Does the Dog Die? A Brief Review of Murder with Reservations, by Elaine Viets

I’ve long thought of Elaine Viets as one of the better “brain candy” mystery writers, and I have enjoyed her Dead-End Job series quite a lot. When I finished this book some weeks ago, I did not feel enlightened, more knowledgeable, a better person, enriched, or any of that good stuff. Instead, I felt like I’d jammed strawberry-flavored salt water taffy into my brain.

Sometimes, you need a brain full of strawberry-flavored salt water taffy. This is a book for such times. Viets does her research on the dead-end jobs. She does the work herself or trails people doing the work or both. So there are job details. But this is still brain candy.

And what is Murder with Reservations about? Well, the Dead-End Job series tells of Helen Hawthorne’s attempts to make a living while evading her angry ex-husband, who has a fairly substantial court judgment against her even though she only destroyed his precious car after finding him in bed with another woman. And with Google, we can all find out everything about everybody, so in order to remain undetected, Helen has to take some low-wage jobs where she’s paid under the table. In this book, she’s a hotel maid in Florida, where she’s resettled.

(Actually, at this point Helen would be wise to up and move to Montana, with another name change and dye job. Supposedly, there’s a pattern to where “missing” people go when they’re on the run, and Midwesterners like Helen tend to go to Florida. Then again, Viets herself is a Midwesterner who moved to Florida.)

Anyway … the body of another maid is found in a dumpster, there’s a cursed room, and Helen once again learns that people occasionally skip out on these dead-end jobs because they’re dead. Of course, she has to solve the crime in order to keep the police, her ex, and the real criminals from finding out who she is. By now, she’s gotten really good at that. Except this time, the ex has finally found her.

Brain candy awaits — buy this book to have on hand for the next time you need something light and insubstantial to read. You’ll likely enjoy it.

Now, since this blog is for animal lovers, I must talk about the various animals that appear in the book. There’s a parrot, Pete, who’s a regular character. Pete comes to no harm and is often amusing. Similarly, Helen has a 6-toed cat, Thumbs, who will live to see another day. And the dead maid’s cat goes without food for a couple of days, but that is rectified. However, she also misses her owner, which is briefly poignant. Anyway, this book is SAFE for animal lovers. Enjoy.

Does the Dog Die? A Brief Review of Agnes and the Hitman, by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

One of the first things I did when sitting down to write this review was to visit Amazon.com and see if Crusie and Mayer have another book in the works. Great news: they do, to be issued next year! Now, do you really have to ask if I liked this one, their second effort together?

I’ve already reviewed their first collaboration, Don’t Look Down, which I really liked. But that book felt to me like they were trading chapters or segments of chapters instead of writing the book together. Agnes and the Hitman, on the other hand, reads like it was written by two people sitting side-by-side at the same computer. On her own, Crusie writes highly irreverent and hysterically funny romance novels with a mystery or problem-solving element that keeps slamming the two protagonists together in spite of themselves. Bob Mayer writes thrillers and adventure novels. And together, they are an inspired partnership in which Mayer’s fast pacing and aura of imminent danger and pacing adds urgency and heat to Crusie’s hilarious, passionate, and initially reluctant lovers.

So, what’s this book about, anyway? Agnes Crandall is a struggling chef and caterer who has staked her entire reputation and net worth on pulling off a wedding that the mother-of-the-bride seems intent on sabotaging. Enter the Mafia-equivalents and Shane, the hitman. While trying to sort the various heroes and villains from among her friends, acquaintances, and business associates, Agnes falls for Shane, Shane falls for Agnes, an alleged $5 million fortune may or may not be in the basement, the wedding is imperiled, a bridge gives out, and someone tries to kidnap Agnes’s dog, Rhett. And that’s just the outline. Sample passage: “…being shot at by a strange man shortly after having angry sex, shortly after having tried to kill your fiance, shortly after having a dognapper point a gun at you was a bad night for anybody, even a woman as tough as Agnes.” Read this book — you’ll love it.

About Rhett: the purpose of this blog is to steer people away from books in which horrible things happen to animals and towards books in which animals are treated well. So, spoilerish though it may be to say so under normal circumstances, I must say that Rhett comes to no harm. He’s fine. The kidnapper says on page 6, “I wouldn’t kill no dog,” and he doesn’t. Rhett does have some interesting little adventures, but he mostly sleeps. In other words, he’s a dog. There are also flamingoes, which go bonkers when isolated from their kind. Flocking birds need to be in a flock. Rest assured that any flamingo isolation is temporary, however. There’s also an alligator, briefly. I am happily declaring this book SAFE for animal lovers. Enjoy!

A Weekend in and around Philadelphia

We just had an almost perfect weekend in the Philadelphia area. The trigger was our friend Joel’s birthday party, which was indeed the best part of it.

