The past few months have gone by in a blur because of all kinds of personal chaos, but I did get some reading in to keep my sanity. Forthwith is a single post for the books read this fall, and yes, gentle readers, it is a small list, but in my defense, I was also trying to make a dent in a huge pile of magazines, including a literary magazine chock full of books I want to read.
The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout In case it hasn't been clear the past two years, I've been trying to read or listen to as many Nero Wolfe mysteries as I can. In this title, Wolfe and Archie tangle with the FBI and the NYPD; guess who will win? More topical than some of the Wolfe mysteries, and very resonant today, despite the 1965 original publication date. Perhaps not my favorite Nero Wolfe,
The Dancing Floor by Barbara Michaels I love Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters, love, love, love. My great regret is she died before I could meet her. They are top notch entertainment in my book--just enough mystery with just enough romance, and in the case of Amelia Peabody novels accurate historical detail and laugh-out-loud funny. I'm pretty sure I've read them all, but I don't mind re-reading ones I haven't read in a while. The plot to The Dancing Floor didn't sound familiar, so I took it out from my library. It didn't engage me the way a Barbara Michaels usually does, so I wondered if this was a very early book in her repertoire. It isn't, published in 1997, but it's not as good as others. I thought the way she incorporated Heather Tradescant, our plucky heroine, into the Karim family was a little too easy and unbelievable, even for someone like me, who happily suspends rational thought for a ripping good book. Barbara Rosenblatt's reading of this audiobook was as a good as I had heard she was. The Wiccan culture at the center of the mystery made this a great Halloween read. Not her best, but still very enjoyable.
Death of a Witch by M. C. Beaton Another fun visit to Lochdubh! I love the Hamish MacBeth series, and recently re-watched the television series just to spend more time with the quirky Highlanders and the beautiful scenario. In Death of a Witch (Halloween theme continued), a newcomer upsets the entire community with her herbal medicines, and Hamish manages to solve the murder, smooth the ruffled feathers of everyone in Lochdubh, and even engage in a passing romance with Leslie from forensics. The romance was typically Hamish-funny, with Leslie's disinterest in him until she realized Hamish is smarter than he acts pretty accurate as to how most of us feel about Hamish. I thought this was one of the more amusing of the Hamish stories, because so many of the eccentric community were embroiled with the mystery and I love it when they stymie Hamish.
The Bat by Jo Nesbro Scandinavian noir has been very popular in the mystery world for several years, but giventheir grimmer, grimier nature, I've resisted it. However, my library's acquisition of a audiobook of the first Harry Hole mystery was too much to resist. I enjoyed first half of the novel, even if it didn't take place in Norway. I overlooked the sometimes television-script-like dialogue between Andrew and Harry. I liked the burgeoning relationship between Birgitte and Harry. I especially liked the shock of the second murder, which threw some genre expectations out the window. The first and third thirds were great, fast-paced and attention grabbing. Hated the middle third when Harry, understandably upset after the second murder, tossed his hard-won sobriety (which had garnered a lot of sympathy from me) and the joy (existence?) of his new romance for a week of drunken excess and one night stands. This was trite and cliched and evaporated my sympathy for Harry, despite the rest of the story and its effects on him. I have read that this was not Nesbro's best effort; perhaps I should've followed my usual routine of starting with a later title in along series to allow for the author to learn their craft and their character better.
The Division Bell Mystery by Ellen Wilkinson I love the British Library Crime Classics imprint, and this is latest title from that series I've read. It's a great locked room mystery that reads as only slightly dated, despite dating to 1932. Further enjoyable since the portrayal of the politicians shows some of them to be just as inept and out of touch as to have been pulled from today's headlines. We can enjoy that ineptness more because it's fictional. Wilkinson served in Parliament, so her insight into the inner workings of that political body are fascinating. I can only hope that this just demonstrates that 85 years later, things have changed and yet some things have remained the same, which may mean peril can be averted.
The Body by Bill Bryson Bill Bryson and a deep dive into human physiology and bodily functions--perfection. One of my favorite books of the year!
Aunt Bessie Assumes by Diana Xarissa You know how I love cosy mysteries located in unusual or exotic (to me) locations with an overarching, country-home-murder vibe. So naturally when I stumbled upon a series called the Isle of Man mysteries, I had to give it a try. The writing was okay, the setting was described well, the mystery was obvious and could have used a few more suspects, but the main drawback to reading another in this series is Aunt Bessie herself. She's so self righteous and almost intolerant of anyone who does things differently than she. I like a curmudgeon, and I'm on my way to being an old spinster lady myself, but that doesn't mean I have to be a silver seniors version of a mean girl in high school. And yet she's supposed to be so beloved by everyone on the island that they call her Aunt Bessie and tell her everything? I also was floored at the end when a policeman on a stakeout left to go grocery shopping, especially as this took place immediately after an attempt on the life of the person whose home was being staked out, the eponymous Aunt Bessie?
And the other policeman watched through a window as Aunt Bessie nearly get killed "to see what the killer would do?" Generally I don't include spoilers, but I had to here to underscore why I found it hard to enjoy the book, despite liking some of the secondary characters and wanting to read and 'see' more of the Isle of Man.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Monday, September 2, 2019
Middle Sister's August Reads
Wow, August was full of books, because unbelievably, the dog is still in the hospital, which means I continue my habit of reading to him (as I do the animals at home every night) for two hours. This month was characterized by its variety.
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver I borrowed this book from my boss in January, but I had to put it aside for a few months after my mother died since the main character begins the novel reflecting on how the death of her mother has affected her. It was a very good book, but my boss and I both preferred the story of Thatcher and Mary to the modern story of Iano and Willa. The unremitting bad luck of their lives paralleled mine a little too much. The overt political stance of Willa and Iano as contrasted with Iano's father, with which I happen to agree, did become annoying after a while. Some of that should have been sacrificed for more interaction between Iano and his father, I think, even though Willa is the protagonist of the modern half of the story. The modern story is filled with more characters and more chaos, which exemplifies Willa's life at the moment, but there is so much going on that I think the threads became too many to weave together as effectively as the simpler, less chaotic story of Thatcher and Mary. I'll end with one of my favorite, and most devastating quotes: "When someone matters like that, you didn't lose her at death. You lost her as you kept living."
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie, annotated edition by Maria Tatar My book group's selection for the summer. I'd never read Peter Pan and I didn't like the Disney movie as a child (in fact, I don't think I've ever seen the whole movie). I didn't like the story (abandoned children never reunited with their families is upsetting to me as a adult and I think that's why I didn't like it as a child), although I did appreciate the creativity Barrie had in spades. What I really liked about this edition was all the footnotes and the estra chapters on the original Arthur Rackham illustrations, the history of the play, and the other tangents Tatar explored.
40 Timeless Knits by Norah Gaughan Great new compilation of Norah Gaughan knit designs, with samples from her career presented chronologically. Perfect for knit lovers, with good photographs, charts, and written directions.
The Old Success by P.D. James James' mysteries are being reissued in electronic form, and that makes it even easier to enjoy these well written, erudite mysteries. I admit to having a huge fictional crush on Richard Jury, so I enjoy all of her novels. This isn't one of James' strongest, as it can get confusing keeping the interconnections between all the characters straight, but it is marked by one of James' most sympathetic supporting characters,Tom Brownell. I don't remember if Diane's ex-husband, George Jenks, makes any reappearances in other novels, but I hope he does. She is one of my least liked characters but I did enjoy their interactions.
My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi Young adult novel that is aimed at the same age group as Jason Reynolds, but it falls a little short. Set in the 1980s, in Alabama and New York City, the story follows Ebony-Grace Norfleet Freeman who leaves her mother and beloved grandfather in Alabama to spend a few weeks with her father in New York City. When her grandfather becomes ill, Ebony-Grace must stay in NYC, and face what she has avoided successfully by retreating into a fictional world she and her grandfather created--growing up. Some sections dragged on a little too much, and this nerdy child-now-adult thought Ebony-Grace's transition from her space fantasy to reality happened far too quickly. All the 1980s references were amusing to me, but would be meaningless to the targeted age group. I liked the comic book-style illustrations, but I wished they had furthered the story rather than recapitulated scenes we'd already read.
