Canada: We Are the Story, by Richard Wagamese, Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley (illustrator)

 

Publication March 17, 2026

Although I'm not Canadian, I'm an Alaskan. Our indigenous populations share a heritage, so I was drawn immediately to this book. The cover art with the aurora definitely caught my eye. With stunning artwork throughout and powerful words, this one is a winner. Seen through the eyes of an indigenous child tasked with writing an essay about why they're proud to be Canadian, it's a lovely, beautifully illustrated reminder of what all of us have in common. It encourages us to honor our past while looking to the future. 

Given that I read this soon after the controversy surrounding Bad Bunny's Super Bowl half-time show, it carried even more meaning. It is not just a strong testimony to not just ones own cultural identity but of learning where you fit in the grand scheme of things. There's something of a dreamlike quality to many of the illustrations, reminding us of the thin veil between our past and present. Written for children, its strength is how it honors the past and those who came before us, no matter what their origin, but gives a sense of how we fit into the whole, how we're shaped by all those who came before us. I've spent time working on my own family tree which harbors long gone souls from faraway places who made our country strong, including family who came on the Mayflower, but all were met by indigenous people who also helped shape the world as we know it. As such, I could sense the awe felt by the child in the book as they meet their ancestors and are reminded to celebrate not just past achievements but the present and future yet to come. I liked the subtle blending of "old" style and modern clothing used in some of the illustrations, a subtle shading of past and present. The artist's renderings of the Northern Lights was stunning, I must say, and captured that sense of awe well. Even today they are mystical as the wave and dance above us, reminding us that our ancestors also must have watched in awe. The spreads featuring the aurora were, no surprise, my personal favorites. 

On a less mystical plain, the artwork is largely done in earth tones, with the blues ancestors are pictured in perhaps meant to convey that thin veil between past and present. You see the ancestor spirits surrounding the child in one rendering, another powerful image. To paraphrase the author, the ultimate message is that we are all one, we're all family, mankind. Different parts of Canada seem to be shown, too, again a reminder that we are bigger than one soul, living in a diverse world. We can learn from one another and bring our knowledge to the future. Obviously I could ramble on longer but will simply say this is a beautifully done book with stunning artwork and words that mean something rather than just entertain. My sincere thanks to #TundraBookGroup for allowing me early access to this lovely work. As an Alaskan, Canada is my closest neighbor and our worlds do blend at times, I'll certainly have this book firmly in my mind the next time I take in a Native gathering. 

First In Series: A cozy mystery collection Kindle Edition, by Reagan Davis (Author)

 

What a delight. A chance to relive the beginnings of not just one but two excellent cozy mysteries. Rather than simply tell you "Read these!", which you certainly should, I thought I'd share a few observations and reasons to do just that.

First, both have strong, independent female leads. In the Knitorious series, Megan is in the process of getting a divorce. Her husband has cheated on her but they are in the midst of a remarkably civil divorce, their focus on their daughter rather than themselves. In the other series, we have strong, ambitious Karla, who is trying to grow her concierge business. She has a bit of an advantage over Megan, however, in the sleuthing department. She's able to quickly pick up on people's tells, the involuntary eye movement, blinks, turning of the head/body, or whatever, when they're lying. Her father is also the town police chief, not to mention her sister is a cop, too. Oh, and her best friend is the town coroner.

Both ladies have a strong circle of family and friends who have their backs and are there for them. Both ladies, despite the negative events in their lives, also seem to be largely positive forces, looking for the good in all. The supporting casts about them are all well-defined, with personalities of their own. They all strike me as people I'd love to have in my life. And, oh, yes, there are adorable dogs in their small town settings. Romance, too, of course, when it can sneak in between the intriguing murder investigations. The mysteries themselves are satisfying, with multiple suspects and twists and turns, not to mention red herrings. 

Bottom line, to shift back into my first instinct, read these introductory installments and be ready to dive into both series when you find you're hooked.

