Cynthia Harrod-Eagles books have been sitting on my shelves for years. Finally, I decided this was the time to read one of them. I started with Game Over (2008). Detective Inspector Bill Slider investigates a murder of ex-BBC correspondent Ed Stonax. But, an enemy from Slider’s past, Trevor Bates (aka, The Needle), threatens to kill Slider and his fiancé, Joanna. GRADE: B

After finishing Game Over, I decided to binge on a few more of Harrod-Eagles’s Bill Slider mysteries. Fell Purpose (2009) begins with the body of once beautiful and brilliant Zellah Wilding. Zellah was strangled with a pair of tights. Bill Slider and his team investigate the teenager who was rebelling against her Christian family with a secret boyfriend. Slider interrogates Zellah’s friends but the identity of the mystery man remains problematic. Bit by bit, Slider and his team reveal Zellah’s secrets until they uncover the killer. GRADE: B

Body Line (2010) also starts out with a body: David Rogers was a doctor–handsome, charming, and wealthy. Who would want to shoot him in the head? Slider and his team talk to Roger’s many girlfriends and are baffled by the contradictory stories they’re told. The mystery of David Rogers leads the team into a world where nothing is what it seems. GRADE: B+

I was completely baffled by Kill My Darling (2011) when a paleontologist is found murdered in the woods. Slider and his team investigate the men in Melanie Hunter’s life and one by one eliminate them from suspicion. Why was Melanie murdered? What dark secret did she harbor that got her killed? Cynthia Harrod-Eagles faked me out (and Slider for much of Kill My Darling) and the conclusion is one big surprise! GRADE: A

I’ve been a fan of police procedurals since I read Ed McBain’s Cop Hater in the early 1960s. I went on to read all 55 books in the series. If you like police procedurals, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles writes an outstanding series! I’ll be reading more Bill Slider mysteries in the months ahead! If you’re interested in how Cynthia Harrod-Eagles came up with Bill Slider, she tells all here: https://www.cynthiaharrodeagles.com/bill-slider-mysteries/how-it-all-began/

THE BILL SLIDER SERIES:

Orchestrated Death (1991)

Death Watch (1992)

Necrochip / Death to Go (1993)

Dead End / Grave Music (1994)

Blood Lines (1996)

Killing Time (1996)

Shallow Grave (1998)

Blood Sinister (1999)

Gone Tomorrow (2001)

Dear Departed (2005)

Game Over (2008)

Fell Purpose (2009)

Body Line (2011)

Kill My Darling (2011)

Blood Never Dies (2012)

Hard Going (2014)

Star Fall (2015)

One Under (2015)

Old Bones (2016)

Shadow Play (2017)

Headlong (2019)

Cruel as the Grave (2021)

Dying Fall (2022)

Before I Sleep (2023)

Easeful Death (2025)

A few weeks ago I attended a Joan Osborne concert (you can read my review here) and since then I’ve been playing several Joan Osborne CDs. My favorite Joan Osborne album is Breakfast in Bed with its covers of many hit songs. Included on this CD is Osborne’s stirring rendition of “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” from Standing in the Shadows of Motown. Also great is Osborne singing “Heat Wave.”

How Sweet It Is is almost as good as Breakfast in Bed with Osborne singing standards like “I’ll Be Around,” “How Sweet It Is,” “War,” and “Everybody Is a Star.”

Also worth listening to is Righteous Love with songs like Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” and “Love Is Alive.” If Joan Osborne visits Western New York again, I plan to attend her concert! How many of these songs do you remember?

GRADES: Breakfast in Bed: A

How Sweet It Is: B+

Righteous Love: B

TRACK LIST:

1. “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination” (Gerry Goffin, Barry Goldberg)
2. “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Bill Withers)
3. “Midnight Train to Georgia” (Jim Weatherly)
4. “Baby Is a Butterfly” (Osborne)
5. “Breakfast in Bed” (Eddie Hinton, Donnie Fritts)
6. “Cream Dream” (Osborne)
7. “Natural High” (Charles McCormick)
8. “Heart of Stone” (Osborne)
9. “Sara Smile” (Daryl Hall, John Oates)
10. “Eliminate the Night” (Osborne)
11. “Break Up to Make Up” (Thom Bell, Linda Creed, Kenneth Gamble)
12. “I Know What’s Goin’ On” (Osborne)
13. “Alone with You” (Osborne)
14. “Kiss and Say Goodbye” (Winfred Lovett)
15. “Heat Wave” (Holland–Dozier–Holland)
16. “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” (William Weatherspoon, James Dean, Paul Riser)
17. “Everybody Needs a Friend” (Curtis Mayfield) (bonus track)

