“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief,
it grows perhaps the greater.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

It is only early January and it has been a tough year. We are not done yet and I expect we will face more dark situations that will challenge our resolve. I try to stay positive but everyday brings one more “fresh hell” from Washington. But I am determined not to let it bring me down. I try to stay informed but I won’t be a news junkie. Too much is not good for the digestion. I am encouraged by a few newsletters I read, one by Heather Cox Richardson and the other by Robert Hubbell. Heather is excellent at providing the historical background and rule of law that pertains to all the craziness we see everyday. Robert is a retired trial attorney, writer, and now a political commentator who offers insights on democracy and civic engagement, all written through a lens of hope. Criticism and reporting through humor is also a good way to make it day to day, which is why I love Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, both are fearless while being in political bullseyes.
However one of the best ways to keep yourself centered is to do the things you love. For me it is books, primarily fiction, because I get enough reality in the real world. I belong to three book groups, I must be crazy, but it is great way to be with other people. Movies and TV are other great escapes. I saw “Marty Supreme” today, at the theater, while eating a big tub of popcorn with my Sweetie. Last night we started a new mystery series, Bookish” on public TV. And I can’t wait till the new season of “Slow Horses”, and “All Creatures Great and Small”, and “Survivor 50” and, and…well you get it.
My fiber artwork keeps me busy as well. I just finished three crows and now have started a Northern Hawk Owl. If you want to know more about this passion of mine, visit these previous posts,one and two. Also I have to admit I play a few video games on my iPad, one of the fastest ways to kill a lot of time while not thinking about anything.

So hang in there dear readers. I am going to do my damnedest to stay positive and to have hope, even though we may have to go through a really big dark tunnel to get there. Hey, hold me hand.

“But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”
― Martin Luther King, Jr.

Note: January sometimes hits us with bad weather up here in Wisconsin, so we decided to take a break from meeting in person. I still asked everyone to send me their books. Because of that, each annotation is ended with a short note identifying the reader so the group knows who read what. PS: Wouldn’t you know, the weather was fine.

1. The Christmas Wishing Tree (Eternity Springs #15) by Emily March (2018) 320p. Devin Murphy’s heart is torn between Eternity Springs, where his family lives, and the adventure of the open sea. Returning to Eternity Springs from Australia for the holidays, he receives a phone call from a young boy who thought he was calling Santa. Devin goes along, thinking the call was a one off. But, the kid sort of got to him, because instead of the hottest toy or gadget, this kid is asking for a daddy. Nancy said she needed one more Christmas book.
   
   
2. Return of the Spider (Alex Cross #34) by James Patterson (2025) 416p. Patterson takes us back with a “prequel” to the first book in this series, Along Came a Spider. In that book, Gary Soneji was an evil, twisted psychopath and Alex’s nemesis. Now years after his death, his cabin in the woods is discovered, along with his murder weapons, research and a murder book, a book that makes Alex think he may have gotten it wrong. Pete is a huge fan of Patterson.
   
   
3. Before We Say Goodbye (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #4) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (2023) 240p. Number four in a series where the regulars at Café Funiculi Funicula are well acquainted with the whimsical ability it grants them to take a trip into the past—as well as the strict rules involved, including that each traveler must return to the present in the time it takes for their coffee to get cold. This book offers four new stories that explore themes of love, regret, and the desire for closure. I’ll have to ask Rikki if she has read books 1-3.
   
   
4. The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger (2023) 432p. This standalone novel starts on Memorial Day in 1958 in the small fictitious town of Jewel, Minnesota. Jimmy Quinn, a local wealthy farmer is found murdered and there are many suspects as Jimmy was widely disliked as a bully, and an abuser of women. Sheriff Brody, a WWII veteran, investigates the case. Noah Bluestone is suspected by many as he is native American. He is also married to a Japanese woman and as WWII wasn’t too far in the past, this makes him even more suspect. Brody is still troubled with PTSD from his war time experiences but tries to keep an open mind as he investigates. The novel has many twists, turns and surprises. Barb highly recommends this one.
   
   
5. Into the Gray Zone (Pike Logan #9) by Brad Taylor (2025) 452p. “While on a routine security assessment in India, Task force operator Pike Logan foils an attempted attack on a meeting between the CIA and India’s intelligence service. Both government agencies believe it’s nothing more than a minor terrorist attack, but Pike suspects that something much more sinister is at play. After another terrorist operation at the Taj Mahal, he begins to believe that outside powers are attacking India in the gray zone between peace and war, leveraging terrorist groups for nothing more than economic gain. But the separatists conducting the operations have their own agenda.” –Goodreads. Dan really enjoys thrillers. Though part of a series, this one can be read as a standalone.
   
   
6. The Kind Worth Saving (Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner #2) by Peter Swanson (2023) 303p. Henry Kimball, a private investigator, is hired by Joan Whalen, who Henry had as a student during his one traumatic year of teaching. Joan believes her husband is cheating, and she wants Henry to confirm this fact. But nothing is as it seems on the surface. Present day incidents are woven in with Joan’s past to create an unbelievable tale of secrets, lies, and murder. This is Linda’s 2nd book by this author and she says it won’t be her last.
   
   
7. Lime Juice Money by Jo Morey (2025) 384p. This story takes place in Belize where Laelia’s father once lived. Early on in the book, he falls ill and Laelia and her boyfriend Aidrian decide to temporarily move to his old villa to care for him. As their time in Belize gets longer, mysteries unfold – between them, from her father’s old things, from the locals, and from Laelia’s family. Jeanne, one of our snowbirds, sent in this psychological thriller while in sunny Florida.
   
   
8. The Siberian Dilemma (Arkady Renko #9 ) by Martin Cruz Smith (2019) 288p. Journalist Tatiana Petrovna is on the move. Arkady Renko, a Moscow investigator and Tatiana’s part-time lover, hasn’t seen her since she left on assignment over a month ago. When she doesn’t arrive on her scheduled train, he’s positive something is wrong. No one else thinks Renko should be worried but he knows her enemies all too well and the criminal lengths they’ll go to keep her quiet. This is the 2nd book by this author that Paul has reported.
   
   
9. The Killing Stones (Jimmy Perez/Willow Reeves #1) by Ann Cleeves (2025) 384p. If you watched the original Shetland series on Britbox you will know the name Jimmy Perez. His character is no longer on the TV series but Ann Cleeves hasn’t left him behind, even though it has been 7 years since he has been in her books. He now lives on Orkney with his partner Willow and his growing family. The case is very personal this time when his good friend Archie is found dead, with the murder weapon, a neolithic story stone, lying nearby. Submitted by yours truly, the leader of the bookies.
   
   
10. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (2024) 293p. Two mystery writers, Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt, accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan. Neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley. On the first night, a huge storm hits, the phones go down, the bridge is out and the next morning Eleanor is gone from a locked room. Kathy Y. has also enjoyed one last “Christmas” book.