Ok,this is NOT us ... (turn up sound)

I finished THE MURDER AT THE GREEN MILL by Kerry Greenwood. It was 5th of 19 in series featuring Phryne Fisher, in 1920s Melbourne, Australia. Here is a description:

Phryne Fisher is doing one of her favorite things --dancing at the Green Mill (Melbourne's premier dance hall) to the music of Tintagel Stone's Jazzmakers, the band who taught St Vitus how to dance. Nothing can flap the unflappable Phryne--especially on a dance floor with so many delectable partners. Nothing except death, that is. The dance competition is trailing into its last hours when suddenly, in the middle of "Bye Bye Blackbird" a figure slumps to the ground. No shot was heard. Phryne investigates. This leads her into the dark smoky jazz clubs of Fitzroy, into the arms of eloquent strangers, and finally into the the sky, as she follows a complicated family tragedy of the great War and the damaged men who came back from ANZAC cove.

It was published in 1993 and has 173 pages. These are quick little adventures of a modern woman in the '20s who's just about perfect in every way. Fun. Picture Catherine Zeta Jones in Chicago.


Now I'm reading THE ORCHID AFFAIR by Lauren Willig. This is 8th of 8 in series featuring spies of the late 18th and early 19th century like the Scarlet Pimpernel, and framed by the sub-story of Eloise Kelly, a Harvard grad student writing her Ph.D. dissertation on them, the Pink Carnation spies. Here is a description:

Laura Grey, a veteran governess, joins the Selwick Spy School expecting to find elaborate disguises and thrilling exploits in service to the spy known as the Pink Carnation. She hardly expects her first assignment to be serving as governess for the children of Andre Jaouen, right-hand man to Bonaparte's minister of police. Jaouen and his arch rival, Gaston Delaroche, are investigating a suspected Royalist plot to unseat Bonaparte, and Laura's mission is to report any suspicious findings. At first the job is as lively as Latin textbooks and knitting, but Laura begins to notice strange behavior from Jaouen-secret meetings and odd comings and goings. As Laura edges herself closer to her employer, she makes a shocking discovery and is surprised to learn that she has far more in common with Jaouen than she originally thought... As their plots begin to unravel, Laura and Jaouen are forced on the run with the children, and with the help of the Pink Carnation they escape to the countryside, traveling as husband and wife. But Delaroche will stop at nothing to take down his nemesis. With his men hot on their trail, can Laura and Jaouen seal the fate of Europe before it's too late?

It was published today and I'm reading it on the Kindle, though the book has 416 pages. These are fun, almost fluffy, reads for me.


I came home from work a bit after noon today because of this bronchitis. On Thursday mornings I'm assigned to do appointment calls and perhaps all the talking I had to do did me in. I really debated because I didn't feel horrible like I had before but I ultimately decided it was better to cough up an internal organ at home. Being a temp employee, I had to start over in accumulating sick time and the good news is that it started up again this week. Just in the nick. So I walked Tug, had lunch, read a little and then zonked. I've steamed and now drinking some hot liquid. I aim to do the whole day tomorrow because I have appointment calls in the afternoon -- ya really hate to have someone else do your responsibilities, everyone is so busy, it's just not fair to hoist your stuff on anyone else. I'll make it.


So tonight, perhaps early to bed but more like the usual time. I'll read a little, see if anything interesting is on tv on A&E like 48 Hours. We'll see.


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster