Impression of A Murder - "No Man Is An Island," Spotlighted in Claw Enforcement by Sofie Ryan

 

“You’re just a sore loser,” the drunken man shouted. “But the judge is going to side with me. Me!” Joe Roswell was somewhere in his fifties, I guessed, balding with a salt-and-pepper mustache and wire-framed glasses. His face was lined from years of working outside in the sun and wind and cold. My grandmother would have said he had nice eyes. The man yelling at him was somewhere either side of thirty. He was a couple of inches shorter than Roswell and probably thirty pounds or so lighter, with sandy blonde hair that hung in his eyes. “Back off,” I heard Roswell say. Even twenty-five feet away I could see the warning in his eyes. Liam and Nick exchanged a look and started for the two men. Joe Roswell had clearly had enough. He rolled his forearm out and snapped it down on the other man’s arm, breaking the man’s grip. Then instead of moving away he took a step closer. “Walk away, Healy,” Roswell said, his voice sharp with warning. “Otherwise I will call the police. This party is invitation only and you don’t have one.” They glared at each other for a long moment, then Mr. Healy said something I didn’t catch and made his way toward the bar. The argument was over. People were already shifting their attention back to whatever they had been doing; in fact, I realized that not everyone had even noticed the brief altercation. Liam was talking to Roswell. Nick just stood there, hands stuffed in his pockets, listening. I saw the contractor shake his head. 

All three men looked in the direction of the bar and I did the same. As I watched I saw the female bartender shake her head at Mr. Healy. I didn’t think I was wrong about his state of intoxication and the last thing he needed was another drink. She set a cup and saucer on the bar in front of him, picked up a carafe that I assumed held coffee and poured a cup. He made a face at the coffee and said something. The bartender in turn pushed the cup at him. I had the sense from their interaction—the way he leaned in toward her, the way she seemed to snap back at him—that they knew each other. And it was all none of my business... 

Rose still seemed to be distracted by what was happening at the bar. The bartender had moved on to serve someone else and Mr. Healy was drinking his coffee and surveying the crowd. She turned to look at us. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I was just wondering if that poor man is okay.” I glanced around the room. Joe Roswell was standing by the windows now talking to Liam and Jane Evans. I tipped my head in their direction. “I think he’s fine, Rose,” I said. She turned in the direction I’d indicated. “Oh I didn’t mean him,” she said. “If you weren’t referring to Joseph then who did you mean?” Mr. P. asked. “The young man over by the bar, of course.” She frowned as though she didn’t understand why we didn’t know that. “Rose, he’s drunk,” I said. “I can see that,” she replied. “Maybe you should ask yourself why.” Conversations with Rose could very easily get off track. I knew she had a point to make but I had no clue what it was. “I would assume he consumed more alcohol than his body could process,” Mr. P. said. Rose nodded approvingly. “Exactly.” She shifted her attention to me. “Why?” I was officially off in the bulrushes, as Liz would say. “You mean, why did he get drunk?” “Yes. He got drunk, then he came to a party he hadn’t been invited to and made a bit of a scene.” 

I glanced over at Mr. Healy again, who was now talking to Robb Gorham. It didn’t look like a very happy conversation. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that Joe Roswell was watching them, too. Mr. P. was looking pensive. “Getting so intoxicated suggests the young man was upset about something.” Once again Rose smiled at him as though he were her best student. “You’re wondering what that something is,” I said. “I am,” she said. “I hate to see anyone in such distress.” Her eyes flicked to the back of the room again for a brief moment. “I guess that makes me a nosy old lady.” I slipped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a hug. “No. It makes you someone with a great big heart...” 

Once again my attention was drawn back to the bar. Maybe now I was the one who was being nosy. Healy was still standing there with his coffee. Joe Roswell was walking away shaking his head. Had they had another “conversation” I wondered? Beside me Rose was counting the View-Master reels. Across the room Healy took a sip of his coffee. The hand holding his cup began to shake. He pressed his other hand against his upper chest. He made a guttural sound. The coffee cup fell and shattered and Healy fell to the floor. I pushed past Rose and Mr. P. “Call 911,” I said. I bolted to the man, reaching him at the same time that Nick did. He rolled Healy on his back, felt for a pulse at his neck and bent to listen for breathing. 

