Clairvoyant and Present Danger - the third Bay Island Psychic Mystery

Nancy, Bess, and George....oops, wait...I mean, Cass, Bee, and Stephanie are back to solve yet another murder in the used-to-be quiet little town of Bay Island. Picking up this book was like reconnecting with old friends, and I literally smiled as I listened to the banter of the characters, and my heart melted when their relationships shined through the adversities thrown their way this time around. Author Lena Gregory has a magnificent way with words, and she knows how to bring her characters - ALL of them - to life in such a way that you get lost in their world and forget that it is just written words on a page.

Clairvoyant and Present Danger is the third Bay Island Psychic Mystery, and Gregory has certainly not lost any of her steam. It's springtime on Bay Island, and with the summer tourist season just around the corner, Cass's shop, along with all the other storefronts along the boardwalk, are gearing up for a busy time. Cass has already been having trouble sleeping, what with the voice that she keeps hearing crying out for help. But then a rather gruff man by the name of Artie Becker shows up and asks for her help.  (And yes, I too had to wonder if that name is a play on Corbin Bernsen's character from L.A. Law - Arnie Becker.)  His daughter has been missing, and the police are not accomplishing anything. A bit reluctant, Cass agrees to do a reading, but gets more than she bargained for when she starts to see the image of the woman she has been seeing in her dreams - is that his daughter? Did something happen to her?

Well, anyone who has read this series knows that Cass is going to fall into the middle of something, and sure enough, it's not long before she follows the vision of this woman out onto the sand dunes - where Beast (her oversized dog) brings her back a bone that he has dug up. A human bone. And thus starts Cass's latest foray into the world of murder and mystery. She tries to stay out of it, but the woman keeps appearing to her, crying out for help. And then Cass sees a portrait of the woman in the window display for the new art gallery on the boardwalk. It is the same woman with the old fashioned collared dress - but the painting has the woman wearing a necklace. The owner of the art gallery is somewhat reluctant to give her information on the painting, other than to tell her that someone posed for it and never came back to get it.

The mystery keeps the reader guessing, because there is so much going on around Cass that it is easy to get distracted. Stephanie seems to be having issues, but she doesn't want to talk about it. Luke and Cass have been finding it harder and harder to find time to spend together, and Cass is wondering if perhaps she needs to cut her losses while she can. Cass is also getting ready to open up the second floor of her shop for group readings. And Beast - dear, lovable, destructive Beast - has been causing more and more problems, and it's time that she get him into obedience school before someone really gets hurt. Oh, and then there's the small problem of the two gossip that has been spreading around that Cass led the police to the body because she saw a ghost that pointed her in that direction! And the fact that a second body was also found, not far from the first...

Cass really wants to stay out of it, but fate seems to have other plans. Arnie Becker pays her another visit, wanting to know more about the second body. And a young man comes into the shop wanting her to find a necklace for him - but when she steps away for a moment, she comes back to find him going through her appointment book. To make things stranger, when she begins to give him a reading, he becomes nervous and bolts out of there. Nothing makes sense, and the more she sees the ghostly visage of the mysterious woman, the more Cass realizes the only way she can get any peace is to figure out what's going on.

There is a lot of characterization for Cass, Stephanie, Bee, Luke, and Tank in this book, and that is part of the charm of this series. The more I get to know about these characters, the more I fall in love with them and want to know more. They have become like family, and it makes me long for more stories about them. The murder mystery this time is well-plotted, as there are several twists and turns, several red herrings, and a surprise confrontation at the end. Plus, I like the fact that Cass's psychic abilities have gone from merely intuition to actual "sightings" and more actual psychic powers - she's no longer Shawn from Psych, but a full-fledged Allison from Medium (so to speak).

Definitely looking forward to the next book!

RATING:  10 pieces of filmy blue lingerie out of 10 for keeping the mysteries unique and the characters developing, making each read a real treasure!

