Kickbacks, Kayaks and Kidnapping: competition and jealousy ends in murder and kidnapping

 Kickbacks, Kayaks and Kidnapping is the twelfth book in the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mystery series by Tonya Kappes. Mae West has found a home in the small southern town of Normal, Kentucky. Despite her rocky start, she has become a beloved member of the town and her efforts to help the rundown Happy Trails Campground thrive have paid off. And her efforts are being noticed. The campground is in the running for the Campground Hospitality Award of the Daniel Boone National Park, but she has been offered a vacant seat on the park’s committee. To add to her efforts, she has organized Paddle Fests and a kayak competition which brings champion and Olympian kayaker Bryce Anderson to Normal. Everything comes crashing down when Bryce is discovered dead. When his death is ruled a homicide, Mae and the Laundry Club ladies once again put their sleuthing skills to use to find a killer. 

How many times can the reputation of the Happy Trails Campground and Normal be in jeopardy? A few times in fact. Once again, a murder linked to the campground throws a monkey wrench into the thriving plans. Mae immediately jumps into action and discovers a twisted trail of clues and a long list of suspects. This mystery kept me on my toes and I wasn’t sure who the killer was until the reveal. I enjoyed how Mae, despite her sleuthing reputation, stays humble and her motivation is simply to help Normal to continue to thrive. It’s not her fault that murders seem to happen in and around her campground. Overall, I enjoyed Kickbacks, Kayaks and Kidnapping. It was a nice addition to the series and I look forward to next adventure in Normal. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I recommend Kickbacks, Kayaks and Kidnapping as well as the rest of the Campers and Criminals series. 

Kickbacks, Kayaks, and Kidnapping is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Miriam: a lesson in our motives behind our criticisms

This month’s study is on Miriam. Moses’ older sister, we first meet her as a young girl who watches over her baby brother and leads Pharaoh’s daughter to Jochebed. As an adult, she is known as a prophetess, and an able leader. She leads the women in a song and dance of worship after the parting of the Red Sea and their escape from Pharaoh’s army. However, she is also a jealous person who openly criticized Moses’ leadership. What is her story? What were her motives to criticize Moses? Were they honorable or selfish in nature? What does her story tell us about God’s forgiveness?

Her name means bitterness. Miriam’s character is one of fortitude and wisdom, a leader of God’s people at a critical moment, she led a celebration. The first mention of dancing in Scripture is linked to Miriam and her leading the women in celebration. Dancing was a form of worship and linked to joy and happiness. Miriam danced and sang a song of celebration, “Sing to the Lord, for his is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea” (Exodus 15:21) and even spoke God’s words to his people. She played an instrumental role in the deliverance of God’s people. However, she thought she and Aaron, their brother, deserved an equal share in his authority, an equal share in how the people are led. She spoke against Moses’ authority. She was stuck with leprosy for her pride and insubordination. She was banned to the outskirts of the camp for seven days for her sin. She was even denied entry to the Promise Land.

Why was Miriam punished with leprosy and banishment for seven days? Her motives behind her criticisms. Criticisms and confrontations can be well-placed. Jesus tells us in Luke 17:3, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” However, sometimes our criticisms and confrontations are not for correction, but for our own selfish motives. What was Miriam’s motive? Jealousy. She was jealousy of her baby brother who had an honored position with the Lord and was chosen as leader of the Israelites. Moses also married Zipporah, a Cushite woman, which meant that Miriam was not the most important or influential woman in Moses’ life. Before we criticize, we need to consider our motives. Are we criticizing to correct or to wound? Sometimes criticism, under the guise of constructive criticism, hides a destructive jealousy. The motives behind our criticisms are often more important to deal with than the criticism itself. Jesus speaks to our motives in Matthew 7:3-5 and calls us to be discerning in our criticisms, to be focused on correcting rather negative.

Miriam’s story is just another example of God’s forgiveness. He is willing to forgive sin. He wants to forgive us of our sins. When we repent, God is faithful and will forgive us. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our ins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Even though Miriam was punished for her sin, she is not remembered for her sin. Micah 6:4 mentions her as being sent by God along with Moses and Aaron to lead the people from Egypt. Many people may think they haven’t been forgiven because they still suffer from sin’s results. However, repentance from sin does not keep the consequences from happening. Just as Miriam was forgiven for her sin, she still faced the consequences of her actions. Just as David was forgiven for his sin, he had to suffer the consequences (2 Samuel 12:13-14). We are forgiven, but we must face the earthly consequences of our actions.

