author Marian Keyes.  It was finally time for little sister Helen to have her own book, and boy does she get it in the new novel The Mystery of Mercy Close: A Walsh Sister Novel.

Helen, the most brash, unapologetic and unconventional of the sisters had a somewhat thriving business as a private detective.  She had her own apartment (even if the decor and furnishing were alarming to most people), a great friend (her only friend) named Bronagh, and a relationship with the equally oddball Jay Parker.  Then it all came crashing down.  The Irish economy took a severe hit at the same time that Helen was hit with crippling depression. The novel opens with Helen dealing with the repercussions of all this mess -- her business has dried up, she can no longer afford to pay her mortgage, all her furniture has been repossessed, and even Bronagh and Jay are not in the picture any longer.

What else is there to do but move back in with Mammy Walsh?  Mr. and Mrs. Walsh aren't too pleased to see the 32-year-old Helen coming back home, but she's family, so it's accepted as part of the bargain.  Luckily, things aren't all gloom and doom for Helen. She does have a hunky new boyfriend in the form of policeman Artie, but he comes with baggage:  three kids ranging from clingy (Bella) to hostile (Bruno) and a gorgeous ex-wife who seems to spend an awful lot of time at his house.  Also, Jay Parker has turned back up offering to hire Helen as a private investigator to find Wayne Diffney, member of the boyband Laddz, before their reunion tour begins in less than a week.  Wayne has disappeared, and all Jay's efforts at finding him have come to nothing.

Helen is relieved to have a job to do again, mainly because she's begun experiencing the horrible beginnings of another bout with depression.  It was quite insightful to read about the symptoms Helen experienced, as well as her efforts to find some sort of treatment that would magically cure her.  Since the author herself has written quite a lot about her own battles with depression, most recently in the cookbook Saved by Cake: Over 80 Ways to Bake Yourself Happy I know that she was speaking from experience. 

Helen's lack of progress in the case, coupled with her less-than-ideal living situation, cause her to spiral downward into more severe depression.  Still, she continues on with trying to find Wayne, even when another member of Laddz hires another private detective.  Her work on the case is the only thing that's keeping her from suicide, and eventually even that isn't enough of a distraction to keep her mind from wandering in that direction.

Although this book, like many others by Marian Keyes, has, at its heart, a very sad story, she has such a funny way of writing and and her characters are so charming that the books don't feel terribly sad at all.  I hope that we will still have more books about the Walsh sisters and Mammy Walsh to look forward to in the future.

Final Verdict for The Mystery of Mercy Close:   Four Gherkins, for being a welcome visit with the Walsh clan

Somewhat lacking in bedside manner

Watching a "fish out of water" story, where someone is totally out of his or her element, can be an amusing if uncomfortable experience.  No one is more out of his depth than Doctor Martin Ellingham, former high-flying London surgeon who abandons his practice to set up shop as a GP in the lovely coastal village of Portwenn.  Not only do the townspeople and Doc Martin not understand each other, but the good doctor is exceedingly lacking in common social skills, adding an extra degree of difficulty to his interactions with the locals.  The new boxed set of Doc Martin: Special Collection, contains every episode of the first five seasons of the beloved series, as well as two prequel films about the character.

The series begins with a committee interviewing Doc Martin (played by Martin Clune) to see if he is the right person to take over the practice recently vacated by the late Dr. Sims.  Martin has already gotten on the bad side of at least one member of the committee, the attractive schoolteacher Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz), by staring at her in an direct and unpleasant manner.  He believes she is suffering from an undiagnosed medical condition, but neglects to impart this information to her before offending her.  However, the rest of the committee is thrilled that such an eminent physician would choose their sleepy village for his practice, so they quickly dismiss any doubts and welcome him. 

Arriving at his new home/office, he's quickly met by some of the locals:  his quirky (unasked for) receptionist Elaine, a gaggle of giggling obnoxious schoolgirls, and a hairy four-legged companion who adopts the doctor on sight and refuses to be parted from him (despite ever increasing

protests from the doctor).  Before long, he meets others in town who are no less odd -- the plumber who turns minor problems into major ones, manic road-hogging drivers, and hoards of people who have no better place to hang out than the doctor's waiting room.  The doctor, never a people-pleaser at the best of times, manages to offend everyone in town before long.  He is startled to notice that the teacher from his interview committee is working not far from his office, so uncomfortable encounters are sure to happen on a regular basis.

