Murder By The Hook

Crochet Mysteries Book 16

Author:    Betty Hechtman

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781966322078

Beyond The Page Publishing

230 Pages

$14.99; $5.99 Amazon

March 26, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐

When the bookstore where she works closes for renovations, Molly Pink and the Tarzana Hookers hit the road for a relaxing crochet weekend in the quaint town of Pixie.  The getaway comes at the perfect time for Molly, who's been asked by her former beau to help finger a thief in Pixie who's been pilfering personal items from a friend.  Molly's plan is to attend a pre-wedding party at the friend's home and catch the culprit in the act, but her simple sleuthing turns deadly serious when the groom-to-be is found murdered.

To complicate matters, the victim was found on the property abutting the place where the Hookers are staying, and they and Molly soon get roped into the investigation as potential witnesses.  But Molly knows her list of possible petty thieves holds the name of the killer, and she'll have to rule them out one by one to nab the guilty party.  Certain she's on the right track when she receives a threatening note telling her to back off, Milly will have to sort through a tangle of clues before the wedding that became a funeral becomes a funeral for her...

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In the latest installment of the Crochet Mysteries, Molly Pink and her friends of the Tarzana Hookers are at a retreat during the renovation of the book shop where they work.  It all begins fine, until Molly's beau Mason asks her to help him in finding a thief at his friend's home, which is nearby.  Someone in the entertainment industry is getting wed, and the hosts want it all to go smoothly.  Mason introduces her as his cousin, and all seems to be going fine there as well until the groom-to-be is found murdered.

Now not only is Molly involved, but her ex, homicide detective Barry Greenberg is handling the case and doesn't like that she's involved...but it doesn't stop him from asking her what she knows.  Molly has her hands full with trying to find a killer and keep her fellow hookers from tearing each other's throats apart with fighting.  Hopefully, she'll come out of it alive...

I've read these books with interest, but I must admit that Molly's waffling between Barry and Mason had put me off for a while.  The reason being is that I absolutely detest love triangles.  Think of it this way: if it had been a man stringing along a woman you'd think him a dog or worse.  But it seems to be okay in books when a woman does it (shakes her head).  I'll never understand.

Getting that out of the way, Molly has come to some sort of conclusion at least.  The mystery is done very well, and the clues are there, although they are far between.  It's intriguing watching how Molly's mind works and she puts everything together.  Even when it seems it might be a waste of time, it isn't.  She definitely knows what she's doing.

To top it off, her fellow Hooker and sometimes nemesis Adele is having trouble in her marriage, and wants the other women's help without actually asking for it.  She tells them she's left her husband, but has she?  It seems the days of roses has left the bush, and she's not so willing to begin again.  

With all this to look forward to, along with a jealous girlfriend of Mason's, Molly knows she can't let the case go until it's solved.  Nor does she want to.  With both Mason and Barry looking on, Molly watches every step...until the one that might be her last...

The/e book was very good, and the plot was excellent.  The reason for the murder seemed like it wouldn't be worth it, but then again, I'm not as murderer.  Who knows what goes on in someone's mind when they're prepared to kill?  The subplot was rather funny, although these women would drive me up a wall if I had to spend time with them.

In the end, it all came together nicely and I did like how it ended (with my own opinions held aside that I disagreed with things); and I enjoyed the tale immensely.  For anyone who loves the Molly Pink mysteries, this one is just as good as the others.  Recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Hook-Betty-Hechtman-ebook/dp/B0F14JZQ32/ref=

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7788988776

More on Betty Hechtman's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/betty-hechtman/

Cesar Romero: The Joker is Wild

Author:    Samuel Garza Bernstein

Genre:    Entertainment/Actors

Hardcover: Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781985902886

University Press of Kentucky

288 Pages

$27.95; $26.55 Amazon

August 26, 2025

⭐⭐

Dynamic and debonair, Cesar Romero was best known for creating the role of the Joker in the 1960s Batman television series.  As the first actor to play Batman and Robin's villainous nemesis, Romero established the character's giddy, manic tone and the distinctive laugh that subsequent actors like Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Joaquin Phoenix would use as the starting points in their own Oscar-nominated (Nicholson) and Oscar-winning (Ledger and Phoenix) performances.  As a closeted gay man of Latin American descent, Romero gracefully faced many personal challenges while maintaining his suave public image and starring opposite legends ranging from Shirley Temple to Marlene Dietrich, Carmen Miranda to Frank Sinatra, and Kurt Russell to Jane Wyman.

The first biography of the consummate entertainer, Cesar Romero: The Joker is Wild, captures the critical moments of Romero's childhood, adolescence, and accomplishments in Hollywood.  Author Samuel Garza Bernstein shared anecdote regarding Romero's public and personal life, as well as Romero's private disdain for his reputation as the "Latin lover," a discriminatory stereotype he found constrictive both in terms of his range as an actor and as a man who kept his sexuality private.