Goldie Vance, Book One - The Hotel Whodunit

From the comic page to the prose novel, sixteen-year old Goldie Vance makes the jump into her very own mystery series! I was first introduced to this plucky young detective in the BOOM! Studios comic book series, which then graduated into a graphic novel series, and now, through Little Brown Young Readers, has become a series of prose mystery novels, and I could not be more thrilled! The comics have been very enjoyable, so the idea of reading a full-length novel, with the opportunity for a more in-depth mystery is definitely one I can get behind.

Goldie Vance is the creation of Hope Larson and Brittney Williams - but, interestingly enough, neither of them are involved with this book. That doesn't matter, though, because the writer and artist fully capture Goldie's world and the wonderful characters therein. The Hotel Whodunit is written by Lilliam Rivera, with illustrations by Elle Power (incorrectly identified as Elle Powers on the back of the book). The cover, as well as the limited pages of comic art story in the book, so closely resemble Williams' rendition of the title character that one might not even realize Power is not the original artist for Goldie Vance! And Rivera's writing?  Well, that's spot on!

This first mystery finds Goldie becoming enthralled with the whole Hollywood lifestyle! A movie is being made at the Crossed Palms Resort (where her father works, and where Goldie herself works as a valet attendant and part-time hotel detective's assistant), and the star of the film is a big hush-hush secret that even the staff are not to be aware of - but, anyone who knows Goldie knows that she's going to plant herself right in the middle of the action and nothing will be a secret that she can't uncover! And uncover she does, when she steps in to help the actress when she trips and nearly falls - and immediately endears herself to Delphine Lucerne, a/k/a "the Temptress of the Ocean." She will be playing the queen of all mermaids in the film and she is to wear a crown jewel bathing cap that is worth a small fortune! She begs Walter Tooey, the hotel detective, to let her help, and of course, he relents.  But then the unthinkable happens...

During filming at the Mermaid Club, where Goldie's mom works and has been cast as an extra mermaid in the film, the lights go out - and when they come back on, the jeweled swim cap is gone! Goldie's mother was the last person to touch it and see it, so naturally, she becomes suspect number one. Goldie knows her mom didn't do it, but she must race against time to clear her mom's name before she not only loses her job in the movie, but also her job at the Mermaid Club!  Was it the local nosy reporter, Scoops, looking to create some news of his own? Or was it the mean-spirited director who doesn't seem to be happy with anything? Or was a jealous co-star who wanted her own shot at stardom? Or was it the costumer who doesn't seem happy with the production company? So many suspects and so little time.

Once everything clicks, Goldie must insinuate herself into the production in order to catch the crook before he/she manages to get away with the swim cap! But, as always, she creates quite the catastrophe, all culminating in a fun-filled climactic show down that reveals more than a few secrets among the cast and crew of the film!

Rivera is definitely a true fan of Goldie Vance, for she captures the characterization and the world so perfectly - I have no doubt that Larson and Williams are very proud of this novel.  It is a great way to pay homage to such a wonderful creation, and I'm thrilled to know a second book in this series is already scheduled!  For mystery fans or Goldie Vance comic fans, this is a must-read novel!

RATING:  10 heavy statues of Neptune out of 10 for expanding the world of Goldie Vance to a whole new realm of readers with the perfect jumping-on point for new fans!

Star Power - TBP Vol 4 - Star Power and the Lonely War

Star Power has to be the most under-rated comic book out there today. With super strong story telling, beautiful art, engaging stories, and characters you actually grow to care about, this series of graphic novels is probably one of the best comics out there - and if you aren't reading it, then you are truly missing out!  I first picked it up at a comic convention, and I've been faithfully searching these guys out at every convention and buying the new books as they come out because I am dying to know what happens next!

