I hope you’re all okay with the Nor’easter that hit the East Coast this week. I’m sure Jeff and Jackie are happy they’re in Florida, and missing the weather in New York City. I’m just grateful our weather has been in the 40s. I hope everyone is okay!
I’m always hopeful when I start a new book. Is this the book that I won’t be able to put down, the one that keeps me up at night? To be honest, this week it was John Sandford’s Toxic Prey. It comes out April 9, and I was reading it for review. Talk about an edge-of-your-seat book!
But, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t hopeful when I started Ashley Poston’s A Novel Love Story. It’s a June release from the author of The Dead Romantics, one of my favorite books of 2022. I love the premise of A Novel Love Story. A literature professor gets lost on her way to a cabin in New York, and ends up in the town that’s the setting of her favorite fiction series. But, the author died before finishing the fifth book. What about the happily-ever-after? Eileen Merriweather can’t believe her luck. She’s stuck in a town with all her favorite characters, and she knows everything about them. But, she doesn’t recognize the man who owns the bookstore, the man who lets her stay in his loft. He warns her, though, about Elarton. “Nothing ever changes. Nothing ever will.”
I’ve read a fourth of the book. So far, it’s not the book that will keep me turning pages into the night, but we’ll see.
What about you? What are you reading this week? Anything that made you stay up to read it?
Happy Valentine’s Day (it’s still Feb. 14 as I write this). We’re getting rain again, which is great for California but getting old by now. Here’s what I read this week:
I have always admired Judi Dench as a superlative actor (for almost seven decades!) and a delightfully down-to-earth, outspoken person. But I don’t believe I’ve ever seen her in a Shakespeare play, even though she has starred or been featured in many of them. Reading this book–illustrated with Dame Judi’s own sketches–makes me wish I had! The title is SHAKESPEARE: THE MAN WHO PAYS THE RENT. Fellow actor Brendan O’Hea interviewed Dench over a 4-year period about her experience as a Shakespearean actor, largely with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare scholars and superfans will enjoy Dench’s lively multipage summaries of 20 of the plays in which she has appeared. I must admit I did some skimming of these descriptions because of time constraints, but I will keep my Kindle copy to revisit when I next have the opportunity to see one of these plays. For the rest of us, the book is chockful of Judi Dench’s insights, philosophies, and comments on a wide variety of related topics, including but not limited to: her “fantastic childhood,” Shakespeare’s language and the many words and phrases he originated that are now part of our lives, her fellow actors and other theater personnel, hilarious onstage mistakes and mishaps, staging and scenery, acting tips, working with her husband, audiences, rehearsals, and how the style of playing the Bard’s works has changed over the years. O’Hea tells us that Dench has a photographic memory, able to spout dozens of scenes and speeches and describe in detail the costumes she wore. She works entirely on instinct and firmly believes there is no one way to play Shakespearean roles. She is hopeful that his plays will continue to be performed in the future, as she feels that his work makes us all feel less alone. Dame Judi is playful, witty, frank, sometimes a bit raunchy, and a deeply sincere believer in Shakespeare’s brilliance and lasting value. It’s an entrancing read (April)
In OF MANNERS AND MURDER by Anastasia Hastings, Violet’s Aunt Adelia writes the most popular advice column in 1885 London, but she’s away on an adventure with her newest suitor. So it’s up to Violet, age 24, to pick up “Dear Hermione” duties in her absence, while looking after her 16-year-old half-sister Sephora with the help of Bunty, the household’s long-term, savvy servant. It is one of the letters asking Miss Hermione for help that motivates Violet not just to respond, but to personally investigate the situation. And when she finds that things are even more dire than she expected, Violet is caught up in a web of lies and subterfuge, tempered by the social mores and restrictions of the era. Overall, I enjoyed the story, although I was hoping the Dear Hermione column would be more than a literary device. Of course, Violet strays into dangerous situations and venues where “spinsters” typically were not found, in her attempts to find justice for the victim, as well as to ensure her frivolous sibling navigates the social world with more concern for her own safety. As with many period-piece cozies, there is little violence, and the characters are a bit (sometimes a lot) overplayed and melodramatic. Anastasia Hastings is just one of the many pseudonyms of this highly prolific author.