He shook his head. “Start chest compressions,” he said. “I’ll do the breathing.” I nodded, swallowed against the lump of fear that was lodged in my throat and pushed the man’s sport coat open. I felt Healy’s chest move under my hands. I hoped it would somehow be enough to keep him alive until help arrived. Under my breath I was humming the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” something Nick had taught us all to do as a good way to maintain the proper number of compressions per minute. 

The irony wasn’t lost on me. Healy didn’t move. His color was a pasty gray-green, his eyes almost closed. He had long eyelashes and a scrape on his chin that was probably the result of cutting himself shaving. I didn’t know why my brain had noticed those things. Maybe because I didn’t want to think that he might already be dead. I just continued to work in tandem with Nick as the wail of sirens got closer. I had no idea how long it took the ambulance to arrive. Probably not as long as it seemed to me. 

Finally a paramedic in her blue uniform crouched beside me. “I’ve got this,” she said. I moved out of the way and she took over. I got to my feet. It was cold in the room. I wrapped my arms around my midsection for warmth. A suit jacket wrapped around my shoulders and Liam put his arm around me. We watched as Nick and the paramedics got Healy onto a stretcher. His color hadn’t changed. He hadn’t moved. I had the sickening feeling he was dead...

~~~

I often wonder why we have such a fascination of murder, death, killing. There are millions of books and movies that include some type of murder scene. Some simple, as we usually find in a cozy mystery such as this by Sofie Ryan. Others become so bizarre, so sophisticated that some of us want to know the "Why?" of what could have led to a death? For me, the solving of a mystery was always the primary point of interest. The standard "Who, What, When, Where and Why" questions seemed to haunt me until either I have solved the mystery, or I came to the end of the book or television program and learned the "Why?" Then I could ponder how the writer handled the book plot... And whether I was satisfied that the writer was an effective fiction writer... And, of course, I would seek out more of her/his books. 

But I have changed over the last 5-6 years. One, after having done nothing but reviews--reading and talking about the books read--for over ten years, I had a major physical breakdown. It was as if my body told me that I had been ignoring it, and most any other thing in life, except reading, writing and blogging... As some of you may know, I had to immediately go into physical therapy and start from scratch; that is, I had to learn how to walk again, stand, bend and more, without collapsing... Two, during that time, I heard that fatal call to the majority of American women when we heard our former president talk about grabbing women by... yeah, you remember, don't you?! Since then I've paid attend to the world around me. I couldn't help but watch when a man with such vulgarity, and lack of respect for women, was indeed running for president... And, three, I have seen the destruction wrought by this man and his political party, especially with the recognition, and the ever-growing loss of life--children's lives--due to lack of willingness on the part of that party to do something about gun control...

So, it was with a tiny bit of awe that I realized, Sofie Ryan, in her presentation of her investigative team, disclosed how she had created all of them involved in justice really felt:

Note: I enjoy listening to different versions of the same song and find in each a certain meaning that was wanted to be portrayed by the respective singer(s)...You may choose to listen to only the first which is the poem spoken rather than sung...

'No Man is an Island'

No man is an island entire of itself; every man 
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; 
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe 
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as 
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine 
own were; any man's death diminishes me, 
because I am involved in mankind. 
And therefore never send to know for whom 
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. --John Donne

Rose reached across the seat and laid her hand on top of mine. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “Both you and Nicolas did your best, but Mr. Healy was dead when he hit the floor. There wasn’t anything either of you could have done to save him.” I’d already come to the same conclusion, but I hated to admit that Nick and I hadn’t been able to save the man. It made me feel profoundly sad and I hadn’t even known him. I suddenly thought of John Donne’s poem, “No Man Is an Island.” 

I couldn’t remember if it was Charlotte or my grandmother who had quoted it to me. “‘Any man’s death diminishes me,’ 

“‘Because I am involved in mankind,’” I said, softly. “‘And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee,’” Mr. P. finished. 

I started the SUV and pulled out of the lot. “I wonder why anyone would have wanted to kill that young man,” Rose said. I shot her a quick look. “Hang on a minute,” I said. “We don’t know for sure that Mr. Healy is dead—and even if he is, why would you think someone killed him?” 

“He was poisoned.” “Rosie, why do you think that?” Mr. P. asked from the backseat. Rose turned to look over her shoulder at him. “He had a seizure right before he died. His body was twitching, shaking. He made some kind of strangled sound and he collapsed.” Out of the corner of my eye I saw her look at me again. “You did see that, didn’t you Sarah?” I nodded and swallowed against the sudden tightness in my chest. “I did, but that doesn’t mean the man was poisoned.” “It doesn’t mean he wasn’t,” she replied. I glanced over at her again. Her hands were folded in her lap and she didn’t seem the slightest bit upset because I didn’t agree with her. This was not a good sign. 

“Okay, let’s assume Mr. Healy had a seizure,” I said. “Other things can cause a seizure—a fever, a head injury. He may have epilepsy or be diabetic. He had been drinking. Too much alcohol can cause seizures.” “That’s true. All of those things could have caused that young man to have collapsed the way he did,” Rose said. “But I was watching him. He was fine. He drank some of his coffee and then he wasn’t fine. He was poisoned, Sarah.” “Can we at least wait until we’re sure the man is dead before we decide he was murdered?” I asked. “Of course we can, dear,” she said. She was being very reasonable. That was also not a good sign...

    ~~~

Of course, we can assume that the man was murdered--it is a murder mystery. And, as soon as somebody dies, there are people who will seek out to learn more and work to help those affected by that death. In this case, it is a small group which includes senior citizens, who I have come to love... Four of the team are seniors who have had an active life, but have continued to work and strive to bring help to others. So it is that, the poem, "No Man is an Island" indeed reflects the entire series. I don't think I have ever seen a series written so that its characters are so involved, loving, and hard-working on behalf of others, as is the Second Chance Cat Mystery Series. 

Perhaps that is why when I got to this quoted poem in book 7 (Yes, I've been reading just this series), I was so, once again, struck by the changes I have seen in America during this decade. I can still remember the very first video I saw where the police overcame one man who kept crying, "I can't breathe..."

Note this man was not a murderer! He had not kidnapped or raped or did violence against another. All he did was open a pack of cigarettes he had bought and sold the individual cigarettes to make a little extra money. NOBODY can tell me this was justice... Nor that the police had to act as violently as they did, for such a little reason...

After that, I have grown more angry as I saw what was happening in America, often incited by our president and other politicians. Hate against non-whites soon became to be standard for those republicans in office and apparently for many who were supporting them in their running for office "to help America..."

I have become disgusted not only for the lying, but for the attempts to claim that actions by republicans are based on christianity. I refuse to even capitalize that word now... It is only those who claim Jesus as their Savior...and fight against violence, that I am even willing to have some semblance of respect, even if they don't support my personal opinions and beliefs. Nobody can tell me that what is happening with christian leaders is of God. It is not! Why?

 

Luke CHAPTER 18

...15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little ^achildren to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

