Frankly My Dear, I'm Dead by Livia J. Washburn. 2008, Kensington. 217 pp. Mystery

Delilah has just opened a literary tour business in Atlanta, using family members as staff. Her very first "Gone With The Wind" tour just about blows away the business when murder occurs at Tara during their visit. So Delilah (who can't even remember to call to connect her phone for the first day of business) investigates the murder. I am willing to suspend a lot of belief while reading books, but this one defied that ability. To heck with the ideals of steel magnolias, let's just go with the silly... never mind, I should have known from the cover that it was not going to be one of the Southern Sisters mysteries by the late Anne George. Maybe tomorrow is another day.

A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich. Translated by Caroline Mustill. 2005, Yale University Press. 284 pp. Nonfiction
This book was written for children in 1935-36 by a young German art historian. It became very popular and was translated into a number of other languages, but not English until it was recently translated and updated. Unlike many books of its kind, A Little History of the World does cover more than just Europe and North America. Of necessity, there is a lot of detail left out, but it does cover much. That said, I found it rather patronizing in the "Dear little Reader" head-patting way. Maybe kids won't notice, or mind. I did.

The Night Bird by Catherine Asaro. 2008, Luna. 571 pp Fantasy

Allegro is one of the young women of Arondale who has a certain amount of magic, linked to music and geometric shape. While on her way to receive training, she is kidnapped and sold into slavery to the Jazid prince regent Markus, whose country will soon be at war with hers. From the first there is a cultural barrier between them that only sex, erm, love can conquer. Soon Allegro will do anything to avert both the war between their countries and their personal war. This is the second book in the Lost Continent Series. As with most of Asaro's books, she has a lot of characters with a lot of genealogy between them. I like her sexy fantasies with lots of action going on.

Secrets in Satin by Haywood Smith. 1997, St. Martin;s. 344 pp. Romance
Amidst the turmoil of the end of the reign of Charles I of England the Countess of Ravenwold and the Viscount Creighton meet and share a destiny. He thinks she's frigid, she thinks he is rogue, the King thinks they should wed. This is an okay read. The author at least seems to have the history down well and the characters are interesting, even if the plot is stale, stale, stale. For lovers of formula historical romance only.