From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

January 24, 2025

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keogh

A memoir of growing up Presley by the daughter and granddaughter of Elvis Presley. Like the children of many celebrities, Lisa Marie led a troubled life, expected to follow in her famous father's footsteps. The story shifts back and forth from Lisa Marie to her daughter Riley. At times, it was hard to remember who was talking, because both Lisa Marie and Riley refer to their mothers as "my mom" - it would have been clearer if Lisa Marie would have referred to her mother as Priscilla and Riley would have referred to her mother as Lisa Marie. 

Even though she was four when her parents divorced, and then nine when Elvis died, for all of her life, Lisa Marie worshipped the memory of Elvis. The media was frequently cruel to her, criticizing her singing career and also her problems with her weight. There are some really weird things too, like after her son committed suicide, Lisa Marie kept his body in a room at her home on ice for months. She died way too young, from a variety of causes including drug abuse and an unstable life. A look at a sad life that should have been so much more. If you are looking for a biography of Elvis, this isn't it.

Lisa Marie near the end of her life

Me by Elton John

January 15, 2025

Me by Elton John

From his boyhood in a London suburb to being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, Elton John (nee Reginald Dwight) has led a drama-filled life. His recent memoir talks about his meteoric rise to fame, his addiction problems, and his celebrity friends (and losing many of those friends to addiction, suicide and AIDS). 

He also talks about his personal life, finding lasting love, becoming a father, his philanthropic work, and the trauma of losing his hair. Recommended for music fans, especially 1970s/1980s rock.

Elton John in his 1970s glory

My Love Story by Tina Turner

June 12, 2024

My Love Story by Tina Turner

The late Tina Turner's second memoir, which focuses on Tina's life and career after Ike. She notes early on that she lived without Ike twice as long as she was with him. In her second husband, Erwin Bach, Tina met the love of her life and became an international superstar.

A sweet heartfelt memoir about the second half of Tina's life. She is candid about her joys and tragedies, including her oldest son's suicide and her increasingly serious health issues in later life. Recommended for anyone who enjoys memoirs or the lives of musicians.

Tina Turner still shaking it in her 60s

A Baffling Murder at the Midsummer Ball by T. E. Kinsey

September 5, 2021

A Baffling Murder at the Midsummer Ball by T. E. Kinsey

London's best jazz band, the Dizzy Heights, have been booked to play at the Midsummer Ball at a ritzy country house. They expect a weekend filled with rich people, flappers, and champagne. The gig is a success, but just as they are packing up to go home, a driving rainstorm cuts off the roads, the telephone, and the power lines, stranding the group and the family. When one of the family is found dead in a locked room, the Dizzy Heights and their entourage realize that this is going to be a tougher job than they thought.

The second outing for the Dizzy Heights gang, set in the 1920's, with crossover from the Lady Hardcastle series. A locked room cozy mystery, light and fun. Great historical details. I love mysteries set at English country houses.

The Deadly Mystery of the Missing Diamonds by T. E. Kinsey

February 17, 2021

The Deadly Mystery of the Missing Diamonds by T. E. Kinsey

In post-World War I London, the Dizzy Heights jazz band has a permanent gig at the prestigious Aristippus Club. The owner plans a dance contest to attract new customers. But the musicians learn that a jewel thief is planning to steal a cache of diamonds hidden somewhere in the club on the same night as the dance contest, when there will be a lot of people around. The musicians are perfectly placed to do some light snooping, but the stakes are unexpectedly raised when a murder occurs at the club.

This was an Amazon Kindle First Read in 2021. T. E. Kinsey also writes the Lady Hardcastle series, and some characters from that series appear here. You don't need to have read any of the Lady Hardcastle books to enjoy this series, but that is a fun series too.