Cesar Romero is an in-depth study of a significant Hollywood star and his impact on the entertainment industry.  Batman made him immortal, but with more than four hundred film and television credits, his six-decade career as an actor, dancer, and singer made him a true Hollywood icon.

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As someone who absolutely loves classic Hollywood, I really wanted to read this book.  I will say that I own thousands of classic films, and I hate the films made today.  Back then, there were no blue screens, everything done was true.  I also own hundreds of biographies of actors, directors, studios, etc.  So at least you know that I know where I speak.

Saying that, I own every one of Cesar Romero's films.  As is my wont, when I read the biography of an actor (or other), I watch several of their films to help me see them in their performances -- I watch their movements, their eyes, etc.  Seeing Cesar on screen has always been a pleasure of mine, and seeing his films again has not lessened it.

Therefore, I was hoping that this book would give me something I didn't know, or something else about Cesar that would appeal.  What I learned is that the author is quite taken by the fact that Cesar was gay.  It is mentioned on almost every. single. page.  If Mr. Romero kept it in his private life; there was a reason.  I don't think he would be happy with this biography.  It's not that I didn't know he was gay; it didn't matter, as it doesn't matter now.  It's difficult to explain, but I would have liked to have had more insight as to how he felt about his costars, each movie, what he enjoyed when not working.  Being gay is fine with me; there have always been actors who are gay, and there probably always will be.  It doesn't take away from the fact that they are very good actors.  (FYI, I am not homophobic; I just like good biographies).

Instead, I got page upon page of his role on the television show Falcon Crest (who cares?) and a few anecdotes thrown in once in a while about what people felt about him.  I happened to know that he was lifelong friends with Joan Crawford, and they spent quite a bit of time together, but there was barely a mention of this.  Why?

Oh, this book could have been so good.  But instead, we got the chronology of his films and the plot lines of nearly all of them.  While he had a small role in The Thin Man, he got to show his acting chops, and I love it each time I view it.  He also had a very good role in Charlie Chan at Treasure Island.  But ah, well.  Watch them if you get the chance.

What else can I say?  I didn't learn a lot about Mr. Romero from reading this book, but the pictures were nice.  

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Cesar-Romero-Samuel-Garza-Bernstein/dp/1985902885/ref=

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7779664299

More on Samuel Garza Bernstein's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=

Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face

Author:    Scott Eyman

Genre:     Biographies/Entertainment

Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook and Audio CD Available)

ISBN #:    9781668047309

Simon & Schuster

480 Pages

$31.00; $16.99 Amazon

November 18, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Joan Crawford burst out of her poverty-stricken youth to become a bright young movie star in the 1920s, drawing the admiration of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the attention of audiences worldwide.  She flourished for decades, working for multiple studios in every genre from romance to westerns (Mildred Pierce, Johnny Guitar), musicals to noir (Torch Song, A Woman's Face), and being directed by a young Steven Spielberg in one of her last appearances.  Along the way, she accumulated four husbands, an Academy Award for Best Actress, and the undeniable status of a legend.

Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face looks at the reality of this remarkable woman through the prism of groundbreaking primary research, interviews with friends and relatives, and with the same insightful analysis of character and motive that author Scott Eyman brought to John Wayne and Cary Grant, among others.   

Joan Crawford was a woman like no other, and Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face is the first full telling of her dazzling, turbulent life.

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I have to first say that I absolutely love the Golden Age of Hollywood, and anything to do with it.  I will also tell you that I do not watch the films of today, since I feel that everything is either a cartoon or a remake (just my own personal opinion).  Actors back then were true stars, while today they are just actors.  And there is a difference...

Saying that, I will also admit that I have thousands of movies from the silent age on up, and hundreds of biographies and autobiographies of actors, studios, directors, etc.  So, when this book was offered to me, I naturally jumped at the chance to read it.  I will also tell you that I have read biographies of Joan Crawford that have been stinkers.  I am not one to hold back nor lie; because the truth is paramount above all.

Therefore, when I tell you that Scott Eyman is one of the foremost authors of Golden Age Hollywood, you can believe it.  He has never disappointed me, and I grab his books as soon as they are published.  He is a fair (meaning honest) writer of his subjects.

Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face is an interesting tome that takes us back to the beginnings of Miss Crawford, back when she was Lucille LeSueur, and Billie Cassin.  We learn that she grew up in near poverty, and worked her way to where she wound up: a true Hollywood star.  This book taught me that while some thought her cruel and selfish, she was neither of those things.  She was a woman who was looking for approval, love, and above all, security.  

