What Are We Reading And Reviewing in January 2020?

Tell us you reading plans for the fist month of the New Year. Happy New Year Everyone!

Carols Reads For January
📌 - ★

Group reads
📌Evil Games - Angela Marsons - 5★
📌Painted Doom - Kate Ellis - 4★

Pick A Winner Make A friend
📌The Haunting of Rookward House - Darcy Coates - 3★

Others
📌Silence - Thomas Perry - 4★
📌Thin Ice - Paige Shelton - 4★
📌The Empty Bed - Nina Sadowsky - 4.5★
📌Daisy in Chains - Sharon Bolton - 5★
📌Little Black Lies - Sharon Bolton - 4★
📌Dead Woman Walking - Sharon Bolton - 4★
📌The Night Stalker -Robert Bryndza - 5★
📌The Girl in The Woods - Gregg Olsen - 4★
📌Good Girls Lie - J.T. Elliston - 4.5★
📌The Hiding Place C.J. Tudor - 4.5★
📌The Weight of Blood - Laura McHugh - 4★
📌The Wolf in Winter - John Connolly - 4★
📌Murder in County Tyrone - Praigad O Hnnon - 4★
📌Exit Unicorns - Cindy Brandner - 3★
📌Silver Lake - Katheryn Knight - 4.5★
📌The Seal King Murders - Alanna Knight - 4★
📌The Doll's House - M.J. Arlidge - 5★
📌Crow Road - Ian Banks - 4.5★
📌The Magpie Tree- Katherine Stansfield - 4.5 ★
📌The Other Girl Erica Spindler - 4.5★
📌The secrets of Roscarbury Hall - 4.5★
📌I Will Always Find You - Willow Sanders - 3★
📌13 Alabama Ghost and Jeffrey - Katheryn Tucker Windham - 5★
📌In A House of Lies - Ian Rankin - 4.5★

Daisy In Chains - Sharon Bolton
5 ★

He’s a serial killer. A murderer of young women, all killed in brutal attacks. But despite Hamish Wolfe’s conviction, he’s always stuck to his story—he’s innocent and he’s been wrongly imprisoned. And now he wants someone to investigate and, more importantly, to write his story. Maggie Rose is a notorious defense attorney and writer whose specialty is getting convictions overturned. At first, Maggie is reluctant to even acknowledge Hamish’s requests to meet, ignoring his letters. But this is a very charismatic and persuasive man, good-looking and intelligent. Eventually even she can’t resist his lure.

It can only be described as 100% suspenseful with a dark and unexpected twist at the end. I never saw it coming and never expected it to happen. I like an author can can pull off a stunt like that. Secrets run rampant through out the entire story. Everyone involved has them… from the detective who knows more about Hamish than one would expect. Then there is Maggie who appears to be a total blank slate that shares nothing that doesn’t benefit her career. Even Hamish's own mother who is active in her son's appeal attempt is hiding more than one secret. Sharon Bolton has created a psychological masterpiece in this one.

The Night Stalker - Robert Bryndza
DI Erika Foster series Book # 2
4.5 stars

If the Night Stalker is watching, you’re already dead… In the dead of a swelteringly hot summer’s night, Detective Erika Foster is called to a murder scene. The victim, a doctor, is found suffocated in bed. His wrists are bound and his eyes bulging through a clear plastic bag tied tight over his head. A few days later, another victim is found dead, in exactly the same circumstances. As Erika and her team start digging deeper, they discover a calculated serial killer – stalking their victims before choosing the right moment to strike. The victims are all single men, with very private lives. Why are their pasts shrouded in secrecy? And what links them to the killer? As a heat wave descends upon London, Erika will do everything to stop the Night Stalker before the body count rises, even if it means risking her job. But the victims might not be the only ones being watched… Erika’s own life could be on the line.

Erika Foster is a gritty and determined strong female lead. .Any fans of a good police procedural will become completely engaged in this series. I first made Erika’s acquaintance in The Girl In The Ice and was quiet impressed with how Robert Bryndza portrayed her. She reminds me a great deal of Angela Marson’s Kim Stone in how she carries out her investigations and how she relates to her co-workers which are mostly male. She’s willing to take risks and not afraid to go against those that think they know better when she knows she’s right. I can’t wait to read the next one to see how her and Isaac’s friendship is coming along. A really great series you have going here, Mr. Bryndza

That’s a great rating. 😊

Thin Ice - Paige Shelton
Alaska Wild series Book #1
4★

Beth Rivers is on the run – she’s doing the only thing she could think of to keep herself safe. Known to the world as thriller author Elizabeth Fairchild, she had become the subject of a fanatic’s obsession. After being held in a van for three days by her kidnapper, Levi Brooks, Beth managed to escape, and until he is captured, she's got to get away. Cold and remote, Alaska seems tailor-made for her to hideout. Beth’s new home in Alaska is sparsely populated with people who all seem to be running or hiding from something, and though she accidentally booked a room at a halfway house, she feels safer than she’s felt since Levi took her. That is, until she’s told about a local death that’s a suspected murder. Could the death of Linda Rafferty have anything to do with her horror at the hands of Levi Brooks? As Beth navigates her way through the wilds of her new home, her memories of her time in the van are coming back, replaying the terror and the fear―and threatening to keep her from healing, from reclaiming her old life again. Can she get back to normal, will she ever truly feel safe, and can she help solve the local mystery, if only so she doesn’t have to think about her own?

A good story with an unusual location but I thought that in the end there were still more questions than answers. Since this was the first book in the series hopefully the next one will provide more answers.

A Sudden Light – Garth Stein
Book on CD performed by Seth Numrich.
3***

I read and loved The Art of Racing in the Rain. This is a VERY different book.

Fourteen-year-old Trevor Riddell wants nothing so much as for his parents to be reunited. His parents’ marriage is stressed by his father’s business failing; they’ve lost their home and his mother has gone to England to see her relatives. Meanwhile, Trevor accompanies his father to the home where Dad grew up – the extraordinary Pacific Northwest mansion, Riddell House – to help Grandpa Sam who is ill. What Trevor finds in the house, though cannot be readily explained by his grandfather’s apparent dementia.

This is a ghost story, an historical novel, a coming-of-age story, and a tale of dysfunctional families and long-held secrets that MUST COME OUT. I found it very atmospheric and liked the way Stein handled the paranormal elements.

I loved Trevor who is obviously curious, but definitely still clinging to a hope that somehow, he can fix what is wrong with his parents’ relationship. He’s a keen observer and while the adults are keeping secrets (and even sometimes purposefully misdirecting him), he continues his explorations of the many nooks, crannies, secret compartments, and locked cabinets in the mansion that has seen better days. What he discovers helps him piece together not only the answers to what happened in the past, but a clear understanding of what is really going on in the present.

There were some elements that I found rather unbelievable, but for the most part I was ready to suspend disbelief and go along for the ride.

Seth Numrich did a fine job narrating the audiobook. He set a good pace and has the skill as a voice artist to give the many characters sufficiently unique voices. His interpretation of Trevor’s Aunt Serena is downright chilling.

Just thought her fans would like to know.
Marion Chesney Gibbons (M.C. Beaton)
1936-2019
Author of Agatha Raisin & Hamish Macbeth series

https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/agatha-raison-and-hamish-macbeth-author-mc-beaton-....

She passed away on December 30

The Death of Mrs. Westaway
Ruth Ware
5/5 stars
Hal, a single woman is living and struggling on her own as a tarot card reader when she gets a letter informing her of a relative that has died and she is to inherit part of the estate. However, she believes that she is not related to that person but still decides to go to the will reading hoping to get some of the inheritance to help her survive. As she arrives and meets the family she has second thoughts but still plans to go through with it. However, there is someone in the family who has a secret to maintain and Hal may be in the way. I flew through this book because I couldn’t wait to see how this ended!

Silence - Thomas Perry
Jack Till series Book #1
3★

Six years ago, Jack Till helped Wendy Harper disappear. But now her ex-boyfriend and former business partner, Eric Fuller, is being framed for her presumed murder in an effort to smoke her out, and Till must find her before tango-dancing assassins Paul and Sylvie Turner do.The Turners are merely hired to do a job, though, and prefer to remain anonymous. When they find that a middleman has let the true employer know their identities, finishing the job is no longer enough. Their fee just went up. And now they must double-cross the man who wants Wendy dead before he can double-cross them--if their jealousy and cold-blooded calculations don't result in a fatal lovers' quarrel first.

I don't believe that it was his best book.but it was still enjoyable. Some of the characters need more depth and more information about who they were and why they did some of the things they did. For example: Are there really husbands that make bargains to go off to the other side of the country with paid female surrogates? Do said surrogates hang around for years waiting in case they get a chance to go off with the husband...who actually brings the kids with him??? I also would have liked to have known why the bad guys were so eager to kill Wendy although there were times that I would have happily killed her for them. Oh...where in the world do you find a "tango-dancing assassin"? Not a bad book but not as good as The Butcher's Boy.

>9 JulieLill: I thought that was the best work that Ruth Ware has done thus far. I loved it too.

>8 Carol420: That’s devastating news Carol, 😢 No more Hamish or Agatha. 😢

>9 JulieLill: >11 Carol420: Will have to check this one out.

Murder in County Tyrone – Padraig O’Hannon
The Irish Mysteries Volume 1
4★

Fourteen years on, the crime that rocked County Tyrone in Northern Ireland remains unsolved, but hardly forgotten. Its tentacles reach the shores of America when John Costa, a once-prominent attorney who has all but given up on life, is questioned by the police. They’re asking about the person he’d least expect: the enigmatic Irish woman he secretly admires. His heart tells him she’s innocent, but new evidence hints at a sinister past. Will he be able to exonerate the woman of his dreams, or is he destined to become another victim? Learn the truth in this compelling tale of love, intrigue, and murder!

My mother and my grandmother were born in County Tyrone and I still have an aunt and several other relatives that remain there…so not only the challenge in the Mystery & Suspense group on LibraryThing but the connection with family intrigued me to pick this up at a book sale. As if I needed any excuse to read about Ireland:)

Lawyer John Costa, gets the chance to clear the girl he’s secretly in love with of a dreadful murder charge. Seems that she’s supposed to have been involved in a bomb attack in Northern Ireland years ago that claimed the life of more than 30 people. If Angela is innocent or just an accomplished liar remains the question throughout the entire story. John and his team begin to work on a defense for her but very soon find that there are layer after layer of half truths and forgotten truths that rear their ugly heads. It presents a fascinating story that may never tell the entire truth. The characters are many…some innocent…some guilty…most of them emotionally scarred. The need for justice drives both John…who wants to see Angela cleared… and the Northern Irish cop who wants to see Angela convicted. The book is a tragic look at the time of the Irish Troubles. I grew up hearing first hand how this issue still lives on in the people that my grandmother left behind and in the very heart of this beautiful, magnificent land.

The Forgotten Explorer / Charles Helm, Mike Murtha (editors)
3 stars

Samuel Fay was an American hunter who explored the Northern Rocky Mountains (North and West of Jasper, Alberta) over a few years, in 1912, 1913, 1914. His longest trip was 4ish months between the end of June and November, 1914, when he was hunting and collecting wildlife for the US “Biological Review”. The bulk of this book is Fay’s journals while on that trip, though the foreword is someone else’s summary/account of the trip, and there are appendices that include articles Fay wrote about his travels afterward.

