All Murders Final!

All Murders Final! is the third and latest in the “Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery” series by Sherry Harris. It’s one of those books I think of as a “modern cozy”. “Cozies” are mysteries in the tradition of Agatha Christie, set amongst a small community and contrasted with thrillers or hardboiled detective stories. The detective is usually an amateur, and these days, there’s a strong second hook, some kind of hobby (such as quilting or gardening) or profession (caterer, veterinarian) […]

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Killer Cocktail

The modern-day Nick-and-Nora-style couple mystery Murder With a Twist has a sequel coming out in early May. Tracy Kiely’s Killer Cocktail sends playboy Nigel and ex-homicide detective Nicole to Hollywood, accompanied by their giant dog Skippy. As with the previous volume, it’s a breezy, light-hearted read. Scenes alternate between now and the 1996 events on set while making a film where the lead, former child star Melanie Summers, unfortunately passed away, presumably from a drug overdose. She was co-starring with […]

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The Sequential Artists Workshop Guide to Creating Professional Comic Strips

Out later this spring is a specialized guide of value to those interested in what some consider a nostalgic craft. The Sequential Artists Workshop Guide to Creating Professional Comic Strips is by Tom Hart (Hutch Owen), who founded and runs the Florida art school whose name this appears under. He also co-created (with Marguerite Dabaie) the former syndicated strip Ali’s House (2008), about an Arab-American family. Although the background of this book is the traditional newspaper strip, in the introduction, […]

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The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions)

Coming in early April is a fun YA read that combines ideas about fame (and losing it), overachievement, first love, and whether newspapers are still relevant in the age of new media. I know, it sounds ambitious, but Amy Spalding pulls it out through the lead character of Jules. As The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions) opens, Jules is anxiously awaiting news on whether she or Natalie will be chosen editor-in-chief of the school paper. Jules is also […]

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Get Back: Imagine… Saving John Lennon

Donovan Day explores a music fan’s biggest fantasy in Get Back: Imagine… Saving John Lennon. The teenage Lenny, named after John Lennon, is staying with his grandpa in New York City. He meets a beautiful girl named Yoko while busking in the subway. Then he discovers his iPod, loaded with a ton of classic rock songs, lets him time travel back to the time of the tune he’s listening to. As he and Yoko explore this ability, we find out […]

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Friday Barnes, Girl Detective

Friday Barnes, Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt is an amusing blend of boarding school antics and mystery-solving. Friday, as the overlooked daughter of supersmart academics having to find her own way, reminded me a bit of Meg, from A Wrinkle in Time. Only instead of science fiction, this series is based in detection, starring a pint-size Sherlock. Friday “largely raised herself” and “found it was best to go unnoticed as much as possible.” She reads widely, including detective fiction, and […]

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Diamond’s How to Draw Month Makes Books on Creating Comics Available

This month’s Diamond Previews catalog, used by comic shops and their customers to determine what to buy in the comic months, has the theme “How to Draw” to “pay tribute to the DIY spirit”. That means a number of publishers are reoffering books about making comics. Here are some I recommend you should be aware of, complete with this month’s ordering codes. The DC Comics Guides to Creating Comics — Writing (JAN16 1915), Pencilling (JAN16 1916), Inking (JAN16 1917), Coloring […]

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Top Secret Recipes Step-by-Step

Top Secret Recipes Step-by-Step: Secret Formulas with Photos for Duplicating Your Favorite Famous Foods at Home isn’t just a fun idea for a cookbook; it’s also a portrait of how, and what, we choose to eat. Todd Wilbur calls himself “America’s #1 food hacker”, and he’s made a career out of dissecting recipes from favorite chain restaurants. This copiously illustrated (multiple photos per dish) volume has 125 recipes, 75 of which are new, and 50 of which are improved from […]

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