Team Sally Lockhart

[Tatiana]

Well its about the Halocaust, so there is a lot of murder in it. I finished it today.

[Sarah]

Book Completion:

Title: Blue Clouds
Author: Patricia Rice
Completed: Feb. 18
Cards Worked:
1: 1st in Series
6: CFN (Seth)
Skip: CFN (Phillippa)

Feb Mini
Phillippa is an RN and takes care of six-year old boy throughout the book.

[Diane Woods]

I'm currently reading right now and its pretty good. I'm sorry I haven't contributed much the round. Tax season is in full swing and I have no time. I will get this one finished by the end of the month. It's really good so far!

[Ora]

Sara, I started The Kiss Thief. I haven't gotten that far into it. If I want' reading it for a Reverse card I would DFN it. I do enjoy romance, I think my biggest problem is that Francesca is 19 and has a lot of growing up to do and it seems like she is going to wind up Wolfe. Ugh...I hate books with a big age difference when one is very young. At least it is easy to follow.

[Ora]

Completion Post

Book Heroes Are My Weakness
Author Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Date Read Feb 18
Cards it works for
0 stand alone
2 character Theo Harp
3 character Annie Hewitt
8 character Elliott
Author Susan Elizabeth Phillips

mini challenge
characters
Linda
Barbara Rose

Book The Conspiracy
Author Kat Martin
Series Maximum Security
Date Read Feb 19
Cards it works for
1 1st in series, character Zach Tanner
2 character Tabitha Love
3 character Harper Winston
6 character Pia Santana
8 character Eduardo Ramos
Skip Killian Dawson

mini challenge
characters
Simon Graves
Michael Winston
Christy Riggs


Book Devil's Daughter
Author Lisa Kleypas
Series The Ravenels
Date Read Feb 19
Cards it works for
2 character Tom Severin
3 character Henry
4 character Fox Westcliff
5 5th in series, character Ivo
6 character Sebastian
8 character Evie
Skip character Phoebe

mini challenge
characters
West Ravenel
Gabriel St Vincent

[Ora]

Completion Post

Book The Kiss Thief
Author L.J. Shen
Date Read Feb 20
Cards it works for
4 character Francesca Rossi
6 Author
7 character Veronica
Skip character Wolfe Keane, title
Reverse Sara read it

mini challenge
Characters
Angelo

[Sara]

Ora wrote: "Sara, I started The Kiss Thief. I haven't gotten that far into it. If I want' reading it for a Reverse card I would DFN it. I do enjoy romance, I think my biggest problem is that Francesca is 19 an..."

Ora....I would have to agree with you. I didn't want to spoil anything but that was part of the issue that a lot of people had with the book. That and the bickering back and forth which seems to be due to her age.

[Sara]

Completion Post

Book Stillhouse Lake
Author: Rachel Caine
Date Read: February 20
Cards it works for
1 - 1st in Series
2 - Location: Tennessee
6 - Title: Stillhouse Lake
8 - Character: Javier Esparza
9 - Location: Norton
Skip - Location - Kansas

Characters
Gina Royal, Gwen Proctor, Melvin Royal, Lily Royal, Atlanta Proctor Brady Royal, Connor Proctor, Sam Cade, Lancel Graham, Javier Esparza, Detective Prester, Kezia Claremount, Absalom, Kyle Graham, Carl Getts, Kyle Graham, Lee Graham, Johansens

[Ora]

How did you like that book Sara? I loved it!! Angie and I have read both Stillhouse Lake and the next book (can't think of it off hand) if you are thinking about reading it. all reverse cards are done this month, however we will have plenty to fill next month.

[Angie ☯]

I loved it too! And I thought the 2nd (Killman Creek) was even better!

The 3rd (Wolfhunter River) comes out in April - but is a Read Now book on NetGalley.... I'm trying to wait until April, but I'm not sure I can!

[Ora]

I didn't realize it's coming out soon. I can't wait for that one.

[Alyssa]

I should finish inheritance in the next few days, and I'm starting Five Feet Apart tonight. I'll be finished with that by the end of the week.

[Sara]

Ora wrote: "How did you like that book Sara? I loved it!! Angie and I have read both Stillhouse Lake and the next book (can't think of it off hand) if you are thinking about reading it. all reverse cards are d..."

