No Place Like Murder

              

No Place Like Murder: True Crime in the Midwest by Janis Thornton

Summary: A modern retelling of 20 sensational true crimes, No Place Like Murder reveals the inside details behind nefarious acts that shocked the Midwest between 1869 and 1950. The stories chronicle the misdeeds, examining the perpetrators' mindsets, motives, lives, apprehensions, and trials, as well as what became of them long after. 

True crime author Janis Thornton profiles notorious murderers such as Frankie Miller, who was fed up when her fiancé stood her up for another woman. As fans of the song "Frankie and Johnny" already know, Frankie met her former lover at the door with a shotgun. Thornton's tales reveal the darker side of life in the Midwest, including the account of Isabelle Messmer, a plucky young woman who dreamed of escaping her quiet farm-town life. After she nearly took down two tough Pittsburgh policemen in 1933, she was dubbed "Gun Girl" and went on to make headlines from coast to coast. In 1942, however, after a murder conviction in Texas, she vowed to do her time and go straight. Full of intrigue and revelations, No Place Like Murder also features such folks as Chirka and Rasico, the first two Hoosier men to die in the electric chair after they brutally murdered their wives in 1913. The two didn't meet until their fateful last night. 

An enthralling and chilling collection, No Place Like Murder is sure to thrill true crime lovers. 

Angie’s comments: Local author Janis Thornton is back with another true crime book. Tipton County locations and residents are featured in some of the tales. Most of the crimes I had not heard of, so it was a really interesting look into crimes of the past.

 

Recommended for readers who like true crime and local history. 

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Murder is a Must

             

Murder is a Must by Marty Wingate

Summary: Hayley Burke is the curator of Lady Fowling's First Edition mystery library. Along with Lady Fowler's former secretary, Mrs Woolgar, she's preparing for an exhibition that will showcase Lady Fowling's life and letters. She's determined to make the First Edition Library a success in every way, but wasn't counting on finding her old boss dead at the bottom of the stairs. Did her discovery of a rare book get her killed or was it some angry shadow from her past? Hayley must read between the lines to catch a malicious murderer. 

Angie’s comments: This is the second in the First Edition Library mystery series. While you don't need to read the first one, reading the first one will let you enjoy this second book more. The mystery is a nice cozy one, and the bit of romance doesn't take over from the mystery. The characters seem realistic, and I like that the plot takes into account the characters' professional and personal lives. 

 

Recommended for readers who like cozy mysteries. 

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Artcurious

            

Artcurious: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History by Jennifer Dasal

Summary: A wildly entertaining and surprisingly educational dive into art history as you've never seen it before, from the host of the beloved ArtCurious podcast.

We're all familiar with the works of Claude Monet, thanks in no small part to the ubiquitous reproductions of his water lilies on umbrellas, handbags, scarves, and dorm-room posters. But did you also know that Monet and his cohort were trailblazing rebels whose works were originally deemed unbelievably ugly and vulgar? And while you probably know the tale of Vincent van Gogh's suicide, you may not be aware that there's pretty compelling evidence that the artist didn't die by his own hand but was accidentally killed--or even murdered. Or how about the fact that one of Andy Warhol's most enduring legacies involves Caroline Kennedy's moldy birthday cake and a collection of toenail clippings?

ArtCurious is a colorful look at the world of art history, revealing some of the strangest, funniest, and most fascinating stories behind the world's great artists and masterpieces. Through these and other incredible, weird, and wonderful tales, ArtCurious presents an engaging look at why art history is, and continues to be, a riveting and relevant world to explore.

Angie’s comments: While I have little interest in making art, I love history. Artcurious was nice segue into the art world for me, and the stories behind the art make the art more intriguing.  

Recommended for readers who like history and/or art. 

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Bones

           

Bones: Inside and Out by Roy A. Meals

Summary: Human bone is versatile and entirely unique: it repairs itself without scarring, it's lightweight but responds to stresses, and it's durable enough to survive for millennia. 

In Bones, orthopedic surgeon Roy A. Meals explores and extols this amazing material that both supports and records vertebrate life. Inside the body, bone proves itself the world's best building material. Meals examines the biological makeup of bones; demystifies how they grow, break, and heal; and compares the particulars of human bone to variations throughout the animal kingdom. 

In engaging and clear prose, he debunks familiar myths--humans don't have exactly 206 bones--and illustrates common bone diseases, like osteoporosis and arthritis, and their treatments. Along the way, he highlights the medical innovations--from the first X-rays to advanced operative techniques--that enhance our lives and introduces the giants of orthopedic surgery who developed them. After it has supported vertebrate life, bone reveals itself in surprising ways--sometimes hundreds of millions of years later. 