In debut author Katie Tietjen’s DEATH IN THE DETAILS, she successfully captures the feel of post-WWII New England in the autumn of 1946. Maple and her husband had moved from Boston to small-town Elderberry, Vermont before he was killed in the war. Now she meets frustration everywhere she turns. Bill’s medical practice is bankrupt, so there is no money for her to pay the rent. Her attempts to find a job using her law degree have been futile–what jobs are available in the field go to men returning from military service, and females are not yet totally welcomed in the legal profession. Maple’s attempts to find friends in town have been thwarted partly because the town’s queen bee has no time for her, and partly because Maple can’t seem to keep herself from stridently voicing her opinions, in a way that others view as unseemly for a woman. The only thing she can do to earn a bit of money is to sell her growing collection of self-made dollhouses, which she customizes to resemble the houses of her customers. But after a widely disliked man is found hanging in his barn, she decides to try her hand at building a miniature death scene, hoping that it will help law enforcement crack the case and allow her to participate in the investigation. I enjoyed reading about this fascinating character, based on a real-life person. The supporting characters–the hardware store owner who allows her to sell the dollhouses in his store, her one loyal female friend, the newest and youngest addition to the sheriff’s office, even the villains–successfully support what becomes an intricate mystery. The ending is satisfying and life-affirming. I look forward to more from this promising author (perhaps a sequel?). (April)
I saw Dame Judi Dench is a Shakespeare movie, Margie, “The Winter’s Tale”, and she was marvelous. Of course, I’ve never seen her in anything live.
I’m hoping there’s a sequel to Death in the Details, too.
Margie, I love Judi Dench too and this sounds very good. We saw her on stage in London in 1974 in a musical adaptation of J. B. Priestley’s THE GOOD COMPANIONS, and though she was not the greatest singer (though far better than fellow cast member John Mills!), she held her own and stole the show. And then we saw her in my favorite Shakespeare, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.
Well, Lesa, It’s 1:00 a.m. and I have the book that will keep me turning pages until waaaay too late.
The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
Description from NetGalley
“Inspired by C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, this wild and wondrous novel is a fairy tale for grown-ups who still knock on the back of wardrobes—just in case—from the author of The Wishing Game.
As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.
Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.
Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.
Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.”
Back to it!!
That sounds fantastic! Thanks for bring it to our attention.
You are certainly welcome, Mark. It is truly fantastic.
Oh, Kaye! Isn’t it wonderful to find that kind of book? For me, they’re hard to come by. J.D. Robb’s books work, and Nora Roberts’ last one did. But, the ones that keep me up are few and far between.
They are, indeed, very hard to come by! Especially considering how many books I start but reject before finishing.
I was so excited to get the ARC for The Lost Story, as The Wishing Game was one of my favorite books last year. I haven’t cracked it open yet, but I’m really looking forward to it. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I am enjoying this one even more than The Wishing Game, which I too loved. Not everyone who has left NetGalley reviews agrees. I’m going to be interested in hearing what you think, Margie.
Oh this sounds like a fabulous book!
Hi Lesa and everyone,
I’m writing this on Wednesday, as our daughter Anna is coming to stay from tomorrow so I want to get ahead.
It’s been freezing here, but bright sunny days at least. Nancy and I walked at Castle Fraser on Monday – there was hardly anyone else there, and the castle and estate looked so beautiful under the blue skies. We had a look around the walled garden, which is still very much in its winter state but has signs of spring – lots of bulbs coming through and buds appearing.
Last weekend David and I drove to Glasgow to see Hamish Hawk in concert at the Barrowlands. It’s an iconic venue, originally built in 1934 as a dance hall. It’s changed little over the years, and is much loved. It’s built above the Barras, an indoor market selling everything from vintage clothing to vinyl records. And a lot of Western DVDs.
There is a strange (to us) subculture in Glasgow – they just love cowboys and anything associated with the Wild West, so it is not unusual to see the stallholders wearing Stetsons, and selling related merchandise. I don’t know when or how this became a thing in Glasgow, it certainly isn’t one in Edinburgh or Aberdeen. But Glasgow is very different from the East coast.
Glasgow sees Edinburgh as posh, uptight, snobbish and tight-fisted. Edinburgh sees Glasgow as dangerous, brash and common. Of course none of this is true (though Edinburgh can certainly be snobbish.)
