Remembering Dolly Parton

 

There are some people who transcend a single role in life.  Dolly Parton was one of those people.

She was known for her music, her style, her movies, and her songwriting, but she was also a shrewd businesswoman and a philanthropist who cared about helping people. For example, she invested in an old amusement park to help bring jobs to the county where she grew up, a move that some found laughable. It became Dollywood, an economic engine that was voted the #1 amusement park in the nation in a 2025 TripAdvisor poll.

Dolly did more than write songs, amazing as those are. (And every mention of Dolly starts a new soundtrack in my head!) She wrote books as well, including her autobiography Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business, co-authored a cookbook with her sister Rachel called Good Lookin' Cookin', and co-authored a novel with James Patterson called Run Rose Run. Dolly also recorded a music CD by the same name with 12 songs inspired by the book.

One thing is mentioned over and over again in the tributes:  Dolly's Imagination Library.  Her dream of sending books to children from birth to age five was inspired by her father, whose inability to read or write limited his ability to achieve what he wanted.  The Imagination Library started in our region and quickly spread across the nation.  It's now even international, with Imagination Library branches in Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the UK. 

Dolly knew the power that reading can bestow.  She wanted to give that power to every child. Her family has requested that people who want to remember Dolly donate to her Imagination Library. 

Dolly Parton, we will always love you.

The library set up a display which includes a Dolly coloring sheet designed by IG @toylibrarian who gave permission for it to be copied and distributed. 

Nevermore: I See You've Called in Dead, The Cause, Fabulous Thru-Hike

 

Nevermore 7-21-26

 

Reported by Rita

I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney

Bud Stanley is an obituary writer who is afraid to live. Yes, his wife recently left him for a “far more interesting” man. Yes, he goes on a particularly awful blind date with a woman who brings her ex. And yes, he has too many glasses of Scotch one night and proceeds to pen and publish his own obituary. The newspaper wants to fire him. But now the company’s system has him listed as dead. And the company can’t fire a dead person. The ensuing fallout forces him to realize that life may be actually worth living. As Bud awaits his fate at work, his life hangs in the balance. Given another shot by his boss and encouraged by his best friend, Tim, a worldly and wise former art dealer, Bud starts to attend the wakes and funerals of strangers to learn how to live.

I thought this was good. The story was interesting and humorous, but also sad. I recommend it.     -WJ      5 stars

 

The Cause: The American Revolution and its Discontents, 1773-1783 by Joseph J. Ellis

Ellis explores the complexities of the American Revolution, challenging romanticized narratives and highlighting the diverse motivations behind the conflict.

This was well-written. It's less about the making of America and more about the money problems in Europe.      -AH      5 stars

  

A Fabulous Thru-Hike: 3,100 Miles on the Continental Divide Trail by Derick Lugo

New York City native Derick Lugo’s life changed in 2012 when he spontaneously decided to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. In the years that followed, he became an advocate for the outdoors and eventually set out on his second thru-hike--this time on the Continental Divide Trail, one of the most challenging long trails in the world.

It's good and quite funny.      -CD      4 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

King's Mountain by Sharyn McCrumb

Death on the Lanai by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

Close to Home by John McPherson

Tough Guy by Rachel Reid

Upon a Starlit Tide by Nell Woods

10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People: A Groundbreaking Approach to Leading the Next Generation―And Making Your Own Life Easier by David Yeager

 

 

New Books

 

The Family Dynamic by Susan Dominus

The Yankee Sphinx by Mark Frost

I Am Not a Robot by Joanna Stern

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

Tricks of Fortune by Lina Chern

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

When Katie True was a baby, her life was saved after a car crash by a policeman who rushed her to a hospital just in time.  Officer Pete became the hometown hero, the gallant cop who saved a baby and Katie.  . . well, she was the savee.  Her parents felt that meant she had been saved for a greater purpose and that her life was going to be amazing.