Felicity Carrol and the Murderous Menace by Patricia Marcantonio I think Marcantonio wanted to create a female Sherlock Holmes--an independently wealthy polymath, Felicity has no family ties to force her to adhere to late Victorian propriety, and she has decided to help Scotland Yard solve mysteries. In this, which I think is the second novel in the series, Felicity's Scotland Yard friend has made himself sick over his inability to catch Jack the Ripper. Felicity decides to do that in hopes of restoring him to health. I won't go into the details of how, but Felicity tracks the Ripper to Montana, where she meets an attractive lawman and tries to understand the Wild West. Felicity was extremely annoying, especially in the first half of the novel, and if I read the phrase "her remarkable memory" one more time I was going to give up. Marcantonio makes a number of mistakes that detract from the time she's trying to recreate: Felicity throws twenty and fifty dollar notes around as if they were pennies, and that would have attracted a lot of attention in a mining town, Felicity and the Hunky Marshal get physical, which would never (okay, maybe never but rarely) happen to a wealthy Victorian maiden without consequences, and uses the concept of profiling the murderer which was used in the Ripper case but I wonder if the term profiling was used (I suspect not) as Marcantonio uses it. I do giver the author props for an original conclusion to the identification of Jack the Ripper, which saved the book.
Revolutionary Brothers by Tom Chaffin Interesting and well-written biography of the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson and their relationship both during and after the Revolutionary War. The book is well-researched and easy to read, although I wish my advanced reader's copy had illustrations or maps to help describe some of the events. I enjoyed the appearance of my favorites, John and Abigail Adams, and their intersection with both Lafayette and Jefferson in Paris after the war, developing the United States' early diplomatic relationship with France; Jefferson and Abigail seem to have had a mutually admiring relationship. The book ends rather abruptly, and disappointingly, during a tour of southern France by Jefferson, without any mention of what happened to both gentlemen after their role as diplomats ended, what happened to Lafayette during the French Revolution, or Jefferson's election as president.
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver I borrowed this book from my boss in January, but I had to put it aside for a few months after my mother died since the main character begins the novel reflecting on how the death of her mother has affected her. It was a very good book, but my boss and I both preferred the story of Thatcher and Mary to the modern story of Iano and Willa. The unremitting bad luck of their lives paralleled mine a little too much. The overt political stance of Willa and Iano as contrasted with Iano's father, with which I happen to agree, did become annoying after a while. Some of that should have been sacrificed for more interaction between Iano and his father, I think, even though Willa is the protagonist of the modern half of the story. The modern story is filled with more characters and more chaos, which exemplifies Willa's life at the moment, but there is so much going on that I think the threads became too many to weave together as effectively as the simpler, less chaotic story of Thatcher and Mary. I'll end with one of my favorite, and most devastating quotes: "When someone matters like that, you didn't lose her at death. You lost her as you kept living."
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie, annotated edition by Maria Tatar My book group's selection for the summer. I'd never read Peter Pan and I didn't like the Disney movie as a child (in fact, I don't think I've ever seen the whole movie). I didn't like the story (abandoned children never reunited with their families is upsetting to me as a adult and I think that's why I didn't like it as a child), although I did appreciate the creativity Barrie had in spades. What I really liked about this edition was all the footnotes and the estra chapters on the original Arthur Rackham illustrations, the history of the play, and the other tangents Tatar explored.
40 Timeless Knits by Norah Gaughan Great new compilation of Norah Gaughan knit designs, with samples from her career presented chronologically. Perfect for knit lovers, with good photographs, charts, and written directions.
The Old Success by P.D. James James' mysteries are being reissued in electronic form, and that makes it even easier to enjoy these well written, erudite mysteries. I admit to having a huge fictional crush on Richard Jury, so I enjoy all of her novels. This isn't one of James' strongest, as it can get confusing keeping the interconnections between all the characters straight, but it is marked by one of James' most sympathetic supporting characters,Tom Brownell. I don't remember if Diane's ex-husband, George Jenks, makes any reappearances in other novels, but I hope he does. She is one of my least liked characters but I did enjoy their interactions.
My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi Young adult novel that is aimed at the same age group as Jason Reynolds, but it falls a little short. Set in the 1980s, in Alabama and New York City, the story follows Ebony-Grace Norfleet Freeman who leaves her mother and beloved grandfather in Alabama to spend a few weeks with her father in New York City. When her grandfather becomes ill, Ebony-Grace must stay in NYC, and face what she has avoided successfully by retreating into a fictional world she and her grandfather created--growing up. Some sections dragged on a little too much, and this nerdy child-now-adult thought Ebony-Grace's transition from her space fantasy to reality happened far too quickly. All the 1980s references were amusing to me, but would be meaningless to the targeted age group. I liked the comic book-style illustrations, but I wished they had furthered the story rather than recapitulated scenes we'd already read.
Felicity Carrol and the Murderous Menace by Patricia Marcantonio I think Marcantonio wanted to create a female Sherlock Holmes--an independently wealthy polymath, Felicity has no family ties to force her to adhere to late Victorian propriety, and she has decided to help Scotland Yard solve mysteries. In this, which I think is the second novel in the series, Felicity's Scotland Yard friend has made himself sick over his inability to catch Jack the Ripper. Felicity decides to do that in hopes of restoring him to health. I won't go into the details of how, but Felicity tracks the Ripper to Montana, where she meets an attractive lawman and tries to understand the Wild West. Felicity was extremely annoying, especially in the first half of the novel, and if I read the phrase "her remarkable memory" one more time I was going to give up. Marcantonio makes a number of mistakes that detract from the time she's trying to recreate: Felicity throws twenty and fifty dollar notes around as if they were pennies, and that would have attracted a lot of attention in a mining town, Felicity and the Hunky Marshal get physical, which would never (okay, maybe never but rarely) happen to a wealthy Victorian maiden without consequences, and uses the concept of profiling the murderer which was used in the Ripper case but I wonder if the term profiling was used (I suspect not) as Marcantonio uses it. I do giver the author props for an original conclusion to the identification of Jack the Ripper, which saved the book.
Revolutionary Brothers by Tom Chaffin Interesting and well-written biography of the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson and their relationship both during and after the Revolutionary War. The book is well-researched and easy to read, although I wish my advanced reader's copy had illustrations or maps to help describe some of the events. I enjoyed the appearance of my favorites, John and Abigail Adams, and their intersection with both Lafayette and Jefferson in Paris after the war, developing the United States' early diplomatic relationship with France; Jefferson and Abigail seem to have had a mutually admiring relationship. The book ends rather abruptly, and disappointingly, during a tour of southern France by Jefferson, without any mention of what happened to both gentlemen after their role as diplomats ended, what happened to Lafayette during the French Revolution, or Jefferson's election as president.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Middle Sister's July Reads
Well, with my ginger boy still in the vet hospital and my habit of reading to him every night for 2 hours, I continue to get a lot of reading done this summer.
