Sue Grafton's L novel was annoying. So much so, that I didn't finish reading it but jumped to the last chapter after reading it over half way. Aside from Kinsey, the characters were totally unlikeable. I'd rather not read about characters I don't like. I haven't started a new mystery yet but have been reading the latest Valdemar anthology. Perhaps I will devote a different blog to it. It has been a satisfying read.
No, my obsession du jour is Christmas cookies. First I tried twiddling with the toll house cookie recipe a la Alton Brown but was dissatisfied with the results. When not stored in an airtight container the cookies became rock hard. Not Good Eats. But AB is not necessarily to blame since I didn't follow his recipe exactly. Next, I made them the way I usually do according to the recipe on the package substituting 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar for the 3/4 cup each in the recipe. I used Brooke's scoops to portion the dough and was pleased with the results. I like using the scoops--they made for more uniform cookies that were well shaped. I am not compelled to eat them one after another. What's up with that?
The next experiments where shape cookies. I used AB recipe for sugar cookies but wasn't thrilled with the taste. I used Joy of Cooking's Gingerbread people recipe. I haven't tasted it yet. Brooke had a little cookie cutting and decorating party at her house for which I supplied the dough and cutters and she supplied supper, icing and guests. It was an enjoyable time but I pooped out before everything was finished and came home. I need to pick up my portion of the results later. I discovered that, like painting pottery, decorating cookies is not my forte. Brooke, Virginia and Nadia, however were pros.
Next on my list will be Mexican Wedding Cakes (Joy of Cooking) and Date Nut Balls. If either of those fail to please me, I'll know something is wrong; they are two of my favorites.
I still need to get a gift for Ali (I know what I'm getting him) and something for the other relatives (I have no clue) but I will wait until I feel better--maybe Thursday.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
It's a mystery to me.
Well, I am nine months away from C.H.I.P. and I am back to being a carnivore. I have cut back on the amount of meat I eat. For example, I used only 1/4 lb. of ground beef in the pot of spaghetti I made the other day.
Over the past year, I have dabbled in several thing (see the subtitle of this blog). The one up for discussion today is mysteries. Yes, along with most of the female population that I know, I have started reading, rather obsessively, mysteries. I'm not sure which author I began with but I wouldn't be surprised if it was Nevada Barr. It was either her or Rita Mae Brown. I like to check with my favorite website: Fantastic Fiction . The web site gives lists of the series written by each author listed and in the order they were written.
I found that I could not read one Nevada Barr novel after another. They are too intense. Elaine maintains that the best qualities of a good mystery are characters and plot. Nevada Barr's novels are tightly plotted and loaded with wonderful characters. What's more, the main character, Anna Pigeon, grows quite a bit as the novels progress. Barr's big hook, however, is setting. Each novel is set in a different National Park. Given the dangers our hero encounters is enough to put you off camping! And that's another thing. The heroes of mysteries seem to fall into some peril in the last chapter of the novel. Anna, however, gets royally beaten up or almost killed in every book I've read so far. I would think that she would have lasting physical effects from all the trauma. (I think she does have to get away from it all in the novel after the next one I'm due to read.)
The next author I tackled was Rita Mae Brown and her Sneaky Pie series. I liked all the characters but I found the series quite a bit lighter than Barr's and not so tightly plotted. I read her as much for the story as for the mystery. One really does need to read this series in sequence to keep up with all the changes. I liked the way Harry mellows and begins to get along better with characters that were drawn rather harshly in the early novels. The hook for her novels--talking animals who contribute to the solving of the mysteries. They only talk to each other, so don't rank these books with fantasy.
I got into Laura Lippman throught the AARP Page Turners Book Club on the web. Lippman's hook is the city of Baltimore, which she obviously loves. Her main character, Tess Monaghan, goes through quite a bit of development. I loved her boyfriend, Crow, but didn't find him as believable as all her other characters. For plotting, she is denser than Brown but not as intense as Barr. Definitely re-readable.
