Middle Sister's January Reads

Welcome, 2021! The only good things about 2020 were some really good books I read, the leap year tea that is only available every four years, and the pandemic puppy I bought. Hopefully 2021 will be a general improvement over what the world just went through.

A Murder Between the Pages by Amy Lillard Book store setting, small town, eccentric characters--it all sounded great. But I hated this book. I wrote 75 notes to myself on my Kindle, which is a record. Most concern the idiotic and very unrealistic behavior of the characters. Does that sound too strong? It's not. The story centers on a bookstore in a small Mississippi town, where a group of eccentric and very elderly ladies form the core of a book group, a bookstore owned by the adopted daughter of one of them. Arlo co-owns the bookstore, yet is able to just dash off following the eccentric older ladies at the drop of a pin, heedless of whether anyone can watch the store for her. Having worked in a bookstore and other small, privately-owned companies with just a few employees, that would quickly lead to a shuttered business and bankruptcy. Why Arlo felt responsible for these women, and why she couldn't corral them, is mentioned again and again and again and...to the point where I started yelling at the book "Just let them go alone, Arlo! Let them get arrested!" I had trouble understanding how the older ladies that comprise the book club were able to leap from the fictionalized account in their current selection to the real-life disappearance of a former town resident that is the plot. It just seemed very forced and not natural enough to be the basis for the plot. Their behavior was untenable. No police chief, no matter how small the town, no matter his personal relationship to the bookstore owner, would let people barge in to his office, contaminate crime scenes, and make off with evidence without repercussions. And the stealing of medical records by the old ladies, when the author is well aware of HIPAA? I really lost all interest in finding something to like about this book at this point. I disliked all of the old ladies and Arlo, and even the police chief in his complacence and the hunky Sam who indulged the ladies in their mischief. If the mystery had been well plotted, the book might have been salvageable. But there were so many ridiculous, unrealistic scenarios Who thinks a movie producer is going to call the Chief of Police in a small town not to discuss security details but to make the police chief make hotel reservations and act as project manager/major domo? A large, man-made lake is completely drained to look for a stolen necklace. No divers sent in to search; nope, completely drained. Where did the water go? No mention of where the pumps and hoses let the water out, and this was a lake deep enough to hide a Volkswagon for decades. A small town has the budget and equipment to do this? Borrowing a couple of divers from another county would have been realistic. It boggles the mind that the author thought these were reasonable ways to force the connections she needed to in order to advance her story. I could go on and on (see last month), but I'm stopping here and considering changing my Kindle settings so all those notes would be available to anyone who wanted to read them. This is not the first in the series, but I'm going to actively avoid the rest and suggest you do, too, Gentle Reader. Instead, read the next book.

Tea and Treachery by Vicki Delaney Cape Cod, a tea room, a Victorian mansion converted to a bed-and-breakfast--that's the setting for Tea and Treachery. Lily runs the tea room, while her grandmother, Rose, runs the B&B. When someone hoping to develop the property next door is found dead, they find themselves under suspicion from what may be a crooked cop trying to hide the truth. This was a fun read. Lily is a normal woman with normal problems--too little sleep, a grandmother she can't control but worries about, no time for romance and real business problems like not enough employees and a strawberry delivery that never arrives--this is a much more accurate portrayal of a small business than that in the previous book. And the ploy that ensnares our amateur detectives into the murder is realistic--the dead body is found on their property. Last but certainly not least, when Lily does stumble onto clues, she contacts the detectives, instead of assuming that she is smarter than them and keeping it from them. The hint of romance (yea, the gardener is swoon worthy), the just-enough mentions of tea and food Lily prepares to set the scenes in the tea room, the pace and setting on Cape Cod--all make for a very enjoyable and well written mystery. The comic relief of Bernie was a tad overdone. I hope she is relegated a bit to the back in the next book in the series, or matures a little with her possible new romance with a real author, because I found her character to be the one discordant element. She started off as a potentially interesting character, but her flightiness soon grew beyond quirky to annoying. Tea by the Sea is a series to which I'll return. Recommended.

Middle Sister's December Reads

 It's finally winter here in the desert, with long, dark, cold nights perfect for reading.

Stargazer by Anne Hillerman At this point, it's no longer necessary to say that Hillerman took over from her father's storied legacy. Her novels stand on their own now. In Stargazer, the death of an astronomer working at the Very Large Array in New Mexico, a confession by his wife--Bernie's college roommate, and the discovery of a dead baby and a nearly dead young woman cause Bernie Manuelito professional distress at a time when she is dealing with what may be the deterioration of her mother's health, professional strains on her marriage, and a crisis of confidence in herself. Extremely well written, as the entire series is, although not the hardest to solve. It didn't matter that I figured out who the murderer was about two-thirds of the way in. Hillerman's style is gripping, and her depiction of my southwest home region is spot on, down to the last detail. I really like Bernie--she's an interesting main character who is coming into her own as a police officer, which is not an easy job for a Navajo woman, while facing the uncertainties and problems in her personal life we all face. I like Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, but I can identify with Bernie a lot more on a personal level. Highly recommended. Net Galley

The Secret Ingredient Cookbook by Kelly Senyei I loved this cookbook! I love cooking, and enjoy both following recipes and tweaking them to my own likes and what I have on hand. I loved the idea of this book, where Ms. Senyei presents well known and well loved classics, but adds a secret ingredient that takes them over the top. The week I read this, I made the caramelized onion dip (I almost ate the entire dish at one go), cacio e pepe (now a regular in my dinner rotation), and the honey-roasted cauliflower and broccoli (delicious). There are at least ten other recipes on my to-be-made list for 2021. Beautiful photographs, well written recipes (many of which are easy), but I do have one complaint--there's no nutritional information provided. I've become so accustomed to checking the sodium levels that I was surprised and disappointed not to find them listed after each recipe. Otherwise, a delightful cookbook I can heartily recommend to novices and experienced cooks alike. Net Galley 