Flash forward a few decades and Katie is working for her younger sister in return for office space in which to ply her trade as a tarot card reader. The card business isn’t exactly booming and to make matters worse, Katie is not in the running for employee of the month at her sister’s real estate business even as the only employee. Let’s just say that Katie’s attention span may be limited.

Still, things could be worse. 

And then they get worse.

Officer Pete is found shot to death and the police are desperate to find the killer.  Their prime suspect is Gina, an ex-cop who is one of Katie’s only friends.  She’d be Gina’s friend, too, if Gina had friends but Gina is very much a law unto herself. Katie doesn’t know much about Gina’s past but she feels strongly that Gina didn’t murder Officer Pete and Katie is going to find out who did.

Following Katie True is sort of like going down a rabbit hole. Some people think she’s a total flake, but she’s not.  She can be stubborn and fixated, interpreting things through her cards. The cards aren’t exactly fortune telling but more revealing of character and personality, showing things in a person’s life that may not be obvious. This lets Kate see threads no one else does, make connections that no one else does, but most don’t take her seriously.

I found Katie to be a fascinating character.  Sure, she’s scattered, easily distracted, and a more than a bit socially awkward but she has that something, an otherworldliness and a caring heart even if she sees herself as always doomed to disappoint. The other characters were also intriguing and none are run-of-the mill.  Her brother Owen is even more neurodivergent, but brilliant in his field.  Jamie the cop is her near-opposite, hyper-focused but also dedicated to the truth.

Most of all, I was intrigued by the way she sees the stories in the cards.  The way she described them made me want to go find a deck and take a look for myself.

Definitely not your usual cozy mystery, but one I found enchanting nevertheless.  While the cards play a role, it isn't that there is supernatural intervention in this story.  They are used to hint at relationships and situations but are open to interpretation.  Katie also sometimes lets her own feelings cloud her judgment as well, letting the cards offer a suggestion of clarity.  I certainly didn’t see the ending coming but it felt entirely believable.

I don’t know that there will be a third one in this series, but I can hope!

Murder on Monday by Ann Purser

Reviewed by Jeanne

Lois Meade is a cleaner in the English village of Long Farden, doing for several families.  It’s a bit of a step up from Lois’ own Tresham neighborhood where she lives with her electrician husband, Derek, two school-age sons, and daughter Josie, who is going through the teen rebellion stage at the ripe old age of 14.  It’s almost a relief to go and clean for other people, though Lois has a strict set of boundaries and a strong sense of her own worth.  She’s not about to let anyone take advantage of her.

Still, she’s feels she might have more to offer so on impulse she looks into joining the police as a volunteer only to find that the police aren’t quite as enthusiastic. Miffed, Lois resolves to have nothing to do with them.  Besides, it turns out that part of the problem with Josie is that she’s been seeing a bit of a much older (and to Derek’s mind, quite unsuitable) boy named Melvyn.

Then a shocking murder takes place in Long Farden and it seems that some of Lois’ clients might be suspects and suddenly the police are very interested in what Lois might be able to learn as she cleans. On the one hand, Lois is miffed; on the other, it is very exciting to be part of an investigation, and she can’t help but wonder if maybe one of her clients might actually be involved:  surely not Dr. and Mrs. Rix, who are so kind, but maybe the too-full of himself professor?  Or the lady art gallery owner and her husband who have a very odd relationship? What about the vicar, who doesn’t seem to be very effective at his job? It couldn’t be the compassionate village nurse… could it?

While Lois is somewhat agreeable to working with Inspector Cowgill, she knows he isn’t telling her everything he know…which is why Lois isn’t telling him everything either.

This is the first in the Lois Meade series, a cozy from a bit of a different angle.  Lois isn’t an upper class lady who attends teas on a weekly basis, but a scrappy working class mother with rambunctious children and bills to pay.  It’s definitely a different sort of vibe for a British mystery and one which I found refreshing. Lois has her problems and isn’t best buds with her clients; she’s always had to make her own way.  Derek is much the same.  Lois is intelligent but also can be prickly, making her a more realistic heroine than some I’ve encountered.  I also liked that the police are competent and on the job, even though Lois sometimes has her doubts.