Star Power and the Lonely War is the fourth book in the series, and it takes our hero to uncharted territory - both literally and figuratively. Danica Maris has the Star Power, and with those abilities, the Millennium Federation has grown to depend on her. But now Danica has the opportunity to take on a whole new mission - to take a trip beyond the known galaxy. It is a huge unknown, and she will not have her friends and the Federation to back her up - is she ready for such responsibility?  And what happens when a distress signal leads her to a planet in the middle of a civil war? How will she decide which side is right and which side is the enemy? Or will something happen to make that choice for her?

Terracciano provides plenty of drama and adventure as Danica explores these new regions - and along the way, she has to get used to the upgrade that her Star Power seems to be giving her. She has no idea what this upgrading of her powers means or how it will affect her, but one thing is for sure - it makes for a wild ride!  Meanwhile, as with every story so far, there is more going on than just Danica's space exploration. Burke Tacken has been brought aboard, and Grex must interrogate him - will she have the strength to face a Void Angel, and how will this interrogation change her?  At the same time, Din Ailua is gaining all the insight she can from Legionnaire T.O.M., who may be the last sentinel to have any knowledge regarding the Star Power sentinels - but what will she do when she discovers that "Old Tom" has explicit orders to kill Danica is she does not measure up and found worthy to bear the Star Power?

Oh, yeah, there's also the fun clips of Psi-Cop, the over-dramatized television show about a sexy male police officer with psychic abilities that Danica's friends can't help themselves but watch. After all, every good space opera needs some humor in it, right?

Graham's art is as exceptional as always, and I think he did an outstanding job on the facial expressions with this book, especially those of Burke Tacken - a man who is dealing with the internal struggle of what he's done, what he's discovered he's been doing, and how he is going to deal with it. That struggle is so clearly seen on the page with every panel Burke is in - his eyes, his jaw, his entire demeanor in the panel gives so much more expression than any words ever could.  I can't imagine that is an easy thing to do, but Graham does it so effortlessly - makes reading the book worthwhile just for that portion of the story!

The only thing I can say I did not like about the book was the cover - and not because of the art, because that, in and of itself, was gorgeous! No, I didn't like the cover because it is a major spoiler! It gives away something very important about the story that I would have liked to have seen kept as a surprise - but, that is only a minor thing and doesn't truly detract from my enjoyment of the book, the characters, and the story!

RATING:  9 surprise mind javelins out of 10 for making comics like they should be made - with good, strong stories, appealing art, light-hearted yet filled with drama and adventure! This is what comics should be!

Knightley & Son - Book Three: 3 of a Kind

Finally! After literally years of waiting for this book to become available again through Amazon, I was finally able to get the final installment of the Knightly & Son series. The first two books were fairly decent reads, and knowing this will conclude the Knightleys battle with the evil Combination, I really wanted to read it.  Now, I've had the chance, and I can say with all sincerity that it was worth the wait.

3 of a Kind starts off a bit rocky - Darkus is no longer doing detecting work with his father (leaving that to his step-sister, Tilly), and he is trying to lead the normal life of a teenager. Of course, life has a way of messing up even the best laid plans, and before you know it, the Knightley's housekeeper, Bogna, has gone missing after going on a date with someone she met on a dating app - someone who, quite frankly, doesn't really exist.  Knightley, Tilly, and Uncle Bill have Underwood in custody, so does that mean the Combination is still running without their leader? And just what information does Underwood have about Tilly's dead mother? And what does the code mean that Underwood spouts out before he puts himself into a self-induced coma? And will Darkus help out his father and step-sister when he finds out that Bogna's life is in danger?

Author Rohan Gavin gives readers a thrill ride that takes his characters on a cross-Atlantic adventure as the detectives come to America to search for Bogna. There is plenty of action, plenty of mystery, and plenty of drama, with a splash of humor here and there for good measure. The story is thoroughly enjoyable and brings to a satisfying conclusion some of the mysteries that have been building since the first novel.