The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett Carol and Jude get involved in another murder mystery in Fetherington, but this time, Jude is the last person known to have been with the victim and thus is the police's main suspect. As number one suspect, Jude is warned off investigating by the police, so Carol swings into action on her own. Like the other Fetherington mysteries, this is a solid English cosy mystery. Jude and Carol are caricatures of middle aged women--one uptight, one free-spirited--but their friendship rings true, with respect for each others's quirks tinged by occasional jealousy and impatience. Well written, as all Brett's mysteries are, and while I figured out the whodunnit, an enjoyable summer read. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Man That Got Away by Lynne Truss The second in the fast-paced Constable Twitten mystery series opens a month after the first book, with Twitten still reeling from the revelation not just of the presence of a Master Criminal in Brighton, but who that Master Criminal is. In this book, Sgt. Brunswick gets to go undercover in a seedy nightclub, while Inspector Steine confronts his past in his inimitable bumbling way, and Mrs. Groynes has a romance. I learned what a humbug was, and it was not what I expected. This is a charming series, well written and engaging, with a lively 1957 English setting. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Long Call by Ann Cleeves The book begins with Matthew Venn attending his father's funeral, and this mystery revolves around themes of family and betrayal and loss. Matthew's husband runs an adult care center, and when several young women with Down's Syndrome are kidnapped, his mother, after not speaking to him for many years, asks for his help. At the same time, the adult care center is involved in the murder of a recovering alcoholic who was volunteering as a chef. Venn's loyalties and conflicts are front and center in this well-written but somewhat grim mystery. Recommended. (NetGalley)
Remembering the Dead by Elizabeth J. Duncan Penny Brannigan and her friends and colleagues in North Wales are attending a fancy dinner at the local mansion to celebrate the exhibition of the Black Chair, a specially crafted wooden chair that was awarded to Wales' most illustrious poet in 1917. The chair, unbelievably for its large size, is stolen and a murder is committed during the dinner. Penny is drawn into the mystery, but her friendship with Inspector Bethan Morgan makes her involvement in the investigation less overtly contentious and she is not dismissive of police skill, as many amateur detectives are. Penny's nascent romance with Michael Quinn from the last title in series is part of the story, and I have to admit I felt very superior when Gareth was revealed as the better man, the one she should have chosen over Michael (even if Penny continues to insist that he's not the man for her). I hope Gareth hasn't permanently moved to Scotland (is it mean of me to hope his new romance fails?). Recommended. (NetGalley)
Read and Buried by Eva Gates A library in a lighthouse? I'm there! Lucy works in a small yet vibrant library in Nags Head, North Carolina, and renovations to shore up the foundation of the lighthouse reveal a tin box with a mysterious notebook. The notebook's content are written in code, so Lucy and just about everyone else in her circle try their hand at decoding it. When someone breaks into the library and then is murdered, Lucy sets out to solve both the cryptographic mystery and the murder. Populated with several eccentrics who've known each other their whole lives and who squabble and interrupt each other like people who've known each other their whole lives, I enjoyed them in all their quirkiness and the setting is a great summer vacation destination, even fictionally. Recommended. (NetGalley)
A Legacy of Murder by Connie Berry Kate Hamilton is in England to visit her daughter, who has an internship at a large country house, as well as to buy some antiques for her shop in Ohio. It also gives her the opportunity to resume in person her romance with police inspector Tom. When a body is discovered during her tour of the country house, Kate stays to comfort her daughter and assumes the work of the murder victim in order for the special exhibit she was planning to be held. Luckily, the country house is located within the bailiwick of Tom, the inspector she met in Scotland in the first book in the series. But their romance can only proceed fitfully given the murder investigation and the presence of his late wife's mother. I wanted to warm up to Kate a little more than I did, as she is a contemporary age-wise, but there was something about her that prevented my identifying with her. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book, and since it took place at Christmas, it provided a cool escape from the hot desert summer. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Dog Who Took Me Up a Mountain by Rick Crandall and Joseph Cosgriff Delightful memoir of a man and his Australian terrier and their love of hiking Colorado's high peaks. This book hit several high notes for me--a great location, a pastime I love, and a dog with personality. Highly enjoyable for dog lovers. My only complaint is that I read the advanced reader's copy on my Kindle, and the photos were not included. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett Carol and Jude get involved in another murder mystery in Fetherington, but this time, Jude is the last person known to have been with the victim and thus is the police's main suspect. As number one suspect, Jude is warned off investigating by the police, so Carol swings into action on her own. Like the other Fetherington mysteries, this is a solid English cosy mystery. Jude and Carol are caricatures of middle aged women--one uptight, one free-spirited--but their friendship rings true, with respect for each others's quirks tinged by occasional jealousy and impatience. Well written, as all Brett's mysteries are, and while I figured out the whodunnit, an enjoyable summer read. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Man That Got Away by Lynne Truss The second in the fast-paced Constable Twitten mystery series opens a month after the first book, with Twitten still reeling from the revelation not just of the presence of a Master Criminal in Brighton, but who that Master Criminal is. In this book, Sgt. Brunswick gets to go undercover in a seedy nightclub, while Inspector Steine confronts his past in his inimitable bumbling way, and Mrs. Groynes has a romance. I learned what a humbug was, and it was not what I expected. This is a charming series, well written and engaging, with a lively 1957 English setting. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Long Call by Ann Cleeves The book begins with Matthew Venn attending his father's funeral, and this mystery revolves around themes of family and betrayal and loss. Matthew's husband runs an adult care center, and when several young women with Down's Syndrome are kidnapped, his mother, after not speaking to him for many years, asks for his help. At the same time, the adult care center is involved in the murder of a recovering alcoholic who was volunteering as a chef. Venn's loyalties and conflicts are front and center in this well-written but somewhat grim mystery. Recommended. (NetGalley)
Remembering the Dead by Elizabeth J. Duncan Penny Brannigan and her friends and colleagues in North Wales are attending a fancy dinner at the local mansion to celebrate the exhibition of the Black Chair, a specially crafted wooden chair that was awarded to Wales' most illustrious poet in 1917. The chair, unbelievably for its large size, is stolen and a murder is committed during the dinner. Penny is drawn into the mystery, but her friendship with Inspector Bethan Morgan makes her involvement in the investigation less overtly contentious and she is not dismissive of police skill, as many amateur detectives are. Penny's nascent romance with Michael Quinn from the last title in series is part of the story, and I have to admit I felt very superior when Gareth was revealed as the better man, the one she should have chosen over Michael (even if Penny continues to insist that he's not the man for her). I hope Gareth hasn't permanently moved to Scotland (is it mean of me to hope his new romance fails?). Recommended. (NetGalley)
Read and Buried by Eva Gates A library in a lighthouse? I'm there! Lucy works in a small yet vibrant library in Nags Head, North Carolina, and renovations to shore up the foundation of the lighthouse reveal a tin box with a mysterious notebook. The notebook's content are written in code, so Lucy and just about everyone else in her circle try their hand at decoding it. When someone breaks into the library and then is murdered, Lucy sets out to solve both the cryptographic mystery and the murder. Populated with several eccentrics who've known each other their whole lives and who squabble and interrupt each other like people who've known each other their whole lives, I enjoyed them in all their quirkiness and the setting is a great summer vacation destination, even fictionally. Recommended. (NetGalley)
A Legacy of Murder by Connie Berry Kate Hamilton is in England to visit her daughter, who has an internship at a large country house, as well as to buy some antiques for her shop in Ohio. It also gives her the opportunity to resume in person her romance with police inspector Tom. When a body is discovered during her tour of the country house, Kate stays to comfort her daughter and assumes the work of the murder victim in order for the special exhibit she was planning to be held. Luckily, the country house is located within the bailiwick of Tom, the inspector she met in Scotland in the first book in the series. But their romance can only proceed fitfully given the murder investigation and the presence of his late wife's mother. I wanted to warm up to Kate a little more than I did, as she is a contemporary age-wise, but there was something about her that prevented my identifying with her. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book, and since it took place at Christmas, it provided a cool escape from the hot desert summer. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Dog Who Took Me Up a Mountain by Rick Crandall and Joseph Cosgriff Delightful memoir of a man and his Australian terrier and their love of hiking Colorado's high peaks. This book hit several high notes for me--a great location, a pastime I love, and a dog with personality. Highly enjoyable for dog lovers. My only complaint is that I read the advanced reader's copy on my Kindle, and the photos were not included. Recommended. (NetGalley)
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Middle Sister's June Reads
Well, one of the dogs that inspired BTCD has been in the hospital the entire month. I always read to my animals when I'm in bed (I even try to do the accents; they must think I'm crazy), so I've been reading to him for an hour or two every night when I visit. Between that and waiting in the lobby, we've read a lot of books this month. The veterinary hospital thinks this is hilarious and has joked about putting a shelf in his kennel for his library. Perhaps I should add his 'reviews' of the books, too?
