Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Reviews - Stranded; Alex Kava and Moosewood Restaurant Favorites

 
Stranded, is Alex Kava's 11th novel, and while I read the first few novels she wrote years back, for some reason, I stopped.....big mistake, she writes a terrific thriller.  If you are not familiar with this author, her novels feature, Special FBI Agent Maggie O’Dell. She is quite a character. She is cool under pressure in her work life, but not so cool and confident in her personal relationships with men. You can feel her awkwardness as you read or listen to her novels.

In this particular installment, Maggie and her partner Tully, are members of a task force that try to match missing persons with killings that have taken place along interstate highway rest stops. The novel starts off with a hair raising scene when Noah, a Kansas college student, shows up at a rest stop covered in blood -- his friend Ethan's blood and Ethan is missing. He sure looks guilty, but could he possibly be a serial killer?

This particular serial killer is cagey and he seems to know a thing or two about Maggie as well. He appears to find his victims at rest stops and gets a thrill by taunting Maggie, leaving her clues to other killings which have occurred.

Maggie and Tully are trying to find a pattern and are led to an area in rural Iowa that proves to be a likely dumping place for the serial killers victims. 

Great pace, descriptive and gory writing at times, this one held my attention. There were not a lot of names to remember so this one worked well as an audio book and the reader was very good as well. This one is a continuation of Kava's last novel, Fireproof, but even though I hadn't read that one, I was still able to enjoy Stranded.Try it!  

One final thought ....I will never ever use a rest stop at night.

 (electronic review copy provided by Doubleday and NetGalley - audio book from my  my public library)
 
I adore cookbooks and and have also been a longtime Moosewood fan, from it's very beginnings in Ithaca, New York. So naturally I was anxious to take a look at their 40th anniversary book, Moosewood Restaurant Favorites, which was released last month. WOW!

There are a great assortment of recipes (250) including some of the original recipes from 40 years ago that have been modified a bit. The recipes just seem so healthy, and although I am not a vegetarian, I don't eat much meat either, so I was especially impressed with some fish, soups (Hungarian Mushroom soup, corn chowder and butternut squash soup for starters), salad (Thai noodle salad) and side dishes (vegan cornbread, broccoli with walnuts) and even some desserts: Savannah banana and different varieties of Baklava, which I am anxious to try.

The layout is great and the recipes seem easy to follow. I liked that there were a good amount of Mexican and Spanish dishes to try as well as some Indian cuisine.

Moosewood fans, or individuals just looking for something a bit healthier in a cookbook, should take a peek at this one. I loved it.

(Electronic review copy provided by St. Martin's Press and NetGalley)

10 comments:

  1. Stranded sounds darned scary, Diane, and I'd need the comfort of a good Moosewood recipe after reading it. Yum!

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  2. I'm a longtime Moosewood fan, too. Haven't purchased a cookbook in a long time (maybe not yet this year?) but between this and the new Stephanie O'Dea slow cooker book, it may be time for a splurge!

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  3. I read Hotwire by Alex Kava earlier this summer. I think Stranded is the next up after this (?) Sounds really intense, so I will be on the lookout for it. I used to have a Moosewood Cookbook as we used to be vegetarians (fallen off the wagon a few years ago). They do have yummy recipes for just about anyone :)

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  4. I wasn't smitten with the one Kava book I read, but I would like to try another by her. Maybe go back to the first in the series. I am glad you enjoyed Stranded!

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  5. I've stopped at many rest areas at night and never felt scared, but since I love that kind of book I might have to read Stranded.

    I love the Moosewood cookbooks! Haven't read this one, so will add it to my library "want to read" list.

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  6. I have not read any Kava and this sounds delicious! My friend has a Moosewood cookbook and loves it! Might need to go copy some recipes out of hers and give them a try!

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  7. it's been awhile since I've read Kava....sounds like I need to pick this one up...although the last book I read that involved a dark night murder at a rest stop had me avoiding rest areas for years! Creepy stuff!

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  8. I have the earlier Moosewood Restaurant Favorites and have loved it for years. Maybe it's time to replace my old worn-out copy with this new one!

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  9. Oh deary me, I don't like to use rest stops at night already! I've enjoyed the books by Kava that I've read and have a couple more than my mom has loaned me. Definitely time to pull one of them off the shelf and see what she can make me afraid of this time.

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  10. Found your site while looking for a Moosewood recipe. To my delight, you have introduced me to a new mystery/suspense author. You are now a favorite Bookmark :)

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