The only drawback to the story is, from the moment they set out to head to America, the constant need to explain every term and word used! An EMP I can somewhat understand, as a younger reader may not automatically know that is an electromagnetic pulse. Los Angeles means City of Angels ... "fanny pack" ... shotgun means someone taking the front passenger seat ... a parking brake is a handbrake in England ... a trunk is called a boot in England ... POTUS is the abbreviation for President of the United States ... motel is a combination of "motor" and "hotel" ... a screenplay is a blueprint for a movie ... and so on, and so on, and so on. It begins to grow a bit tedious having every single thing explained. To a certain degree, it feels like an insult to the reader, as if the reader would never understand any of these things or is incapable of looking things up.

Otherwise, the mystery was ingenious - a plot devised by the Combination to lure Knightley and his son into a trap of their making - and after escaping numerous scenarios that could have resulted in their deaths, they finally make it to their final destination - but will that turn out to be literal? And just who is the surprise person who has been behind all of these machinations and what is that person's true goal?  The reader will certainly not see it coming, that's for sure!

A fairly decent three-book series, and I have no doubt that the intended audience (age level) will find the books thoroughly engaging.

RATING:  7 flame-throwing hair dryers out of 10 for providing a nice resolution to the story of Knightley and his son (while leaving room for more adventures if Gavin so chooses to write any...)

The Nancys - the first Nancy Drew-Inspired Mystery

This book came recommended through a Facebook group to which I belong. I am a huge Nancy Drew fan, as anyone who knows me can attest, so any books that feature Nancy Drew heavily in them, I am more than excited about picking up and reading. So, when I heard about this book, I immediately went to Amazon to buy it - only problem is, I couldn't find it on Amazon. In fact, I couldn't find it on any American site. Come to find out, it was only published overseas. Sooooo, a good friend who was ordering a copy for herself went ahead and ordered a copy for me, too! I got it some time ago, and with this wonderful quarantine in effect, I've been catching up on so many books, and this happens to be one of them.

The Nancys, written by R.W.R. McDonald, is the story of 11-year old Tippy Chan, who not-so-long-ago lost her father in a tragic accident. As Christmas approaches (the first one without her father), Tippy's Uncle Pike (her mother's brother) and his boyfriend, Devon come for a visit to watch Tippy while her mothers goes on a two-week cruise, and suddenly, Tippy's life is turned upside down. First, one of her good friends, Todd, falls from a bridge and is in the hospital in a coma (just as her father was before he died). Then, she witnesses two teachers from her school get into a nasty fight outside of the hospital where Todd is. Then, the body turns up - without a head and without any clothes! And if all of this weren't enough, her uncle and his boyfriend are busy helping her rebellious next door neighbor, Melanie, win the local beauty pageant. What's an 11-year old girl to do?

Why, take up the mantle of her favorite sleuth, Nancy Drew, and solve the mystery of who murdered her headless teacher?!?!

Before going any further, I should warn you - this book is not for the faint-at-heart, nor for anyone who is easily offended. The characters are not afraid to express their feelings with expletives (including the f-bomb), and the book is replete with sexual innuendoes and references. In addition, Uncle Pike and Devon are over-the-top stereotypes of a bear and a flamboyant interior decorator, respectively, who always refer to one another as "she" and "her." Now, these things could be taken in two ways - one, as offensive and stereotypical, or two, as poking a bit of fun at reader's expectations and having a blast with it. For me, it was definitely the second choice! The curse words and sexual references in the first couple of pages nearly turned me off of the book (considering the main character is only 11-years old!!!), but the further I read into the book, the more I realized it was meant to be over-the-top, and the author carefully plays the innuendoes so that while we adult readers may get the joke, 11-year old Tippy doesn't get the meaning.  And Devon often enough says, "Inapprops!" at Uncle Pike's off-color comments.

All that being said, the mystery itself is quite a doozy! Someone has killed Tippy's teacher. Now, mind you, this teacher was a bit of a witch (with a "b') and did not exactly treat anyone with kindness, so her death may not be as much of a loss to the community as it otherwise could have been; however, to leave the poor woman headless and with no clothes (except for one shoe) is a bit too far. The prime suspect is the other teacher with whom she had a fight with in front of the hospital, and soon enough, the dead woman's scalp is found on Sally Homer's house, it is enough for the police to arrest her.  Case closed! Or, is it?

