Ponder: Mother-Daughter Murder Night

Mother-Daughter Murder Night © 2023 by Nina Simon is a sleuth tale worth investigating. The three generations of female characters and the unique setting were the best parts for me. There is 15 year old Jacqueline, her mother Beth, and Beth's mother Lana. Beth and her daughter live in the sloughs of Monterey County, CA and Lana comes to join them when she becomes ill. Jack calls her grandmother Prima, and Lana is indeed a bit of a prima donna. A prima donna and a shack in the middle of a marsh are not an ideal mix, but the combination does make for an amusing side interest.

Lana is a high-powered, formidable, ambitious, fiercely-independent real estate business woman. She is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and must reluctantly come to live with her daughter for assistance. Her haute couture clothes and fashionista high heels are not a good blend for a rustic cottage in the slough, but she preserves her image and her self-designed persona despite debilitating cancer treatments. Beth is a caring nurse for the geriatric in a senior living facility and has raised her daughter since birth as a single mom. Beth is in a close relationship with her daughter and in a rocky relationship with her mother. Teenager Jack loves the outdoors and wildlife and has a job as a tour guide, kayaking and paddle boarding among the marshlands. When a dead body is found stream-side during one of her tours she is initially a suspect in the murder.

Lana springs into action to prove her granddaughter's innocence. She converts her aggressive business savvy into actions investigating the murder. Beth is inadvertently dragged into the sleuthing when one of her geriatric patients is found dead. Death is not an unusual occurrence given the age of the residents of the facility but could these two deaths be related?

Mother-Daughter Murder Night is full of surprises starting with the very first page. The author's style is very captivating; her twists in conversation and unexpected character actions challenge the reader on his assumptions. The mystery in the convoluting plot and accompanying logic do hold together well. Mysteries are not usually my first genre of choice, but in Mother-Daughter Murder Night, figuring out "whodunnit" made for an engrossing, entertaining read. This novel is Nina Simon's first. I will be on the watch for her future works.

★★★★☆ Really good; maybe only one weak aspect or limited audience

Ponder: Visions of Christmas 2023

We generally keep our Christmas decorations up until January 6th which is noted as the Epiphany, the day of the three kings visit, the twelfth day of Christmas. As we are putting away the last of the Christmas decorations, my husband reminded me I had not posted pictures for Christmas this year. We had a whole slew of company at Thanksgiving, so visitors this Christmas were minimal and our Christmas Day was quiet with just my husband Frank, my son Alex, and me. Christmas 2023 was still festive and so here is our house decor and Christmas memories. The memories are in pictorial form for historical completeness. After all, one picture is worth 1000 words

The welcoming wreath on the front door, the snow people sentinels in the living room by the tree, the Christmas car themed area behind the couch, the Grinch area at the edge of the dining room, and the Santa chair in the family room:

Sign posts at the corners to direct:

On overview of the living room from the dining room with Simple Gifts quilt draped over a chair, and the stairway to the second floor with metal house filled with balls and trinkets:

The light fixture over the dining room table trimmed with Mickey Mouse ornaments, the vintage candy tin village on the table, a newly acquired train set journeying around the village, and the three stockings for Frank, Diane, and Alex on the chair backs.

Three nativities and Santas on the piano:









Stuffed ornaments scattered all over the house:



Alex and Frank operating the train on Christmas Eve:







Opening gifts on Christmas Day: Alex with his two banks, Frank with one of his puzzles, Diane with a Winnie the Pooh denim shirt:

Christmas night on our visit to Deacon Dave's ... a very festive and bright way to end the day.

Merry Christmas 2023!