With enthusiasm and humor, Meals investigates the diverse roles bone has played in human culture throughout history. He highlights allusions to bone in religion and literature, from Adam's rib to Hamlet's skull, and uncovers its enduring presence as fossils, technological tools, and musical instruments ranging from the Tibetan thighbone kangling horn to everyday drumsticks. 

From the dawn of civilization through to the present day, humankind has repurposed bone to serve and protect, and even to teach, amuse, and inspire. Approachable and entertaining, Bones richly illuminates our bodies' essential framework.

Angie’s comments: This book is rather quirky in terms of subject matter, and Meals has many interesting digressions about bones. 

Recommended for readers interested in bones. 

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The Home Edit Life

          

The Home Edit Life: The No-Guilt Guide to Owning What You Want and Organizing Everything by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

Summary: #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The authors of The Home Edit and stars of the Netflix series Get Organized with The Home Edit teach you how to apply their genius, holistic approach to your work life, on-the-go necessities, and technology.

At home or on the go, you don't have to live like a minimalist to feel happy and calm. The Home Edit mentality is all about embracing your life--whether you're a busy mom, a roommate living with three, or someone who's always traveling for work. You just need to know how to set up a system that works for you.

In the next phase of the home organizing craze, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin go beyond the pantry and bookshelf to show you how to contain the chaos in all aspects of your life, from office space and holiday storage to luggage and pet supplies. Get to know your organizing style, tailor it to your family's lifestyle, and lead the low-guilt life as you apply more genius ideas to every aspect of your life.

Clea and Joanna are here to remind you that "it's okay to own things" in the quest for pretty and smart spaces. With The Home Edit Life, you'll soon be corralling phone cords, archiving old photos, arranging your phone apps by color, and packing your suitcase like a pro.

Angie’s comments: There are a lot of photographs, and each photograph has a explanation of what, how and why they organized it that way. While I can't implement their system for my whole house yet (based on money and space), I can certainly use their ideas to organize a drawer or two and build from there. 

Recommended for readers interested in organizing (and not necessarily getting rid of things).

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Crocodiles of the World

         

Crocodiles of the World: The Alligators, Caimans, Crocodiles and Gharials of the World by Colin Stevenson

Summary: Crocodiles come in a variety in size, shape, habits, and even habitats, from the infamous saltwater crocodiles that occasionally near 6 meters in length, to the diminutive 1.5 meter dwarf caimans from South America's tropics. This book explores all the facts and figures surrounding the ancestry of this intriguing family of reptilians, dispelling myths, and exploring their extensive evolution on the 230 million years that they have lived on this planet. With fantastic photography this book encapsulates the diversity of theses creatures. This book covers their evolutionary history, their biology and ecology and the diversity of the species.

Angie’s comments: The first part of the book deals with the evolution, history, and general characteristics of all crocodilians. The last part of the book goes through each species. I loved the photographs, and I never had so much appreciation for crocodilians. 

Recommended for readers interested in animal biology.

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The Great Indoors

        

The Great Indoors: The Surprising Science of How Buildings Shape Our Behavior, Health, and Happiness by Emily Anthes

Summary: A fascinating, thought-provoking journey into our built environment.

Modern humans are an indoor species. We spend 90 percent of our time inside, shuttling between homes and offices, schools and stores, restaurants and gyms. And yet, in many ways, the indoor world remains unexplored territory. For all the time we spend inside buildings, we rarely stop to consider: How do these spaces affect our mental and physical well-being? Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? Our productivity, performance, and relationships?

In this wide-ranging, character-driven book, science journalist Emily Anthes takes us on an adventure into the buildings in which we spend our days, exploring the profound, and sometimes unexpected, ways that they shape our lives. Drawing on cutting-edge research, she probes the pain-killing power of a well-placed window and examines how the right office layout can expand our social networks. She investigates how room temperature regulates our cognitive performance, how the microbes hiding in our homes influence our immune systems, and how cafeteria design affects what--and how much--we eat.

Along the way, Anthes takes readers into an operating room designed to minimize medical errors, a school designed to boost students' physical fitness, and a prison designed to support inmates' psychological needs. And she previews the homes of the future, from the high-tech houses that could monitor our health to the 3D-printed structures that might allow us to live on the Moon.

The Great Indoors provides a fresh perspective on our most familiar surroundings and a new understanding of the power of architecture and design. It's an argument for thoughtful interventions into the built environment and a story about how to build a better world--one room at a time. 

Angie’s comments: An overview of issues in indoor architecture and design. The ideas presented are interesting, and there are a wide range of topics addressed. This is more of an introduction, so this is not for people who want specific guidance for their indoor areas. 

Recommended for readers interested in the intersection of architecture/design and physical and mental health. 

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