My book group loved this book. We learned a lot about Central Asia, its people and the culture. We learned more about keeping promises and how education, especially of girls, can dramatically change an entire village for the better. We were surprised to see how much education can empower people. We saw that one person, however flawed he or she may be, can with respect for another culture/religion can be effective where a government with its impersonal viewpoint cannot.
This book will make you think about foreign aid and who should be in charge. It will also challenge you to assess your lifestyle and creature comforts.
A penny IS worth something!

We had an enlightening discussion. We covered the topics of what had grown in the past and what as urban dwellers we can do now. We found Kingsolver's family unique and the information presented was intersting and at times hilarious. We especially laughed at teh descriptions of "turkey love." Their reasons for NOT being vegetarians was compelling for the non-meat eaters among us. The former farm dwellers were amazed at how "big agriculture" has limited a farmer's ability to support his family and/or use the crop he had purchased as seed to re-seed his farm.

The writing is luminous, the story both overwhelming sad and triumphant. A tailor unwittingly brings the plague into the house of the young widow who offers him lodging. The rector of the town church asks the town to seal itself of to save the surrounding countryside from the pestilence. Anna not only survives, she thrives, becoming a healer and friend.

Well written but with fairly shallow characters. Our "older" members wanted to give the characters a "good talking to", while the "younger' members thought the characters were well defined and believable. Lots of issues for discussion.

Our discussion quickly became the importance of books in people understanding people. The book emphasizes how books reveal the ideas and history of the people who create and use books. Brooks uses the history and artifacts connected with this national treasure to tell a compelling story of both the depravity and the luminous morality of various people.

We learned about the little known Vel d'Hiv and were engrossed in the entwined stories of Sarah in 1942 and Julia in 2002

We had one of our most interesting discussions with this book. Everyone found the book fascinating and informative and were eager to talk about what they had read. We found ourselves referring to today's news on discrimination and immigration and referring to sections in the book. Many of us knew little about Angel Island or the discrimination facing Chinese immigrants. Those who had read See's earlier books found this one more interesting and believable. We especially liked the references to real people and events.

We learned a lot about how dramatically life changed with a the availablity of antibiotics. Life was scary before penicillin! The war looms always in the background. Life photographers took an amazing variety of photographs. Family relationships are confusing, wonderful, supportive and destructive - sometimes at the same time. The drug companies haven't changed much!

A fun and addictive addition to Reichs' books. Although written for teens, I found this book interesting and a bit scary. My teen group loved it. A great introductioon to reichs' adult books.

My teen group loved this tale of a future world where chocolate is forbidden. The "mafia" daughter who is the main character was strong and resourceful. The romance is believable. Ends with one wanting to read the sequel - I'm sure this is only the beginning of this tale!.

I really enjoyed this book. After a slow start and getting used to the jumps in place and time, I found House of Velvet and Glass to be a compelling look at the early 20th century. A book group would find the drug use (opium), the early psychology/sociology instances, the expectations for men and women, dress and table manners, and the social class divide/discrimination would all make good topics for discussion. I found the characters believable and the plot flowed easily. The use of "real" people gave color to the events (Titanic & Lusitania) and lent credibility to the story. The descriptions of rooms, clothing, manners and social interactions as well as the descriptions of spiritualism and opium dens added to my enjoyment of the story. I started reading expecting "chick lit" and found something much more substantial. As a high school librarian I think many older teens would enjoy the book. The book would work for a mother/teen book group.

This book held my attention simply because I needed to know who survived and who didn't as well as the back story of Grace Winter. The book is well written with believable characters and a growing sense of the horror of the situation on the lifeboat. Unfortunately many answers are simply missing and the reader is left with as many questions (if not more) at the end as when the book began. As a character study, it is excellent, as a mystery, there is a definite lack. A book group would find much to discuss as well as to complain about. If your group needs resolution - avoid this book. If your group thrives on speculation - this is the book for you. (This book was provided free by the publisher.)

Several members had a hard time getting into this book because of the sunject and because, since it was written from Jack's viewpoint, it took several chapters to actually know the situation that Jack and Ma were in.
That said, our discussion was lively and several members who had stopped reading said they would now finish the book. We found ourselves returning again and again in our discussion to the real-life stories of Jaycee Dugard and Elizabeth Smart.
Leaders of this book discussion would do well to make sure their members have a good idea of the plot of the book beofre beginning to read.
We began with a "rater this book" where half of the members gave a very negative rating. When we concluded we ended with "Are you glad you read this book." ALL members said said a hearty "YES!"

I almost quit reading this book several times, only the glowing reviews kept me going. The first 3/4 of the book had me wondering why anyone would think this whiney, self-serving and self deluded man would be a good ADA. Jacob and Laurie were simply afterthoughts. Only the last 1/4 was interesting and by that time I knew what the ending would be. If you really, really like psycho babble and navel gazing you might like this book, otherwise skip it.

Starting with the seminal moment, this book travels back in time to introduce us to the family isolated on a small island off the coast of Australia where the husband is the light keeper. Part of the story takes place on Janus Rock, home of the Janus Light, and part takes place in the small town of Partageuse on the mainland, hometown of Isabel, wife of the Light keeper. Tom, a survivor of the horrors of WWI, meets Isabel and falls in love with her on his infrequent respites on the mainland. He and Isabel spend idyllic, isolated years on Janus, marred only by the inability to carry a pregnancy to term. When a boat washes up with a dead man and a live baby, the decision to keep the child as their own affects their lives and marriage and the life of the wife of the dead man and mother of the child. As the child grows and the three alone on Janus meld into a family, the bereaved wife in Partageuse descends into depression and madness until a battered silver rattle disrupts the tranquility of the island and the fabric of the town of Partageuse.
A beautifully written tale that uses description to draw the feel of island and mainland, love and depression, fear and deceit. The dread, confusion and fear of a mother torn from her child and a child torn from her mother will stay with you long after you finish the final page as will the love of a man for his wife and child, the devotion of a mother to her child and the web of entangling emotion that seals a family for ever and ever and ever.

The Midwife of Hope River
By Patricia Harman

I usually don’t like books that jump from the present to the past and back again, however, Patricia Harman does it so well in The Midwife of Hope River that I must change my mind. Incorporating births from her own experience as a midwife and seamlessly blending in a framework of history from upper class Chicago at the turn of the century, through union organizing in the coal fields and factories of the northeast and the Great Depression in Appalachia just before WWII, Harmon tells a moving and riveting tale of birth and death. Her well-developed characters and realistic situations carry the reader into harrowing tales of medical practice in an isolated community with sporadic running water or electricity and less money. Yet hope and faith permeate the lives of black, white and ethnic personalities who meet life’s challenges with grace. You will cheer as Patience Murphy grows from a naïve girl to confident midwife.
This book would work well for book groups made of women only, mothers and daughters, medical professionals and even men - who might learn a few things about the women who birthed them, love them and bear their children.

I enjoyed this historical fiction thriller/romance/mystery. The main character, Maggie Hope, an English girl raised in America by a maiden aunt, becomes Winston Churchill’s typist after a murder. Although a mathematical genius, she is relegated to typing when she applies for a job as a cryptologist for the government at the beginning of the Battle of Britain. After setting up the situation, the plot moves along quickly and is engaging. This is obviously the introduction for a series of war time thrillers with Maggie as the girl who saves England with her intelligence and pluck.
Maggie and her roommates are carefully fleshed out, but the male characters quickly became confusing simply because they were not clearly differentiated. The “romance” is not as well done as the mystery, possibly because I couldn’t keep the males straight – was it John or David who was falling for her? And then there was Chuck who was really a girl named Charlene.
The historical details were interesting and integral to the plot. The details about Churchill, Number 10 Downing, the Blitz and MI5 added to the story. I’m looking forward to the next installment – at least three are in the works.

Fever is the second book in the Chemical Garden trilogy. Set in a future world where girls die in their early twenties and boys just a few years later, Rhine and Gabriel escape from the Mansion only to enter a world far more threatening than they had imagined. Escaping into a devastated world that has been left to die and crumble into ruin, they seek Rhine's twin and supposed safety in Manhattan taking Lilac's malformed and silent daughter with them. But can Rhine truly escape the evil Vaughn?

Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan

In Sweet Tooth Ian McEwan has used lots of lovely words and strung them together in lots of lovely ways. Unfortunately this does not make a lovely story. It is in many ways a deadly bore. To say that Sweet Tooth is tedious is an understatement. There are too many incidental characters and incidents that have no relevance to the story as red herring or plot line or character development. Perhaps what McEwan really wrote was a very good short story when what he (or his publisher) wanted was a novel. Is the writing good? Yes. Does that make me like this book? No. I finished the book, but I didn’t enjoy it. This is the first Ian McEwan book I have read. I doubt I will read another.
This novel may have been a very good short mystery or short romance. It just doesn’t work as a longer novel. The main character – Serena Fromme – is, to put it quite bluntly, an unlikeable twit. Unfortunately for the reader she is surrounded by more unlikeable twits, self-absorbed males, pompous asses and other assorted denizens of Cold War London. Unlike Serena I actually enjoy the process of reading. I like to savor the characters, imagine the outcome of the plot, thrill at the word usage and become involved with the unfolding of the story. The one character I DID like was Shirley. I wanted to know more about her – why she left MI5, how she came to become a successful beauty, why she made such a generous offer to Serena, her interactions with Max and Tom….. Yet Shirley was given little to do except tie up loose ends in a most unsatisfactory manner.
I found some of the structural parts of the book to be annoying. First I HATED the occasional italic phrases. They were simply a distraction. I also found the insertion of Tom’s current works annoying. They were too long and detailed. Although both of these were explained in the last chapter, it did not help me in the actual reading enjoyment of the book.
I have thought about recommending Sweet Tooth to another. First, no one should ever recommend a book wit

THE RACKETEER by John Grisham

This vintage Grisham mystery will appeal to fans and new readers as well. The Racketeer is the tale of an innocent (and now former) lawyer who is out to redeem himself by squealing on a murderer and thief. The main character, Malcolm Bannister, posits a scheme to the FBI to gain his exoneration and freedom by giving them the name and motive for the torture and murder of a federal judge and the woman with him.
You will enjoy the twists and turns of the plot as Malcolm enters the Witness Protection system and gradually gives the feds what they want.

