Parker Pyne Investigates by Agatha Christie

SYNOPSIS:  Parker Pyne is a retired statistician for the British government.  He puts his knowledge to use by helping people find happiness.  His ad brings many unhappy people to his office, all of whom find exactly what is best for them.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  I love Agatha Christie.  However, it may be hard for some, especially younger readers, to get into her mysteries, since they are long and sometimes detailed.  This book may be a good starter for young people.  Instead of one big mystery, it includes several smaller stories, which are long enough to be entertaining, and short enough to keep the reader's attention.  While they don't display Agatha Christie's mystery-writing genius to her full potential, they are still fun to read.

AUDIENCE:  Adults

RATING:  PG with some mild references to male and female escorts, and some racial slurs

STARS:  3

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  O. Henry's short stories, The Complete Sherlock Holmes

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

SYNOPSIS:  Gwyneth has always lived in her cousin Charlotte's shadow.  Charlotte is polite, smart, and pretty.  More importantly, she is destined to inherit the family's time travel gene, an honor, and a burden.  When Gwyneth starts having symptoms of time travel, however, everything goes awry.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  I really enjoyed this book.  It was fun, exciting, and had just exactly the right amount of romance and adventure.  However, there were some content issues, including some mild sensuality and references to maturation, and some mild language.  I would recommend it to older readers.

AUDIENCE:  Teens and Young Adults

RATING:  PG13 for mild Sensuality and Language

STARS:  3 1/2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  The Agency, Nicola and the Viscount, Confessions of a Shopaholic