The other day my husband and I were running errands and while he went to the bike shop, I decided to wait for him at the Half Price Books next door. Great idea, don’t you think?

It’d been a while since I stopped in and I had a good time roaming around and ended up buying some books. Here’s what I got:

• Written In Blood by Sheila Lowe. This is the second book in a forensic handwriting mystery. I think I first heard of this author from Literary Feline and I read the first book last year and really liked it so I want to continue with this series.
• Requiem for a Mezzo by Carola Dunn. Danielle turned me onto this series and although I’ve only read two books, I’m hooked. Daisy Dalrymple is not like the other young flappers, she’s a journalist who happens to end up doing some sleuthing wherever she goes. A cute series with a protagonist who sort of reminds me of Maisie Dobbs.
• The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf. I remember reading quite a bit of buzz around this book when it came out so I was happy to find it. I may have to put it off for a while as it centers around missing girls and I just finished a book with that theme so I need a bit of space in between these books.
• The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. This looks like a complete comfort book but lately I’ve actually been thinking of learning to knit so this may just prompt me to go to a cute little yarn shop I pass by all the time and ask about some classes.
• The Outcast by Sadie Jones. I remember reading about this one in the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers newsletter. A postwar story set in England about a young man just released from prison and returning home.

Now to find a spot for these on the shelves. This weekend I’m planning to do some reading (I have so many books out from the library), maybe catch up on more book reviews and spend a bit of time at the bookstore, of course. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and more book talk soon.

“If your name is Britney Brassieres, being taken down by a tsunami of champagne might seem only fitting.”

Another madcap adventure awaits talented tattoo artists and business owner, Brett Kavanaugh in Pretty In Ink, the entertaining second installment of the Tattoo Mystery series by Karen E. Olson.

Brett is out with her friends enjoying the opening night for the Nylons and Tattoos show featuring Vegas’s most glamorous drag queens. With high heels, fancy dresses and creative names in place the show is sure to be a hit but when Britney Brassieres is knocked out by a champagne cork during her performance, chaos ensues.

Brett saw the guy who approached the stage to knock out Britney but she didn’t get a good look at his face. She did however see his tattoo and that’s not something she’ll forget. The investigation heats up when Britney dies and then as Brett is looking into some clues the trail leads her to another death and a strange case of poisoning. Could Las Vegas be looking at a terrorist threat?

Brett is not one to sit back and let her detective brother do all the work. She asks questions, follows her insticts and soon enough is also relying on her rival tattoo artist, Jeff Coleman to get her out of some scrapes. I love that Brett’s employees, Bitsy and Joel, also get in on the action again.

When Karen contacted me about reviewing her book I was thrilled to say yes. I’ve been a fan of Karen’s Annie Seymour series and was sad when that came to an end but I’m happy to say I’ve found another winner in her Brett Kavanagh series. These books are fun and fast. I didn’t guess whodunit but I didn’t care as I was enjoying the adventure. I’m happy to note that the third book is going to be out this fall. Check out Karen’s site and you can read the first chapters for Pretty In Ink and The Missing Ink.