I am part Irish. Most of my ancestors on my dad's side came from Ireland. They say the Irish are lucky. I don’t know about that; it's not for nothing that so many of them decided to leave Ireland. But I guess I was pretty lucky to have been born when and where I was.... Continue Reading →
A year ago Putin invaded Ukraine, starting the first large-scale war fought on European soil in generations. The last time was WWII, which began when the Munich Agreement of September 30, 1938 failed to forestall war. The agreement gave into Hitler’s demands for a part of Czechoslovakia. Instead of peace, the agreement was followed by... Continue Reading →
Spring, 1969. Warm temperatures and rain quickly melt the snow, raising the specter of record flooding in Northwestern Minnesota. The peace of Davison City is further disrupted when an elderly resident, Miss Almira Archer, suddenly dies under mysterious circumstances. Her nurse caregiver turns to Beth Williams for help. A missing will, a mysterious painting, and... Continue Reading →
We are always wishing each other a Happy New Year. In reality, most years don’t live up to the hype. We get sick, the winters are too cold, the summers too hot and (ironically), too short, the (fill in the blank) costs too much or breaks down. In the spirit of “it could always be... Continue Reading →
I am brainstorming my next Beth and Evie mystery book; trying to lay the groundwork for a really good mystery. What adventures next await my dauntless duo? According to James N. Frey, in his book, How to Write a Damn Good Mystery, a really good idea is the first step. So, “bubble, bubble, toil and... Continue Reading →
Change is in the air. The state fair is in full swing. Students and teachers are heading back to the classrooms. Even those of us who have been out of the classroom for some time have an urge to shop for back-to-school clothes. As usual, we are arguing about the effectiveness of K-12 education and... Continue Reading →
Freedom is often conceived of as freedom from something—from control, from rules, from inhibitions. That is the freedom we long for when we are young; to be free from the supervision of parents and teachers. Later, we long for the freedom of retirement. No more alarm clocks, frantic commutes, bosses, or long hours of the... Continue Reading →
Madeleine Albright passed away this past month. This Czech-American’s family had to flee their homeland, twice, before she was eleven years old. First, when the Nazis invaded and occupied Czechoslovakia prior to WWII her family moved to London, where they had to endure the Blitz. They moved home after the war only to once again... Continue Reading →
I am about halfway done with the second Beth and Evie mystery book. I am also working on a historical novel titled, Caravans in the Dark, which will be published in June 2023. I used my initials B.K. Oldre, to differentiate this purely historical fiction from my mystery novels. What do you think of the... Continue Reading →
Did you ever want to fly away, beat it, break out, take off, and disappear? I think we have all had that impulse, from time to time, when things seem intolerable, or simply stifling. In the case of Agatha Christie, she followed through on that impulse and disappeared for eleven days. That real event is... Continue Reading →
Bonnie's Books & Things 