I really enjoyed the book and was wanting to move straight to the next one to see what happens and now after seeing the 3rd book will be coming out soon it makes me interested to see how the story unfolds. There seems to be a lot that could take place. I will start the next book next month so that we can use it for a Reverse card. Looking forward to reading it though :-)

[Sara]

Also just started reading My Sister's Grave so you are all aware.

[Ora]

Sara wrote: "Also just started reading My Sister's Grave so you are all aware."

I really enjoyed that book.

[Allison]

Completion Post

Book: Stone Mothers
Author: Erin Kelly
Date Read: February 21

Cards it works for
0 - Stand-alone
3 - Character Helen
6 - Title
8 - Author's first name
9 - Setting (Nusstead)
Skip - Title

Letters for spell-it-out: E, N, S (reasons above)

[Ora]

Completion Post

Book Vanished
Author Kendra Elliot
Series Callahan & McClain
Date Read Feb 20
Cards it works for
1 1st in series
3 character Henley Fairbanks
4 character Lucas Fairbanks
7 title
8 author Kendra Elliot
Skip author Kendra Elliot

Book Easy Love
Author Kristen Proby
Series Boudreuax
Date Read Feb 20
Cards it works for
1 1st in series
6 character Savanna
8 character Eli
9 location New Orleans
Skip character Kate O'Shaughnessy, author

Book Easy Melody
Author Kristen Proby
Series Boudreuax
Date Read Feb 21
Cards it works for
3 3rd in series
6 character Adam Spenser
9 location New Orleans
Skip Author Kristen Proby

mini challenge
Callie Mills
Declan

Book The Trapped Girl
Author Robert Dugoni
Series Tracy Crosswhite
Date Read Feb 22
Cards it works for
2 title, character Tracy Crosswhite
4 4th in series
5 character Ian Nikolic
6 character Andrea Strickland, Graham Strickland
7 character Vic Fazio
9 character Johnny Nolasco
Skip character Penny Orr

[Ora]

Card Left to be completed

1 - 1
2 - 5
3 - 3
5 - 2
6 - 3
Wild - 1
Wild Draw 4 Alyssa currently reading

Mini Challenge
L - 1 Ora currently reading
N - 2
R - 1
S - 2
T - 1

[Allison]

I'm currently reading something that can count for a 2 or 6

[Tatiana]

Completion Post
The Fault in Our Stars


0 Stand Alone
3 Hazel
4 Title
5 Isaac
7 Van Houten
Skip Peter

Mini Challenge
The title starts with "T"

[Sarah]

I am reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine...I should have it done by the weekend for first thing next week...

Works for
0 - Stand Alone
1 - CLN (Oliphant)
3 - ALN (Honeyman)
6 - P (Scotland)
8 - CFN (Elenor)

Other Characters for Mini Challenge
Raymond Gibbons

[Angie ☯]

Completion Post

Book: Cabs, Cakes, and Corpses
(view spoiler)[Author: Jennifer Joy / Becca Bloom
Date Read: 2/15
Cards it works For:
1 ~ 1st in series
2 ~ Char - Tia Rosa
4 ~ Char - Fernanda
6 ~ Char - Sylvia
7 ~ Char - Agent Vasquez
8 ~ Setting - Ecuador

Extra info: Alliterative Title (hide spoiler)]

Book: Faceless Killers
(view spoiler)[Author: Henning Mankell
Date Read: 2/15
Cards it works For:
1 ~ 1st in series
3 ~ Author - Henning Mankell
4 ~ F Title
6 ~ Char - Sylvia
7 ~ Char - Agent Vasquez
8 ~ Setting - Ecuador

Extra info: Swedish Author / Takes place in Sweden (hide spoiler)]

Book: Blood for Blood
(view spoiler)[Author: Victoria Selman
Date Read: 2/17
Cards it works For:
0 ~ Char Ziba MacKenzie
1 ~ 1st in series
4 ~ Char - Chris Falcon
6 ~ Author - Victoria Selman
7 ~ Author - Victoria Selman
9 ~ Char - Nigel Fingerling
Skip ~ Char - Paddy