In conclusion, Miriam’s story is one of greatness and one of sin. She is remembered as a prophetess and a leader. She danced in celebration and worship. She is also a lesson in examining our motives when we criticize or confront others. Are we doing so to correct or to wound? Are we concerned or are we jealous? Her story is also an example of God’s promise to forgive when we repent our sins. The Bible is filled with examples of God’s promise to forgive. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our consequences from us.”

My Sister's Husband: a story of jealousy, secrets and sisters

 My Sister’s Husband by Nicola Marsh is an intense story of sisters, family secrets and jealousy. The opening line in the prologue states it clearly “family can be toxic” with “secrets, half-truths, mysteries, and outright lies.” The story opens with Brooke coming home to Martino Bay, California for her sister, Freya’s wedding after being gone for 11 years. She is also coming home to see her Aunt Alice the only mother she has ever known and who is in failing health. As soon as she comes home, Brooke realizes there is more going on than she thought. She recognizes Freya’s fiancé, and the decline of Alice’s health doesn’t add up. Brooke decides to figure out what happen to Alice and what led to her rapid decline. Told between three perspectives, Brooke and Freya, and Alice in the past, the reader is taken on a journey with many twists and turns. Will Brooke find out the truth? Will the truth set them free or drive them further apart?

Wow! What a book! From the opening prologue to the last chapter, the story will twist and turn as you try to figure out what happened and what is going on. It is the story of two sets of sisters: Brooke and Freya and Alice and Diana, Brooke, and Freya’s mother. As I read the interactions of the sisters, I am so glad that I do not have that relationship with my own sisters. It was hard to like or relate to these women though I found Brooke more likable especially as the story progressed. There are a few secrets that I guesses at, which turned out to be correct, but just when I thought I had it figured out, Ms. Marsh still had a few twists that I didn’t see coming! My only complaint is with Alice’s perspective, it was hard to determine when the events she talked about happened. Overall, I really enjoyed My Sister’s Husband and I highly recommend it. It is a roller coaster ride that you do not want to miss!

 

My Sister’s Husband is available in paperback and eBook

Leah: unloved by man, loved by God

As we learned in last month’s study on Rachel, Rachel wanted a child as Leah had and she did all she could to achieve it. We see in Leah’s story, Leah wanted Jacob’s love as Rachel had and she did everything she could receive it. Through her story, we see the marriage customs of the time as well as lessons about love, beauty and seeing what God sees. Even though she was insignificant in Jacob’s eyes, she was particularly important to the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel and to us. With her story, we learn that no one is insignificant in God’s eyes.

Capable of both strong and enduring love, Leah was a faithful wife and mother. She was manipulated by her father; she became jealous of her sister. With each child, the unhappy Leah hoped to gain her husband’s affection and each time her disappointed grew. Maybe Jacob resented Leah for her part in Laban’s deception, although she hardly had the power to refuse. She had known heartache. Her only daughter, Dinah, was raped by a local prince when they returned to their homeland (Genesis 34:2) and her sons, Levi and Simeon, avenged their sister by murdering the men in an entire village (Genesis 34:25). Her son, Reuben would disgrace himself by sleeping with his father’s concubine, Bilhah (Genesis 35:22). It wasn’t all bad for Leah. The promise of a Savior was carried, not through one of Rachel’s sons, but through Leah’s son, Judah, whose descendants were including David, Israel’s great king and Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. With her son, Levi, the priestly line would be established. The story of these two sisters remind us that life is fraught with sorrow and peril, much of it caused by sin and selfishness.

Marriage customs in ancient biblical times are quite different than our current customs. Marrying for love is a modern requirement, tracing back to the Romantic Era (approximately 1800-1890). Most marriages occurred for money or politics and alliances. It was also frowned upon that a younger sister marry before an older sister. A bride and groom are usually young, about 12 and 13, and the union is arranged by their parents with the couples’ consent is rarely requested or required. The ceremony itself is usually short but the festivities would go on for days. The groom would dress in colorful clothing and sets our for the bride’s parents’ home, accompanied by his friends, attendants, and musicians. The bride awaits, having been washed, perfumed, and dressed in an elaborate dress and jewels. The bride and groom then would lead a procession through the village with music and torchbearers to the groom’s parents’ home. Once there, the feasting and celebration would begin and last for several days.

