The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore, by Stan Zimmerman

 

Publication Feb. 13, 2024

This book made me grin, laugh, and occasionally roll my eyes. It also made me cry. Like Kahlil Gibran in his "The Prophet" (can you tell what I've been rereading in spare moments), Zimmerman sings the praises of his mother and her role in his life throughout the book. She'd supported his dreams and helped him become his best self. Then she got dementia. Like Zimmerman, I, too, dealt with losing my mother to this awful disease that takes their presence from you while the body still remains. He describes it as watching the light dim in her eyes. That struck a bell, as did his admission that he felt both sadness and relief at her passing. She was no longer lost in the darkness of forgotten memories but he admits his best, most important role in life had been being a "son" and he was devastated. I needed a tissue. 

As for the rest of the book, it was a delight to read about his youthful passion for not just acting but writing plays that he put on in his basement. I flashed back to Randy Rainbow's book where he talked about basically getting his start in his own bedroom, doing it all, and grinned. I hope the two of them have met. Zimmerman was talented enough to be invited to a prestigious summer theater program before he'd even reached the required age but ultimately found him way primarily as a writer. 

While it was interesting to hear about his experiences as a quite young, gay man writing for The Golden Girls series, it was equally interesting to be given a, so to speak, behind the scenes look at how much goes into not just the creation of such series but the difficulty of getting even the best ideas on the air or stage. And, yes, tons of names are dropped that you'll recognize, from the cast of Golden Girls through his experiences in theater. Unlike many writers, I'll note he largely worked with a collaboration for most of his career, Jim Berg. Together, they are credited with some of the more memorable scenes on film, including the infamous lesbian kiss on the Roseanne Barr show. The behind the scenes look at that show alone is fascinating. 

Through it all, Zimmerman's almost conversational, often self-deprecating wit and words flow. It's an easy read and you're almost sure to encounter personalities you'll recognize. Zimmerman would have won me over with his love and respect for his mother and her role in his life, not to mention his acknowledgement of the role so many women had played, I'd like to think he's someone I'd have found intriguing even without that aspect. I mean, the man even danced behind Rudolph Nureyev in the glorious days of his youth. Andy Warhol even found him worthy of taking photos of at a party. Of course, he didn't recognize Warhol and told him to stop. 

Fortunately, he kept a journal most of his life, so such experiences are bolstered in the telling by his thoughts from the moment. Careful, wannabe show/play writers may even pick up a few hints as they read. Bottom line, a great, fun read. Thanks #NetGalley and #IndigoRiverPublishing for inviting me to meet Stan Zimmerman. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting him and vicariously living through a few of his experiences and my heart definitely goes out to him for his mother. Made me want to hug him and tell him "Everything will be okay".

Muddled Matrimonial Murder (Cupcake Catering Mystery Series Book 6), by Kim Davis

 

Publication June 13, 2023

This was a new-to-me series, so it was interesting to get to know new people and their community. Although the beginning seemed slow to me, that was probably simply because of my newness and the unfamiliarity of the various characters as they were introduced in rather quick order in the opening chapter. In the grand scheme of things, other than slowing me down briefly, it works as a standalone as the author does an excellent job filling us in on who is who and what their connections are. 

As the book is opening, main character Emory Martinez is working on finalizing plans for the wedding of friend Brad to police detective Gabe. Unexplainably, Gabe is awol and Brad is worried. As it turns out, he had cause to be worried. Brad and Emory find a dead body the next day when the go to his grandparent's home to drop of some of the wedding gifts. Never mind that the wedding invitation said no gifts. People will do what they deem is right. One of the gifts, a muddler, which I admit to having to look up, was the murder weapon. Gabe's prints are on the muddler but, wait, he admits to being the one to put the muddler on the counter. Surveillance video shows him entering the estate but not exiting, albeit that may be due to a community power failure at the time. 

So, where is Gabe? What's his story? Why has he been avoiding Brad? Does he have feeling for Colin? What's the story on the dead woman, who Brad had a restraining order out on due to past stalking encounters? Did unrequited love play a role? How did she find him? Could Brad have actually killed her? His alibi is non-existent for the estimated time of death. How did the woman get into a gated, security gated community anyway? What secrets are being kept? Will the past invade the present? Will family bonds hold? Will Emory every learn to delegate? Will she find herself in danger due to her "snooping"? Oh, come on. You at least know the answer to that one. 

Who....nope, enough teasers. Bottom line, although I was doubtful about this book initially due to my own slowness in grasping the many characters and relationships, I warmed to it quickly. I liked Emory and, btw, wish she were real so I could taste test some of her baking, The supporting cast was equally easy to like and, hey, she has two rescue dogs, Piper and Missy. Now that I've been introduced to them all, I'm looking forward to a return visit. Thanks to #BookSirens and #Cinnamon&SugarPress for the introduction and will definitely be back. Heck, I'm probably going to be doing catch-up reading of the entire series, now that I think about it.

