Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China ReviewA Chinese American whose family fled to Taiwan (and later the US) after the revolution, journalist, food-writer and now cooking school owner, Lin-Liu knew little about cooking when she came to China in 2000. She soon realized that food was such an integral part of Chinese life, she would better understand the culture if she understood the food.
Enrolling in a Beijing vocational cooking school teaches her just how alien and American she is. The other students are male, they question nothing in class and do the minimum to get by. She, in contrast, seems loud, pushy and rich.
Humorous and energetic, her account of getting through school (with much help and great difficulty) and then apprenticing first at a noodle stall and later, in Shanghai, at a fancy restaurant, illuminates much about everyday life in China's cities. Staffed by migrants from China's rural provinces, restaurants offer diverse cuisines and backbreaking labor, perfectionalism and cut corners.
Lin-Liu learns stories about the Cultural Revolution while cooking, finds a long history of hardship in "exotic" ingredients like eyeballs and jellyfish, discovers China's cultural diversity in its many cuisines, and Chinese provincialism in tourists' unwillingness to eat anything but their own foods.
Her enthusiastic culinary tour of the culture is peppered with recipes for dumpling fillings, noodles and traditional favorites like Drunken Chicken and Fish Fragrant Pork Shreds as well as the (mostly difficult) stories of the individuals she meets.
Entertaining and eye-opening, Lin-Liu's portrait of modern China reflects its changing trends and attitudes and its timeless cuisine.Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China Overview

Want to learn more information about Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery ReviewSix days remain to the marriage of Pecan Springs herbalist China Bayles and the interim police chief Mike McQuaid. The tearoom being built by China and her friend will host the reception. Time is already tight for China when someone murders loathsome Edgar Coleman. Mike heads the investigation.

Though both are fully occupied, China plans to go ahead with the wedding even though Mike has no time to pick up the license. Instead China and her friends decide to move the case forward with their own brand of sleuthing. They quickly learn that the victim was attempting to bribe members of the city council to vote for his position on a crucial issue. They also find out that Edgar was involved with three extra- marital affairs. When Edgar's wife is killed, China turns hyperactive to solve the case before she walks down the aisle.

Amateur sleuth fans who enjoy the China Bayles mystery series, will take immense pleasure from the newest entry, LAVENDER LIES. The continuity of characters from previous tales make for an intimacy between China and Mike, and their fans while allowing new readers to gain a feel for the characters. The race between solving the murder mystery and the marriage ceremony makes this plot seem even more endearing. The numerous suspects have motives, means, and opportunities to commit the act, making it more difficult for expert problem solvers to determine the identity of the killer. Susan Wittig Albert proves her talent by providing an entertaining novel that adds to the aura of a wonderful series.

Harriet KlausnerLavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery Overview

Want to learn more information about Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China ReviewThis is an excellent book on many levels. The quality of the writing is a definite step above most books of this sort. The discussions of regional cuisines, culinary training, and attitudes towards food both contemporary and historical are fascinating. This book, however, is about more than food. Ms. Dunlop lived in Sichuan in a particularly interesting time, when rapid changes in the economy, politics, and society were laying the groundwork for the huge economic growth of the late 90's and present. I lived in China for two years in the early 90's (though in a different city from Ms. Dunlop, and I've never met her) and her descriptions of many of the contradictions and complexities of being a foreigner in China at the time are truly spot on. She looks at her experiences with a degree of self-awareness that is rare in books of this sort. There is little romanticism here, and when she does romanticize her experiences, she quickly pulls back and comments on the contradictory impulses she feels. This book richly deserves all five stars. Please note that the one single-star review it receives is by someone who admits she has not read the book and simply objects to the practice of shark-finning. Had the reviewer read the book, she would see that Ms. Dunlop ends up taking a highly critical perspective on many aspects of Chinese culinary practices, including the needlessly cruel methods of preparation, etc. This is as interesting and intelligent a memoir about food and China in this period as one is ever likely to encounter. I highly recommend it.Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China Overview

Want to learn more information about Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Mandarin Way: A Tapestry of Adventure and Success Blended With Practical Information on How to Purchase, Prepare, and Present the Grand Cuisine of China Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Mandarin Way: A Tapestry of Adventure and Success Blended With Practical Information on How to Purchase, Prepare, and Present the Grand Cuisine of China? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Mandarin Way: A Tapestry of Adventure and Success Blended With Practical Information on How to Purchase, Prepare, and Present the Grand Cuisine of China. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Mandarin Way: A Tapestry of Adventure and Success Blended With Practical Information on How to Purchase, Prepare, and Present the Grand Cuisine of China ReviewThis charming little book should be on every "Asia-Holics" bookshelf. I love the way the author has arranged the book, according to all the moons of the year. Her stories of each "moon" gives us a wonderful look into the life of Chinese people the way it used to be years ago. In addition, there are wonderful traditional recipes peppered througout the book. There is a glossary of regional methods of preparing Chinese food, and a postscript on practical shopping.
I am thoroughly happy with my purchase!The Mandarin Way: A Tapestry of Adventure and Success Blended With Practical Information on How to Purchase, Prepare, and Present the Grand Cuisine of China Overview