On Friday, we drove from the Washington ‘burbs up to Haddonfield, NJ, just outside of Philadelphia. We stayed at the Haddonfield Inn, which is where we usually stay when visiting that area. And we keep going back because we love the place. Friday night, we had dinner at Kitchen 233, which was new to us. I had the Angry Shrimp Pasta, and I loved it so much that if we go back, I’m having it again. Dave had salmon of some sort, which he also enjoyed. For dessert, the chocolate souffle is worth the 11-minute wait.

Saturday, we headed to Camden, NJ, and the waterfront, in order to visit the New Jersey Aquarium, now known as Adventure Aquarium . (If I have the story right, the state of New Jersey established the aquarium, then privatized it.) We really liked it. My favorite exhibit was the hippo environment, which stood out for several reasons. First, finally someone is acknowledging that hippos are aquatic animals! Yes, they’re mammals. So are whales. Hippos spend an enormous amount of time in water, and the West African River exhibit features them as the centerpiece. The two young females are frisky and playful, and a joy to watch. We also liked the birds in that room, because they were building nests all over the place, often flying overhead with pieces of straw.

What I didn’t like were the people shoving strollers into crowds, especially the woman mindlessly shoving her enormous SUV of a stroller into the legs of a cluster of people who had nowhere to go. Ninety percent of the stroller-parents used their brains and maneuvered around sanely, allowing their kids to see the exhibits without being rude to everyone else. The other 10 percent of the stroller-parents shouldn’t have been allowed to breed.

Saturday night was the big event, Joel’s birthday party at Marra’s in South Philadelphia. Joel paid for the whole thing and stayed away from the banquet menu, instead providing antipasti, mussels, pizzas, chicken cacciatore, and birthday cake for all of us. The food was excellent, and the server kept her cool with our large table of about 22 or so (we weren’t that demanding, but it’s still a lot of people). The best part, though, was that guests came in from all over — Dallas, Boston, New York, the Washington DC area, and Jacksonville, FL. Joel himself is living in California now, but wanted to party with his East Coast friends. And I knew most of these people from a fantasy baseball league they’d been in with Dave in the 1980s and early 1990s. It’s a good bunch, it was great to see them again, and I miss them already.

We drove home on Sunday, stopping off in Swedesboro, NJ, to have a quick lunch with some of Dave’s relatives. This was also the virgin weekend drive for Dave’s new Prius, which is definitely worth the fuss. At the time he first added gas, the mileage came to 52.07/mph. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Does the Dog Die? A Brief Review of Telex from Cuba, by Rachel Kushner

My first “real” job out of college was working as a white-collar minion for United Fruit, back when they were based in Boston. Of course, this was long after the company had been expelled from Cuba in the late 1950s, but I knew they had a dark and difficult past. One of the things I love about Telex from Cuba is how it tells that very story. Kushner writes with such skill and grace that it’s almost impossible to believe that this is a first novel.

Told from multiple points of view — including through the eyes of a few children, which I normally don’t like but which works well here — Telex begins by slowly laying out the background of the privileged few, who were white, American, and often brutal. Compassion was not a value in the company towns of Preston and Nicaro. Kushner then layers on the stories of the workers, who were essentially slaves, and the rebels, along with some of those operating along the sides. The latter include an unethical Frenchman and an erotic dancer. Add Batista, the Castro brothers, and grave doubts about those introduced earlier, and you have a roiling, boiling tale of pain, anger, and revolution.

Most of us only know Cuba as this strange and forbidden island to the south of the United States. Kushner offers a vivid and exciting history lesson that adds many necessary dimensions. I recommend this book very highly, with one caveat.

And here is the caveat: one of the primary purposes of this blog is to screen books for people who can’t stand to read about violence to animals, sad animal scenes, etc. If violence against animals bothers you so much that it’s a criteria in choosing what and what not to read, then you can’t read this book. It is COMPLETELY UNSAFE for animal lovers. I found it quite disturbing in that regard, and there’s so much of it that I can’t isolate pages to skip or otherwise give advice that might make it readable for animal lovers.  Birds, pigs, monkeys, you name it, the species probably does very poorly in this book. I loved Kushner’s writing and, especially, storytelling abilities. And I hope she dials back the animal violence and neglect in future efforts.

Does the Dog Die? A Brief Review of Bachelor Brothers’ Bed & Breakfast, by Bill Richardson

I have to thank my Internet friend, Karen from Nova Scotia, for this little gem. And it’s little–only 152 pages. But it’s packed, with hardly a wasted word and at least one quotable phrase per page. I loved it!

