Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books Everyone Who Wants to Read a Cozy Mystery Should Try

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and the Bookish is Top Ten Books Every x Should Read.  With all the concern about the future of cozy mysteries (for more info go here or check out the Save Our Cozies Facebook Group) right now they've been on my mind a lot and apparently have started jumping to my Amazon cart of their own free will.  I'm quite convinced that pre-orders don't count.

A cozy mystery is one with very low levels of gore and violence actually taking place on the page.  The main character is usually female and generally an amateur though not always.  Not only is there a murder or three but generally there's also another interest that runs through the whole series.  There's cozy mysteries set in bakeries, libraries, bookstores, quilt shops, hotels, farmer's markets, orchards, museums, and anything else you can think of.  Seriously, if you have an interest in anything there's a cozy mystery series to go with it.  There's also different levels of supernatural - from none to ghosts that follow the main character around and help out - and romantic subplots.  Not to mention that there's almost always a good dash of humor to help the murder stay cozy.  But with all the cozy mysteries out there sometimes it's hard to figure out where to start so hopefully these suggestions will be helpful!

1.  The Family Fortune Mysteries by Dawn Eastman
First Book: Pall in the Family (2013)
Most Recent Book: An Unhappy Medium (2016) - Book #4
The What: Clyde (short for Clytemnestra) is a former police officer who has returned to her hometown of Crystal Haven, Michigan and come back to her unusual and psychic family.  Murder and mayhem ensue as Clyde wrestles with figuring out what she wants to do and how to deal with her rather quirky and opinionated family.  Fun and funny but not over the top into slapstick.

2.  The Potting Shed Mysteries by Marty Wingate
First Book: The Garden Plot (2014)
Most Recent Book: The Skeleton Garden (2016) - Book #4 with Book #5 coming out in August
The What: Pru is living her dream of becoming a gardener in England after spending the first 50 or so years in her home state of Texas.  Along the way she uncovers family secrets, new friends and family, a new love interest and of course lots of dead bodies.  I really like the bits of history that are mixed in with each book and the beautifully described English gardens.  It makes me want to get planting!

3. The Country Club Murders by Julie Mulhern
First Book: The Deep End (2015)
Most Recent Book: Guaranteed to Bleed (2015) - Book #2 with Book 3 coming out in May
The What: This series is set in the 1970s.  Ellison Russell is a strong, relatable, interesting character who does have a gift for stumbling over dead bodies.  I love her voice and her relationships with her friends, her daughter, and everyone else around her.  This is a good "gateway" cozy if you're new to the genre.

4.  Liz Talbot Mystery by Susan M. Boyer
First Book: Lowcountry Boil (2012)
Most Recent Book: Lowcountry  Bordello (2015)
The What: This is quickly becoming one of my go-to mystery series.  The South Carolina setting is fantastic and the mysteries are fast paced page turners.  While these are definitely cozies they feel like they have a little bit more grit in them than a lot of others.  I like Liz a lot and her job as a PI gets her in all kinds of trouble.  There is a ghost but only in small doses.

5. A Bakeshop Mystery by Ellie Alexander
First Book:  Meet Your Baker (2014)
Most Recent Book: On Thin Icing (2015) - Book #3 with #4 out this summer
The What: Do not under any circumstances read this book on an empty stomach.  The food and coffees at Torte will have your mouth watering and your stomach grumbling.  The main character, Jules, is a professionally trained pastry chef and her creations sound amazing.  Adding to the fun is a giant Shakespeare festival which brings lots of tourists and theater people to Ashland, Oregon.

6.   Mainely Needlepointers by Lea Waite
First Book: Twisted Threads (2014)
Most Recent Book: Thread and Gone (2015) - Book #3 with Book #4 due out in October
The What: One of my very favorite things in a mystery is a bit of history mixed in.  If the characters are having to do research for any reason I'm completely on board.  So far all 3 in the Mainely Needlepointers series have done just that.  They also have lots of interesting mysteries that are taking place in the present day too as well as a intelligent and intense main character who used to work as a PI.  There is lots of talk about needlepointing but as someone who can even thread a needle it doesn't get overwhelming or to detailed.