Tippy sees this murder (and her mom's absence) as a chance to be her hero, Nancy Drew. She has read all of her uncle's Nancy Drew books that were handed down to her, and she is ready to find out the truth and solve the mystery! With the help of Uncle Pike and Devon, the three form "The Nancys," and they set out to find clues and uncover the truth behind her teacher's death. But this is not a typical Nancy Drew mystery, and true danger abounds at every turn. Everyone is a suspect, and the one eyewitness, a five-year old girl who is nothing but a spoiled brat, may be the only one who can offer the clue needed to find the true murderer.  Of course, when Tippy's mom comes home early and they accuse the wrong person of the crime, Tippy's days as a sleuth may be at an end.

But what about those white origami flowers...?

McDonald writes a fun-filled, through-provoking mystery filled with humor, plenty of red herrings, and even some heart-touching moments.  Every character has his or her moment, and it seems everyone has secrets that come to light over the course of the book.  The book is nearly 400 pages long, but trust me - it is so engaging, you'll be turning page after page to get to the end, and once there, you'll be wishing there was more!  In two words:  highly recommend!

RATING:  10 plastic snail cellotape dispensers out of 10 for giving us a group of sleuths that definitely break the stereotype and offer some humor and drama along the way!

Canteen Kate - The Collected Edition

Matt Baker, who is probably most well-known for his work on the character Phantom Lady for Fox publications back in the day, also drew a lesser known strip for some of St. John Publishing Company's war comics - Canteen Kate. Running from late 1951 to the beginning of 1953, Canteen Kate appeared in a total of 13 comics: eight issues of Fightin' Marines, three issues of her own comic book, and her last appearance in the first issue of Anchors Andrews, cover dated January 1953. The stories were fun, showcasing the crazy antics of Canteen Kate and her boyfriend, Marine Private Al Brown.

I honestly had never heard of this character, and likely never would have had a friend not turned me on to some of the war-themed mystery books published by Whitman books back in the '40s. While doing some searching online to find those books, I stumbled across this little gem and figured it was worth a try.  And without a doubt, it was WELL worth the try!  The art of Matt Baker is exceptional, and while not the flashy T&A art that was so prevalent in the Phantom Lady comics, it definitely displays his talent as an artist for drawing people and faces so well.

The stories in Fightin' Marines were all six pages, except the last one, which was only five pages. But those pages were jam-packed with story and zaniness, as Kate inevitably involved Al in some lame-brained scheme of hers, which invariably would up with Al in the brig! Such simple things as "borrowing" an air conditioning unit from the major's barrack to sewing better-fitting fatigues for her boyfriend turn into major catastrophes for Canteen Kate, as she always bungles things up. Quite frankly, these short little stories read very much like an episode from a '60s television show, where the best of intentions usually lead to a world of trouble, but things work out in the end. In fact, now that I think about it, Kate and Al read very much like Lucy and Ethel!

The three issues of Canteen Kate comic ran simultaneously with her last three appearances in issues 7, 8, and 9 of Fightin' Marines.  Canteen Kate featured four or more short stories, ranging from single page quickies to nine-page romps. Her first issue even featured a two page prose tale that was apparently printed on the inside front and back covers.  The stories are most definitely a product of their time, as some of the characters, particularly the children depicted, would be deemed racist by today's standards - however, reading them in the context of the time, they create humorous situations for poor Kate and Al to find themselves in time and time again.

One thing I did notice while reading these stories is that despite Kate's nutty nature, she is definitely, by far, a strong female lead. She knows what she wants and goes for it (although usually not in the best of ways!), and she is never afraid to express her opinion, nor does she back down from a man, even one in authority (which, in the 1950s when these stories were written, was not acceptable behavior of a lady). As such, it made reading the stories that much better, particularly in light of my love of female comic book characters.