TRACK LIST:

1		I’ll Be Around Written-By – Phil Hurtt, Thomas Randolph Bell	4:31
2		Think Written-By – Aretha Franklin, Ted White	3:38
3		How Sweet It Is Written-By – Lamont Herbert Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland*	4:21
4		Smiling Faces Sometimes Written-By – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield	4:44
5		Love’s In Need Of Love Today Written-By – Stevie Wonder	4:12
6		These Arms Of Mine Written-By – Otis Redding	4:39
7		Only You Know And I Know Written-By – Dave Mason	3:45
8		War Written-By – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield	5:50
9		Why Can’t We Live Together Written-By – Timothy E. Thomas	4:57
10		Axis: Bold As Love Written-By – Jimi Hendrix	4:03
11		The Weight Written-By – Robbie Robertson	5:13
12		Everybody Is A Star Written-By – Sylvester Stewart	3:15

TRACK LIST:

1		Running Out Of Time Written-By – Joan Osborne, Louie Perez	4:45
2		Righteous Love Written-By – Joan Osborne, Joseph Arthur	4:15
3		Safety In Numbers Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Joan Osborne	4:28
4		Love Is Alive Written-By – Gary Wright	3:26
5		Angel Face Written-By – Andreas Uetz, Joan Osborne, Joseph Arthur, Louie Perez	3:35
6		Grand Illusion Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Jack Petruzzelli, Joan Osborne, Rainy Orteca	4:02
7		If I Was Your Man Written-By – Joan Osborne, Joseph Arthur, Louie Perez, Rick Cherthoff*, Rob Hyman	4:58
8		Baby Love Producer – Aaron Corness Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Jack Petruzzelli, Joan Osborne, Rainy Orteca	4:17
9		Hurricane Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Jack Petruzzelli, Joan Osborne, Mike Mangini	4:16
10		Poison Apples (Hallelujah) Written-By – Joan Osborne, Rick Cherthoff*, Rob Hyman	4:18
11		Make You Feel My Love Producer – Rick Wil* Written-By – Bob Dylan	4:02

“The Call of Cthulhu” is one of H. P. Lovecraft’s most famous stories. After reading Gou Tanabe’s brilliant rendition of At the Mountains of Madness (you can read my review here), I decided to read Tanabe’s other artistic manga book.

“The Call of Cthulhu” is a cosmic horror short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. Written in the summer of 1926, it was first published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in February 1928.

Lovecraft introduces an incredible, ancient, powerful being who has the ability to sway the minds of humans to serve it. This also sets the Mythos on a course where beings like Cthulhu are the vanguard of a horde of extraterrestrial creatures who will arrive on Earth to subjugate and overwhelm mankind.

Once again Gou Tanable’s brilliant artwork illuminate the story and add impact to an already classic horror short story. Don’t miss this wonderful version of Lovecraft fiction! GRADE: A

Bill Crider was a big fan of the John Wick movie series. I admire the brutal and private world John Wick operates in–professional assassins–but unrelenting violence tends to wear me out.

Which brings us to the new movie, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina where John Wick actually shows up briefly.  Surrounding Ana de Armas who plays Eve Macarro–an assassin with ballerina skils–with incredible brutal action choreography and a wacky origin story, Ballerina pirouettes gracefully onto the Wickverse.

Ballerina is set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). Directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten, Ballerina weaves wild storytelling–mostly revenge and retribution–with peaks into the secret world of assassins.

Ballerina is likely to be the top action movie of 2025. If this is your thing, you’ll like it…a lot. If not, just wait a couple of months and watch it on one of your streaming services. GRADE: B

Diane is taking me to a swanky restaurant for dinner!

