I went up to my Mom’s for Mother’s Day weekend last week. Had a nice visit with her, as always, and visited with my youngest sister, Christie, on Friday. We planned our next family trip, made our hotel reservations. We’re going to Shipshewana, Indiana at the end of June. Shipshewana is in Amish country, and the town is known for all its cute shops, hotels, and Amish food.
Once I returned home, we’ve had rain every day, even if it was for just a short time in the afternoon or evening. I had mornings to run my errands. This has been a good week, just one for relaxing and reading.
What about you? What have you been doing this week? What are you reading?
I’m a third of a way through Kelley Armstrong’s Death at a Highland Wedding, the fourth Rip Through Time Novel, about a Canadian police officer who ended up in 1870 Scotland in the body of a young housemaid, Mallory. I liked the Introduction of the book. Armstrong summarizes the previous books for those who haven’t read them, or for those who haven’t read one in a while.
Death at a Highland Wedding takes Mallory, her boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, Gray’s sister, Isla, and a family friend, Detective Hugh McCreadie, to the Scottish Highlands for the wedding of Hugh’s sister.Actually, they’re all bored until they find the body of another one of the houseguests, a man who was murdered.
This one is a little slow-moving with a great deal of conversation. But, I like the characters and the Rip Through Time scenario.
What about you? What are you reading this week?
I love hearing about your family trips, Lesa.
We’ve been having lots of rain which is playing hell with some roads and bridges that are still in bad shape of from Helena.
Young Fools by Liza Palmer is a book that might have stayed under my radar except for my spotting it on NetGalley and being enticed by it due to it being the next book by the author of Family Reservations, which i enjoyed a lot. Young Fools did not disappoint. The author has a real knack for paring down through many layers to successfully reveal the heart of women – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Not always a comforable reveal, but a starkly honest one.
Description from Net Galley:
“Two women do the best they can to make something of their lives—even at the expense of their friendship—in a witty, emotional, and startling novel by the author of Family Reservations.
Helen Hicks may not have any friends, but she does have a plan: prove her doubting, elitist parents wrong and become a literary sensation before she turns thirty. When she’s finally accepted into the esteemed Hayward Writing Intensive at twenty-four, Helen believes she’s right on schedule.
At Hayward, Helen meets Cherry Stewart, a free-spirited, ambitious kid whose eclectic tastes skew far more pedestrian than Helen’s, but as Cherry’s champion and mentor, Helen decides they’ll set the publishing world on fire and go down as one of the literary world’s most iconic duos.
But as Helen turns thirty with no debut novel in sight and a breathtaking case of writer’s block, she is forced to put her dreams on hold. Thinking Cherry shares her sad fate, Helen is shocked to learn that her best friend has not only finished and sold a novel in secret, but even more devastating it’s…genre fiction.
As Helen and Cherry’s years-long friendship comes crashing down, Helen finally has the clarity and inspiration to take her own art to the next level. It’s going to get personal.”
Kaye, Young Fools sounds intriguing! I hadn’t heard of either it or Family Reservations. Always happy to find something new to check out.
We’ve had lots of rain, too, Kaye, but we haven’t had the washed out roads and bridges as you have. And, I’m sorry that Don probably hasn’t been able to get out and ride. I hope you’re both doing okay.
Young Fools does sound interesting, as Lindy said.
Lesa, your upcoming trip to Shipshewana sounds exactly like the type of trip I’d enjoy. What fun!
Not much new from here; it was a fretting sort of week, what with David’s bone scan and a CT scan. And a blood test still to come a couple of days from now. Results on the 23rd.
Two books this week:
THE LADIES ROAD GUIDE TO UTTER RUIN by Alison Goodman (sequel to The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies, which should be read first; the sequel begins right where the first book left off.)
We’re back in Regency England with unmarried sisters Augusta (Gus) and Julia, and it is so much fun. Highly entertaining.
Gus and Julia are protecting and hiding Lady Hester at their home after daringly rescuing her from an insane asylum, with help from her wanted-by-the-law-convicted-of-murder brother Lord Evan (and Gus’s love interest). Hester’s other brother, Lord Deele, had committed her to the asylum because she was in a relationship with another woman (who is also staying with Gus and Julia). Hester is in a bad way but the secret is out and they must move her to a new safe place so Lord Deele won’t find her.