~~~

Refusing to outlaw assault guns (military) by the republican party, as just one issue, is far more important than any other. Jesus wanted the children to come unto Him...He wanted to spend time and love them... He died for our children; why are our children being murdered?! 

...as 
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine 
own were; any man's death diminishes me, 
because I am involved in mankind. 

If you want to see how God's children lives and works,
and live, involved in mankind,
I am finding this series a treasure trove of God's humanity
towards humanity via the characters... even though
no religious issues are discussed.

Impressions of a Murder
Just One Murder--of any man's death
It diminishes me for I am involved in mankind
How can fiction strike us as truth
while reality fails so badly?

I was trying to think of a song to end this post, maybe A Child of a King, or something similar...and then this popped up! A God Incident? For surely, listening to these two young people, sharing their beautiful talents, we are reminded of all the murdered children in schools that will never be able to develop what special talents God has given to them...all because of a political party that refuses to see that tragedy will continue without congressional action to ban assault guns and add strict control management to buying and owning guns...It's just like owning vehicles. They can do harm, as well...but not like guns... Think about your own children, your neighborhood children, and the children across America who have been gunned down...in their schools! Folks, it is not a time to care about your traditional political party. It is a time to VOTE OUT those who do harm to children...simply by refusing to help... Are YOU involved with mankind, knowing that you can never live alone on an island? Consider impressions of the real murders happening in America... Or, in other words, I cannot NOT speak out when I see the power-hungry lying acts of those politicians now in Washington. Study, do your research, watch a variety of news channels not just your favorite, watch vids on UTube to see what is happening daily... and Vote for Truth! Vote out Liars! 

God Expects Action by Those Who Love Him

Do what is right for Him, Not for Politics!