Now I am reading Sue Grafton. I thought her A and B novels were weak and her character not very well developed but she has grown. I'm up to J now and am enjoying the mysteries more. One thing that bothers me is the amount of trivial detail. Grafton lets us know every time Kinsey brushes her teeth or locks her car. Maybe she's trying to impress us with Kinsey's methodical, cautious ways. Getting into these characters is like having friends you meet in the books. You feel sorry when the series is finished. Since all of these books are on my Kindle, it will be easy to visit them again.
Elaine is going through the mystery section of her library, reading women authors alphabetically. Following that lead, I have been exploring the Fantastic Fiction lists alphabetically, choosing authors that have four stars (too many, otherwise). I've read Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews. It went well enough that I will read more but the plotting was loose. I think its what you call romance mystery. We'll see. I also read the first Agatha Raisin novel by M. C. Beaton. I am familiar with the Hamish Macbeth series from the TV series. I loved the characters but never really saw the episodes as mysteries. The characters in the Agatha Raisin novel are wonderful. Agatha is a crusty, quirky delight and the people who surround her likewise. I think I will read Beaton and Grafton in tandem with a Barr novel thrown in once in a while for variety.
Over the past year, I have dabbled in several thing (see the subtitle of this blog). The one up for discussion today is mysteries. Yes, along with most of the female population that I know, I have started reading, rather obsessively, mysteries. I'm not sure which author I began with but I wouldn't be surprised if it was Nevada Barr. It was either her or Rita Mae Brown. I like to check with my favorite website: Fantastic Fiction . The web site gives lists of the series written by each author listed and in the order they were written.
I found that I could not read one Nevada Barr novel after another. They are too intense. Elaine maintains that the best qualities of a good mystery are characters and plot. Nevada Barr's novels are tightly plotted and loaded with wonderful characters. What's more, the main character, Anna Pigeon, grows quite a bit as the novels progress. Barr's big hook, however, is setting. Each novel is set in a different National Park. Given the dangers our hero encounters is enough to put you off camping! And that's another thing. The heroes of mysteries seem to fall into some peril in the last chapter of the novel. Anna, however, gets royally beaten up or almost killed in every book I've read so far. I would think that she would have lasting physical effects from all the trauma. (I think she does have to get away from it all in the novel after the next one I'm due to read.)
The next author I tackled was Rita Mae Brown and her Sneaky Pie series. I liked all the characters but I found the series quite a bit lighter than Barr's and not so tightly plotted. I read her as much for the story as for the mystery. One really does need to read this series in sequence to keep up with all the changes. I liked the way Harry mellows and begins to get along better with characters that were drawn rather harshly in the early novels. The hook for her novels--talking animals who contribute to the solving of the mysteries. They only talk to each other, so don't rank these books with fantasy.
I got into Laura Lippman throught the AARP Page Turners Book Club on the web. Lippman's hook is the city of Baltimore, which she obviously loves. Her main character, Tess Monaghan, goes through quite a bit of development. I loved her boyfriend, Crow, but didn't find him as believable as all her other characters. For plotting, she is denser than Brown but not as intense as Barr. Definitely re-readable.
Now I am reading Sue Grafton. I thought her A and B novels were weak and her character not very well developed but she has grown. I'm up to J now and am enjoying the mysteries more. One thing that bothers me is the amount of trivial detail. Grafton lets us know every time Kinsey brushes her teeth or locks her car. Maybe she's trying to impress us with Kinsey's methodical, cautious ways. Getting into these characters is like having friends you meet in the books. You feel sorry when the series is finished. Since all of these books are on my Kindle, it will be easy to visit them again.
Elaine is going through the mystery section of her library, reading women authors alphabetically. Following that lead, I have been exploring the Fantastic Fiction lists alphabetically, choosing authors that have four stars (too many, otherwise). I've read Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews. It went well enough that I will read more but the plotting was loose. I think its what you call romance mystery. We'll see. I also read the first Agatha Raisin novel by M. C. Beaton. I am familiar with the Hamish Macbeth series from the TV series. I loved the characters but never really saw the episodes as mysteries. The characters in the Agatha Raisin novel are wonderful. Agatha is a crusty, quirky delight and the people who surround her likewise. I think I will read Beaton and Grafton in tandem with a Barr novel thrown in once in a while for variety.
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