Pocahontas and the English Boys by Karen Ordahl Kupperman The life of the real Pocohontas was not what little we learned in grade school, nor what the movies portray. Ms. Kupperman takes a unique look at early Colonial history through the eyes of the young English boys who sailed as indentured servants and Pocahontas, and investigates how the early settlers used these children and sometimes abandoned them. I knew there were indentured servants who earned their freedom after 7 years, but I never knew that some of these were young teen-aged boys, and I never knew that in some cases, they were abandoned. They were not even considered important enough to have their names recorded; they were simply called 'a boy' in some memoirs or legal papers. These boys were sent to live with Native Americans so they could eventually function as translators for the English. But their lives and fates took unexpected twists the longer they stayed with the various tribes. Failed settlements often returned to England, leaving the boys behind with out any compunction or second thoughts. Kupperman has done an admirable job finding what few references exist to these boys, reconstructing their lives when possible, and considering their fates when they disappeared from history. Early colonial history is an interest of mine, and I enjoyed learning about a slice of it I'd never heard of before. Recommended. (NetGalley)
Pride, Prejudice, and Poison by Elizabeth Blake Ah, gentle readers, I confess an admiration for Ms. Jane Austen and her literary masterpieces. Naturally, I am a sucker for most novels that utilize her canon. And if it takes place in a bookstore, in England? Well, I'm all in. Erin Coleridge runs a small bookstore (and admits most of her sales are via the Internet; a nice touch; most fictional independent bookstores are extremely successful and never mention competition from large online storefronts) in North Yorkshire and is a member of the local Austen society. When a member is murdered and Erin's friend is the chief suspect, she tries to solve the mystery without becoming the next victim. I loved Erin's house, I loved her bookstore, I loved her town, I envied her having two suitors (a suspect and the policeman), and I really enjoyed this mystery. Highly recommended, and you don't have to be a Jane Austen fan to enjoy it. (NetGalley)
Death at Dearly Manor by Betty Rowlands The author's two mystery series are being reissued as ebooks. Originally published in the mid 1990s, this was one of two Rowlands mystery I read this month, featuring her second amateur detective, Sukey Reynolds. Sukey is a scene of crime officer, and in this, the second book in the series, her ex-husband is accused of the murder of his second wife. I enjoyed this twist on a mystery--Sukey is removed from working on the case because of her connections with the victim and the main suspect, but, those connections, her personal ties, mean that she is drawn into the hunt for the killer. I liked Sukey, and I thought her reactions to the needs of her ex-husband, her son, and her boyfriend the inspector were portrayed realistically. The solution to the mystery left me somewhat disappointed, but the author may have been still developing the character. I enjoyed it enough that I'll overlook that weakness. Recommended (NetGalley)
Murder at Larkfield Barn by Betty Rowlands The seventh in the Melissa Craig series, centering on a mystery writer who has moved to a small village in the Cotswalds and finds both romance and plenty of murder. Although this is Rowland's first series, by the seventh title, Melissa should have been a well developed character. While she may have been well-developed, I didn't like her as much as I liked Sukey. Melissa's character came across as quite old-fashioned, despite the original publication of the book in 1996. The murders of several people, united by a garish clown smile painted in lipstick on them, don't seem nearly as gruesome to me as Melissa's and the townspeoples' reactions would warrant. The complicated ending was somewhat of a surprise, although the dearth of suspects clearly indicated who had done it; the mystery was why. Recommended (NetGalley)
Plate Tectonics and Great Earthquakes by Lynn R. Sykes After reading several very interesting nonfiction titles in a row (several from NetGalley), I was looking forward to reading about plate tectonics and earthquakes. I took geology classes and worked with geologists and geomorphologists, so I consider myself more versed in geology and scientific jargon than the average reader. The book addressed some very important topics: can we predict when and where the next great earthquake, like that which produced the tsunami that battered Japan in 2011, will strike? What is fracturing and its relationship to earthquakes? Unfortunately, even a better-than-average educated reader with an interest in plate tectonics will find this a slog to get through. The lack of definitions for some terms is problematic (and there's no glossary, so while I know the difference between p and s waves, some readers won't remember), and I'd have liked more discussion of how prehistoric and historic earthquakes and their affects are detected and studied. In some places, the author almost comes across as exhibiting sour grapes when his recommendations were not followed and his predictions were correct, or when other scientists failed to mention his contributions to a particular theory or methodology. The writing is very dry, and the chapters read like scientific abstracts for a national professional meeting ("In this chapter, I will talk about X and use Y to prove my point." Dullsville and not appropriate for a general audience). Recommended only for geologists and seismologists. (NetGalley)
Pocahontas and the English Boys by Karen Ordahl Kupperman The life of the real Pocohontas was not what little we learned in grade school, nor what the movies portray. Ms. Kupperman takes a unique look at early Colonial history through the eyes of the young English boys who sailed as indentured servants and Pocahontas, and investigates how the early settlers used these children and sometimes abandoned them. I knew there were indentured servants who earned their freedom after 7 years, but I never knew that some of these were young teen-aged boys, and I never knew that in some cases, they were abandoned. They were not even considered important enough to have their names recorded; they were simply called 'a boy' in some memoirs or legal papers. These boys were sent to live with Native Americans so they could eventually function as translators for the English. But their lives and fates took unexpected twists the longer they stayed with the various tribes. Failed settlements often returned to England, leaving the boys behind with out any compunction or second thoughts. Kupperman has done an admirable job finding what few references exist to these boys, reconstructing their lives when possible, and considering their fates when they disappeared from history. Early colonial history is an interest of mine, and I enjoyed learning about a slice of it I'd never heard of before. Recommended. (NetGalley)
Pride, Prejudice, and Poison by Elizabeth Blake Ah, gentle readers, I confess an admiration for Ms. Jane Austen and her literary masterpieces. Naturally, I am a sucker for most novels that utilize her canon. And if it takes place in a bookstore, in England? Well, I'm all in. Erin Coleridge runs a small bookstore (and admits most of her sales are via the Internet; a nice touch; most fictional independent bookstores are extremely successful and never mention competition from large online storefronts) in North Yorkshire and is a member of the local Austen society. When a member is murdered and Erin's friend is the chief suspect, she tries to solve the mystery without becoming the next victim. I loved Erin's house, I loved her bookstore, I loved her town, I envied her having two suitors (a suspect and the policeman), and I really enjoyed this mystery. Highly recommended, and you don't have to be a Jane Austen fan to enjoy it. (NetGalley)
Death at Dearly Manor by Betty Rowlands The author's two mystery series are being reissued as ebooks. Originally published in the mid 1990s, this was one of two Rowlands mystery I read this month, featuring her second amateur detective, Sukey Reynolds. Sukey is a scene of crime officer, and in this, the second book in the series, her ex-husband is accused of the murder of his second wife. I enjoyed this twist on a mystery--Sukey is removed from working on the case because of her connections with the victim and the main suspect, but, those connections, her personal ties, mean that she is drawn into the hunt for the killer. I liked Sukey, and I thought her reactions to the needs of her ex-husband, her son, and her boyfriend the inspector were portrayed realistically. The solution to the mystery left me somewhat disappointed, but the author may have been still developing the character. I enjoyed it enough that I'll overlook that weakness. Recommended (NetGalley)
Murder at Larkfield Barn by Betty Rowlands The seventh in the Melissa Craig series, centering on a mystery writer who has moved to a small village in the Cotswalds and finds both romance and plenty of murder. Although this is Rowland's first series, by the seventh title, Melissa should have been a well developed character. While she may have been well-developed, I didn't like her as much as I liked Sukey. Melissa's character came across as quite old-fashioned, despite the original publication of the book in 1996. The murders of several people, united by a garish clown smile painted in lipstick on them, don't seem nearly as gruesome to me as Melissa's and the townspeoples' reactions would warrant. The complicated ending was somewhat of a surprise, although the dearth of suspects clearly indicated who had done it; the mystery was why. Recommended (NetGalley)
Plate Tectonics and Great Earthquakes by Lynn R. Sykes After reading several very interesting nonfiction titles in a row (several from NetGalley), I was looking forward to reading about plate tectonics and earthquakes. I took geology classes and worked with geologists and geomorphologists, so I consider myself more versed in geology and scientific jargon than the average reader. The book addressed some very important topics: can we predict when and where the next great earthquake, like that which produced the tsunami that battered Japan in 2011, will strike? What is fracturing and its relationship to earthquakes? Unfortunately, even a better-than-average educated reader with an interest in plate tectonics will find this a slog to get through. The lack of definitions for some terms is problematic (and there's no glossary, so while I know the difference between p and s waves, some readers won't remember), and I'd have liked more discussion of how prehistoric and historic earthquakes and their affects are detected and studied. In some places, the author almost comes across as exhibiting sour grapes when his recommendations were not followed and his predictions were correct, or when other scientists failed to mention his contributions to a particular theory or methodology. The writing is very dry, and the chapters read like scientific abstracts for a national professional meeting ("In this chapter, I will talk about X and use Y to prove my point." Dullsville and not appropriate for a general audience). Recommended only for geologists and seismologists. (NetGalley)
Monday, June 10, 2019
Middle Sister's Mid-Month Review
One of the BTCD dogs has been in the hospital for 2 weeks, so there's been a lot of reading going on--in the lobby, in the visiting room, even to him. Both the dog and I loved one of these books, so I had to write a mid-month review.