Extra info: London, 83.1% Red cover (hide spoiler)]

Book: Stray
(view spoiler)[Author: Andrea K Host
Date Read: 2/17
Cards it works For:
0 ~ Char - Zee
1 ~ 1st in series
3 ~ Author - Andrea Host
6 ~ S title
9 ~ Char - Nenna

Extra info: Series: Touchstone, Author: Andrea, Char: Cassandra Devlin, Sa Lents, Maze, Mara (hide spoiler)]

Book: When a Beta Roars
(view spoiler)[Author: Eve Langlais
Date Read: 2/17
Cards it works For:
2 ~ 2nd in series
3 ~ Char - Hayder
8 ~ Author Eve Langlais
Skip ~ Kira
Reverse ~ Ora Read

Extra info: Series: A Lion's Pride, Author: Langlais, Char: Arabella, Jeoff, Luna, Davis, Meena (hide spoiler)]

Book: Butterfly Trap
(view spoiler)[Author: TL Fisher
Date Read: 2/18
Cards it works For:
0 ~ Stand alone
2 ~ Author - TL Fisher
4 ~ Author - TL Fisher
5 ~ Char - Issac
7 ~ Setting - Virginia
9 ~ Char - Nikki

Extra info: Murder committed (hide spoiler)]

[Angie ☯]

**** UPDATED ALL Completed Books to here ****

[Sarah]

Finished
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Gail Honeyman
Feb. 22, 2019

Works for
0 stand alone
1 CLN (Oliphant)
3 ALN (Honeyman)
6 P (Scotland)
8 CFN (Eleanor)

Other MC - Raymond Gibbons

[Ora]

Completion Post

Book Kissing Under the Mistletoe
Author Marina Adair
Series St. Helena Vineyard
Date Read Feb 22
Cards it works for
1 1st in series
3 character Holly Martin
4 character Frankie
5 character Isabel Stark
6 series St Helena Vineyard

mini challenge
Regan martin
Gabe Deluca

Book Easy Kisses
Author Kristen Proby
Series Bordeaux
Date Read Feb 22
Cards it works for
2 character Todd
3 character Heidi
4 4th in series
6 character Simon
7 character Violet

Book Birthday Suit
Author Lauren Blakely
Date Read Feb 22
Cards it works for
0 stand alone
2 character Tripp Hudson
3 character Leo Hennessy
9 character Noah Rivera
Skip character Kingsley

mini challenge

character Lulu

[Angie ☯]

Completion Post

Book: Shooting Star
Author: Arianne Richmonde
Date Read: 2/20
Cards it Works For:
1 ~ 1st in series
6 ~ S title
Extra Info:
Series: Beautiful Chaos,
Char: Star Davis, Jake Wild, Brian, Leo

Book: Second Sunrise
Author: David & Aimee Thurlo
1 ~ 1st in series
2 ~ ALN Thurlo
3 ~ Hans Gruber
6 ~ S title
9 ~ Lee Nez
Extra Info:
Series: Lee Nez,
Char: Lee Hawke, Diane Lopez, Benny Mondragon, Hans Gruber

Book: Hollywood Assassin
Author: MZ Kelly
Date Read: 2/22
Cards it works For:
1 ~ 1st in series
6 ~ Char - Kate Sexton
9 ~ Char - Nathan Kane
Skip ~ ALN Kelly
Extra Info:
Series: Hollwood Alphabet;
Setting: Los Angeles,
Char: Jack Bautista, Charlie Drake, Natalie, Pearl (Paul Earl), Marsha Wentworth

[Angie ☯]

*** Updated to here ***

[Allison]

Completion Post

Book: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Crime
Author: Tamar Myers
Date Finished: Feb 23

Cards:
2-Second in series; author first name
6-Character Susannah

Letters: T, S (reasons above)

[Ora]

Completion Post

Book To Tame a Wild Firefighter
Author Jessie Evans
Date Read Feb 23
Cards it works for
0 stand alone
4 character Faith Miller
8 Author Jessie Evans
9 character Naomi
Skip character Kitty

Book The Chase
Author Erin McCarthy
Series Fast Track
Date Read Feb 23
Cards it works for
2 character Tuesday
4 character Frankie
8 character Evan Monroe, author Erin McCarthy
Skip Kendall Holbrook

[Ora]

We are doing great with books. We only need a few more cards and letters to complete our hands and the mini challenge. Oh and we need to solve the mystery too!!
Please let me know what you are reading. If you are reading a book that will not work for anything we need, we can always use the book for March hands as long as it is completed on or after March 1st. The start time is I believe 3 am for us so unless you are a night owl the start time isn't a big deal for us when finishing a book.

