The Story Of Us

Perfect Remains by Helen Fields Synopsis   - On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing. In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness… Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care. It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined. Thoughts - I love a good thriller. This was my first one by Ms. Fields and it was...

When we left Monterey, we first made a stop at M's uncle's house. We hadn't met them in several years and spent the day with them. It was a great time catching up and boy does his aunt know how to cook. Yum! The next morning we were off to San Francisco. We were issued many warnings about the current state of San Francisco. The homelessness is on an all time high as is the opioid epidemic. We were told to be very careful. Car theft and break ins were also a concern so don't leave anything in your car, we were told numerous times. We had seen a lot of homelessness in San Diego as well.. and while it is awful being close to New York it was not something we had not seen before. But we made sure to take precautions.  We stayed at the Hyatt in the Union Square area. Which was the perfect location because it was within walking or trolley distance of everything we wanted to do on our first day. No car needed.  First stop Chinatown. San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest i...

On the 11th day of our California adventure we left Yosemite and drove across the state to Monterey. It was a 3 hour drive.  Once we got to Monterey we first grabbed some sandwiches' from Ike's before heading to Point Lobos State Park. There is an entrance fee to enter the park via car but free if you just walk in.  In the parking lot one of the park workers had a informative booth set up about the animals in the park and those that can be spotted in the waters. She also warned us about poison ivy. We walked the Cypress Grove Trail, Bird Island Trail, Sea Lion Point and stopped outside the Whale Cabin Museum (which was closed) The boys got a sheet from the nice lady about the plants and wildlife in the area. Above is one of the many harbor seals we spotted. That is bird island and it was covered with cormorants.  We decided to call it an early day and check in to our hotel. We were staying at Monterey Hotel and Spa. We freshened up and rested for a bit before heading out ...