The Ice at the End of the World by Jon Gertner I loved this book! Mr. Gertner provides a riveting history of exploration of the Greenland ice sheet and glaciers, beginning with Nansen, and progressing through ongoing research in 2018. Through the narrative, he outlines the historical growth of scientific research on the Greenland glaciers, the difficulties conducting these researches, and succinctly summarizes the evidence of the results for climate change and global warming. This book is beautifully written, with good illustrations (so good I wanted more of them), and based on extensive research and oral interviews. I cannot recommend this book enough. Best book of 2019 to date. (Net Galley)
A Plain Vanilla Murder by Susan Wittig Albert I've fallen behind in the China Bayles series, so looked forward to the latest entry in the series. I've traveled through the vanilla country of Veracruz several times, and am currently growing my first two orchids, so naturally I was interested in the premise of this mystery: the death of a professor and international orchid smuggling. The novel is fast paced and told from different points of view--and therein is my only objection. Not the different points of view--I don't mind that technique at all. But China's first person point of view, written in the past tense, but other character's chapters (largely told from the very pregnant Sheila's point of view) are written in the present tense. And the switch back and forth between these was very annoying. Otherwise, this is another good book from Albert, with some surprising twists at the end that kept the suspense level high and surprised even me. (Net Galley)
The Ice at the End of the World by Jon Gertner I loved this book! Mr. Gertner provides a riveting history of exploration of the Greenland ice sheet and glaciers, beginning with Nansen, and progressing through ongoing research in 2018. Through the narrative, he outlines the historical growth of scientific research on the Greenland glaciers, the difficulties conducting these researches, and succinctly summarizes the evidence of the results for climate change and global warming. This book is beautifully written, with good illustrations (so good I wanted more of them), and based on extensive research and oral interviews. I cannot recommend this book enough. Best book of 2019 to date. (Net Galley)
A Plain Vanilla Murder by Susan Wittig Albert I've fallen behind in the China Bayles series, so looked forward to the latest entry in the series. I've traveled through the vanilla country of Veracruz several times, and am currently growing my first two orchids, so naturally I was interested in the premise of this mystery: the death of a professor and international orchid smuggling. The novel is fast paced and told from different points of view--and therein is my only objection. Not the different points of view--I don't mind that technique at all. But China's first person point of view, written in the past tense, but other character's chapters (largely told from the very pregnant Sheila's point of view) are written in the present tense. And the switch back and forth between these was very annoying. Otherwise, this is another good book from Albert, with some surprising twists at the end that kept the suspense level high and surprised even me. (Net Galley)
Saturday, June 1, 2019
Middle Sister's May Reads
More flights in May plus unusually cool weather gave me lots of reading time this month; see earlier mid-month review for another title.
Trilby by George Du Maurier We all know the term Svengali, and I've even seen the black and white silent movie, but I'd never read the book about the terrifying mesmerist. My book club had read it years ago, but with so many new members, we decided to read it again. It's an interesting look at the bohemian lifestyle in Paris in 1894, although I suspect highly whitewashed for reader sensibilities. Blatant anti-semitism running through the novel is uncomfortable for a modern reader. However, as an early psychological thriller, Trilby was an interesting novel. I just wish I spoke French. Gentle reader, beware, there is a lot of French in the novel that was not translated in my edition, and that did affect my enjoyment and perhaps comprehension of the story.
A Crafter Hooks a Killer by Holly Quinn There are a lot of knitting mystery series out there, and only a small number that feature crocheting; these could be counted on one hand. This crochet lover naturally wanted to dive into a story that featured crochet, the cover of which had a golden retriever on it. WHat's not to love? Sadly, this book. It's the second in A Handcrafted Mystery series, and it seemed to me that there were plenty of holdovers from book one that were not explained very well in book 2. The timeline was confusing to me--Sammy has taken over her friend's community crafting commission store because her friend was murdered, but one of the characters in this book is a young man who witnessed her murder as a boy. How many years have elapsed here? Sammy, Ellie, and Hannah and the ridiculous S.H.E. Nancy Drew wannabes was very immature and the constant reference to S.H.E. was very annoying. Their actions were not those of mature women, sisters and cousins who'd shared a love of mysteries as kids now faced with a real life mystery, but of high schoolers on a lark. The romantic interest was very tame, so readers who don't like any spice in their books will appreciate that, but to me it was just boring and bland, and Sammy's rudeness to Nash and inability to understand her actions were actually hurting the chances of finding and convicting the murderer made me want to throw the book across the room. Some parts dragged really slowly; the writing (downright terrible in some parts), the story, the pace, the characters--everything would have benefitted from a strong editor. Let's put it this way--I wrote a record 66 notes on my Kindle about errors, issues, and inconsistencies in this book. Not recommended, even as a beach vacation read.
This mystery left such a bad taste behind that I had to read the exact opposite of it. I'm currently reading an excellent, well-written nonfiction science book that I'll review early in June.
This mystery left such a bad taste behind that I had to read the exact opposite of it. I'm currently reading an excellent, well-written nonfiction science book that I'll review early in June.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Middle Sister's Mid-Month Review
Well, it's technically not mid-month, but we're not going to split hairs here.
Sweet Tea and Secrets by Joy Avon Regular Gentle Readers of this blog know that I like to do theme reads and holiday reads periodically. I couldn't find a Memorial Day mystery, but I did find a new July 4th-centered mystery. It had a dog on the cover, and it was located in a book-themed tea room in Maine. I love dogs (see blog title)! I love tea (see blog title)! I've been wanting to visit Maine for years!
Well, it was a light read, and that's probably the best thing I can say about it. This is the second Callie Aspen mystery, and while there were references to her first visit to Heart's Harbor (could there be a worse town name than Heart's Harbor? The saccharine level is sky high.), I don't think it's necessary to have read the first to begin the series with this entry. So I give the author props for that; it's very annoying when there are so many references to the first in a series that the second makes no sense.
I found the book disappointing on several levels. The immediacy of some of the relationships (the handyman works on your house for an afternoon and is able to establish a rapport with your kids after 20 minutes of soccer such that you'll let him toss them in the air while playing alone with them? And then you say your kids "love him?"), the basic plot device that people would remember such minute details from a local event 30 years ago in which most of them had little involvement (and that a hotel would have registration information from 30 years ago readily available), and the unprofessionalism of the policeman/hero (he tells Callie to go ask the chief suspect to provide DNA because he can't leave the scene of a boat wreck--despite other officers being there; and then asks her to tell said suspect the DNA results because "I don't want to tell him myself as our relationship hasn't exactly been...friendly." Are you kidding me? That's your job, you idiot!) made the mystery of what happened to Monica Walker (which I figured out by Chapter 4) annoying as well as dull. And by the way, Ace, that final gesture to Callie? Much more suited to a housewarming party and not a fireworks display.