Glaswegians are famously friendly and welcoming, and this has always been our experience. The city also has a much more cutting-edge arts scene than Edinburgh, with lots of experimental galleries, theatres and cinemas. Glasgow School of Art is famous, its alumni including Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Jim Lambie, Alasdair Gray, Alison Watt, Joan Eardley – and Peter Capaldi, perhaps better known as a former Doctor Who.
The city’s population is much more diverse than Edinburgh’s, with large Asian and Chinese communities. In the mid 20th century many Italians also settled there, and this is still reflected in the many Italian restaurants, ice cream shops, etc.
Anyway, the concert was fantastic! We also managed to meet up with our daughter Madeleine beforehand, which was good.
Books!
I am currently reading SPARE by Harry Windsor, aka Prince Harry. It’s his tell-all memoir, the one that caused uproar when it was published last year. I have no real interest in the royals, but I needed to read a book written by a ghostwriter for my 52 Books 2024 Challenge, and this was on display in the library.
It’s very easy to read, though the standard of writing is, in my opinion, pretty poor considering someone was employed to write it for him. There are just so many ‘Did I feel this?’, ‘Did I see that?’ ‘Did I notice this?’ comments all the way through. If he doesn’t know, I don’t know how we’re supposed to.
Harry was clearly good at being a soldier, but he seems to fail to realise that his insistence on serving on the front line in Iraq and Afghanistan threatened the safety of the men and women he was working alongside – the Taliban in particular saw him as their prime target, so he had to be protected at all times.
He has done exceptional work with charities supporting war veterans, and has definitely raised public awareness of the plight of so many ex-servicemen and women who have suffered terrible injuries.
I haven’t yet got up to the Meghan part of the book. But so far, what I will say is that he does blame other people for absolutely everything that’s gone wrong in his life. He is particularly scathing about his brother, and doesn’t seem to have any understanding of the huge burdens placed on William’s shoulders from an early age. (Harry’s view of his father also changes with the weather.)
He also seems to have no awareness of the immense privilege that surrounds him. He’s always jetting off to Botswana or some other exotic country for holidays, and he throws away his vastly privileged Eton education. He has a big drug habit while still at school – a situation of which his bodyguards must have been aware – but he is never even reported, much less prosecuted.
I’ll see how the rest of the book pans out.
I’m also reading THE LIAR IN THE LIBRARY – another of Simon Brett’s Fethering mysteries. It opens with a rather pompous author giving a talk at the local library. I have an inkling his days are numbered. I’ll let you know next week.
I also finished Nicola Upson’s FEAR IN THE SUNLIGHT. This has an interesting setting – Portmeirion, on the Welsh coast – and as usual involves the real life author Jacqueline Tey, who is here with friends to celebrate her 40th birthday. Also present, in a separate party, are Alfred Hitchcock, his wife Alma, who wants him to make a film of one of Tey’s books, and various members of their entourage. Most of Hitchcock’s group seem to have secrets of one sort or another, some of them linked to past events in the local area.
The problem with this book is that it has far, far too many characters and subplots. I was constantly having to go back to remind myself who was who. Tey and her friends seem almost superfluous, but we still have to read pages and pages of her emotional turmoil re her ex lover Marta (there is apparently no reliable evidence that Tey was gay, straight or anything else, but Upson has made her own decision.)
Also with them is Tey’s (fictional) friend Chief Inspector Archie Penrose, who is still carrying a torch for Tey, but here meets up with another old friend, Bridget. We have to wait till page 197 for a single murder to take place. There then follow two more, and the ending seems rushed, and to me rather confusing. The solution just seems to drop into Archie’s lap, and I really could not understand how we were supposed, as readers, to have come to his conclusion.
I feel I have read too many books like this lately. Agatha Christie said that writers have to play fair with their readers; the clues must all be there for those who look hard enough. Too many recent writers seem to pick the murderer with a pin and then simply get their detective to say ‘it was him!’ – or just have their killer confess all.
So no, no book that’s kept me up all night this week!