THE INTERCEPT by Dick Wolf

Be ready for heart pounding excitement when this novel reaches its climax. Jeremy Fisk is an NYPD detective assigned to Intelligence. His job – find out if the terrorist who attempted to hijack the airliner was nut case who was working alone or is he part of a sinister plot to attack the heart of America by killing the 6 intrepid citizens who foiled the hijacker.
If you like intelligent thrillers you will love this first of a series. Great characters, clear plotting, enough clues to keep the mystery fans guessing. Only one small gripe that can’t be revealed without giving away an essential plot detail. So no spoilers here – you’ll just have to read the book!

THE WORLD WITHOUT YOU by Joshua Henkin

Henkin, as in MATRIMONY his first book, is a wonderful writer. Unfortunately, I don’t know ANY of his characters. But more importantly, I don’t WANT to know them. The father is distant, the mother is self-absorbed. Clarissa, who has turned her back on a career as a cellist, is unhappy with her current life and sure a child – HER child, and only HER child - will complete her world. Lily is angry at everyone for unknown and unknowable reasons. Noelle, a wild child to the extreme, has become an orthodox Jew, sure that only blindly following every jot and title of every law will fulfill her. Thisbe, the widow of the only son of the family, valiantly tries to remain normal. Who are these unhappy people? Surely there must be someone Henkin can write about that is at least marginally happy. If there was a happy ending to this book, I could not find it. I was not looking for a saccharine sweet book, I was just hoping for something other than unrelieved unhappiness. I’ll look for another author for my next book.

HOCUS POCUS HOTEL – THE RETURN OF ABRACADABRA by Michael Dahl

This second book in the series is as much fun as the first. Ty and Charlie join forces to save the hotel and their friend and defeat the bully Theopolis. The “magic” is clearly illusion and the young sleuths combine forces to show that even very different people can become close friends. All in all a good book for middle schoolers to enjoy. The frequent pictures will encourage the slower readers and boys will be attracted to the story line, magic and very “cool” bike!

From the moment Nick announces he has lied 10 times, you will wonder! When did he lie? Is he telling you a lie now? Is Amy telling the truth? Is Amy really dead? Has she been kidnapped? By whom? Who is the “bad guy? Amy? Nick? Go? Maribeth and Rand? Anyone of a several other characters? Is there a “good guy?”
Well written and entirely plausible, Gone Girl will keep you guessing to the end. Book groups will find a wealth of topics for discussion – family, siblings, lawyers, divorce, murder, friendship, mental health, marriage, fame, wealth – among others.
Mystery fans and those who prefer love stories or family dramas will find something to love in this psychological mystery.

It has been a while since I read a Scarpetta novel so it took
me several chapters to get up to speed on the characters. This was a bit more convoluted than I remember. The red herring was enough to fool me. I was rooting for the wrong \\\"bad guy\\\" for most of the book. I\\\'m still not sure I know who the bad guy was - do I remember him at all???? A good, mystery.

The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin
This well written fictionalization of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s life from just before she meets Charles A Lindbergh until his death in 1974 is thought provoking. Approximately equal time is given to “the events of 1932” (the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh’s first born child), the early days of the their marriage and Anne’s development as an aviatrix and navigator, and Anne’s life as mother usually left alone as her husband is increasingly absent. Charles’ possible anti-semitism and both of their positive opinions of Germany under Hitler’s early days is briefly touched upon.
The novel is the story of their marriage and Anne’s transformation from naïve and easily compliant young girl to confident, self-reliant woman sure of herself and confident of her ability to write. Charles is portrayed as arrogantly self-confident, selfish and controlling of both his wife and children even while also needing Anne’s unflagging support.
I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to others interested in reading/learning more Anne, her marriage and the early days of “women’s liberation”. This book will provide much fodder for discussing marriage, family dynamics, child rearing methods, news gathering and reporting, and America during the Nazi era and during wartimes.

The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout

After starting slowly, The Burgess Boys became quietly fascinating. I kept reading and reading until I finished it in just two days (with many life interruptions). Although I didn’t like Jim, he was spellbinding in his dysfunction. Bob, the much more likeable brother, was engaging in his own brand of dysfunction. Susan, and her son Zach, were simply damaged by life and therefore potentially damaging to everyone around them. The supporting characters were as carefully drawn as the main characters and compelling in their own way.
I appreciated the way Strout revealed her characters in drips and drabs, constantly leading you further into an understanding their emotions.
The incident that brought all the characters together was never fully explained – possibly because the perpetrator didn’t know – or even have – a reason. The incident that damaged the family was revealed in the ending, but could be inferred much earlier in the book.
This was a lovely book, well written and engaging. The family dynamics would lend themselves to an interesting group discussion. The two “incidents” would also generate discussion. Other topics useful for book groups are birth order, twins, divorce, unfaithfulness in marriage, women’s roles, race relations, criminal punishment, defense lawyers who defend those they know to be guilty and family roles.

A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate by Susanna Calkins

I enjoyed this murder mystery with a bit of a love story entwined. The story is engaging with hints dropped carefully without revealing the murderer until the end. I liked the parts about “newspapers” and “police” and thought they added depth and realism to the story. The main character – Lucy, a chambermaid soon elevated to Lady’s maid – is interesting with a backstory and a future that may include sequels to this book. The supporting characters are well drawn and add to the story.
The ending may not satisfy all, but does support the notion of sequels. Possible subjects for book groups might include the role of women in society, the lack of education or the ability to read, religious leaders as role models, how catastrophic illness is treated, marriage as political/monetary entity, the power of the press and the power of money and position.
Restoration England (1665 AD) is carefully portrayed with only one glaring “Yuck” (on page 59), a word that was unlikely to be on the lips of a chambermaid in a wealthy home. The everyday life of servants and gentry is clearly shown.

SHADOW ON THE CROWN by Patricia Bracewell

SHADOW ON THE CROWN is an intricately plotted historical novel based on the early life of Emma of England, a little remembered queen of the medieval period. Emma, youngest daughter of Richard of Normandy and ancestor to William the Conqueror, is sent to England to marry the newly widowed and much older King AEthelred. The marriage is supposed to prevent the Danish Vikings who are indebted to Richard from sacking English towns.

Instead Emma discovers she is surrounded by intrigue, plots against the King, a Lord\\\'s daughter who insinuates herself into the king\\\'s bed, stepsons who resent her (and one who loves her), a husband who both ignores and abuses her, and in peril from the Vikings.

Well researched and well written, the novel is part mystery, part history and mostly intensely absorbing. You will need the glossary at the beginning of the book for all the medieval words and the cast of characters to keep all the unfamiliar Anglo-Saxon names straight. I longed for a more complete map with both medieval and modern names - who knew Jorvik was really the city of York. You will discover in the afterward that this is the first book of a trilogy which explains why the book stops with Emma still in jeopardy. Then you will wait impatiently for the next book to be published!

Wiley Cash has a way with words. He can make you see a rain storm or love with equal clarity. In A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME he has written a beautiful elegy for love and death, faith and fear, condemnation and redemption. Told in three very different voices, the tale unfolds in starts and pauses and then backtracks on to itself. Occasionally Cash loses his way and the story loses momentum. But stick with him because in the pulsing end, you will know you have found a wonderful new voice.

A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME follows the inhabitants of a small back country Appalachian community. They include an outsider Sheriff and the drunk the sheriff blames for his son\'s death, the drunk\'s son and his church obsessed wife, their two young sons - one a mute, a spellbinding preacher with a hidden past and the area\'s \"healer\" woman. Cash is point perfect in detailing the culture of Appalachia, the speech patterns of his characters and an atmosphere of foreboding.

Book groups will find a wealth of topics including family dynamics, faith and faith that becomes oppressive, guilt and how it can poison relationships, fear of the unknown, outsiders, understanding disabilities, alcoholism, infidelity, and secrets.

Frank, a thirteen year old on the cusp of manhood, is the main character in William K Krueger’s book “Ordinary Grace.” On its surface it is a tale of death - a murder, an accident, in war, stupidly or deliberately done, of age or illness. On a much deeper level it is the story of a family, the love that binds them together and the faith that sustains them. This is not an explicitly “Christian” book and yet you will finish the book and know why faith is and what it is.
Krueger uses words in wonderful and unique ways to evoke a time and place that will live with you long after you finish reading this book. His description of a mother’s sorrow is expressed “She was flesh without spirit, eyes without sight” (page 182) and setting sun “was caught in the branches of the trees and the light across the lawns was yellow-orange and broken (page 133).
This is a lovely book. Now that I have finished it, I want to read it again – only slowly so I can savor each word. His writing is believable. You know that is just what each character would say or do or think. His metaphors and similes are precise and unique and exactly right, yet they do not make think “oh, he learned that lesson on metaphor well.” Instead you are simply lost in the time, the place and the character.