7.  Read 'Em and Eat Mysteries by Terrie Farley Moran 
First Book: Well Read Then Dead (2014)
Most Recent Book: Caught Read Handed (2015) Book #2 with #3 coming out this summer
The What: If I could make one fictional place real it would be the bookstore cafe in this series.  Read 'Em and Eat is a combination cafe and bookstore that hosts all kinds of book clubs and has not only a book themed menu but book and author themed tables.  If this was a real place I'd be heading to the beach and you could find me at the Agatha Christie table ordering Swiss Family Robinson Cheeseburgers.  The detectives themselves are people I'd want to hang out with and the mysteries are fun and well-paced.

8.  Library Lovers Mysteries by Jenn McKinlay
First Book: Books Can Be Deceiving (2011)
Most Recent Book: A Likely Story (2015) - Book #6
The What: Lindsay Norris is the director of the Briar Creek Public Library which comes with a host of teenage volunteers, a fabulous children's librarian, and a cranky assistant.  There's also a whole host of townspeople and lots of talk about what kind of books they read.  If you're feeling hungry you can jump over to her Cupcake Bakery series (complete with cupcake recipes and lots and lots of cupcake descriptions) or you want something a little different you can go make hats in London with the Hat Shop Mysteries.  Whichever way you go McKinlay is always entertaining.

9.  The Orchard Series by Sheila Connolly
First Book: One Bad Apple (2008)
Most Recent Book: A Gala Event (2015) - Book #9
The What:  Meg loses her job in Boston just as she and her mother inherit an old house in a little town in Massachusetts which includes an apple orchard.  From then on there's lots of murders, new friends, new love interest, and lots and lots of apples.  I find myself craving all things apple when reading this and there are usually some delicious recipes at the back of the book.  There's also a bit of home restoration and history related mysteries.  Connolly also writes The Museum and County Cork series.  Both are good but I'm always drawn to an Irish setting so the County Cork series may be my favorite of the 2.

10.  Haunted Home Renovations by Juliet Blackwell 
First Book: If Walls Could Talk (2010)
Most Recent Book: Give Up the Ghost (2015) - Book #6
The What: This series leans way towards the paranormal with main character, Melanie Turner, who is not only running a construction company but also fights ghosts who are interfering with her renovation work.  She's a smart and sarcastic character who is a bit softer than she's like to let on and doesn't let steel toed boots interfere with her love of vintage clothes.  Blackwell also writes the Witchcraft Mystery series that centers around Lily Ivory, a witch who runs a vintage clothing store.

So that's a few of my favorites but it's by no means even close to a complete list.  There's so many wonderful authors whose books I love - Lynn Cahoon, Paige Shelton, Ellery Adams, Diane Vallere, Kate Carlisle, Victoria Abbott, Paige Shelton, Kathy Aarons, Susan Furlong, Elizabeth Lynn Casey, Lorna Barrett, Laura Bradford and so many more.

Are you a cozy mystery reader?  If so who are your favorite authors?

Quiet Neighbors - Review

Quiet Neighbors by Catriona McPherson

Rating:  It's Okay
Source: NetGalley

Description:  It's the oldest bookshop in a town full of bookshops: rambling and disordered, full of treasures if you look hard.  Jude found one of the treasures when she visited last summer, the high point of a miserable vacation.  Now, in the depths of winter, when she has to run away, Lowell's chaotic bookshop in that backwater of a town is the safe place she runs too.  Jude needs a bolt-hole; Lowell needs and assistant and, when an affordable rental is thrown in too, life begins to look up.  The grave digger's cottage isn't perfect for a woman alone but at least she has quiet neighbors.  Quiet, but not silent.  The long dead and the books left behind both have tales to tell and the dusty rooms of the bookshop are not the haven they seem to.  Lowell's past and Jude's present are a dangerous cocktail of secrets and lies and someone is coming to light the taper that could destroy everything (From Goodreads)

Genre: Fiction 

Why I Picked This Book: There's a bookstore and a cemetery.  I can't resist the combination

