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Tuesday, June 3, 2025

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder, A Book Review

I picked up The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder because the title intrigued me, and as an eBay seller fascinated by vintage finds, I was instantly drawn in. It turned out that author C.L. Miller’s novel is enjoyable as a murder mystery story as well as a look into the world of high-end antiques.

THE STORY

Freya, a former antique hunter, is pulled back into the world of antiques after the mysterious death of her friend and mentor, Arthur. With the help of her odd but interesting Aunt Carole, she deciphers clues Arthur left behind—his way of ensuring that, should anything suspicious happen to him, someone would investigate. Their search finds them at an antiques retreat in a grand manor, where the furnishings are actually replicas rather than originals, and the guests seem to have questionable motives.

REVIEWS

Goodreads reviewers give the book 3 1/2 stars calling it a mixed bag with good marks for the look into the world of antiques but lower marks for writing style.

Bookshelf Soliloquies calls it a cozy mystery. Like me, writer Phoebe appreciated the glimpse into the world of antiques and, as she put it, the quirky characters. However, she, too had some discomfort with the writing style.

Amazon readers are a bit more generous, granting 4 stars and calling it ‘a very good read.’

Consensus amongst the many reviews that I read seems to be that the writing was a bit distracting, with some finding it a bit hard to get used to. I agree though I will add that I did get used to it and I did find the book more engaging as I went along.

Who will enjoy this book? I recommend it for someone looking for a cozy mystery that is a bit more complex or for someone who is interested in antiques and the antique underworld. I will be reading the second book in the series, The Antique Hunter’s Death on the Red Sea.

Another strong pick? If you are also interested in a similar look into art and the art world, Jeffrey Archer’s False Impression is a riveting must-read. A real page turner. Read my full review of First Impression here.

If you haven't read The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder, find it here on Amazon. If you have read it and you enjoyed The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder, you’ll be pleased to know there’s more to read. The Antique Hunter’s Death on the Red Sea is next in the series, and with luck, both it and any future installments will be stronger and more captivating.

See you
At the bookstore!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

More Reading:

Death Takes a Spin, An Upcycling Mystery

Irish Village Mystery Series by Carlene O'Connor

Ian Rankin's Knots and Crosses Book Review

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Monday, June 2, 2025

Reviewing Fisherman's Wool Yarn by Lion Brand

I recently had a request for a crocheted, warm blanket for camping so I dug through my stash of yarn in order to come up with a yarn and pattern idea. I found two skeins of the Fisherman's Wool by Lion Brand that I had purchased some time ago with the idea of making a warm sweater for myself. This yarn is a pleasure to work with and is creating a beautiful blanket with a super easy, and quick, stitch. I am enjoying this yarn and project so much that I may end up making a warm blanket for myself!

photo and text about Fisherman's wool yarn

Fisherman's Wool by Lion Brand

This Fisherman's Wool by Lion Brand is currently offered in 6 colors; varying shades of brown and white/oatmeal, with one "tweed" color. These colors lend themselves to rustic or cabin decor perfectly. They are also the perfect colors for sweaters, scarves, and hats.

Yarn Weight: 4 medium/worsted
Length: 465 yds in solids, 348 yds in prints
Fiber: 100% Pure Virgin Wool in all colors except Birch Tweed
Birch Tweed Fiber: 90% wool, 7% acrylic, 3% rayon
Care: Hand wash, lay flat to dry (do not dry in a dryer, do not use bleach)

More details about the Fisherman's Wool can be found on the Lion Brand Yarn website.

With a prime membership, you can currently order the Fisherman's Yarn on Amazon and save the shipping cost.

Personal backstory

My son and I had a conversation recently about camping and warm blankets. He wanted me to make a blanket for his dog, similar to the wool blanket that I used to keep my dog warm years ago. We had a difficult time narrowing down which dog, which camping area, and other assorted details. We finally realized that he was remembering a Peruvian wool poncho that we had purchased from vendors at a craft fair. While that poncho was woven, I thought that I could probably make a blanket for my son and his dog.

In my yarn stash, I found 2 skeins of Fisherman's Wool. I love the natural colors of the yarn and I had planned to learn how to make cable stitches that are often found on Celtic Irish sweater designs. As usual, my crochet project dreams were bigger than my amount of free time and skill. But that turned out to be a good thing as this yarn is creating a beautiful blanket. I am surprised about the softness of this wool yarn - I had expected it to be scratchy. The yarn is relatively soft, but allows for good stitch definition. And best of all, the yarn doesn't split or snag. I am so surprised at how easy it is to work with.

Personally, in addition to sweaters and blankets, I think this wool yarn would make wonderful, old-fashioned teddy bears!

