By Rosie Moore

This is written on the flyleaf  of John Grisham’s newest book, “Sycamore Row”: “Seth Hubbard is a wealthy man dying of lung cancer. He trusts no one. Before he hangs himself from a sycamore tree, Hubbard leaves a new handwritten will. It’s an act that drags his adult children, his black maid, and Jake Brigance (from the book, “A Time to Kill) into a conflict as riveting and dramatic as the murder trial that made Brigance one of Ford County’s most notorious citizens three years earlier.”

Yes, Mr. Grisham had done it again. It seems as if the words escape from his mind in a constant flow every couple years. I am happy to say I’m the proud owner of all his books, twenty-seven of them, to be exact, not counting the non-fiction ones. This one is riveting and will keep your attention until the last page.

Sue Grafton is another prolific author. Known as the “Alphabet Author” her latest one “W Is For Wasted,” is just as captivating as the first one, “A Is For Alibi.” She possesses a keen visual sense of detail, color, and style. After three decades her iconic detective,  Kinsey remains a quirky delight who is sure to keep up the good fight through “X”, “ Y”. and “Z”, taking punches for the little guys  and keeping the bad ones at bay.

I read just before I fall asleep at night but I don’t read James Patterson’s newest book, “Cross My Heart.” One of the masters of murder, mayhem, and mystery, it tends to keep me awake instead of instilling sleep. I peruse that in the afternoon. Instead, I will relax with a lovely book called, “An Amish Christmas,” containing four Amish novellas written by four authors. I resided in Amish country. I remember well living across from an Amish farm and watching the sheep graze across the road. They are a peaceful, kind, hard-working people who live by Christian standards everyone should adhere to.

Thought for the day: Don’t let life discourage you. Everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was. Robert L. Evans

rosemerrie@att.net or (865)748-4717. Thank you.