I enjoyed the book and will be visiting with Lois again.

Nevermore: Unlikely Thru-Hiker, When the Cranes Fly South, Death on the Lanai

 

Nevermore 7-14-26       Reported by Rita

 

The Unlikely Thru-Hiker: An Appalachian Trail Journey by Derick Lugo

Derick Lugo had never been hiking. He didn't even know if he liked being outside all that much. He certainly couldn't imagine going more than a day without manicuring his goatee. But with a job overseas cut short and no immediate plans, this fixture of the greater New York comedy circuit began to think about what he might do with months of free time and no commitments. He had heard of the Appalachian Trail and knew of its potential for danger and adventure, but he had never seriously considered attempting to hike all 2,190 miles of it. Until that summer left him with a wide-open schedule and a burning curiosity to know: Could he do it? The Unlikely Thru-Hiker is the story of how a young black man from the city, unfamiliar with both the outdoors and thru-hiking culture, sets off with an extremely overweight pack and a willfully can-do attitude to conquer the infamous trail. What follows are lessons on preparation, humility, and nature's wild unpredictability. But this isn't a hard-nosed memoir of discouragement. What sets Lugo apart from the typical walk in the woods is his refusal to let any challenge squash his inner Pollyanna. Through it all, Lugo perseveres with humor, tenacity, and an unshakeable commitment to grooming--earning him the trail name "Mr. Fabulous"--that sees him from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Katahdin in Maine.

I thought this was a wonderful adventure. I really liked it.      -VC       5 stars

 

When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzen

Bo is running out of time. Yet time is one of the few things he’s got left. These days, his quiet existence is broken up only by daily visits from his home care team. Fortunately, he still has his beloved elkhound Sixten to keep him company, though now his son, with whom Bo has had a rocky relationship, insists upon taking the dog away, claiming that Bo has grown too old to properly care for him. The threat of losing Sixten stirs up a whirlwind of emotion, leading Bo to take stock of his life, his relationships, and the imperfect way he’s expressed his love over the years.

It was short, quick, and sad. I didn't really find the main character relatable.     -MH      4 stars

 

Death on the Lanai by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

Continue the fun that began with Murder by Cheesecake in this an all-new Golden Girls cozy mystery When the Girls accept a very strange invitation to a lavish party on a remote island estate, they find that murder has a way of ruining even the most glamorous of evenings. The invite delivered to 6151 Richmond Street was short on details, only promising to celebrate the greatest artist of the century and accompanied by a jewel-encrusted brooch--the whole package a brand of mysterious opulence that another Saturday night of gin rummy just can't match. Blanche Devereaux's passionate dalliances are as plentiful as hot Southern nights, and surely one can't be expected to remember all of one's suitors. But when the Girls disembark the party's ferry at a small Biscayne Bay island and meet their secretive host, the memories come flooding back: she a Radio City Rockette in her twenties, he the poor artist who could offer her nothing but his love. Fate drove them apart, but Declan, now a famous artist El Toro, professes that Blanche has always been his muse. Featured prominently in his artworks and central to El Toro's return to the apex of the art world, Blanche is thrilled to have been such an inspiring figure to this man. But looking around at a party filled with those who have made their livings off the artist's fame--his assistant, his art dealer, his greatest critic, and more--Dorothy isn't so sure they're welcome on the island after all. When a tropical storm knocks power out across the island, an optimistic Blanche proclaims that everyone looks better by candlelight anyway. But when Declan is found dead the next morning, all eyes are on her, his supposed muse of thirty-plus years. Trapped at the estate with the other guests--suspects all--the Girls must band together to find the true killer and get back to pleasant evenings of card games and cheesecake.