Gabbie

Robert Sells Talks Politics! With Appropriate News Articles Supporting Today's Truth!

 

I love a little sarcasm when it perfectly makes the point...Thanks Bob, Gabbie

I want to thank Republicans for all they have done for our country. They were instrumental in having America break records! Yup, this last week we had three consecutive days in which the average temperature was higher than ever before. Hurray! Great job, Republicans. And the icing on the cake was those beautiful sunsets we’ve enjoyed over the last months, compliments of the smoke drifting from the Canadian forest fires. We even got to smell the delightful aroma of burnt wood. A Republican gift to America. All because they still refuse to believe scientists global warming is caused by an increase in carbon dioxide from our factories and vehicles.
Then there are the new state laws restricting abortions. So glad that Republicans now are telling women what they can and can’t do with their bodies. Let's face facts, folks. Things went downhill after women got the vote. Now the Republicans are finally getting those pesky women under control.
So many books! Heck, too many books. It makes perfect sense that Republicans should try to reduce the number so that our children aren't overwhelmed. 
Hence, it is perfectly understandable that they ban the books that talk about sexual matters. Shameful ugly topic. Such matters should only be discussed between a child and their parents. So throw out those books mentioning sex. Books like Catcher in the Rye, Handmaiden’s Tale, Catch 22, To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men and that real scorcher, the Bible. Yeah, the Bible dwells too much on rape and incest. Then, of course, there is that little story about a father giving his young daughters to some weary travelers. Terrible sexual stuff in the Bible.
Republicans are finally curtailing the abuse by police. We’ve all seen how rogue police have unjustly manhandled our citizens, even murdering them. Well, Republicans have drawn the line in the sand. No more of that. Those police defending the Capitol on Jan. 6th… they were far too restrictive and combative with the “patriots” just trying to visit the Capitol. And look at the mess those police caused. 
Even the federal police force, the FBI, is clearly out of control when they execute search warrants on a person who stole Top Secret documents and refused to return some of them to their rightful owner. Terrible. Yes, investigate that rogue police force.
And, finally, we need to thank Republicans for supporting and defending a man who has torn our country apart with his lies, his vulgar words, his terrible treatment of women, and his threats to anyone who tries to stop him. He is stoking anger and fear such that his followers view Democrats as the enemy. Well, damn it… they are destroying the country; at least that’s what Donald, the paragon of truth, suggests. So, bring on the violence. Wasn’t it Jefferson who said that we need to spill a little blood every now and again to keep the movement growing?
So, thank-you, Republicans.

~~~

Talk about Truth Versus the Biggest Liar Ever... Along with his sycophants

Donald often minimizes his unethical and sometime criminal behavior by attributing the same behavior to his enemies. For example, when reputable news sources called him out on his many lies, he cried “FAKE NEWS”. 
Recently indicted for stealing Top Secret documents, he falsely claimed that other presidents committed the same crimes. His words and actions are steering us toward a fascist government. So, he calls Democrats “fascists”. 
It is this last distraction from facts that I want to address.

Fascism is control by a dictatorial leader relying on a forcible suppression of opposition; there is no democratic debate. There is also an inherent belief in a natural social hierarchy in which one race is superior to other races.
Fascist leaders gain power by creating public rage at presumed cultural targets. Most often they resort to lies. Recall when Donald claimed President Obama was not born in the United States thus implying he was not a legitimate president? This further polarized many Republicans who were uncomfortable with an intelligent black man being president. 
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald associated the Clintons with a number of deaths and suggested that they orchestrated those deaths; in other words, Donald essentially accused them of murders. Of course, there was no basis in facts in these accusations. He just found unsubstantiated claims from unreliable talking heads on the internet. Again and again, Donald uses dictatorial techniques to fan the fires of rage and resentment against his enemies.

But lying is not enough for a fascist leader. They have to constantly stoke anger and fear in their weak-minded followers. Donald did this with his divisive speeches and posts: He claimed that Mexico was sending us “rapists” and “murders”. And disease: “Tremendous infectious disease is pouring across the border.” He extolled his followers to be ready and willing to fight to take back a country that was presently controlled by a democratic government: “You’ll never take back our country with weakness, you have to show strength and you have to be strong”. Fear and anger, the lynchpins of fascism used by both Hitler in Germany and Putin in Russia.