She never made the studios wait; she was always on time, knew her lines, and while some may not appreciate all her films, they tell a story: the story of Billie, who changed from poor girl who wants to be loved, to a woman who can do it on her own independently.  Watching her films, you see this.  Yet it was never the same in her real life.

Joan Crawford was married four times, and I have read much on those marriages, which I will not go into detail here.  She had four adopted children, of which most know, but I will tell you that in my humble opinion, Christina Crawford's depiction of Joan is fiction.  A bitter daughter who wanted revenge for what she thought was unfair, and I find it interesting that the book was not published until Joan passed away.

Except for a few, most people loved her.  Joan was always 'on stage' when she was out and about, being Joan Crawford, the star.  In real life, she was a tiny woman with red hair and freckles.  She loved to cook (we have that in common) and did so for her friends.  She always needed a place for everything, and almost single-handedly gave the late actor-turned-decorator William Haines a new career.  She never failed her friends.

Reading this book made me have a new appreciation for Joan.  I have a habit of watching films with the actor/director, etc. I am reading about, and while reading this book I watched Possessed (with Robert Montgomery); The Women; and Humoresque.  These films allowed me to see the change in Miss Crawford throughout the years, and examine her acting, which, being who I am, I always do.  It also gives me insight into the person.  

But the greatest insight came from Mr. Eyman's extensive research and interviews.  He leaves nothing to chance.  The bibliography is massive; he has definitely done his homework, which he does on all his books.  We get who Joan Crawford was an an actress; a star, and a person.  Three different people rolled into one.  Many of her friendships were lifelong, and it was because they stood by each other, in bad times and good.

I will not go into her "feuds" with other actresses; you will have to read the book to discover that.  I won't go into how she raised her children, or why her marriages failed.  This is more than I have space for in this review, and I will tell you in the end that Joan Crawford created herself.  She became what she wanted the world to see; and few were allowed to see who she truly was.

When I finished Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face, I will tell you that it took me a couple of days of thinking about the book before I reviewed it.  It is because this book spoke to me, and I needed time to take it all in.  Certain books have this effect on me, but this one is exceptionally good, and I will definitely purchase it when it comes out in November.  It's a must-read for anyone who loves classic movies and actors as much as I do, and for those who want to discover more.  Highly recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Crawford-Womans-Scott-Eyman-ebook/dp/B0DZY3G1Y1/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7768544071

More on Scott Eyman's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/stores/Scott-Eyman/author/B001H6N7F6?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=b36c4f20-ec96-450a-9b90-369fd9b0cdf6

This Murder Is Nacho Business

Author:    D.C. Owens

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:   9798989867226

Gearspin Press 

267 Pages

$11.95; $2.99 Amazon

June 25, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nachos, pie, murder, oh my!  

Losing her engineering job in the 1983 oil bust?  Rough.  Moving back to her Texas Hill Country hometown to help out at the family cafe?  Unexpected.  Getting tangled up in a murder investigation involving nachos, pickles, and nosy Main Street neighbors?  Definitely not on Josie Barbosa's to-do list.

Back in quirky Andorra Springs, Josie's helping out at her family's cafe, testing pie recipes and supporting her dad's latest culinary brainstorm: ready-to-serve nachos.  But when a fellow Main Street business owner turns up dead -- just hours after a heated public spat with her dad -- suddenly the local gossip is spicier than a jalapeno biscuit.

Armed with her analytical brain, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and her best friend Liz -- a tougher-than-nails rancher with a flair for the dramatic -- Josie sets out to clear her dad's name.  But between secretive shopkeepers, a charming wine bar owner, a suspiciously serene garden guru, and the big time BBQ family down the street, this sleepy little town is looking more and more like a murder buffet.

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It's the 1980's, before cell phones and the Internet, and Josie Barbosa is a scientist who's just lost her job in the oil industry.  So, she's back home in the Hill Country of Texas, helping her dad in his cafe and watching him create new foods for the market.  But things take a dark turn when his business neighbor in town is murdered, and suddenly her dad George is the main suspect.  

Josie isn't about to allow her dad to be railroaded for something he didn't do.  Along with her best friend Liz, she's bound and determined to investigate on her own and find the killer, even if it means putting herself in danger.  But will the business owners cooperate with her?  Or worse, is one of them the murderer?...

First off, I have to admit that my son lives in Fredericksburg, half of my family is from Texas, so I know the Hill Country well.  In this book, I have no complaints about the descriptions thereof.  What I didn't like: What does Josie look like?  There are no descriptions (or if there are, I missed It).  Where is her mother?  Is her dad widowed or divorced?  Does she have any other siblings?  No mention is ever made.  I also didn't get how Josie and Liz are constantly telling each other how much they love each other (got it?), and calling each other by names that one would use for their significant other (which they are not).  Plus, Josie was very pushy in her investigation, practically accusing everyone of murder.  It's a wonder anyone would even talk to her a second time.