Wild Draw 4 - Alyssa
1 - 1
2 - 1
3 - 1
6 - 1

Letters
N - 1
S - 1

Mystery to solve

[Allison]

I'm just starting The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After and should be done before end of Feb. It will for sure work for the 2 and I'll keep you posted if I discover it also works for something else.

[Angie ☯]

The book I'm reading will cover the 6 card and the S letter.

[Diane Woods]

I'm sorry I am doing terribly with this challenge. My goal this year was to read one book a week and I haven't even managed to do that. Maybe I should read smaller books. I'll get it done.

[Tatiana]

I won’t finish my book until after the end of the month. Just FYI... looks like we have most of them though.

[Sara]

Completion Post

Book My Sister's Grave
Author Robert Dugoni
Date Read Feb 24
Cards it works for:
1 - 1st Book in a Series
2 - Character Name: Tracy Crosswhite
3 - Character: Parker or Edmund House
4 - Character Name: Finley Armstrong
6 - Location Name: Seattle
7 - Character - Vance Clark
8 - Character: Edmund House
Skip - Character: Kensington Rowe

Characters: Tracy Crosswhite, Sarah Crosswhite, Vic Fazzio, Kensington Rowe, Ben, Roy Calloway, Vance Clark, Kelly Rosa, Dan O'Leary, Sunnie Witherspoon, Andrew Laub, James Crosswhite, Kins, Edmund House, Parker House

[Sara]

Just so you know I will be reading Her Final Breath for my next book.

[Ora]

Sara wrote: "Just so you know I will be reading Her Final Breath for my next book."

I have read the first 4 books of the series, so they will work for reverse.
How do you like the series? I love it.

[Ora]

I am currently reading a book that works for 2 and 6. Not sure what else yet since I have only gotten two chapters in. Hopefully it will work for something for the mini challenge. It really sucks when a kindle book doesn't have x-ray available. I will see what audios I can listen to tomorrow that will work for other cards and letters. It looks today I won't get a lot of reading done...maybe this evening if I am lucky.

Anyone good with mysteries.

[Angie ☯]

Completion Post

Book: Stiltskin
Author: Andrew Buckley
Date Read: 2/24
Cards it Works For:
1 ~ Stand alone
2 ~ Sir Thomas
6 ~ S title
Extra Info:
Char: Rumpelstilskin, Robert Darkly, Lily, Jack, Rupert

[Ora]

Realized my book works for one. I don’t know why I didn’t consider the MC’s last name earlier when I was looking at cards. Hopefully I will finish tonight since I know have more time reading than I thought as long as something doesn’t come up.

[Sara]

Ora wrote: "Sara wrote: "Just so you know I will be reading Her Final Breath for my next book."

I have read the first 4 books of the series, so they will work for reverse.
How do you like the series? I love it."

I really enjoyed the 1st book so I think I will enjoy the series as a whole. We seem to have similar tastes so if you love it...I am thinking I most likely will too..haha

[Sarah]

Finished The First Time I Said Goodbye
By Claire Allen

Cards
0 Stand Alone
2 Title (The)
3 CLN (Hegarty)
5 Place (Ireland)
6 CFN (Stella)

[Angie ☯]

Anyone a good detective? Here is the story and clues that we can solve to get 50 extra points. The questions to be answered are at the bottom of the story. If you think you have an idea, PM me or Ora and let us know. Or we can discuss everyone's thoughts via PM too, if needed.

Story - The Corpulent Corpse
~writer unknown~

(view spoiler)[
Donna Livingston, Esq., rushed into Detective Tubert’s office like a charging bull. “I know. I’m late.” She plopped herself on his torn leather chair. “Elaine Dutton was an hour late dropping the letter off at my office. Some sort of evening gown emergency… she’s a seamstress, you know.”