Digging Up the Remains by Julia Henry This is the third in a series called the Garden Squad series, centered on a group of friends who love gardening, and in case you weren't aware, gardens are one of the deadliest places in the mystery world, so it stands to reason that gardeners would stumble upon bodies. The main character is Lilly Jayne, who at 65 is only 10 years older than me but whose attitude is entirely different to mine and the women in their early 60s with whom I'm friends (more about that later). Her partner in crime is her roommate, Delia Greenway, although other Garden Squad members and neighbors play important secondary roles. The gardeners are involved in a multi-day fall festival in their town in Massachussets, which includes a 10K race and a Halloween haunted house walk. I liked so many things about the book--the small town where everyone knows everyone else (although I hated the town name: Goosebush; maybe it's explained in the first book in the series, but I grew up back east and towns in MA don't have names like this); the autumnal setting, most of the characters (can we see more of Roddy, please?). Unfortunately, my least favorite was Lilly. Also, the author makes a big mistake int he beginning of the book that only people who used to work in my job and related industries would catch--the bodies discovered in the public park (buried with their china!) would have had to have archaeological work done because of the use of municipal funds (there are a lot of laws that cover this, beginning with the Antiquities Act of 1906). Delia submits the DNA from one of the bodies to an ancestry-type company for analysis--patently ridiculous! Where did she get the DNA and how was it extracted (these places usually utilize saliva tests, whereas DNA from archaeological sites is usually extracted from teeth or long bones, preservation allowing). And the Medical Examiner would have taken samples that were sent to the Police Lab for processing, not refused to take on the case "since the bodies were so old."Then Delia follows this with the announcement that the bodies were members of the Howland family, but no living members of the Howland family submitted DNA for comparison; we're to assume that they were on this ancestry site already because they'd taken of these kit tests, too? And why would someone running away from home take fragile china with them? Where did the information that Catherine Howland left home with her china come from? There were so few facts included in Delia's presentation of her actions and her interpretation that I wound up thinking she must not be very good at her job, whatever it is. There were also a few turns of phrases that confused me; what is an army of attention? By baskets on the back of a bike do they mean panniers? Baskets go on the front of a bike. And since this happens in the first chapter, the niggling irritation followed me through the whole book. I also hate the attitude they state forthrightly here: "I'm thinking that this case is going to get a lot of attention. Let's try to help Bash (the police) as much as possible." Because after all, we're amateurs and therefore just as competent as professional police officers. I was also really turned off when the victim's employer 1) knew his password to his laptop and 2) made Delia and administrator on his website and gave her the password. I cant imagine there are many people who are not aware that you don't share your password with anyone! None of my employers or coworkers or family know my passwords! Another key point--someone's Internet history on their computer only tells you what sites they visited, NOT whether or not they lost any money on investments (that would be in the account information, not the browser history, which is just a list of sites visited). All these mistakes were compounded by Lilly's judgmental attitude. Who cares that Cole's house exhibits what Lilly decided was a "lack of personality." It's his house, not hers. "This room feels like several historical eras vomited their worst decor, don't you think?" How rude, Lilly. And I have to say the bit about the use of the victim's telephone and locational information from it confused me. I'm not sure you can track a phone whose location sharing with you is not enabled. You can't just follow a phone when it calls--using it's GPS--unless you're the police. It sounds like I'm being picky, but when there are this many mistakes (and there are others, not noted, like when did Cole say he had a few wealthy clients to Lilly?) in what could have been a decent mystery, I get irritated. And I want to remind myself not to get sucked into reading another in the series in a year or two when I forget the author and series names. Net Galley

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie My book club's choice for this month, the first Hercule Poirot. While the character of Poirot is slightly different from his later novels (Poirot gesticulates wildly and run--runs!--in this book), it's still a great story. It had been so long since I read it, it was like a brand new book to me. And it's Poirot! Say no more! Highly recommended.

Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart I heard or read a review of this book when it was published, and it went on  to the TBR list. I finally got around to listening to an audio version of it, and I'm glad I did. I was intrigued that the impetus for the novel was a real life incidence the author read about. And as a Jersey girl, and book that takes place in historical New Jersey is of interest to me. The main character, Constance, is an interesting woman, having lived such a sheltered life. Her coming to dig deep within herself to find the resources to deal with the messiness of the outside world when it intersects with hers was generally well displayed. I wish we had learned a little more about Norma, as her personality is so different from her older sister Constance. On the other hand, I found the 17-year-old Fleur very annoying and hope that she grows up and matures in the rest of the series because I wanted to smack her upside the head a few times. This first entry in the series is well written, very evocative of the time, yet has enough action to pull the reader in while entertaining and informing us about life in 1914. Highly recommended.

Middle Sister's November Reads

The first cold night or two, the wind blowing through the trees, perfect for snuggling under the down blanket with a hot water bottle and a mystery to chill your bones.

Hot to Trot by M.C. Beaton and Rod Green The talented M.C. Beaton died just about a year ago, and this Agatha Raisin, presumably the last, was outlined by her with the assistance of Rod Green, who wrote it. Mr. Green does a good job of channeling Ms. Beaton's Agatha and her obsession with her looks and the men in her life. Agatha, as her fans know, is abrasive, short tempered, and spiteful, and Ive always enjoyed that about her because there were other things that were admirable--when she's knocked down, she gets back and tries again. She is persistent, smart, and willing to put herself in danger to solve the case. Agatha's life does change over the course of the series, with a second marriage (and a second divorce), a new career, and the slow embrace of people as friends she can trust and count on. This, like all Agatha Raisin mysteries, is a fast read. This one takes place in the competitive horse showing world, and the reader gets to learn a little about it along with Agatha as she investigates who killed her former boyfriend's new wife. I did figure out the whodunnit very early, but I enjoyed watching Agatha figure it out and wreak revenge on the bad folks. Well done, Ms. Beaton--you had a long and very prolific career, and Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Raisin and their worlds will always be a fun place to visit. R.I.P.  Recommended. Net Galley

