Nevermore: Rick's Cafe, Moonshine Mystery, Karin Fossum, and Cats

Summary by Jeanne

Rick’s Café is the true story of how one woman decided to bring a bit of movie lore into reality.  Author Kathy Kriger was a diplomat assigned to Morocco when she decided to try to create a real café modeled after the one in the classic film Casablanca. Starting a business is never easy; being a foreigner and especially a woman, made the task all the more difficult.  Our reader found her to be near heroic and said the book, while slim, made for a fascinating read. A second reader complained that it was slow going but persevered, especially after watching the movie.

Many of our readers have enjoyed Scandinavian authors who became popular after Steig Larsson’s Girl With the Dragon Tattoo took off.  One of our readers had just finished his first book by Karin Fossum and had stared his second.  The Caller features her long time detective, Inspector Sejer, investigating a series of increasingly nasty pranks. Our reader said it was every bit as good as the first one.  The characters are very well developed.

A Nip of Murder by Carol Miller is the second in the Moonshine Mystery Series set in the hills of Virginia.  Daisey McGovern has opened her dream bakery and things are going quite well… until some thieves steal 90 pounds of cream cheese.  Even worse, one of them manages to get himself killed in the process. The second book is every bit as good as the first.  Miller uses humor to good effect without going over the top, and avoids being condescending about the rural setting.  Our reader recommended it.  You don’t have to have read the first book to enjoy this one.

Cats just seem to inspire redecorating.  Jackson Galaxy’s new book Catification has some good tips that are worth sharing about cats, cat behavior, and how human habitation fits into those plans.    However, Bob and Frances Walker were pioneers in decorating for felines and humans.  Their house has been featured on several TV programs and the library has two books featuring gorgeous photographs:  The Cats’ House and Cats Into Everything.  Bob is a gifted photographer and some of the shots have to be seen to be believed. Cat lovers should definitely treat themselves to these books!