The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #4) by Carolyn Keene

The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #4, 200 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from StoryGraph)

Nancy and her friend Helen visit their friend Emily Willouby at the Lilac Inn, which Emily now owns, to help her plan her wedding. Emily plans on selling inherited diamonds in order to help fix up the Lilac Inn. However, Nancy soon learns that someone has been impersonating her and making expensive purchases under her name. Soon after, Emily's diamonds are stolen! Can Nancy find the thieves and recover the missing diamonds?

Death of a Groom (Hamish Macbeth #38) by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green

Death of a Groom (Hamish Macbeth #38) by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green-222 pages

⭐⭐⭐.75/5

It is February and the Scottish Highlands village of Lochdubh has been turned into a winter wonderland by an unexpected snowstorm.

Sergeant Hamish Macbeth has his work cut out trying to keep the roads in the village open - something that is made all the more difficult when an influx of outsiders arrive in Lochdubh for a high-society wedding.

The wedding is taking place at Tommel Castle Hotel on Valentine's Day and it promises to be one of the most extravagant events the village has ever seen. The bride is the daughter of Colonel George Halburton-Smythe, the hotel's owner.

But on the night of the wedding - just when the ceilidh dancing is getting started - the groom is found dead in the dining room, with the cake-cutting sword plunged into his chest.

Hamish suddenly has a murder investigation on his hands - and one with a very long list of suspects. Access to the village is shut down, so that no one can leave until the case is closed.

But with the rumour mill at Lochdubh in overdrive and multiple theories abound, can Hamish separate fact from fiction in order to catch the killer?

Thoughts: I typically enjoy a "visit" to Lochdubh and a murder mystery involving Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth. I did enjoy this one. I wasn't sure who did the killing until near the end, which I like. If you haven't read any of this series before and you enjoy mysteries, then I would recommend this series, especially if you like mysteries set in other countries. 
 

Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind by Nate Bargatze

 

Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind by Nate Bargatze - 240 pages

Nate Bargatze used to be a genius. That is, until the summer after seventh grade when he slipped, fell off a cliff, hit his head on a rock, and “my skull got, like, dented or something.” Before this accident, he dreamed of being “an electric engineer, or a doctor that does brain stuff, or a math teacher who teaches the hardest math on earth.” Afterwards, all he could do was stand-up comedy.* But the “brain stuff” industry’s loss is everyone else’s gain because Nate went on to become one of today’s top-grossing comedians, breaking both attendance and streaming records. 
In his highly anticipated first book, Nate talks about life as a non-genius. From stories about his first car (named Old Blue, a clunky Mazda with a tennis ball stick shift) and his travels as a Southerner (Northerners like to ask if he believes in dinosaurs), to tales of his first apartment where he was almost devoured by rats and his many debates with his wife over his chores, his diet, and even his definition of “shopping.” He also reflects on such heady topics as his irrational passion for Vandy football and the mysterious origins of sushi (how can a California roll come from old-time Japan?). 

BIG DUMB EYES is full of heart. It will make readers laugh out loud and nod in recognition, but it probably won’t make them think too much.

*Nate’s family disputes this entire story. 

I listened to this on audiobook.  Normally comedian books read by the author are good but this was hard to get through.  I think some of the stories could be good, but he does not read it well.  This one was just ok.

Hide and Don't Seek: And Other Very Scary Stories by Anica Mrose Rissi

 

Hide and Don't Seek: And Other Very Scary Stories by Anica Mrose Rissi - 224 pages

A contemporary collection of original short stories by Anica Mrose Rissi that is sure to elicit chills, laughs, and screams, even from the most devoted fans of 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark'!

A game of hide-and-seek goes on far too long…

A look-alike doll makes itself right at home…

A school talent-show act leaves the audience aghast…

And a summer at camp takes a turn for the braaaains...

This collection of all-new spooky stories is sure to keep readers up past their bedtimes, laughing, gasping, and looking over their shoulders to see what goes bump in the night.

So, if you're feeling brave, turn the page.

Cute short stories, some are actually pretty good

Freakishly Creepy Creatures by Megan Cooley Peterson

 

Freakishly Creepy Creatures by Megan Cooley Peterson - 32 pages

Lots of teeth. Long legs. Beady eyes. You'll see the animals in this book are far from cute and cuddly. Outstanding photos combined with high-interest text perfectly supports reluctant or struggling readers.

Some creepy creatures indeed...

The World's Most Haunted Places by Matt Chandler

 The World's Most Haunted Places by Matt Chandler - 32 pages

Imagine visiting a place where a gruesome murder or a terrible battle once occurred. Do the spirits of the victims still haunt the halls? Are the ghosts of dead soldiers still wandering the countryside? Enter the most haunted places imaginable, and learn what happened to the people who are said to still linger in them.

Cute and simple read.  

Villains are Destined to Die, Volume 7

Villains are Destined to Die, Volume 7 - 320 pages

SUOL, Gwon Gyeoeul (Original Creator), Chiho Christie (Letterer), David Odell (Translator), Ah Cho (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

A villain living life in hard mode... whose every path leads to death."

Playing Daughter of the Duke Love Project as the easy mode heroine, Ivonne, makes charming the male characters a breeze. But once you switch to hard mode and step into the shoes of Penelope, the misunderstood villain, it’s nearly impossible to even stay alive! So imagine the shock of suddenly waking up in Penelope’s body―you know right away that your life is on the line. With love interests who will kill you if their affection meters drop too low and the inability to speak without choosing from pre-selected dialogue, it quickly becomes clear that Penelope’s chances have been rigged from the start―and this villain might just be destined to die!

Review

Things really seem to be going from bad to worse!  With how much Penelope pushes away everyone around her, I'm back to theorizing she's going to be (at least for a while) portrayed as a villain in spite of/because of her efforts to defy her fate.