Want to learn more information about The Mandarin Way: A Tapestry of Adventure and Success Blended With Practical Information on How to Purchase, Prepare, and Present the Grand Cuisine of China?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Love Lies Bleeding: A China Bayles Mystery Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Love Lies Bleeding: A China Bayles Mystery? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Love Lies Bleeding: A China Bayles Mystery. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Love Lies Bleeding: A China Bayles Mystery ReviewThis was my first China Bayles mystery...I enjoyed it, reading about China and the town of Pecan Springs was a hoot. Having gardening plans and ideas strewn throughout the book was fun. Being in the legal field, I can relate to the idea of leaving it all behind and running from the city to a quiet remote little town. But somehow I think the town of Pean Springs has a lot more danger lurking around than one would think. China's friends are quirky and add spice to the background. They mystery itself kept me quessing...I will hunt up the previous China stories as well as the more current ones. Great reading for an rainy afternoon or relaxing on the beach...Love Lies Bleeding: A China Bayles Mystery Overview

Want to learn more information about Love Lies Bleeding: A China Bayles Mystery?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The China Moon Cookbook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The China Moon Cookbook? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The China Moon Cookbook. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The China Moon Cookbook ReviewThe China Moon Cookbook introduced me to high end cooking ten years ago and I've never looked back. Barbara Tropp manages to draw in complete novices with detailed step-by-step instructions of what to do and what not to do, dosed out with a good humored, you-can-do-it-too manner. This cookbook would be a worthwhile addition to anyone's set just for its instructions on how to buy and prepare fish or poultry, or for its instructions on making double chicken stock.
Barbara Tropp's recipes are Chinese influenced in the way of ingredients, so make sure you have a supply of good sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sichuan peppers, red chilis and ginger. In case you don't, the sidebars provide an introductory course in how to find, buy and store such ingredients, with brand recommendations. The main emphasis in each case is the notion of extracting a pure flavor in each dish. Rather than producing the kind of heavy, integrated sauces more typically associated with the Chinese kitchen, China Moon cranked out light, spicy, and brightly acidic dishes like my all time favorites, clear-steamed salmon with corriander pesto and gold coin salmon cakes.
The real strength of this book lies not in its excellent recipes, which can be adapted in numerous ways once you understand their principles. It's in the preparation of a pantry full of such goodies as ma-la oil ("ma" for the numbing spiciness of sichuan peppercorns, and "la" for the traditional burn of red pepper), and pickled ginger that takes 10 minutes to make and leaves you forever wondering why you hadn't done this sooner. There are recipes for stocks, sweet and sour dipping sauces, mustards, and other staples of the Chinese kitchen, that once created, allow the preparation of amazingly flavorful dishes in short order. Each dish has excellent instructions on what can be done in advance and held, and what needs to be done last minute.
Even if you just make the pickled ginger and hot chili oils on pages 8 and 10, you may share Barbara Tropp's sentiment, "The day I made my own hot chili oil, I swear I grew a foot as a cook!". Along with these recipes, you get the first two of her passionate sidebars, the first on selecting and peeling ginger, the last step of which she was shamed into by her Chinese-Vietnamese prep staff and grandmotherly Chinese-American pastry chef. As a historian by original training, her text is salted with quotes backing up her obsessions about 1/16 vs. 1/4 inch dice for stir-frying timing, and quotes "a character in an official history of first-century China: 'When my mother cuts the meat, the chunks are invariably in perfect squares, and when she chops the scallions, they are always in nuggests exactly 1 inch long.' What can I say? History centuries-old supports me in my obsessions!"The China Moon Cookbook Overview