No great thought has to go into reading this book which, I guess, makes it perfect summer fare. The answer to the mystery is easily deduced by even a casual mystery reader, so aficionados who like complicated puzzles should steer clear. An uninspired mystery, juvenile relationships, and clear disregard for the intelligence of any reader who has ever read a mystery or watched a police drama means I can't really recommend this book unless the reader deliberately wants something they do not have to focus on, or lives in Maine and must read every book ever written that takes place there. As much as I dislike giving poor grades, I'd rate it a D. (NetGalley)
Sweet Tea and Secrets by Joy Avon Regular Gentle Readers of this blog know that I like to do theme reads and holiday reads periodically. I couldn't find a Memorial Day mystery, but I did find a new July 4th-centered mystery. It had a dog on the cover, and it was located in a book-themed tea room in Maine. I love dogs (see blog title)! I love tea (see blog title)! I've been wanting to visit Maine for years!
Well, it was a light read, and that's probably the best thing I can say about it. This is the second Callie Aspen mystery, and while there were references to her first visit to Heart's Harbor (could there be a worse town name than Heart's Harbor? The saccharine level is sky high.), I don't think it's necessary to have read the first to begin the series with this entry. So I give the author props for that; it's very annoying when there are so many references to the first in a series that the second makes no sense.
I found the book disappointing on several levels. The immediacy of some of the relationships (the handyman works on your house for an afternoon and is able to establish a rapport with your kids after 20 minutes of soccer such that you'll let him toss them in the air while playing alone with them? And then you say your kids "love him?"), the basic plot device that people would remember such minute details from a local event 30 years ago in which most of them had little involvement (and that a hotel would have registration information from 30 years ago readily available), and the unprofessionalism of the policeman/hero (he tells Callie to go ask the chief suspect to provide DNA because he can't leave the scene of a boat wreck--despite other officers being there; and then asks her to tell said suspect the DNA results because "I don't want to tell him myself as our relationship hasn't exactly been...friendly." Are you kidding me? That's your job, you idiot!) made the mystery of what happened to Monica Walker (which I figured out by Chapter 4) annoying as well as dull. And by the way, Ace, that final gesture to Callie? Much more suited to a housewarming party and not a fireworks display.
No great thought has to go into reading this book which, I guess, makes it perfect summer fare. The answer to the mystery is easily deduced by even a casual mystery reader, so aficionados who like complicated puzzles should steer clear. An uninspired mystery, juvenile relationships, and clear disregard for the intelligence of any reader who has ever read a mystery or watched a police drama means I can't really recommend this book unless the reader deliberately wants something they do not have to focus on, or lives in Maine and must read every book ever written that takes place there. As much as I dislike giving poor grades, I'd rate it a D. (NetGalley)
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Middle Sister's March and April Reads
Winter and spring are always very busy here in the desert, as we try to enjoy as many outdoor activities as we can before the nearly intolerable summer heat returns. I had borrowed a book from my boss in January, which I've been trying to read so I can return it to her, and that interrupted my planned reading schedule (and it's still not finished yet, much to my dismay). The two books I read for fun had an unsuspected link which gave a theme to the month: war and its affects on the families left behind.
The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons Originally published in 1965, and recently reissued with a gorgeous new cover from Poisoned Pen Press. The story is told in the first person by Christopher, an eighteen-year-old at the time the events transpire but who is writing at some undisclosed time in his later adulthood and reflecting on how they affected him and his family and reflected societal changes in England brought about by the war. Christopher was orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric family dominated by a strong-willed matriarch. Everything is placid and boring until someone claiming to be one of Lady Wainwright's sons, missing and presumed killed in World War II, returns to the family fold. Part coming of age story, part mystery, the book is well written and deals with one overlooked part of history--the many thousands of mostly European soldiers who were transferred from German prisons to Russian prisons at the end of WWII, many of whom disappeared into the gulag system for years after the war end, and some of whom never made it out alive. Generally very enjoyable, with a strange and somewhat unsatisfying resolution in Paris (the resolution of the mystery was fine, but why did a significant number of the main characters wind up in Paris on what read as flimsy excuses? That was pushing credulity a little.) Recommedned for mystery fans and cosy mystery lovers in particular. NetGalley
Hitler and the Habsburgs by James M. Longo Extremely well written and researched discussion of Adolf Hitler's personal hatred of the ruling family of the Austrian empire. My own interest in history and my family's personal history of WWII mean this has always been a time period of great interest to me, although really well done treatises leave me emotionally spent and angry. Professor Longo's book left me spent and angry, and frightened. His research into both the background of Hitler and the Austrian emperors is exhaustive, but has been condensed into very readable chapters that illuminate the early twentieth century in middle Europe with ease and much detail that reads very engagingly. The author spent years interviewing many of the historical people who were children and adults in the Austrian royal family, and the intimacy established between them truly enlivens what could have been a dry recitation of historical fact with eyewitness recollections and loving family memories. The first few chapters detailing the rise of Hitler were especially chilling and frightening given the current resurgence of his nationalist agenda in the US and Europe. Hitler and the Habsburgs is both an excellent history and a bellweather warning of how insidious hatred can poison a thriving, multicultural society. Excellent and highly recommended reading for history buffs and political science readers. NetGalley
Beyond the Pale by Clare O'Donohue First book in a new series. Hollis was trained to be a spy, but left that life before it even began to marry Finn and settle into what has now, in her middle age, become a boring and mundane life with her professor husband. The first few chapters detail how unsatisfied with her life Hollis is, setting the stage for her to be easily swayed to help an old friend and current agent help Interpol track down a missing spy to save his life. I wanted to like Hollis more than I did, but found the discrepancies between her overcommunicated supposed expertise as a trainee spy ("you were the tops in our class." "You were the best one in our group.") wth her naive behavior once she gets to Ireland. This non-spy, never-wanted-to-be-a-spy reader knows that sitting in apub and discussing your mission aloud is a guaranteed way to bring danger to you and the spy you're trying to rescue and a really dumb move for the best spy trainee in class. I appreciated the allusions to and quotes from famous Irish writers (Finn and Hollis are professors, and its Finn's expertise that led David, Hollis' agent friend, to appeal for their help), and the description of Ireland, Dublin and other settings was well done. But the story itself, Hollis' alleged great aptitude for spying (although 20 years in the past and clearly her bungling efforts did not match her supposed reputation), and the relationship with Finn didn't convince me. But it's a pretty fast read, so suitable for upcoming summer vacation travel reading. NetGalley
The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons Originally published in 1965, and recently reissued with a gorgeous new cover from Poisoned Pen Press. The story is told in the first person by Christopher, an eighteen-year-old at the time the events transpire but who is writing at some undisclosed time in his later adulthood and reflecting on how they affected him and his family and reflected societal changes in England brought about by the war. Christopher was orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric family dominated by a strong-willed matriarch. Everything is placid and boring until someone claiming to be one of Lady Wainwright's sons, missing and presumed killed in World War II, returns to the family fold. Part coming of age story, part mystery, the book is well written and deals with one overlooked part of history--the many thousands of mostly European soldiers who were transferred from German prisons to Russian prisons at the end of WWII, many of whom disappeared into the gulag system for years after the war end, and some of whom never made it out alive. Generally very enjoyable, with a strange and somewhat unsatisfying resolution in Paris (the resolution of the mystery was fine, but why did a significant number of the main characters wind up in Paris on what read as flimsy excuses? That was pushing credulity a little.) Recommedned for mystery fans and cosy mystery lovers in particular. NetGalley
Hitler and the Habsburgs by James M. Longo Extremely well written and researched discussion of Adolf Hitler's personal hatred of the ruling family of the Austrian empire. My own interest in history and my family's personal history of WWII mean this has always been a time period of great interest to me, although really well done treatises leave me emotionally spent and angry. Professor Longo's book left me spent and angry, and frightened. His research into both the background of Hitler and the Austrian emperors is exhaustive, but has been condensed into very readable chapters that illuminate the early twentieth century in middle Europe with ease and much detail that reads very engagingly. The author spent years interviewing many of the historical people who were children and adults in the Austrian royal family, and the intimacy established between them truly enlivens what could have been a dry recitation of historical fact with eyewitness recollections and loving family memories. The first few chapters detailing the rise of Hitler were especially chilling and frightening given the current resurgence of his nationalist agenda in the US and Europe. Hitler and the Habsburgs is both an excellent history and a bellweather warning of how insidious hatred can poison a thriving, multicultural society. Excellent and highly recommended reading for history buffs and political science readers. NetGalley
Beyond the Pale by Clare O'Donohue First book in a new series. Hollis was trained to be a spy, but left that life before it even began to marry Finn and settle into what has now, in her middle age, become a boring and mundane life with her professor husband. The first few chapters detail how unsatisfied with her life Hollis is, setting the stage for her to be easily swayed to help an old friend and current agent help Interpol track down a missing spy to save his life. I wanted to like Hollis more than I did, but found the discrepancies between her overcommunicated supposed expertise as a trainee spy ("you were the tops in our class." "You were the best one in our group.") wth her naive behavior once she gets to Ireland. This non-spy, never-wanted-to-be-a-spy reader knows that sitting in apub and discussing your mission aloud is a guaranteed way to bring danger to you and the spy you're trying to rescue and a really dumb move for the best spy trainee in class. I appreciated the allusions to and quotes from famous Irish writers (Finn and Hollis are professors, and its Finn's expertise that led David, Hollis' agent friend, to appeal for their help), and the description of Ireland, Dublin and other settings was well done. But the story itself, Hollis' alleged great aptitude for spying (although 20 years in the past and clearly her bungling efforts did not match her supposed reputation), and the relationship with Finn didn't convince me. But it's a pretty fast read, so suitable for upcoming summer vacation travel reading. NetGalley
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Middle Sister's February Reads
I had lots of airplane time in February, so plenty of time to dive head first into a book for uninterrupted reading time. I think that might be a bad thing, as I seem to have been a lot more critical than I usually am. This month: mysterious mayhem checked by a brief nature outing.
