Recent reads

While on a trip I was able to finish these two books which I have been wanting to read for a while.  Foggy with a Chance of Murder is from one of my favorite authors, G. G. Vandagriff.  Set on the foggy Southern California coast, the two main characters are dealing with issues of loss and betrayal while one of them becomes the target of terrorists.  A neighbor becomes a trusted confidant who shares his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I enjoyed the character development in this story.  The suspense part of the plot was not as much of the focus, and some of it was a little far-fetched but still enjoyable.  I would have liked to see more loose ends tied up at the end, but overall I found this a fun and inspiring read.

Garden Plot is by a new author to me, Kristen McKendry.  Set in Eastern Canada, the main character is also dealing with loss and betrayal while trying to keep her business, a high-end half-way house for those coming out of drug rehab, going and taking care of her daughter.  This process is complicated by finding the body of a resident in her garden.  The characters in this story were appealing and drew me into story.  The plot follows a more traditional mystery format complete with police detective and with elements of romance and a misunderstood visiting teacher. The main character used humor to keep herself sane which also kept me smiling. I enjoyed this book even more than Foggy.