Want to learn more information about The China Moon Cookbook?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Rueful Death (China Bayles Mystery) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Rueful Death (China Bayles Mystery)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Rueful Death (China Bayles Mystery). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Rueful Death (China Bayles Mystery) ReviewChina has survived the Christmas rush at her herb shop but is sadly in need of some private time. So off she goes to a nunnery! Together with her friend Maggie, she heads off to a remote nunnery where the sisters grow amazing garlic. Instead of the peace and quiet she longs for, China finds herself embroiled in a contentious power struggle between two groups of nuns working to combine two disparate orders into one. As the sister's jockey for position, fires break out and several mysterious deaths occur. If that wasn't enough, China runs into an old beau and the heat is still there. As she works to solve the nunnery mystery she is making major life choices for herself. Once again, I enjoyed the ride and learned more about herbs and gardening.Rueful Death (China Bayles Mystery) Overview

Want to learn more information about Rueful Death (China Bayles Mystery)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Authentic Recipes from China (Authentic Recipes Series) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Authentic Recipes from China (Authentic Recipes Series)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Authentic Recipes from China (Authentic Recipes Series). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Authentic Recipes from China (Authentic Recipes Series) ReviewThis book is on of several in the 'Authentic recipes from...' series. I own several of these and like the series as a whole. This is not the best of the lot but it is still nice to flip through and would be a good starting place for novices to Chinese cookery. There are lots of nice photographs, some good introductory material and a few recipes that go beyond those usually in simple overviews of Chinese cuisine. Good value overall.Authentic Recipes from China (Authentic Recipes Series) Overview

Want to learn more information about Authentic Recipes from China (Authentic Recipes Series)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome ReviewWith his very thorough research, Jeff Smith shared his studies and his knowledge very generously to readers.
This is a very fascinating book.It is not a recipe book, not a history book, not a travel book and not a book on his thoughts about cooking, it is all four elements presented in a well illustrated and well organized book.
His writing and quips brought me many smiles and giggles, so it is also entertaining as well as being a study into the cooking histories of China, Rome and Greece.
I read many books and usually donate most to second hand stores.I don't have lots of space for keeping things.Some of my books,I had to pay for in installments because they were rare and expensive.
This one will stay with me.It costed me only fifty cents and bought me a wealth of information.
I'll share a bit of information, to the Chinese cooking "is not a part of living,it is living".Greeks were instrumental in developing the frying pan.The very early Romans lived primarily on grains.
If you like cooking, history, and memoirs, you'll adore this wonderful book by Jeff Smith and I recommend it highly.The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome Overview

Want to learn more information about The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Asian Cooking: Recipes from China, Japan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, a nd More Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Asian Cooking: Recipes from China, Japan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, a nd More? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Asian Cooking: Recipes from China, Japan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, a nd More. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Asian Cooking: Recipes from China, Japan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, a nd More ReviewI own the Latin cookbook in the same Williams-Sonoma Essentials line and I enjoy this series due to its ability to capture the overarching themes of the regions' cuisines while explaining the basic techniques, tools, and flavors at a level that intermediate cooks new to the region will understand. There is a good mix of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Indian dishes (4-5 on average), with a few Malaysian, Sri Lankan, and Singapore-ean recipes (2-3 on average) thrown in as well.
This collection is seafood heavy in my opinion (probably 40% of the collection) which is problematic when half of my family does not like seafood, but most of the ingredients can be found in the Asian food aisle of supermarkets in large American cities, thus preventing a trip to the Asian specialty market. These are wonderful recipes--I've tried the Coconut Curry Soup with Noodles and Seafood, the Grilled Beef Salad with Lime Dressing, and the Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura--with color photos for each recipe and simple to follow directions. They are more labor intensive than I would rely on for weekday dinners, however, but am glad to have these rich, flavorful dishes in my collection.
Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Asian Cooking: Recipes from China, Japan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, a nd More Overview

Want to learn more information about Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Asian Cooking: Recipes from China, Japan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, a nd More?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

My China: A Feast for All the Senses Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy My China: A Feast for All the Senses? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on My China: A Feast for All the Senses. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

My China: A Feast for All the Senses ReviewHaving lived in southern China for nearly 3 years, our family had nearly given up on finding authentic Chinese cuisine here in upstate NY. Thankfully, there is this wonderful book. Our daughter made us a holiday feast (including dumplings, yum!) from a few familiar recipes found here and we were almost back in Xiamen! Outstanding photos, stories, and great recipes. If you've ever lived in China, this is for you. If you've ever wanted to visit or live in China, this is for you, too! Try some of these meals and you will understand what real Chinese food is about.My China: A Feast for All the Senses Overview