Luckily, Doc Martin does have one ally in town:  his Aunt Joan, a no-nonsense older lady with a gorgeous hillside farm.  His childhood visits to her farm are part of the reason that he wanted to move to the town of Portwenn.  The other reason is something he tries, unsuccessfully, to keep hidden. He left his successful job as a surgeon because he suddenly developed a fear of blood.  Unfortunately, once the secret is out, the townspeople waste no time in teasing and pulling pranks on the squeamish physician.  It's all very annoying to the short-tempered Martin, but seeing him become the butt of jokes (when he has no sense of humor himself) is somewhat enjoyable.

The series continues with a cast of quirky townspeople getting up to no end of trouble, various receptionists with their own problems, and Martin and Louisa struggling to continue their careers and have a relationship.  The stories are all engrossing, and with Martin's gruff demeanor, watching him sort out everyone's problems is truly enjoyable.  The set also includes extras such as a look behind-the-scenes and cast filmographies. There is reportedly a series 6 to be shown this fall in Britain, so we can all anticipate more fun from the irritable Doc Martin in the future!

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Doc Martin: Special Collection from Acorn Media in exchange for this review

Final Verdict for Doc Martin: Special Collection:
Five Gherkins,  for being a delightful look at a beautiful Cornwall village and its somewhat unconventional doctor

Don't read this on an empty stomach

Most of us know little about the Amish, a Christian group known for avoiding most modern technology, from cars to telephones.  However, they are known, even to the most uninformed, for their delicious and traditionally prepared foods.  I was very happy to receive a copy of the spiral bound book Simply Delicious Amish Cooking: Recipes and Stories from the Amish of Sarasota, Florida by Sherry Gore.  This beautiful little volume offers a wide variety of recipes gathered from Amish communities across the country, as well as notes of happenings from the Sunnyside Amish Mennonite Church of Sarasota, Florida. 

The first chapter begins with the author describing how she came to write this book.  While trying to find an Amish cookbook from her community to give a friend, she discovered that such a book had yet to be written.  As a weekly contributor to the century old Amish-Mennonite newspaper The Budget, she was able to send out a call for recipes. 

The result is this marvelous book packed with recipes ranging from appetizers to desserts, from breakfast to breads.  Some of the recipes are a bit unexpected, such as the one for Alligator Stew, but I guess being in Florida, you make do with the local flora and fauna.  Non-Amish cooks need not be overly concerned that the recipes require a lot of "from scratch" preparation.  Many recipes include well-known time-saving ingredients such as Velveeta, "non dairy whipped topping" and Rotel. Mouth-watering color photos of many of the recipes make me eager to try them, and a helpful index at the back makes it east to locate a favorite recipe again.

I really enjoyed the recipes, cooking tips, photos and clippings of articles from The Budget that help to give a more vivid picture of the day-to-day life of the author.  Her blurb on the back of the book mentions that, as well as being a writer, she is also an "official pie-contest judge" so I'm waiting for her follow-up book on how one trains for that occupation!  If you're looking for a cookbook with simple, easy to prepare recipes made with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry (well, except for the alligator), this book is highly recommended!

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Simply Delicious Amish Cooking as part of the Booksneeze book review program 

I'd still rather be upstairs

 While the series Downton Abbey unfolds before throngs of obsessed viewers, the curious relationship between the upper classes and their servants during Edwardian times is portrayed in all its bewildering manifestations. In the new book The Real Life Downton Abbey by Jacky Hyams, the society where such interactions occurred is explained and explored to help us better understand a uniquely British phenomenon. 

The book is divided into sections which help to clarify all aspects of servant/employer relations, including chapters on how households were set up, money (both how much wealthy aristocrats were getting through and how little the staff was expected to survive on), manners, food and relationships. 

One very useful section details the "pecking order" of the staff.  Starting from the top (the butler) all the way down through the ranks to the lowliest of the lowly (the downtrodden scullery maid), the author details everyone's position in the hierarchy and just what exactly each job entailed.  I was very interested to read, for instance, the different duties of the butler vs. the valet vs. the footman, and what the various maids might be expected to do as part of their daily chores.  I was also fascinated to read more about how many American heiresses (including Winston Churchill's mother) came over to England at this time to marry into aristocratic, if not exactly super-rich families, injecting a welcome dose of cash -- along with a somewhat unwelcome disregard for obeying the rigid conventions of British society.