My Impression:  I'm so confused.  Not by the book itself.  I had a pretty clear understanding as to what was happening throughout the read though I did wonder sometimes how we got from point A to point B and sometimes why we were going there in the first place.  No my confusion lies with how I feel about the book.
There was a lot about it that I didn't like.  I didn't really warm to Jude or Eddy or really any of the characters for the bulk of the book.  It irritated me that Jude's secret was drug out so long for no real reason.  I was good with not having things settled until the end but her hints as to what had happened in the first place didn't work for me.  I felt disconnected with her fascination with the people mentioned in the various books she's cataloging and it kind of felt like at around 60% the book decided it wanted to be a mystery after just being fiction for so long.  Just in general there were too many half details and misdirection as to what was going on and while I'm okay with an unreliable narrator I wanted someone to actually say something that made sense.
But with all that I didn't like I kept reading.  And not only did I keep reading but I enjoyed the reading experience and was never even tempted to DNF the book.  Not only that but I could really picture the town of Wigtown, Scotland and I really did want to find out what happened and see the resolution for the three main characters.
Do you see why I'm confused?  I think this may be a case of engaging with the writing itself way more than I engaged with the story.  While this one didn't really work for me Catriona McPherson is definitely an author I want to read more from.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: I don't see this becoming a series but if it did I wouldn't pick up the next one.  However, I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author.

Would I Recommend this Book?: Probably not.  While the writing really grabbed me this wasn't a story that I really enjoyed.

This Week in Reading - April 10

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

Things went horribly wrong (or incredibly right depending on your viewpoint) this week in book acquiring world.  Between a NetGalley binge and a Save Our Cozies inspired Amazon binge there were books flooding in over here and we're not even going to talk about pre-orders!

NetGalley:

Starfish Moon by Donna Kauffman - This is the 3rd book in the Brides of Blueberry Cove and I loved the first one and the rest of Donna Kauffman's books that I've read so I'm looking forward to this one.

The Bluebonnet Betrayal by Marty Wingate - I enjoyed the 1st and 4th in The Garden Shed series so of course I couldn't resist getting #5!

Tea Cups and Carnage by Lynn Cahoon - This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and each book has just seemed to be getting better!

Murder at the Mansion by Janet Finsilver - This is a new series for me but it involves a Victorian B&B and jewel thefts so I couldn't resist!

Chin by Larry McShane - So this one is a bit different than my usual cozy mystery or contemporary fiction but I've always had a fascination with early 20th century Mafia and this biography on Vincent Gigante triggered that though he's quite a bit later than that but the story is fascinating.

Better Get to Livin by Sally Kilpatrick - This one sounds fun and quirky and I always like when main characters decide to be what they want to be and stop living other people's dreams:

Amazon:

These are all cozy mysteries that I've been wanting to read and I decided now was the time!

The Pickled Piper by Mary Ellen Hughes

Truffled to Death by Kathy Aarons

Snow Way Out by Christine Husom

Nuts and Buried Elizabeth Lee

Needle and Dread by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

The Readaholic and the Poirot Puzzle by Laura DiSilverio

Suede to Rest by Dianne Vallere

Between a Book and a Hard Place by Denise Swanson

A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die by Edit Maxwell

Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flowers

Assault and Pepper by Leslie Budewitz

Reading Up a Storm by Eva Gates

Wow that list looks scary when written out like that!  

Currently:

Reading: Silenced in the Surf by Kate Dyer-Seeley for a blog tour later this week and Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts

Listening:  Cinder!  I finally got it back and just have over an hour left of listening

Watching: I'm still watching Supernatural and am still really liking it.  J and I are also finishing the last season of Top Chef and really enjoying it as well.

Off the Blog:

This week was calmer though it was the week of doctor's appointments.  Nothing bad just regular checkup-y stuff.  The eye doctor actually dropped the prescription in one of my contacts (my vision is terrible, like -9 prescription terrible) so I can even say my eyes are getting better!  We're going to ignore the fact that it's most like because I'm getting older and getting farsighted which is decreasing the nearsightedness a little.

J got the new Star Wars movie on Blu Ray this week and he and the Tornado ended up staying up and watching it the night it arrived. What was supposed to just be watching a few minutes ended up watching the whole thing but they had such a good time!  The Tornado hadn't seen it yet because we were worried it'd be too intense for him in the theater but he loved it.