Moss Stitch

For this blanket project, I'm using the Moss Stitch. It is also called the Linen, Granite, and Woven stitch. It is a stitch with much smaller spaces between stitches, that add to the warmth of the finished item, but not so tight that the blanket is stiff. The Moss Stitch creates a design that adds interest when the colors change, but does not require any counting or multiple row pattern changes to create that design. The Moss Stitch is a popular stitch for good reason and patterns and tutorials can easily be found in books, blogs, and in videos.

Cable Crochet Patterns

The Lion Brand website also has a large variety of free crochet and knit patterns. If you look on the site, you can find a good number of crochet cable patterns including this gorgeous Heirloom Crochet Cabled Throw kit (includes the pattern and the yarn).

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Sunday, June 1, 2025

Meet the New Star of Riddle Fun: Pink-Haired Patsy!

🎀 Meet Pink-Haired Patsy: She's Got Sass, Smarts & A Riddle or Two

Alright, I admit it—I've gone down a new rabbit hole of fun.

Some people garden, some people golf.

Me? I create virtual characters to read riddles. (Don't judge—it's a vibe.)

If you've ever landed on my StumpedRiddles YouTube Channel, you might've seen my growing collection of short and longer videos—riddles delivered with a twist, a wink, and now… a splash of pink.

Because ladies and gents and everyone in between, it's time you met my newest obsession:

✨ Pink-Haired Patsy! ✨

💁‍♀️ Patsy: The Pink Parade You Didn't Know You Needed

Patsy is 21, pocket-sized, and punches way above her weight class when it comes to personality. She's not the kind to wait her turn—or ask for permission.

She dyed her hair pink last week and hasn't looked back. Why? Because it makes her feel like herself. That's it. No deep symbolism. Just pink = joy.

She's bold, she's direct, and she's on a mission to make life feel a little less like a Monday morning. If you're too serious for silliness, Patsy's not your girl. But if you're up for a brain twist with a side of attitude? Pull up a chair.

🧠 Why Patsy Reads Riddles

Honestly, she's doing it for you. (And maybe a little for her acting reel.)

Patsy gets it—life can be heavy. But riddles? Riddles are little puzzles wrapped in playtime. She figures if she can get you to smile and think in under a minute, that's a win.

So, created from my overly active mind, she's jumped in to read one of my riddles. Just one—for now. She has that "see how this goes" energy, but I've a feeling we haven't heard the last from her.

👩‍👩‍👧‍👧 The Sisters: A Wild Bunch With Opinions

Let me tell you—Patsy's not an only child. Oh no. She's got three sisters, and family dinner with this bunch? Let's just say you wouldn't be bored.

🌸 Violet (aka The Whisperer)

Soft-spoken, emotionally tuned, and always the last to speak—but usually the one who says something that sticks. Violet's idea of fun is journaling in a café window seat. Her riddles are gentle, but deep. Don't sleep on her.

🔥 Roxy (aka The Firecracker)

Rules? Never heard of them. Roxy's the kind of girl who'd sneak a whoopee cushion into a book club meeting. She's wild, unpredictable, and somehow still lovable. Her riddles often involve a little mischief and a lot of fun.

📚 Ellie (aka The Brain)

Ellie is one podcast away from starting her sixth side project. She lives in learning mode. If there's a random fact to know, she already knows it. Her riddles tend to have trivia vibes or clever twists that make you say, "Ohhhh, clever."

And then there's Patsy.

A little bit of all three. But louder. And pinker.

🎬 Dreaming in Spotlight: Patsy's Big Plan

Here's the thing—Patsy wants to act. Yep, she's heading to acting school. Her parents? Not thrilled. But Patsy? She's doing it anyway.

Because that's who she is. She's not here to follow the script. She's here to rewrite it—in pink ink.

🎥 Patsy's Debut: Let's Go!

And now, for her first-ever public performance: a riddle reading that's equal parts sass and smarts. You can check it out right here:

🎬 Watch Pink-Haired Patsy's First Riddle Performance on YouTube

Oh, the answer to the riddle is here!

🗯 Final Thought (Straight From Patsy Herself)

“Look, life’s weird. If you're not laughing at least once a day, you're probably not doing it right.”

Ready for more riddles, laughs, and pink-powered fun? Patsy and the crew have only just begun.

Did You Enjoy Patsy- Created From My Wild Brain!

If I had to pick one of the sisters who best resembled my personality, it's probably Ellie! But I'm full-blown pink at heart! In fact, I've wanted to dye my hair pink for a very long time. Maybe one day!

Which sister best describes you?

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Saturday, May 31, 2025

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Book Review of a new thriller by Harlan Coben, the #1 New York Times bestselling author and world renowned storyteller. This is Book #2 of the 2 book series with Detective Sami Kierce whom we first met in Fool Me Once.