“Donna Livingston, I presume.”

“Gosh, I never heard that one before.” Tubert felt foolish as she pulled an envelope from her purse.

“It’s been a year since their father’s death,” said Tubert.

“Why did it take so long for this letter to surface?”

“The day Faustus Dutton died, his three kids started fighting over how to split up his autograph collection, which is probably worth about $25 million.”

Tubert whistled. “What’d he have? A posthumous Elvis?”

“A love letter from George Washington to Martha, an original Beethoven score, an alleged Shakespeare poem, a smattering of Kings and Czars… that sort of thing.”

Tubert whistled again.

“One of them wants to sell the collection immediately,” she continued, “another insists it’ll double in value if they hold onto it for a few years, and the third one doesn’t want to sell the it at all. And of course they’ve all got favorites they want to keep as mementos.

“As the executor, I’ve been trying to work out a solution ever since. In the meantime, they decided to padlock his room and give me the key for safekeeping to make sure none of them could slip anything out of the collection until matters were settled.

Yesterday, they finally came to an agreement. When we opened the room to retrieve the collection, I found this letter in his desk.”

Tubert pulled the folded page from its envelope. “To Whom It May Concern,” it began in a jagged scrawl, “In the event of my death, I, Faustus Dutton, hereby formally request a police investigation. The reason for this is simple: I know that one of my children murdered me.”

Tubert looked up. “You think this is true?”

“His kids do. They just don’t know which one of them did it, so they asked me to turn the matter over to the police.” After a year, Tubert knew the trail would be colder than an Eskimo’s sole, but the dead man’s plea intrigued him. “I guess we’ll have to exhume the body.”

Tubert lifted the heavy bronze knocker on the massive oak door and let it drop.

Donna answered. “Welcome to Dutton Manor.”

She waved him into an enormous foyer and led him into a two-story library where he found two men and a woman waiting.

“Lieutenant Tubert, allow me to introduce my clients,” she said, “Sam, Jack and Elaine.”

Tubert made the rounds to shake hands, noting that the siblings were sitting as far from each other as possible. There was no love lost in this family.

“We were so pleased that you decided to dig up the body,” said Elaine. I know Daddy’s letter was bizarre, and the police are so busy…”

“Cut the crap, Elaine.” Jack said impatiently.

“No need to get snippy,” she chided.

Sam interrupted, “Can we just get on with it?” Tubert was only too happy to.

“I called this meeting because the autopsy results came back last night and confirmed your father’s fears: he was murdered.”

The three siblings exchanged glances.

“The body was significantly decomposed,” Tubert continued, “but they were still able find evidence of succinylcholine.”

“Succi-what?” asked Donna.”It’s like a synthetic curare,” said Sam, “paralyzes the muscles. We use it in anesthesia.”

“Sam’s an ICU nurse,” explained Elaine.

“Which makes Sam the only one with access to the stuff, eh nursie?” Jack sniggered.

“It’s not a controlled substance like narcotics are,” interjected Tubert. “Someone motivated enough to commit murder wouldn’t have much trouble lifting the stuff from a hospital.”

Sam pounced on this: “Especially someone with a history of shoplifting like Jack.”

“I was a teenager, for chrissake.”

“I hate to interrupt the lovefest,” said Tubert, “but I’d like to see where your father died.”

They mounted the stairs to the fourth floor.

“This was Faustus’ bedroom,” said Donna. “It’s been locked since the police broke in except for when we came in to get the collection and found the letter.”

She took a key out of her purse and unlocked a massive padlock that sealed the room. As she swung open the door, she said “They found him in bed, on his back. It looked just like a heart attack — he had a history of angina.”

Tubert surveyed the room. It was octagonal in shape, with windows looking out in all directions, not only locked but double- bolted.

He checked for signs of tampering on the windows. He rummaged through the bedside drawers. He knelt and examined the bed, lifting the sheets to check the mattress. He looked through the dresser and the closet. He stood on a chair to check the swag lamp hanging over the bed. Nothing unusual anywhere.