Want to learn more information about My China: A Feast for All the Senses?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Spanish Dagger (China Bayles Mystery) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Spanish Dagger (China Bayles Mystery)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Spanish Dagger (China Bayles Mystery). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Spanish Dagger (China Bayles Mystery) ReviewThe China Bayles series is alive and well, to the delight of this fan. Susan Wittig Albert always offers the reader a beautifully crafted story along with a wealth of information about plants. The little world of Pecan Springs is a home away from home.
Ms. Albert sets herself a challenge, which she acknowledges in the Note to the Reader at the beginning of SPANISH DAGGER, by interweaving and overlapping the stories in the series. This challenge is compounded by the first person narrative, but nothing could be more effective than the way in which China Bayles fills the reader in on the backstory. This is often a weak area in a series, but beautifully done in SPANISH DAGGER, as in all the China Bayles mysteries. A first-time reader will be effortlessly acquainted with the main characters and the continuing plots.
China's investigative pursuits are woven into the story quite plausibly, another challenge with amateur sleuths. While it's true that the reader has to suspend incredulity at so many murder victims falling at China's feet, Ms. Albert somehow makes it easy. The everyday doings of Pecan Springs form a backdrop to the complex and sometimes hidden relationships that reach from the shop owner next door (Ruby Wilcox) outward to the police chief (Sheila Dawson) and beyond to big-city police and agency corruption. The social issues threaded into the story are clearly there to further the story -- from drug running to a parent's dementia to gossiping townspeople. All part of the package in Pecan Springs!
China Bayles and the other main characters are well-rounded and continue to evolve, with the secondary players also springing to life. Characterization is one of the strong suits of this series. It's hard to go wrong with a few pets, too, and the Rotti Rambo is a worthy companion to the squirrel-chasing basset hound Howard Cosell, and the seventeen-pound Khat on whose clock "it's always five minutes past time to eat."
Anyone familiar with Susan Wittig Albert's work knows that she treats her craft and the reader with great respect. I recommend SPANISH DAGGER as another example of a great read from this versatile author.
Spanish Dagger (China Bayles Mystery) Overview

Want to learn more information about Spanish Dagger (China Bayles Mystery)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Bruce Cost's Asian Ingredients: Buying and Cooking the Staple Foods of China, Japan and Southwest Asia Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Bruce Cost's Asian Ingredients: Buying and Cooking the Staple Foods of China, Japan and Southwest Asia? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Bruce Cost's Asian Ingredients: Buying and Cooking the Staple Foods of China, Japan and Southwest Asia. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Bruce Cost's Asian Ingredients: Buying and Cooking the Staple Foods of China, Japan and Southwest Asia ReviewI have been eating asian food for decades -- only recently have I become interested in trying to cook it. The biggest barrier is understanding the use and purpose of Asian ingredients. This book demystifies things wonderfully and provides illustrative recipes showing the proper use and context of the spices, vegetables and ingredients necessary to authentic Asian food.
It's an invaluable resource and is obviously a huge amount of work went into researching and describing the use of foods in the various regions in Asia. For instance, I never noticed that the Japanese do not use garlic at all, while every other Asian country uses garlic extensively.
Too bad it's out of print -- pick up a used copy if you can. Some enterprising publisher should reprint it pronto. With the availability of Asian foods spreading outside the US major cities, this book is becoming more relevant than ever.Bruce Cost's Asian Ingredients: Buying and Cooking the Staple Foods of China, Japan and Southwest Asia Overview

Want to learn more information about Bruce Cost's Asian Ingredients: Buying and Cooking the Staple Foods of China, Japan and Southwest Asia?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

CULINARIA CHINA: Country. Cuisine. Culture. Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy CULINARIA CHINA: Country. Cuisine. Culture.? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on CULINARIA CHINA: Country. Cuisine. Culture.. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

CULINARIA CHINA: Country. Cuisine. Culture. ReviewI have lived in China for a couple of years and think I can reflect on the book with a critical eye.
I agree that this new Culinaria and also the Relaunches (as I have seen them) are not exactly like the old ones. They are more modern and a lot of photos a new. Basically, the layout and format has not been changed much so I do not understand the other reviews at all. They are quite similar and concerning the content more or less identical.
The new China and Culinarias do not disappoint and follow the style of the previous Culinaria by featuring as the subtitles also says country, cuisine and culture. And this is exactly what makes all Culinaria titles different from other cookbooks.
In other books you will e.g. never find a feature of a Shanghai working class guy from the morning till the evening and get to know what the authentic Chinese actually eat.