A Catered Book Club Murder by Isis Crawford Sisters Bernie and Libby own a cafe, above which they live with their widowed father, retired policeman Sean. Although there are ten or so novels in the series, this was the first I read, and sadly, it is likely to be the only one I read. I wanted to like Bernie and Libby--they squabble like real sisters, they love their dad, they enjoy their work as caterers and cafe owners. But alas, they are very stupid, and it's an irritating kind of stupid. How irritating? I left myself 66 notes about things the sisters say or do in the course of investigating who killed artist Margo. Some passages read as if there were edits that had removed earlier sections with pertinent information that the reader therefore doesn't get; they jump to conclusions without any evidence that of course turns out to be correct; and apparently the only way the author can figure out to keep Bernie and Libby's investigation proceeding is to have them break into someone's house or business. Which they do--three times. Which their policeman father does not yell at them about. They traipse all over crime scenes and handle things, all without getting in trouble when their fingerprints should have been left behind. Some of the dialogue is very juvenile, e.g. "Maybe Lydia really has a reason for setting up the meeting at Le Cafe," Bernie countered... "Other than she's nuts?" Libby replied (Location 2307). It was after reading this passage that it occurred to me what the author was trying to do: create two slightly hip sisters who are nerdy enough to be non-threatening to older readers, who wear vintage clothes and are daddy's girls yet are hip enough not to be shocked by casual drug use so as to appeal to younger readers. I think she was trying to create, basically, grown-up Dana Girls or Nancy Drew for those  of us who wanted to grow up to be Louise or Jean or Nancy. Except they are not Louise or Jean or Nancy. The author tries to catapult the murder into the high stakes world of art forgeries and big money swindles and forged passports and it doesn't work. Not Recommended. Net Galley

Home Is Where You Make It by Geneva Vanderzeil Amply illustrated and nicely laid out primer on some basic design principals for decorating your home on budget. I really like her perspective on re-using and re-purposing items (although she's not the first to espouse this), and he love of thrift store finds. So many even so-called budget remodels and re-designs cost well into the five figures, and that is just beyond so many of us. However, I have to say, the book didn't address some basic issues that stump my house decor: I do not not a mud room nor an area I can easily designate a mud room; my house if 70 years old and has two tiny closets in the bedroom and that's it for storage; I live in a very dusty part of the country (my mom lived back east and there was never dust in her house and she was as lazy and disinterested a housekeeper as I am!); and I live with pets, who are more important to me than anything else. Finding pet-friendly fabrics and designs is not as easy as you think. I like some of the ideas and think a lot of first timer renters, first time homeowners, and downsizers will find fun, easy, and doable projects in this book, Recommended. Net Galley

In Praise of Walking by Shane O'Mara I took up running a few years ago for a variety of reasons, but my first love is and will always be walking. Walking and hiking are essential to my well being and happiness. Mr. O'Mara is a neuroscientist who begins the book by describing why and how we walk-- the evolution of bipedalism, the mechanics of walking, the musculoskeletal and neurological requirements to hold us upright and tell us/allow us to move. He also discusses the role walking plays in creativity for many people, offering just a few instances of notable scientists and writers whose ambles allowed them to work through problems. In the final chapters, he writes about walkable cities and their benefits to society. This is an excellent and readable treatise on something we do every day, without thinking about, but which is critical to our health, mental and emotional well being. Recommended. Net Galley

Middle Sister's October Reads

October was a grab bag of fiction, nonfiction, science, young adult, cookbooks, mystery--a smorgasbord of reading. 

Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket This is the first in the latest Lemony Snicket series, All the Wrong Questions. I really enjoyed his other books, although I haven't finished the Series of Unfortunate Events. This series is a prelude to Unfortunate Events, but I felt as if I had stumbled into the series without having read the first 3 chapters. The allusions to people who are important, people who will figure prominently in the future, half stories or events not explained--I wound up listening to the first 7 chapters twice to make sure I hadn't missed some things. I live these as they portray children as smart and competent and brave, but I also got a little tired at the lack of resolution of so many story lines. There's no end; the plots are largely unresolved. I only like one or two cliffhangers--I don't want the entire book to be a cliffhanger, whether it's an adult book or a children's book. Having complained about that, though, let me add that this is, as always, very well written (as all the Lemony Snicket books are) and I love the alternate universe they are set in. I just wish one or two of the mysteries would be solved so we;d be excited for the next book, not frustrated by this one. Of course, I'm 40 years older than most readers of the series, so take my complains with a hefty grain of salt. Recommended.

What It's Like to Be a Bird by David Sibley My Sibley bird book is one of my two birding Bibles. David Sibley may be the greatest living ornithologist of our day, but this book is not a guide book. Rather, it's a collection of essays and beautiful watercolor illustrations of birds that will delight the lifelisters you know as well as those wanting to start birding as a new hobby. The illustrations are amazing, and the layout is clean and crisp and delightful. The facts and tidbits may be familiar to serious birders, but I am probably the world's worst birder, so even though I knew many of these facts, I enjoyed reading them again, often in conjunction with an illustration that made it clearer and more informative. I loved it so much I hope someone gets me the hardcover for Christmas this year. Highly Recommended. Net Galley

The Hidden Life of Ice by Marco Tedesco If it seems like I've been reading a lot of books about Greenland and the Arctic, that's because I have been. It was a very long, record-setting hot summer here in the desert, so I tried to escape it as much as I could through my reading. It's mid-October and this will be the first week since April (maybe even March--it's all one long, hot, burning, oven-like blur) that our temperature hasn't been in the 90s*F, but that hasn't stopped my curiosity re: science and exploration in this extreme landscape. Tedesco's book outlines the glacial lake experiments he undertakes, but devote much more time to explaining the changes that have taken place in the glacial and arctic environment, to the detriment of those fragile ecosystems. The description of the scientific experiments he undertakes in Greenland are narrated over just one day, which gives his books a unique narrative structure. He ends the book with a dire warning about arctic tourism and climate change, which I hope we as a society listen to. Well written, with almost lyrical descriptions of the austere and beautiful landscape he works in, the exact opposite of the lush, tropical landscape in which I did my science, which may be part of its appeal to me. Beautiful photos. Recommended. Net Galley