STIFF: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

For anyone interested in the “messy” part of human science, this is the book for you. Mary Roach has a unique sense of humor that makes her off beat topics fun to read. You will learn many facts while being amused and bemused.
STIFF tells what happens to the human body after death whether that death is natural or not. You will discover how long decomposition takes and exactly what happens. You will find out who did the first autopsy and the first anatomical dissection and why those activities were and continue to be important. Roach covers plane crashes and gun shots and automobile crashes among other ways humans die. She discusses funeral practices and all the other topics dealing with death that you might (or might not) have ever wondered about.
The style is straightforward, no medical background is necessary. Teenage boys will love it. Girls will be grossed out and parents may be dismayed, but everyone will learn something – rather painlessly

I had a hard time getting used to the lack of commas and quotation marks in this tale of two sisters who nurse for Australia during World War I. Although slow and quite lengthy, the book held my interest with details of nursing under primitive conditions during war conditions. The most interesting parts for me were the descriptions of life aboard ship on the journey to Egypt from Australia and then in the war zone of Gallipoli. The horror of war was clearly indicated in the details of battle injuries and the care available both in the Dardanelles and later in France. The tragedy of the influenza epidemic of 1919 makes up the later part of the book.
The sisters, their nurse companions and the soldiers they work with and fall in love with comprise the characters in the novel. Book groups will find many topics to discuss including class distinctions, city versus farm life, Quakers and war, biologic weaponry, courage under great duress, disfiguration and disability, and the roles of women.

This big, rich novel covers only a year but manages to convey an entire lifetime. Thea, the main character, is a twin, a lover of horses and a girl who wants. Unfortunately what she wants is not necessarily good for her or her family or those she loves. Sent away from her home because of her actions, she spends a year at a “camp” that is actually a cross between a finishing school for wealthy girls and a riding academy. The background of Thea’s infraction is explored in many backflashes as the book progresses. DiSclafani gives us a whole world set in depression era southern Appalachia. Her characters are well drawn and appealing. Her descriptions provide a moody backdrop to a story filled with angst, teen girls and horses. While the characters are teens, this is not a young adult book, but a sizzling sex tale set in a Victorian horse show.
Book groups will find a plethora of topics ranging from teen sex to family roles to education of women to the importance of money among many others.

Twins, Kate (Daisy) and Violet, are psychic. One of them becomes a wife and mother and denies her ability. The other embraces it and actually earns a living by using her “senses” as a medium. When Violet, and later, Kate become convinced that a tragic earthquake will strike the city of St. Louis, a long simmering estrangement comes to a head.
Sittenfeld has written an engrossing tale that occasionally bogs down in minutia, but ultimately achieves its goal. The ending is unexpected and wrenching. Those who want a “quick read” should find another book. This one will take a while but will appeal to those who are looking for a love story, a coming of age novel or a family story. Does it end happily ever after – you will just have to read it for yourself.
Book groups will find many topics to discuss – distant (and controlling) moms, ESP, fidelity, relationships between sisters, male-female friendship, abortion, premarital and extramarital sex, mothering styles, divorce, Black-White relationships and class distinctions among others.

A skillful recounting of the establishment and operation of Oak Ridge, Tennessee through the eyes of the girls (women) who worked there. The occasional interruption of the story by a companion story of the scientific working to create the atomic bomb was mildly irritating. I read an e-book before publication and there were significant errors of punctuation and numerous “lost” words. I assume these were corrected before publication.
I just bought the "real" book and would recommend that you get this and NOT the ebook. The pictures and other "extras" make a MUCH more enjoyable read. The thumbnail sketches of the "girls" helps keep the characters straight. The book bounces from girl to girl and topic to topic so the sketches are vital to an intelligent read of this book. Lots of information about a part of WWII history that is often overlooked.
The women’s stories were intimate and spared no sensibilities. I was surprised at the rampant racism – Blacks lived in “hutments” and were separated from their husbands and families while white women lived in single family houses with their husbands and families or in single sex dorms. Blacks and women were paid less than males doing the same jobs.
The strain of being separated from community and not knowing anything beyond the basics of job you did was significant. Letters both to and from parents were censored and contained so much “black out” that one parent told her daughter to not bother to write any more because her letters were simply gibberish.
Despite the restrictions what could be said even to other workers, love did find a way to bloom and recreational dances and other events were carried out. One creative woman found a way to use discarded materials to make biscuits and cornbread for workers longing for taste of home.

After a slow start I really found myself enjoying the witty (though very dry) humor in this book. Amy grows on you as you discover more of her character and background. I especially enjoyed the names of the chapters, trying to see if I could find the relationship as I read. Another part I liked was the “topics” Amy lists as story ideas/titles. They give another clue to Amy’s persona. Amy’s students are delightful, clearly and carefully drawn.
While the entire book is a put down of pretentious authors, it is also the story of a very human woman who has great sorrows to surmount. As is true with all good humor, there is also tragedy to provide contrast. Willett deals well with both. (spoiler alert – Maxine’s recovery is the one deviation from realistic outcomes in an otherwise well-paced and plotted tale.)
Anyone who enjoys a “good read” and, equally, a “bad read,” will enjoy this writer’s delight. If you are a potential novelist, there is much food for thought.
Book groups will have a field day with a variety of topics – truth vs fiction, honest criticism, how you see yourself as opposed to how others see you, marriage of convenience, dealing with rude/stupid/ignorant people (and being rude/stupid/ignorant yourself), personal growth and change, phobias and others.

THE SWEETEST HALLELUJAH by Elaine Hussey
Betty Jewel, dying of cancer, is looking for someone to care for her 10 year old daughter, Billie. Someone who is NOT the child’s father. Shakerag, Mississippi, in the middle 1950’s, is a hotbed of racial unrest. When a white journalist hears Betty Jewel’s story and appears to want to raise the black child, both women are in danger.
This is a wonderful story with plenty of twists and turns to keep the plot moving along. The characters are real, speak truly and in character and are people you want to know. This story will live with you long after you finish the book. Friends are a vital part of the tale for both women, both those who stand by them and their decisions and those who vehemently voice their opposition.
Book groups will find this a great book to spark a discussion of racism, friendship, marriage, trust, adoption, journalism, community, illness and hope. A minor theme is music and its ability to heal and support both the music makers and the hearers.

LOYALTY will have your heart pounding right along with “Fina”, the female and only non-lawyer member of the Ludlow family. Fina is a private investigator trying very hard to remain loyal to her family while solving the murder of one of her sisters-in-law and striving to stay alive herself. Occasional clichés notwithstanding LOYALTY is a well written, well plotted, heavy action mystery that will keep you guessing until the final pages. The Ludlows are a family of shady lawyers – ambulance chasers and defenders of disreputable characters -- with some redeeming qualities and a coterie of assorted friends, cops and “helpers.” Fina is the answer to their need for a PI, a hard working, hard living, hard loving female who is intensely loyal to her family even if her brother is the prime suspect. Each character is well defined although you may need a list to keep them all straight at the beginning of this engaging and thrilling tale. By tale’s end you will be hoping Fina and her family appear in many sequels.

Rowling has written an engaging and tightly plotted mystery. The characters are well delineated and clearly drawn. I was especially impressed by how “true” the characters remained to themselves as the plot thickened (when I thought this was a debut novel). The situations with the paparazzi were interesting in retrospect as I wondered how much her own experience with the press and fans influenced her depiction of them.
We learn enough about Rowling’s damaged detective, Cormoran Strike, to like him and want to know more in succeeding installments of this obvious first in a series. His backstory with military service, marriage/divorce and law enforcement “friends” offer opportunity for additional story/plot nuggets for the future. His Girl Friday, Robin Ellacott, is intelligent and a worthy foil to Strike, although the boyfriend/fiancé is unknowable and likely to quickly disappear from the scene.
I liked that both entirely likeable and entirely unlikeable characters played a part in the plotting. There are several clear candidates for the villain and plenty of red herrings along the way. The ending is always in doubt until the final chapters. It is testament to Rowling’s ability that Lula, who is already dead when she first appears in the tale, emerges in totality even without the benefit of including “back flashes” as the book proceeds.
I hope that Rowling continues writing mysteries with Cormoran and Robin in many future novels.

This was a lovely story with interesting people telling of their hopes and dreams in letters. A bit of a mystery is thrown into the mix in the last quarter. Just as in actual letters sent to strangers the characters become known bit by bit as they write about themselves, their lives, their ideas and opinions. In the same way, you will want to know more than is revealed.
Book groups will find the ongoing discussion of education, choosing a career and choosing a life path a worthy topic for discussion. Other good discussion topics might be courage in attempting or reacting to new things, revealing your past to a child, choosing to serve in the military or not, reactions to loss and family secrets and, finally, how a person's attitudes and dreams change as time passes. A question to consider might be "how long would YOU wait at St. Mary's Cathedral?"
These letters are generally short and deal with only one topic at a time so the comparison to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is not really valid.

If you are not fortunate enough to live near Chicago so you can hear her in person, then read this book. Truax has a preaching gift which is clearly evident in UNDONE. She tells her story, but also gives the reader the support for listening to their own story. With Biblical underpinning, Truax writes of forgiveness, grace, honesty, trust and community. You will hear Laura’s voice, but more importantly, you will hear God’s welcoming and reassuring voice.
UNDONE is eminently readable and can be read and appreciated quickly, but this is a book you will want to keep nearby to refer to often. Laura lays bare her own life giving the reader the gift of looking honestly at their own life. She writes of the freedom and opportunity being vulnerable to God affords. Her illustrations show the hope that vulnerability opens to each person.
(Full disclosure: I am a member of Laura’s congregation and am blessed because of it.)