Narrated by 50-something fraternal twins Virgil and Hector and a few of their guests, the book takes us to a remote town on a forested Canadian island, where Virgil and Hector operate a B&B for bibliophiles. In fact, some guests visit simply in order to read Proust without distractions. Some of the stories are sad, some wildly hilarious. For example, there’s the man whose office goes on a retreat (is there anything so vile as the office retreat?), leaving him in the woods to talk to the trees — one of which orders him to “get the hell out!” Then there’s the ne’er-do-well cousin who, after an epiphany, “spent the rest of his days, and the rest of his income, traveling the world, seeking out musical eggcups. He picked them up in Istanbul and Paris, in Geneva and Beirut.” Waffle, the brothers’ cat, and Mrs. Rochester, the parrot they inherited from their mother, hunt mice together, with Mrs. Rochester calling “kittykittykitty” when she spots one. I laughed out loud about every other page.

This is great book for animal lovers. Mrs. Rochester has one salty phrase in her vocabulary, which she uses at some of the most inopportune moments. There are also some very happy chickens, a music-critic Pekingese named Valentine, and a vast assortment of other pets. The only sad thing that happens is a brief mention of a parrot — not Mrs. Rochester — who died elsewhere. Plus, Waffle is a mighty huntress of small prey. But I have no qualms about recommending this book as SAFE for animal lovers, including and maybe especially bird lovers. Enjoy!

Dance, Dance, Dance! (And Update from the Groundcover Wars)

I missed my Wednesday posting because of work, I have a stack of books ready to be reviewed, and I want to write about dance. For this, I blame/credit  my friend Dana. But more on that below.

First, last spring I wrote about  planting several groundcovers in hopes they would overtake the useless grass, which I hate mowing. Well, folks, we have a winner: Creeping Jenny. In my back yard, it’s more like Galloping Jenny. A tiny plant in a 2-inch by 2-inch pot took over a space that is roughly 8 square feet. I love it! It can be invasive, which is fine. I’ll kill it where I want to plant other plants, and keep it everywhere else. I have the Golden variety, which is less invasive and, to my mind, more interesting. I’ve planted four of these in my tiny front yard, hoping that by next summer, my grass can be handled with mere weed-whacking.

Now, on to dancing! It’s a cold, cruel world, filled with wars and the military troops we use to fight those wars. The best soldiers are trained in a variety of skills. For example, from Pundit Kitchen:

Okay, so that’s pretty silly. But is it sillier than dancing scientists? As I mentioned, in another context, my friend Dana linked to the AAAS annual “Dance Your PhD Thesis” competition. This was the best, or so I thought. I especially like the guy who’s supposed to be the free cell or random particle or whatever:

Finally, from my friend Terri, we have Frosty, a dancing bird. There are several Frosty videos, but I chose this one because he seems happiest and most spontaneous here:

Happy Link Day — And I Do Mean “Happy”

If these do not make you smile, you are dead.

This is the new hot video on YouTube. Extreme sheep indeed! Let’s give credit to the gentlemen from Wales and, especially, their border collies.

Next, we have the pinnacle of cute. There is nothing cuter than this.

Remember the original Hamster Dance? It’s back!

And, finally, there is Owl Cam. A pair of owls hatched an egg in a planter outside an office building in Viera, Florida, and the baby can be seen during daylight hours. Late in the afternoon, one of the adults brings her a small, fuzzy, dead thing to nibble on, and she is so delighted with it.

Enjoy!

Craziness

I have a new magic formula for getting work: I complain about not having enough work. Seriously, today I called another friend who’s a writer, complained, hung up, and the phone rang before I set it down. I’ve been busy ever since. Sort of messes up my blogging schedule, though.

And that means I’m taking the easy way out today. Yes, it’s another YouTube-filled post.

This video of David Hasselhoff is amazing. Simply amazing. Plus it’s lots of fun and incredibly silly.

This was my favorite SuperBowl ad:

And of course there has to be something animal-oriented. How about this construction worker and his duck? What kind of a name is Frankie for a duck?

Vacation Chronicle – Santa Fe, NM (Days 3-6)

Just over a year ago, Dave’s neighbor, Bonnie, and her partner, Pat, moved to Santa Fe. Since we’d never seen Santa Fe and now knew people there who could tell us a bit about the place, we decided to visit Santa Fe last year. We enjoyed it so much that we returned this year.

Where we stayed. We tend to stick with what works. Although it doesn’t generate the enthusiasm we have for Albuquerque’s Adobe Nido, Santa Fe’s Pueblo Bonito  is comfortable and close to the Plaza, with a decent breakfast and friendly and informative hosts, one of whom we find quite amusing. The rooms are quirkily decorated and fairly large, much moreso than the pictures indicate, plus we like having the option of building a fire. We’ve stayed in the Taos and San Felipe rooms, both of which we’d recommend. The bottom line is that very best thing about Pueblo Bonito is that it’s within walking distance of the Plaza. Everything else is a bonus.