Meanwhile, Evan is on the run from a Bow Street runner (Kent) who has been tasked with finding him and bringing him back, as well as from ‘thief takers’ who have orders to kill him. Turns out Evan might be innocent but the murder took place twenty years earlier and finding someone who was around at the time who could possibly help to prove his innocence is frustratingly difficult and may be impossible.
In the course of investigating on Evan’s behalf, it is discovered that women in the city are being grievously harmed and/or killed in ‘gentleman’s clubs’, which adds seriousness to the story.
The book is full of humorous dialogue and is action-packed, as Gus, Julia, and Lord Evan, along with Gus’s trusty butler Weatherly hurtle from one fraught situation to another; and just when you think you might be able to catch your own breath for a moment, they’re right into another one. You’re on the edge of your seat and hoping against hope that all will be well in the end.
Gus and Julia are wonderful heroines – they don’t always agree on the methods but they always fight for what’s right, they care wholeheartedly about people, they’re brave and resourceful, and they never give up.
I couldn’t agree more with a newspaper columnist’s take on the first book, but I think it applies equally well to this one: ‘ … rollicking … romp – think Jane Austen meets James Bond.’
THE RETIREMENT PLAN by Sue Hincenbergs
This funny book follows four sixty-something couples who have been good friends for thirty years. They’re looking forward to a comfortable retirement but an investment gone wrong makes that dream impossible now, and not a single one of the eight characters is happy with their reduced-circumstances life or their partners either for that matter.
One of the husbands dies and the other three are worried. Because of some shady financial doings they’ve involved themselves in, they’re afraid he might have been murdered as a warning to the rest of them.
I don’t want to give away any of the plot points; it would just spoil the fun of discovering every twist and turn for yourself. But you will encounter hitmen, death, lies, secrets, crime, casinos, matchmaking, and much in the way of misunderstandings and miscommunication. And maybe a few tiny life lessons as well.
I started the book by being uncomfortable with the unhappiness in each marriage, and the callousness of the often morally-suspect characters who were not all that likeable. But by the second half I was onboard, then just sat back and enjoyed the ride with this silly, madcap, absurd, and entertaining story – wondering if anything could possibly end well for anyone. It was a good little escape from reality.
Good morning Lindy – so glad that you are finding humorous books to read while waiting on your husband’s results. The Ladies Guide to Utter Ruin sounds delightful!
Hi Lindy,
I’m looking forward to THE LADIES ROAD GUIDE TO UTTER RUIN. I enjoyed the first in the series.
I’m sorry you had a fretting week. I hope David isn’t worrying as much as you are.
Lindy, THE RETIREMENT PLAN sounds very good. I will put it on a list for the future. Also good to hear that you enjoyed THE LADIES ROAD GUIDE TO UTTER RUIN. I read the first one and I am sure I will read that one sometime soonish.
I hope that the results from David’s tests are good. Waiting to hear is so hard.
I didn’t know Amish food was an actual cuisine.
We’ve had rain and wind all week. At least it mostly kept things cooled down to the 70’s, instead of being in the upper 90’s.
This week I read:
Savage by David Edward; A guy mourning the death of his wife finds himself dragooned into a mission in Panama, where the plane crashes, and he and one or two others have to survive in the wilderness while being pursued. I read a book almost exactly like this about a month ago. Pretty good, but dragged once they got out of the jungle.
Billionaire Blend by Cleo Coyle; An annoying rich guy enters the life of the coffee shop when someone set a car bomb off in his limo. Gives the sleuth something to investigate, but I always feel like the levellers had a point when I read stuff like this.
Chupacabras Among Us by Samuel DenHartog; An origin tale for the Chupacabra that goes back to Aztec times. The Aztecs were not good guys. I knew too much about the Chupacabra, and started arguing with the book.
We Are Experiencing Parental Difficulties…Please Stand By by Rick Kirkman; A collection of Baby Blues comic strips. I didn’t realize that at one point they only had one kid, where now they have three. A totally different strip with a bunch of supporting characters never seen any more.
An Honorable Assassin by Steve Hamilton; Third and so far the last book in the Rick Mason series. He goes to Indonesia where he has no idea what is going on, and is sent to kill some terrorist leader. It feels like one of those Vietnam stories where nobody knows what is going on, only updated for the War on Terror. At least it’s not Ukraine, I guess.
