The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

The revolutionary era of Mexico seems to be a popular literary backdrop these days, which I appreciate because it shines a light on an era that I personally know little about. Growing up in New Mexico, the connection with Mexico was of course a significant part of our culture, and I have a vivid memory … Continue reading The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Episode 3, Season 2 of “Cooking The Books” Podcast Now Available!

My latest podcast episode just dropped and it's a hilarious one, filled with lots of laughs, an in-depth discussion of Shakespeare and food, the dubious merits of Mel Gibson's rendition of Hamlet. My guest, the witty, intelligent, extremely handsome and wonderful cook and author Giovanni Franceschini and I swap cooking methods, he creates an impromptu … Continue reading Episode 3, Season 2 of “Cooking The Books” Podcast Now Available!

Episode 11 of “Cooking The Books” Podcast Now Available!

The latest episode of my podcast "Cooking the Books" just dropped! We're taking on one of horror literature's greatest and most classic novels of all time, discussing the nature of hauntings and the concept of home, and sharing this delectable and unusual recipe for chicken with plums, so give it a listen at: http://www.anchor.fm/cookingthebooks/episodes/The-Haunting-of-Hill-House-and-the-Spooky-Joys-of-Chicken-with-Plums-and-Radishes-em1dbo https://anchor.fm/cookingthebooks/episodes/The-Haunting-of-Hill-House-and-the-Spooky-Joy-of-Chicken-with-Plums-and-Radishes-em1dbo

Strange Highways: The Black Pumpkin by Dean Koontz

October is such a great month, isn't it? The brutal heat of summer is over and the crispness of autumn is upon us, we're getting ready for the holiday season, and it all kicks off with the creepy fun of Halloween. Being a former Goth chick, I still have a fondness in my heart for … Continue reading Strange Highways: The Black Pumpkin by Dean Koontz

The Wonder Worker by Susan Howatch

This is one of those books I would want with me if trapped on a desert island. The Wonder Worker has many levels, and is one of those wonderful stories that you return to again and again, always finding something new in the words. On the surface level, it's a story about four everyday people … Continue reading The Wonder Worker by Susan Howatch

The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester

One of the most verbose and least credible narrators I've come across in recent literature, the hero of The Debt to Pleasure, one Tarquin Winot, is a total and complete food snob. He opens the book with the line "This is not a conventional cookbook,” and no, it most certainly is not. Just as Tarquin … Continue reading The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

So this was a totally bizarre, engrossing and freaky ride of a book. I haven't read anything in quite awhile that literally hooked me from the first sentence and didn't let go. I actually checked it out at the library and got three overdue notices because I wanted to read it slowly and savor it, … Continue reading Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

The Investigative Paranormal Society Cookbook by Charles French

French has a wonderful blog - here's the link - that I follow and enjoy so very much, in addition to his first book Maledicus: The Investigative Paranormal Society, which I blogged about last year. The book is the story of three older gentlemen who form a paranormal group and go ghost-hunting, only to find … Continue reading The Investigative Paranormal Society Cookbook by Charles French

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

You can almost feel the Italian heat baking down, and smell the bougainvillea flowers, as you read this evocative novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Tom Ripley is a young man from New York, struggling to make something of himself. He's approached by Mr. Greenleaf who mistakes him for a close college friend of his son, Dickie, … Continue reading The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

The Homecoming by Andrew Pyper

I love being scared, although I prefer my frights to come from supernatural elements like ghosts, vampires, demons, witches, and the like. Scares that come from real-life terrors like serial killers, home invasions, break-ins, freak me out so badly that I can't read about them or watch them. It's just too close to home, pardon … Continue reading The Homecoming by Andrew Pyper