Thriller is an understatement for this fast paced, action-loaded novel with appealing characters and a tight plot. You learn enough about the main characters (Arley, Elena, Abby, Scope, Martin and bad guys, Fox, Wolf, Bear and Cat) to care about who survives and who doesn’t. The story is plausible and works on the several levels and plot lines while keeping you guessing until the very end. The chapters are very short and generally end with a cliffhanger so you keep reading long after you tell yourself “just one more chapter.”
Unusually well written for the genre, SIEGE is still filled with a high body count and numerous episodes of mayhem. Set in a posh London hotel, the book involves M15, a highly trained assault force, a police commander who has been coerced into aiding the enemy, a dying man and a killer along with the many civilians who are caught in the midst of a terrorist’s plot.

This book should have been really interesting. What is not to like – a teenage girl leaves her prosperous home to “save” her brother from the influence of the Bolsheviks in 1914 and ends up joining the Russian Army in the first all-girl battalion and becomes the companion of a notorious counter revolutionary fleeing for her life. Eventually Rivka finds her way to Palestine.
Except, it just wasn’t very engaging. Rivka was not very sympathetic. She seemed to have no real reason for joining the army. Her brother had no reason for becoming a Bolshevik, just as he never gave a reason for failing to commit to his Jewish faith after his triumph of a BarMitzvah. Yashka, the counter revolutionary beloved by “her girls” was not at all likeable. I didn’t care if she lived or died and certainly wouldn’t have joined her army.
There was a lot of history, but it was boring! There are a lot better books out there. I’ll read them! The one episode that was interesting was with Dudie, the child Rivka “adopts” but is taken from her. Too bad more of the book didn’t involve his story!

IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN by Kim Barnes
One of my friends lived in an ARAMCO compound during the 1960’s. The life depicted in THE KINGDOM OF MEN is much as she described it. Gin is running from a constricted life with a fundamentalist grandfather and finds herself living in the even more constricted fundamentalist Saudi kingdom. Even though she and her husband are living in luxurious surroundings, life for Gin is boring and racist for her husband.
By befriending both her driver and her houseboy Gin is in violation of both ARAMCO and Kingdom policies. Mason in attempting to live the ideals of Martin Luther King also violates policy and then uncovers greed and corruption. Both find themselves in fear for their lives and those of their friends. Although the ending is unsatisfying, the novel as a whole is worthwhile.
An interesting story with characters you like (and dislike) teaches a fair amount of history of the Kingdom and oil. Book groups will discuss fundamentalist religions, ethnic differences, the position of women in society, dealing with boredom, whistle blowers and company corruption, Americans in foreign societies, interactions between men and women and the price of gas.

Lucy, Anthony and George are Lockwood and Company, a trio of children who can see, hear and sense ghosts. When ghosts become malevolent and plentiful in London and only children can defeat them, Lockwood and Company goes to work. Delightfully scary, with lots of blood and mayhem, THE SCREAMING STAIRCASE will have middle graders asking for more. A good introduction to the characters and a tight plot make this first in a series a good choice for middle school libraries and a good choice for reluctant readers who will devour the chills and screams. Even older kids will like trying to solve the mystery before our intrepid trio saves the day (and their jobs). The ghosts and blood will appeal to the boys, and the inclusion of a girl in the trio means girls will approve of this series also.

Reichs has written an engrossing and detailed thriller that will keep you guessing and turning pages. Her characters are realistic and nuanced. Her plots are full of red herrings, twists and enough mayhem to please the violence prone and enough character, empathy and sensitivity to please the more faint of heart. Her background in forensic anthropology gives realism to her tales.
Book groups might discuss human trafficking, dealing in antiquities and ethnic treasures, women in combat, women’s place in society, court martials and criminal courts, divorce and its aftermath and drug addiction and dealers.

Grafton has written another winner. The characters are real. The conversation is logical. The view expressed of the homeless is very interesting. The mystery is quirky enough to keep you reading. The “new” family members for Kinsey are always a revelation. Not quite sure how this fits with the previous books, but I am happy for Kinsey’s new found wealth. All in all, a good read from a favorite author.

Josephine is a 17 year old slave in anti-bellum Virginia while Lina is a twenty something up and coming lawyer in present day NYC. The lives of these two become entwined when a wealthy Black client of Lina’s law firm starts a “slave reparations” law suit that becomes entangled with an art dealer’s contention that Josephine is the true artist and not her widely acclaimed mistress.
Both life in a high powered law firm and life in the slave owning South are presented believably. Lina and Josephine are both sympathetic and well-drawn characters. The story line for both is engaging. While the sub plot involving Lina’s mother is rather thin and too neatly concluded, the artistic element is a link for the two stories.
Book groups will have a variety of subjects to discuss; some very superficial and entertaining and others quite serious and profound. Race relations now and then permeate both stories. The question “Who is Caucasian and who is Black?” may form the body of the discussion. The value of a piece of art and how the artist’s name recognition determines price is another point for discussion. Motherless children and how they and their families cope could form another topic.

THE BRIDE’S HOUSE is home to three very different young women across three generations of the same family. Each has a secret. Each generation has secrets. The secrets are eventually revealed (but not by me!) and show how the keeping, or telling, of a secret can affect an entire generation and even succeeding generations. Sandra Dallas is a writer of people, complete with foibles, warts and generosity of character. In THE BRIDE’S HOUSE she has woven a fascinating tale of love, deceit, passion, heartache, callousness, generosity, forgiveness, redemption and the women who are affected and affect others. The three women – Nealie, Pearl and Susan – are complete individuals surrounded by fully fleshed out characters.
The plot is believable and interesting. Book groups will love this book that spans a century – from 1880 to 2000 – and a changing country -- from a rough and tumble mining town to a sophisticated Denver.
5 of 5 stars

Much more a history lesson than an “execution” story, KILLING JESUS relates in great detail the backstory of Israel, Rome, politics in AD 34, Judaism and Christianity. Sprinkled with numerous footnotes and maps, O’Reilly and Dugard have written a detailed account of the events leading to the death of Jesus of Nazareth. Sometimes gruesome, often too detailed, but nonetheless infinitely interesting, this book will be enlightening for any person of faith (Christian or not) or student of history.
4 of 5 stars

Rose and Pearl grow up in an ultra-orthodox home in New York with a Rabbi father and ultra-observant mother. Theirs is a loving but strict family, requiring absolute obedience from the girls and their older siblings. When sheltered and naive Rose (the older of the two) becomes friendly with a new girl whose family is newly observant and extremely permissive, she sees a world beyond her closed society. Sent away from home into an even more strict and confining school, Rose rebels and commits a sin her family considers unforgiveable. Pearl, who adores her older sister, is left behind to deal with a fractured family and her own perceived guilt. The remainder of the novel covers the career and family of Rose and the eventual re-involvement of Pearl’s conservative religious beliefs in her life.
I found the first three fourths of this novel very informative concerning the ultra-orthodox life style. The characters were fully developed and consistent. The writing was clear and presented the various viewpoints with insight and sympathy. The situations were transparently presented and led to the final plot conflict. Unfortunately the final section of the novel seemed hurried, the characters lost their consistency of thought and action, and the ending was contrived and disappointing.
There is much here that book groups will find worthy of discussion, despite the novel’s limitation. The family situation, the effect of religious faith on family life, sibling relationships, guilt, forgiveness, redemption, choice of career, women’s choice’s, family dynamics, unplanned pregnancies, and education are all worthy topics.
3 of 5 stars

This book started as a good, well thought out war time spy thriller with a little romance thrown in. Then three fourth of the way through a couple of needless hot and heavy sex scenes appeared that seemed out of character for Maya and unnecessary for the story line. Then the ending just got unbelievable. It seemed as though the author ran out of steam and did a quick and dirty ending with coincidence and unreal situations abounding.
The characters – Maya, a Jewish refugee trying to get to Palestine with her scientist brother; Mickey, an American newspaperman turned spy; Kesner, a German spy looking for the brother, and a host of minor characters - were well fleshed out with clear voices and actions. A number of historical persons and organizations played minor parts (Anwar Sadat, King Farouk, the Muslim Brotherhood) appearing realistically as needed for the plot. Cairo in 1941, festering with a desire for independence and drowning in refugees and foreign soldiers, was a great setting for the story line. It is too bad the ending was so unsatisfying.
I enjoyed the book as a whole but not the ending.
3 of 5 stars

Jaycee Dugard suffered unspeakable horror for 18 years. Kidnapped by a pedophile at age eleven and kept for 18 years, Dugard bore two children and came to depend upon her captor all while striving to maintain her “self” and remember her “real” family, especially her mother.
Her memoir tells of her heroism and fortitude in the face of unrelenting adversity. Often the voice of that eleven year old is heard; often the voice of a struggling 19 year old woman and mother is heard. She, at times, voices a maturity earned through pain. She struggles to shield her children from the press even while acknowledging the impossibility of that task. She struggles to heal herself and rejoin the “normal’ world.
It is impossible to read this memoir without suffering with Jaycee. It is also impossible to justify a critical review of this book. 5 of 5 stars

This young adult book has been out for some time, but I had never read it before. The premise is a child (Ender, age 6) is a genius at war games on the computer and the adults will use him to win a war against the “buggers.” It will soon be a major motion picture. I felt that the story could have been told as a Western or other genre as easily as Sci-fi. The battle scenes were exciting while the psychological scenes were boring and mercifully brief. The book was interesting as a war/battle story but I was disappointed as I was looking for a classic, memorable tale.
Ender is a fully developed character and the reader is allowed to see how his mind is developed and manipulated as the story proceeds and Ender ages from 6 to 15 years or so. The brother and sister are less well developed, the brother only seen through the eyes (mind) of Ender and the sister. Several adult characters also appear in one dimensional form. They serve to guide (or manipulate) Ender through the intricacies of the “game” meant to train him for the coming war.
The end will not be a surprise to the adult reader. Book groups will want to discuss the psychology and manipulation of children. Morality and violence may also be topics as well as fear of others different from the norm.
3 of 5 stars.