There are a few lessons we can learned from Leah’s story. First, what God considers beauty is far different than what we would call beauty. Leah She is described to have “weak eyes” (Genesis 29:17), obviously wasn’t very pretty as Rachel. People will often judge others by outward appearances, but God always sees and judges ones’ heart. In Max Lucado’s book, In the Eye of the Storm (1991) in which he talks about holiness in a bathrobe. We are at our holiness with that first look in the mirror in the morning and what makes it holy is its honesty. We see what God sees and loves. No makeup, no jewelry, no fancy clothes, just us. Second, jealousy often blinds us to God’s blessings. While Leah was focused on her jealousy of Jacob’s love for Rachel, she ignored the blessings that God had given her, that he didn’t give to Rachel: six sons. Third, the same God who saw Leah’s misery and sorrow, sees ours. No mater how small or large, God knows our circumstances, our feelings, and hurts. He is moved by our sorrow and he is willing and able to step in and create something in and through us.

In conclusion, Leah was a woman who longed for the love of a man who probably couldn’t or wouldn’t give it. She wanted the devotion her younger sister got and when she didn’t, she turned to jealousy. But through Leah’s sons, two powerful tribes of Israel would be created. While we view marriage today as an act of love, marriage in the ancient world had strategic planning. Even if we don’t know it, think it or possibly believe it, God sees us. He sees our tears. He is moved by our sorrows and he will work in our lives in ways we couldn’t possibly fathom.

Dovetail: a family tragedy and its aftermath

Dovetail is the newest book by Karen McQuestion. Pearl Arneson has lived a life of many regrets. She is the only one left who knows the truth about her sister, Alice’s death. The story opens in 1983 when 84-year-old Pearl Arneson seeks out her grandson, 22-year-old Joe, who was placed in a psychiatric treatment center for disturbing dreams with no clear cause or psychiatric break. She has a job for him. The family home in Pullman, Wisconsin needs to be cleaned and the items inventoried in order to sell the house. Joe takes the job, hoping the work can help him figure out these strange dreams. Rewind to 1916, when 17-year-old Pearl, the second of seven daughters, dreams of leaving their tiny town and traveling the world. Her older sister, Alice, is 19 years old and takes care of the family after the tragic death of their mother. That summer a handsome and eligible bachelor comes to the family’s farm to work at the local mill. John Lawrence is immediately infatuated with Alice, much to the horror of Pearl and Frank, the local man who fancies himself Alice’s beau. As the summer progresses and love blossoms between John and Alice, Pearl tries her best to keep them apart, but will her schemes go too far? In 1983, Joe works on the family home and develops a friendship with a local businesswoman, Kathleen, who is hiding a painful past herself. Joe notices a change in his dreams. He finds pieces of his family’s history that he knew nothing about. Will Joe find peace from his dreams? Will Pearl find the forgiveness she is seeking?

Dovetail is a beautiful, tragic story filled jealousy, guilt, redemption and finding peace within yourself. It is a story of how one tragedy can cause a cascade of poor decisions and life-altering mistakes. In the opening chapter, Pearl admits Alice died because of her foolish pride and with that note, the reader is taken on a journey between 1916 and 1983 as the mystery unfolds. How did Alice die? How is Pearl responsible? How is Pearl’s grandson, Joe, connected to it all? While I had a hard time sympathizing with teenage Pearl, as an older woman, I enjoyed Pearl as she realizes her time is short and wants to make amends or atonement for her actions. I laughed at her no-nonsense attitude. I related more to and enjoyed Alice and watching her fall in love was bittersweet. Even though, I knew from the beginning that she dies, her death was painful, emotional and shocking. I enjoyed Joe’s story and his battle with what he has been told is a mental illness, but he realizes it just doesn’t fit. I also enjoyed the relationship development between Joe and Kathleen. It felt very realistic as a woman who was running from a past bad relationship to be cautious going forward. Joe and Kathleen have a connection they couldn’t explain but they let their relationship flow naturally. The romances in the story are done beautifully. Dovetail is my first Karen McQuestion book and it won’t be my last. I look forward to reading her past titles and eagerly await her new books. I highly recommend Dovetail! 

Dovetail

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook