What were your favorite TV shows?

What were your favorite books of 2017?

What were your favorite movies of 2017?

The Buffalo Bills are still alive in the Playoff hunt because of their 24-16 win over the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. But, today, the Bills take on the AFC East Champs–the New England Patriots–in a game that probably will cast the Bills out of contention with a loss. The Patriots are 12-point favorites. The Bills are riddled by injuries. Tom Brady has a 27-3 record against the Bills. How will your favorite NFL team fare today?

TDAP is a combination vaccine that protects against three potentially life-threatening bacterial diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).

When I went to my yearly allergy appointment last week, my allergist told me she was seeing a lot of cases of Whooping Cough. “We call it the 100-day cough,” she said. “We can knock it out with antibiotics, but patients keep coughing for months.” My allergist recommended that I get a TDAP shot so I called my internist and scheduled a shot. When it came time to jab me, the nurse told me, “Your arm is going to hurt all weekend long.” Good to know. And, also true!

Despite the pain, I’d rather not get Whooping Cough. Have you had a TDAP shot?

Richard Dalby’s anthology offers something for everyone. Some well-known classic stories like “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle” will remind you of Doyle’s subtlety. Agatha Christie captures the Christmas mood with “A Christmas Tragedy.” Literature lovers will appreciate Thomas Hardy’s “The Grave By the Handpost.” I enjoyed Wilkie Collins’s “Mr. Wray’s Cash Box.” If you’re looking for a well-rounded anthology of Christmas stories, Crime for Christmas will fit the bill.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
FOREWORD By Peter Cushing OBE vii
The trinity cat / Ellis Peters . 1
A happy solution / Raymond Allen 14
The adventure of the blue carbuncle / Arthur Conan Doyle 27
An upright woman — H.R.F. Keating 45
A book for christmas — Christopher Hallum 67
A pair of muddy shoes — Lennox Robinson 73
The unknown murderer — H.C. Bailey 80
The buoy that did not light — Edgar Wallace 101
A christmas tragedy / Agatha Christie 112
The Ghost’s touch / Fergus Hume 127
The Grotto / Pamela Sewell 140
The show must not go on / David G. Rowlands 144
Red lily / Dick Donovan 154
The black bag left on a doorstep / C.L. Pirkis 177
The grave by the handpost / Thomas Hardy 198
Mr. Wray’s cash box / Wilkie Collins 209
SOLUTION OF THE ENDGAME IN ‘A HAPPY SOLUTION’ 279
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 280

Arabella and the Battle for Venus is the second book in the Arabella series. David Levine creates a steampunk world where steamships can sail in space. In this volume, Napoleon and his forces dominate Venus. Arabella’s boyfriend has been captured and she’s bound and determined to rescue him. Tales like this take a large dose of “suspension of belief” to enjoy. I did enjoy the first Arabella adventure (you can read my review here). If you’re in the mood for High Adventure and SF hijinks, Arabella and the Battle for Venus will give you a “sense of wonder.” GRADE: B+

We have dozens of Christmas music CDs but each year we tend to add one or two to our mix. This year, it’s This Is Christmas by Katherine Jenkins. I’m a big fan of Katherine Jenkins. She’s been compared to Sarah Brightman because she sings classical as well as pop songs. The songs on this CD range from traditional to modern. If you’re tired of the same old same old Christmas songs, you might want to give Katherine Jenkins’s This Is Christmas a listen. You can find my review of Katherine Jenkins: The Ultimate Collection here. Check out the sample below. GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
1. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Traditional 3:37
2. “In Dulci Jubilo” Traditional 2:31
3. “Away in A Manger” Traditional 3:36
4. “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” Bob Wells, Melvin H. Torme 3:27
5. “Santa Baby” Joan Jarvis, Phillip Springer, Tony Springer 3:24
6. “Deck the Halls” Traditional 2:19
7. “Sleep Quietly My Jesus” Ruth Heller 2:51
8. “I Wish You Christmas” John Milford Rutter 4:25
9. “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” Traditional 3:20
10. “Come What May” (with Plácido Domingo) Kevin Gilbert 4:35