All in all, this is a winning book and a definite must read for comic fans who enjoy a bit of humor in the comics!

RATING:  10 mysteriously missing bugles out of 10 for good, clean fun in comic form!

Samantha Wolf Mysteries, Book Six - A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island

It feels good to get back into the world of Samantha Wolf and her friends. Although it always takes me a bit to really get into each of these books (less because of the story and more because of the present-tense narrative which is difficult to swallow when 99% of the books I read are all written in the standard past tense), but by the half-way mark, I get accustomed to it and don't notice it as much. Plus, by the half-way point, the story is starting to reach its crescendo, the girls are fully delving into the mystery, and there is considerably more action!

A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island is set - big surprise! - over the Christmas break. The girls are out of school for the holiday, and Sam and Ally get invited to visit their friend, Sandy Hollingsworth, on Orcas Island. The girls originally met Sandy back in the second book of this series, when they solved a mystery at Camp Whispering Pines (and the book indicates that the camp was "the summer before," indicating that time is definitely moving forward for these characters in this series). It's nice to see that author Tara Ellis does not create throw-away characters. The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books are famous for introducing "good friends" of the sleuths into various books, who seem to be central to that particular mystery, but then those characters are never seen, heard from, or even mentioned ever again (despite their "good friend" status). So, to have a series where characters are mentioned or, better yet, re-appear from time to time creates a believable world that is considerably enjoyable to read and fall into.

The mystery is not apparent at first - in fact, Ellis gives readers a major red herring - well, actually, TWO major red herrings regarding the mystery with which Sam, Ally, and Sandy will become involved. Why are Adam and Cece acting so strange? What was the conversation Sam overheard? Who is the strange Bikeman that was watching them on the Ferry? Are the flashes of red that Sam keeps seeing in the woods really the ghost of "Alice"? What is the mysterious project that Sandy's father is working on? So many questions, and Ally thought this trip to Orcas Island was going to be a nice, relaxing break. She should have known better, since mystery always has a way of following Samantha Wolf wherever she goes!

One thing about this story that makes it special is the fact that Orcas Island is a real place off the coast of Washington state, as is the village of Eastsound on the island. The Moran Mansion, named Rosario, also exists in the real world, and the legend of Alice the ghost is actually real (the legend - whether she does actually appear or not is a whole 'nother story!). Thus, while the mystery itself and the characters are all a work of fiction, the real setting gives the story a measure of believability that draws the reader in. And when that snow storm hits, trapping Sam, Ally, and Sandy on the freezing cold island with a desperate criminal who will do just about anything to succeed in his/her plan - well, let's just say it results in a kidnapping, an assault, a daring rescue attempt in a blinding snowstorm, and an ingenuous escape plan that would make Nancy Drew proud!

Aside from the present tense narrative, this series is absolutely one that I enjoy and would recommend - the characters are fun, the mysteries are well-plotted, and the supporting cast is always growing.  Hope that Ellis keeps the series going for some time to come!

RATING:  8 games of foosball out of 10 for putting the girls in an entirely new environment that offered up some great new dangers in solving this mystery!

Doctor Who: The Day She Saved the Doctor

***Four Stories From the TARDIS***

One of the best things about Doctor Who has always been the Doctor's companions.From Ian, Barbara, and Susan all the way to Yaz, Graham, and Ryan - the companions are always the ones who keep the Doctor grounded. They remind the Doctor of his/her need for compassion, but at the same time, they exhibit the best traits of humanity - loyalty, determination, and a willingness to fight for what is right. And let's face it - with the situations the Doctor seems to always get into, those are qualities that are much needed!