Though subtle, Donald pushed his weak-minded MAGA followers into a belief that the rights of others must be curtailed just to maintain the “natural social hierarchy” of Christian whites. Muslims are dangerous and thus should be restricted from entering our countries. People of color come from “shit-hole” countries. Democrats were the enemy: “SINCE THE RADICAL LEFT INDICTMENT HOAX WAS INITIATED BY THE MISFITS, MUTANTS, MARXISTS, & COMMUNISTS!” 
Even knowledge itself was attacked by Donald: “Getting critical race theory out of our schools is … a matter of national survival.” His trigger words and phrases have been used by Fascists from Hitler to Putin.

So, no! Fascism is not being peddled by the Democrats. Indeed, fascism is what President Biden and the Democrats are trying to steer our country away from. In fact, fascism is being nurtured by Donald and his MAGA allies. For this and other reasons, Donald is a clear and present danger to our constitutional democracy.

What's Happening at Book Readers Heaven! Trying to Live With America's Information Catastrophe! A Rant! Republicans Quit Taking Rights Away!!!

Do you ever feel like you are talking, but nobody seems to understand/believe what you say? It may be as simple as pronunciation of words--Vase versus Vase. Yes the word is the same but even though the majority of people say it with a long a, the right way of pronouncing the word, there are those who will say it differently. (Actually I enjoy the dog saying, Vaaase! LOL  In older days this was sometimes based upon the "class" of the individual when rich folks tried to show they were more "genteel" than the rest of us, LOL!

Anyway, a couple of things has become even more frustrating for me than normal...  The recent shutdown by the supreme court of government's ability to explore ways in which social media allows disinformation (lies) and even, oftentimes, exploits it to gain more visibility... You know, folks, it might be by 2024, Truth will no longer exist if we don't speak out!

I am sick and tired of everything being done for ratings, power, or greed! Why doesn't news coverage carry more of what good is happening in America, rather than what the crazies are doing?! If the lies that are routinely being disseminated by republicans were stopped or even just questioned once in a while, it maybe could be something that we could stomach! But, daily it is getting worse! And would you believe that the Supreme Court made a landmark decision on christians not have to do jobs for gays! AND THERE WAS REALLY NO REQUEST TO DO SO...SO AN INDIVIDUAL DECIDED TO MAKE UP A WHAT-IF STORY AND THE NOW BIASED COURT ACTED UPON IT!

First we lost women's health rights...Next we lost affirmative action which not only covers minorities of race, but also of sex (women)... I was there when affirmative actions came in at West Virginia University... And we ROUTINELY began to implement this important move forward! 

White Supremacists republicans are moving us backward, so far backward that they want to take us back before ANY TYPE OF recognition of the discrimination of any people SO THAT white men WOULD ALWAYS BE SELECTED FIRST AND THIS WAS "perfectly all right" and what should be law!

Also on a recent news discussion it showed how an attempt was being made to "teach" about the burning of the Black Wall Street...without including the truth  that it was white men's slaughter of an entire town! Rewriting has gone on since the time when White men bought land with a bunch of plastic necklaces! When is it going to stop!

A recent commentator declared "Dead children don't read." If you quickly perceived what is being said, then you're just as upset as I am... Republicans refuse to do anything about gun control!!! Yet, decide to start banning books that talk about things they don't want their children to read about...Hey...but if their kids get gunned down in school... They won't be reading anyway... Kinda like the old saying...You're damned if you do and damned if you don't! Common Sense is beyond the capability of the MAGA cult...

And the sad part for me and many others is that evangelical christians have sold their soul to Trump as he lies, gets their money, and then does nothing about the real people of America... Do those christians who support MAGA realize what they are doing to America and really believe that they are Following Jesus?!!!!! There are many who are speaking out these days. I've found that those who speak truth are calling themselves Progressive Christians... Because, we can all see that people like Mike Pence may speak truth about January 6th, but then goes back and supports all of the MAGA goals of ensuring that extreme conservatism continues to take away rights given to ALL OF US BY THE CONSTITUTION.