This is a wonderful book! The book jacket does not do it justice. I almost didn’t buy it. Then I started reading and couldn’t put it down. The writing reminds me of THE HELP or TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD or IN COLD BLOOD or even MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL – all great books.
A black war hero is returning home to Mississippi after WWII when he is beaten to death and dumped in the river. The story concerns the hero’s father and the two women – one white, one black – who want to see justice served in a segregated Jim Crow South. The characters in this book are real people (fictional) who are shown in both their goodness and their fear, their needs and their disappointments, their triumphs and their failures. The town of Revere, Mississippi, is as much a character as the people who populate the town - the District Attorney, the sheriff, the white lawyer and the black lawyer, the erstwhile lover and his wife and son, the maybe murderess and the ever present sense of fear and “place.”
The story is riveting. You will not be disappointed. Book groups will find a wealth of topics to discuss.
5 of 5 stars

History and Russian buffs will love this history of the last Tsar and his family. Although the title seems to indicate the book will revolve around the four Romanov daughters more than half of the book is spent with their mother Alexandra and her ills, their brother Alexie who suffers from Hemophilia and the influence of Rasputin. Perhaps because the girls were so sheltered from the public little actual “news” is available to write about them, their lives, their schooling and private lives. The book reads quickly and is interesting, especially as it relates the family to their English and German relatives.
If you are hoping to read the bloody details of the family’s end, you will need to find another book as this one ends with their banishment from public and royal life. You will, however, discover a family that cherishes normality and each other.
4 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a literate mystery with well-developed characters and a convincing, challenging plot, this is the book for you. Krueger’s latest chapter in the life of his Cork O’Conner character will have you guessing until the last pages.
Several characters from Cork’s past have reason to kill off Cork’s childhood friend, rising politician Jubal Little. When Little’s life is cut short in the middle of his gubernatorial campaign, Cork is the prime suspect until others reveal their animosity. Cork’s family and friends, as well as a few enemies, all come under suspicion in this tightly plotted mystery leavened with near poetic descriptions of the area around Trickster’s Point. The many layers to the mystery of Jubal’s death are only revealed in the final pages.
An excellent way to spend some time with a fine author, Native American traditions and the northern reaches of Minnesota.
5 of 5 stars

MERCY FALLS is the 5th in the Cork O’Connor series of mystery/thrillers written by William Kent Krueger. The author’s descriptions of the North Woods area of Minnesota are excellent and add greatly to the story giving it a sense of place usually lacking in this genre. Krueger is also careful to detail his characters as real, living, breathing persons instead of the stereotypes and stock characters so often found in mysteries. The tempo and pacing of the novel give the reader (and the characters) a chance to breathe after thrilling and terrorizing scenes. I liked the way reservation life was detailed – accurate but not condescending or demeaning. In short, Krueger is an excellent writer with an engaging and compelling story.
So, why am I only giving this book 3 stars. Because of the loose ends! One of the main “mysteries” isn’t solved! Is this the first of a series inside a series? Does the next book (Copper River) answer the questions that are left dangling? Are we never to know the answers? I am bummed! If there had been a “read the next book” epilogue I would be happier. Instead I feel FORCED to buy and read the next book hoping to find answers that may or may not be there.
3 of 5 stars

Lorca, Victoria and Blot, three damaged people, populate this novel that touches on Iraq, cutting and drug addiction leavened by lies, secrets and poor parenting. Ultimately hopeful, the book drags a bit after many chapters of discouraged, depressed people. I was happy to see the end.
The three main characters, Lorca’s mother and Victoria’s “best friend” Dottie are all clearly drawn. Each is likeable except for Lorca’s mother who is clearly the villain. Joseph, the only other character, is not so well developed and plays an important, though minor, role.
Cutting and food are also main characters. I learned much about the whys of cutting, coming away with a very sympathetic and empathetic view of those who suffer from this scary disease. Food offers the much needed lightness. Iraqi dishes are presented and prepared by Lorca and Victoria. One recipe is given. I would have liked to have others – the descriptions had my mouth watering!
Because I feel the book is too long, only 3 of 5 stars.

This interesting and informative book detailing the life of a Jewish woman born and raised in Tunisia and finally living in America is written in a series of vignettes. The order of the vignettes wanders from Tunisia to France to Canada to Israel and America and back again. The reader often wishes the order were more chronological, but the tales are interesting and follow a thematic message.
The structured life of a very sheltered and privileged family is detailed although the effect of WWII is glossed over initially. When the author moves to France for university we learn more of her life and the life of her future husband as the Shoah (Holocaust) shatters Jewish life in Europe and North Africa. The structured life of observant Jews is detailed and made interesting for the general reader.
Finally the author lives out the advice of her first “real” teacher – If you want to succeed, you can – and finds a fulfilling and very successful life in America, the land of the bagel.
4 of 5 stars

If you like animals and are in need of a good laugh or two, DOG GONE, BACK SOON is just the book for you. The plot has enough twists to keep you guessing. The characters are likeable and clearly drawn. The animals, especially Stash, are quirky and entertaining.
My one quibble is that I occasionally had to read the dialogue a second time and pay careful attention or I would not know who was speaking – and it makes a difference! A few identifying comments would have been helpful.
The romance is of the hand holding, peck on the cheek variety so those who prefer to avoid hot and heavy sex need not fear nor is there any foul language. The supporting characters – both human and four legged – are engaging and amusing.
Altogether an enjoyable read for a lazy summer afternoon or in front of a blazing fireplace.
4 of 5 stars

Flagg has moved from the South to Pulaski, Wisconsin for her tale of an immigrant family and the four daughters who take it upon themselves to run the family filling station and take up flying fighter planes during World War II. But never fear, Sookie, a Southern bell who isn’t quite up to snuff according to her domineering mother, discovers she is not a SIMMONS, but was adopted (horrors!) is also a main character.
How these facts intertwine is the story that will hold your attention. The four Polish sisters are based on the actual women who flew airplanes from factory to airfield (and sometimes further) to relieve the “real pilots” for combat duty. Their story makes up the bulk of The All-Girl Filling Station.
Flagg wrote the book to honor the women who sacrificed as much as the men, but until recently were denied the right to military honor and benefits. Their story is compelling.
Sookie’s part of the story offers humorous relief and ties all the loose ends together. You will learn an important part of WWII history and be greatly entertained at the same time. A great story well told.
5 of 5 stars

Though the book is related by Ruth (Mammy), the story is really Solange and Miss Ellen’s story. You might ask “Who is Solange?” Solange is Scarlett’s grandmother, but you won’t find her in Gone with the Wind.
Solange is a French heiress who is married off to a second son with prospects in sugar. She arrives in Haiti to find the sugar plantation in disarray and the second son a poor manager. Ruth is an orphan that Solange appropriates for herself. When the Haitian slave revolt becomes a dangerous reality, Solange, her husband and Ruth decamp to Charleston, South Carolina.
Here Ruth finds love and marriage in Jehu, a free black. Unfortunately Jehu finds Pastor Vesey and his church of slaves. When Vesey’s plot to overthrow and murder white slave holders is discovered, Ruth’s family is shattered and the story changes location to Savannah. Here Solange marries for a third time and gives birth to Ellen, Scarlett’s mother.
The last quarter of the book covers Miss Ellen and Gerald O”Hara’s marriage and life at Tara. The book ends with the outbreak of the Civil War.
The book is well written and follows a pre-ordained curve to introduce us to Scarlett and attempt to give us a back story for why Scarlett is who she is. Actual events and people give a feeling of reality to the novel that is a bit too long. Too much of the book deals with Solange and her amorous adventures. If you are looking for a novel of pre-Civil War manners, you will be happy. If you really want to know Ruth and a slave’s life, this is not the book for you.
3 of 5 stars

This collection of short stories shows off Cox’s expertise in creating characters. BLOOD KNOT, a extremely short story, gives us insight into six different characters while delivering a satisfying ending.
Joe Pickett, a Box character in 14 novels, makes an appearance in several tales including One-Car Bridge, the opening story that delivers a punch of an ending. If you already are familiar with Box you will like these quick reads. If you have never read his stories before, these will have you eager for more.
You will find humor in PIRATES OF YELLOWSTONE, evil in EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY ON THE RIVER and political incorrectness with a helping of retribution in LE SAUVAGE NOBLE (THE NOBLE SAVAGE).
5 of 5 stars

Temperance Brennan is a woman determined to avenge the young girls who are being murdered in Charlotte. When she learned these murders may be connected to “cold cases” where she was never to bring the perpetrator to justice, she is even more determined. When Detective Ryan shows up as well, things begin to be very interesting.
This is Reichs at her best. She weaves people and plot carefully together and brings the conclusion as just the right point in the story. There is enough monstrous cruelty here for the most blood thirsty and enough science for technical in this tale of psychology and murder solved with wit and dogged police work.
BONES NEVER LIE is part of the written series, but can be read without knowing the back story. Those who only know Temperance through television will not recognize the characters but will recognize good writing and detection.
5 of 5 stars

This novella gives us the back story for Butch Dixon, Sheriff Brady’s husband in many of J A Jance’s books that take place in Arizona.
Butch becomes the prime suspect in the murder of his former wife who had remarried and changed her name after divorcing Butch. How he defends himself is the plot. Although short this is a well-developed story with interesting characters and a layered plot.
Part of the book is a portion of Jance’s next book – REMAINS OF INNOCENCE.
4 of 5 stars

This debut novel is a quick read with a Christian wholesomeness. You will figure out the love story by the second page, but the story is really about people a small town in West Virginia, their prejudices, secrets and the ability to forgive.
Coincidence and misunderstandings abound as the story progresses to its foreordained conclusion. You won’t be surprised but you will enjoy getting there. The characters are likeable. The villain is driven out of town. The good folks find salvation and redemption. The writing is solid.
If you like Christian, family centered novels, you will love this book. If you find them boring and cliché ridden, you should read something else.
4 of 5 stars