Diane, Katie, Patrick, and I have seen several of the Broadway shows nominated for Tonys in 2025. Here are the contenders:

Early Favorites and Potential Winners:

Best Actor in a Play: Cole Escola (Oh, Mary!), George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck), and Denzel Washington (Othello) are potential winners. 

Best Musical: Death Becomes Her is a strong contender, with Maybe Happy Ending, Operation Mincemeat, and Dead Outlaw also in the mix. 

Best Play:.Oh, Mary! and The Hills of California are leading the pack, with English and Good Night, and Good Luck as potential contenders. 

Best Musical Revival: Gypsy and Sunset Boulevard are among the favorites, with Floyd Collins and The Last Five Years also in the running. 

Best Play Revival: Othello, Glengarry Glen Ross, Eureka Day, and Our Town are potential winners in this category. 

Best Actress in a Musical: Audra McDonald (Gypsy), Nicole Scherzinger (Sunset Boulevard), Megan Hilty (Death Becomes Her), and Jennifer Simard (Death Becomes Her) are being predicted. 

Best Actor in a Musical: Darren Criss (Maybe Happy Ending), Tom Francis (Sunset Boulevard), Jeremy Jordan (Floyd Collins), and Jonathan Groff (Just in Time) are among the early favorites. 

Best Actress in a Play: Sarah Snook (The Picture of Dorian Gray), Laura Donnelly (The Hills of California), Mia Farrow (The Roommate), and Sadie Sink (John Proctor Is the Villain) are being considered for this award. 

We are big fans of Maybe Happy Ending, Operation Mincemeat, and The Roommate. Will you be watching THE TONYS on CBS and Paramount+?

Diane and I saw the movie version of Good Night, and Good Luck back in 2005. We enjoyed the drama of the Press going after a demagogue like Senator McCarthy. We’re looking forward to seeing this stage version tonight at 7:00 ET on CNN.

“Good Night, and Good Luck is a historical drama play written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov. It is adapted from their 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck and focuses on the conflict between veteran CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy. The play’s Broadway premiere in March 2025, directed by David Cromer, stars Clooney as Murrow, making his Broadway debut.

The play has enjoyed strong box office grosses, setting the historical Broadway weekly record. For the week ending May 4, 2025, the play’s gross of $4,003,481.50, made it the first Broadway play to surpass $4 million in a week.” That number doesn’t seem surprising with tickets to Good Night, and Good Luck going for over $1000. Will you be watching Good Night, and Good Luck tonight?

I’m a huge H. P. Lovecraft fan and At The Mountains of Madness may be his best known work. Gou Tanabe’s brilliant graphic novel blends incredible artwork with Lovecraft’s disturbing visions.

The book opens with this warning: Gou Tanabe’s manga adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft was drawn in the traditional Japanese comics style, whose page and panel order reads the opposite of the Western order, right-to-left. Please turn the book around and begin reading.

The English translation brings Lovecraft back to life. At the Mountains of Madness  was written in February/March 1931 and published in 1936. It was rejected that year by Weird Tales editor Farnsworth Wright on the grounds of its length. Then it was originally serialized in the February, March, and April 1936 issues of Astounding Stories.

Lovecraft’s novel records the events of a disastrous expedition to Antarctica in September 1930, and what is found there by a group of explorers led by the narrator, Dr. William Dyer of Miskatonic University. Throughout the story, Dyer details a series of previously untold events in the hope of deterring another group of explorers who wish to return to the continent. These events include the discovery of an ancient civilization older than the human race. And you know what that means in Lovecraft Land…

If you’re an H.P. Lovecraft fan, this incredible graphic novel version of At the Mountains of Madness is a must-read. It doesn’t get much better than this! GRADE: A

Around the mid-1990s, there was a brief musical infatuation with reggae music. A number of groups and solo artists attempted to sing reggae songs with mixed results. My favorite song on The Roots of Rock: Rock ‘N’ Reggae is Joe Cocker’s version of “Many Rivers to Cross.” The best known single of this collection is Blondie’s hit “The Tide is High.” Why Eric Clapton’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” is on this CD is baffling…but I like the song so…okay.