🫢 Giggling at your reviews!
Oh, yes, Glen. “Amish food is a hearty, homestyle cuisine that emphasizes fresh, natural ingredients and time-honored traditions. They rely heavily on grains, dairy, and locally sourced meats, with many dishes featuring potatoes, noodles, and homemade bread. Doughnuts, apple butter, and shoo-fly pie are just a few examples of their popular baked goods.” Noodles, gravy, pies. I love apple butter!
I always enjoy your reviews!
I immediately thought none of that “highly processed food” that is now considered the root of current health problems.
I had insomnia last night so I woke up too late to post. Long ago, we went to an Amish Restaurant in Southern Indiana. Can’t remember the name but it had a view of the late and we feasted on huge buffet, all of my favorites and more. I thanked them for meal. They were surprised that I thought was good! We also went to a store that sold Amish dolls and some furniture. I wanted to stay forever.
After some warmth at the end of next week, we really cooled off. Supposed to only hit the 60’s on Saturday, but for now, we are in the 70’s. A little cooler than I want for mid-May, but better than the 60’s.
Glad you had such a great weekend with your family.
I’m working on the audio version of TWO KINDS OF TRUTH, a Bosch novel from Michael Connelly. I’m much more invested in the sub-plot than the main murder, which is a problem since Bosch just went undercover for the main plot, and I’m a little bored. I’m 60% into the book, and I’m hoping to finish this weekend.
Meanwhile, I finished up a book today. ROOT OF ALL EVIL is the first Laurel Highlands novel from Liz Milliron, and her first novel overall. I’ve enjoyed some of her other books, and it was nice to go back and finally start this series.
I’m about to start NIGHT OF THE LIVING BREAD by Mary Lee Ashford. After several years, a new publisher has picked up this series, reissued the first three, and is releasing this, book four. The main characters put together community cookbooks and manage to find murder along the way. I’ve got an ARC, and I’m looking forward to diving back into these books.
A little too cool and too rainy here for me, Mark.
Interesting that Ashford’s new publisher reissued the earlier books in the series.
Shipshewana is my happy place, Lesa! Be sure to hit some of the local food stands at the individual farms. And the bakery Rise and Roll is the absolute best! I hope to get there myself this summer.
This past weekend I saw Carousel at our local music camp school. And now I can’t get “June is busting out all over” out of my head! As usual, it has turned into summer overnight here in Northern MI. I’m thinking that everyone turning their AC on caused the local power outage that we had this week – 24 hours! Just my theory. God bless those that work through the night to restore electricity.
I finished “The Mailman” by Andrew Welsh-Huggins. And the positives are:
* This was a real page turner – very fast paced
* Mercury Carter was a very likable and memorable primary character
* I will definitely read the next book if this turns into a series
The negatives are:
* Too many story lines and an awful lot of characters
* I am left not understanding why Jason would turn down $20 million
* I am also left not understanding why Finn kept asking everyone if they knew what twenty-two seven stood for. His boss knew – why didn’t he? Or was he just testing people?
* Many of Mercury’s feats of derring-do were a bit far fetched, as were those done by Rachel.
Thank you, Mary! I think Shipshewana is one of my mother’s happy places, too, although none of the rest of us have been there. So, I’m looking forward to it.
Will you read another in Welsh-Huggins series, if there is a second one?
I agree that THE MAILMAN was far-fetched, but “page turner” is an understatement, as I raced through it. I read the “origin story” too – a short story version that was later incorporated into the novel (the part where he helps the woman escape her abusive husband). It was in the anthology, MICKEY FINN VOL. 1: 21st Century Noir. I think there might be more Mailman stories in later volumes.
My mom was in the hospital Mother’s Day weekend,. She’s doing OK and is back at her assisted living facility. We also had tickets for Pippin which we enjoyed so I only read one book this week.
The Hungry Ocean:A Swordboat Captain’s Journey by Linda Greenlaw. It’s the story of a monthlong swordfishing trip over a 1000 miles out to sea by the captain of the Hannah Bowden, the sister ship to the Andrea Gail which was the focus of The Perfect Storm. It was interesting but some of it got overly technical.
