Meg is a modern day woman who has no use for her great-grandmother’s diaries, as famous as they may be.  The diaries chronicle her great-grandmother Hannah’s arrival on the New Mexican frontier in the 1890′s, and Meg’s grandmother, Claudia, has spent her life researching the diaries and getting them published.  Meg has always lived in the shadow of the diaries, and has not even read them, until she is strong-armed into accompanying Claudia back to New Mexico to tie up a few loose ends.

Once Claudia and Meg arrive in New Mexico, new discoveries about Hannah’s life are made, and Meg begins to read the diaries.  She is instantly captivated by Hannah’s story, and becomes intent on solving the mystery swirling around Hannah’s death.

This is one of those books that takes awhile to get into, but once your are, you can’t put it down.  The strong female character, doing what needed to be done to survive on the frontier, reminded me somewhat of Turner’s These is My Words.

I am so delighted to have discovered Sandra Dallas.  Her books are just fantastic.  The Persian Pickle Club is a group of quilters who have been meeting for years to quilt, gossip and support each other through thick and thin.  Queenie Bean loves the Pickles, but when Rita moves to town, Queenie is thrilled at the prospect of having a younger Pickle join their the club.  But Rita isn’t as interested in quilting as she is in solving a murder mystery that the rest of the club would just as soon see go unsolved.

When Bethany’s parents suddenly drop her off at her aunt’s house and leave, Bethany must uncover their secret if she want to reunite her family.  Definitely not one of Haddix’s best.

Your typical Robin Cook novel with evil corporate villains, sleuthing doctors and unsuspecting patients.  Told in Cook’s subdued, understated tone that downplays the seriousness of the subject matter.  For example, upon discovering that her friend has been kidnapped, Laurie’s reaction is to say, “This is a major disaster.”  You think?  Cook’s books help pass the time in a waiting room, but are usually a last resort for me.

Attorney Rachael Flynn must find out the truth behind a murder that her brother says he committed.  I enjoyed this Christian mystery for several reasons:

• Christian fiction that doesn’t “preach” at you is hard to come by.  Meissner doesn’t preach.
• Christian romance without nauseatingly handsome and perfect men is hard to come by.  Meissner’s men are nice and normal.
• Christian fiction usually has the same tired cast of characters.  Meissner’s characters are more unique.

And an aside, the main character had a 2 month old baby, which is the age of my daughter.  So I enjoyed the mother-baby sub story, although Meissner should have spent a little more time with a real 2 month old before writing the book.  Rachael’s fictional baby sleeps til 7 every morning, sleeps all night long, takes 3 hour afternoon naps, and can be bathed, nursed and sleeping in 40 minutes.  I’d love to meet that baby!

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