I hadn’t realized before starting the book that Fay was a hunter and that was the purpose of his travel. I don’t like hunting. I did enjoy the descriptions, especially of the wildlife; I just kept hoping the next sentence after any wildlife was mentioned wouldn’t be along the lines of “so we shot one (or more)...”. I think I won the book at a conference, and it’s just been sitting here, waiting for me to read it for a while now. It’s not a long book (page-wise), but I was kept from reading it for a long time due to the tiny font in the book! It’s now done and I will donate the book. Overall, I rated it ok.

Round Trip / Ann Jonas
3 stars

This is a creative picture book where someone is going on a trip… leaving from their town, driving through the country into the city… then turning around and driving home again. The creative part is that half-way through, once they leave the city, the reader turns the book upside down to follow along to head home. The photos work in both “directions”.

It is creative. It reminded me of “Mirror Mirror” the poetry book of “reverso” poems – read one way, then you can read from the bottom up and it’s kind of the opposite story of reading it “down”. I guess this one should really get the credit, though, as it was published in 1983! The pictures were a bit more artsy than I like, though of course, they had to be drawn in such a way that they would work right-side-up, and again, upside-down. Overall, I’m rating this ok.

Tuesdays with Morrie / Mitch Albom
3 stars

Morrie was a university professor of Mitch’s. When Morrie was diagnosed with ALS, Mitch started visiting, although it had been a couple of decades since he last saw his teacher. Morrie enjoys having people around and loves to give advice. He has come to terms with his illness and impending death and is happy to chat with Mitch about life (and death, and other things).

This is a rearead – read the first time before I wrote reviews. I don’t know what I would have rated it then, nor do I recall if I cried. I didn’t this time. I am not a “touchy-feely” person; in fact, I’m not much of a people-person. I generally prefer animals to humans. So, I suppose I looked at some of the advice with some skepticism (as Mitch apparently did at the time he was talking to Morrie). It is a quick read, though. 3 stars, for me, is “ok”.

The Seal King Murders - Alanna Knight
The Inspector Faro Series Book #16
4 stars

The year is 1861 and Inspector Faro's rest is disrupted when he is given a special assignment by old friend, Detective Superintendent Macfie. Macfie’s cousin-in-law, a champion swimmer, has drowned in mysterious circumstances. Could his death have really been an accident, or is something more sinister going on? Arriving in Orkney to investigate, he is met with rumors of missing artifacts, the myth of the seal king, a dead body under the floor of Scarthbreck, his first love, and a mother who is determined to find him a wife. But, in Faro’s opinion, no matter how distracting the local legends are or how valuable the artifacts, one man’s life or needless death, is truly beyond price.

It’s a good piece of historical detective fiction with plenty of action and twists to keep the reader interested. There are two plots going which sometimes becomes a little hard to follow but the outcome is not too hard to guess. Overall it was well written and a very enjoyable read.

>18 Carol420: Must explore this series!

Good Girls Lie - J.T. Elliston
4.5★

Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond. But a stranger has come to Goode, and this ivy has turned poisonous. In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder.

I've been a fan of J.T. Elliston for many years. Her books are always well written with multiple possible outcomes. I have learned that no matter what I think will happen...something else always does. This one was no exception. I began to suspect what happened in the end was a possibility but never put the entire picture together. The only thing I can say negatively about the book is that it was about 100 pages too long. What I can tell the future reader is a quote from the book itself that sums it up very well..."look closely…because there are truths and there are lies, and then there is everything that really happened."

Silver Lake - Kathryn Knight
4.5 Stars

Rain Anderson can't decide which is more unsettling--encountering the ghost of her missing friend, or reuniting with the man whose love she foolishly rejected. But one thing is certain: the past has come back to haunt her, quite literally. Five years ago, Rain's tight-knit group of high school friends unraveled when one vanished during their senior year. Now, a parent's deathbed request has reunited the friends at Silver Lake, including Jason Lansing, the man Rain discarded. Rain and Jason discover the powerful attraction between them has survived, but though Jason is willing to forgive, he can't let himself forget. The possibility of falling for Rain again is too risky. Slamming doors, crashing objects, and flaring fires--clearly the ghost has a message to share. As Rain and Jason struggle to unravel the truth, they must face a desperate spirit in need of help--and a burning passion that refuses to die.

This is the first book by this author that I have read. Of course it was the promise of a ghost story that prompted me to read it. It’s part mystery and part romance with visits from Brandy, the ghost of Rain’s friend that went missing many years ago. I wondered if the ghost of Brandy hadn’t been tied to Rain all the time but it took the friends getting together again at Silver Lake to make her appear and become active. Whatever it was it made for a very good ghost story. I could even overlook the romance. I will be searching for more of Kathryn Knight’s books.

The Girl in the Woods - Gregg Olsen
Waterman & Stark series Book #1
4★

A schoolgirl found it on a nature hike…a severed human foot wearing pink nail polish. A gruesome but invaluable clue that leads forensic pathologist Birdy Waterman down a much darker trail—to a dangerous psychopath whose powers of persuasion seem to have no end. Only by teaming up with sheriff’s detective Kendall Stark can Birdy hope to even the odds in a deadly game. It’s a fateful decision the killer wants them to make. And it’s the only way Birdy and Kendall can find their way to a murderer who’s ready to kill again

What begins as the mysterious discovery of a foot wearing pink nail polish quickly escalates into so much more. As Kendall Stark, the sheriff’s detective, and Birdy Waterman, the local pathologist, begin their investigation things seem odd but not as odd as they will become. I had read this book when it first came out but had forgotten most of it. One good thing about ageing is that you get to often be surprised over and over again:) If you like well thought out crime novels with well developed characters who all manage to be reasonable…rational… and entertaining…you should like this book as well as Gregg Olsen’s others.

Where on earth did my TBR for January disappear to?lol.
I know I've been out of it with sinusitis and a bad cold,with a brain like cotton wool from the medication,,but I thought I posted my list!
Oh well,better late than never :0)

Dusty's TBR for January
SF/F
Naomi Novik - Spinning Silver ✔
Katherine Addison - The Goblin Emperor ✔
Daniel O'Malley - Stiletto ✔
Leigh Brackett - The Sword of Rhiannon ✔
Ransom Riggs - Map of Days
Pat Frank - Alas,Babylon ✔

from other genres
Barbara Michaels - Ammie Come Home ✔
Rachel Howsell Hall - Trail of Echoes ✔
Robert Van Gulik - Murder in Ancient China ✔
Maurice Sendak - Chicken Soup with Rice✔
Dr Seuss - If I Ran the Circus✔
Ngaio Marsh - Grave Mistake ✔
Charles Todd - Wings of Fire ✔
Nora Roberts - The Liar✔
Katie Fforde - A Secret Garden ✔

Unbound / Neal Shusterman
3.5 stars

This is a collection of short stories set in Neal Shusterman’s “Unwind” world. We revisit some of the characters and the stories are from before, during, and after the events of the main series.

As with most short story collections, I’d rate these individually somewhat differently, though most, I would rate as “good”, 3.5 stars. There were a couple stories that stood out for me, though, and had they been standalones, they would have each gotten a 4 star rating: “Unnatural Selection”, and “Rewinds”. “Unstrung” is also included in this set of stories, originally released on its own to fill us in on Lev while he was away – had to look it up; I originally rated this story 3 stars (ok), but it sounds like I just wanted more of it. I liked the characters and wanted the story to be longer. Overall, for this collection, though, I’m keeping my rating at good, 3.5 stars.

On my Kindle I downloaded the trilogy of Circus Hearts by Ellie Marney. They were all three quick reads and very enjoyable if one enjoys young adult romance/action stories.

Dead Woman Walking - Sharon Bolton
4★

The sole survivor of a hot-air balloon crash witnesses a murder as the balloon is falling. Just before dawn in the hills near the Scottish border, a man murders a young woman. At the same time, a hot-air balloon crashes out of the sky. There’s just one survivor. She’s seen the killer’s face – but he’s also seen hers. And he won’t rest until he’s eliminated the only witness to his crime. Alone, scared, trusting no one, she’s running to where she feels safe – but it could be the most dangerous place of all.

It begins with a spectacular balloon ride over Northumberland National Park in Scotland. Soon crime rears it's ugly head as Jessica and Isabelle...two sisters aboard the balloon...witness a man chasing a woman and then murdering her. All 13 passengers in the balloon sees this happen so now the killer has 13 more victims that he has to silence. About a quarter of the first part of book takes the reader along for the events in the balloon basket that you know has no chance of ending well...but it was an amazing journey. There is flashbacks and added excerpts of the lives of some of the passengers that really could have been left out since their only purpose seemed to be unneeded filler. Overall it was another good read from Sharon Bolton.

>25 Jenson_AKA_DL: These sound interesting.

Grace Takes Off – Julie Hyzy
2.5**

Book four in the Manor House Mystery series has Grace and her boss and benefactor, Bennett Marshfield, traveling to Italy to visit one of Bennett’s long-term friends, the fabulously wealthy Nico Pezati. They’re puzzled by an apparent forgery among Nico’s art collection but have no time to investigate as they’re flying home the next morning. But their troubles increase on the plane; by the time they land there are two bodies on board and Grace is convinced that Bennett is a target. But WHO is trying to kill him, and WHY?

I like this series but am getting tired of Grace’s inability to keep her nose out of things that don’t concern her. I perplexed that with all her “experience” solving cases that she can’t identify the culprit earlier. (I knew the villain the moment said person appeared on the page.) And more importantly, I’m tired of her very poor choices when it comes to the men in her life.

Frances (Grace’s irascible assistant) and Ronny Tooney (wannabe private investigator) both have roles to play, though I’d like to see them more involved. Ditto Scott and Bruce, Grace’s roommates. As for Hilary … I could do without her; she’s a ridiculous caricature of a money-grubbing airhead.

I read cozy mysteries because they are fast and enjoyable. They’re my reading snack food.

Little Beach Street Bakery – Jenny Colgan
Digital audiobook read by Veida Dehmlow.
3***

From the book jacket: A quiet seaside resort. An abandoned shop. A small flat. This is what awaits Polly Waterford when she arrives at the Cornish coast, fleeing a ruined relationship. To keep her mind off her troubles, Polly throws herself into her favorite hobby: making bread. But her relaxing weekend diversion quickly develops into a passion. …Soon, Polly is working her magic with nuts and seeds, chocolate and sugar, and the local honey – courtesy of a handsome beekeeper.

My reactions
This is a lovely chick-lit romance novel. Things don’t do smoothly for our heroine, but love will win in the end. It was a fast and enjoyable read full of colorful characters – from the cranky landlady, Mrs Manse, to the fishermen who befriend and help her, to that handsome beekeeper, and her flirtatious, over-the-top best friend, Kerensa. Oh, and Neil, the puffin is a star!

The setting is the town of Mount Polbearne – a tidal island that is cut off from the mainland during high tide, when the causeway is underwater. This village and the surrounding landscape are practically a character in the book, Colgan’s writing is that atmospheric. I could smell the salty air, hear the roar of an angry sea during a storm, and feel the warmth of sun on my skin during a sunny spring day, full of the buzzing of bees.

The situations are somewhat over the top (the Star-Wars themed wedding is a hoot), and, as is expected in this genre, rely on some outlandish coincidences, but it’s all fun.

This is the first in a series of stories that follow Polly and her bakery. I read them in reverse order (because I didn’t’ realize they were a series at first). Best to read them in order as the relationships develop over the course of the series. I do have a bone to pick re the US paperback edition cover; Polly bakes BREAD, not cupcakes and sweets. At least the cover of the audio book gets it right.