Oh, Sandy. I’m sorry your mother was in the hospital. I hope she’s doing okay, now.
I would have found the technical details of your book a little too boring.
Pippin! Great music. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Jackie has that Kelley Armstrong book on hold. She’s reading the newest Emily Henry book, GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE.
We had to change our tickets for GYPSY to this Saturday, so will tell you how it went next week.
Plenty of rain here again lately. We stayed home both Tuesday and Wednesday, a benefit of retirement. You don’t have to go out if you don’t want to.
The Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Awards are, if not a disgrace, a consistent embarrassment. For an award meant to honor the best mysteries of the year, they get it wrong over and over, year after year. S. A. Cosby arguably had the best book two years in a row, yet RAZORBLADE TEARS was totally ignored and ALL THE SINNERS BLEED was nominated, but lost. This year, George Easter’s Deadly Pleasure magazine took the trouble to examine 107 Best of the Year lists, from newspapers, magazines, bookstores, independent critics, etc. (including Lesa’s list). Out of 107, the overwhelming favorites were:
37 mentions – THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore (my own favorite)
33 mentions – ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK by Chris Whitaker (also excellent)
33 mentions – WE SOLVE MURDERS by Richard Osman
Yet, THE GOD OF THE WOODS lost the Best Novel Edgar Award to…wait for it… THE IN CROWD by Charlotte Vassell. What? Who? Would you like to guess how many of the 107 critics’ Best of the Year lists had THE IN CROWD on it?
Less than one.
/end rant
I’ll post this and get back to books next.
How very interesting Jeff. I quite enjoy reading a rant and finding out what bugs people about anything to do with books. I generally find that my favourite books seldom make it onto the ‘Best’ lists. Can’t say I’ve ever heard of The In Crowd but now I kind of want to read it!
Jeff what a timely rant. I was just reading the list of nominees/winners of the Edgars and was struck by how many of the books I have never heard of. And like most of us I read a lot of mysteries. When I saw the winner for best novel, The In Crowd, was actually the second in a series I looked at my reading list and saw I had read the previous novel. Well, started it but did not enjoy it enough to finish.
Bottom line, I guess I am not the audience for the Edgar awards.
It’s that kind of nonsense why nobody cares about any of the awards shows anymore, whether it be the Oscars, the Edgars or the Eisners, but you can’t tell them anything.
Jeff, I loved your rant. I rarely keep up with the most recent mysteries, but when I do, I notice the same things you see with the Edgar Awards. I always enjoyed George Easter’s Deadly Pleasure magazine and I need to subscribe to it again.
Thanks to everyone who commented. I looked at Deadly Pleasures again, and see that Larry Gandle, who covers the Edgars and the British Crime awards, annually, is dispirited by this too. He said, “it never ceases to amaze me how insular the judges are in that they rarely select more than one or two books that have been widely praised by the mystery community, i.e. readers. reviewers.” He also says, in the Best Novel category, “there appears to be an easy winner as one book has stood out. This rarely is the book that will win.”
Sadly, he was right about THE GOD OF THE WOODS not winning.
Planted all my new plants by the end of last weekend, just in time for the midweek spring storm. Fortunately, the temperature didn’t drop too low, rain here with a covering of snow on the hills. And plenty of “indoor” time.
Another of my eclectic reading weeks…
The Japanese author Keigo Higashino has been recommended as one of the best current mystery writers. I selected MALICE from 1996. All the clues are laid out fairly, and the central cast is well-defined. As the mystery unfolds, layer after layer is peeled away, allowing the reader to reassess their conclusions.
Mariann Budde, Bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Washington DC and National Cathedral has written HOW WE LEARN TO BE BRAVE, her inspirational guide to the decisive moments of life, offering fortitude and insight for anyone searching for answers.
I finished up the historical fiction, DEATH IN THE DETAILS, reviewed here last month. The story takes place near the end WW2 and centers on the war widow, Maple Bishop, along with rationing and the prejudices of that era.
Retired math teacher Grace Winters is left a run-down house on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza with no plan other than escape from her loneliness. Filled with wonder and adventure, Matt Haig’s A LIFE IMPOSSIBLE is a story of hope and connections. Great writing.
