Butter by Asako Yuzuki | The subtitle of this book is “A novel of food and murder.” It is equal parts murder mystery and a love letter to butter. A woman is accused of murdering three older men after taking care of their every need, especially feeding them the absolute best food. A journalist interested in the case takes us on a food journey while she attempts to find the truth.
Wicked by Gregory Maquire
This is not a new book, but with all the ‘Wicked fever,’ I thought I would read the book that inspired it all. This book is very different from the musical and movie. We still follow Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) as she grows up and lives in the Land of Oz, but in a far more empathetic view of her than the original Wizard of Oz. I do love the movies, but the book is much richer and more complicated in all the most interesting ways.
The Rip – Netflix
I’ve been a fan of the duo of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck since Good Will Hunting. Their decades-long friendship comes through in The Rip as they play police officers who get a tip about a house full of money from a drug cartel. The movie keeps you guessing as you try to figure out if they are both dirty cops. The ending is very satisfying.
Bugonia – Peacock
This Oscar nominee is a wild ride. Two hapless cousins kidnap the CEO of a pharmaceutical company, who they blame for killing one of their mothers. The men believe in a wild number of conspiracy theories, and you watch them begin to unravel as they begin to doubt their convictions. Emma Stone is fantastic in this movie as is Jesse Plemons. The ending will leave you gobsmacked.