"Sarah Jane and the Temple of Eyes" by Jacqueline Rayner features the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith, a companion that has met multiple incarnations of the Doctor and who has definitely touched the hearts of many generations of fans throughout the years. The story finds them in Ancient Rome, where they must find out why the wives of some of the influential men of the city are going blind. It all seems to lead to the cult of the Bona Dea, which was a cult of women about which very, VERY little is known and nothing is recorded.  Sarah Jane shines as she must conquer two of her greatest fears if she is to save the Doctor's life from a new alien threat...

"Rose and the Snow Window" by Jenny T. Colgan (whose name I recognize from other Doctor Who novels) tells the story of the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler, who find themselves in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in search of a rip in time. From an apartment window of a high rise building, Rose spots an anomaly across the way - in one of the windows in the other building, she seems to be watching a man from early 19th century Russia in his castle. But when they run across the street to check, the apartment appears to be normal. Of course, with the help of the TARDIS, the Doctor and Rose can go back in time to St. Petersburg to see if they can ferret out the reason they can see this man through the window. In order to save the Doctor and the universe, Rose must not only find a way to get the Russian prince back to his own time, but she must convince him to potentially sacrifice his family's future for the sake of time itself...

"Clara and the Maze of Cui Pulta" by Susan Calman is a tale of the Eleventh Doctor and Clara Oswald, wherein they visit Cui Pulta, who the Doctor says has been voted the most beautiful city in the galaxy three times in a row! It is beautiful, and the sun glimmers off of all the buildings - but Clara begins to grow uneasy as she realizes that there is absolutely no one in the city. In fact, it is very oddly empty of life. The Doctor shrugs it off, but Clara can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. Until they find the maze. Clara gets excited at the prospect of finding their way through a maze; but after convincing the Doctor to go in, they both quickly learn that everything is not what it seems. They continue to go in circles, and there appears to be no way out! Then they find the skeleton. And they find writing on the walls to indicate others tried to find their way out. And then, Clara and the Doctor get separated - and Clara uncovers the secret that has been holding them in the maze...

"Bill and the Three Jackets" by Dorothy Koomson finds the Twelfth Doctor and Bill Potts back on Earth, where Bill is getting ready for a date. But she must have the perfect outfit, so she leaves the TARDIS to go shopping and happens across a new little shop where the clerk helps her try on three of the most amazing jackets she has ever seen. No selfies are allowed, so Bill is unable to see them on herself to compare, but the clerk does use an old Polaroid to take photos. However, when Bill goes to a nearby coffee shop to consider her choices, something strange happens - she closes her eyes and wakes up to find that she is not herself - literally! No one recognizes her, not even the Doctor! How can she stop whatever machinations are in the works before her doppelganger takes over her life for good? Only someone from her past will be able to help Bill save the Doctor before it's too late...

Each story has its own voice, and each author manages to capture the various companions nicely. It really felt like reading episodes from the television show - all four of these ladies (the authors, not the companions!) should be writing for the show!  A thoroughly good read and a great way to satisfy that Doctor Who fix until the next season comes around.

RATING:  9 pieces of sticky caramel corn out of 10 for showing the strength of the Doctor's companions!

Forgiving Troy - a true story of murder, mental illness, and recovery

I previously read Thom Bierdz' memoir, Young, Gay & Restless, a very revealing tell-all about the soap opera star's life, his coming to terms with being gay, and his decision to be himself regardless of what others said or thought. That book spoke to me in so many ways, and I think I was most surprised to find that someone I thought of as a huge Hollywood star had the same insecurities as me, faced many of the same problems as me, and had so many of the same thoughts and feelings as me. It opened my eyes to the reality that television and movie stars really are no so different from us "common folk" after all. So, after reading the book, I contacted Thom directly on Facebook to share my thoughts on the book. I found him to be a very open, personable man, and as a result, I bought his other two books (as well as one of his art books) to learn more about this artist/actor/author.