The book is so diverse in information. You get to know all kinds stuff from the different provinces and it really makes you feel like travelling China afterwards.
But I prefer the smaller Culinarias as they are not such heavy coffee table books and easier to carry home (I bought the book at Page One in Hong Kong).CULINARIA CHINA: Country. Cuisine. Culture. Overview

Want to learn more information about CULINARIA CHINA: Country. Cuisine. Culture.?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Holly Blues (China Bayles Mystery) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Holly Blues (China Bayles Mystery)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Holly Blues (China Bayles Mystery). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Holly Blues (China Bayles Mystery) Review"...let's take time out for introductions. Some of you already know me and have visited my shop a dozen times or more. Others--well, maybe this is your first visit, and you haven't a clue to who we are or what we're talking about. So, my name is China Bayles."
One of the best parts of Holly Blues, or any of the China Bayles series, is the warm welcome. The reader is immediately drawn into the world of Pecan Springs, China, McQuaid, Ruby, and all of the other folks in this small Texas Hill Country town. Since there is inevitably a time span between releases, this serves to refresh the memory of the regular China Bayles reader; and, if this is the first of the series the reader has picked up--heaven forbid!--there is enough background given that this could be read as a stand-alone book. A very nice touch!
As one might suspect from the title, this story finds China and companions ready to celebrate Christmas. Times are hard in Pecan Springs, as elsewhere in the country, and China is working extra at her herbal shop to bring in much needed revenue. Hubby McQuaid, a private investigator, is off to Omaha despite the calendar, also trying to make the most of every money-making opportunity. At this busiest of times, who should show up but the troublesome Sally, McQuaid's ex-wife and definitely not one of China's favorite people. Still, it is the holiday season and China does her best to make Sally feel welcome.
As usual, Sally brings mayhem in her wake, adding murder, threatening phone calls, and tragedy to her list of companions this time. Once again, China, McQuaid, and Ruby have to pool their myriad and varied skills to solve old and new mysteries. The holidays may pass them by if these mysteries and murders aren't solved quicker than they can say "Grinch". It's tough work, but this team is up to the challenge, using McQuaid's connections, Ruby's sometimes far-out ideas, and China's lawyerly and problem-solving skills.
With this book came for me the realization that China has grown in depth of character since the beginning of the series. She has always been a strong and competent woman, a good friend, wife, and business woman. Here, there is softening and mellowing. From a woman who was not sure how to even relate to Brian, her stepson, China has opened her arms and her heart to her orphaned niece, Caitie, reveling in her hugs and cuddles, thankful that they can provide a loving and stable home for her. China seems more rounded and multi-faceted now and the change is pleasant to see.
Just as China and McQuaid have to tough out the hard economic times, they have to learn to cope with a changing landscape. Showing that she is environmentally aware far beyond Pecan Springs and her own gardens, China laments the urban sprawl taking over her part of Texas describing it as "...an ugly octopus of supersized, overpriced McMansions." As always, Albert's keen descriptions of place are detailed and right on, be it familiar Pecan Springs, or snowy Omaha. Her research comes shining through, and is another reason her books are so enjoyable to read.
Instead of letting an established series turn stale, Albert has used her considerable skills and imagination to give the reader yet another thriller, with fresh ideas, up-to-date methodology, current social commentary and new depth to her characters and story line. I'll be waiting anxiously for the next installment!
by Susan Ideus
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about womenHolly Blues (China Bayles Mystery) Overview

Want to learn more information about Holly Blues (China Bayles Mystery)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Mourning Gloria (China Bayles Mystery) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Mourning Gloria (China Bayles Mystery)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Mourning Gloria (China Bayles Mystery). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Mourning Gloria (China Bayles Mystery) ReviewFrom the publisher: "While Pecan Springs bustles back to life in the warmth of spring, one woman's life is tragically brought to an end. China Bayles happens upon a burning house trailer and hears a woman screaming for help. The evidence leaves no doubt that it's arson homicide. Jessica Nelson, an intern-reporter at the local paper, is assigned to cover the story. But she's gotten herself too deeply involved. When Jessica disappears, China is determined to find her, before she becomes headlines herself."
I'm a fan of the China Bayles mysteries and always enjoy visiting China's herb shop, Thyme & Seasons, in the fictional town of Pecan Springs with its cast of eclectic residents. In this book, I like how Albert develops China as a parent as her stepson Brian gets older and she adjusts to the new challenges of raising her 11-year-old niece, Caitlin, as well as the development of other characters such as that of China's friend Donna as she deals with the return of her irresponsible sister who causes trouble when she returns to the family farm. Another story line introduced is that of the engagement of police chief Sheila Dawson to Sheriff Blackie Blackwell, and their realization that one of them will need to step down from his or her position in order for a marriage to work which will make for an interesting topic in future books.
Overall I did like this book and appreciated that it did hold my interest from beginning to end and left me anticipating the next one in the series.
Mourning Gloria (China Bayles Mystery) Overview

Want to learn more information about Mourning Gloria (China Bayles Mystery)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...