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[bk]

What's even odder is that she'd choose to publish this through Amazon's CreateSpace.

[bk]

Dear reader JohnG wrote this lovely review of the new book - it joins the other dear readers' lovely reviews.  Need more

This Amazon review perfectly captures why I write this mystery series.  And yes, the series is perfect for teens, and moms and daughters really seem to enjoy reading these.  Here's the review:

5 stars

Shout hooray! Adriana Hofstetter's back and better than ever.
April 22, 2019
Format: Hardcover

Sound the trumpets. Adriana Hofstetter is back after a four-year absence, and her fans have good reason to rejoice. Her latest mystery, “Murder at the Magic Castle,” could be her most richly layered and rewarding whodunnit yet. That’s because Adriana Hofstetter’s mysteries have become about much more than the murder itself at the heart of the story. They’re about strong mother-and-child relations, the effects our friends have on our lives, the passage of time, and finding one’s place in the world. Heady themes for a young adult novel , to be sure, and author Bruce Kimmel presents all of this within the framework of another of his favorite themes, the changing nature of Los Angeles (rarely for the better).

Yet, for all that, we are here because Adriana is on the trail of yet another murderer. The story begins on Adriana’s 17th birthday, which Adriana celebrates with her mom, Margaret, and her best friend, Billy, at L.A.’s legendary Magic Castle, where all are enchanted with the location as well as the magicians and the fantastical tricks they perform. When one of the magicians turns up dead and nobody seems overly interested in following up on it, she takes it upon herself to investigate. It doesn’t take her long to unearth more than her share of secrets in all corners of the castle while learning that writing a blog isn’t the safest way of discussing the evidence she has collected. All of this is presented in Kimmel’s breezy style (the great Patrick Bronstein appears, adding his irascible sense of humor to the proceedings), which will have you turning page after page long into the night. Enjoy that light tone, but don’t be surprised if the underlying substance of the book stays with you long after you've closed the back cover.

[bk]

What is this page three malarky?

[bk]

I guess the days are gone when a major music publishing house would not think twice about publishing a major score by Jerome Moross.  What a pity.  Nice to see the credit for elmore.

[bk]

Why are we on page three?

[bk]

Picked up packages, including (finally) my ten free softcovers of the new book.

[bk]

Didn't feel like sitting in a restaurant, so went to McDonald's and was very careful in my selection, so calorie-wise, exactly 1100, which is more than fine as long as I don't eat anything later, save perhaps some fruit.

[elmore3003]

What's even odder is that she'd choose to publish this through Amazon's CreateSpace.

She's used them to publish The Golden Apple and Ballet Ballads scores.

[Jane]

I guess the days are gone when a major music publishing house would not think twice about publishing a major score by Jerome Moross.  What a pity.  Nice to see the credit for elmore.

I looked and didn't see the credit for elmore.  I shall look again.

[Jane]

I found it

[Jeanne]

Hello, everyone.

[Jeanne]

I had a haircut today, then stopped at a nearby library that accepts book donations. I donated a large bag of books, then learned that they now have a $1 shelf of books in very good condition, which I perused. I found an Alexander McCall Smith book and gladly donated the $1. I'm happy to get rid of books I know I won't read again and come away with one I will read.

[Jeanne]

On to my favorite food store. No almond croissants today. I asked one of the employees, "They only leave one almond croissant each day?" (An outside vendor supplies them.) "No," she replied. "They leave four. They have a large fan base." I guess I'm not the only one who really likes them.

[Jeanne]

Congrats to Larry on another published work.

[Jeanne]

Vibes to John G for good test results and also good health.

[Jane]

On to my favorite food store. No almond croissants today. I asked one of the employees, "They only leave one almond croissant each day?" (An outside vendor supplies them.) "No," she replied. "They leave four. They have a large fan base." I guess I'm not the only one who really likes them.

It is difficult to find good almond croissants.

[Jeanne]

Jan, here's a picture of Neve from late last year:

DR George, I always picture Neve as dark. I must still be thinking of Ebonnie.

[jan]

George, Her Majesty Queen Neve, is beautiful.  I, also, pictured Neve as dark for some reason.