JEFF – I subscribe to the excellent Mookse and Gripes book podcast, and this week they are talking about ‘Hidden Gems.’ They had a guest on the show, Shawn from the YouTube channel ‘Shawn the Book Maniac.’ He said a book that has helped him find lots of such ‘gems’ is Christopher Fowler’s THE BOOK OF FORGOTTEN AUTHORS – the book you first told us about on Lesa’s blog. It has of course also led me to many authors of whom I’d never have heard without Fowler, and I love his witty synopses of some of the more outré writers’ works. Thanks to you, we heard it here first!
On television I have finished TRIGGER POINT. After all the tension, the numerous bombs, a kidnapping and goodness knows what else, I again found the ending rather dull and unconvincing. Not the best use of Vicky McClure’s considerable talents. I’m now starting the most recent series of CALL THE MIDWIFE.
I hope you all have a good week and good weather, I fear we are due another shedload of rain – but at least it’s not ice.
Rosemary Thank you for finding time to write before Anna arrives.
I find it fascinating how much the arts seem to play an important role in Scotland, especially in Glasgow. Of course, I’ve heard of Peter Capaldi – Dr. Who. Either the arts aren’t as important here, or I’m not in the right circles. I fear it’s the first.
I know several of you like Upson’s books about Tey. I read a few, including Fear in the Sunlight. I just didn’t care for the characters, including Tey. Oh, well. We all like different books.
I’m sorry you’re expecting so much rain just as Anna gets there.
It’s funny you mentioned that, Rosemary. For years we went to Edinburgh – one of my favorite cities – but avoided Glasgow, thinking it was too big, too crowded, too hard to get around, etc. But a friend told me about a mystery & science fiction speciality bookshop in the center, so one year we took the train (about an hour) from Edinburgh. It seemed fine, so the next year I just drove and did so every year we went after that. I’d park in the big car park in the center and the bookstore was a few minutes away. And yes, I always found books to buy.
I’m glad you ‘discovered’ Glasgow Jeff! It’s a great city.
Rosemary, I was glad to read your assessment of “Spare”. After reading the book at the height of its popular, I felt like I was in the minority. He spends way too much time whining about how everything is not his fault.
So glad you agree Bev. His lack of self awareness is quite shocking. I’m sure his brother would have plenty to complain about if he wanted to, but he just keeps his head down and gets on with the job.
And much as Harry complains about the ‘paps’ (paparazzi), he courts their interest all the time. There are some hard working royals about whom we know very little because they keep quiet – eg Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, and Princess Anne, who, or so I red, carries out more public engagements every year than any other royal.
We fought a revolution so we wouldn’t have to care about the Royals. I take full advantage of that.
Good morning!
As I type this, I am about 2/3 of the way through ASHES TO ASHES, CRUST TO CRUST, the second Deep Dish Mystery from Mindy Quigley. I’m enjoying it, but I want to be further along. I was hoping to finish it tomorrow, and I don’t think I’m going to have the time to do that. Nothing to do with the book itself, I let myself get distracted by other things.
Anyway, the book. Summer is winding down in the Wisconsin resort town here the series is set. Delilah O’Leary is trying to figure out ways to get more income so her restaurant can survive the down season, including a contest coming up over Labor Day. Of course, there’s a murder.
There’s a lot going on, in this book. I’m not sure what is sub-plot and what is going to wind up tying into the murder. Sometimes, I can find that frustrating, but here, it’s making me more intrigued to find out where things are going.
Good morning, Mark. I liked the first in Quigley’s series, and I know I have a copy of the second one someplace. It doesn’t sound as if I need to hurry to get to it.
Have a good week!
I’m sorry if my comments were clear. I’m very much enjoying this book. It’s working in a way that many books wouldn’t necessarily work. We’ll see how the last part goes.
Hi Lesa. You make me want to read THE DEAD ROMANTICS, and you can let us know if A NOVEL LOVE STORY becomes a page-turner after you’ve finished it. As for me, I’m reading S. A. Cosby’s ALL THE SINNERS BLEED, which has a terrific main character, Titus Crown, a Black sheriff in a small Southern town. The book is very well-written, and I’m glad I’m reading it, but I can’t call it a page-turner because it’s about hunting for a serial killer, and that makes it hard to read. I keep putting it down–but then I pick it up again because it’s such a good novel.
I’ll let you know, Kim.
