Color Me Murder by Krista Davis

By day, Florrie Fox manages Color Me Read bookstore in Georgetown, Washington D.C. By night, she creates her own intricately detailed coloring books for adults, filling the pages with objects that catch her eye. There’s plenty of inspiration in her new apartment—a beautiful carriage house belonging to Professor John Maxwell, Florrie’s boss. He offers the property to Florrie rent-free with one condition—she must move in immediately to prevent his covetous sister and nephew from trying to claim it.

When the professor’s nephew, Delbert, arrives, he proves just as sketchy as Florrie feared. But the following morning, Delbert has vanished. It’s not until she visits the third floor of the store that Florrie makes a tragic discovery—there’s a trap door in the landing, and a dead Delbert inside. The esteemed Professor Maxwell is an obvious suspect, but Florrie is certain this case isn’t so black and white. Doodling clues, she begins to consider other colorful characters on the scene, all with a motive for murder. With a killer drawing closer, Florrie will need to think outside the lines . . . before death makes his mark again.

REVIEW:
This delightful cozy mystery features a few of my favorite things- a bookstore, adult coloring, and the lovely Georgetown neighborhood of DC. Florrie and her cast of family and coworkers are a delight (except for Norman- he's a putz) as they try to solve the murder of a man no one seems to grieve (apart of course from his mother.) There were a lot of connected subplots, and though I wish Florrie could simply tell Norman to go away, he rest of the story really works well. The various threads are all pulled together perfectly in the end without feeling contrived, and I was happy not to have guessed the murderer before the big reveal. I'll be on the lookout for more from this author.

The Hidden White House by Robert Klara

In 1948, President Harry Truman, enjoying a bath on the White House’s second floor, almost plunged through the ceiling of the Blue Room into a tea party for the Daughters of the American Revolution. A handpicked team of the country’s top architects conducted a secret inspection of the troubled mansion and, after discovering it was in imminent danger of collapse, insisted that the First Family be evicted immediately. What followed would be the most historically significant and politically complex home-improvement job in American history. While the Trumans camped across the street at Blair House, Congress debated whether to bulldoze the White House completely, and the Soviets exploded their first atomic bomb, starting the Cold War.

Indefatigable researcher Robert Klara reveals what has, until now, been little understood about this episode: America’s most famous historic home was basically demolished, giving birth to today’s White House. Leaving only the mansion’s facade untouched, workmen gutted everything within, replacing it with a steel frame and a complex labyrinth deep below ground that soon came to include a top-secret nuclear fallout shelter.

The story of Truman’s rebuilding of the White House is a snapshot of postwar America and its first Cold War leader, undertaking a job that changed the centerpiece of the country’s national heritage. The job was by no means perfect, but it was remarkable—and, until now, all but forgotten.

REVIEW:
An informative and delightful look at the 20th century reconstruction of the White House. As a native Washingtonian, I found this wonderful book about the reconstruction of the White House a definite must-read. Full of interesting tidbits about the behind the scenes process of rebuilding the President's residence, this book is both easy to read and a great insight into a little-known element of the history of our nation's capital. Highly recommended for any history buff or presidential scholar-to-be.