A Deadly Chapter by Essie Lang I had read one book written by this author with her other series character, and while I didn't like that book, I am a sucker for anything bookstore-related and thought I'd giver her a second chance to see if her authorial skills had improved. Verdict: only somewhat. The premise is intriguing: Shelby Cox runs a small bookstore and gift shop owned by her aunt on an island near what is clearly New York state's Adirondack Park, where a converted castle draws tourists by ferry. This is the fourth inthe series, and I did not read the others, but there was enough backstory provided that the reader didn't feel lost. However, Shelby's insistence on investigating the murder is hollow: she repeatedly tells everyone--her aunt, her boyfriend, the sheriff--that she is not going to investigate the murder, even though the body was found next to her houseboat and even though the victim's daughter asks for her help. "Well, it's no surprise that Chief Stone wants to be out of it but, after all, I talked to the guy and found his body." Does she turn over evidence to Chief Stone--no, she decides to pursue it, potentially jeopardizing the entire investigation. This is just lazy writing, when the author can't think of an ingenious way to keep the amateur detective involved in the mystery, and resorts to their withholding evidence and just being nosy. Other elements that rang false: no one plans a literary event "a little over a month away" and expects to be able to get authors, caterers, etc. lined up. And there are also some weird inconsistencies, such as: "'And I certainly do have lots of books for you to look at." She led the way to the small section..." Shelby spends almost as much time considering a return to Boston as she does the murder. She laments many times through the book that she had no friends, no life, etc., in Boston, and was terribly unhappy there, unlike her new home in Alex Bay. But then we read she "found herself slipping back into her old ways, not wanting to share her feelings, and not being used to anyone asking about her or her well-being..." So it seems like her lack of friends and support in Boston was her own fault, and not the cold, closed city. There's just too much going on in this book: the murder, her relationship with Zack at a turning point, her mother re-entering her life and wanting a relationship. Yes, sometimes life pours things on you one after the other or all together but I've been dealing with that in my own life and don't want that turbulence in a book I'm using to escape from my own overwhelming-at-times life. The murderer was easily identified quite early in the book, without even trying to do that. Ultimately, I didn't like Shelby at all, although I really liked her aunt and would prefer her to be the amateur detective. Only suitable for folks who have to read anything that includes a bookstore or is located in New York state, otherwise, not recommended. Net Galley

Blueberry Love by Cynthia Graubert One of my favorite fruits is the beautiful blueberry. I will eat it in any form. I yearn to go to Maine during blueberry season, pick them till I can't lift the pails (or my arms!), and then stuff my luggage with as much as I can. This recipe book was written for me. Gorgeous photography, mouth-watering recipes! I want to make them all. Really. I must make them all. I will make them all. Incidentals I loved about this book: the author fearlessly tells people not to worry, unless the recipe says otherwise, frozen berries will work, and she also used a hand mixer (so many recipes assume we all live in houses with miles of counter space for all the gadgets, including a stand mixer. I live in a 70+-year-old house with about 2 feet of counter space.). And she may have found the one reason on the planet I can think of for using an instant pot. If you love baking desserts, or love blueberries and are looking for some salad and chicken recipes that incorporate this small but mighty deliciousness, you will love this book. Highly recommended. Net Galley

Murder with Oolong Tea by Karen Rose Smith Just like I'm a sucker for mysteries set in bookstores, I'm a sucker for mysteries with a tea theme. However, I think I'll be passing this series by. Daisy and her aunt Iris own a tea shop, and Daisy finds herself involved in various mysteries that plague her small, quiet community in Amish country. Unlike other tea-themed series, Smith's tea knowledge seems pretty limited; the only reason the title involves oolong is that it is the tea that Daisy drinks over and over and over and over. No one is killed by the oolong. Daisy can only make four items to go along with tea: snickerdoodles, blueberry coffee cake, lemon tea cakes, and sugar cookies. Over the course of the book, she makes these over and over and offers them to patrons and family alike. Blueberry coffee is one of my favorites and I make a mean one myself, but if I owned a tea room, I'd expand the menu a little beyond these four. Goodness, make a scone! They're not hard. One of the reasons I disliked this mystery is that there is simply too much going on--the murder, Daisy's younger daughter has befriended a troubled teen who comes to stay with them for several weeks (coincidentally, her grandmother lives right next door to the murder victim), Daisy and her boyfriend have a terrible row when she tries to push him to address a major issue in his life; her older daughter and her husband are experiencing financial problems, then there's the drama that emerges in the victim's life. It's all too much. By the time we got to Daisy ruminating on her formally strained relationship with her mother that is now much more solid, I literally said out loud "Oh, for crying out loud!" In an attempt to make Daisy Everywoman, the author has just succeeded in trying the reader's patience. The mystery was very easy to figure out. The victim was 5'7" and maybe 110 lbs and they wonder who could have strangled her. Anyone--that woman was emaciated! So we should have had a harder time since there were no physical limitations that could eliminate a suspect. I'm 5'7 and I weighed 110 lbs in 4th grade. And yes, there was a lot of Daisy denying that she was getting involved in the murder and then two paragraphs later, running over to interview a suspect she's sure the police have not interviewed because,,,,she wants to, or finding out something she should tell the police about but deciding not to because, I guess, since she's Super Everywoman, she knows better. For example: "Tatum didn't seem to hold any bitterness or resentment. But was she telling Daisy the whole story? On the other hand, had Althea plagiarized someone else who also had Tatum's drive and knowledge of social media and the Internet?That was an answer the police should explore, but would they?" (Chapter 7, location1263).   No they don't, because Daisy doesn't tell them about this, nor does anyone else who knows about this incident, at least for a while. And I'm going to reveal it: one suspect is identified because he was the only person named William attending a conference of a couple of hundred people. It's the third most popular boy's name in the US. Really, only one William? Totally unbelievable and lazy writing to make this an important piece of sleuthing. Not really bad, but very bland and uninteresting with a boring writing style (see above quote, or weird word choices like the tea garden was "supremely busy," location 2261--you can't use supreme as an adverb here; it just doesn't work). Without either a character that I really like or a mystery that I can't figure out, there's no reason to recommend this. There are others in the series, and perhaps they are better than this one, but honestly, I'm not going to bother to find out. Net Galley

Middle Sister's September Reads

September was overall a good reading month for me this year. I listened to two amazing books while dog walking and cleaning, and they have helped solidify my enjoyment of the medium (although I still miss maps and photos and footnotes, so audiobooks will never take the place of a book in my life). 