Forgiving Troy tells an entirely different side of Thom's life.  Back in 1989, just after Thom had left his role as Phillip Chancellor III on the daytime drama, The Young & The Restless, he received the news that his mother had been killed - by his own younger brother, Troy. Now, being completely honest, I don't know how I could cope with that. My own mother passed away a little over two years ago now (heart attack and other health issues), and I am still coming to terms with that and learning how to process it. But to learn that your mother was murdered by a member of your own family? I can't even fathom that kind of trauma. Yet, Thom not only dealth with it - but he faced it in the most amazing way possible!

In this book, Thom shares the story of Troy's life - from his birth, all the way up to the present (2009, which I'm assuming is when the book was first published). He shares the family issues with their parents' separation and divorce; he shares the ongoing struggles of Troy's instability; and he shares his own struggles with what he did, didn't do, could have done, should have done, and would have done differently, and how those could have affected the outcome.  If I had to describe this book with only one word, that word would be:

Courageous.

I cannot think of one other person that I have ever known (outside of Christ, Himself) who could not only face a tragedy such as this in the matter that Thom did, but to open himself up and share it with the entire world - that bloody well takes more courage than anyone I know of could possibly possess. It took courage for Thom to go see his brother in prison after he was convicted and sentenced.  It took courage for Thom to sit with his brother and talk to him not just once - but again and again, as he tried to make sense of it. It took courage for Thom to see that his mother was now free of all of the pain and suffering.  It took courage for Thom to face his siblings and tell them how he felt about what Troy did.  It took courage to create a self-made film with dolls and puppets to retell his mother's story, despite the fact his siblings did not want him to do it.  It took courage for Thom to face his father and develop a relationship once again with a man who had been so distant for all of those years.  It took courage for Thom to see his older brother gone, having committed suicide.  It took courage for Thom to stand his ground and stay faithful to visiting Troy on a regular basis, getting him the psychiatric and medicinal help he needed in prison. It took courage to remain persistent until the day when his father went with him to visit Troy ... until the day his sister went with him to visit Troy.

I have no doubt, whatsoever, that Phyllis Bierdz is looking down on her son, her smile wide as she beams with pride for the amazingly courageous and loving man that she brought into this world, a young man who follows in her footsteps and is now looking after the troubled son that she cared for herself for so many years up until she left this mortal plane.

Forgiving Troy will make you cry, there is no doubt about it.  It will make you examine your own family relationships.  It sure did mine.  I mean, there is one statement in the book, made by one of Thom's ex-boyfriends, that I know now is so true - "The mother is the glue that holds the family together."  It was true of Thom's family, and it sure as heck was true of my family.  Every Easter, every Christmas - birthdays, anniversaries - it was always my mother that got the family together.  Now that she is gone - my father has moved away to Kentucky; we never hear from my oldest brother; and my other brother and I, who live less than 50 miles apart, are lucky to see each other once a year at Christmas.  That one sentence, near the beginning of the book, hit me so deeply, that I realized this was going to be a difficult book to read.  And it was. But, it was so well worth the read.

Thom shares his pain, his loss, his anger, his confusion, his doubt, his disbelief - but most of all, he shares his love.  He opens up his heart, he bares his soul, and so few people in the world rarely, if ever, do that - and yet, Thom does it here, willingly, for the whole world to see. And his story - Troy's story - it's one that needs to be read.  To read Thom's growth over the years; to read how he overcame his own issues, his own self-doubts, and how he came to terms with his brother and what happened - it will teach you the one concept that means more than anything else in the world.  You must learn to forgive.

Matthew 6:14-15 - For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Ephesians 4;32 - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, ven as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

If Thom's story does not represent the ultimate in love and forgiveness - an example of Christ's own love and forgiveness for the world that spurns and denies him - I don't know what does.  It's so easy to love and forgive our friends, those people who stand by us and seek out our forgiveness. But how difficult is it to forgive someone who doesn't ask for your forgiveness? Someone who has threatened to kill you?  Forgiving Troy will show you the answer.

RATING:  10 games of UNO out of 10 for sharing from the heart and soul a story of love, courage, and forgiveness - - and hope!