“Sometimes what looks like magic is simply a part of life we don’t understand yet”
MM, How We Learn to Be Brave sounds like something I might benefit from reading. I would like to be braver, but I bet it means we have to live through some not-nice things to get there. Learn from experience?
Good morning! I’m still battling my nasty allergy attack (almost two weeks now), but I haven’t let it keep me from the things I love to do. Last Saturday I attended the Drama Queens’ first outing, joining 16 others for El Dorado Music Theater’s production of Legally Blonde. The cast was mainly older teens–Elle Woods was a 16-year-old! They did a fantastic job, and everyone had a great time. Sunday was Mother’s Day, of course, and my family went to Friends with Benedicts, a wonderful breakfast place, to celebrate. Later in the day, Nick and I went to Zach’s house, where he barbecued for us. I received some beautiful flowers, cards, and a gift card to Red Lobster. Oh, and on Friday my grandson Henry (age 8) participated in a county spelling bee that included 15 schools, and his team came in 4th. It was done in the form of a written test, and Henry was proud that he got all of the 100 or so words correct. I choose to believe that he gets his spelling expertise from me! This week it was two card games and a luncheon, and now I’m looking forward to a few days of rest. Here’s what I read this week:
I thoroughly enjoyed THE STOLEN QUEEN, the new historical novel by Fiona Davis that juxtaposes the adventures of an archeological dig in 1936 Egypt’s Valley of the Kings with a different kind of frenzy in 1978 New York City–the leadup to the Metropolitan Museum’s main fundraising event, the Met Gala (still considered NYC’s “party of the year”). In 1936, Charlotte Cross is thrilled to be offered archaeological field work in Egypt, although most of the important work falls to her male cohorts. When she finally participates in a meaningful discovery at the same time as she is falling for a male coworker, her life changes forever. In 1978, Charlotte is working at the Metropolitan Museum as an assistant curator when she recognizes a valuable artifact that she remembers seeing 40 years earlier in Egypt.Why is it here when it was sold to the Egyptian Museum so long ago? Also at the museum is 19-year-old Annie Jenkins, who is stunned to be singled out by legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland, now organizing the Met Gala, for a coveted assistant position. Annie has been trying to make ends meet for herself and her mother, a former fashion model who seems to be unable or unwilling to care for herself anymore. A job with Vreeland is an unlikely and unexpected blessing, and she plans to make the most of it. But when more than one disaster strikes at the Met Gala, Charlotte and Annie find themselves on the way to Egypt to avoid charges for Annie resulting from the Gala disaster, and to find answers about the suspicious antiquity, the female pharaoh that Charlotte has been researching for years, and what really happened 40 years ago in Egypt. Although the drama in 1936 is certainly startling, I enjoyed the 1978 portion of the book more. Both women are fascinating characters for different reasons–particularly Annie, who turns into someone neither we, nor she, were expecting. Yes, there are probably too many coincidences in the plot, but the story is relentlessly entertaining and the ending satisfying. I read this for a book club, and all of us really enjoyed the book.
Hank Phillippi Ryan delivers another absorbing psychological thriller with ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS. Hank herself knows all about book tours, but I’m hoping the one described in this book isn’t based on her own experience. On a tour to promote her uber-popular debut bestseller, Tessa is trying to juggle her hordes of devoted fans, her publishing team, and her demanding schedule with what’s going on at home. Her unemployed husband is in charge of their two children after they just moved to a larger home, thanks to Tessa’s success, but is he doing a good job, and who are those new neighbors who seem abnormally nosy? Tessa also worries that some nasty secrets that hearken back to her childhood might come back to haunt her when a few of the people she meets on the tour seem to know more about her than they should. The author is a master at ratcheting up the suspense and maintaining a relentless tone of impending doom, to the point where it is almost unbearable, which is why her books are so popular. I’m sure this one will join her others as a bestseller. (September)
In CHARM CITY ROCKS by Matthew Norman, Billy Perkins may not be setting the world on fire, and his penchant for cardigans may not be attracting women, but he has built a comfortable life for himself in Baltimore. A piano virtuoso, he earns a living by teaching music to all sorts of customers on many different instruments, lives in an apartment over a record shop, and harmoniously co-parents his high-school-senior son, Caleb. Caleb’s mother is a corporate executive who lives nearby; she married her husband while waiting for Billy to mature. But when Caleb needs to decide whether to go to college at Johns Hopkins (a few miles away) or Stanford (far away in California), he is leaning toward Hopkins so he won’t be abandoning his dad.The question is: does Billy really need to be treated with kid gloves by his son? Caleb also knows that Billy had a huge crush on Margot Hammer, the drummer for a popular rock group back in the day, and he arranges for them to meet while accidentally “under the influence.” That meeting is a bust, of course. But it eventually changes the lives of both Billy and Margot in surprising ways, although there is a multitude of factors that could interfere with a happy ending. Billy, Margot, Caleb, Caleb’s mom Robyn, and Margot’s daughter Poppy are all characters I could (and did) root for, and I loved the details that made each a living, breathing entity. I also enjoyed glimpses into an all-girl rock band trying for a comeback, and a professional athlete’s precocious young son being coached on the piano by Billy. It’s the sweet, mostly gentle, feel-good story that I needed right after reading a harrowing thriller–and that made it the perfect book for me right now. Side note: After reading Norman’s Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon recently, I had to delve into other books by the author, and I’m glad I found this one.