[Jeanne]

Watched episode three of Fosse/Verdon - terrible.  There is no way around it - the writing is so horrible and the anachronisms and inaccuracies are unforgivable for a show with a budget like this.  This one was directed by someone else and he's not to hot either.  To wit:

Once again, we have Miss Verdon saying "on set" in 1972.  No, never, no one ever said that then.  EVER.

We have the editor of Cabaret telling Fosse he'd like to show him the assemblage.  Fosse acts like he doesn't know what that means and says, "You edited my movie?"  It's not hard to know that EVERY editor in HISTORY does an assemblage of all the chosen takes, start to finish.  The first assemblage of Nudie Musical ran almost 160 minutes.  Then the editing process begins.  Cabaret was not Fosse's first movie and this idiotic writer makes Fosse look like a moron.

In 1972, they did not make paper shopping bags with HANDLES.  Did not exist.  Real hard to find that out.

At one point, Miss Verdon, in talking about a meeting with a director of a straight play says, "I'll see if we can establish trust."  No one said that back in 1972.  Ever.

Fosse leaves daughter Nicole with Paddy Chayefsky in Fosse's hotel room.  Miss Verdon says just what you'd think and that was not a thing in 1972 - "That's inappropriate."  No.

In the play she does, Children! Children!  the director, which I'll get to in a minute, says, "Play something active."  Not in 1972, baby.  And the director - if I were the estate of Joseph Hardy I would sue this writer from here to kingdom come.  No director would talk to a Tony Award-winning STAR the way this writer has this awful actor playing Joseph Hardy.  But any director who'd talk to ANY actor the way he does would get nothing at all from that actor.  Furthermore, he wouldn't have had much of a career, either.  It's shameful.  It's lazy writing. 

And then there's the crying baby, the endlessly crying baby, only in the shots where the baby has his back to the camera it is very clear he's not crying at all. 

They couldn't find a performer who actually resembles Joel Grey?  And Sam Rockwell is horrible, I'm sorry.  The fake bald cap, the fake beard, which looks NOTHING like Mr. Fosse's beard - this thing is way too thick and hairy, where Fosse's was trim. 

There's more, but why bother.  And people LOVE it.  I understand it to a point, and then the inaccuracies are so silly and unnecessary that I just can't. 

These sorts of inaccuracies always bug me--and I see them many places. Also on my list are women who wake up in full make-up and with no hair out of place. Men who are wearing lipstick even though their characters would not. Do these people not know their craft? It's both distracting and insulting to the audience.

[Jeanne]

On to my favorite food store. No almond croissants today. I asked one of the employees, "They only leave one almond croissant each day?" (An outside vendor supplies them.) "No," she replied. "They leave four. They have a large fan base." I guess I'm not the only one who really likes them.

It is difficult to find good almond croissants.

I agree. Are croissants in general not as good as they used to be?

[jan]

Those of you with kitties, please post pictures so I can admire the beauties.

[jan]

Can you tell I'm an ailurophile?

[Jane]

Jan, here's a picture of Neve from late last year:

DR George, I always picture Neve as dark. I must still be thinking of Ebonnie.

I do the same thing.

[Jane]

We need photos of Neve on a regular basis.

[Jeanne]

The workmen who are renovating the apartment next door found a pipe that was on its last legs. As it connects to a pipe in my apartment they needed to do some plumbing work in my shower today. I came home to find it done and a clean job. A potential mess avoided.

[bk]

Still page three?

[KevinH]

Thanks, DR George, for preserving my milestone!   Thanks all for the congrats.  I know I'm a piker when compared to just about everyone else!

[KevinH]

Page 3 malarkey?

[Jane]

These sorts of inaccuracies always bug me--and I see them many places. Also on my list are women who wake up in full make-up and with no hair out of place. Men who are wearing lipstick even though their characters would not. Do these people not know their craft? It's both distracting and insulting to the audience.
[/quote]

And the makeup never smudges

Even more amazing is when they are obviously wearing make-up when they probably don't have any available to put on.  You know, like when they are stranded in the desert without a purse

[bk]

I listened to the Gorecki fourth symphony subtitled Tansman Episodes.  Tansman it isn't and Tansman he ain't.  It's interesting at times, but mostly you just want to hit someone in the head with a frying pan.