Turning to examine the door, Tubert saw three arrays of splintered holes on the doorjamb.

“There used to be three deadbolts there,” explained Donna.

“The police had to use a battering ram to get in.”

“Daddy locked himself in every night,” said Elaine.

“Bastard didn’t even trust his own kids,” Jack muttered.

“He apparently had good reason,” remarked Tubert.

“What was it?” “Money. What else?” said Jack.

Elaine explained, “The Friday before he died, Daddy told us he was going to Donna’s office on Monday to give his entire autograph collection to The Smithsonian.”

“We all knew he’d been thinking about it,” added Sam, “but this was the first time he’d actually told us he was going to do it.”

Jack scowled bitterly. “Just like the old weasel to tell us before he did it so he could watch us beg for our inheritance.” “So someone tried to stop him by slipping the poison into his food that weekend?” Donna asked.

Tubert shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Succinylcholine is poorly absorbed in the intestines. Someone had to inject it. Depending on the dose, death could have occurred within seconds.”

“But that’s impossible!” said Donna. “How could someone have done that if the room was securely locked from the inside?” “That’s the question, isn’t it?” replied Tubert. “But I’m pretty sure I know who did it and how. And a simple search will prove it.”

Clues:

THE HOUSEKEEPER’S STATEMENT
“They all live here together, you know, like a bunch of
inmates at some kind of institution, fighting and swearing…. The
old man’d throw open the door every morning and come down to
the library where he’d take his coffee. Then onto the veranda for
lunch, rain or shine, and he’d sit in the rocker and fall off sleeping
during the afternoons. Supper in the dining room, then off to bed
by nine when he’d lock himself in again.”

ATTENDING NURSE’S STATEMENT
The following statement was taken from Ms. Annette
Jones, duty nurse when the victim was hospitalized for an
angioplasty two weeks before his murder.
“I wasn’t surprised that he’d have heart problems — he
weighed close to 300 lbs., and there was so much stress in that
family. I mean, his three grown children just fought all night like
little kids. The waiting room was next to the nurse’s station and
they got so loud that we couldn’t stand it. We spent the night
doing rounds instead of hanging out at the desk, just coming back
when a patient needed drugs or something. We’ve got a closet
behind the station where we keep all the drugs for surgery and
recovery.”

FROM THE FORENSICS REPORT
The fact that the victim was apparently unable to rise from
bed to summon help indicates that a large dose of the toxin was
administered. However, the body was too decomposed to
determine into which part of the body the injection was delivered.

Questions:
- Who killed Faustus Dutton?
- How was it done?
- What was it about the killer that gave him or her away?
(hide spoiler)]

[Ora]

Completion Post

Book Serving Up Trouble
Author Jill Shalvis
Date Read Feb 26
Cards it works for
0
stand alone
1 character Tom O'Brien
2 character Tom O'Brien
6 Author, title
8 character Ellie
other characters
Angie Rivers

[Ora]

We only need to complete two more tasks this month along with solving the mystery.

Wild Draw 4 - Alyssa
N - 1

If you are able to hold on any books that do not work for N for March, please do. I know it's easier said than done with monthly challenges winding down.

[Ora]

Diane, I will remove one of my books to use yours when you complete you book this month. I just realized that you haven't completed one yet from your last post. I just want to make sure you know that your book will be used.

[Alyssa]

Completion post coming for 2 books tonight. I'm sorry they're coming so late!

[Sarah]

Angie ☯ wrote: "Anyone a good detective? Here is the story and clues that we can solve to get 50 extra points. The questions to be answered are at the bottom of the story. If you think you have an idea, PM me or O..."

I think I have a guess, but not sure of it...how would you like me to share thoughts...?

[Angie ☯]

Sarah wrote: "I think I have a guess, but not sure of it...how would you like me to share thoughts...? ..."

Oh yay!! Either PM me or we can "chat" on our working spreadsheet. Either with the chat option or just typing on a new sheet. :-) Your choice

[Sarah]

Angie ☯ wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I think I have a guess, but not sure of it...how would you like me to share thoughts...? ..."

Oh yay!! Either PM me or we can "chat" on our working spreadsheet. Either with the chat ..."

Sent a chat (i think!) on the working SS