You’re right. S.A. Cosby isn’t always easy to read, but he certainly knows how to tell a good story. I certainly wanted to find out where he was going with it!
Kim, i join Lesa in praising The Dead Romantics, and I also love S. A. Cosby’s books.
Good morning. We only got about 4 inches of wet snow in my part of NJ. It was a pain to shovel but a lot of it has melted which is good because they’re calling for another 1 to 3 inches Friday night.
I read an ARC of THE WITLESS PROTECTION PROGRAM by Maria DiRico. Widowed, manager of a mob owned catering hall, Mia Carina is all set to marry her fiancé Shane when her supposedly dead husband turns up. When he turns up dead after an argument with Mia, both she and Shane are suspects. I enjoyed this. The characters and plot are over the top, but in a fun way.
GET YOUR COW OUT OF THE KITCHEN by Catherine Hudson. A memoir about a woman’s life with lots of pets. It was OK and a quick read. There were some interesting stories but they were very disconnected from each other.
Bone Lake by Stacy Green. An 18 year old rents an airb&b where 3 murders took place years ago to watch the screening of a documentary about the unsolved murders. Now her friends at the screening party are dead and she is missing. An FBI profiler has to work to solve both sets of murders. I jumped into this series at book 8 but it worked fine as a stand alone read.
Stay warm and safe, Sandy. Don’t overdo it!
I love Maria DiRico’s books written as Ellen Byron. I know the DiRico books are based on her family, but I just can’t get into them the way I do the Byron ones. I think they’re too over-the-top for me.
Well, darn. I liked the title of Get Your Cow Out of the Kitchen.
Good morning from the snowy North – waking up to fresh snow on the ground. Thankfully it’s just a gentle snowfall and easily navigable!
I love that Margie wrote about the first book in the “Miss Hermione” series today, because coincidentally I just finished the 2nd book! A very readable book, this 2nd installment brings back Violet Manville, her trusty sidekick housekeeper Bunty, and her society oriented half-sister, Sephora. Set in London, in 1885, Violet, a “spinster” who is the secret agony aunt known as “Miss Hermione” once again gets involved in a mystery, unwittingly via a letter sent to her column. This time, Margaret Thuringer, a close friend of Sephora, has been sucked into a cult known as the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. Led by the handsome and charismatic Master, the Children live a druid like existence. Soon Violet has immersed herself into their world to try to save Margaret. Fun banter, secret trysts, dark arts, and a murder to be solved, makes this a book hard to put down.
I also read “Down a Dark River” by Karen Odden, the 1st book in the Inspector Corravan series. Loved this book and can’t wait to read the 2nd. Set in London, 1878, Inspector Corrovan is tasked with trying to stop a serial murderer who is staging his victims, in boats after their demise, in The Lady of Shallot type fashion. The backstory of Insp. C’s childhood mixes well with the current story about the investigation. The characters are well formed and the plot line riveting. Highly recommend!
Wishing all a great weekend!
Hi Mary! I’m hoping everyone with snow on the ground stays warm and safe. Stay home with some good books.
I’m glad to hear you liked the second “Miss Hermione” mystery. I have it on my TBR pile.
And, I think I’d like Karen Odden’s series. I’ll have to check it out.
The Miss Hermione series are fun reads.
I finished reading A Dangerous Country, by Ron Kovac. Do you remember the movie, Born On the Fourth of July? This is a continuation of his story starting with parts of his wartime diary.
He is honest and gives a raw telling of his story. He tells of his adjustment to being a paraplegic, his emotional turmoil over what happened in Vietnam, his religious crisis, the torment of his conscience, and how horrible war is.
You will need a strong stomach and will learn that war is the worst thing that a human being can possibly go through.
Thank you, Carol, for the background. I saw the movie Born on the Fourth of July. I don’t think I have the stomach for Kovac’s second book.
A few beautiful days this week, now back to wind & cloudy skies.
At close to 500 pages, I’ve mostly been reading A LIFE, a biography of Larry McMurtry (author, professor, screenwriter, father, celebrity, bookseller and collector). With more than forty books, McMurtry is considered a chronicler of the American West. I haven’t read many of his books, although I did enjoy his 1987 book of essays on Hollywood “Film, Flam”. My Dad loved Lonesome Dove, would talk about it like he was there. Parts of this book are fascinating, but the author placed a lot of emphasis on McMurtry’s teens and twenties. Perhaps related to the availability of documentation rather than importance.