Synopsis of Nobody’s Fool

Nobody's Fool

As Nobody’s Fool begins, it has been a year since we met Sami Kierce in Fool Me Once, and Sami’s life circumstances have changed. He has been forced to leave the police department in disgrace and wants nothing more than to put his past behind him. But, somehow the past just isn’t done with him yet!

When Sami Kierce was a young college grad, he and some classmates took the summer to backpack in Spain. While there, he met a girl, Anna, and, when his friends moved on to the next stop on their itinerary, Sami stayed. Several days later, he wakes up covered in blood with a knife in his hand and his girlfriend dead. Panicked, he runs.

Now, twenty-two years later, with Kierce no longer a detective, we find him working as a private investigator. He is now married and has a baby. To make ends meet, he also teaches a class for wannabe sleuths at a night school in New York City. Suddenly one night he spots a familiar face in the back of the room. It is unmistakably Anna. When he begins to approach her, she runs.

Kierce knows he has no choice but to find this woman and solve the mystery that has haunted his thoughts every moment since that terrible day in Spain.

With the help of his students, Sami begins to investigate, because the facts simply don’t add up. It is difficult for him to face the past, but Kierce needs to finally find the truth, and to prove once and for all that he’s nobody’s fool.

Summary

This twisty and stunning thriller is book #2 in the two-book series featuring Sami Kierce.

Netflix has adapted many of Harlan Coben’s novels into TV series. Fool Me Once (reviewed by Sylvestermouse) has already been made into a TV series. It seems safe to say that this novel, Nobody’s Fool, will soon join the series.

For More Reviews of Harlan Coben Books, Click Here

For More Book Reviews, Click on ReviewThisBooks.com

*Nobody’s Fool Book Review written by Wednesday Elf

Books 1 & 2 of Harlan Coben’s two-book Detective Sami Kierce series

Fool Me Once

Nobody's Fool

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Friday, May 30, 2025

Cooking Steaks on an Indoor Grill

I previously reviewed how we cook our hamburgers on our indoor grill. Today, I will review cooking delicious steaks on the same indoor grill.

The secret to any good steak is the length of time it is cooked. In our home, we have family members who like their steak medium rare and others who prefer their steak cooked medium well. With such a wide range of doneness preferences, it is much easier to cook our steaks one at a time on our Cuisinart Griddler. As each steak comes off the Griddler, we wrap it in aluminum foil to keep it hot if we all want to eat together. However, the steak does seem to continue to cook a little more in the aluminum foil, so be sure you take that into consideration. If you have someone who prefers medium well to well done, you will want to cook their steak first, leaving the medium rare to the last to cook.

I've realized that I am not personally fond of the taste of charcoal grilled meat, plus it can cause indigestion. I certainly realize that is an individual preference, afterall I ate charcoal grilled steaks most of my life. It turns out, I actually prefer the taste of steaks or hamburgers cooked on our indoor grill and my husband works hard to get each steak cooked to each person's preference.

How to Cook Steaks on an Indoor Grill
Cuisinart Griddler

One of the things that makes the Cuisinart Griddler unique is that it has cooking elements on both the top and the bottom of the unit. The grills are removable for cleaning. Therefore, it is the indoor grill I would recommend for cooking any meat, chicken breasts included.

As you can see in my photos, I do put towels down under the Griddler to keep from splattering my counter tops and wall. The towels also make the clean up much easier since I simply toss them in the washing machine.

Preparing Steaks

Prepare steaks by lightly rubbing each steak with olive oil. Salt & pepper each steak.

Heat the Griddler to "sear" temperature. As I previously stated, the Cuisinart Griddler heats on both the top and the bottom, but the top element doesn’t seem to get quite as hot as the lower element. Plus, a bone will hold the top grill slightly off of the meat, so my husband likes to turn the steaks to make sure they are evenly cooked throughout.

Cook Time

Depending on the steak thickness, cook 4 minutes on each side on sear for medium well

Cook 2½ minutes each side on sear for medium rare
Reduce cook time for thin steaks - Stated cook time is based on steaks shown. They are bone-in and approx. 1 inch thick

We wrap each steak in aluminum foil to “rest” while we cook additional steaks. We wrap the last steak for at least 1 minute.

Clean Up

Cleaning the Cuisinart Griddler is easy. I simply rinse and wipe the removable grills under hot water in the sink and put them in the dishwasher for thorough sanitizing and cleaning.

Baked Potatoes on the Side

I cook our baked potatoes while my husband is cooking the steaks. You can either cook them in the oven, which takes longer, or in the microwave. You can read how to cook in the oven or the microwave in my previously published recipe by clicking here.

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