Sheila's Guests and Reviews

I like mysteries. Sometimes I like them just as quick reads with satisfying characters and that sense of having completed a jigsaw puzzle at the end. My husband does complex puzzles on his tablet while I read on mine. But sometimes I like a mystery with deeper characters and plot, the sort of book that keeps me up in the evening while husband plays chess. And maybe that's the difference - mysteries like chess or like jigsaws. Here are a few "chess" jigsaws, worthy of reading long and late in the day. Find some coffee and see if any of them entice you. First is the third omnibus edition of Inspector Morse novels by Colin Dexter . Why can't I find copies of the first and second omnibi? Anyway, this third one starts with the first Morse novel, so it's very satisfying seeing him slightly younger at his first meeting with Lewis. Find some elegant, complex four-star coffee to go with these well-structured mysteries. Still in England, my next new favorite detective

Today I'm delighted to welcome Martha Geaney to my blog. She's the author of  Death on Clare Island  and she's promised to let me know more about the time, place and characters of her novel. So pour yourself a coffee, pull up a chair, and find out the answers. Time, Place and Character  by Martha Geaney A reader asked how I decided upon my amateur sleuth character, Star O’Brien. She’s the protagonist in my Star O’Brien mystery series. Although Star is an American, the series is set in Ireland. I wrote the character because I enjoy reading mysteries with a strong female lead character. And because there weren’t enough of them. I’ve always loved reading mysteries. My favorite authors include Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Sue Grafton, Carol O’Connell, and Deborah Crombie. Harriet Vane, Kinsey Millhone, and Kathy Mallory were major influences. Star is a complex individual. There’s been losses in her life. These experiences left her vulnerable but she doesn’t