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben The Hidden Life of Trees combines synopses of current scientific research findings with an almost romantic appreciation of the beauty and strength of the forests and trees. Mr. Wohlleben combines his experiences as a forest manager in Germany of many of many years, and the many insights into trees he has gained over those years, with a deep appreciation for the many lessons the trees can teach us about helping our neighbors, weathering storms, fighting disease, and dying gracefully. This is a unique blend of science and romance, data and personal observation, that only a few times strayed into anthropomorphism and near mysticism. I love forests, I love walking through, camping, sleeping in, and just observing forests and the trees and animals that live in them, so I share the author's view of the forest as a living, breathing, vast interconnected being. I enjoyed hearing about European research into trees, fungi, and other topics covered herein. But mostly, I just enjoyed hearing and feeling the love Mr. Wohlleben has for his forest come through in his words and the poetic imagine of forests and trees he created. Recommended. Audiobook

Gods of the Upper Air by Charles King Amazing book, and on my list of best books of 2020. Mr. King traces the beginnings of anthropology as a scientific discipline ("the master science," which accolade I loved) with brief mentions of some of the big names of the late nineteenth century. He focuses on Franz Boas, and traces his career from Germany to the United States, with all its up and downs until he eventually lands at Columbia, where he trains the earliest female anthropologists, including Margaret Mead. When I was in grad school for anthropology, Boas' contributions were cited and acknowledged, but focus immediately shifted to Mead. I didn't really learn where Boas did his research and how he came to his revolutionary stands on race. Mr. King's book corrects that and spends several chapters on Boas in the field. The book then introduces Mead and Ruth Benedict, Boas' first female grad student and arguably (at least in my opinion) a far better anthropologist than Mead, and traces their personal and professional lives. Benedict was given a lot of attention in my grad school career, so she has not been overshadowed professionally by Mead, the only anthropologist most civilians can name. I was excited to learn about Ella Cara Deloria, an anthropologist and linguist who worked with Boas and whose name I had never heard in my intro classes in school; learning about her was a highlight for me. Zora Neale Hurston is the fourth female Boasian in the book, and this may be the finest summation of Hurston as an anthropologist I've read. Many books address Hurston the writer, but all too often they ignore her anthropology schooling. The book is particularly timely, given Boas' famous anti-racist and anti-fascist beliefs, both of which seem to be on the rise in the US right now. My hope is that a very small number of people who believe these are just emboldened to speak. But the parallels between Boas' society and ours are strong and unfortunate, and the final chapters are unsettling in these times. An excellent book, highly recommended. Audiobook

A Briefer History of Time by Stephen Hawking This book focuses on just some of the science and theories so masterfully presented by the brilliant scientist many years ago in his Seminal work, A Brief History of Time. I enjoyed it very much, but this may be one book that is better read than listened to. While the narration was fine, I had to replay so many sections so that I could comprehend them that I wish I had read this rather than listened to it. I was last in a physics class nearly 40 years ago, so there was a lot of new-to-me science in here. Graduate degrees aside, this may explain why my degrees are not in a natural science. Recommended. Audiobook

Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody by Barbara Ross  Jane Darrowfield is a recent retiree who enjoys helping her friends with small problems because she is forthright and willing to cut to the chase and say what needs to be said. She is drafted by a friend to help the manager of a senior community deal with cliques that are upsetting the harmony of the community. When someone is murdered, Jane jumps in to help the police because the suspicious seniors are reticent to talk to outsiders; that is, until they discover Jane is helping the police. All in all, a pleasant mystery; easy to solve and the murderer and motive are easy to spot. Jane is a little officious, which is why her sudden moments of emotion are so jarring, and frankly, I'd have liked to see her a little more befuddled entering the dating world after so many years alone. But it's nice to see a group of seniors represented in all the diversity that group entails--not all are befuddled or sickly or have reverted to childlike irascibility. Although I must say, the closer ti get to that age group, the more worried I get about what I'll find among my contemporaries. Jane wouldn't be a close friend of mine, but she's an acquaintance I'd certainly eat lunch with. Recommended. NetGalley

The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews My library is getting in the way of my reading all the Meg Langslow books in order by not having all the Meg Langslow books available on audiobook (and they have only recently moved to curbside pick up of titles; another pandemic fallout). But NetGalley gave me the chance to jump ahead and read the latest Meg mystery. The twins are 11 (11!) and don't figure nearly so prominently in this book. Hey, I like kids, I just like them to be tertiary characters in my murder mysteries. This time, Meg and Family are participating in a Renaissance Faire, and murder makes an appearance one stormy night when the most disagreeable cast member is killed. I liked the send up of Ren Faires (I know folks who love them!) and enjoyed having Cordelia and Meg's grandfather represent the family rther than the boys. And do we ever learn er grandfather's name? Cordelia is never called grandmother but Cordelia, another strong woman in the family who overpowers the men in her orbit. It's not that I don't like Cordelia, but I adore Grandfather. He's warm while she's cool; he's interested in everything while she's interested in things that she decides merit her attention and not interested in anything else. He's rumpled and funny and she's a bit domineering and scary. No wonder their marriage didn't last long. Another winner in the Meg Langslow series, this was fun to read, with more entertaining characters entering the Langslow Orbit (Faulk and Tad--I want more of Tad in particular). Recommended. NetGalley

Silver Hair, the Handbook by Lorraine Massey and Michele Bender I've dyed my hair three times, in my twenties, and all three times the new color was just a slightly more vibrant and shiny version of my natural hair color. I had long ago decided to embrace whatever hair color changes came as I got older. Well, now in my mid-fifties, the gray and whites have taken over the front while my slightly ruddy brown curls remain in the back. Lorraine Massey, who taught me so much about how to care for my curls, now has a primer on how to care for your silver or gray or while hair, and embrace it. There are lots of great photos and uplifting stories that will surely inspire some who are loathe to face that most visible sign of aging, seen daily in the mirror. But even those of us comfortable in our skin can use tips on how to care for our changing selves, and Lorraine is the ultimate hair cheerleader. Recommended

Middle Sister's August Reads

August was a very hot, long month, and I tried to hide inside, reading as much as possible. I'm not sure if the never-ending summer is what made me cranky, or if the characters that ticked me off would be as annoying to anyone else as I found them to be, but I found myself writing extensive notes to address a lot of annoyances and irritations, large and small, in this month's books.

