Steve Higgs

Unleashed Magic is the second book in the series and a couple more characters were either introduced or developed into more principal ones, such as Zachary and Heike. I really enjoyed Zachary's character, and athough I had some laugh-out-loud moments, I did feel like it was a bit over-the-top at times. Heike was a nice surprise; although we were introduced to her character in the first book, we learned a lot more and so far, she is one of my favourites, almost to the point where I wish she show more had the magical powers as that would have been so much fun.

Otto was back to save the day again, but although we learned more about him, there were things that definitely did touch a raw nerve on my end and this mostly had to do with his thoughts regarding women. Really? Although they are the author's descriptions, they are from Otto's viewpoint, so I wasn't too impressed with his thoughts regarding Heiki even though he really liked her. She is one of the bravest and smartest people in this series so far, so to criticize her because she looks matronly? Seriously!! show less

Long-retired Detective Superintendent Albert Smith is recently widowed and has decided to set off on a tour of the country sampling, and learning to make, famous British culinary offerings despite the misgivings of his three children who are all serving police officers. He's traveling with his dog Rex Harrison who is a K-9 school dropout. Rex shares his thoughts with the reader even though Albert can't hear him.

Albert's first stop is Melton Mowbray where he is visiting Agnew's Perfect Pork show more Pie Emporium to learn to make the iconic pork pie. However, things are quickly disrupted when a severed thumb is found on one of the piles of meat the members of the class are supposed to turn into their own pies.

With the owner of Agnew's in hospital after having her appendix removed, her seventeen-year-old daughter Donna is in charge. She is sure that it is just the latest prank by the owners of Simmons Pork Pie Palace which is just across the street, They have wanted to steal Agnew's business and reputation since they opened. It doesn't help that Donna and the Simmons son Toby had dated for a while.

Albert wants to help Donna. So, the first thing they need to do is try to identify the owner of the thumb which is made easier by the unique tattoo on it. Albert, Rex and Donna visit tattoo parlors and quickly identify the thumb's owner. They are surprised to learn that he is the night guard for the Simmons factory and is missing.

They discover all sorts of things as they look into the case including a drug sting. Albert and Rex attract the attentions of the villains and have his room at the B&B where he is staying firebombed.

I liked that Albert is 78 and quite a bit slower and creakier than he was in his working days. He's experiencing some memory issues and, at one point in the story, gets lost while doing some investigating. He also, like many of us older adults, finds himself in a crucial situation with a cellphone in need of a charge. I really like his relationship with Rex who has quite a mind of his own and who gets a chance to use his training in the story.

This was a fun story with a nicely quirky main characters who is determined to keep his independence and live his life in hos own way. show less

Long-retired Detective Superintendent Albert Smith is recently widowed and has decided to set off on a tour of the country sampling, and learning to make, famous British culinary offerings despite the misgivings of his three children who are all serving police officers. He's traveling with his dog Rex Harrison who is a K-9 school dropout. Rex shares his thoughts with the reader even though Albert can't hear him.

Albert's first stop is Melton Mowbray where he is visiting Agnew's Perfect Pork show more Pie Emporium to learn to make the iconic pork pie. However, things are quickly disrupted when a severed thumb is found on one of the piles of meat the members of the class are supposed to turn into their own pies.

With the owner of Agnew's in hospital after having her appendix removed, her seventeen-year-old daughter Donna is in charge. She is sure that it is just the latest prank by the owners of Simmons Pork Pie Palace which is just across the street, They have wanted to steal Agnew's business and reputation since they opened. It doesn't help that Donna and the Simmons son Toby had dated for a while.

Albert wants to help Donna. So, the first thing they need to do is try to identify the owner of the thumb which is made easier by the unique tattoo on it. Albert, Rex and Donna visit tattoo parlors and quickly identify the thumb's owner. They are surprised to learn that he is the night guard for the Simmons factory and is missing.

They discover all sorts of things as they look into the case including a drug sting. Albert and Rex attract the attentions of the villains and have his room at the B&B where he is staying firebombed.

I liked that Albert is 78 and quite a bit slower and creakier than he was in his working days. He's experiencing some memory issues and, at one point in the story, gets lost while doing some investigating. He also, like many of us older adults, finds himself in a crucial situation with a cellphone in need of a charge. I really like his relationship with Rex who has quite a mind of his own and who gets a chance to use his training in the story.

This was a fun story with a nicely quirky main characters who is determined to keep his independence and live his life in hos own way. show less

Patricia Fisher arrives at her best friend's house to go to a hairdresser appointment together on the wrong day and surprises Maggie in bed with Patricia's husband. Her anger and need to get away and contemplate her future lead her to withdraw all their bank accounts and head to the cruise terminal. The only available room is the Windsor Suite on a world cruise. She takes it. Being a fish out of water on the top floor with her own butler, she determines to figure things out and use the time show more to improve herself. But some of the people she meets are not what they seem and she ends up being a suspect in a murder and confined to quarters. But this doesn't stop her from trying to prove her innocence and some sleuthing follows. I liked the side characters because they are a bit over the top. However, having been on many cruises there were so many inaccuracies as to procedures that I was constantly thinking “that's not right” or “that couldn't happen”. So suspending belief and imagining a 30s screwball comedy I'm looking forward to more stops along the way. show less