History meets the modern world in a fine novel

I just finished reading Charlotte Hinger's Lethal Lineage. Charlotte and I have been friends for years, since our days in Western Writers of America (I suspect Charlotte is still a lot more active than I am), and I always considered her Come Spring a classic about life on the western prairies for women. Now she's turned her hand to mysteries--and a fine hand it turns out to be. Award-winning Deadly Descent was first in the Lottie Albright series (and I enjoyed it a great deal). Now it's followed by Lethal Lineage.
Having lived in western Kansas for most of her adult life, Charlotte knows that barren, wind-swept land and its people like she knows her own soul, and she pours that knowledge into her mysteries. Lottie, however, is a relative newcomer, albeit married to a longtime vet/rancher. Still Charlotte shows us Lottie learning about the land and its people, particularly by serving as head of the local historical society where she encourages people to submit written and oral bits of their histories.
Charlotte effectively blends that knowledge of the land with deep and thorough research, this time into the Episcopalian church in western Kansas, the ancient practice of glebes (land assigned to support a priest). Glebes were fairly common in the East, but there was only one in western Kansas. In addition, she weaves into her story the horrors of Africa's Hutu-Tutsi Wars and the terror that survivors carried with them, even into new lives in this country. And the oral histories of the folk of western Kansas weave into this in an amazing conclusion.
Hats off to Charlotte. This is the kind of book I wish I could write, and I give it five stars. Read it. You will too.
I understand that the FCC says if I am going to review books, I have to make a disclaimer that the above is my own opinion and also have to state my guidelines for reviewing books: well, this isn't a book review blog, though I have often reviewed for a variety of sources, including major newspapers. Nope, this is just one mystery reader's personal opinion. From time to time, I'll review books I liked. If I don't mention a book it means I've never read it or didn't like it well enough to recommend. So there you have it--I liked Lethal Lineage.

Goodbye, ham

I've almost finished the half ham I inherited over New Year's. Made old-fashioned split pea soup tonight--the kind where you add carrots, celery, and an onion studded with cloves. Almost forgot to add the ham bone but got it in eventually. The cloves made it smell so good when cooking. The recipe said 1/2 package would feed eight--I only looked because I needed to know proportion of water to beans. I used almost 3/4 the package; it fed three of us, with no leftovers. Made a salad, served ham salad on crackers for appetizer (said I was going to ham them to death), and the Lindt chocolate truffles I got for Christmas for dessert--got to get all that chocolate out of my house! Next time I make pea soup I'll follow my instinct--and my mom's cooking lessons--rather than the package. But it was so good, with chunks of ham and carrot floating in it. I like a thick split pea soup--sort of like the milkshake the spoon can stand it, so maybe that's why it didn't feed more. When I was a kid, my brother's favorite dish was split pea soup--he was away at boarding school, and we had to have it every time he came home. I hated it! But I think hams in those days (way back in the dark ages) were saltier. Today I love the soup, and I am loving the ham. Have had ham salad a lot. Still have some left, plus a chunk of ham. Haven't decided what to do with it yet. Maybe I'll try Jacob on cubed ham Tuesday night--better than chicken nuggets.
A nice lazy Sunday. My conscience bit me a little about not going to church, but I slept until eight, read the paper, fixed the soup, rode my bike, washed my hair, sent out a query, and it's amazing where the day goes. Today it's warm enough that Scooby spent the day outside--a relief to both of us, I'm sure. Tomorrow, back to work, so tonight I'm going to read and be lazy.
Just finished reaing Deadly Descent by Charlotte Hinger--an old friend from Western Writers of America. I'm much impressed by the way Chalrotte has transitioned from the western (now not much sought after) to the mystery--and combined her love of Kansas, its geography, and its history, with the mystery genre. The novel, her first mystery, is a real page-turner and kept me up far too late last night. I couldn't foresee the end coming--lots of red herrings--but it was a most satisfying conclusion, and I recommend it heartily. Wish I could combine history of the West with mystery, and may still work on that. Now I'm reading Murder by Marfa Lights by Denise Weeks. Must ask my neighbors, who have a home in Marfa, to read it for authenticity. Meantime, barely into it, I find it keeps my attention.