Knit of the Living Dead by Peggy Ehrhart I thought I'd spend the month reading things taking place in cool climes or other seasons. The Pamela Paterson series takes place in northern New Jersey, my old home. I'd read the first and enjoyed it enough that I thought I'd read the latest offering. Pamela is probably in her 40s, a widow with a daughter in college, and lives alone with her two cats, is a copy editor, and organizer of her local knit night. Sounds like me, so I'm exactly the reader the author and publisher want. She has a couple of very good friends who are also older, and they form the core of Knit and Nibble, the premise around the series. Knit of the Living Dead opens on Halloween, when fictional Arborville's civic Halloween party is ruined by murder. Unfortunately for this reader/knitter/middle-aged woman, the author's tendency to either cut and paste, or limited descriptive skills, began to irritate me so much that I started tracking how many times the same phrase was used. Tell me once that Pamela had decided after her wedding to use the china they were given. I love the idea of living beautifully on a budget and using your stuff. Once tells me all I need to know about Pamela--that she loves pretty things but has a practical streak and a romantic side. Do NOT tell me every single time Pamela has a cup of coffee that she uses her "wedding-china cup." And food is put on her "wedding-china plate." Would you like to know how many times that phrase was used in a book 271 pages long? Seventeen. Yes, 17. That means, on average, every 16 pages we read that description. We also read, in detail, multiple time, the exact same way she makes coffee with her carafe. Look, I love detail, and descriptive evocations of scenes are a delight to me, because I like to visualize what I'm reading as I'm reading. But badgering me with the same descriptions over and over just makes me start to dislike the book and character, when what I really dislike is the author's limited vocabulary. This book would have benefited greatly from a tight edit to weed that issue out, and tighten other aspects (she's an editor at a fiber magazine, but I don't need a treatise on every topic she's reading about. In fact, the author spends way too much time on certain unnecessary things--an entire long paragraph on what a ham and Swiss on rye sandwich looks like?) Also, does the author actually knit, or is she writing a description of knitting she's found elsewhere? Llama and alpaca wool was thriving in the real world knitting community prior to the pandemic, and Germaine could have easily found a shearer in NJ, especially if there were as many llama farms in the area as Jordan said there were. My friend with llamas has no trouble finding a shearer to come to her place once a year. And please, enough with the old-fashioned and not at all realistic stereotype of female professors as frumpy, allowing their hair to go gray and wearing shapeless clothes. Has Ms. Ehrhart been on a college campus lately? This former professor can attest that tattooed and pierced profs are as common as tattooed and pierced undergrads (and we're capable of and expected to clean our own coffee mugs in the faculty lounge). Oh, and at least in Essex and Passaic counties in NJ, where I and my family lived/still live and pretty much exactly where this story takes place, fallen leaves have to be bagged, not just piled at the curb, for municipal collection (a pile would just blow around, Ms. Ehrhart, and Pamela and her neighbors would be out there 24/7 doing nothing but raking leaves so as to avoid getting a ticket and fine from the city). Readers of this blog know how much I detest this attitude in my amateur detectives "But we could look into it too. Sometimes the police put people off, or they don't ask the right questions" (Nell). Yes, probably true, especially at the forefront in readers' minds in 2020, but I hate this supercilious attitude. Who asks if  you eat doughnuts with a fork or fingers, and all landscapers speak Spanish (ugh), and the abstracts for each article Pamela reads for Fiber Craft are sometimes interesting but I feel sometimes they just take up valuable space (we get it, Pamela is an expert in everything)--my list could go on of things that need to be tempered or eliminated. The author wastes too much time on these details and not enough on making the mystery better--I knew who had done it as soon as the murderer's character was introduced.  The other suspects were just not as suspectful or legitimate enough, and what happened with the anonymous letter? I really want to like Pamela and the series, but I would hate to visit her knit night, and her lifestyle is just too formal and stiff. Why did I spend so much time nitpicking? Because the editor should have done this. (NetGalley)

A Study In Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas I was torn by this book. I loved the premise--that Sherlock Holmes was based on a very clever woman who could not operate as a consulting detective in Victorian England because of the social mores of the time. I didn't care for the execution: I found Charlotte Holmes a bit insipid and her contrivance to escape her family's home wrong for someone who's supposed to be so clever. I was quite confused with the beginning half of the book, because it's not made clear until halfway through how Ashburton and Charlotte know each other. The revelation that they were friends as children, as such close friends, flies in the face of the overprotectiveness of her parents, which is hammered home again and again.  I cannot see them allowing her the freedom and ability to form such a close friendship with a boy, even one fro a noble family. I did love Mrs. Watson as the widow of John Watson (even more that she was older than him and an actress) who finances Charlotte's career as Sherlock. In fact, I really liked Mrs. Watson and wished she'd been the main character. Warning: child sexual abuse figures in the story. Conan Doyle's Sherlock can be viewed as someone perhaps on the spectrum; Charlotte Holmes appears to have Asperger's syndrome and is unable to relate to even her own sister. And that makes her close friendship and romance with Ashburton the more illogical and disappointing and for this reader, annoying. She cannot express love for her sister and confidante, but she can experience such passion for Ashburton?  I was amused by the physical difference to Sherlock--Charlotte is blonde and girly and ultra feminine and fond of flounces; I like that dichotomy between the two fictional characters. The author set up this character and let the reader think Charlotte's going to be independent and clever and make her own way; but in reality, she's financed by someone else (and id have been disappointed but since I like Mrs. Watson I'd have found this less troublesome), and only where she is because a man pulled strings to help her in just about every possible way. I wanted Charlotte to be smart enough to do this on her own, and she wasn't. Ugh. There are several books in the series that seem to build an each previous title; I will not be pursuing this series. 

Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation by Bill Nye I admit it--I was in graduate school and I still watched Bill Nye the Science Guy on PBS. What a great show, and what a wonderful explanation of science to children, bounded by respect for their curiosity and intelligence. I knew Mr. Nye had taken on creationism, even debating their main proponent, and this book sprang directly from that experience. An absolutely delightful book, and I recommend you read it as I did, by listening to the audiobook, so you can hear Bill Nye make his own jokes and speak with all the passion he feels for science and all things scientific.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein What a fun young adult book! Mr. Lemoncello creates the most popular video games, and Kyle loves all of them. Mr. Lemoncello expands and re-opens the town library, and organizes a real-life game for the kids to play while locked in the library over the weekend, without any adults. I wished I could be part of Kyle's team because that library sounds amazing (as does the AI technology in the library). Kyle and his friends successfully solve the mystery using clues found in books in the library stacks (hooray for the Dewey Decimal System, which is a star in the book), and it was great fun to see so many familiar and many new book titles peppered throughout the story. 

Murder With Puffins by Donna Andrews I continued to read the Meg Langslow series in order, and this is the second in the long-running series. Meg and Michael are now a romantic couple, but the action takes place immediately after Murder With Peacocks. They decide to get away from the crazy summer they've just been through and spend some quiet, romantic time together in Meg's aunt's house in Maine. Unfortunately, so does her family, and unfortunately, someone gets murdered, and the main suspects are Meg's dad and aunt. The story takes places over just a few days, with a major hurricane threatening mayhem and destroying clues and serious birders running roughshod over the island and getting in the way. I remembered reading this one years ago, but luckily, not many of the details, so it was just as enjoyable. A little dated, since again, this takes place in pre-cell phone days, but this spin on a country house murder mystery is a fast, fun, well-written story with engaging characters. I'd be happy to be stuck on a small island with no electricity with the Langslow extended family circle.