This book was really good - fun and exciting.    -MS     stars

  

Other Books Mentioned

Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, #1) by James Patterson

Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by Steve Dublanica,

Buzz by Mary Roach

The Housekeeper's Tale - The Women Who Really Ran the English Country House by Tessa Boase

10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People: A Groundbreaking Approach to Leading the Next Generation--And Making Your Own Life Easier by David Yeager

The Bookshop Summer by Stephanie Butland

Marilyn and Her Books: The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe by Gail Crowther

 

 

New Books

 

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson

Daughters of the Sun and Moon by Lisa See

Disaster Prepping for Dummies by David E. Stevens

1,000 Days in America by Michael Beschloss

The Last Gifts of the Universe by Riley August

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Scout, brother Kieran, and their cat Pumpkin are trying to save the world.  Their civilization has finally achieved space travel but what awaits is a series of dead worlds, all ravaged by some force or being—and it appears to still be moving.  It’s only a matter of time before the destroyer comes for them.  Scout is an Archivist, one of those who visits these dead worlds, searching for information left behind that might help save the Home worlds.  These data caches are also sought by others, who don’t want to share.  Equipped with only adequate technology, Scout and company forge ahead, trying to use their wits and talents make up the difference.

On one such world, Scout is able to make a partial copy of a cache before it’s taken from them.  On it is a holographic recording from a being who experienced the coming of the deadly entity, bringing Scout face to face with a being from the past.  But will it help Scout save what matters most?

Sunyi Dean’s recommendation for the book included the line, “Come for the cat, stay for the story,” which pretty much sums up why I picked this title up. As advertised, Pumpkin is an absolutely adorable astro-cat with very cat-like behaviors. But as is mentioned several times, space is no place for a cat and there were several times I feared for our furry space cadet but (spoiler alert) he survives.

There’s action for those so inclined and a definite threat of menace, but at its heart this is a thoughtful, warm, and tender book about discovering the meaning of life. While that may sound heavy, it really isn’t. And you don’t have to be a science fiction fan to enjoy it.

A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Famed detective Hercule Poirot is troubled when he receives a note questioning his skills and threatening crimes to come.  The author signs his name A.B.C. and challenges Poirot to stop a crime the writer is going to commit.  While the police and even his friend Hastings chalk the note up to someone playing a prank, Poirot is troubled.

It soon seems his fear is well founded as a woman with the initials A. A. is found murdered in a village whose name also starts with A. The police begin questioning her family, friends, and associates, but why an elderly shopkeeper would have been murdered and nothing stolen remains a puzzle.

When a second note arrives, followed by a second murder with location and victim having names that start with B, Poirot redoubles his efforts.  If he can’t find the murderer soon, there may be a whole alphabet of murders to contend with.

Classic fair play mysteries are my jam.  I discovered Agatha Christie in sixth or seventh grade and worked my way through most of her works. I especially loved Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, and the one book of Harley Quin stories (no, not the one from the comics!)

Later when I moved into more contemporary mysteries, I found that many just dismissed Agatha Christie.  She wasn’t literate enough or hard boiled enough or violent enough.  Other writers were held in much higher esteem.  Several decades on, many of those esteemed writers have all but vanished from the general public’s consciousness, but Dame Agatha still looms large. Why?

There are many theories but I think it’s because her  books are very entertaining and have held up well.  True, the books are now historical because of the time that has elapsed, bringing changes to attitudes, customs, and especially technology, but the clever plots, deft character sketches, and inviting the reader to follow the clues still makes for pleasurable reading.

Reading the books as an adult, I find many things that went over my head as a child but now have new meaning.  I find the era in which she wrote to be very intriguing. Things that were ordinary and common at the time are now exotic.  For example, I remember that Miss Marple knew the meanings of flowers and often decoded a message from a bouquet, which baffled me at the time but now delights me.  I may have read a book or two on Victorian flower language because of this.

Most of all, I appreciate Dame Agatha’s skill at plotting and leaving clues for the reader.  In this book, I was able to pick up some of them but I didn’t have the full picture.  I cared about what happened to some of her characters while being a tad suspicious of them at the same time. The plots themselves are inventive, intriguing, and most of all, memorable. 

I’m happy to note that more of her titles are being reprinted and, I hope, are attracting new readers to the Queen of Crime.