Veida Dehmlov does a respectable job of voicing the audio, though her American accents are dreadful! Still, she sets a good pace. And I really did like the way she portrayed Polly.

The House Next Door – Anne Rivers Siddons
4****

This work of Southern gothic / horror fiction is a little slow to start but once it gets going it's riveting!

Colquitt and Walter Kennedy live in a lovely home in a friendly Atlanta suburb. They and their neighbors visit one another regularly, enjoy cocktails after work, play tennis on weekends, and attend parties at various homes. The Kennedys are pleased to live next door to a vacant lot whose narrowness and ravined terrain have always ensured it stays vacant, an oasis of natural beauty in their neighborhood. Until a young couple hires a hot-shot architect who designs a spectacular house that seems to just grow out of the land. The house is still under construction when odd things start to happen. Not just odd, but downright malevolent and horrific.

I stayed up way too late a couple of nights "waiting for that other shoe to drop." It left me on edge and vaguely anxious; spooked by noises in the night (or in the daytime). Reminds me of the hoopla around The Amityville Horror - a book I read when it first came out in the late '70s. A perfect Halloween read!

>30 BookConcierge: Nice review, Tessa. I really liked The House Next Door. It fell right into my ghosty books. I read somewhere that it was on DVD but it must be under a different title if it is. Sometimes the movie is a let-down if you've already read the book. I liked the first two "Amityville Horror" movies but after that it seemed the filmmakers were just trying to outdo one another with blood and gore.

>27 Andrew-theQM: I really like Ellie Marney, everything I've read by her so far is enjoyable. Currently I'm re-reading again (for the second time in the last 6 months) Every Move.

A Murder Is Announced
by Agatha Christie
4/5 stars
A classic mystery- well done!

>32 Jenson_AKA_DL: Definitely will be getting hold of some of her books.

Around the World In 80 Days – Jules Verne
Digital audiobook performed by Frederick Davidson
4****

One of the books in Verne’s series of “Extraordinary Voyages” begins when Phileas Fogg accepts a wager at his gentleman’s club. He’s certain that he will be able to circumnavigate the world in eighty days. Taking a significant amount of cash and his trusty servant Passepartout, and chased by Detective Fix who is certain Fogg is a bank robber, they set out on a grand adventure.

I’d seen more than one movie adaptation but had never read the book until now. What a delight! (Although, of course, there are some racial stereotypes that grate on the modern reader’s sensibilities.)

I marveled at how cool and collected – almost uninterested – Fogg remained throughout. He is never upset or even particularly inconvenienced. He moves with the certainty that he is correct in assuming that he can achieve this great task. Passepartout on the other hand is in a dither frequently, and he is a wonderful foil for Fogg … and for Detective Fix.

Great fun!

One quibble re cover art. SO many covers (as well as the movies) show the iconic hot-air balloon … which is NEVER used in the book!

Frederick Davidson does a marvelous job narrating the audiobook. He sets a good pace and I loved the way he interpreted the characters. I was happy also to have a text copy available, which included a handful of full-color illustrations, as well as a small drawing of the mode of travel for each of the chapters.

The Wolf In Winter
Charlie Parker series Book #12
4★

The community of Prosperous, Maine has always thrived when others have suffered. Its inhabitants are wealthy, its children’s future secure. It shuns outsiders. It guards its own. And at the heart of Prosperous lie the ruins of an ancient church, transported stone by stone from England centuries earlier by the founders of the town. But the death of a homeless man and the disappearance of his daughter draw the haunted, lethal private investigator Charlie Parker to Prosperous. Parker is a dangerous man, driven by compassion, by rage, and by the desire for vengeance. In him the town and its protectors sense a threat graver than any they have faced in their long history, and in the comfortable, sheltered inhabitants of a small Maine town, Parker will encounter his most vicious opponents yet. Charlie Parker is been marked to die so that Prosperous may survive. Prosperous, and the secret that it hides beneath its ruins.

Charlie Parker has taken on the task of finding a long-lost daughter of dead homeless man in Prosperous, Maine. This time Charlie may have bit off more than he can chew. Prosperous, Maine is a place where dark secrets are a dime a dozen and outsiders are regularly escorted to the town’s limit...that is if they’re lucky. One of the biggest secrets is how the town of Prosperous became so prosperous. This secret will be protected at any cost by every citizen of the town. One of the things that I really like about this series is that even though it has a supernatural flavor...the stories are always filled with good old common mystery. They will appeal to the fans of things that go bump in the night as well as the fans of the more traditional suspense genre.

Little Black Lies - Sharon Bolton
4★

In such a small community as the Falkland Islands, a missing child is unheard of. In such a dangerous landscape it can only be a terrible tragedy, surely. When another child goes missing, and then a third, it's no longer possible to believe that their deaths were accidental, and the villagers must admit that there is a murderer among them. Even Catrin Quinn, a damaged woman living a reclusive life after the accidental deaths of her own two sons a few years ago, gets involved in the searches and the speculation. Suddenly, in this wild and beautiful place that generations have called home, no one feels safe and the hysteria begins to rise. Three islanders―Catrin, her childhood best friend, Rachel, and her ex-lover Callum―are hiding terrible secrets. And they have two things in common: all three of them are grieving, and none of them trust anyone, not even themselves.

The murder mystery is almost secondary here. Instead we learn a great deal about The Falklands...which was interesting but may not be exactly what some people are looking for in a murder mystery. If you can get past the travel guide it has some very good psychological elements. The story is told from three different view points and it's left to the reader to decide if they believe any one of them is telling the entire truth or any of the truth for that matter. It didn't just focus on the search for the missing children but also on love, friendship, loss and loyalty.

Tyrannosaur Canyon / Douglas Preston
3.5 stars

When a man is shot in a desert canyon, it seems he was hunting for some sort of treasure. Before the guy who did the shooting got to him, though, veterinarian Tom Broadbent got there and tried to help. While he was unable to help, the man who died had Tom promise to deliver a notebook to the guy’s daughter. Little did Tom know, but the man was shot for that exact notebook.

This had chapters (mostly in the middle of the book) where it was very suspenseful and I wanted to keep reading. On the other hand, there were sections/chapters when it was a bit technical and not nearly as interesting. So, how interested I was in the book varied, depending what was happening at the time. Overall, though, I thought it was enjoyable, and definitely a good story. I really enjoyed the chapters that followed the t-Rex and her life.

Blackberry Winter – Sarah Jio
Book on CD performed by Tara Sands.
2**

From the book jacket: Seattle, May 1933. Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, good night and reluctantly leaves for work. She hates the night shift, but it’s the only way she can earn enough... In the morning … a heavy snow is falling. Vera rushes to wake Daniel, but his bed is empty. His teddy bear lies outside in the snow.
Seattle, present day. On the second of May, Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge awakens to a late-season snowstorm. Assigned to cover this “blackberry winter” and its predecessor decades earlier, Claire learns of Daniel’s unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth – only to discover that she and Vera are linked in unexpected ways.

My reactions:
I had heard such good things out Jio and this book in particular, so I was looking forward to reading it. The premise is interesting, though I figured out the connection between Claire and Vera long before any of the characters did.

Both these women irritated me. I got tired of hearing how poor Vera was, how hard she struggled, how dedicated she was. I got bored with Claire’s marital drama, with her apparent inability to confront her husband and her boss. Yes, I understand she was suffering a depressive grief, but it seemed out of character for what the blurbs promised me: a mystery, twists and turns that would shock and enthrall me. In both cases there were several opportunities for the women to take some action, to assert themselves and possibly change their fortunes. Time and again they failed to do so. The personal travails of these women held the story back, forcing the reader to slog through all these personal dramas much as the people of Seattle slogged through piles of snow.

Tara Sands did a pretty good job reading the audiobook. She set a good pace and her diction was clear. Despite the constantly changing time frame and narrative point of view I managed to easily follow the parallel stories. (Although, I do think this would be more easily done in a text format.)

Black & Blue - Anna Quindlen
4★

For eighteen years Fran Benedetto kept her secret, hid her bruises. She stayed with Bobby because she wanted her son to have a father, and because, in spite of everything, she loved him. Then one night, when she saw the look on her ten-year-old son’s face, Fran finally made a choice—and ran for both their lives. Now she is starting over in a city far from home, far from Bobby. In this place she uses a name that isn’t hers, watches over her son, and tries to forget. For the woman who now calls herself Beth, every day is a chance to heal, to put together the pieces of her shattered self. And every day she waits for Bobby to catch up to her. Bobby always said he would never let her go, and despite the ingenuity of her escape, Fran Benedetto is certain of one thing: It is only a matter of time.

It's the the story of Frances (Fran) Benedetto. On the surface a successful nurse with a handsome policeman husband and adorable son. All seems well and the marriage seems perfect but there are dark threads woven throughout and they are about to become unraveled. Fran is the victim of physical abuse from her husband Bobby. Bobby's job as a policeman is to protect...but who is going to protect Fran? Because Bobby is liked and respected by his peers...Fran fears that she'll lose her son so she puts her off reporting and hides her injuries. Bobby eventually went beyond the hidden bruises and breaks her nose, Finally Fran decides that enough is enough, and contacts a mysterious woman who runs an 'underground' service for battered wives. The woman gets Fran and her son relocated but her problems and her fears never completely go away. Running from New York to Florida she fights to stay one step ahead of the husband who's hunting her...perhaps with murder in mind this time. A well written story about a horrible subject that is too often on the other side of fiction.

Man’s Search For Meaning – Viktor E Frankl
Digital audio narrated by Simon Vance
5*****

I first read this book when I was in college and it has remained with me ever since. When a book group hosted by a local university announced this as one of their picks I immediately signed on for the discussion.

This is both a memoir and an inspirational lesson in how to survive and thrive. Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl relates his experiences in Nazi concentration camps and shares the experiences, too, of his patients, to show that, while no one can completely avoid suffering, we can choose HOW to deal with and process those experiences to find meaning and a renewed sense of purpose.

I was struck by a few things that I’d forgotten or overlooked the first time I read it. Frankl had some serendipitous encounters even in the midst of the horrors of the concentration camps. The advice to shave closely, for example, helped him give the appearance of a healthier person, thus saving him from being culled from the group as too weak to work. Additionally, his attitude of acceptance seemed to give him the strength to endure. Over and over again he chose to remain and face his fate, rather than try to escape.

The book is divided into two parts. The first is more memoir of the times he spent in the camps. The second part goes into detail on how he developed and refined his theory of logotherapy. While the second clearly builds on the first, I thought it was less interesting than the memoir section. I found section two more academic rather than personal, and therefore it had less impact.

Simon Vance does a marvelous job reading the audiobook. His diction is clear, and he sets a good pace and an appropriate tone for this serious and insightful work. Still, I did read sections of it in text format, and I think it is best experienced by reading the text.

>40 Carol420:
I liked it a bit less than you did, Carol. But I applauded Quindlen for shedding light on a subject that isn't frequently covered in fiction, AND for not succumbing to any pressure to give the reader a HEA ending.

>42 BookConcierge: I read somewhere that she said in an interview that she based the book on the experience of a family member. Can't remember if it was an aunt or cousin or who.

Dead to You / Lisa McMann
3.5 stars

Ethan was only 7-years old when he was kidnapped. He’s now 16 and being reunited with his family – his parents, his younger brother, and a younger sister who is only 6-years old, whom, of course, he hadn’t met until now. Every family member has to learn to deal with this, as they all learn to live together again, after so many years apart. Things definitely are not going smoothly.