Deader Homes and Gardens by Joan Hess I love Joan Hess' Maggody series, which is funny and full of quirky characters and odd incidents. I've never liked the Claire Malloy series as much, even though I wanted to. Claire is a single mom when the series starts, trying to make a go of an independent bookstore and rebuild her life with a typically sullen teenaged daughter. I hadn't read a title in the series in years, but it was never critical to have done so before, so when I saw this one (published in 2014), I thought "Let's see where Claire is these days." I wonder if Ms. Hess has grown tired of the character, because the book is sloppy in details and Claire is annoying and oblivious and I wound up hating her. Yes, hating her. And because of that I kept copious notes of everything that irritated me, and yes, I'm going to include them all here. Examples of sloppy details first: the tax assessor's assistant--how does she look the property up with incomplete information? Lots are listed by Township, Range, and Section, and the book mentions only Section and Township, and lists them incorrectly by the way (why yes, I did have to use TRS locational data in my former job almost every day). Why did I hate Claire: her obsession with the house is so far over the top that it leaves realistic behind almost immediately and makes Claire act in callow, illegal, inconsistent ways. And I call it an obsession because that's what it is. She lies to get it (she tells Terry Kennedy that her daughter is sick and needs to recuperate in the country and insists that is why Terry has to sell his house to her, spinning this lie after he's told her he's not interested in selling it). "Fine line between optimism and pessimism?" No, fine line between obsession and downright crazy. And since when is 48 hours too soon to report someone missing? Not in real life, only on TV. The snark she voices to Pandora when they first meet is completely uncalled for (think it, Claire, don't say it out loud), especially after the encounter is described by Ms. Hess as Claire politely declining to dance and politely asking if she can drive on by. Why I hated Claire Reason no. 2: Terry Kennedy agrees to travel from Florida to talk to Claire about the house, gets poisoned in front of her, and she is told by the police that they are not sure if he will survive and the very next day she tells her husband that all she cares about is moving into that house, and should they get a rental unity to store their stuff (without a lease, without a sale, and with the owner dying in the hospital). Not one word of concern for Terry. Real sympathetic, Claire. Then what does she do? Calls Terry's lawyer and says that "he told you he was going to lease the house to us" and tries to strongarm the lawyer into letting her have the house. Again, it's all about Claire, dying Terry be forgotten. When Billy, Terry's friend, finds out Terry's in the hospital and wants to visit him, Clair says "He's in a coma. There is no reason to breach hospital protocol" to visit him. But Claire can go enter Terry and Winston's house to look around, look for clues, and that's not a breach of any ethics or protocols at all. But woe betide her daughter, Caron, when the daughter breaks into the dead woman's house! That's illegal and you could wind up in jail! "The police have archaic rules about civilians interfering" she tells a 14-year-old. Nice way to adult, Claire.  And there's more examples of do as Claire says, not as Claire does, because Claire advises Mattie to let the police handle things, the exact opposite of how Claire feels about her own 'investigations.' And what the heck is Claire doing when she threatens Charles that he had better talk to her by saying her husband Peter, the deputy sheriff, would listen to her and if they had to go to the police station then rumors would like like he had brought in for chid porn? Extortion, Claire? Claire just comes and goes from her dream house as if she already owns it, snoops through desks and furniture, all to solve the murder before her husband returns from a business trip. She doesn't own the house, she doesn't rent the house, the oner is dead, the owner's husband who inherited the house is now dead, there is a legal dispute over ownership of said house now, but she just trespasses and enters (breaking and entering, because she doesn't have a key). What made me laugh out loud was when Claire says that she's out of her comfort zone going to Angela's house to break in, yet she happily and without any concern enters Winston's (now Terry's) house many times, snoops through his stuff, etc. Difference? Claire wants Winston's house and Claire will happily do whatever she wants to get what she wants. Four times Claire is deep into investigating and in a potentially sticky situation and discovers that her cell phone battery is near empty (four times!). Claire must be incredibly incompetent after the first life-threatening, dead-cell-battery incident if she can't even plug the dang phone in the wall while she takes a shower. This takes place in 2014, not 1990 when cell phones were a lot less common. And then she blames technology for her cell phone battery not being charged when the reason it's not charged is because of Claire's stupidity not charging it. And finally, her relationship with Jorgenson, the policeman, is ridiculous--she does not respect him and yet he lets her get with anything she wants. He tells her to leave what is happening alone; she won't; he tells her to go to the tavern to meet him, she decides not to. And yet, he lets her sit in on Jorgenson's interrogation of Donny. What? A civilian just sitting in while the police question a suspect, and when Donny rightly questions this, Jorgenson says "well, it's hard to explain" is ridiculous. It's unprofessional on Jorgenson's part, and if Donny were the killer, would be the technicality that would get him off free and clear.  Ynez, her daughter's best friend, whom she's known for years, has two wisdom teeth removed and "Claire felt obliged" to offer her a little sympathy. Obliged? Claire has to pretend to feel sympathy that this young woman, whom she has known for years, fed, driven places, had sleep over in her own home, is in pain? Another near rage-inducing moment: when Claire thinks "Trespassing was no more than a minor breach of etiquette." It's actually illegal where I live, but why quibble? The inconsistencies in Claire's behavior, her selfish disregard for anything other than getting that dream house because she wants it, her inability to be the role model for her daughter she should be (and claims to be), her inability to recognize that her actions could affect her husband's professional standing, her lack of compassion when Terry is poisoned, and the ease with which she gets over the one pang of guilt she feels when she realizes he would not have died if he had not come to town to talk to her--all this made me actively hate Claire. I think Ms. Hess may, too. You know, it's okay to just stop writing a series when your contract is over. Claire has married the wealthy, gorgeous man of her dreams--end the series and let her ride off into the sunset. Instead, I've come to actively and vehemently dislike a character I initially felt ambivalent towards. 

