A quick update-New River Blues by Elizabeth Gunn. I think I liked this author and the detective Sarah Burke. There was a nice blending of showing how she's trying to balance home and work life. I will look for another by this author.

A couple of books worth listing here. One is a cozy mystery-just for fun. It's Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson. Goldy is a caterer in Aspen Grove, Colorado married to the town policeman. She's an on-going fun character in a town, as usual in these types of mysteries, full of all types of 'characters'. This also fits into the cozy niche of food mysteries and has a handful of recipes to go along with the story-some look good, some not so much, some just seem like too much work. In this book there are shady doings at the spa resort and a professional feud between Goldy and the spa owner.

The next one is more serious-The Scenic Route by Binnie Kirshenbaum. Sylvia finds herself alone, and suddenly jobless. On a whim she flies to Italy where she meets Henry, a rich, middle-aged expatriate in a marriage of convenience which is why hwe is rich. They take off on a grand tour of Europe and fall in love. Sylvia tells him, and by extension us, stories of her life-some funny, some sad, all thought-provoking.

A while ago I read Gilead by Marilynne Robinson which I thought was wonderful. The premise is a man who unexpectedly, and delightedly became a father late in life is now dying. His son is only 7 years old and he is writing a letter (this book) to give his son information about his life and words of advice, and love. The man is a preacher who, by nature is introspective, and kind. A beautiful, beautifully written book. One to keep and underline.
I wanted another by the same author and found Housekeeping. Also, well-written, but left me depressed and sad rather than uplifted. Two girls are left on their (previously unknown) grandmother's porch. Their mother goes on to commit suicide and they are raised-or rather raise themselves-first by their grandmother, then their bumbling great-aunts, then their eccentric aunt. The outcome is not a pretty one. Their background obviously has mental illness in it and after the grandmother, none of the adults has any idea about children.

Two more books by an author that I trust. Earl Emerson is a Lieutenant in the Seattle Fire Department and written a series with a firefighter by the name of Thomas Black. I've enjoyed that series. These latest two are not part of that series but I found tham engaging, even so. Both use the premise of a basically innocent person who finds himself in the position of looking guilty in comparison to a truly evil character who, nevertheless, is taken to be the innocent party. Both books still use a firefighter as protagonists, although only The Smoke Room, actually spends very much time in a fire station or at fire scenes. I enjoyed The Smoke Room more than the other, Primal Threat. Primal Threat seemed to take forever to end.

Another wonderful book before I begin some unknowns. Rat Race by Dick Francis.