Rock On: 1994, which came out in 1996, provides a snapshot of where musical tastes were 30 years ago. R. Kelly (no relation) was still a Big Star. Big Mountain had a hit with “Baby, I Love Your Way.” Boston was still active with “I Need Your Love.” Richard Marx was still crooning songs like “Now and Forever.”

The musical tenor of the 1990s is apparent on these compilation CDs. You can hear the drop-off from the music of the 1980s. It might be cause by the decline of MTV and the rise of online music streaming services. GRADE: B- (for both)

TRACK LIST:

1	R. Kelly–	Your Body’s Callin’	4:35
2	Crystal Waters–	100% Pure Love	4:37
3	Arrested Development–	Ease My Mind	3:35
4	Color Me Badd–	Choose	4:23
5	Changing Faces–	Stroke You Up	4:31
6	A Tribe Called Quest–	Awars Tour	3:27
7	Big Mountain–	Baby, I Love Your Way	4:26
8	Richard Marx–	Now And Forever	3:32
9	Us3 featuring Rahsaan & Gerard Presencer–	Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)	4:37
10	Boston–	I Need Your Love	5:29
11	Joshua Kadison–	Beautiful In My Eyes	4:06
12	Cracker–	Get Off This	4:21

TRACK LIST:

Eric Clapton–	Knocking On Heaven’s Door	4:25
	Blondie–	The Tide Is High	4:44
	Robert Palmer–	Pressure Drop	5:29
	Joe Cocker–	Many Rivers To Cross	3:46
	Joe Jackson–	The Harder They Come	3:49
	Shakespear’s Sister–	Could You Be Loved	4:15
	10cc–	Dreadlock Holiday	4:32
	Pat Travers Band–	Is This Love	3:56
	Hothouse Flowers–	I Can See Clearly Now	4:11
	John Martyn–	Johnny Too Bad	3:59
	Rita Coolidge–	Do You Really Want To Hurt Me	4:07
	Garland Jeffreys–	No Woman No Cry	4:42

I’ve been reading Lois McMaster Bujold’s short stories and novels for over 30 years. Bujold Is a born story-teller and her tales are clever and fun.

Miles, Mystery & Mayhem (2003) collects a variety of stories full of action and wit. Cetaganda (1996) takes Lieutenant Lord Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan to the home world of the Cetagandan Empire to represent Barrayar at the state funeral of the dowager Empress Lisbet, mother of the current emperor, the haut Fletchir Giaja. Miles and Ivan quickly become entangled in an internal Cetagandan plot when they arrive at a nearly deserted docking bay, much to their puzzlement. After a fight with a stranger, Miles and Ivan find a strange device.

Suspecting a political plot to implicate their home planet of Barrayar, Miles and Ivan conduct their own secret investigation. “I stopped the Cetagandian Empire from breaking up into eight aggressively expanding units. I derailed plans for a war by some of them with Barrayar. I survived an assassination attempt, and helped catch three high-ranking traitors.” (p. 245-246) That pretty much sums up the action in Cetaganda. GRADE: B

Ethan of Athos (1986) features  Dr. Ethan Urquhart, Chief of Biology at the Sevarin District Reproduction Centre on the planet Athos. When a medical shipment arrives in botched condition, Dr. Ethan is sent to find out what happened to the original shipment of vital ovarian tissue cultures. He encounters a twisty plot and plenty of mayhem! GRADE: B+

“Labyrinth” (1989) has Lord Miles Vorkosigan, (aka Admiral Naismith) traveling with Captain Bel Thorne in the Dendarii cruiser Ariel on a mission to Jackson’s Whole. They were ostensibly at Jackson’s Whole to buy weapons, but the actual purpose of the mission was to smuggle House Bharaputra‘s top geneticist, Dr. Hugh Canaba, away from his employer and into Barrayaran hands. But, of course, things go wrong… GRADE: B

“Author’s Afterword” (2001) presents Lois McMaster Bujold’s reflections on how she wrote the stories in this omnibus volume. If you’re interested in the background and Bujold’s writing method, this short essay is worth reading. GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Cetaganda — 1

Ethan of Athos — 263

“Labyrinth” — 461

Author’s Afterword — 553

Vorkosigan Saga Timeline — 557