Queen of the Clouds by Taylor C. Phillips
First woman to fly around the world—Amelia Earhart, right? Wrong! Yet most of us remember Earhart’s name rather than the two women who did complete that amazing solo journey. Queen of the Clouds: Joan Merriam Smith and Jerrie Mock’s Epic Quest to Become the First Woman to Fly Solo Around the World (Turtle Cove Press 2023) by Taylor C. Phillips sets the record straight. And the story is surprisingly tense and suspenseful because two women are sort of competing—at least in the media’s eyes—to be the first. Author Taylor C. Phillips interviewed Jerrie Mock multiple times at her home in Quincy, Florida, and also spoke with Joan Merriam Smith’s widower at his home in Prattville, Alabama, to produce this fascinating story of two brave, adventurous women.
Taylor C. Phillips is a collector of stories. As chaplain at Westminster Oaks, he has interviewed many residents who shared their stories with him. One day he read a story in the Tallahassee Democrat about a series of photos on display at the airport that had been taken by and of Jerrie Mock, the first woman to fly a plane around the world. That started Phillips on a journey that ultimately resulted in this fascinating book.
Greed at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort (2024) by Leslie Noyes is the sixth entry in the popular Happy Valley mystery series. In this one, the bass are biting at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort, just in time for a prestigious fishing tournament with thousands of dollars in prize money at stake. But when human remains are discovered at the resort on the eve of the event, Paula Fields is thrust into the heart of the action, scrambling for answers to questions others, including her husband, believe are better left unasked. Is she angling for bigger fish than she can fry?
The novel, like the others in the series, is set in a fishing resort in the east Texas countryside. If you are looking for a pleasant escape from national politics or the turmoil in your own life, you can’t do better than these cozy mysteries.
Leslie Noyes grew up in the panhandle of Texas many, many years ago. She married her high school sweetheart, and they now reside in Florida, just outside of Tallahassee with their cat, Gracie. They have two terrific children and five way above average grandchildren. When she’s not writing, Leslie is either reading or planning her next travel adventure.
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