The Hottest Thing Under The Sun Umbrella

We spent the weekend at the Ojai Valley Inn. It was wonderful. The campus is beautiful and it was so much fun to be away with friends and family. We've been to Ojai before and I've fallen in love with the little town. There's a wonderful little wine bar and Rains -- a family-owned department store on the Main St. that reminds me of Milliken's that stood at the center of downtown Traverse City for many years. Across the street from Rains is a tiny movie theatre. I noticed that the Sunday afternoon show was going to be "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."

I've become fascinated with the mystery series of books by Stieg Larsson after downloading the first in the series onto my Kindle and becoming completely absorbed in the complicated and dark mystery story. All of the details of the classic veddy veddy British mystery (raise your hand, Ms. Christie) tales that I've grown up with were there -- but this guy told a tale that was even darker and more twisted than any of those. I was so engrossed and overwhelmed by the time I reached the end of the story that I decided I wanted a breather before continuing on with the next book. Instead, I did some research about the author.

Stieg Larsson died before his books were published -- and he's become a phenomenom. Publishers are now flocking to Sweden to find the next great American author. Not kidding! And then there's Larsson's own family drama -- who gets all to benefit from his posthumous fortune? O yeah! They're fighting. And just to make this more interesting -- even though the books have been turned into films in his native Sweden -- American movie business wants to make their version -- and the casting wars have begun. Daniel Craig? Really? It's all so very fascinating -- and will probably be the next book to movie sensation. Just like Twilight. Only this time, it's not just teenage girls that have read the book.

The book is a great read -- but it does have some very graphic and upsetting sexual violence that may not be everyone's cup of tea. To be quite honest -- I skimmed that part -- not my cup of tea -- I prefer English Breakfast...the kind Agatha Christie serves with scones. But I have a feeling that if Aggie was still around, she'd be a big fan of Stieg. I know I am...and I'll be downloading the next in the series on my Kindle soon.