I like the premise of this book and liked most of the book itself. I wasn’t a fan of the ending. I feel like the penultimate event that happened “fit”, but I didn’t like the result of that event, what happened at the very end. It’s YA, so it was very fast to read.

Everything I Never Told You
Celeste Ng
4/5 stars
Ng’s story surrounds the Lee family, in particular Lydia, their daughter who has died. The story goes back and forth in time including the meeting and marriage of Marilyn, who is white and James Lee who is Chinese. Their marriage is not going well and their children struggle as the only American Asians in their town. But when their daughter dies it consumes them and threatens the family structure while they attempt to find out what happened to Lydia. Well written and hard to put down.

The Hiding Place - C.J. Tudor
4.5★

Joe never wanted to come back to Arnhill. After the way things ended with his old gang—the betrayal, the suicide—and what happened when his sister went missing, the last thing he wanted to do was return to his hometown. But Joe doesn’t have a choice, not after a chilling email surfaces in his inbox: I know what happened to your sister. It’s happening again. Lying his way into a teaching job at his former high school is the easy part. Facing off with onetime friends who aren’t too happy to have him back in town—while avoiding the enemies he’s made in the years since—is tougher. But the hardest part of all will be returning to the abandoned mine where his life changed forever, and finally confronting the horrifying truth about Arnhill, his sister, and himself. Because for Joe, the worst moment of his life wasn’t the day his sister went missing....It was the day she came back.

Going home is not always a great idea as Joe soon finds out. Some things are just best forgotten and never brought back into the light of day. This story had all the creep-factors that make for a good mystery with a paranormal flavor. If you are one that enjoys a well-written crime story with a strong dose of horror...then this is diffidently for you.

Evil Games - Angela Marsons
D.I. Kim Stone series Book #2
5★

The greater the Evil, the more deadly the game … When a rapist is found mutilated in a brutal attack, Detective Kim Stone and her team are called in to bring a swift resolution. But, as more vengeful killings come to light, it soon becomes clear that there is someone far more sinister at work. With the investigation quickly gathering momentum, Kim finds herself exposed to great danger and in the sights of a lethal individual undertaking their own twisted experiment. Up against a sociopath who seems to know her every weakness, for Detective Stone, each move she makes could be deadly. As the body count starts to mount, Kim will have to dig deeper than ever before to stop the killing. And this time… it's personal.

I loved everything about the first book, Silent Scream, where we first met D.I. Kim Stone and her team that functions like a well oiled machine. Kim is such an interesting character. She sees things in black or white… there are no shades of grey. If someone is guilty they are guilty regardless of the circumstances. Kim believes in the system and that people should be held accountable for their crimes. The subject of this one was almost unbelievable…at least you hoped that it wasn’t possible…yet Angela Marsons made it work beautifully. In Alex…she has created the perfect adversary…one that the reader will love to hate…one who pushes Kim’s buttons and leads her into danger…which she can see but can’t avoid. The way they played off each other was very clever and made Alex a very chilling character. Kim Stone is going to find a permanent home on my bookshelf.

The Crow Road - Iain Banks
4.5★

It was the day my grandmother exploded. I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach's Mass in B Minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach. Prentice McHoan has returned to the bosom of his complex but enduring Scottish family. Full of questions about the McHoan past, present and future, he is also deeply preoccupied: mainly with death, sex, drink, God and illegal substances.

This story almost literally begins with a bang. Two things brought me and this book together...well actually three...,many of you know by now that I will read strange things in order to fulfill a challenge. Other than the challenge...I had to see if grandma literally exploded...and it was written by one of my favorite authors, Iain Banks. I had read about half way through and thought that Prentice must surely be a long lost cousin of mine. He would have fit in perfectly with my big, gruff Scottish grandfather. His exploits in this eccentric Scottish family are funny and so desperately true. You will find a bit of everything in here...mystery, magic, myths and it conveys it all with a first hand account that could only have been told the better if wee Prentice were telling you the story himself over a dram or two. Not a dull moment in it and always surprising. This book is definitely worth reading. Oh...and don't forget to find out about grandma:)

Exit Unicorns - Cindy Brandner
3★
The journey begins in the 'terrible beauty' of Northern Ireland during a time when conflict reigns and no one is spared from tragedy and sorrow, the time known as The Troubles. It is the spring of 1968 in Belfast and James Kirkpatrick has just lost his father under suspicious circumstances, Casey Riordan is released from prison after five years and Pamela O'Flaherty has crossed an ocean and a lifetime of memories to find the man she fell in love with as a little girl. All three lives are on a collision course with each other against the backdrop of the burgeoning civil rights movement and a nation on the brink of revolution. They come from disparate backgrounds-Jamie a wealthy aristocrat whose life is like an imperfect but multi-faceted jewel-brilliant, flawed and with a glitter that is designed to distract the observer. Casey, a card-carrying member of the Irish Republican Army, who must face the fact that five years away has left him a stranger, a misfit in his own neighborhood where not everyone is sympathetic to a convicted rebel. Pamela has come to Ireland in search of a memory and a man who may not have existed in the first place. Through it all runs the ribbon of a love story. Love of country, the beginning love of two people unable to resist the pull of each other regardless of the cost to themselves and those around them…and the selfless love of one man who no longer believes himself capable of such emotion. It is an electrifying tale of a people divided by religion and politics, a tale of love and danger, of triumph and tragedy. Ultimately it is the story of that 'terrible beauty' herself-Ireland-and how nation is bound to one's identity, woven into the weft of all we become.

You have got to either really be interested, or have someone that was invested first hand in the period known as “The Troubles” to really appreciate this book. My grandparents were gone from Ireland by 1968 when the horror flared up again, but the family my gram left behind was still there in the thick of it. While the writing is excellent I believe the author tries too hard to make it into a love story using the political/religious situation as a backdrop…but it just doesn’t work if you spent everyday watching someone you love try to deal with what was happening with the people and land that she loved. I believe I would have liked the book more if I hadn’t had this situation. I gave it 3 stars…it’s well written and I certainly would encourage you to read it…if you don’t carry this excess baggage.

Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife
Mary Roach
3/5 stars
Roach delves into the facts of life after death and the people who research the various aspects of this subject. Not my favorite book of hers but a few of the chapters were compelling.

No Will But His / Sarah A. Hoyt
4 stars

This is a fictional story of Kathryn Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife. Kathryn was still a teenager when she became Henry’s wife (and he was up in years). It wasn’t long that they were married before she was arrested and beheaded for trysts with a few men, some from before she’d even met Henry.

I haven’t read a lot about Kathryn, and I never had a good impression of her. This one, however, gave me a bit of sympathy toward her. Unfortunately, the author’s note didn’t address how much was known and how much was out of the author’s head; I was particularly interested in how much was known from before she came to court. Despite that, I still quite enjoyed it.

The Empty Bed – Nina Sadowsky
The Burial Society series Book #2
4.5

Eva Lombard is being followed. Or so she suspects. . . . Eva and her husband, Peter, are in Hong Kong on a romantic getaway from London when Peter wakes up in their hotel room to an empty bed, his wife gone without a trace. His worst fears are confirmed: Eva wasn’t imagining things. Suddenly, he finds himself the number one suspect in his wife’s disappearance, trapped in a foreign country with no one to turn to. He calls his boss, Forrest “Holly” Holcomb, who enlists the help of Catherine, his ex-flame and the enigmatic operator behind the darknet witness-protection program known as the Burial Society. As a favor to Holly, Catherine sends her team of highly trained Society members on a dangerous chase through Hong Kong to find Eva—while Catherine takes care of pressing business at home. Not only is she tasked with a mission in Mexico City, protecting a family that knows too much from a vengeful pharmaceutical company, but an FBI agent tracking down the missing wife and child of a charismatic businessman is about to come dangerously close to exposing the Society’s secrets. In these intertwining story lines that converge in unexpected ways, not everyone is who they appear to be—and not everyone who is lost wants to be found.

I found Catherine and her mysterious network to be impressively connected and intriguingly motivated. I thought the plot line that the Burial Society rescues people that find themselves in dangerous situations was fascinating and the author has build on this theme to produce an exciting, well done story. Catherine herself is an outstanding character that excels in empathy and efficiency. The short chapters make for easy reading and the action defies logic. It’s a whirlwind adventure through Hong Kong. I understand this is book#2 in the series so I will be looking for book #1. Some of the background from the first book would have gone a long way in aiding with understanding some of this one.

I received an advance copy of this book from Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are entirely all my own.

Here Today, Gone Tamale – Rebecca Adler
2**

First in a series. Josie Callahan has lost her journalist job in Austin AND had her former fiancé unfriend her on Facebook. So, she returns, tail between her legs, to Broken Boot, Texas. She’s living above her Aunt and Uncle’s restaurant and waiting tables to make ends meet. The town’s Wild Wild West Festival is a big tourist attraction, and businesses count on the increased traffic to keep going. But when a local artist is found behind the restaurant, one of the restaurant’s staff is arrested for her murder. Josie doesn’t think the Sheriff is up to the task of investigating, so she uses her reporting skills to ferret out information that will point to the real killer.

As cozies go, this is okay, but the plot is weak and Josie seems too clueless to be a big-city reporter. I did like a number of the supporting cast, including her pet long-haired Chihuahua, Lenny. But I was irritated beyond words that the publishers and/or author didn’t bother to use the proper spellings / alphabet for Spanish words that are used – e.g. Senora vs Señora. That’s just lazy.

I’ll probably read another just to see how the possible romantic dilemma works out. And there are some decent recipes included at the end.

The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man – Jonas Jonasson
Book on CD performed by Peter Kenny.
3.5***

From the book jacket: It all begins with a hot-air balloon trip and three bottles of champagne. Allan and Julius are ready for some spectacular views, but they’re not expecting to land in the sea and be rescued by a North Korean ship, and they could never have imagined that the captain of the ship would be harboring a suitcase full of contraband uranium, on a nuclear weapons mission for Kim Jong-un….

My reactions
The scenarios are every bit as ridiculous, outlandish, and unbelievable as in the first book, but I just love the way Allan just “goes with the flow.” Nothing really upsets him; he keeps his wits about him and manages to cleverly work his way out of a number of dicey situations. Along the way there are encounters with a number of world leaders, including Donald Trump and Angela Merkel (among others).

It’s a fast, fun, romp of a novel that had me giggling in places.

Peter Kenny does a fine job performing the audiobook. I really love the way he interprets Allan, but his Kim Jong-un is almost unintelligible, and his Donald Trump is not even close to begin accurate.

The Doll's House - M.J. Arlidge
Helen Grace series Book #3
5★

Ruby wakes up in a strange room. Her captor calmly explains that no one is looking for her. No one wants her. Except him. When the body of a woman is found buried on a secluded beach, Detective Helen Grace is called to the scene. She knows right away that the killer is no amateur. The woman has been dead for years, and no one has even reported her missing. But why would they? She’s still sending text messages to her family. Helen is convinced that a criminal mastermind is at work: someone very smart, very careful, and worst of all, very patient. But as she struggles to piece together the killer’s motive, time is running out for a victim who is still alive.

I don't know how I missed this one since I've read all the others. Glad I discovered it and corrected that mistake. I can't say that any one of the Helen Grace books is my favorite since I loved them all but this one comes very close to holding that place of honor. As usual in this series there is a serial killer in the story and this time he has Ruby...but she wasn't his first. A body has also been found buried on the beach that is at least 3 years old and has been determined that it is more of his work. No one has been real concerned about the missing girls since they were getting text messages on a regular basis. It's a good story and well told with enough excitement to keep the reader involved in the search and race against time.