Drury Lane's Last Case by Ellery Queen I tend to enjoy stories that feature fictional works by famous artists, if well written and well researched and plausible. This mystery centers on the disappearance of a Shakespeare folio and the substitution of a more rare Shakespeare folio, with a mysterious, rainbow-bearded client and one thousand dollars cash. Drury Lane, former Shakespearean actor now retired because he's lost his hearing, becomes involved in the search for the folio and the unmasking of mysterious strangers. Originally published in the 1930s, the story does show its age a little. The beginning is very long and slow by comparison with the second half of the novel, but that half moves very quickly. Thumm and his daughter Patience are likable characters, but I didn't see the need to introduce some third rate gangsters. Parts were confusing but in the end, a satisfying and unique twist that I cannot imagine any modern writers being willing to use. Not the best Ellery Queen, but a good read nonetheless. (audiobook)
Unto Us A Son is Given by Donna Leon Guido Brunetti has recently become one of my favorite fictional characters, and Donna Leon one of my favorite mystery writers. Her love for Venice and its residents is clear, but she doesn't whitewash the failings of the Italian police or society. In this novel, Guido's father-in-law, the Count, asks him to use his connections to look into the background of someone about whom he has serious concerns. Despite his initial reluctance, Guido does, and this touches off a sequence of actions, including a natural death and a murder, that profoundly affect Guido in a way that other cases have not. I love Guido and Paola's relationship, and I love Leon's depiction of Venice. Another excellent entry in the series.
48 Peaks by Cheryl Suchors I love nature books, and books about hiking in nature, and books about how hiking in nature affect people's lives. Suchors details her quest to climb all 48 peaks in New Hampshire's White Mountains. I wanted to like it. The details of Suchor's training and her relationships with her hiking partners form the majority of the book, with less detail on the wonders of nature that she encountered on the various peaks. And that's one reason I didn't like it: the emphasis was on her obsessive training and her clashes with hiking partners whose hiking philosophies differed from her own. Suchors hiked to tick each mountain off her list, not to enjoy nature, to learn about the environment or the geology or plants, or to enjoy being in nature, and her frustration with people who did hike for enjoyment was dismissive and irritating. I would hate hiking with her. There are few deep introspections offered, but the clear emphasis on just climbing each mountain to climb it, not to enjoy it, detracts from the effort and the narrative in this hiking lover's opinion.
Upstaged by Murder by C. S. Chalinor Rex Graves and his new wife, Helen D'Arcy, are enjoying a night at the local community theater when the murder of the leading lady interrupts the show and delays their move to Edinburgh. I'd never read a book in the series before, and my experience was ambivalent. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it. The plot was rather mundane, the suspects not that interesting, and even though the author lived in the UK for several years, the dialogue didn't ring quite true. I didn't quite understand Rex's involvement beyond being interviewed as a witness. Why the inspector let him just interview suspects at will was not really explained well for first-time readers to the series, but I assumed the two were friends who'd worked on previous murder mysteries. Otherwise it seemed like a dereliction of duty. The resolution was no surprise. It's not a bad book, it's just not a good book.
Crewel and Unusual by Molly MacRae Another first in an established series for me, and this one features yarn shop owner Kath Rutledge and her live-in ghost, Geneva. A local bank is being transformed into a gallery for artists and small shop owners, and the murder of one of the shop owners draws Kath and her boyfriend Joe into solving the murder. I freely admit that I went in to the book with two chips on my reader's shoulder: I'm not fond of paranormal mysteries (and I didn't realize this was a paranormal until after I'd started it), and I really dislike it when the amateur detectives think they are smarter than the pros. In Chapter 9, Kath actually says "But I'd be willing to bet Coleridge [law enforcement] smelled a rat. And if he plans to hunt it down, then we'll see if we can't catch it first, even if we ruffle a few feathers." Murder isn't a game, and when it's treated as such I tend to get my reading hackles up. But I did like Joe; in fact, I'd really like to have seen more of him and less of Geneva. Like the previous title, it's not a bad book, it's just not a good book. The plot is a little weak, the ghost aspect not appealing to all readers (and she's a bit of an annoying ghost to boot), but some of the secondary characters interesting.
How to Knit a Murder by Sally Goldenbaum I haven't read all of the Sea Harbor mysteries, but I have enjoyed the ones I've read. This, however, is not my favorite of the titles I've read. I approve of how Ms. Goldenbaum shifts point of view between a handful of main characters, and she handles it deftly because all of these characters are well defined and sympathetic, interesting, and with enough to appeal that the reader can see themselves as Nell, or Ben, or Birdie, or Izzy, or Cass. The characters are all likable (except for the murder victim, of course), and Sea Harbor is the perfect small town where everyone knows and cares about each other and drops by with scones and wise advice. It's a little too perfect, and for some reason, that perfection seemed to be more egregious in this entry, perhaps because the novel dealt with the lifelong repercussions of childhood bullying. And none of the main characters and most of the secondary characters were astonished that such hateful behavior could have happened under their noses. There's very little of Izzy in this entry, a lot of Nell and Birdie, and a great deal of a newcomer to town, Rose, who is murder suspect number one. If Rose and Stella don't become a romantic couple in the future, someone needs to talk to Ms. Goldenbaum about portraying platonic female friendships more realistically, because the gushing and instant intimacy of Rose and Stella was too unrealistic if it's not clearly pointing to a romance. Sea Harbor doesn't appear to have any LBGTQ characters (or any people of color), so it's high time some moved there. The murder is slow to be solved, and the sudden appearance of the clue that solves everything was a little too trite and deus ex machina for me; I prefer a more clever approach where clues are sprinkled throughout the novel and I get to solve it along with the amateurs. But Sea Harbor is always a nice place to visit and wish was real, especially the restaurants.
