Did you ever wake up and ask yourself

"What's Lisa Reading?"

Oh, you haven't. 

Hmmm...Awkward.

You know what? I'm going to tell you anyway! ;-)

This weekend I'm reading...

TREACHEROUS TART

by Ellie Grant

Book 2 in the Pie In The Sky Mystery series

In this second charming novel in the Pie Shop cozy mystery series, a modern-day Lothario is shot dead, and it’s up to Maggie to clear her aunt and partner-in-pie from the suspect list.

It’s Christmastime at Pie in the Sky, Aunt Clara’s pie shop, and she has a new beau, Donald Wickerson, who loves her Marvelous Mince Pies.

Unfortunately, it seems that this holiday, Donald might only be interested in Aunt Clara for her money. Ryan and Maggie research his background and find he’s had several wives who met with unfortunate “accidents” that left him wealthier. Now they have to convince Aunt Clara that her boyfriend is after more than just her pie recipes.

When Donald stumbles into Pie in the Sky and dies after being shot, Aunt Clara is devastated—and also a suspect, since everyone in Durham knows about Donald from Ryan’s newspaper article. Now Maggie and Ryan will have to prove that someone else in the long list of people he’d wronged finally got the courage to end his life.

It was instant love for me when I started reading the first book in this series, PLUM DEADLY, over a year ago. So, when TREACHEROUS TART released this past October, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! (Had to wait to read it though) I'm thrilled to finally be reading it!

The action in TREACHEROUS TART started on page one and hasn't stopped. Even as I type this, I'm looking forward to getting lost in the pages of this wonderful book!

If you have heard of Ellie Grant, she is non other that husband and wife author team, Joyce & Jim Lavene. Also check out their titles under their ohter pen name, J.J. Cook.  It's almost impossible to go wrong with a book by these wonderful authors. 

CHRISTMAS COZY

by Kathi Daley

Book 11 in the Zoe Donovan Mystery series

Christmas in Ashton Falls is always a magical time of year. The first big snow has arrived, the tree in the town square has been decorated, the window displays completed, and Hometown Christmas is just around the corner. Zoe finds herself knee deep in holiday shopping and Children’s wishes as she and Zak play host to nine year old Scooter Sherwood and his friend Alex. Although a bit hectic, the magic of Christmas is in full bloom and things couldn’t be more perfect until Zoe finds the body of history teacher Holly Jolly in the Ashton Falls High School Christmas Tree lot run by best friend Levi Denton and is pulled into a dangerous holiday investigation.

If you haven't read this series, or anything by Kathi Daley, it's time you did! Kathi has several wonderful series out, but I think I am most fond of the Zoe Donovan series. They are all around fun mysteries, with great characters. 

CHRISTMAS COZY is my favorite in the series so far. The fact that it is a Christmas mystery was sure to make it a favorite, but having two of my Mom's recipes in the book pushed this book into the favorites spot for sure! Just looking at those pages and seeing my Mom's name, Verma Doris Kelley, well, it just sends chills through me. Mom really would have been tickled with this. (I bet you can guess what all of my family (7 siblings) and friends are getting for Christmas from me! ;-)

And if having Mom's recipes in CHRISTMAS COZY wasn't enough, I make a cameo appearance (well, the characters speak of me), on page 32! Woo Hoo!

HOW TO THINK LIKE SHERLOCK

Improve Your Powers Of Observation, Memory and Deduction

by Daniel Smith

"You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear." Such were the words of the master detective Sherlock Holmes to Dr. Watson, as he noted how his friend failed to implement Holmes's techniques. With this guide readers will learn how to increase their powers of observation, memory, deduction, and reasoning. The book incorporates the latest techniques and theories across a range of topics: NLP, memory mapping, body language, information shifting, and speed reading—it will help readers look at the world in a new light, and more importantly, impress others. Packed full of case studies, quotes, and trivia from the original novels and short stories, it also includes a series of fun tasks and games that will ensure that readers will reach the end of the book thinking like the master of the science of deduction. They will never look at a shirt cuff, trouser hem, or scuff of dirt on a shoe in the same way again!

On a trip to Barnes & Noble (Or as my friend Paige calls it, the Mother Ship) last Sunday with my sister and our friend, I found the book, HOW TO THINK LIKE SHERLOCK. I sat it in my basket to check out once I got back to our table. I should point out that Barnes & Noble is over an hour away. When we do make a trip, we grab a table, commence to building a little nest. Drinks, magazines, and then on to the books with shopping basket in hand, and spend half the day there. Okay, back to HOW TO THINK LIKE SHERLOCK. I spotted it on one of the bargain tables and thought it looked fun. The introduction was interesting enough to me, that I put it my "to purchase" stack and moved on to my next item to peruse. 

Yesterday evening, while my sister was shopping, I finally got around to reading more of this book than just the introduction. I was surprised to find brain teasers in the book. Word and math problems. I started to mentally smack myself for not looking through the book more while in B&N. But as I sat there turning the pages, I began to really enjoy the challenges. I don't know about you, but my brain can use the stimulation. 

So, that's what I'm reading. 

How about you?

Please leave a comment and let me know what you're reading today.

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