Triangle / Katharine Weber
2.5 stars

Esther was working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York in 1911 when it burnt down. Her sister and fiancee both died in the fire, but she managed to get out. She was pregnant at the time. In current day, she is 106-years old. A historian, Ruth, has been interviewing her to find out more about the fire. When Esther passes away, Ruth contacts Esther’s granddaughter, Rebecca, to find out how much she knew.

I didn’t find any of the characters likable. The whole music thing with Rebecca’s husband was boring – way too much detail on that, and it really didn’t seem necessary. The info about the fire itself was interesting, but retold a few times in a few different way (interviews, trial transcripts, etc). The very end confused me a little; I may have it figured out, but I’m not positive. The current-day storyline was definitely not one I was interested in, though of course, the fire itself (even if I didn’t like the way it was told), was the best part of the book.

Where The Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens
1★

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens.

I thought the story was totally unbelievable. We meet a little girl…now keep in mind that she is 6 years old. She has been left alone in a shack in the middle of the North Carolina swamp. Now here is where I had many problems with it. She raises herself. She lives in that same shack all this time. No one lifts a hand to help her or check on her or even misses her in more than 20 years? In all that time nothing ever needs repairs or breaks down? What does she do for clothes? I don’t think she could wear the same clothes all this time. My two kids were lucky if they could wear the same clothes for 6 months when they were 6 years old. The whole thing just fumbled and stumbled around…maybe it was searching for a place to end its misery. I am a member of the minority here I know...as I see almost 800 people rated it 4 or 5 stars. Sorry, but I just don't see it. Oh yeah…there was a murder.

The Weight of Blood - Laura McHugh
4★

The town of Henbane sits deep in the Ozark Mountains. Folks there still whisper about Lucy Dane’s mother, a bewitching stranger who appeared long enough to marry Carl Dane and then vanished when Lucy was just a child. Now on the brink of adulthood, Lucy experiences another loss when her friend Cheri disappears and is then found murdered, her body placed on display for all to see. Lucy’s family has deep roots in the Ozarks, part of a community that is fiercely protective of its own. Yet despite her close ties to the land, and despite her family’s influence, Lucy—darkly beautiful as her mother was—is always thought of by those around her as her mother’s daughter. When Cheri disappears, Lucy is haunted by the two lost girls—the mother she never knew and the friend she couldn’t save—and sets out with the help of a local boy, Daniel, to uncover the mystery behind Cheri’s death. What Lucy discovers is a secret that pervades the secluded Missouri hills, and beyond that horrific revelation is a more personal one concerning what happened to her mother more than a decade earlier. The Weight of Blood is a look at the dark side of a bucolic landscape beyond the arm of the law, where a person can easily disappear without a trace.

It’s composed of two parallel stories that are set almost two decades apart. Although it can often be confusing to have a story that is told from multiple points of view…I didn’t find that to be the case here. Each chapter clearly indicates whose viewpoint it is. The author also very nicely conveys the atmosphere of this small, Ozark community…or for that matter any small community where everyone knows everyone else’s' business and superstitions are a normal part of everyday life. This is not a “whodunit”… nor is it a thriller with over the top situations and one-dimensional characters. It is really more about the relationships between people and the secrets they keep and why. There are a few TSTL moments but otherwise it is a worthwhile read.

The President is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton
5*****

I bought this book whilst at an airport and almost finished with my travel book, in part because I like James Patterson's Alex Cross books and in part because I was intrigued with the insider's view that former President Bill Clinton would give it. And I was not disappointed.

It was a gripping, fast-paced, international spy/political/cyber thriller pulling out all the stops. There is a glimpse of computer systems that have gone down, and lights are blinking, and a young woman approaches the President with a bizarre message about upcoming cyber events that might just be right.

Plausibility of the actions and conversations of a President are presented well in this book: backroom and private conversations that have to happen; the mindset of the Secret Service; and what is the human side of power. And of war. Add to that the backdrop of the Sarajevo conflict, the modern Eastern European vs. Russia tensions, and the help of NATO and branches of the Saudi royal family, and it all comes together for a true page-turner.

Pied Piper
Nevil Shute
4/5 stars
Englishman John Howard, alone in life decides to take a fishing trip to France. On his way home, he is asked to escort a couple of children home to England. Unfortunately, Germany invades France just while he is trying to get the children home. Travel is very hard and along the way he picks up a few more children that desperately need to leave France. I enjoy Shute’s works and this one didn’t disappoint me. Poignant! A Title Without the Letters A, T, or Y

>60 JulieLill: This was the first Nevil Shute book I've read, I became an instant fan.

The Magpie Tree - Katherine Stansfield
Cornish Mystery series Book #2
4.5★

Jamaica Inn, 1844: the talk is of witches. A boy has vanished in the woods of Trethevy on the North Cornish coast, and a reward is offered for his return. Shilly has had enough of such dark doings, but her new companion, the woman who calls herself Anna Drake, insists they investigate. Anna wants to open a detective agency, and the reward would fund it. They soon learn of a mysterious pair of strangers who have likely taken the boy, and of Saint Nectan who, legend has it, kept safe the people of the woods. As Shilly and Anna seek the missing child, the case takes another turn – murder. Something is stirring in the woods and old sins have come home to roost.

Loved the atmosphere of this story. It created a dark and macabre atmosphere that any spooky mystery lover could appreciate. The woods are dark and mysterious and the sounding of a bell when danger arises could be that of the long dead St. Nectan...or simply the warning bell from the nearby slate quarry that blasting is about to take place. Beautiful descriptions throughout as we follow Anna and Shilly to a hidden valley where magic has spirited away a child. The story draws heavily on folk tales and your vivid imagination. The only thing I found a bit taxing was the use of Cornish phrases that were unfamiliar to me. This is the second book in the Cornish Mystery series and I am off to find the first book.

There There – Tommy Orange
4****

In his debut novel, Orange explores the world of today’s Urban Indian; people who may be registered with a tribe in Oklahoma or New Mexico, while living in Oakland California. These are people who struggle with the issues of the urban poor, while also trying to work against stereotype, and still connect with and celebrate their native culture.

Orange tells the story through the lives of a dozen different characters, all of whom are going to attend the Big Oakland Powwow. Some struggle with substance abuse and/or alcoholism. Others have issues of abandonment. Some have embraced their heritage despite little or no support from family. Others have turned from a culture they feel has failed them. Their lives are interwoven by coincidence, thin threads of DNA, circumstance, proximity and/or their shared desire to attend the powwow. They are in turn angry, desolate, hopeful, joyous, loving, confused, determined, generous or mean.

I did feel somewhat confused by the work, mostly due to the many characters and the constantly shifting point of view. Still, Orange’s voice is unique and powerful. And I look forward to reading more from him in the future.

Update on second reading
I listened to the audio the first time, but chose to read the text for my second reading. If anything, the impact of Orange's writing is greater when reading on the page. Made for a stimulating book club discussion, though the majority of our members did not like the book.

Scent To Her Grave – India Ink
2.5**

Beginning of a new series starring Persia Vanderbilt, who, together with her Aunt, runs the local bath and body store -Venus Envy in Gull Harbor, WA.

I liked the basic premise and Persia's skill with scents and botanicals to create specialized compounds for her clients. I also liked the slow-burn potential romance. Her friend Barbara is a great sidekick.

That being said, the mystery was a little weak IMHO and the ending seemed rushed. Overall, it’s a decent cozy, but I’m in no hurry to read another in the series.

Royal Flush / Rhys Bowen
3.5 stars

In this third book in the series, Georgie (Lady Georgiana, 34th in line to the British throne) is headed back to Scotland to her family’s castle, where she plans to help her (hated) sister-in-law with an influx of (unwanted) visitors. While there, she is asked by someone at Scotland Yard to watch and listen. It seems that some of the royals’ lives may be in danger! And there do seem to be way too many “accidents” for comfort.

It’s funny, as I started reading this, I wondered why I kept adding this series to my tbr, as it started off slow, and there aren’t very many characters I actually like! I tend not to be impressed even with Georgie – at least at first. I think it’s the interaction between Darcy and Georgie that I keep reading for. Anyway, in the end, I did like it, and I do plan to continue with the series.

The Haunting of Rookward House
3★

When Guy finds the deeds to a house in his mother’s attic, it seems like an incredible stroke of luck. Sure, the building hasn’t been inhabited in forty years and vines strangle the age-stained walls, but Guy is convinced he can clean it up and sell it. He’d be crazy to turn down free money. Right? The house is hours from any other habitation, and Guy can't get phone reception in the old building. He decides to camp there while he does repairs. Surely nothing too bad can happen in the space of a week. But there’s a reason no one lives in Rookward House, and the dilapidated rooms aren’t as empty as they seem… A deranged woman tormented a family in Rookward forty years before. Now her ghost clings to the building like rot. She’s bitter, obsessive, and jealous… and once Guy has moved into her house, she has no intention of ever letting him leave.

As most of you know...I am the ghost story junkie and will l freely admit to being a devoted haunted house story fan. I have read some really good ones by this author. Having said that...I was rather disappointed to find that this one was so predictable. I just knew in advance everything that was going to prevent Guy from leaving and always lead him back to Rookward. It was a worthy 3 star read but it was more creepy than actually scary.

>61 Sergeirocks: I like his books and will probably read more of him!

An Irish Country Doctor – Patrick Taylor
Audiobook performed by John Keating
4****

Taylor tells the tale of a young physician learning the ropes from an older, wiser, well-established practitioner in an Irish village, in the mid 1960s. Barry Laverty is happy to have this position, and he has an experienced, if unconventional, teacher in Dr Fingal Flaherty O’Reilly.

I’ve heard this described as “James Herriot for people” and I think that’s a perfect description. Some of the cases are quite serious, some patients are malingerers. While O’Reilly’s main advice is to “never let the customers get the upper hand,” he still shows great compassion for serious problems, teaches the young Laverty how to admit being wrong and helps him learn to apologize for his own mistakes. Which, of course, doctors do make – being human, after all.

The book is full of wonderful characters, from the steadfast housekeeper Mrs Kincaid, who prefers to be called Kinky, to the young doctor’s first love, Pamela, from elderly patients suffering mostly from loneliness, to young children with appendicitis, from shopkeepers with heart disease, to farmers with work-related injuries. There are some very humorous moments, and a few tender ones as well. Very entertaining.

John Keating does a marvelous job of performing the audiobook. I loved how he interpreted both O’Reilly and Laverty. And he does a passable job of the various women characters, as well.

The Diva Haunts the House – Krista Davis
Digital audiobook narrated by Hilary Huber
3***

Book five in the cozy series featuring Domestic Diva Sophie Winston and her rival Natasha. As the title implies, this one focuses on Halloween. Sophie is in charge of the community’s fund-raiser Haunted House, which Natasha takes as a personal affront to her own “fabulous” costume party. The rivalry escalates when one of the displays in front of Natasha’s house turns out to be an actual body, and, of course, it’s Sophie who discovers the grisly scene.

There’s no lack of suspects, and plenty of costumed vampires around to confuse everyone from the police to the amateur sleuths. Add a gaggle of teen-age girls (and the teen boys they’re interested in), a séance, a riled parent, and the drama of both an ex-husband and a police detective who are quick to come to Sophie’s aid and you have a formula for a successful cozy.

I like the decorating tips at the beginning of each chapter. While I don’t ever throw a Halloween party, I certainly liked some of the suggestions. And the recipes at the end were a nice addition.