Drury Lane's Last Case by Ellery Queen I tend to enjoy stories that feature fictional works by famous artists, if well written and well researched and plausible. This mystery centers on the disappearance of a Shakespeare folio and the substitution of a more rare Shakespeare folio, with a mysterious, rainbow-bearded client and one thousand dollars cash. Drury Lane, former Shakespearean actor now retired because he's lost his hearing, becomes involved in the search for the folio and the unmasking of mysterious strangers. Originally published in the 1930s, the story does show its age a little. The beginning is very long and slow by comparison with the second half of the novel, but that half moves very quickly. Thumm and his daughter Patience are likable characters, but I didn't see the need to introduce some third rate gangsters. Parts were confusing but in the end, a satisfying and unique twist that I cannot imagine any modern writers being willing to use. Not the best Ellery Queen, but a good read nonetheless. (audiobook)
Unto Us A Son is Given by Donna Leon Guido Brunetti has recently become one of my favorite fictional characters, and Donna Leon one of my favorite mystery writers. Her love for Venice and its residents is clear, but she doesn't whitewash the failings of the Italian police or society. In this novel, Guido's father-in-law, the Count, asks him to use his connections to look into the background of someone about whom he has serious concerns. Despite his initial reluctance, Guido does, and this touches off a sequence of actions, including a natural death and a murder, that profoundly affect Guido in a way that other cases have not. I love Guido and Paola's relationship, and I love Leon's depiction of Venice. Another excellent entry in the series.
48 Peaks by Cheryl Suchors I love nature books, and books about hiking in nature, and books about how hiking in nature affect people's lives. Suchors details her quest to climb all 48 peaks in New Hampshire's White Mountains. I wanted to like it. The details of Suchor's training and her relationships with her hiking partners form the majority of the book, with less detail on the wonders of nature that she encountered on the various peaks. And that's one reason I didn't like it: the emphasis was on her obsessive training and her clashes with hiking partners whose hiking philosophies differed from her own. Suchors hiked to tick each mountain off her list, not to enjoy nature, to learn about the environment or the geology or plants, or to enjoy being in nature, and her frustration with people who did hike for enjoyment was dismissive and irritating. I would hate hiking with her. There are few deep introspections offered, but the clear emphasis on just climbing each mountain to climb it, not to enjoy it, detracts from the effort and the narrative in this hiking lover's opinion.
Upstaged by Murder by C. S. Chalinor Rex Graves and his new wife, Helen D'Arcy, are enjoying a night at the local community theater when the murder of the leading lady interrupts the show and delays their move to Edinburgh. I'd never read a book in the series before, and my experience was ambivalent. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it. The plot was rather mundane, the suspects not that interesting, and even though the author lived in the UK for several years, the dialogue didn't ring quite true. I didn't quite understand Rex's involvement beyond being interviewed as a witness. Why the inspector let him just interview suspects at will was not really explained well for first-time readers to the series, but I assumed the two were friends who'd worked on previous murder mysteries. Otherwise it seemed like a dereliction of duty. The resolution was no surprise. It's not a bad book, it's just not a good book.
Crewel and Unusual by Molly MacRae Another first in an established series for me, and this one features yarn shop owner Kath Rutledge and her live-in ghost, Geneva. A local bank is being transformed into a gallery for artists and small shop owners, and the murder of one of the shop owners draws Kath and her boyfriend Joe into solving the murder. I freely admit that I went in to the book with two chips on my reader's shoulder: I'm not fond of paranormal mysteries (and I didn't realize this was a paranormal until after I'd started it), and I really dislike it when the amateur detectives think they are smarter than the pros. In Chapter 9, Kath actually says "But I'd be willing to bet Coleridge [law enforcement] smelled a rat. And if he plans to hunt it down, then we'll see if we can't catch it first, even if we ruffle a few feathers." Murder isn't a game, and when it's treated as such I tend to get my reading hackles up. But I did like Joe; in fact, I'd really like to have seen more of him and less of Geneva. Like the previous title, it's not a bad book, it's just not a good book. The plot is a little weak, the ghost aspect not appealing to all readers (and she's a bit of an annoying ghost to boot), but some of the secondary characters interesting.
How to Knit a Murder by Sally Goldenbaum I haven't read all of the Sea Harbor mysteries, but I have enjoyed the ones I've read. This, however, is not my favorite of the titles I've read. I approve of how Ms. Goldenbaum shifts point of view between a handful of main characters, and she handles it deftly because all of these characters are well defined and sympathetic, interesting, and with enough to appeal that the reader can see themselves as Nell, or Ben, or Birdie, or Izzy, or Cass. The characters are all likable (except for the murder victim, of course), and Sea Harbor is the perfect small town where everyone knows and cares about each other and drops by with scones and wise advice. It's a little too perfect, and for some reason, that perfection seemed to be more egregious in this entry, perhaps because the novel dealt with the lifelong repercussions of childhood bullying. And none of the main characters and most of the secondary characters were astonished that such hateful behavior could have happened under their noses. There's very little of Izzy in this entry, a lot of Nell and Birdie, and a great deal of a newcomer to town, Rose, who is murder suspect number one. If Rose and Stella don't become a romantic couple in the future, someone needs to talk to Ms. Goldenbaum about portraying platonic female friendships more realistically, because the gushing and instant intimacy of Rose and Stella was too unrealistic if it's not clearly pointing to a romance. Sea Harbor doesn't appear to have any LBGTQ characters (or any people of color), so it's high time some moved there. The murder is slow to be solved, and the sudden appearance of the clue that solves everything was a little too trite and deus ex machina for me; I prefer a more clever approach where clues are sprinkled throughout the novel and I get to solve it along with the amateurs. But Sea Harbor is always a nice place to visit and wish was real, especially the restaurants.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Middle Sister's January Reads
I may have only read two books in January, but both were long (that's okay) and very good (that's great).
Valley Forge by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin This recently published historical tome is an excellent look at one of the Revolutionary War's most famous episodes, the winter at Valley Forge. I was there as a child, and the images are still seared in my memory. That may be why I've always been intrigued by this particular historical subject. Drury and Clavin's masterpiece is a well researched and engagingly written look at the circumstances leading up to the winter at Valley Forge; the political, social, and economic landscapes and effects; and both the colonial and British experiences. Plenty of footnotes and maps detailing the military skirmishes furnish extra details that this reader loved. Highly recommended.
Miss Marjoribanks by Margaret Oliphant My suggestion for my book group's January/February novel was a little slow moving, but well written. I could see antecedents of my favorite novelist, E.F. Benson, and the fictional world of Lucia in Lucinda Marjoribanks and Carlingford, albeit with a much gentler tone. The beginning was slow going, I will admit, but I am glad I hung there, as the last two-thirds of the book moved more quickly. There were two plots devices I didn't anticipate, and while my reactions to each were very different, upon retrospect, they enhanced the novel. Recommended.
Valley Forge by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin This recently published historical tome is an excellent look at one of the Revolutionary War's most famous episodes, the winter at Valley Forge. I was there as a child, and the images are still seared in my memory. That may be why I've always been intrigued by this particular historical subject. Drury and Clavin's masterpiece is a well researched and engagingly written look at the circumstances leading up to the winter at Valley Forge; the political, social, and economic landscapes and effects; and both the colonial and British experiences. Plenty of footnotes and maps detailing the military skirmishes furnish extra details that this reader loved. Highly recommended.
Miss Marjoribanks by Margaret Oliphant My suggestion for my book group's January/February novel was a little slow moving, but well written. I could see antecedents of my favorite novelist, E.F. Benson, and the fictional world of Lucia in Lucinda Marjoribanks and Carlingford, albeit with a much gentler tone. The beginning was slow going, I will admit, but I am glad I hung there, as the last two-thirds of the book moved more quickly. There were two plots devices I didn't anticipate, and while my reactions to each were very different, upon retrospect, they enhanced the novel. Recommended.
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