Did you know they sell Arby's curly fries in the frozen food section at the grocery store??  Arby's is my favorite fast food restaurant and a lot of that is because of the fries.  J hates it so we don't go there very often but now I can get have the fries at home.  They're not quite as crispy but they taste just as good which makes me super happy!

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday: A Daughter's Doubt - Blog Tour Mystery Review + Giveaway

Tuesday: Reunion Pass - Contemporary Romance Review

Wednesday: Quick Reviews for The First Family Detail and a Few Others

Thursday: An Unhappy Medium - Blog Tour Cozy Mystery Review + Giveaway

Friday: Friday Linkups Featuring Excerpts from Cinder

Saturday: The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry - Review + Recipe

What's Coming Up:

Monday: Quiet Neighbors - Review

Tuesday: 10 Books Everyone Who Wants to Read Cozy Mysteries Should Read

Wednesday; Silenced in the Surf - Blog  Tour Cozy Mystery Review

Thursday: Beyond the Books - A Tour of My Town

Friday: Linkups with teasers from current book

Saturday: TBD

Have a great week and happy reading!

The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry - Review + Recipe

A couple of summers ago I read Kathleen Flinn's book Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good and I absolutely fell in love with it.  I loved Flinn's voice, I loved her family, and my mouth watered at her food descriptions.  I had basically been handed a copy of her 2nd book Kitchen Counter Cooking School and the reviews were so enthusiastic that I had also gotten a copy of her first book - The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry.  After reading Burnt Toast I swore that I was going to be starting her earlier books immediately.  I just couldn't wait to get to them.  And then of course I got distracted by other newer shinier books and am just now getting to this one more than a year later!

I love to cook but I don't have a long history of it.  When I was first married my husband did the bulk of the cooking but one summer he was on a business trip that was supposed to be 4 days and ended up being 3 weeks.  I hated having to go pick something up every night and the fact that I, a college educated reasonably intelligent woman, couldn't cook a simple meal started to annoy me so I became determined to learn how and than discovered that I enjoyed it.  But because of my not so standard start I don't feel like I really have the fundamentals down and wanted to take some basic cooking classes as well as being absolutely fascinated with what culinary school must be like.

This book was like following Flinn through her time as a student at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.  We feel out of our element right along with her as she accidentally sits in front of the Japanese interpreter at the introductory lecture, we stress during the presentations of her dishes during to the chefs, and we worry through the exams for Basic, Intermediate and Superior cuisine.  Along the way we are right along with her as she navigates life in Paris, makes friends, and develops her relationship with her boyfriend, Mike.

I absolutely adored how she did the chapters.  Each chapter is a different culinary lesson as well as a different thing that's going on in her non-school life.  Then of course it ends with a recipe - usually something she learned but always something that applied to the events of the chapter.  Flinn's voice is wonderful.  It's like catching up with friend who is going to culinary school.  She relays the events with a lot of humor and very little pretension.  I loved seeing the in-class politics and just the inner-workings of the school.  Am I planning on going to Le Cordon Bleu?  No, I don't see that in my future but I thoroughly enjoyed going through the coursework with Kathleen.

I also discovered this recipe for

Potage de Poulet aux Nouilles, ave de l'Ail et des Herbes
(Chicken Noodle Soup with Garlic and Herbs)

1 1/2 lbs chicken pieces, skin removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 chopped onion
2 large chopped carrots
2 stalks chopped celery
1/2 cup white wine
5 quarts chicken stock
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/2 bunch parsley, 1/2 bunch thyme, 3 bay leaves, tied together
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 ounces, wide noodles
1/2 teaspoon salt, a few cranks pepper
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley (optional)

Rinse the chicken under cold water; pat dry.  Trim any excess fat.  Set aside.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring regularly, until softened.  Add the white wine and stir the bottom to loosen any brown bits as it reduces by one half.  Add the stock.  Heat through.  Add the chicken.  Bring to a low boil, skimming fat and foam from the surface.  When it appears that no more skimming is necessary, drop the heat to a simmer and add the herbs.  Simmer partially covered for a half hour.  Add the garlic.  Simmer another half hour.  Remove the chicken from the soup with tongs.  Continue to simmer the liquid for a few moments while the chicken cools.  Remove the meat from the chicken and shred it into pieces and return to the pot.  Add the noodles and increase the heat to a gentle boil, then cook until soft.  Skim off any foam and check seasonings, adding salt and pepper as needed.  Remove tied herbs.  Stir in the parsley.  Makes enough for a couple of days with the flu.