Hilary Huber does a fine job narrating the audiobook. She has a good pace and handles the many characters easily.

The Other Girl - Erica Spindler
4.5★

A horrific crime. One witness―a fifteen year old girl from the wrong side of the tracks, one known for lying and her own brushes with the law. Is it any surprise no one believed her? Officer Miranda Rader of the Harmony, Louisiana PD is known for her honesty, integrity, and steady hand in a crisis―but that wasn’t always so. Miranda comes from the town of Jasper, a place about the size of a good spit on a hot day, and her side of the tracks was the wrong one. She’s worked hard to earn the respect of her coworkers and the community. When Miranda and her partner are called to investigate the murder of one of the town’s most beloved college professors, they’re unprepared for the brutality of the scene. This murder is unlike any they’ve ever investigated, and just when Miranda thinks she’s seen the worst of it, she finds a piece of evidence that chills her to the core: a faded newspaper clipping about that terrible night fifteen years ago. The night she’d buried, along with her past and the girl she’d been back then. Until now that grave had stayed sealed…except for those times, in the deepest part of the night, when the nightmares came: of a crime no one believed happened and the screams of the girl they believed didn’t exist. Then another man turns up dead, this one a retired cop. Not just any cop―the one who took her statement that night. Two murders, two very different men, two killings that on the surface had nothing in common―except Miranda.

I've read almost everything that Erica Spindler has written and always found that she crafted a story sprinkled with characters that you can both love and hate...feel empathy for and want to strangle... sometimes at the same time. Miranda was a character that fell into a world that was against her seemingly from the very first. I became frustrated..(4.5 stars instead of 5) with the people in authority and the way they treated her as a 15 year old girl and later the way these same people treated her as a decorated police officer. I knew who the "other girl" was early in the book but the perpetrator was a well kept secret almost to the last page.

The Woman in the Window / A.J. Finn
4 stars

Anna, a psychologist who is suffering from agoraphobia (she is scared to leave her house), has a tendency to watch her neighbours through the window. When a new family moves in (parents and a teenage son), she soon meets both Ethan (the son) and Jane, his mother. The more she talks to them and the more she watches the house, she is afraid for them. One day, she sees something horrible, but the police don’t believe her.

I really liked this. The beginning reminded me of “Rear Window”, the Alfred Hitchcock movie (which was later mentioned, as Anna is a huge classic thriller movie buff). It drew me in from the start and, at least for me, the pace kept up almost the entire way through the book. Anna also drinks, so it was hard to figure out what she really saw and what she didn’t. It seems many are tired of psychological thrillers/unreliable narrators, but I’m still enjoying them, this one included! I did figure out a couple of small things along the way, but not the big twists.

The Secrets of Roscarbury Hall- Ann O'Laughlin
4.5 ★


Secrets can’t last forever. . . .In a crumbling mansion in a small Irish village in County Wicklow, two elderly sisters, Ella and Roberta O’Callaghan, live alone in Roscarbury Hall with their secrets, memories, and mutual hatred. Long estranged, the two communicate only by terse notes. But when the sisters are threatened with bankruptcy, Ella defies Roberta’s wishes and converts the mansion's old ballroom into a cafe. Much to Roberta’s displeasure, the cafe is a hit and the sisters are reluctantly drawn back into the village life they abandoned decades ago. But gossip has a long life. As the local convent comes under scrutiny, the O’Callaghan sisters find themselves caught up in an adoption scandal that dates back to the 1960s and spreads all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. Only by overcoming their enmity and facing up to the past can they face the future together—but can they finally put their differences behind them?

A novel filled with both joys and sorrows. I really like how Ann O'Loughlin made the reader care about the characters...how she intertwined Irish history into the story to give us a better of understanding of why things happened as they did. The author just keeps putting twists into the plot so that when you think you are almost at the end...you realize you have a long way to go to unravel the pieces of this puzzle.

A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America by Philip Rucker (NF/iBook)

YIKES ~ general observations coming at a later date!

Catching up on my January reads, I read Truly Devious and The Vanishing Stair both by Maureen Johnson and have requested the third book of the series from the library, but don't expect it to come in any time soon, definitely not in January. I did review Truly Devious, but didn't bother with the second book as my review of both books would be virtually the exact same as nothing really changed from one book to the next.

Am now re-reading the Dresden Files an urban fantasy series by Jim Butcher. I'm almost done with book 2, Fool Moon. I believe I posted reviews for almost all the books of the series to date that I have read, but it was quite a long time ago.

Flight Behavior – Barbara Kingsolver
Audiobook read by the author
4****

Dellarobia Turnbow is ten years into a marriage that has never satisfied her. Unsure how to deal with her restlessness she flirts with a younger man, a telephone lineman, and suggests a tryst in a hunter’s blind deep in the woods behind her home. But as she climbs to this ill-thought-out meeting, she encounters a strange sight that literally stops her in her tracks. The only way she can describe it is “a lake of fire.”

Kingsolver has crafted a story of one woman’s awakening, and simultaneously a warning about climate change. I found the story compelling from both perspectives. I know many people criticize Kingsolver for being preachy, but I did not find her message overbearing.

Dellarobia is a fascinating character. She’s intelligent but lacks education, having gotten pregnant and married right out of high school. Her community is small and somewhat restrictive. People are mostly struggling to survive in deep Appalachia. They do not have time to ponder philosophy or global impact. And they are quick to judge anyone who tries to break out of the mold. Focus is on family and church. Dellarobia and her husband live on his parents’ land, in a house just a stone’s throw from his mother and father. Yet they have limited say in their own future. It’s no wonder she’s feeling suffocated and unfulfilled.

But when her in-laws discover the amazing sight on the mountain things begin to change. Dellarobia becomes the focus of media attention and her image goes viral. She begins helping the scientist who comes to study the phenomenon, and this opens her eyes to new possibilities.

While the book begins with a self-described rash act, I found Dellarobia to be much more cautious than that initial impression. I liked the way she thought about, questioned, researched, and considered her life, her family, her relationships and her future. I liked that she begins to make some hard decisions that are first about her own survival, and ultimately about her family as well.

Certainly, there are references to religion (just google “lake of fire” and the bible). And Kingsolver is questioning how people can believe something in the face of contradictory evidence – in this case about climate change. I know many people criticize Kingsolver for being preachy, but I did not find her message overbearing in this book. It certainly gave me plenty to think about.

I did find the ending somewhat abrupt and would love to have some discussion about it with one of my F2F book clubs. Unfortunately for me, this book has not yet made it to the reading list for any of them … yet.

Kingsolver narrates the audiobook herself, and she does a fine job. She makes no effort to give the characters significantly different voices, though she does attempt a vaguely “Caribbean” accent for Ovid.

When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger
340 pages - ★ ★ ★

The third title in Weisberger's Devil Wears Prada series, this one focuses on Emily Charlton, now an image consultant in LA who is losing business to a new start-up. She goes to the Connecticut suburbs to see her friend Miriam, who left her high-powered law firm to stay home with her kids. Reaching out to both Miriam and Emily is Karolina, a supermodel wife of a politician. He's had Karolina arrested for a DUI so he can leave her and make her look like the evil one. None of these three is cut out for life in Greenwich - especially Emily.

Not a bad story at all. A bit predictable. The best part - seeing Miranda Priestly again!

The Great Hunger: Ireland 1845-1849 / Cecil Woodham-Smith
2.75 stars

In the mid-1800s, the main food in Ireland was potatoes. A disease (blight) hit potatoes and was devastating for the people of Ireland. There was nothing else to substitute, as it’s what the most vulnerable populations ate.

This was an audio, and as soon as I heard the narrator, I had a bad feeling. I’m sure I’ve listened to this narrator before; also male and a British accent – sadly both of those are warnings that I am more likely to lose interest and miss a lot of what’s going on. And that’s what happened.

Although, I did follow more than I expected. There was also a lot of politics – coming out of England, how would they help the people (or not)? I followed at least some of the issues with the potatoes, the starving population, and some of the immigration to North America; I missed something about a trial (no idea what that was about), and the queen visited Ireland after it was over, but I missed most of that, as well (beyond that everyone loved her during her first trip). Given how much of it I missed, I couldn’t quite rate it “ok”, but I didn’t want to rate it too low, either, as what I did pay attention to was interesting.

Latinos In Milwaukee – Joseph A Rodriguez Ph.D. & Walter Sava Ph.D.
3***

This is a short history of the various Latino immigrant populations in Wisconsin’s largest city. This is part of a series of books that document various historical events in cities around the nation. I found it interesting but not particularly compelling.

The authors interviewed many current residents, some whose families had been in the area since the early 20th century; and outline the various reasons and opportunities that brought these immigrants north. From Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Central America, people came for opportunities in the cities tanning operations, factories and colleges. They formed civic organizations, sports leagues and arts boards. They joined the US military, opened businesses, and got elected to local office.

My book club had the pleasure of welcoming Dr Sava for our discussion. THAT meeting / discussion was stimulating, informative and enjoyable.

Hmmm .... I post a review that includes a cover image. It shows up when I hit "post message"

But when I come back a few hours later ... the cover image is missing.

Something is wonky.

>79 BookConcierge: Check and be sure that there is a left facing arrow at the front of IMG SRC = and a right facing arrow at the end of the image address. Also be sure there is spacing between the words in the image address between the two arrows.

>79 BookConcierge: I've had that happen before. If you're looking at post >78 BookConcierge:, the image is showing fine for me. (I've had that before, too - I post it, the image appears fine; I come back later, it's not showing, but I ask and others can see it.)

Murder by the Book
Rex Stout
3/5 stars
An author and three people who had access to his book are murdered. When the inspector cannot solve the case he contacts Nero Wolfe and his staff to help in the investigation. Of course Wolfe prevails and this unusual case is solved. Interesting plus a fast read!

I Will Always Find You Willow Sanders
I Will Always Find You Book #1 of a 2 part series
3★

Cammie Saint isn’t a victim. Sure, she’s had a string of bad luck, the apartment break in then the attack in the parking lot. Sometimes life hands you lemons. Why is everyone so interested in her case? Even the new neighbor is sniffing around for clues. There are things she wants from the neighborhood Officer Hottie, but an interrogation wasn’t what she was thinking of. Always That’s Special Agent Vaughn, DEA. Of all the places he thought he’d be, Kansas City wasn’t one of them. . While Agent Vaughn searches for answers, Cammie finds herself thrown into a world she never expected. How will secrets from her past, compromise her future? What happens when someone who never wanted to be found, is discovered?

It's not a bad story at all but not exactly my cuppa tea. I did however find that it was extremely easy to be entertained with this book. I liked the character of Agent Vaughn who is on the hunt for a notorious cartel leader. He doesn’t have the time for entanglements and Cammie was indeed an entanglement. The story was told from both Cammie's and Agent Vaughn's point of view which worked very well but it was just too much on the romance side for me but well worth 3 stars.

Thanks for the suggestions, Carol and Cindy. I know the html coding is correct as I double checked it when I notice the image was gone. I also asked in the BUGS group. Apparently there's a recurring problem with images originating from amazon. Not worth the effort to fix these as far as I'm concerned.

The Secret Footprints – Julia Alvarez
Illustrations by Fabian Negrin
5*****

This children’s picture book tells the Dominican Republic legend of the ciguapas – a race of extraordinarily beautiful people who live in caves beneath the sea and come onto land only at night. As a further way of ensuring they won’t be found their feet are on backwards, so anyone following their footprints will be led away from them rather than toward them.