Ice Girls Finish Last, by Reagan Davis

 

I was instantly reminded why I so thoroughly enjoy Reagan Davis' books. Her writing and deft use of words draws me in every time. This time it was the very first sentence about driving through a pounding downpour in "a jittery silence". That immediately conveyed the atmosphere and hovering mood, with the "squeaky determination of the windshield wipers" making me flashback to a few drenching Florida downpours I remember from living there. I was instantly in the scene, albeit thankful that as much rain as my now home of Alaska gets, it never quite seems to come down as pounding as those dreaded Florida thunderstorms.

In any case, this is a quick, easy read, a flashback to the beginnings of Karla's days in Bellbrook. We meet her half sister, Max, who dreams of being a police officer, and Rob(yn) who is studying to be a doctor. Together, especially with Karla's knack of quickly discerning people's "tells" if they lie, they make a great team, even in this, their younger days. They are sent detouring around after the storm washes out some roads and encounter a dazed, injured woman who cannot even remember her own name. Then, they see the notice about an escaped serial killer. Uh, oh...

Roads and phones are out and this story takes place before even GPS in cars was common, let alone cell phones. They are on their own. And, they use their collective strengths to slowly begin to put the pieces together and figure out who to trust and who not to trust. And, hey, there's even a dog stranded with them at the gas station/store. Bottom line, a fun, quick read that both fills in some blanks on Karla and the rest as well as keeps the reader engrossed and entertained. Or, maybe I should say "jittery"?

Dashing Through the Snowbirds (Meg Langslow #32), by Donna Andrews

 

Publication October 11, 2022

As a fan of this series from the beginning, it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed joining Meg's family for the Christmas run-up. I often wonder if I keep coming back as much for their antics and the animals as I do the mystery. In this case, the mystery is who killed the obnoxious, mean-spirited Scrooge, er, Ian The antics, oh, too many to mention although can't ignore that surprise ice rink in the back pasture. Humor, always. Meg has a zen like ability to face danger and remain calm or find the perfectly snarky comeback to someone's comments. Fortunately, we only "hear" most of them in her head though I did like the snarky, surely intentional misinterpretation of someone's comment about wanting to remain silent and a lawyer. Nope, not telling. See if you guessed right and read the book. Enjoy those accidentily gold sprayed Pomeranians, too, although they are now naked Poms dressed in an abundance of outfits supplied by friends and family. 

As for the crime, it kept me guessing. Just when you think Meg has rounded up the last of the suspects, another appears. Heck, they even toss in a cyber stalker for good measure who has decided Casey, half of the crime podcast team with Kevin, is her soul mate. Never mind she thinks he's a tall redhead, mostly likely Irish, and Casey is, well, not. The crime centers about a quite current topic, however, DNA testing and it's legit uses.

So, who whacked Ian with the hockey stick in the pasture at the ice rink? There are multiple suspects who'd wish him dead, that's for sure. Was the person in the silver car cruising past Meg and Michael's home involved? How many uses can you think of for a dumbwaiter? What happened to the soon-to-be mama cat in the manger at the church nativity? Can Juncos really predict the weather? Is it suspicious that Maeve planned to basically quit on Friday anyway? How much would it cost to outfit your town's police force with electric cars? Do you know what "curds and whey" is the ol' fashioned term for? Who is that supposed lawyer that is looking for Ian?  In fact, who are all those strangers that keep turning up? What mischief is Meg's grandfather into now that is annoying Caroline? And, oh, there is always more in a Meg Langslow story? Trust me, you won't be bored. Even now, on book 32, this series hasn't gone stale. 

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress - #MinotaurBooks for letting me spend some time hanging out with Meg's family and friends, not to mention the dogs, llamas, peacocks, oh, never mind. I'd be here all day listing all the much loved critters in their lives.

I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend, by Martin Short

 "....in a fleeting moment."

Ironic that my big take-away from this likeable, funny book, published in 2014, is the humanity behind the public face. I came away with a new liking -- his characters have been hit or miss with me -- and respect for Martin Short. So much of what he said resonates loudly with his current visibility and popularity in the hit comedy-mystery "Only Murders in the Building" on Hulu. I "read" the audio version, btw, read by Short himself, which I highly recommend.