Doesn't this sound good?  All herby and garlicy and comforting for those days you're feeling under the weather!  Though I'm not planning on waiting for illness to give this a recipe a try and I'm definitely not waiting another year and a half to read Flinn's 2nd book - A Kitchen Counter Cooking School.

Today I'm linking up with Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Friday Linkups: Cinder

It's Friday linkup time!  I'm linking up with the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer, Book Beginnings of Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, and the Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice.

This Week's Book Blogger Hop Question:
What other interests do you have besides reading and blogging?

My Answer:
I love to cook and bake.  I watch a pretty good bit of TV and love crimes shows but fictional (Criminal Minds, NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans) and not so fictional (basically all of Investigation Discovery).  I love clothes and makeup and trying new restaurants.  I love traveling though we aren't doing too much of that right now with 2 in college but we have big plans.  I like to hike and garden.  That's pretty much it!

This week's book is one I've been wanting to read for ages.  I got it on audio from the library a few weeks ago but didn't end up finishing it before it had to go back.  Thankfully after a long wait it's back and I'm really excited to listen to the last 8 chapters of Cinder by Marissa Meyer.  It's just as good as everyone said!  I'm not a big YA reader or a dystopian reader but I'm loving the world Meyer has built and Cinder herself is just amazing.

The Beginning:
The screw through Cinder's ankle has rusted, the engraved cross marks worn to a  mangled circle.

My Thoughts:
I love the beginning!  It tells us right away that Cinder is not quite your average human.

The 56:
But she didn't try to run. No one ever put up a fight when being taken to the quarantines.

My Thoughts:
I'm well past this part so I know what's going on here but I love the sound of this like.  There's such a defeated finality to it.

So would you keep reading?  What do you like to do when you're not reading?

An Unhappy Medium - Blog Tour Cozy Mystery Review + Giveaway

An Unhappy Medium: A Family Fortune Mystery by Dawn Eastman

Rating: Good
Source:  Blog Tour

Description:  Psychic Clyde Fortune and her zany family are back in the fourth in the national bestselling series from the author of A Fright to the Death.  Former cop and novice psychic Clyde Fortune finds herself in a race for justice when a Zombie Fun Run turns deadly...
All of Crystal Haven, Michigan, is psyching up to participate in a Zombie Fun Run organized by Clyde's nephew Seth, but Clyde is fretful about the undead festivities.  For one thing, her sister, Grace, has unexpectedly returned to town after fifteen years.  For another Clyde has the nagging feeling that something is about to go wrong...
When one of the zombie runners is found murdered and then Grace disappears, Clyde realizes her grim premonition is dead-on.  Now, she and her police detective boyfriend Mac must find a ghoulish murderer before someone points the finger at Grace.  And when a tangled web of family secrets and old grudges combines with a mysterious case of stolen diamonds, even someone as quick-witted as Clyde might not be able to outrun a killer. (from Goodreads)

Genre: Mystery

Why I Picked This Book:  I really enjoyed the previous book in the series and then there's a murder at a Zombie Fun Run.  I couldn't pass it up!

My Impression:  While this is my 2nd book in the series it was my first visit to Crystal Haven ( the last book took place in another town) and I loved it!  Crystal Haven is definitely a fun and quirky little town filled with interesting characters.
Clyde is the kind of sleuth I love in a cozy.  She's smart and has common sense and when the common sense does abandon her as it does on occasion I can understand why.  Her background in law enforcement makes her interest in investigations make sense.  She has a strong connection with her family though they do occasionally drive her crazy (and for good reason!) and her relationship with police detective Mac is solid.  I like that they respect each other and that he listens to her theories instead of dismissing her.  In this book we meet Clyde's sister Grace with whom she has a complicated relationship.  There are real reasons for the strain between Grace and the rest of her family made even more complicated by Grace's actions and the fact that Grace's oldest son Seth now resides with Clyde and Mac.