I found this charming and entertaining. I liked the kindness displayed by both Guapa and the human boy and his family. Could not help but recall The Little Mermaid. The illustrations by Fabian Negrin are gloriously rich in color and bring me right to the tropics.

The Milagro Beanfield War – John Nichols – 5*****
5*****

In a New Mexico valley the power is held by one man and his company. Over the years Ladd Devine’s family has manipulated the indigenous peasant farmers, securing the majority of water rights for his proposed golf course / spa retreat while leaving the original residents with arid land, unsuitable for farming, or even grazing. So he’s been able to buy out the poor farmers securing more and more land and leaving less water for those that remain. Until one day Joe Mondragon decides to cut a break in the wall and divert water onto his late father’s field, so he can plant some beans.

I've had this book on my TBR radar for a bajillion years and I don't know why I waited so long to read it. I really liked it a lot! The quirky characters, the message, the humor, the pathos, and the landscape all made this an especially moving book for me. I could not help but think of my grandparents - we always referred to their property as a "dirt farm" - dirt being their most reliable crop. They were on their ranch / farm well into their 80s ... even after my grandfather had two strokes. He just got up and kept caring for the animals, tending the orchards, repairing the truck, doing whatever it took to keep on living.

So, thank you, PBT Trim the TBR for finally giving me the "push" I needed to get to this gem of a novel. I can hardly wait to read it again!

If I have any complaint about the book, it’s about this edition’s Afterward, where the author begins with: Actually, I’ve sort of had it with THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR. and goes on to explain how distressed he is that this is the only book people seem to remember him for rather all his other works, some of which he believes are superior. But my disappointment with his little tantrum doesn’t diminish my enjoyment of the book itself.

Michelle Remembers / Michelle Smith, Lawrence Pazder
3 stars

This was published in 1980. In 1977, Michelle Smith recounted repressed memories (from when she was 5 years old in 1954/1955) to her psychiatrist (co-author Lawrence Pazder). This book follows that therapy. When Michelle was only 5, her unstable mother gave her away to a cult of Satanists to be abused and used in various rituals.

So, I’ve owned this since I was in high school, but I don’t think I read it back then. The first half was more interesting than the second half, when Satan appeared. The second half got much more religious, and it was less interesting to me. Now, this has since been debunked, and I found that out in the middle of reading it, but I don’t think it affected my rating (though it appears that many rated it 1 star, simply because it’s not true); I actually didn’t want that knowledge to affect how I rated the book.

The Woman In the Window – A J Finn
Audiobook narrated by Ann Marie Lee.
4****

This psychological thriller (with a capital ‘P’ !) takes its inspiration from the classic films of Alfred Hitchcock, chiefly Rear Window and Vertigo.

Anna Fox is a trained psychologist who now suffers from agoraphobia, trapped by her fear in her 19th-century Harlem brownstone, living vicariously by spying on the neighbors through the telephoto lens of her camera. She’s alone since her husband and daughter left, though she does still talk to them regularly. But mostly she drinks … a lot. And then one day she sees a crime committed in the house across the little park. The family is new to the neighborhood and she’s only met their teen-aged son when he brought over a candle as a new-neighbor gift, so she’s stunned to witness a woman being stabbed. But her inebriated state and her history of psychological problems cause the police to dismiss her complaints. But she just cannot let this go.

Obviously, Anna’s an unreliable narrator. And there are enough twists and turns in the plot to make the reader as unsure as the police about what Anna has actually witnessed. It’s a roller coaster of a ride and I was engaged and interested from beginning to end (even though I guessed the culprit quite a bit before the reveal).

While his Goodreads profile is scant, there is all sorts of information available about A J Finn (a pseudonym) on the internet, including about his own psychological problems. He’s been called both a liar and con man. Still, despite borrowing heavily from Hitchcock and other masters of suspense, he’s crafted a pretty entertaining, and page-turning yarn.

Anne Marie Lee does a marvelous job performing the audiobook. The final scenes are nothing short of chilling!

a Very Stable Genius
5 stars

General observations ~

At some point after he left the administration, Reince Priebus observed that what was happening in the West Wing was much worse than what the public was witnessing. This book corroborates that observation. Rucker and Leonnig use their research findings to show that Trump is keeping his promise to be a human hand grenade in Washington. Because he has his own brand of reality, keeping questionable ideas from germinating in his mind is a lost cause. The authors use first-person accounts which allow the reader to decide if what occurred is admirable and lawful behavior for an American president and the leader of the free world. Do a majority of Americans want this type of leadership style to become the norm in our 21st Century republic?

For me, this book and American Carnage by Tim Alberta are the gold standard when it comes to exposing the underbelly of Trump's presidential era and the GOP's long-standing suicide mission.

Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate and Innocent Man
Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic
5/5
This book tells the tale of the WWII ship Indianapolis. During the war this ship had a secret mission to deliver one of the atomic bombs that was used on Japan to help end the war. After that mission, a Japanese submarine attacked the boat causing it to sink, losing the lives of many of the crew. Despite the heroic actions of Commander McVay and the lack of help from the Navy, he was court martialed for not following procedures. Many of his crew was upset with the charges and it took years to have someone look into and dispute the charges. This was so interesting and there was also a wonderful special on PBS that led me to read the book. I recommend both. Check out more information at https://www.pbs.org/show/uss-indianapolis/

Caught / Harlan Coben
3.75 stars

Dan is set up by a reporter who is out to catch a pedophile. The charges are later dropped, but Dan’s life is ruined. Meantime, a teenage girl has gone missing. Wendy, the reporter who set things up on Dan, thinks there is still something going on and won’t give up until she finds out what it is.

It’s actually hard to summarize this one, as there are a few things going on. For the most part, though, as with most of Coben’s books, I was kept turning pages; I wanted to keep reading. As usual, there were plenty of twists and turns. Although I didn’t figure out any of the twists, for some reason (I have no idea why), I didn’t feel shocked at most of them. They were a surprise, but the twists didn’t blow me away, like they usually do. I’m just not sure why the end underwhelmed me.

Hannah’s Dream – Diane Hammond
3.5***

Sam Brown has been caring for Hannah, an Asian elephant, for over forty years, since shortly after she came to the Max Biedelman Zoo in the small agricultural town of Bladenham, Washington. Max Biedelman was really Maxine, the daughter and heiress of a wealthy lumber tycoon. She loved animals and nature and had quite the private collection of exotic animals. She willed her property, including the zoo and all its animals, to the city. But now a new zoo director has arrived, and Harriet Saul is determined to turn this place around. Unfortunately, her goals don’t have anything to do with proper care of the animals and Hannah will be the one to suffer most. Unless Sam and his colleagues and friends can find a way to save her.

This was a heartwarming story and I really enjoyed it. But then, if a book has an elephant in it, I’m bound to be a fan. I really liked Sam, his wife Corina, and Neva Wilson, the young zookeeper who comes to help.

The story moves back and forth in time, sometimes going to the early days when Max Biedelman was still alive, and Sam first came to work as Hannah’s keeper. The writing isn’t stellar, and the characters are out of central casting. But the basic story line was still enjoyable and kept me turning pages. There’s a subplot dealing with Max’s relationship with the charming, if frail, Miss Effie, that does little to advance the main plot, but which was handled sensitively.

>90 JulieLill: ... I also highly recommend In Harm's Way by Doug Stanton.

>93 BookConcierge: Thanks for the recommendation.

13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey - Kathryn Tucker Windham & Margaret Figh
5★

One of the best-known and widely shared books about the South, Thirteen Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey has haunted the imaginations of generations of delighted young readers since it was first published in 1969. Written by nationally acclaimed folklorists Kathryn Tucker Windham and Margaret Gillis Figh, the book recounts Alabama’s thirteen most ghoulish and eerie ghost legends. Curated with loving expertise, these thirteen tales showcase both Windham and Figh’s masterful selection of stories and their artful and suspenseful writing style. In crafting stories treasured by children and adults alike, the authors tell much more than ghost tales. Embedded in each is a wealth of fact and folklore about Alabama history and the old South. “I don’t care whether you believe in ghosts,” Windham was fond of saying. “The good ghost stories do not require that you believe in ghosts.”

The book is intended for children so you won’t find these stories to be even remotely scary…but rather true tales of haunted places in Alabama. The "Jeffrey" part refers to the friendly little ghost named Jeffrey, who appeared in the Windham house in Selma, Alabama years ago. I don’t know when I have read stories of this type told so beautifully. These are indeed “Southern treasures”.

There’s Something About Christmas – Debbie Macomber
2.5**

Emma Collins is a journalist for a small-town newspaper. Oliver Hamilton is a charming pilot who’s agreed to fly her to various Washington cities so she can interview the three finalists in a national fruitcake contest. This is her big chance to prove she can do more than write obituaries and sell advertising space. But she’s afraid to fly. And she’s put off by Oliver’s attempts to charm her. Still, she can’t deny the spark between them.

It’s a Debbie Macomber Christmas story, cue the music and the snowflakes, grab some hot chocolate and enjoy the holiday romance. It’s a fun, fast read, if totally predictable.

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily and Finding Home – Tembi Locke
4****

Subtitle: A memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home

While in Florence Italy as an exchange student Tembi met the man of her dreams. Saro was Sicilian, a chef, and more than a decade older than Tembi. She was an African-American college student, with attorney parents from Houston Texas. It was love at first sight, and the deal was sealed with the gift of a bicycle (probably stolen). This was an impossible relationship, but they made it work.

And then he got cancer.

This is a wonderful memoir full of love and tenderness, grief and frustration, joy and a sense of belonging.

Locke narrates the audiobook herself. I cannot imagine anyone doing a better job. Brava!

The Story Hour – Thrity Umrigar
5*****

Lakshmi Patil is an immigrant with an angry, unloving husband and no family or friends. In her abject loneliness she decides to commit suicide. Maggie Bose is a trained psychologist who is asked to see Lakshmi in the hospital. Something about the woman touches Maggie’s heart and she agrees to provide therapy without cost. The lines become blurred as their relationship less professional and more friendly. Both women are hiding significant secrets – from themselves, from each other, from their spouses, friends and family.

Umrigar alternates viewpoints between these two women. Lakshmi’s chapters are written in a broken English that was at first off-putting, but which I came to appreciate for how clearly that voice represented her. The reader gets a true sense of her loneliness, confusion, difficulties in understanding this language and culture so different from her native land, and the progress she makes. In contrast, Maggie’s chapters show her education, social position, and training as a psychologist. And yet, for all her ability to see the possible stories and motivations behind the actions and words of her patient/friend (or other people she comes into contact with), she seems blind to her own motivations.

I was completely engaged from page one through all the ups and downs of the story. I was anxious about how things would work out, sympathized with them when feelings were hurt, felt anger at some situations, and eagerly hoped for a resolution.

I’m glad that Umrigar left the ending somewhat ambiguous, but I have hope that these characters will find their way to understanding and forgiveness.

The Price of Salt
Patricia Highsmith
4/5 stars
Set in the 50’s, Therese Belivet is fresh out of school and trying to establish her career in set design. She has been working part time jobs and dating a young man who is ready to get married. But Therese is not ready to settle down. While working at a store’s toy department during Christmas she meets Carol Aird, wife and mother, who is estranged from her husband. They start to develop a friendship that becomes stronger and soon threatens Carol’s relationship with her daughter. Highsmith does a great job building up the tension and you will be wondering where this will end.

