Mark Pghfan’s Comments (group member since Mar 06, 2014)

Mark Pghfan’s comments from the The Parlor PI's group.

Going along with what Tina says, Sophie seems very much fleshed out the way she is in future books.

As far as "Mars" goes, I'm not sure that is explained anywhere else but this book!

I'm not through the first section completely either. It is difficult for me to pace myself in these things. I sometimes want to cruise ahead, but have to balance not giving future spoilers with forgetting what has happened if I wait to move on!

Anyway, we already have two bodies and they seem completely unrelated, other than that Sophie found them. Could any of this be connected with the mixed up herbs at the contest?

Well, we are onto the very first "Diva" book. We've read at least two others in this group already, if I have my thoughts correct.

We meet our heroine, Sophie Winston, right off the bat and learn a bit about her. She is recently divorced from Mars (short for Marshall, I didn't know that) who is now dating Sophie's friend and nemesis, Natasha Smith, a "lifestyle" guru. Sophie is a party planner of some success, and her food preparation shows in this and later books.

Here, Sophie's parents and sister (and sister's fiance) are also living with her. Her best friend, Nina, lives across the street and she has an odd, elderly neighbor, Francie, who lives in the neighborhood as well.

The neighborhood is in tony old town Alexandria, just across the river from Washington DC. (I've been there a number of times myself and it is a charming, though very pricey area.)

Right off the bat, Sophie finds a body in a dumpster at the grocery store where she is buying ingredients for her contribution to a stuffing competition on Thanksgiving.

She meets two cops, one not nice and one possibly nice.

Discuss!

Belt and suspenders, eh, Nicole?

How do you add a photo to a post here? I don't seem to have an option to do that.

I hope to start "Thyme" on November 1st. I already had the book, but hadn't read it, and I've already started.

Tina, perhaps you remember my Plum Pudding from a few years ago?

Not a professional chef at all, just someone who likes to cook and bake!

Anyone who brings me chocolates is ALWAYS welcome at a dinner at my house! Friendsgiving will be held on November 19th!

One behalf the the people who will eat your cupcakes, NicoleG, I thank you for not going the canned frosting route!

Not a Hallowe'en Party, but I'm having ten people for a birthday dinner on Sunday. (Someone else's birthday!) Much cooking and baking will ensue, and homemade everything!

1. Welcome back, Jill! I also didn't note that you were having and medical issues, but am happy you are back on the boards!

2. I'm happy with Thyme being chosen. I can start the discussion on November 1st.

I can host if you'd like.

I agree! It was more holiday-like than many of our holiday themed books.

I vote for Diva runs out of thyme. Perhaps the second place book can be the side read?

I see NicoleG got to your answer before I did, Tina! (I've been away for a long weekend of wine tasting, and eating!)

My two noms remain the same, Thyme and Wolfe Widow.

I enjoyed it. My only real beef was that the motive was a little to obscure. Nicely Halloween-ey, though.

I have both Diva Runs out of Thyme, which is the first in the series, and The Wolfe Widow, which is the third, but in a series I have read some of. I'd plump for either of these two.

I hate to be a baking snob, but I think if you are using a cake mix and probably canned frosting, I doubt whether freezing the whole business will hurt the cupcakes all that much!

Lenk and the doctor were just too obvious. I looked at the guilty party and thought he was it, until I found he had under-insured his property that burnt. I couldn't think of another motive.

I sort of guessed the culprit a bit before Lucy did, though the ultimate motive was not at all clear to me. Or anyone, don't you think? The fact that the final fire was to circumvent building restoration requirements was very obscure.

I agree that the baby stuff was a bit too much for me as well. And Miss Tilley is just being Miss Tilley, it seems.

Welcome aboard, Kristie!