Death in the Sound by Rhen Garland Every year or so, I try to read a paranormal or fantasy book, which are not my usual genres, to shake things up and get me out of my comfort zone. Death in the Sound sounded like it might be of interest to me, combining an historical period with an exotic locale, New Zealand. However, I wound up putting the book down about a quarter of the way through. I found the beginning to be very confusing--not the paranormal portion of the first chapter, but the subsequent introduction of character after character after character and their multiple points of view. Some of the dialogue left me confused, as if I'd walked into a conversation halfway through, and no one whispered a summary of what was going on to me. I also found it very hard to understand what the Versepellis is/are, their duality (over time and space?), and how they came to be here and now in the world of the book. I've decided that I can give up this self-imposed insistence on stretching my literary leanings every so often by picking up something so completely different. Reading to me is a pleasure, and 60 plus pages of confusion and feeling lost is not a pleasant experience. I defer any review of this book to others who enjoy paranormal and fantasy genres.

Middle Sister's July Reads

July was the month of Donnas, and another very hot desert summer plus COVID-19 pandemic-caused cabin fever meant I wanted to escape--to someplace I've always wanted to visit, to a similarly tumultuous and frightening period in our history, to a big, raucous, loving family as mine has contracted sharply and sadly.

Duck the Halls by Donna Andrews I love Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow series, and one that takes place in a cold, snowy Christmas season is perfect. However, as much as I love the bird puns, and the silly situations that weave in and out of the events that transpire, and as much as i have a teeny fictional crush on Meg's husband Michael, I have to say--the three-year-old twins were way too precocious. They were incredibly articulate, and listening to and following adult conversations, to which they responded. None of the three-year-olds I know have really done that, although they will keep up a conversation you start directly with them, and occasionally catch a word for something they know and love, like cake. I actually found the twins a little off-putting this time around. Really, Josh sat there and intently watched his father perform the entire A Christmas Carol? I'm not sure if I'd be able to do that without a desperate need for a bathroom break. As usual, the mystery is believable, the secondary characters delightful, and Carphilly a wonderful place to spend the holiday. Recommended

Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews So after listening to Duck the Halls, I decided to see what my library had available and start this series at the beginning again. I was sure I had read the first few books in order, but it's been over twenty years, so that means it was like reading a new book. A couple of criticisms I have to get out of the way: I've been a maid of honor twice (in the late 1990s to boot, same era as the book), and I was not responsible for anything Meg did for her friend, mother, and brother's fiancee. What bride lets someone else pick out her wedding dress? Completely unrealistic! And who writes thank you notes before the wedding? Who even opens the gifts before the wedding (Id think that was bad luck, personally). Second criticism: I listened to the audiobook, and the reader gave Meg's father a very high, feminine voice. There are a lto of characters in these books because Meg has a huge extended family. My advice? Just read in your natural voice--Ms. Andrews generally does not have long passages of dialogue that would be hard to follow without weird voices.  Meg is delightfully thickheaded about Michael's interest in her in this book, and her father may be one of the most romantic men in fiction. The mystery is enjoyable, puzzling enough to entertain, and the wedding shenanigans don't take over the narrative. Recommended.

The Hen of the Baskervilles by Donna Andrews Meg, the Queen of Organization, is assistant director of the Carphilly Un-Fair, the county's response to the cancellation of the Virginia State Fair. There are giant pumpkins, and baby lambs, and an unusual twist with an emphasis on heritage livestock. When someone starts damaging the arts and crafts entries and smashing the produce and stealing the heirloom chickens, Meg swings into action. She almost has to jump into this mystery, as the fair is located on land that straddles Clay County and Carphilly, and the Clay County sheriff's department is being ornery and unhelpful. Although this book immediately preceded Duck the Halls, the twins are not nearly as unnaturally articulate as they are in Duck. Another fun entry in the series.

Deady Nightshade by Cynthia Riggs  I read a Victoria Trumbull mystery years ago, although I can't remember which one, and I like the idea of a 92-year-old female lead character. I love the Martha's Vineyard location, a place I have long wanted to visit. Victoria is the most naive 90-something I've ever 'met'. It's very easy to identify the murderer, but Victoria's disbelief that the murderer was who it was simply because of certain things which were blindingly obvious to the reader made me want to shake Victoria. Except that I couldn't yell at my elders and she's too frail, probably, despite being so active. The clear social strata and tensions between the old white folks and the Black newcomers, as exemplified by Domingo, adds an interesting element. In fact, Domingo and his wife were two of my favorite characters, and I look forward to reading more of his encounters with a city council that cannot believe he cannot be blackmailed. Recommended

Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon Guido Brunetti is one of my fictional crushes, and I love him, his family, and coworkers. At first this book depressed me, concerning as it did an assisted living facility for lonely old people. And Signorina Elletra was not as likable and funny in this entry as in other books. One of the best things about a Guido Brunetti novel are the meals he shares with Paola and their children, or that he eats with colleagues, but there was hardly any food in this book. Just as i was worried about the ending, Guido and Ms. Leon saved it for me, and I was very happy Guido fell on the side of what is right as opposed to what is just. The older people were very sympathetic, some were sad and heartbreaking, but all made me worry a little for my own solitary future. Recommended

1774 by Mary Beth Norton An excellent history of the year 1774 in the American colonies, focussing on an unusual perspective in American Revolution histories, that of the Loyalists. Dr.Norton does an exhaustive job of setting the scene for the year with enough background to inform the events, and similarly an exhaustive job of following the events and their repercussions throughout the thirteen colonies, and even how they were perceived in London. There were an enormous number of parallels between 1774 and what was going on the American society with what is going on in American society today, in 2020. I am hopeful that we were able to overcome these arguments and differences before and will do so again. Excellent and recommended. (NetGalley)

An Excellent Mystery by Ellis Peters The Brother Cadfael mystery series is well known for its excellent writing and very evocative depiction of medieval England. Ellis Peters' series can always be depended upon for a great mystery. An Excellent Mystery was true to form, and while I knew the secret at the heart of the story early on, it did not disappoint. If you have never met Brother Cadfael, read the series and watch the excellent adaption starring Derek Jacobi.

The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes I gave this book several chapters, but I did something unusual for me and stopped reading after about 5 or 6. Louisa's stepfather and his intention to sell her sexual services to someone he owes money to, her paralysis and inability to tell her mother what was going on was all just too distasteful. This book could be triggering to anyone who has been sexually abused. I shouldn't have been surprised--I hated Downtown Abbey and couldn't get beyond the first season. Not recommended.