Very good.
Sleeping Beauty is a 1973 novel by Ross Macdonald.
This one I found surprisingly sophisticated. The plot quite complex.
Private eye Lew Archer finds himself the confidant of a wealthy, violent family with a load of trouble on their hands – including an oil spill, a missing girl, a lethal dose of nembutal, a six figure ransom and a stranger afloat, face down, off a private beach.
Murder Takes a Vacation (2025) is super popular right now.
It’s an easy read murder mystery with a charming protagonist.
“She was a large woman,” Lippman writes. “OK, fine. She was fat.” But Mrs. Blossom is comfortable with her body although she occasionally feels self-conscious when she senses others are judging her.
She is in her late 60s now, widowed and a grandmother, but thanks to a winning lottery ticket she found in a parking lot, she has money for the first time in her life. One of the things she does with it is take her first trip to Europe.
On the cross-Atlantic flight, and again when she reaches Paris, younger men begin showing Mrs. Blossom a great deal of attention. She rather likes this, although she wonders if they might be after her money. But soon, after she boards the cruise ship to tour the Seine, she becomes aware that she is being followed. Eventually her stateroom is ransacked and a stranger tries to mug her. …
Book Review: An aging widow’s European river cruise turns deadly in ‘Murder Takes a Vacation’
Metzger’s Dog (1983) has a bit of a cult following.
A surprising and quirky story.
Leroy Chinese Gordon (Wonderful name!) is a bit of an idiot savant, minor criminal, tool and die guy who lives in Los Angeles.
He has lovingly hand-built his own anti-aircraft gun and mounted it in the back of his Ford van.
He has two close friends who have particular skills (lockpicking and sharpshooting) and who comprise his “gang.”
He has a beautiful (Of course!) and smart (Surprisingly!) girlfriend named Margaret.
Chinese himself is ruled by his roommate, Dr. Henry Metzger, a cat.
While stealing cocaine from a University lab, the misfits grab a locked box — which happens to contain research papers.
The CIA desperately wants the papers back. They assume the Russians stole them, using the cocaine as a cover story.
Meanwhile, Chinese has problems selling the cocaine.
AND there’s a vicious junkyard dog, a huge, black brute that wants to kill the gang. Until tamed by Dr. Henry Metzger.
First in the Kate Burkholder series. … I might continue on.
In Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries.
But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. A young Amish girl named Kate Burkholder survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer . . . but ultimately decided to leave her community.
A wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as chief of police. Her Amish roots and big-city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She’s certain she’s come to terms with her past―until the first body is discovered in a snowy field.
Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past―and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.
Amazon – Sworn to Silence (2011)
It was adapted into a TV movie called An Amish Murder.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
As it turned out, I only got 2 nights on Gili T (Gili Trawangan)
BEST stop in Indonesia, so far.
The highlight is having NO MOTOR VEHICLES. What a relief after Bali.
It’s mainly known as a party island for Aussie youth — but it’s quite peaceful once you leave the main tourist streets.
I prefer the quieter western sunset coast.
Actually, I stayed at one of the most infamous party hostels. My Mate’s Place. It’s excellent.
Terrific free breakfast. Superb restaurant.
Most people get here from Bali by boat.
Surprisingly popular are sunset horseback rides.
I’d definitely go back. Perhaps rent a place for a month.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
You might recall Julia Roberts here in Eat, Pray, Love.
The small city of Ubud has developed a serious tourism industry, promoted as an arts and culture centre.
More than three million foreign tourists each year, many of those NOT YOUNG. (Youth are on some beach instead.) I saw many families with young kids, as well.
Ubud is inland amongst rice terraces.
Highlights for me were:
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
I twice went walking in the local rice paddies, as well.
My favourite restaurant there, Sweet Orange.
Even better was a splurge for steak and mushrooms at Funky Chunks. Cost about CAD $15.
Traffic is terrible. But I did like Ubud.
Can you name 3 famous people from that nation?
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
I really enjoyed the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary at the very heart of the small tourist city of Ubud.
Over 1000 well-fed Balinese long-tailed macaques are interesting and sometimes hilarious in a beautiful park setting. Over 100 tree species.
Ancient looking, moss-covered Hindu structures give this place a mystical charm.
Click PLAY or watch a video of my visit on YouTube.
There are three 14th-century Hindu temples inside, off-limits to tourists:
Monkeys may climb on you or grab loose items like sunglasses, snacks, or phones.
In fact, one unexpectedly jumped on my head!
Another tourist tried to get the photo, but wasn’t quite quick enough.
Happily, A.I. can recreate the incident exactly. It was exactly like this. 😀
Little guy probably thought I was a God. 😀
Of course I was worried about getting scratched or bitten — but it doesn’t seem to happen often with these macaques.
They are mainly fed sweet potatoes. But corn seemed most popular while I was there.
One thing obvious is how mothers dote on their infants.
Locals dislike monkeys as they cause a lot of damage. But for this tourist, it’s …
On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer (2025) is selections from 23-year-old Rick’s 1978 journal on the “Hippie Trail“.
It was no “Magic Bus” experience. They did this trip the hard way — independently.
They didn’t have the first Lonely Planet guide, rather only the first BIT (“Bible of the East”), a free half a dozen or so duplicated foolscap sheets stapled together with no cover.
Rick’s posted travel photos of himself and best pal Gene reflecting on how the journey through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal changed his life.
My own travels in Europe 1976 in an orange Volkswagen van were a piece of cake compared with the Hippie Trail. I had no interest — though a High School friend, Ian Baird, did end up in Kathmandu drinking Chai and eating pie on Freak Street. He got quite sick as did almost all the westerners who tried that adventure.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Another great, hilarious, fast-paced fantasy adventure.
Stone Barrington somehow buys 2 huge new historic estates in England.
AND 2 new expensive motorcars — as you and I would do. 😀 Bentley AND a Porsche.
As usual, beautiful women fall into his bed almost immediately.
The bad guys are particularly inept in this one.
This is #36 in the series.
Rick McCharles 