McMurtry’s ties with Hollywood were established early on, Paul Newman read McMurtry’s first book, Horseman, Pass By and had it made into Hud.
THE BONES OF THE STORY by Carol Goodman
A twisting locked-room mystery in the dark-academia style from two-time Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning author Carol Goodman. The story takes place during a snowstorm which traps a group of former college classmates on campus. It’s the twenty-fifth commemoration of a tragic accident that claimed two lives. But it wouldn’t be a suspense story if it was truly an accident.
FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston is a fun page-turner.
Evie Porter is a sweet girl from a small Alabama town. At least, that’s the story she tells. In reality, she’s a professional con artist whose specialty is insinuating herself into people’s lives, gaining their trust.
You’re right, MM. I like that summary. “But it wouldn’t be a suspense story if it was truly an accident.” So true!
I wonder if my father ever read Lonesome Dove. I think he would have loved it.
Lonesome Dove remains one of my all-time favorite books, and it took a lot of persuading for me to pick it up.
MM, I am a big Larry McMurtry fan. I agree with your father – LONESOME DOVE was one of my all-time favorite books. I’ve read most of his early novels and a lot of his non-fiction books, especially the ones about collecting and book selling.
Good morning! The sun is shining but rain mixed with snow is on the way for tomorrow.
Three books for me this week. I enjoyed all of them.
The best was Watch Us Shine by Marisa de los Santos. Her writing is so beautiful that it is hard to find fault with anything she’s written. Cornelia Brown is suffering from PTSD after a violent act involving her and her children. At the same time her mother is in a nursing home recovering from being hit by a car. Cornelia goes to her mother’s side where she promises to help her see the northern lights again. This starts Cornelia and her sister on a journey uncovering their mother’s past. This was just wonderful.
The Last List of Mabel Beaumont was the weakest of my books this week, but I enjoyed it. Eighty-six-year-old widow Mabel finds a list from her husband that says, “find D”. She decides it means to find her friend, Dot from long ago who she has lost contact with. Mabel encounters new friends along the way. It was touching and funny and sweet.
I don’t really know how to summarize my last book, Here in Avalon by Tara Isabella Burton so instead I will copy what Goodreads says about it.
A New York City fairy tale about two sisters that fall under the spell of an underworld cabaret troupe that might be a dangerous cult—but one that makes the materialist world left in its wake feel like a sinister cult itself.
Rose has come a long way. Raised—and often neglected—by a wayward mother in New York City’s chaotic bohemia, Rose has finally built the life she’s always a good job at a self-help startup, a clean apartment, an engagement to a stable if self-satisfied tech CEO who shares her faith in human potential, hard work, and the sacrifice of childish dreams.
Rose’s sister Cecilia, on the other hand, never grew up. Irresponsible and impetuous, prone to jetting off to a European monastery one month and a falcon rescue the next, Cecilia has spent her life in pursuit of fairy-tale narratives of transcendence and true love—grand ideas Rose knows never work out in the real world. When Cecilia declares she’s come home to New York for good, following the ending of a whirlwind marriage, Rose hopes Cecilia might finally be ready to face compromises and all.
But then Cecilia gets involved with a cultish-sounding cabaret troupe—one that appears only at night, on a mysterious red boat that travels New York’s waterways—and soon one of a growing number of suspicious disappearances among the city’s lost and loneliest souls. The only way Rose can find Cecilia is by tracking down the Avalon herself.
But as Rose gets closer to solving the mystery of what happened to her sister, the Avalon works its magic on her, too. And the deeper she goes into the Avalon’s underworld, she more she begins to question everything she knows about her own life, and whether she’s willing to leave the real world behind.
I read this one in nearly one sitting because I got totally wrapped up in the story trying to figure out where it was going. Not for everyone but I thought it was very good.
Happy reading!
I read a lot about Here in Avalon, Sharon. I agree. I don’t think it’s for me, but I’m so glad you couldn’t put it down. I love those can’t put it down stories.
Yes, Lesa, you are so right that we’re happy being in Florida rather than at home, even though they only got a few inches of snow where we live. 70s over 30s? I’ll take that not just any day but every day.