The social time period that is being observed is mainly the Edwardian period, covering the years from Queen Victoria's death in 1901 and the ascension of her son King Edward VII to the start of WWI in 1914.  After the war, many things conspired to make the old servant/master class more or less obsolete:  heavy death duties which reduced enormous fortunes to shadows of their former grandeur, more employment opportunities in factories and towns for unskilled labor, and a growing sense of independence among the lower classes that came from having an income and life apart from that of the folks up at "the big house."  While many people today would feel that the life of the domestic servant of 100 years ago was nothing to aspire to (little privacy or free time, poorly paid and involving backbreakingly hard work), the truth is that many people "in service" felt fortunate to have such a position.  They were living in a clean, safe environment and knew where their next meal was coming from -- luxuries many from the lower classes didn't have at that time.  During and just after Victorian times, many people in society viewed poverty as a part of life that was unavoidable.  After the social upheavals following WWI, many came to demand that the government step in and help the poorest in society to obtain a better standard of living.

As the author provides details of particular situations within the house, she gives examples of the corresponding character in Downtown Abbey for reference.  For instance, "lady's maid O'Brien" or "the butler Mr. Carson," which helps to give a frame of reference.  The book is also illustrated with lots of black and white illustrations of  stately homes, servants, and ads from the time period.  Each chapter also ends with some more detailed facts and statistics from that era that help to put the information into context.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of The Real Life Downton Abbey from Independent Publishers Group in exchange for this review.

Final Verdict for The Real Life Downton Abbey:    Four Gherkins, for being an enlightening look at the day-to-day existence of Edwardian servants

Never mind the sinking ship, I've got other problems

It's April 1912, and the attention of the world is focused on the maiden voyage of the gigantic marvel of the seas, the Titanic.  In Dan James's new novel Unsinkable, the hubris of the age is vividly portrayed as we follow several passengers on the ill-fated voyage.

The main character in the story is the disgraced Scotland Yard detective Arthur Beck.  Through a series of stressful, job-related events, Beck has become a haunted man.  Although the demands of the job have resulted in the loss of his fiancée, his mental health and ultimately his position, he remains obsessed with finding the man he believes is responsible for his downfall:  the anarchist Peter Piatkow.  Beck was among a group of policemen sent to investigate some strange goings-on at an apartment building, only to be ambushed by the criminals inside.  While severely wounded, Beck watches the deranged Piatkow shoot his fellow unarmed colleagues in cold blood.  Later attempts to corner Piatkow result in more bloodshed, and an eventual nervous breakdown on the part of Beck. He decides to leave behind the bad memories and sail toward a new life in the United States. 

Another character we meet is the American journalist Martha Heaton.  Martha has been sent to cover the upper classes on their luxurious journey across the Atlantic.  Her trip across the ocean to meet up with the Titanic was less than comfortable, so she's not exactly looking forward to another journey by sea.  Still, it was generous of her editor to book her into first class on the Titanic! 

An elderly Swede dying of cancer, Sten-Åke Gustafson, is the final character whose journey we follow.  A widower with only one child, he decides to visit his daughter in the United States and meet his grandchildren before his fast approaching death.  Sten-Åke, due to his age and illness, is moved into a private compartment, which will eventually be shared with an unwelcome companion.

As the ship begins its journey, Beck thinks he spots the fugitive Piatkow among the passengers.  Because he's become somewhat obsessed with the murderous criminal, though, he's not sure he can trust his instincts.  Still, he decides to alert the captain, as well as J. Bruce Ismay, the owner of the ship, to the fact that there may be a dangerous felon on board.  Since he wants to be taken seriously and have access to all areas of the ship, he neglects to mention that he's no longer employed by the police. 

Martha makes the acquaintance of Beck, and soon feels that there is a story associated with him somewhere.  She sneaks around to various areas of the ship in search of that story, putting herself in danger as she searches for a scoop.  Beck is attracted to Martha, and debates whether or not to let her in on the secret. 

Meanwhile, the passengers are all abuzz with the news that a fire is burning below decks, while at the same time the ship is being pushed to its limits in an effort to reach New York in record time.  The old Swede Sten-Åke knows that they are nearing iceberg territory, but he figures that technological advances must mean that the new ship is able to avoid such dangers.  Oops . . .

Naturally, as the ship hits the iceberg and begins its descent, Beck's search for the wanted man becomes more desperate.  Has Piatkow escaped in a lifeboat, or gone down with the ship?  Which of the passengers will manage to escape the disaster?  Do Martha and Beck have a future together?  All of these questions make for an engrossing and thrilling conclusion!

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Unsinkable from Independent Publisher's Group in exchange for this review.