Death on the Pier, by Jamie West

 

Publication October 11, 2011

Deliciously clever. Delicately woven around theatre (British spelling) customs and production elements, it's a bit like stepping onstage and into the middle of a classic Agatha Christie type mystery for which you neither know the lines nor how the play ends. Nothing seems quite wrong....or right. 

That's the situation successful playwright Bertie Carroll finds himself in as he attends a performance of one of his older productions at Brighton's Palace Pier Theatre. It's the 1930s. The theatre was real, btw, and a quick search reveals it must have been rather resplendent at one time. Sadly, it no longer exists. But, I digress. Bertie is in town to meet with an old friend, Chief Detective Inspector Hugh Chapman who has a reputation for solving impossible cases. Bertie is, well, an unassuming writer and feels out of his element as the investigation into the onstage death of fading star Celia Hamilton begins.

It happened in front of an audience who simply thought it was part of the play, as did Bertie initially, to be honest. It quickly becomes evident that it was no well-played death scene, however. It was the real thing. Celia is dead. The actress who pulled the trigger of the prop gun is the obvious suspect but, well, we all know that things aren't always what they seem. I won't detail the plot/investigation but it's fun watching Bertie gain in confidence as he uses his knowledge of day-to-day theatre customs, whether on casting, production, staging, or dressing the stage, to help solve the crime. You'll learn a great deal about the theatre in the process of solving this mystery. 

So, who did it? Did the butler do it? Was it the young, unknown actress, perhaps hoping to replace the difficult star? Perhaps the stage manager had snapped at one too many caustic criticisms? Or maybe the handsome young actor who seems, well, a tad undisciplined onstage? Breaking the fourth wall is a no-no, you know. Why is this show being produced anyway? It isn't even one of Bertie's hits. And, why is Hugh there in the first place? Do you know what a cigarette card is/was in that time period? He gives one to Bertie. There are subtle hints of their connection but, given the era, they remain shadowy. I rather like that as I liked them both and it makes them human but doesn't distract from the story. But, enough teasers. Read the book. You won't be sorry, especially if you're a fan of classic mysteries and/or the theatre.

Thanks to #NetGalley and BrabingerPublishing for the invite to the show. It was a delight to meet Bertie and Hugh and feel engulfed by the mystic of the theatre. Hope to catch another show with them soon!

High Times in the Low Parliament, by Kelly Robson

Bemused. Confused. Intrigued. Those words describe my initial reactions to "High Times in the Low Parliament". It took awhile for the light to flip on in my mind but once it did, I was definitely intrigued. Who knew the fairy world was so politically charged.

In fact, it wasn't until my mind began to make connections between the disdain and attempted destruction of the Low Parliament and, hmm, maybe NATO that my mind began to make sense of it all. It's an interesting if bewildering world that Lana Baker finds herself deposited in for the sake of a few kisses. Yes, lots of lady on lady type action here but, honestly, it was secondary. The politics and complicated relationships between the humans and fairy characters, not to mention the multitude of factions within the political body are what made the story interesting to me. I didn't even particularly like Lana as the book began but gradually found myself warming to her, then admiring her pluck and smarts as she navigated the complex world she found herself inside. In other words, she matures and grew on me. Same for Bugbite, the cranky fairy that Lana befriends. They're far more complex characters than one imagines at first and their growth and concern for all, not just themselves, made me care about what was and might happen to them.

The political world they inhabit is, well, full of turmoil. Much talk, endless posturing, arguing, finger pointing, and grand gestures that all come to naught. Sounds a great deal like our modern political world doesn't it, even though this one is set in 18th century. I doubt that the author had invasions and threats against NATO in mind as she wrote but given current circumstances, it was difficult to erase that thought from my mind once that light bulb went off. Lana, who admits to not really ever even trying to think shows more common sense than most, coming up with ideas on how to avoid being drowned, the eventual fate of all there if agreement isn't reached. So, given the fate awaiting them, why are deputies of the many, many factions still arguing? To hear their own voices? A grasp for power even if others die as a result? Power or maybe the power to make history? Or end it? Is chaos really more effective than calm? Will anyone listen to reason or are all fated to a dreadful end. But, wait, how are the fractious deputies perhaps thinking to have it all, power and survival?

You're going to have to read the book to find out. Read it with an open mind. For instance, although I don't swing that way, I didn't find the lady on lady flirtation offensive. It certainly fits this seemingly all female world. You may even find different connections than I eventually did. As noted, I was initially bewildered and didn't even like the main character but things change. Isn't that what it's all about? Change for the better?

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Macmillan-#Tor/Forge, #Tordotcom for offering me the chance to read the book. Admittedly, I wasn't sure as I began and it seemed slow but found myself thinking about it while doing other things, a sure sign that I was hooked.