This was a quaint little murder mystery. I liked the setting (small town east coast Canada) and I liked the main character (Sargent Windflower). While the plot was a bit predictable in places, the story held that comfort food quality. It was like discovering an old friend again after many years separation. Windflower is a straight shooter and a wholesome character all around, so it’s very easy to root for him. The setting itself is full of small comforts from the well-loved local café to Windflower’s blossoming romance.

Initially, it looks like there’s several possible suspects in a suspicious death. The deceased certainly rubbed people the wrong way. However, Windflower’s superior isn’t convinced there is a murder so Windflower has to take the risky move of going around his chain of command. Luckily, he has his side kick Izzard to watch his back. Izzard certainly comes off as the eager but inexperienced young pup and Windflower does his best to keep him out of trouble. I like their dynamic and there’s room for Izzard to grow in this role.

The ending wraps up the questions about the murder but then leaves things in the hands of the prosecutors and lawyers. The story hints at what will most likely happen but doesn’t close that out. I did get invested in the story and I would have preferred a solid ending instead of this open-end. 4/5 stars.

The Narration: Francis G. Kearney made a good Windflower most of the time. His accents fluctuated and some of them were pretty rough (like the Quebec French accent for a certain suspect). His female voices were almost non-existent. On the other hand, he didn’t have any recording errors so the tech is good. 3/5 stars.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Mike Martin. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Newfoundland. A small town is confronted with the murder of a young loner and an attempted suicide of a young teenager. Sergeant Winston Wildflower and his(small)team have to solve this murder while he also has to take care of a B&B that he,his wife and their baby are starting up.

Well,I know this is supposed to be a cosy/cozy but this one definitely didn't work for me. The mystery is hardly a mystery at all and the showdown is more a bit of a let down. 

So what is left is endless talk about babies,their burbs,their noises and their diapers,detailed lunches(apparently Sergeant Winston finds time to go home for lunch notwithstanding the murder case),walks with the dog,tea/coffee breaks with goodies,shopping lists for a dinner party,the elaborated preparation of this menu and a detailed testimony of the tender love between husband and wife(and their baby).

As this constitutes about 80% of the story it is hardly a mystery.

That said,I liked the characters(the sergeant and his team are well developed and very likeable )but I don't think I belong to the targeted audience...

Well I had a really good month in overall book reading, as I finished 5 books to put my total for the year at 21 out of 40 books.  However as you can see below, I'm only through 14 of the 40 books that I wanted to take off my TBR pile.  So on one hand I'm on good pace to achieve the amount of books I want to at least read, but on the other not the book I wanted to read.  Oh well, I'll take the upside in any event.

A Sword Sworn to Justice

The graphic novel adaptation of the second of George R.R. Martin's Dunk & Egg novellas, not only stays true to the originally written story but gives it life with fantastic renderings of all the characters, the locales, and the action. Drawn by artist Mike S. Miller and livened by colorist Mike Crowell, The Sworn Sword gives both "Game of Thrones" book and show fans a great look into the history of the Seven Kingdoms as Ser Duncan (Dunk) the Tall and the future King Aegon (Egg) V learn about the greatest threat to the Targaryen throne nearly a century before Robert’s Rebellion—the Blackfyre Rebellion.

The story begins almost two years after The Hedge Knight, Dunk and Egg are in the service to Sir Eustace Osgrey who holds a small tower but reminisces about his family’s ancient glory and his own immediate family’s misfortune.  A nearly two year drought has gripped Westeros after the Great Spring Sickness—think the Black Death—resulting in water and people being short, which is when Ser Eustace’s stream disappears.  After Dunk and another sworn sword, Ser Bennis, search upstream they discover that Ser Eustace’s neighbor Lady Webber has built a dam to divert the water.  Soon things escalate and the two nobles begin to lob threats and promise blood vengeance as Dunk tries to find a way to make peace.

Of the work surrounding the graphic novel itself, I can only praise the work of Miller and Crowell who not only brought into visual life Dunk and Egg but so many other historically important characters in very consistent way throughout the entire book. It is hard to find fault with the work of these two men save with pointing out a few continuity errors, which unfortunately happen in every graphic novel.  But when it came to the memories of Ser Eustace Osgrey about the Battle of the Redgrass Field that ended the threat of Daemon Blackfyre, the artwork is fantastic and brings the memories of the battle alive and giving justice to some of Martin’s best writing.

If you're a fan of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" world and haven't gotten this book yet I, what are you waiting for?  I highly recommend this graphic novel adaptation of The Sworn Sword as well as the novella itself, you won’t be disappointed.

Christmas Ghosts - I know, Grim, I know.  But there is a really good Chanukah story (as well as a couple other non-Christmas stories).

Goodreads has a list of books of 26 that include - the ones above.  You can find the list Here

There is a multi-cultural list Here

Esther list ; Here

GR also has several kid Chanukah book lists.