Month: March 2011
North Avenue Irregulars
Normally I don’t give away the endings of books or movies, but this one’s smash ’em up car derby is just the best one ever! I loved this movie from the first time I saw it in the theaters back in 1979. From the opening cartoon intro to the zany misadventures of the six church… Read More ›
Friday Cocktail
Try something a little different this weekend and experience a Ward Eight! I first came across this drink in the pages of GQ magazine, which would feature a classic cocktail in a one-page article. And of course, there’s a fun story about this one! The Ward Eight cocktail originated in Boston in the late 1890s. … Read More ›
Murder in Masquerade
Don’t you just love that title? I’m sure it’s been used before…several times, but for my second murder mystery evening, it was perfect! In October of 2008, about 20 people were encouraged to come in costume to solve a murder. Guests came dressed in a tuxedo, in a red velvet cape, in clown outfits, and… Read More ›
Friday Cocktail
Friday Cocktail returns from a brief hiatus with the Saketini! This Japanese inspired drink has been around since at least the mid-1990s if not earlier. I’ve had it several times at Ichiban’s one of Syracuse’s premier hibachi restaurants. Some might find it a bit strong, but I like it. I nickname it the sock-it-to-me, especially… Read More ›
Death Notice
Murder is announced before it happens in this mystery suspense thriller! In this debut novel, an elderly farmer is gruesomely murdered and found in a homemade coffin on the side of the highway. It would appear that a serial killer has come to a small Pennsylvania town, or has he? Nick Donnelly has been chasing… Read More ›
Asa, As I Knew Him
The premise of this book is most intriguing. One that could inspire any writer to craft a dozen or more stories, novels, or characters. Published in 1987, this was once a book I reshelved time and again when I was a Page at the Library I work at. Something about the cover and the book… Read More ›
Dog Days
Looking for something to read while waiting for the next Harry Dresden book? John Levitt’s Dog Days series might suit. This urban fantasy series is set in present day San Francisco, a setting that is captured well in the story’s narrative. Our hero here is Mason, a magic practitioner, who once served as a sort… Read More ›
The Company of Wolves
Because I have a love of fairy tales–even if they’re twisted and dark–and as there’s the new Red Riding Hood movie (starring Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman) due out soon, I thought I’d revisit a curious movie that is like a waking dream, The Company of Wolves. In this 1984 version of the Little Red… Read More ›
Innocent Bystander
The innocent bystander didn’t do it. Well, at least not yet. As I’ve mentioned previously, in creating murder mystery evenings, I’ve had to anticipate the number of attendees. There’s always the chance someone (or two) can’t make it. Thus, the Innocent Bystander. I’d say the average attendance at my murder mystery events is about 20. … Read More ›
The Poisoned Martini 