In A House of Lies - Ian Rankin
John Rebus series Book #22
4.5★

Former Detective John Rebus' retirement is disrupted once again when skeletal remains are identified as a private investigator who went missing over a decade earlier. The remains, found in a rusted car in the East Lothian woods, not far from Edinburgh, quickly turn into a cold case murder investigation. Rebus' old friend, Siobhan Clarke is assigned to the case, but neither of them could have predicted what buried secrets the investigation will uncover. Rebus remembers the original case -- a shady land deal -- all too well. After the investigation stalled, the family of the missing man complained that there was a police cover-up. As Clarke and her team investigate the cold case murder, she soon learns a different side of her mentor, a side he would prefer to keep in the past.

I have been a long time fan of the Rebus series but for some reason have missed a couple of issues. This one comes a couple of years after the 2 that I have yet to read but I often read out of order. I found my hero, John Rebus retires and not in the best of heath. Something new for John and a bit worrisome for the reader since I began to wonder if Ian Rankiin was planning to close out this series. I also found that another character, Michael Fox was being highlighted more...that was also disturbing since I never cared for this character from the first time he stuck his head in one of John's cases. I cringed a bit as this older version of Rebus keeps trying to edge in... get info...and drop tips....but we can see that he's still got the right stuff. Hopefully Rankin will have his heart in the right place and keep John Rebus going.

A Painted Doom - Kate Ellis
Wesley Peterson series Book #6
4★

Teenager Lewis Hoxworthy discovers a disturbing painting in a medieval barn; a discovery which excites archaeologist Neil Watson who is excavating an ancient manor house nearby. But when former rock star Jonny Shellmer is found shot through the head in Lewis's father's field and Lewis himself goes missing after contacting a man on the internet, Detective Inspector Wesley Peterson and his boss, Gerry Heffernan face one of their most intriguing cases yet. It seems that the Devon village of Derenham is not only full of resident celebrities seeking the rural idyll, but full of secrets, ancient and modern. Lewis's distraught parents seem to have something to hide. Then the mysterious owner of a new age shop is silenced before she can reveal what she knows about Jonny Shellmer. Is Jonny's death linked to Lewis's disappearance? And does Jonny's best known song, 'Angel' contain a clue? As Neil Watson uncovers the story of Derenham's medieval past, it becomes clear that the Derenham Doom - a painted portrayal of hell and judgement more than half a millennium old - holds the key to the mystery. And as events reach a terrifying climax, Wesley Peterson has to act swiftly if he is to save a young life.

I always enjoy this series and watching...(in my head)...Wesley and this small police force work their magic and find the guilty party. Each book in this series is a historical mystery that gradually becomes a modern mystery with modern repercussions. As usual there is a complicated plot with plenty of twists and turns to mislead both the police and the reader...and then it's all nicely resolved. The intertwining of the distant past...the not so distant past...and the present was very well done. Anyone that enjoys solving puzzles and a well planned and executed mystery story should give this series a try

Fun Home – Alison Bechdel
3.5***

Bestselling memoir of a young woman growing up in a dysfunctional family. Her father was a closeted gay man, living and working in a small town, helping to run his family funeral home and also teaching. His wife was also a teacher and a frustrated actress. Alison grew up confused and unsure, wanting to be a boy rather than a girl, and not fully recognizing that she was lesbian until she was in college. Despite his many flaws and failures, her father did give her a love of literature and the prompt to begin a journal, which she obsessively kept from the age of ten.

In general, I’m not a fan of graphic novels. But here the colors are more muted, and the words are easier to read. The work is full of Bechdel’s marvelously detailed drawings. Her confusion, anger, disappointment and sadness come through on almost every page. I kept waiting for some joy in her life. I sincerely hope that writing this memoir has brought her the closure she needed and allowed her heart to open to more positive emotions.

So, while the format is not to my taste, I did find it well-done and I’ll certainly remember it.

It’s been adapted into a hit Broadway musical.

Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl / Susan McCorkindale
3.5 stars

The author, her husband and two sons (7 and 14-years, I think) were living in New Jersey and Susan was working in New York City when they decided to move to a farm in rural Virginia. Susan had to give up a very high paying job, though she wasn’t enjoying it anyway, for her husband’s dream of being a farmer.

It was meant to be funny, and parts were humourous, but not a lot was laugh-out-loud funny for me. Despite the title, the author really didn’t do any farming (at least not as reported in the book); her husband did it all. She did a lot of shopping, when she got into nearby towns and cities. I’m not into fashion at all, so any brand names she threw out there, I just assumed were shoe brands, as shoes seemed to be her favourite shopping/fashion item. Some of the acronyms, I wasn’t sure about.

Despite my comments so far, I did enjoy the book, overall. It did make me realize that although I grew up in a small town (farming community, but not on a farm), it would be hard – even for me, the homebody and nonshopper – to move back. Not for the same reasons, but other shopping items might be tricky to come by (products not tested on animals, for instance).

Never Too Late / Jo Barney
3.5 stars

When Edith wakes up Christmas morning, she discovers her husband of many years has died in his sleep. They were not happy in their marriage, as it had been a shotgun wedding after she’d gotten pregnant 47 years earlier. Now, Edith is discovering many secrets in her husband’s life that she had no idea about. Meantime, her daughter-in-law, Kathleen, has come to her with admissions that something is going on with Brian, Esther’s son, and his marriage. That is, Brian has been very secretive about things, and Kathleen thinks he’s cheating.

I liked this. It wasn’t fast-moving, but there were interesting family secrets going on to learn about.

>77 LibraryCin: (I know this is fairly far down on the thread!). If you get a chance to re-read this as a standalone book in a few years, it's worth the effort. There's a ton of back history that re-reading helps to fill in, and the copy I have (bought in Galway) has a map that helps you navigate the various counties and towns (Skibberrean, Limerick, West Cork), etc.

The trial was probably that of the young men who rose up against the Crown's imposition of taxes on the land and the farmers of small land holdings having to sell food to pay taxes while their children starved. It was really hard for me to make it through this book the first time because of the body count.

Clockwork Angels by Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart
5*****

For more than two centuries, the land of Albion has been ruled by the supposedly benevolent Watchmaker, who imposes prevision on every aspect of life. From his sleepy hometown of Barrel Arbor, young Owen Hardy watches the steamliners drift by, powered by alchemical energy, as they head toward Crown City--never dreaming that he is already caught between the grandiose forces of rder and chaos, between the Watchmaker and his nemesis, the Anarchist. Owen's journeys begin at a fabulous carnival with clockwork wonders beyond his imagination and take him aboard airships, far into the Redrock desert to seek lost cities, through storms at sea to encounters with pirates . . . and give him a chance at love.

I discovered this book quite by accident when I (literally) stumbled into the author's booth and saw the novel 2113 in the same booth. The author (not the late Neil Peart) described both books, and I only had the money for one so I bought 2113 first, then this book a year later. And it does not disappoint in the least for the delay!

It tells the story of young Owen Hardy, who inhabits the world described in the final Rush album, "Clockwork Angels." His life is orderly as prescribed by the Watchmaker who ensures that clocks run on time, that life is orderly, that the Hardy's apple orchard will have its rains at the correct time for the harvest and the cider making.

But Owen often looks to the stars and wonders what could be beyond in the capital of Albion, Crown City. He takes a steampunk-style train (a combination zeppelin and rail train, something I had a hard time grasping), and gets to finally see the Clockwork Angels perform their mechanized routine from the top of the clock tower.

And Owen wonders more, and finds a team of wandering circus performers, and as he finds there is more to life than living in the "best of all possible worlds" he travels with the players until his heart is broken and then takes ship for the island of Poseidon. Terrible things happen, he makes his escape, and finally goes on his solo venture to find the Seven Cities of Gold that his late mother's book describes in detail.

I love the imagery in this book, the way in which the album is expanded into story, and the bits of Rush lyrics were fun to come across. I think this is the first book of Kevin Anderson's I've read (though I've probably seen episodes of his TV writing), and now that Neil Peart is no longer with us, the insights he provides at the end are especially poignant.

Guardians of the Promise by Irene Radford
4****

Donovan Kirkwood has become a virtual prisoner, forbidden to leave the country by Queen Elizabeth. With him are both his own and his brother Griffin's children, three of whom are the new generation's heirs to the legacy of Merlin and Arthur. Only time will tell who is truly meant to be the next Pendragon. But time is rapidly running out for both Great Britain and the Kirkwoods.

A continuation of the earlier volume Guardian of the Vision, with the nearly-grown children from that earlier time who set off on adventures of their own. There are a lot of children, and while this works well at the beginning it does leave some strands caught waving in an English gale.

The book starts well, with the main/narrated character, Deirdre, taking the action with "I". She is the daughter of Father Griffin and Roanna of Scotland, and is fostered by her uncle, Donovan. Donovan is father to three children: Beth (by his first wife) and twins Hal and Griffin. So, keeping all these characters straight and with their own story arcs is one of the challenges this book faces.

What Radford does well is concentrate on the most central characters and on Queens Elizabeth and Mary, Queen of Scots, as well as introducing a new evil element: werewolves. She's able as an author to see where a storyline might go stale and resolves that conundrum with something other than demons or (the obvious) vampires. And the werewolves here have their own social structure and a mad master, El Lobison, who controls them through their priestess, Yassimine.

Another thing I liked about this book was that Radford does not shy away from making central characters dis-likeable, while still weaving a story around them. Donovan is pretty wishy-washy and not as capable with his magic to throw off his spell-cast love for Mary. And Yassimine, who in her captivity longs to kill El Lobison, she instead realizes after many years that he has made all decisions for her and she does not wish to do so for herself.

As with others in this series, this book goes to many different locales in key moments in Western European history, such as the aftermath of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre (orchestrated by El Lobison) and brings in the tensions and friction of the time (Protestant vs. Catholic). And while there are sections with fast-paced action at the beginning, introducing the key plot elements, the last third slows down to a number of years, when Deirdre and Michael are married and running their pub that helps gather information for Sir Francis Walsingham on Queen Elizabeth's behalf.

The Book of Being by Ian Watson
3 1/2 ***

As the Black Current's agent against the power of the Godmind, Yaleen the Riverwoman has faced death and rebirth to learn the truth about the Godmind's plan to destroy the universe. Yet now, back on her home world, Yaleen's own people refuse to heed her warnings of the terrifying fate which awaits them if the Godmind isn't stopped. Only her old ally, the Black Current, offers Yaleen the help she so desperately needs. But is the Current truly trying to save humankind? Or does it seek to use Yaleen to destroy the Godmind--and humanity as well?

Hmmm. Well. Hmmm. It's pretty good, given that it's the only book in the series I ever read. In fact, I found it on my bookshelves over the holidays and the original sales receipt, from 1991, was still in it! So it was high time.

It picks up where the original story left off. And the fact that the story line is cohesive in itself, that previous characters are discussed and developed, showed that this was a work by a good author. The protagonist, Yaleen, is newly reincarnated and discusses her installment as a priestess despite being a three-year-old. Apparently this world recognizes different incarnations and honors the spirit despite the appearance of the new body. Or its age.

Some of the conflicts involve the River and whether men can sail on it more than once, and an entity called the Godmind in the guise of a giant serpent. And the latter part of the book became a little convoluted where Yaleen partakes of a potion (?) that slows time so that a ritual can take place. It was hard for me to determine if Yaleen is crushed to death (again) and visits other souls as a spirit in an attempt to end the Godmind. And if the end of the book is the continuation of the series, and the reincarnation was a part of the ritual or just what exactly happened. Still, I enjoyed it, and I'm glad to have finally read it!