Final Verdict for Unsinkable:  Four Gherkins,   for being an evocative and engrossing mystery set inside a familiar tragedy

A look at a tragic American hero

“When Adam Brown woke up on March 17, 2010, he didn’t know he would die that night in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan – but he was ready.” So begins the book Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown.  There’s no suspense in how this book will end, but the look into how Brown turned his life around and ended up in Afghanistan that fateful day makes this book a compelling read. Adam Brown had a typical childhood. Raised mainly in Arkansas, he was one of three children of an electrician and his wife. Adam excelled at sports, had a stable home life and was generally liked, yet after high school he lacked direction. This eventually led him to drop out of college, quit his job working in the family business, and get involved with a questionable group of friends. After an unsuccessful stint in rehab, Adam began stealing from family and friends to support a growing drug habit, which eventually led to arrest and a year-long stay at Teen Challenge, a residential rehab facility out of state. During the stay there, Adam became more religious and seemed to turn his life around, but more relapses followed. He met his future wife, Kelley, and eventually, after spiraling back down towards addiction, he decided to follow his childhood dream to become a Navy SEAL. Luckily, a father’s friend was a naval officer and was able to convince the skeptical recruiter to accept the drug addicted felon into service. This proved to be the major turnaround that Adam needed. The discipline required to be accepted into SEAL training gave him something to focus on and allowed him to channel his energy into his calling in life. As he and Kelley started a family, Adam began his life in the elite SEAL training program. Although he suffered some serious injuries after joining the Navy, it didn’t deter his determination or ability to be the best. The only problem I had with the book was deciphering and keeping straight all the acronyms – HLZ, BUD/S, DEVGRU, etc. are some of them that are bandied about and repeated over and over. It can all be a bit confusing! But I did enjoy the story of the man behind the hero. We all hear the heartbreaking news of loss and sacrifice that our military families endure, and this book makes a tragic loss tangibly real.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Fearless from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review

Well boil my brains

You would think that being a titled aristocrat would come with enough responsibilities to keep one busy, but Lord Peter Wimsey finds plenty of time to devote to crime-solving in the delightful Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries.  The series, based on the stories by Dorothy L. Sayers, contains 5 episodes which were originally broadcast in the 1970s.

Ian Carmichael stars as the dashing, intelligent Lord Peter.  Although the episodes don't take place in chronological order, we do get some information about Wimsey from each of them.  The events in the series take place from WWI through to the 1930s.  We are shown how Wimsey and his butler/assistant, Bunter, came to have such a strong bond.  After serving together in the trenches in WWI, Wimsey was rescued by Bunter following a bunker bombing.  That isn't the only time Bunter comes to Wimsey's aid, as he pulls him from a bog, disguises himself to go undercover in investigations, and basically takes care of things while Wimsey goes off in search of clues.  On several occasions, it's left to Bunter to look around and, wondering where Wimsey's disappeared to, goes in search of his boss only to find him in a tricky situation.  Wimsey is never deterred, though, and generally goes dashing off in search of clues with little regard to placing himself in jeopardy.  I guess we would all do the same if we had a Bunter to come to our rescue!

The episodes here are:

1. Clouds of Witness -- The fiance of Wimsey's sister is found shot to death, and his brother, the Duke of Denver, is charged with the murder.

2.  The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club -- An old man is found dead at Wimsey's club, but due to a provision of his will, it becomes imperative that Wimsey discover exactly what time he died.

3.  Murder Must Advertise -- Wimsey goes undercover as a copywriter at an advertising agency to discover if a workplace accident was really murder (this episode features a very young Christopher Timothy).

4.  Five Red Herrings -- With six suspects in the frame, Wimsey must narrow them down and find the real killer.

5.  The Nine Tailors -- Some emeralds go missing after a wedding at a stately home, and Wimsey must solve the mystery several decades later.

My favorite episode was the one involving the Bellona Club, because it seemed the most straightforward.  Some of the others lost me a bit in the intricate plotting, but that was more a

problem of my not paying close enough attention, rather than any fault of the production!

I really enjoyed the character of Lord Peter Wimsey.  With no apparent money problems, he's free to indulge his passions:  music, cars, attending society functions, and of course, solving murders.  Unexpected talents also are highlighted from time to time as we learn that he is an accomplished bell-ringer (takes some skill) and is an admired author of at least one book, "Notes on the Collection of Incunabula."

Most of the disks also include portions of an interview with the actor who portrayed Wimsey, Ian Carmichael.  It was fascinating to see how long he had to agitate for the series to be made before he was finally successful.  He states that by the time it was agreed to make the series, he already felt too old to play Wimsey, but he took on the role anyway.  He does a marvelous job as the cheerful, intelligent and utterly suave sleuth!

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of The Lord Peter Wimsey Complete Collection from Acorn Media in exchange for this review

Final Verdict for The Lord Peter Wimsey Complete Collection:  Four Gherkins, for being a delightful look at an upper class sleuth