ALL OF US...NOT JUST CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS/REPUBLICANS!!! I recently learned that the republican party sends letters to those registered republican, telling "what is happening in Washington" which would be, of course, the lies Trump is saying across the nation...And would you believe, they asked republicans to sign a non-disclosure agreement?!!!!! 

In 1963, I started working in the Personnel Office of a land-grant university. I was in a position where I introduced all new employees to the university and its benefits...At that time, we were asked to sign a loyalty oath. Before long, that loyalty oath requirements was done away with...by a democratic president who was in office at that time. During my years at the university, I was intimately involved in employee rights, in-service training, equal employment opportunities, affirmative action implementation, and more... 

I've just had a brain surgery, a left hip replacement, cataracts removed from both eyes...but I've not lost my mind! What is happening to republicans who are not learning the truth is wrong! And it is christian leaders that made the deal with Trump and think they are doing what they are supposed to do. But all you have to do is ask...

What would Jesus Do...

If God created all people in his image, then any type of discrimination IS WRONG!

Should be "Nuf Said..." So Stop, Think, Do you really want to go back to the 1950-60s? So, be careful and make sure that your vote is prepared accurately and done in accordance with whatever laws that may have changed in your area, because of republicans...and Vote to REMAIN IN THE YEAR 2024 AND NOT  BACKWARDS! Vote Truth! Vote Liars out of Office!

And one final big question... Can you Solve the Riddle of Killing For God? (It begins...then link)

Last week, the Bill Moyers public television agency flew me to New York to join a circle of theologians and scholars discussing a baffling question:

Why is religion—which universally teaches love, forgiveness and brotherhood—entwined in so much murder and hate around the world?

Isn't it time you start asking God for the Answer rather than politicians??? Personally, I think so!

God Bless Us All

Gabbie

A Major Step Up in Fiona Quinn Mystery Series With Deep Blue Murder by C. S. McDonald

 

Prologue~ Moscow, Four Years Ago… His handsome face stricken with concern, US Ambassador Jarrod Taslow ran a harried hand through his dark hair before he stepped into the hospital room. His suit jacket dangled open, and his bright blue tie hung loose below the collar of his white shirt. Quietly, he approached the doctor and nurse standing over a lovely brunette woman lying in the bed. “Doctor Vasiliev, how’s my wife?” The doctor did not look up. He set a syringe next to another syringe on the stainless-steel tray the nurse was holding. The nurse’s eyes cut to a man standing in the corner near the window, back to the ambassador, then she dropped her gaze to the tray. Placing his hand on the unconscious woman’s forehead, the doctor replied in a heavy Russian accent, “She will be fine.” His hand slipped away from the woman’s head. “I have given her a sedative to help calm her. She will need rest. She has much to deal with when she wakes.” Hitching his chin toward the man near the window, he added, “Agent Guseva will watch over her. She will sleep for many hours. You should get some rest as well, Ambassador Taslow.” Without making eye contact with the ambassador nor the agent, the doctor made his way out of the room. Keeping her gaze down, the nurse hurried to follow close behind. 

Jarrod pulled a nearby chair next to his wife, Kira’s, bedside. With a gentle sweep of his fingers, he moved an errant strand of hair from her cheek, then, taking her hand into his, he eased into the chair. From the far corner, Agent Guseva’s voice was quiet. “I am sorry for your loss, Ambassador Taslow. This is tragedy for your wife.” “Kira was so looking forward to this trip to Russia. She couldn’t wait to come home to see her parents. She hasn’t been back in over five years, and when she was invited as a guest pianist for the Moscow Symphony, she was thrilled.” “The Fedorovs were supposed to be at concert, da?” Guseva fished. Jarrod lifted his gaze to meet the agent’s. “Yes. We were given the orchestra box, stage right. I felt like I was sitting next to Kira through the entire performance. The piano was only about ten or fifteen feet away. 

When the concert began, I couldn’t believe her parents were late. When Kira took the stage, she looked over toward the box. I could see the shock and disappointment in her eyes that her parents weren’t there. Of course, we had no way of knowing…” His words fell away. “We are looking into incident. We will find who is responsible. But…as you know, the Fedorovs have been politically outspoken for long time. You are wealthy man, Ambassador. I am sure you know wealth is privilege. The Fedorovs were wealthy. But I fear their wealth and privilege made them target. It would be best, after funerals, if you return to Denmark. Take wife away from Russia. Never to return.”

