Murder on Astor Place - The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings on Friday

I enjoy a variety of genres--romance, mystery, women's fiction, and anything else that catches my fancy. Recently, I read MURDER ON ASTOR PLACE, the first novel in the 15-book Gaslight Mystery series. The story features midwife Sarah Brandt and police detective Frank Malloy, and it's set in turn-of-the-century New York City. Author Victoria Thompson's description of the tenements, mansions, police station, streets, and sounds and smells of the city are vivid. I also enjoyed her portrayal of the lifestyles of the upper and lower classes of society. Most importantly, the plot kept me reading. 

I'll definitely be reading more of the books in this series!

BOOK BEGINNING:
At first Sarah thought the tinkling of the bell was part of her dream. It sounded so sweet and soothing, and she was following it across a sunlit meadow, as if it were a golden butterfly. But then the pounding started, and she knew this wasn't a dream at all.

THE FRIDAY 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
"It wouldn't be the first time a reluctant woman has been persuaded to marry a man she wouldn't otherwise choose. He ruins her and makes her believe no other man will ever have her. And if she conceives a child, she has no choice but to accept him."

Genre: Historical Mystery
Length: 287 Pages
Amazon Link: Murder on Astor Place
Author Website:  Victoria Thompson

Goodreads Synopsis:
As a midwife in turn-of-the-century New York, Sarah Brandt has seen pain and joy. Now she will work for something more--a search for justice--in a case of murder involving one of New York's richest families.                                               
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Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and 

The Friday 56. 

   Click here to connect to other Book Beginnings on Friday posts  

   (sponsored by Rose City Reader)

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A Slight Change of Plan - Teaser Tuesday

I adored A SLIGHT CHANGE OF PLAN and couldn't put it down! Author Dee Ernst kept me laughing and wondering what was going to happen next. 

When Kate quits her job and moves into a condo, her new digs seem perfect for one person, until ….
And the new job she has accepted seems just right for this stage of her life, until …
Then when she reconnects with an old love on a dating website, things seem to be going well, until….
Dee Ernst tackles all these situations with wisdom, warmth, and wit. This is a book I'll read more than once.


I'm stretching my Teaser to three sentences:
My husband, Adam, had died of a sudden heart attack. I was over the pain of his loss and had been quite content in my singlehood. But lately I really wanted somebody who was happy to see me when I got home who didn't have a separate water bowl.
(From 1% on my Kindle.)

Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction
Length: 352 Pages 
Amazon Link: A SLIGHT CHANGE OF PLAN
Other Books by This Author: HERE.

Goodreads Synopsis:
      Kate Everett is about to begin her “second act.” She’s been a widow for eight years and thinks it might be time to start looking for someone to share her life with again. She quits her high-pressure job for something that will allow her more leisure time. She gets rid of the huge family home and moves into a fabulous condo that’s smaller and easier to manage. She’s pretty much got the rest of her life figured out. All she has to do is sit back, relax, and let the pieces fall into place.
      But her real life never gets the memo. First, her son moves back in with her—along with his girlfriend. Her dream job falls through, leaving her unemployed. Her mother, whom she hadn’t spoken to in years, can no longer live alone and has to move into her basement. And her only daughter is planning the smallest and simplest wedding in the history of all weddings, much to Kate’s dismay.
      Kate thinks that she and Jake, her former college love who has reemerged on an online dating site, of all places, can build something real, and that maybe her happy ending is in front of her at last. But the arrival of Edward, her daughter’s future father-in-law, presents Kate with an unexpected choice. 
      It looks like real happiness may require a slight change of plan.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away -- you don't want to ruin the book for others)
• Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers
• Leave a comment on MizB's Teaser Tuesday post (HERE) and include your link so everyone can find your post.

After All These Years - Teaser Tuesday

I love to find books on the bargain shelves at Barnes & Noble, especially if I'm familiar with the author's works. So when I saw this book by Susan Isaacs, I grabbed it. Written in 2005, it's still relevant and funny. (I'm about halfway through.)

Here's my Teaser from Page 51. Even though it looks longer, I promise my Teaser is only two sentences:

She'd obviously been cross-pollinating again; the tip of her nose was a powdery yellow. She could spend hours in her greenhouse with a magnifying glass and a cotton swab, performing what I guess was the botanical equivalent of artificial insemination--while a servant kept little Astor amused building mansions with Creative Playthings blocks.

Isn't that a great description of a character's appearance?

Genre: Mystery / Humor / Women's Fiction
Amazon Link: After All These Years
Length: 388 pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:
The day after her lavish wedding anniversary bash, Rosie Meyers gets a big surprise: her nouveau riche husband, Richie, is leaving her for a sultry, sophisticated, size-six MBA. So, when he's found murdered in their exquisitely appointed kitchen, no one is surprised to find Rosie's prints all over the weapon.

The suburban English teacher is the prime suspect -- the police's only suspect. And she knows she'll spend the rest of her life in the prison library unless she can unmask the real killer. Going into Manhattan on the lam, Rosie learns more about Richie than she ever wanted to know. And more about herself than she ever dreamed possible.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's the link to join in: Teaser Tuesday