Where we ate. Bonnie and Pat had been wanting to eat at Casa Sena for some time, so that’s where the four of us had dinner the first night. It was very expensive, but it was glorious, too. If you can afford it, definitely check it out. In the current recession (I don’t care what the economists say, I’ve been around long enough to know a recession when I see one), restaurants are hurting, but Casa Sena seemed to be doing well enough for a Saturday night. The next day, we had lunch at La Fonda, in La Plazuela . I love, love, love this dining room! The food is very good, but really, I just wanted to sit in this space. This picture is from their website and captures part of the magic of the space, but you really have to get close to the handpainted window panes to get the complete feel of the place.

That evening, despite being advised by a source who will remain unnamed that “any self-respecting chef would throw out patrons who showed up wearing light jeans” – which became our new catchphrase for the remainder of the trip – we visited Santacafe, another excellent restaurant. (And guess what? Practically everyone there was clad in light jeans, although the staff mostly wore dark jeans. Maybe it’s got something to do with the recession and the fact that people are cutting way back on restaurant meals. Or maybe some self-respecting chefs don’t care what their guests wear as long as they enjoy – and pay for – the food. Or something like that.) If you ever go there, take a slow walk into the bar and look around. I won’t spoil the surprise. On Monday, lunch was at the Atomic Grill, on the patio even though it was a bit chilly, and dinner was at a Santa Fe institution, The Shed , which we love for its good food, casual atmosphere (we wore light jeans!), and low prices.

How we entertained ourselves. Aside from bad jokes about light jeans? On Sunday, we visited two museums. I didn’t expect to enjoy The Palace of the Governors as much as I did, but it was pretty interesting. We were also fortunate enough to arrive just as one of the docents began her tour. Apparently museum management wants the docents to reduce the time they spend walking people through the place, but I think that would be a huge mistake. Our docent was delightful! Next, we visited The Museum of Fine Arts, right next door, which we also recommend.

Santa Fe museums are closed on Mondays, so we declared Monday our hiking day. We started out at the Randall Davey Audubon Center , which was a great little walk through an area with lots of birds, obviously. I’m not a bird-watcher as such, but we heard an awful lot of them. I recommend this walk to anyone who wants to get outdoors in the Santa Fe area. Next, we went to the Santa Fe Canyon, then ate lunch and drove north up toward Taos. The first three photos below are from the Audubon walk, and the fourth is from our drive north.

   

You should be able to click on these photos to make them larger.

Tuesday, we drove (and drove and drove), heading down I-25 to I-40, into Arizona for the next leg of our trip. It was a scenic drive, but it was also pretty damned long.

Next up: Winslow, Arizona.

Does the Dog Die? A Brief Review of The Year of Living Dangerously, by C.J. Koch

It seems that most often, people read a book before the movie comes out. In this case, I didn’t even know there was a book until after The Year of Living Dangerously came out as a movie back in the 1980s. But it was clear that some of the most touching and intriguing scenes — specifically, those involving Billy Kwan — would have more depth in the book. I loved the book then, and I loved it again recently when I reread it.

Billy Kwan is a half-Chinese Australian dwarf working as a TV cameraman in Indonesia during the last months of the Sukarno regime, in 1965 I believe. The narrator, a half-character of whom we learn very little beyond his profession (journalist) and last name (Cook), tells of the arrival of Guy Hamilton, a tall, handsome young Australian newsman and the ostensible main character, at least in the movie. Kwan immediately allies himself with Hamilton, passing along strangely-acquired and much-needed connections to insiders so that Hamilton can report stories the other journalists can only envy. Kwan also passes along his “girlfriend,” Jillie. (In the movie, Jillie is played by the very tall Sigourney Weaver; in the book, she is close to Kwan’s height.) As the political crisis becomes increasingly complex, Cook reveals more about Kwan and the strange poetry of his inner life, gleaned from files that Kwan keeps and Cook acquires.

Why do I love this book so? It’s moving, full of insight about love and poverty and conflict and loneliness. It’s also one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever encountered. I hadn’t heard of Koch before, although he’s evidently written several books as both C. J. and Christopher J. Koch. (I read one of them, about another journalist, this time in Cambodia, but it lacked the depth and poignancy of Year of Living Dangerously.) In addition, Koch tells a riveting story, with excellent pacing, somehow managing to convey the complex political situation of mid-1960s Indonesia without getting bogged down in minutiae.

As for animals, there is only one, a bird named Beo that Billy Kwan keeps. I can’t tell what happens to Beo without spoiling a bit of the story, but he doesn’t get hurt and might end the book better than he begins it. So this book is SAFE for animal lovers. And it’s recommended for everyone.