The mystery takes a little while to actually get started though that doesn't mean the book itself is slow in the beginning.  There's a lot going on and it kept me interested and engaged.  I liked seeing the different opinions about the Zombie Fun Run, the prep work that went into it, and was wondering right along with Clyde just what Grace was up too.  When the body falls I was even more sucked in.  Normally I can guess the culprit pretty early on but I really had no idea in this one and was surprised at the reveal though it did make sense.  My one complaint is that there are a few side notes that I would've liked explained a little more but that's pretty minor.

This is a series I've had no trouble jumping into midway though I do plan on going back and reading the earlier books.  I'm looking forward to seeing where the series goes - especially in regards to Clyde and Vi's new business venture.  There's a lot of potential for really interesting mysteries there!  I'm also really looking forward to seeing more of Seth and his abilities.  This is a really fun series with lots of humor without it getting too slapstick  but manages to keep the mystery front and center. The Fortune family is definitely a family I want to get to know better!

Giveaway: You can win your very own copy of this book and see what all the fun is about!  Just leave me the title of your favorite mystery along with an email address where I can contact you.  The giveaway closes on Tuesday, April 12 at 11:50 PM CST.  I'll notify the winner Wednesday morning.  US address only and no PO Boxes.  Good luck!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Definitely!  I'm looking forward to going back and reading the first 2 books and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Would I Recommend this Book?: If you like cozy mysteries be sure and pick up this series.  I think you'd love it!

Quick Reviews for The First Family Detail and a few others

Every once in awhile I read a book that I just don't have enough to say about for a full review.  It doesn't mean I disliked the book (though sometimes I did) but either it's so well known already that a review seems unnecessary or there just plain isn't that much to say about it!  Here's a few of those reviews.

The First Family Detail by Ronald Kessler - I really wanted to love this book.  I had read The Residence by Kate Andersen Brower last year and absolutely loved it so I was kind of expecting the Secret Service version of that.  The First Family Detail felt more like a gossip column turned book.  There was a lot of repetitiveness using multiple stories to drive home the same point multiple times.  The stories themselves weren't really stories but more like one liners and comments that didn't really flesh out either the Secret Service Agent or the person they were protecting.  Overall I decided this book wasn't for me. Rating: DNF

The Wanderer by Robyn Carr - I've been seeing rave reviews about Carr's books for years so I thought this first book from her Thunder Point series would be the perfect place to start.  I really love how Carr built the community here.  We're not just getting the story of Cooper and Sarah we're getting the story of the whole town without it getting overdone or confusing.  I loved the Landon storyline and Mac and Gina were fantastic. I'm already looking forward to reading the next book that will focus more on them. This is one of the books that is so well known and well loved all ready that a full review seems unnecessary.  But if you're new to Robyn Carr I definitely recommend giving her a try!  Rating: Very Good

Brooklyn Secrets by Triss Stein - This is the third book in the Erica Donato Mysteries and I've really enjoyed the other two.  I love how Stein weaves Erica's research into the story and we get modern crime and historical crime.  Unfortunately, this one didn't quite come together for me.  It might be because I'm unfamiliar with Brownsville which was almost a character in itself but I found it hard to keep track of everything that was going on.  The modern murder felt really different and separate from the historical mysteries and the historical information was delivered in such small pieces that it always took me a few minutes to figure out what was happening and who Erica was interviewing.  I was really interested in the Murder Inc subplot because that is something I know quite a bit about but I ended up forgetting that was connected to everything else.  This is a series I've really enjoyed in the past and will definitely read the next book.  This story might have come together by the end but I was really too detached and confused to be interested enough to get there.  Rating: DNF at 32%

When the Balls Drop by Brad Garrett - I've seen Brad Garrett on Everybody Loves Raymond and a few other TV shows and I always enjoyed the characters he played.  I'm very picky about my comedy so I knew I was taking a risk when I requested this off NetGalley and it took me awhile to actually get around to it.  When I finally did I did enjoy it and liked his voice.  I had a few giggles and got some entertaining behind the scenes peeks into the comedy world.  His sense of humor wasn't one I really connected with but I can see how it would really work for some people.  He kind of reminded me of a male version of Chelsea Handler though he doesn't mention that he drives a Bentley nearly as much as she does (actually he doesn't at all.  I have no idea what he drives).  Rating: Good but Not For Me