Do you love mysteries and need a good book to read over winter break? A good mystery can be hard to come by, so I always appreciate recommendations from others.



To preface this, I generally like traditional, high-brow mysteries like all of the Agatha Christie mysteries (Poirot, Marple, Tommy & Tuppence, Mr. Quinn... you name it!), and I also like thoughtful mysteries like Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

I read a lot, especially since I stopped watching television. So I am usually reading a book, either on my kindle, or a hard or paperback copy, and I also generally have an audiobook on the go via my Audible subscription. While I've read some good books recently, I haven't enjoyed any as much as I've enjoyed Ashley Weaver's Amory Ames series, which I am recommending to you today. The first book in the series, Murder at the Brightwell, is a sophisticated and intriguing period mystery, which takes place in 1930s England. This is an elegant and stylish mystery that fans of Agatha Christie will love.



I haven't enjoyed a fiction book this much since I read Amy Snow, which is another fantastic read that I highly recommend. Amy Snow isn't a mystery, but it is a delightful period novel with romance and intrigue.



Hear more about the Amory Ames mysteries in today's video. Be sure to leave your own book recommendations in the comments below.

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📍Check out my two courses, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living and Create Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe.

📍Visit my Teespring store to buy Daily Connoisseur mugs, tote bags, and apparel... perfect presents for fans of The Daily Connoisseur blog.

On Instagram
Robin from Faith and Flour shared her ten-item wardrobe for winter. Check it out and tell her I said, "hello"!

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🌟New Video 🌟Ready for some capsule wardrobe inspiration? My Ten Item Wardrobe for Winter is finally here! I have been inspired by Jennifer L. Scott @dailyconnoisseur , the author of the Madame Chic Series, to cultivate a minimal wardrobe that expresses my personal style. Find the link to watch in my profile. #tenitemwardrobe #madamechic #dailyconnoisseur #capsulewardrobe #intentionalwardrobe #minimalwardrobe #minimalistwardrobe #youtubemom #faithandflour

A post shared by Robin (@robin_faithandflour) on Dec 13, 2018 at 5:29am PST

Comment of the Week
On my What I Look Like at the End of the Day video, Niculina writes, "Dear Jennifer, you and your baby ARE a pretty picture. I don’t know who would image that in a household with 4 kids things would be like in a museum, where everything sits still in one designated spot. Your video shows so much more than a messy kitchen and hair : it shows your love and patience with your baby, a heathy attitude towards embracing life as it unfolds. Hopefully you got some night rest."

Thank you so much, Niculina. Now that I have four children, I can definitely say I have more patience than I used to have. It's something I have to work on daily. Thank you for your kind comment.

I would love to know... do you have any good book recommendations for us? Please let us know in the comments so we can add them to our list.


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Take a peek inside the Portuguese villa we are staying in while visiting Vale do Lobo. The first two weeks in Portugal, we rented a villa up the hill and for our last week here, my mother-in-law treated us to this wonderful villa on the beach. The decor is traditional and simple, slightly dated but with much charm. We have enjoyed our stay here.

You get to see Famille Connoisseur having our daily quiet and reading time. My oldest daughter has been reading on the kindle, which has come in handy on this trip. She is a voracious reader and goes through books quickly, so rather than carry a lot of books with us while we travel, she's able to read to her heart's content on the kindle. My middle daughter is still learning to read so she likes to pick up books and see what words she can recognize, and the baby gets a board book from daddy! I hope you enjoy today's video.

This video was shot on the DJI Osmo

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Talbots has featured Lessons from Madame Chic as a recommended book on their blog!

Also, Lancôme has featured Lessons from Madame Chic in their Facebook campaign. What wonderful press!



Take my new eCourse on the ten-item wardrobe! With over an hour of never-before-seen video instruction, notes and quizzes, you will feel prepared to create your own ten-item wardrobe. For those of you who already do the ten-item wardrobe, this course will keep you on track and provide further inspiration. The course is self-paced and includes a lively comment section with other ten-item wardrobe enthusiasts. Enjoy!



Here is a great testimonial from Lisa who writes, "I absolutely loved this e-course, thank you! I feel inspired to downsize the items in my closet. I am looking forward to giving the ten item wardrobe a try! Thank you so much for this fantastic e-course!"

Thank you, Lisa! I'm so happy you enjoyed the course. Please keep us updated on your ten-item wardrobe!

Nikki Moreno, from Inspired by Nikki, shared The Madame Chic Collection on her Instagram account this week. Thank you, Nikki! If you haven't checked out Nikki's channel it's a must. She is so lovely.

The book collection I’ve been waiting for finally arrived! #madamchic @dailyconnoisseur

A post shared by Nikki Moreno (@inspired_by_nikki) on Oct 5, 2017 at 10:39am PDT

Question of the Week
DD asks:
You referred to the villa you were staying in. How did you find your accommodations in Portugal? Did you use Airbnb.com or some similar online resource? Did you work with an estate or rental agent? Also, it looks like you rented a car, correct? We try to avoid car rentals in Europe and travel by bus or train. A car is probably much easier with children! Do you think one could see Portugal's small towns and villages traveling by bus or train? Or is a car necessary? Portugal is next on our travel wish list. I'm enjoying these "peeks" into Portugal with you! Thanks!

Hi DD, my husband used VRBO to rent our first villa. The car we are driving is rented. I agree that it is easier with children to have a rental car in Portugal as the area we visited was very spread-out. If you visit a larger city, you might not need a car. Most of the traveling families we came across had rented a car. Thanks for watching!

I hope you have a wonderful week! I will see you on Thursday for a chat on the beach.



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