Two women who were “bocha posh” in their youth are the two heroines of this double story. Rahima is the modern girl who is turned into a boy in order for her family to survive in a patriarchal society where girls/women are forced into the extreme background of life. Shekiba (the great-great-grandmother of Rahima) becomes “bacha posh” because of the deaths of her immediate family and the shunning of her extended family. Both women live in a very structured Aghan society that does not permit females to participate in society.
The intertwined tales follow the women throughout their lives as they transition from girl to “boy” and then back to girl. The second transition is the most difficult as they must adjust from relative freedom to a rigidly obedient life under the complete domination of both males and the older women who can make their lives miserable or pleasant.
Traditional Afghan society is made very clear as we learn the intimate details of Rahima and Shekiba’s lives. Both women make choices that determine their fates as well as the fates of those they love or simply grow to know. The character who connects the two women is Shaima, Rahima’s aunt, who tells the story of Shekiba in order to encourage Rahima to live her life as fully as possible.
Book groups will ponder the fate of the many women who people the book and find much to discuss – husbands, education, the position of women, ethical behavior, the importance of family and, of course, the oddity of “bacha posh” itself.
5 of 5 stars

Margaret Maron has written a mystery with heart where some of the miscreants get what they deserve and some get mercy. The Knott family saga continues with more life in the characters and more fun in the tales they tell and live out.
Well plotted and with enough red herrings to challenge the best armchair detectives, DESIGNATED DAUGHTERS tells of young and old, rich and poor, cheated and cheater, but mostly Maron spins a tale of life. Her characters resonate with vitality. Maron fans will find the characters familiar as they age, grow up, mellow and are revealed in this latest novel from a master of the continuing story. If you are reading a Deborah Knott mystery for the first time, you will need the family tree found in the front of the book.

This is a lovely story by a favorite author. Placed in Civil War Kansas the story follows a young wife is left behind as her husband goes off to fight for the Union. Eliza carefully makes a quilt to ease his bones and keep him warm and sends it off to him with another soldier as a Christmas gift.
Eliza and her two children soon find themselves challenged, first by a Confederate widow and child and then by an escaped slave. Keeping the farm producing is another challenge. Discovering what has happened to the lovingly made quilt is a prime element of a story that contains heartbreak, danger, suspicion, wickedness, love, cooperation and redemption.
The characters are true to life, the situations and conversations realistic. Dallas fans will discover that some of the characters are the grand parents of the characters in THE PERSIAN PICKLE CLUB.
5 of 5 stars

A mystery unfolds within this tale of art, artists, writers, secrets and beautiful scenery. The locations range around the world and are delightfully rendered. The characters are well developed and engaging. The mystery is interesting and will keep you guessing until the end.
Because this is a translation, you will find a few awkward constructions, but persevere; this tale is well worth it. The main characters, Enrique and his former wife, Bety, find themselves embroiled in controversy when the art restorer and writer researching Sert paintings disappears. Bety and Craig, the restorer, had become friends while he studied the paintings in the museum/church where Bety worked. Enrique, a renowned writer, is enticed to delve into his disappearance and the secret contained in the paintings.
You will learn a bit of history, a bit of art construction, and a bit of the craft of writing, all the while enjoying the intrigue of mystery.
4 of 5 stars

I did not enjoy this book. I didn’t like any of the very unlikeable characters-especially Dr. Spoot, the main character. The story was filled with mean actions and objectionable and deplorable attitudes. (Acting like a Nazi is not funny!) The “gardening” aspect, which was what drew me to the book in the first place, was actually a mockery of gardening. Perhaps this book was supposed to be sarcastic and hilariously funny. If so, it was entirely lost on me. The only somewhat likeable characters were the Fremonts and even there, drunkenness and “peeing” in ones backyard were deemed appropriate behavior.
Skip this one. The writing is pedestrian and the jokes are sophomoric (in the worst sense).

Jance takes us back in time to relate how beau became a detective and the “one that got away.” Beau’s first homicide was never solved. Now, in the present, Beau revisits that crime. Does he solve it? I won’t tell, but you enjoy the juxtaposition of past and present in this tale of crime and aging knees.
Jance keeps you interested while giving the reader a glimpse in to Beau’s back story. As usual, the writing is crisp, the plotting is well paced and the characters ring true. Another winner for the mystery lover, especially those who have Beau’s career through the years.

The Walled City is a fast moving novel based on the real Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong. The three “heroes” of the novel are Mei Yee, a young girl sold into human trafficking by her father, Jin, her sister who has entered the Walled City posing as a boy, and Dai, a mysterious youth who may or may not be able to help Jin find and rescue her sister. The protagonists are Kuen and his pack of predatory and sadistic youth who bring terror on the inhabitants of the Walled City and Longwai, the gangster who runs the Walled City and the brothel that holds Mei Yee.
Although the basis of this tale is human trafficking, sex is almost non-existent in the book. The horror, brutality and hopelessness endured by the girls who are trafficked is, however, clearly shown. Perhaps this is because the book is being presented as a young adult novel. Nothing is lost for adults because the fast pace and clever plotting hold the attention of the reader and the nuances are clear. The characters are real, the conversations are not strained and the texture of the city and surrounding area all combine to present a gripping story well worth your time.
If you are not aware of the relationship of the novel to Kowloon Walled City (revealed in the afternotes) the novel has the feel of a fantasy. The one small defect is the possibly too pat ending.
5 out of 5 stars.

THE LONG WAY HOME by Louise Penny
This was my first Inspector Gamache novel and that was a mistake. I should have read the preceding novels first! Even at the end of the book I was still sure I was missing important nuances of plot , conversation and place.
That said, I enjoyed this book. The mystery lurks into being in the first paragraphs and keeps one on edge for the remainder of the book. The characters are well defined. The plot is rich with suspense and is logically rendered. You will care about the characters and be surprised by the ending. There is humor in the characters, especially Ruth and Rosa, as well as humanity and empathy.
If you know a bit about art and artists you will be ahead of the game. If you know nothing about art and artists you will learn a lot about their temperaments and work styles. Neither instance will detract from the story.
5 of 5 stars

This Christian romance is a quick, fun read despite its obvious plot flaws. You will have to suspend belief as you discover a family of Southern sympathizers who embrace a Northern “nurse” claiming to have married their son on his deathbed so she can nurse his ailing sister and tend to the family farm. The tangled mess that ensues when the supposedly dead soldier turns up quite alive and engaged to a neighbor woman gives the plot its tension. The subplot of horse rustlers is much more believable and well thought out.
If you like Christian fiction and a bit of “squeaky clean” romance, you will enjoy this tale. The neighbor children supply a good bit of humor and the love stories have numerous twists and turns. All in all, a fine tale for the genre.
4 of 5 stars

What a great book! The writer gives you a feast for the intellect while presenting a spell binding murder mystery. It might help if you have a bit of Biblical or Christian knowledge, but if you don’t, it will be liberally supplied without preaching. The schism between the Eastern (Orthodox) Church and the Roman Church is a major part of the plot. The schism plays out in the family that is the center of THE FIFTH GOSPEL. One brother is a Roman Priest, the other an Eastern Christian priest. The victim is a lay person who is investigating the provenance of the Shroud of Turin with the help of both brothers.
The writing is clear and fluid. The characters are well rounded and interesting personalities. The plot is slowly revealed through the machinations and hierarchy of the Country that is Vatican City. You will be drawn into the plot, the family, the Vatican and the Church as the tale unfolds.
Book groups will discover many avenues to discuss – family, faith, church, power, crime, punishment, divorce, suicide, among them.
5 of 5 stars

Three children who survive the destruction of their orthodox Jewish communities during WWII are followed throughout their lives. One survives because his Catholic nanny hides him as her son until he is “restored” to Judaism after the war. One survives because that same boy prevents her from following her mother and father to certain death. The third survives because her family is fortunate enough to escape to neutral land and then Paris after the war.
The aftermath of the war influences all the decisions, secrets and separations that follow them all their lives. The Ultra orthodox community is sympathetically rendered as is the decision of one of the three to leave that insular and confining faith.
The characters and faith are presented with clarity. Book groups will discover the lifestyle of the orthodox and its ramifications. A discussion of the decisions of the three characters and the decision of a granddaughter should lead to a lively conversation.
4 of 5 stars

This young adult book is a cross-over for adults, perfect for Parent-Child Book Groups.
New Yorker Lizbeth, 14, is spending the summer with her small town North Carolina aunt and uncle. On her very first day in Ahoskie a murder occurs that intrigues her because of the special penny the deceased is clutching in his hand. Determined to discover both the penny and the murderer, Lizbeth discovers the slowness of small town life along with prejudice, compassion, violence, love, greed and generous neighborliness among the residents and relatives she encounters.
Realistic characters and situations carry the slow moving plot along. 1972 in the South is clearly presented. Watching Lizbeth grow in maturity and change over the summer is a pleasant foil to the murder mystery. The importance of family and respect, the keeping and telling of secrets and the surprising revelations are all good topics for discussion.
5 of 5 stars

A murder, a mystery, a family squabble over land, another murder, a philandering husband, a contract killer, a ghost – oh my – this plot is thicker than molasses.
A likeable heroine and her ghost friend take on murders, wife beaters, divorced husbands, family disputes and more. If you can abide a ghost who is usually, but not always, in the right place at the right time, you will like this mystery. The characters are well drawn, with a few you will like and a few you won’t. The situations are believable and properly contentious. The mystery will keep you guessing and you may even find yourself rooting for the wrong person as the plot unfolds.
A mystery with a bit of “southern charm” and a lot of twists and turns.
4 of 5 stars