It's sometimes difficult to wrap our minds around the fact that they seemingly always funny, smiling man we see on television and in the movies or, if you're lucky on a Broadway stage, hasn't had an easy, smooth life. Short lost a brother and both parents by the time he was twenty. His wife of 30+ years died of Ovarian Cancer, ironically the disease that took the life of a former girlfriend, Gilda Radner.

Yet, even now that I know the back story of Short's life, it's hard to envision him as anything but smiling and loving life. As he writes, bad things happen but the sun does come up the next morning. He feels the mark of a man isn't just how he handles it all but what he learns from the experience. He's still smiling, remembering a good life, and surrounded by a circle of friends that would make almost anyone's A-list, including the likes of Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, not to mention one of his house guests at one point was the late Robin Williams. Steve Martin wrote a special song, "The Great Remember", for banjo in tribute to Nancy, Short's wife, after her death. I could go on and on but, well, think of your dream guest list and they are probably friends of Martin Short. That tells you something, the man is genuinely likeable.

I won't detail the whole list but Short lists the nine categories that have been essential to him. The key seems to be keeping a balance and getting your priorities straight. For him, yes, that included his show biz career but his family and friends were the ultimate concern. As he notes, all the little perks and rewards we get are nice but the important thing is really whether you're enjoying life and helping make the world a better place. A good philosophy for us all, I'd say.

Given the success and popularity of the Steve Martin created "Only Murders in the Building", I couldn't help but zero in on some performance/life traits that Martin Short brings to the character he plays. I also noted that he has a son who shares the name Oliver, Short's show name. The character is a bit of an oddball, aren't we all, but as Short notes in the book, written well before the show was created, oddball characters are often sweet, empathetic, and agreeable. It's the innocence in a character that strikes actor Short. While he definitely ascribes to the theory that, yeah, more can be fun, he also tries not to telegraph or oversell the character. Just as with his general life philosophy, he strives for that balance. As he notes in the book, any performance has in it the chance for danger, fun, and even anarchy.

The end of the book, while dealing with the lose of his wife to cancer, somehow manages to also strike that often precarious balance. It circles back to the death of his mother, who kept the seriousness of the disease from him as long as possible, thus illustrating his seeming need to somehow protect Nancy from the truth of her diagnosis as long as possible. His reaction and that of their children is enough to bring tears to the eyes. At the time, he tells Steve Martin that he is shattered. That said, the optimistic side of him seems to have won out, with not just imagined chats with her on the deck of their snug getaway but in the way his friends circle about him. As he recalls, it's a quote from his late brother that seems to bring peace: "I'll see you in a fleeting moment."

Funny, sad, and with lots of name dropping, this book should be a must for fans of both Short's past and present work. It'll make you look at him with new eyes.

Deadly Thanksgiving, by Maureen Fisher

 I loved this book. Set in Canada, Maureen Fisher's "Deadly Thanksgiving" offers up both some serious moments and fast-paced action and humor. I mean, an attack cat named Snuggles? A rogue goat during a goat yoga class, goats that throw up, a guard llama, a drunken wannabe beau who shows up in only a robe one night, power outages, raucous guests, murderous guests, and, oh, yeah, one particularly hunky retired Mountie are just part of the fun. 

We learn more about Carla and her sisters, however, that isn't so much fun, including Carla's abusive father and physically abusive former husband. Kudos to Fisher for tackling such events in an otherwise relatively humorous book. Sisterly relationships and expectations are also tackled. As a result, we get to see Carla's growth and slow acceptance of ex-Mountie Hawk's efforts to break down the barriers she's erected for self-protection. He has his own ghosts, of course, that color his behavior.

Yet, it's the humor and fast paced action that dominate "Deadly Thanksgiving". Guest Roland's wannabe Lothario is an early example and things only pick up from there. Bottom line, if you love humor with a touch of seriousness, seriousness that doesn't disrupt the good feeling, give "Deadly Thanksgiving" a read. It put a smile on my face.