Books. Jackie is reading the first Iris Yamashita book, CITY UNDER ONE ROOF, just as the second one is on the way to the library. She likes it.
I read (as previously mentioned) THE FAMILY MARKOWITZ, a series of interconnected stories by Allegra Goodman. Now I went back and got her earlier collection – her first published book – TOTAL IMMERSION. She was a precocious 21 when this one was published, and so far most of the stories are set in Hawaii, where she grew up (though she was born in New York). Two of the stories are about members of the Markowitz family and could easily be int he later collection.
Adam Kay, THIS IS GOING TO HURT: SECRET DIARIES OF A YOUNG DOCTOR is a memoir, obviously, of his years as a doctor. At first I found this a little overly slick and superficial – one thing I noticed was the way he always referred to his ‘significant other’ by initial only and was careful not to specify his/her sex, which in itself was a clue – but as he got more mature, so did the writing and his attitude towards his work. One thing, there seemed to be an awful lot of Cesarean sections among his deliveries (he was in OB-GYN). Still, in the end I liked it.
The local Palm Beach County Library system doesn’t seem to get that many ebooks, but they have a lot of new books and I’ve been able to reserve several things, as unlike Jackie, I am just as happy reading “real” books as ebooks. Anyway, even though Brooklyn doesn’t have it yet, I was already able to get a copy of the new Jeffrey Siger book, AT ANY COST, and I starter it yesterday. I was surprised to see that a lot of the early going takes place in the East Village of Manhattan though I know it is centered in the Greek Isles as usual – Syros in particular.
I also got the new Lee Goldberg Eve Ronin book, DREAM TOWN.
Oh, Dream Town! I like the Eve Ronin books, Jeff.
I’ll be interested to see what you think of At Any Cost.
I hope you and Jackie both enjoy the second Iris Yamashita book.
And, enjoy your weather and your temperatures!
I got the second Yamashita book, and Jackie had me put THE DEAD ROMANTICS on hold after reading your recommendation.
I hope Jackie likes The Dead Romantics. I know some people loved it, like I did, and others said, well, it’s okay.
On and off again rain here, but too cold.
With Lunar New Year, Super Bowl Sunday, and Valentine’s Day, I’ve been pretty busy. Capitol Swing starts tonight, so I’ll be even busier!
Still, I got some reading in:
Levon’s Scourge by Chuck Dixon; A powerful Vietnamese mob comes after Levon Cade and his family, so Levon goes after them. Vietnam seems a lot different than it did in First Blood. To be honest, what separates this series from its competitors are the adventures Cade’s daughter has while he is wasting wimps, and she is almost wholly absent from this book, and is sorely missed.
Roman Mask by Thomas MD Brooke; A Roman soldier, who was almost killed in Germany is sent back to the Deutschland even though that’s the last place he ever want to go. He’s to spy on the head honcho for the emperor. Should be safe, but it sure isn’t. There sure seem to be a lot of these series set in Ancient Rome lately.
Death and Glory by Will Thomas; The first Cyrus Barker book I’ve disliked. Some former Confederates prevail upon Barker to introduce them to the Prime Minister. It seems they claim to be heads of the CSA in exile, and they want delivery of a battleship they paid for. The thing is, Varina Davis, Jefferson Davis’s widow was alive at this time, and quite well known, working as a journalist in New York. She was also keeper of all her husband’s papers and correspondence. All they had to do was ask her if these guys were legitimate. And then I started arguing with the book.
Carte Blanche by Jeffrey Deaver; The origin of the guy they’re saying is now James Bond. The real James Bond is quite different than this guy.
The Fourth Man by KO Dahl; A big seller in Norway, but really an old fashioned Orrie Hitt novel.
Romney: A Recking by McKay Coppins; I’m not sure if this book is some sort of parody or not. Does Romney’s ghost writer hate him? One thing I found interesting was that he almost dropped out of the race after his “43%” comment was leaked. We know who the leaker was: Jimmy Carter IV, a democrat party activist. Somehow, Romney isn’t at all interested in who let the leaker into what was supposed to be a private fund raiser. Very strange to me. Other than that, a lot of delusion and score settling.