Don't get me wrong: just because I point out what bothers me doesn't mean I didn't like the book.  It started slowly, but soon got my attention, and I enjoyed reading it very much.  Since this is a first book, it's easy to miss those details I mentioned above.  

The book had a good mystery to solve, and Josie is a likeable character.  In fact, so are most of the other characters.  It's good to travel back in time once in a while, when people had to meet face-to-face to enjoy each other's company.  I really liked that about this book.  I thought the close relationship between the two women to be plausible, and it's obvious that Josie loves her dad; being attached at the hip to my own father, I can understand that.

The author has done a good job of plotting a murder, and keeping the ending a secret.  I appreciate this, as like others who read mysteries, we want to try ourselves to find the killer before the protagonist does.  In this case, I figured it out the same time as Josie, and that's a big plus in itself.  The climax was done well, and there are even a few recipes at the back that sound delicious.  I truly enjoyed immersing myself in this book and look forward to the next in the series.  Recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from Book Sirens, but this in no way influenced my review.  

https://www.amazon.com/This-Murder-Nacho-Business-Owens-ebook/dp/B0FCZFQBMD/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7706960491

More about D.C. Owens:    https://www.amazon.com/stores/D.C.-Owens/author/B0FD9MTT7M?ref

Murder at the Scottish Games

 A Scottish Shire Mystery Book 7

Author:    Traci Hall

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496754677

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$17.95; $9.99 Amazon

November 25, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Highland Games have taken over the quaint seaside village of Nairn, Scotland -- and the life of sweater shop owner, knitting enthusiast, and busy single mom Paislee Shaw...especially when a killer enters the competition!

Paislee Shaw is no stranger to managing tricky tangles, but mid-August spins her world into more chaos than she ever could have imagined.  Between her teenage son's moody antics, friends making life-changing decisions, and the looming Nairn Highland Games, evenings with fellow crafts of the Knit and Sip crew are her one escape.  But when she joins the organizing committee, Paislee is instantly plunged into a whirlwind of clashing personalities and scandalous mishaps...

The festivities unravel faster than a dropped stitch when heavy throwing competitor Artie Whittle is accused of cheating -- and his ill-tempered father is found murdered the next day.  With Artie unconscious and pegged as the prime suspect, Paislee and DI Zeffer team up to untangle the truth.  Navigating a cast of unusual suspects -- from jealous judges to grudge-holding locals -- Paislee must weave together clues hidden amidst caber tosses, kilts, and a killer who only plays to win...

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Paislee Shaw lives with her son Brody and grandfather in their small town of Nairn, Scotland.  She owns a yarn shop which fortunately is doing well.  Volunteering to help with the annual Nairn Highland games should be easy enough -- that is, until she finds that there is plenty of friction between others involved.  Her employee is dating one of the entrants - Artie Whittle -- but her parents think he's not good enough, though she stays close.  When Artie is accused of cheating in the caber throw, he denies it, and his father Joseph is angered enough to confront the man who accused him.  In fact, Paislee learns later that Artie's father is not only full of anger, he's also a philanderer, and just downright mean.

Which doesn't mean that he should be murdered, but that's exactly what happens -- and Artie is the prime suspect.  Paislee wants to believe him innocent; if not for herself, then for her employee, but who would want to kill him?  As it turns out, many people, including his long-suffering wife.  But would she go that far?  

When DI Zeffer turns up, it turns up feelings in Paislee that she never expected to feel.  It also turns up questions she never wanted to answer, and even questions her son never knew existed.  Now, with the murder first and foremost, Paislee must put her personal feelings aside -- even though she doesn't really want to -- and concentrate on the here and now,  And that means Brody comes first, even at her own cost.

\

But can Paislee find a killer, keep Mack Zeffer at bay, and keep Brody close?  These are questions that need answers, and Paislee is at once confused and determined...if she can find a killer before they strike again...

This is the seventh book in the series and I have loved them all.  The author brings us to Scotland with ease, and describes the surrounding areas, which makes me want to visit.  She also engulfs us in the lives of Paislee, her family, and her close friends; and we find that things are changing; whether it is wanted or not.

As to the murder, there are people to sift through, and they all seem to have secrets of their own that somehow connect them to the dead man.  While Zeffer is looking through his clues and conducting investigations, Paislee is sifting through her own.  

When the ending comes and we finally figure out the identity of the killer, Paislee discovers it also, and it leads to a climax that is worth the wait.  At the end, the epilogue is worth reading the book alone, and I am glad that I was given the chance to do so.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review. 

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Scottish-Games-Shire-Mystery/dp/1496754670/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7701335972

More on Traci Hall's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/traci-hall/