~~~

McDonald has taken a major step to expand the scope of, and additions to the base character list in her latest Fiona Quinn Mystery, Deep Blue Murder. With Fiona's marriage to Detective Nathan Landry, she has also acquired a mother-in-law... But not just any mother-in-law... Rita Landry has an extensive past in government law enforcement and now leads an agency, Global Shield, that provides discrete support to those in the political arena and others needing security assistance.

But when Rita contacts Fiona and her son Nathan to take a short trip to a secluded island, Fiona had visions of sun, swimming, and lots of casual conversation and an opportunity to get to know more about those who will also be there on the island.

But Rita and her associate are on assignment! They have been asked to come to the Island, owned by Ambassador Jarrod Taslow. Interestingly, the island has a history--the former owner supposedly committed suicide and was found at the bottom of a nearby high cliff. But Taslow had bought the island and brought his wife, Kira, who had suffered a traumatic loss of her parents while she had been performing for the Moscow Symphony. Along with his wife's caregiver, there was only three other people on the island, all those who worked to provide basic staff support to the grieving couple.

But years had passed, and things were quiet until the Ambassador had learned of a online site where his picture had been placed and, ultimately, a young teenage girl and whoever was posing as the Ambassador had begun a supposed relationship! Rita and her staff quickly started the investigation to find out not only who the girl was--and notify her parents--but also to discover the background and who was striking out at the Ambassador for...whatever reason!

While those there to handle the investigation got started, Fiona and Kira, the Ambassador's wife, who was being kept from all that was happening, soon became friends. However, Kira's caretaker seemed to resent Fiona for, perhaps, a good reason. In any event, Fiona and Kira was soon spending time on the beach and getting to know each other... That is, until a maid was found dead in the hottub--which had been prepared for Kira...

Believe me, so much is going on, you'll have a tough time keeping things straight, because there are multiple plot lines developing as we move forward. Soon, Fiona's husband was being called upon to handle the possible murder of the maid, while Rita and staff continued to investigate--which got quite complicated when the young girl showed up on the island!

Seriously, with a little bit of the horrid acts of catfishers, together with a murder and who it seemed to be intended for, as well as a disgruntled groundskeeper, there was only one way to discover what was really going on...

Make a friend with an island native to guide you...and maybe even come to your rescue as this little one did... All Fiona had to do was provide lots of banana pieces! So remember, if you are visiting a private island with no or little outside communication, do seek out and befriend the natives and give them a little love...

I was hooked by the first visit from this little fellow during a meal! They decided that something must have happened to separate him from his mother, so Fiona decided to make a friend... You get the picture!

I'm hoping that the inclusion of Global Services staff may come to visit readers in future books. The complexity and wider scope that this allows has taken the Fiona Quinn mysteries a major step toward a significant novel, without losing the wonderful flavor of a cozy mystery! If you haven't met Fiona Quinn, you may not know that she also lives with a ghost back home... So with McDonald, you're going to be thrilled with her slow build of the plot(s) but, now, you just may be able to fully grasp exactly what and whodunit! But nobody would have foreseen this closing!  I loved this one!

GABixlerReviews

Guest Poet, Regis Auffray with Violin Love - And Remembering My Mother on Her Birthday - July 2nd

 

Violin Love   On the edge of midnight Notes float on the wind She strokes the strings Caresses night vibes Coaxes emotions To come forth She evokes Arouses Me Completely Tears fall Streak down Into my fevered Mind Onto My feverish flesh   Her violin notes Meld with her mood She smiles Enchantingly   Snowflakes gently land On her loveliness Fireflies and stars Are extinguished Before the beyond belief of her Bright godliness I ache to be her audience  Only me If God allows it I miss her  Violin love    © Régis Auffray Imagination A land of fertility And food for the soul ~ Regis crimson dragonfly to and fro over the pond in the noonday sun ~ Regis

authorsden Every Once In A While, You'll See One or Two of the Haikus that Regis is known for... So I've included a couple for you to learn about as well.  Violin Love almost demanded that I provide complementary music to go with the words of a man who has loved deeply, a woman of the violin, and who misses her now as she has left his life... So, too, his words reminded me of my mother who ensured that we had some basic piano skills--enough to play in our local church--and, even more, to be able to play for her as she sat or laid nearby in her older years. Most of the songs we played were those she would recognize from church and occasionally, she would hum or sing a few words to show she knew the song that one of us had selected... So I wanted to especially thank Regis, one of our ongoing contributors to Book Readers Heaven, for this special poem of remembering... Words and music are so much a part of our lives, aren't they? I hope this post will bring some special memories for you as well. God Bless Gabbie