Well, darn, Glen. I’m sorry Death and Glory let you down. What a disappointment – get a book early, and it doesn’t live up to the others in the series.
Capitol Swing – Is that swing performances that take place in Sacramento?
Isn’t it fun to be busy, though?
Well, there’s good busy and bad busy.
Capitol Swing is a humongous West Coast Swing Convention that last the whole Presidents’ Day Weekend. There’s lessons, dances, contests, and performances.
Oh, that sounds like a fun, good busy, Glen.
It has been cold for Santa Barbara / Goleta but it usually warms up some in the day time. We are expecting / hoping for rain maybe starting on the weekend but mostly on Monday or Tuesday. This week we went to the harbor for breakfast, which is always fun, and took books and DVDs for donation to the Planned Parenthood book sale. Tomorrow we have a dental appointment (yuck).
This week I read GALLOWS COURT by Martin Edwards. It is the first book in the Rachel Savernake series. It is a departure for Edwards, both a historical mystery (set in the 1930s in London) and a thriller. I did end up liking the book, but it took me 150 pages of 350 pages to get into it, which is not ideal.
My next book will be A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrick Backman.
Glen read A FIELD GUIDE TO GETTING LOST by Rebecca Solnit this week. It is a book of essays, and for Glen it was a mixed bag. I think it would be interesting to try a few of the essays. Here is a quote from the LA Times: “An intriguing amalgam of personal memoir, philosophical speculation, natural lore, cultural history, and art criticism.”
Glen’s next book will be AGENT ZIGZAG: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal by Ben Macintyre. It is about a British double agent during World War II.
I totally agree with you about the dentist, Tracy. I don’t know. I probably would have given up before 150 pages. Good for you for reading all of Gallows Court.
You two stay warm!
I forgot to mention that I got in to The Bee Keeper.
Jason Statham’s best movie in years.
He plays the same role he always does, but in this case his character is up against an analogue of Hunter Biden and The Deep State, while being pursued by the FBI. I’m a bit surprised the movie even got made.
I never even heard of the movie, but that’s just me.
To be honest, I suspected you were not a Jason Statham fan!
Hi all,
First time poster here. My name is Cheryl Russell. I’m a retired adjunct English prof (no more grading! Yay!) My husband and I spend part the year in Ohio and part of the year in Alaska (grandkids in both places.)
So far this week I finished several NetGalley ARCs. The first one was “Ill-Fated Fortune” by Jennifer J. Chow. I wasn’t a fan. It’s the first in a new cozy mystery series and the first book I’ve read by this author. (She’s written several cozy mystery series; I’ve not read any of them.) I didn’t find myself really caring one way or the other about the characters.
The second book I read was “The Last Word” and I really liked this one–stayed up past my bedtime last night to finish it. It’s another cozy mystery series and the main character is an obituary writer. The characters pulled me into the story and the plot moved quickly. I would definitely read another book in this series.
Welcome, Cheryl! I hope you find time to join us on Thursdays. We always welcome new readers.
Isn’t retirement great? I’m loving it.
I liked “The Last Word”, too. My review will be up on Monday. I love NetGalley!
I got some great reading in this week, full of recommendations from this blog. It also helped that I took a short vacation and had extra reading time.
I got to enjoy the 13th library lover’s mystery, The Plot and the Pendulum; the 4th Pentecost and Parker, Murder Crossed Her Mind; Christmas Tree Farm #4, Stalking Around the Christmas Tree, and also Murder in Postscript.
Scrolling through kindle unlimited I picked up We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman, about a woman whose best friend is in hospice with all the beauty and pathos that entails. It was amazing.
And now I am just starting A Novel Disguise due to the high praise it received earlier this week.
What a great thing to do on a short vacation, Trisha! Sounds as if you had some fun reading.
Hi Lesa, I am currently reading the Engagement Party by Darby Kane, switching back and forth from kindle to print. It’s keeping my interest, but not finding time to read it. I listened to Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder on audio. It’s a nonfiction book of a doctor who helped create a program to care for Boston’s homeless. The author spent several years following the doctor around and writes of several homeless people he saw on a regular basis. It was really good and so heartbreaking.
I wondered about Rough Sleepers, Katherine, so thank you for your comments. I read Tracy Kidder years ago, and was impressed with the research he does.