This is Daheim’s 27th outing in the Emma Lord series and perhaps her last. Emma, publisher and editor of the Alpine newspaper, and her Sheriff husband, Milo Dodge, are the hero and heroine of this romp in murder and mayhem. All of the usual characters are present which will please followers of the series, but may confuse new readers. There is so much going on in small town Alpine -- murder, wife beating, missing persons, confused identities, etc., etc. -- that even long time readers will find this outing a bit confusing and disjointed. It appears that Daheim had several “good ideas” still in her Emma Lord file and tried to use them all. If you can keep all the name changes straight the plot thickens and the resolution makes sense.
A good mystery for mystery buffs who love convoluted plotting and well developed characters. You won’t find gore or gratuitous violence, but if you are offended by smoking (often), drinking (before every meal) and sexual innuendo (mostly within marriage), skip this one and find another mystery.
3 of 5 stars

I almost quit reading – then I got to page 58 and I was hooked. The four members of this family are damaged, damaged by each other, damaged by their past, damaged by their own actions. The characters are finely drawn, believable and you get to know them intimately. The situations are timely and true. The writing is expressive. These are people and situations you want to know and care about deeply – even when they are being incredibly stupid in their actions. The tempo and tension increase as the book travels to its conclusion. There is sufficient humor to lighten what could be a depressing book.
I especially liked the sections about Barkley and his illustrious Catholic high school. The politics of schools are spot on (I’m a former teacher at a religious school). I rooted for Julie to detach from her stifling marriage and find (re-find?) herself and her dreams. The male writer got women right –Julie, Ginny and Margaret.
Book groups will a plethora of topics to discuss, including the endings for each family member.
5 of 5 stars

You begin reading thinking you are reading one kind of novel only to discover that you are reading another – much more intriguing and with vastly more depth than you thought. With each page we are drawn more deeply into the lives of Lillie and Beret and Mick. Dallas’s rich character development is apparent in the first chapters and continues throughout as the plot line unfolds. Even minor characters have depth. The title leaves one wondering which women (and men) are fallen.
Public appearance and actual moral character become evident as Beret and Mick proceed with their investigation into Lillie’s death and personality. Moral fiber will become a rich topic for book groups who choose to discuss this book. Dallas gives us many other topics for discussion and one persistent question – What is the story behind Beret’s name-- a question posed but never answered.
5 of 5 stars

If you are looking for an intricately detailed mystery, this is the book for you. Starting with a cry from a confined and beaten woman seeking help to the final denouement, Reichs latest entry in the mystery/thriller genre will please her fans and garner new ones.
The plot in clearly laid out with enough red herrings and twists to keep you guessing. The characters are well drawn. The romantic element will satisfy the fans familiar with the on again romance between the South Carolina forensic anthropologist and her Canadian cop co-worker/love interest.
The “amateur helpers” who seek the answers for the families of missing persons or just for their own “games” is a stimulating twist that introduces intriguing characters and situations.
5 of 5 stars

Food and pirates works surprisingly well in this sometimes funny, sometimes scary, sometimes poignant tale of a kidnapped chef and the female pirate who keeps him ala Scherazade until he can no longer make a meal that tantalizes her taste buds. Of course the problem of missing ingredients (what pirate ship carries fresh herbs and truffles?) and a cramped and skimpy kitchen make his dilemma interesting. Chef Owen and Pirate Hannah are clearly drawn characters you will like. The supporting pirate crew is equally well drawn. Life aboard ship is made plain.
The plot also concerns the opium trade with China and the scoundrel British captains who control it. The enemy pirate – The Fox – turns out to be related to Hannah in more ways than one. The final battles are tense with the final ‘winner” difficult to guess.
A good outing for a debut author. I look forward to his next book.
4 of 5 stars

THE TESTAMENT by John Grisham
I started this book thinking “oh no, another bad will, lawyers fighting it out” book. I was wrong. This book is really a character study of two people: one selfless, powerless, kind, gentle, loving, astute; the other selfish, brutish, drunk, egotistical, powerful. It is also about a land – beautiful, treacherous, unforgiving, abundant. When these forces meet, the story begins.
Grisham is a great storyteller; his characters are real, the situations are plausible, the tension is unending. THE TESTAMENT has a clear message, told clearly in a powerful way. This is a story that will stay with you. I’m glad I read it and you will be too.
5 of 5 stars

THE MIDWIFE’S TALE: At Home in Trinity #1 by Delia Parr
If you love family stories with interesting characters and a moral, you will love THE MIDWIFE’S TALE. Martha, the midwife of the title, is searching for her runaway daughter and dealing with the new doctor in town who doesn’t think much of midwives. A charismatic “minister” has brought seven orphaned New York City boys to town to reform them. An old friend of Martha’s is no longer a friend. An old love interest is now widowed and interested - perhaps. And there are the babes to be born, friends to tend to and the town of Trinity -- itself a character in the tale.
The plots move along quickly, the characters are believable, the idiosyncrasies of the era are used effectively and the somewhat archaic words are clear from context. My one quibble with the author is the use of action words that occasionally do not fit the actual action, for instance on page 226, Martha “ventures” down a hall in a house she knows quite well. There were others that caused me to stop and reread passages and lose the momentum of the story: a minor thing but one that caused me to notice the writing rather than the story.
A good story that will please readers who desire a Christian story with no overt sex, no violence and clean language.
3 of 5 stars

THE SECRET SISTER by Brenda Novak

If you read the back of this book, you will think it is a mystery with perhaps a bit of romance thrown in. You would be wrong! This is a romance (if you consider a romance to consist of jumping into bed within 5 minutes of meeting a guy and repeating that quite often and quite explicitly) book with a very shallow, immediately solved, mystery that shows up only in the last few chapters.
The characters are pretty stock. The romance is mostly just sex. The writing is grammatically correct. The mystery is a snooze. The setting sounds like a lovely place to vacation. If you want a beach book to while away a few hours, the book is okay.
2 stars out of 5 (for good grammar)

What a harrowing tale Joseph tells in this, his story from early childhood in North Korea to young manhood in America.
His father is a mid-level party worker and his family is comfortable in the 1980’s. Kim, his father, mother and sister, Bong Sook, live with electricity, a TV and plenty of food and snacks. Then the famine in North Korea takes all of that away. His father and mother lose their jobs, then their furniture, TV and even clothing in order to eat. Eventually they lose their home and are dependent upon their extended family for a roof and food. Finally they have exhausted all options. Kim’s mother sells his sister in South Korea, and disappears. Joseph is left on his own as a young boy. The book details the heartrending life he leads as a homeless youth, descending into theft, lies and violence to survive. Written in simple, but graphic terms, he tells how he ultimately loses all hope and faith in communism and North Korea. He sneaks into South Korea at great risk, becoming a refugee from one the world’s most repressive regimes.
The book’s subtitle, FROM STARVATION IN NORTH KOREA TO SALVATION IN AMERICA, gives the story of his life in one sentence. This is a book that will not leave you for many months. You will learn about life in North Korea when things go well and how quickly plenty can turn to extreme want when a government is oblivious to the needs of the citizens – and how citizens continue to defend and love their country long after the country has abandoned them.
5 of 5 stars

LONG UPON THE LAND by Margaret Maron
This last Deborah Knott book ties up some loss ends from other books in the series and tells us the love story of Deborah’s parents. And, of course, being a Margaret Maron mystery, the present day murder has ties to the past. Told in alternating chapters of the 1950’s love story and the present day murder, Maron succeeds in telling two interesting tales in one book. I am sad to see Deborah’s story end. I have grown to care for the family members who inhabit these tales. The land is also an important player.
If you like Maron’s previous books, this one will be satisfying. If you are a new reader, this one will inspire you to search out the others starting with THE BOOTLEGGER”S DAUGHTER. Maron writes tightly plotted mysteries that also have breadth of character and place. This one is no exception.
5 of 5 stars

The latest in the Kinsey Millhone series of mysteries is a winner. You will keep reading to discover HOW Kinsey keeps from being murdered herself as she investigates a serial killer. Grafton’s fans will not be disappointed – unless it is to realize this series is nearing its end!
4 of 5 stars

WOW! What an ending. Sandra Dallas, who is a genius with characters, has written a fascinating tale of a good woman accused of killing an innocent babe. Secrets abound in the vicinity of Gracy, the last midwife. Gracy, her husband Daniel who wanders each year looking for a gold strike and son Jeff who has left his home under strange unexplained circumstances are the main characters in this tightly plotted mystery. The mining town of Tenmile, a desolate outpost in the mountains, and its inhabitants are the supporting cast.
Gracy, accused of murder, staunchly refuses to tell the secrets she is privy to during the labor and delivery of babies when women are at their most vulnerable. Yet there are untold secrets surrounding Gracy and Daniel and Jeff that are only hinted as the tale unfolds.
The hardships and joys of a hardscrabble life in the late 1880’s are clearly stated with no apology and no sense of the desperation that poverty can elicit. These are people who face life with clear eyes and a sense of faith in themselves, their community and their God. Dallas is a sympathetic writer who understands the people, the place and time and is well able to bring them to life.
5 of 5 stars

Looking for a fun read with a bit of mystery and a gentle romance? Then this is just the book you want. Brook, brought up as the adopted daughter of the ruler of Monaco, may or may not be the lost heiress of an English fortune and title. Discovered at the site of a carriage accident that caused her mother’s death, she was brought up by the love interest of the man she called grandfather in Monaco’s castle. Her best friend, Justin, himself heir to a fortune and title, is convinced she is the long lost heiress of Whitby Park.
Galloping horses rides, love interests, friends, enemies, and misunderstandings abound in this detailed Edwardian romance with a Christian side and a unifying mystery. You will find no sizzling love scenes and no coarse language. You will find an engaging mystery, a satisfying love story and a bit history in this exciting story.
4 of 5 stars

Jance brings two of her detectives together in this latest mystery. Brandon Walker in the Southwest is asked by the daughter of a convicted murderer to reopen her father’s case. Combining Native American lore with tough detective work Walker brings J P Beaumont in Seattle into the mystery of two longtime friends, a lost treasure, a scheming woman, a long ago murder and several very fresh murders.
Jance uses the talents of both detectives to advance the story and solve the mystery. Personally, I found the Native American tale sections that began each chapter to be distracting. As usual her plotting is tight and the characters are real as are the conversations. A good read.
4 of 5 stars

I read this as an ebook from NetGalley and the publisher. I wish I had read a print copy. It was difficult to keep the characters straight – which one was Lucy, which one was the doctor, which one the maid, how were they connected……
That said, I enjoyed this three part novel with interconnected heroines. Some of the secrets I guessed, some I didn’t until the big reveal. I liked that the some items became more important (for example, the ruby necklace) as you continued to read. The ending with Prunella was a little too contrived, but it worked for the novel. I wondered if the three main characters were written by different authors, but decided that two must have given expert knowledge and Karen White was the “real” author (Am I right?). I hope the finished copy has a note to answer the question.
All in all, an enjoyable read with several twists. Good character development for the women, the men were more stock characters and not as well developed. The quick romances were a too quick. The art could have been more detailed as it was an important part of the story. The artist of the “second” inferior mural was never really made clear. No one seemed to have the talent or time to create this copy is such a way that it was recognizable as a copy.
4 of 5 stars

NOT a short story collection.
Grisham proves once again that he is not a formula writer – or at least his formula keeps changing – and always for the better! ROGUE LAWYER begins as a collection of apparently disparate short stories centered on a lawyer that is the epitome of NOTHING like a corporate lawyer. By the third “story” you begin to see the possible connections that will quickly become the plot of this tale. Along the way you meet a cast of real characters from the innocent wronged citizen to the “out of the ghetto” up and comer to the most vicious bad guys. This is a page turner that will keep you up at night and just might change your opinion of both lawyers and cage fighters.
5 of 5 stars

Although the main characters are named Clark Gable and Loretta Young, this book is much more fiction than history. Loretta Young and Clark Gable did have a child out of wedlock (probably) that was later “adopted” by Loretta and that is the extent of the “historical” part of the love story. That said, the book is quite fascinating for the many stories of the beginning of the movie industry in Hollywood. Loretta and Clark were stars in the twenties, thirties and forties. Clark’s movie popularity extended until his death in 1960 reaching its zenith with Gone with Wind. Both Gable and Young were Academy Awards winners for best actor. Young’s career in films slowed considerably in the 1950’s, but she moved to television and achieved great success there also.
The interesting characters of Alda (Young’s assistant and friend) and her husband (a gifted movie scene painter) are entirely fictional. Nonetheless they bring life to the behind the scenes episodes of movie making and are well rounded. Movie aficionados will like seeing the sketches of famous actors, directors, producers and other Hollywood folk interspersed throughout the book.
At nearly 500 pages the book is too long and needed some judicious editing. Many of the scenes detailing Young’s opinions and thoughts, especially concerning Gable, are repetitious and boring.
4 of 5 stars

If you have been following the exploits of the Sigma Force, this book is a tour de force. The team, that now includes former assassin, Seichan, races from peril to peril all while trying to prevent a disaster of epic proportions. In searching for the beginning of modern man, a scientist who works with Baako, an unusually intelligent gorilla, is kidnapped and forced to reveal a part of her work to identify why and how Neanderthals became modern man. Of course there is a demented quasi scientist in the Beijing Zoo who is trying to use the information to rule the world and controls an army of minions ready to die at his bidding.
Exciting, and based loosely on real science, this continuation of the Sigma Force series will satisfy fans and introduce new readers to a new series. Hint: If you are new to the series, jot down the names of each character and a brief description as you meet them. Makes reading this series sooooo much easier, especially when characters (like Gray Pierce) are referred to by both names.
4 of 5 stars

Have you ever heard the line in The Marine Hymn that states “to the shores of Tripoli” and wondered what happened in Tripoli? This book will tell you why the Marines are proud their actions in Tripoli and why it might suggest an answer to some of today’s more pressing problems with Islamic nations.
In the early 1800’s, the rulers of Morocco, Algiers, Tripoli and Egypt extracted tribute payments from the new United States as well as other nations. The payments escalated until they were simply too much to pay for unfettered access to the Mediterranean Ocean and the northern coast of Africa. Ships and their contents were being confiscated and the sailors aboard enslaved by the rapacious rulers. Jefferson determined that the cost of tribute was more than the cost of war and sent a nascent navy to the shores of Tripoli to free the Americans held in the Barbary Coast nations and free the seas for all nations.
Much more “history” than “story” the book reveals the machinations, men and navy needed to win the war. Interesting and factual with notes and sources, this book is for the historian and the student of public policy as well as those interested in how the past affects the future.
4 of 5 stars

THE STORYTELLER by Jodi Picoult
A story within a story within a story is the only way to quickly describe THE STORYTELLER. There are three storytellers -- Sage, a baker, who carries guilt and grief that consumes her; Josef, a beloved elderly man, who confesses to Sage and wants her to forgive and then kill him; and finally, Minka, a Polish Jew and resident of a concentration camp during WWII. I found Minka’s story compelling. Forgiveness is the overriding theme of the book. A sentence on page 450 states that you can only forgive someone the wrong they have done to you personally. Sage, Josef and, even Minka, need forgiveness, but who can forgive them and will they – that is the question.
I found this to be one of Picoult’s more challenging and thought provoking books. She is known for addressing timely topics with a twist ending. THE STORYTELLER addresses forgiveness in way that will give you pause for thought, especially the ending. Book groups will have a lively discussion of guilt and forgiveness.
5 of 5 stars

What is not to like – the Grand Duchess Anastasia lives, a serial murderer is running amok, Hitler rises in a devastated Germany, an honest policeman is in a warren of corruption and a woman of mystery tries to survive. Although slow getting started, this thriller is truly a thriller. There is enough actual history laced through the plot to give credence to the tale of murder, fraud and corruption amid a search for love, justice and honor.

Esther, who carries the plot, is the woman of mystery, scarred and scared. Nick is the flamboyant owner of the flashiest and finest cabarets in the world’s flashiest city, although a Berlin struggling under the crushing load of war debt. Anna, who may, or may not, be the Grand Duchess Anastasia, survivor of the slaughter of her family and resident of an asylum for the mentally ill, is the center of the plotting and murder that swirls around her. Connecting them all is Inspector Schmidt trying to maintain honesty and humanity is a city devoid of both.

The writing is vivid and shows a city devastated by war and greed and slowly coming under the domination of Hitler and his coterie of murderous goons. Ahh, the murders – the stripper, the good wife, the tale bearer, the innocent and more and more. Who will survive, who will die, will justice prevail, will love triumph, is Anna really Anastasia, and if not, who is she? All questions searching for answers.

5 of 5 stars

This novel of firemen and their families was hard to read. Not because many of the fireman died, but because the novel was constantly jumping from past to present then back to a different time in the past then back to present – all in the same chapter. The writing is clear and even lyrical in places but the book jumped from character to character so often I was constantly turning back to the family diagram to see who and what time period the story had suddenly shifted to.
After I finished the book, it felt as though there were so many stories there wasn’t one story. Each of the various stories felt incomplete in some way. Perhaps a winnowing of the characters and more depth for fewer would have felt more “finished. I enjoyed many of the mini-stories and liked most of the characters, but all in all, I was disappointed in the book.
3 of 5 stars

Here you have it – an exciting thriller with no profanity, no hot and heavy sex and little violence. Well, there is some violence – several murders, a grisly suicide (or maybe not a suicide), a crazy person or two, a secret room with diabolical machines and, of course, the hapless scholar cum detective.
The characters are decently drawn, the plot is clear, the tension is heart stopping. It is easy to see why Child is a bestselling author. If you like mysteries that slowly draw you in and then amp up the tension, this is the book for you. One of the best of the genre.
5 of 5 stars

Combining two stories to tell the life of lighthouse keeping and coming of age make this a charming and intelligent read of historical fiction. Grace Darling was also known as the Heroine of the Farne Isles because of her actions during the wreck of the Forfarshire where many lives were lost, but, because of Grace and her father, nine lives were saved. The companion story tells of Matilda Emmerson, a “disgraced” Irish nineteen year old escaping her family’s judgement to spend time with a distant relative who is a lighthouse keeper in America.
Well researched and written, both tales tell the hardships and joys of “keeping” over the space of a hundred years. Gaynor’s characters come to life as she exposes their lives and work. The terror and beauty of the raw power of the sea tell its own story in masterful hands. The dynamics of family and friendship are exposed as each woman’s story is revealed.
Book groups will enjoy the tales and learn a great deal about “keeping” and also the natural beauty and power of living seaside.
5 of 5 stars

THE RITUAL BATH by Faye Kellerman
I learned a lot about Orthodox Judaism from this exciting murder mystery. When a rape takes place outside a Mikvah in an isolated Orthodox community, Rina, who takes care of the Mikvah, meets Detective Peter Decker. An unlikely friendship begins and intensifies with a murder.
Good characterizations, interesting setting, and an intriguing plot that moves at just the right pace make this a great mystery. It is the first book in a series but can be read as a stand-alone.
4.5 of 5 stars