Margie, I would 100% take the credit for Henry’s spelling expertise if I were you!
The Stolen Queen sounds wonderful. I read The Magnolia Palace by this author and liked it, so shall put this new one on my list. Charm City Rocks is also on the list now. Thanks.
Lindy, Henry told me he didn’t study much for the spelling bee, and he’s finishing up 2nd grade, so I just assume that he has a “feel” for spelling, as I do, I do it by picturing the word on the page since there are so many exceptions to spelling rules in the English language–not sure how he does it. I hope you enjoy The Stolen Queen–I have read and enjoyed five others by the Fiona Davis, including the Magnolia Palace, and the only one I didn’t care for was Chelsea Girls. Charm City Rocks was a delight also, although low-key and kind of quirky. Loved the characters. Enjoy!
Margie, our granddaughter is also finishing up Grade 2, and even though she reads a LOT, her spelling is not great at all. Opposite situation to yours – and I refuse to take any blame, ha ha.
OK, I’m back. I play 10 games in the mornings – Wordle, 2 Quordle games, 3 Octordle games, Connections, sometimes Sport Connections, the Mini-Crossword. plus a game of Hearts and up to 5 Freecell games. Plus, I read the NY Times, the NY Daily News, and the Washington Post online. Plus a few blogs to check. Oh, and Worldle (not spelling), a geography game, where you get the outline of a country and have 6 chances to guess it, each guess telling you how far away you are. Certain countries are obvious (or should be), but I’ve always loved geography, so probably recognize more countries by sight than most other people. Biggest problem: Pacific islands.
But I digress. To books. I discussed the two short story collections I was reading last week, and I finished both on Friday. Now I am reading Lauren Groff’s first collection, Delicate Edible Birds. Groff comes from Cooperstown, New York, home (of course) of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and from her thinly disguised portrait, it sounds like a pretty deadly dull place to grow up in. I like the stories.
I’ve read quite a few of Lee Goldberg’s books, as mentioned previously, and I have several more unread on the Kindle for when I get an urge. I am up to date with his current Eve Ronin and Sharpe & Walker series. The latest in the latter, with a late book appearance of Eve Ronin, is Hidden In Smoke, where a series of arson fires gets the attention of Walter Sharpe & Andrew Walker. As if that wasn’t bad enough, one of the fires is set under a vulnerable part of Los Angeles’s freeway system, making current gridlock seem like a picnic. There is not much of the humor of the Ronin series, as Eve’s partner Duncan is barely present, but as always, Lee Goldberg provides a fast moving, entertaining read that keeps you turning pages quickly. This one brings back thief Danny Cole from the previous book, and more or less wraps up his storyline in a very satisfying manner. It’s no CALICO, but I enjoyed it.
As mentioned above, Liz Moore’s The God Of the Woods was probably my favorite book read last year. So when I saw another of her books available, I jumped on it. It wasn’t until I downloaded it that I realized it was one of several earlier books she’d written before WOODS. Long Bright River was published in 2020 and takes place a couple of years before that, with flashbacks to an earlier “Then” period. It could not be more different from WOODS if it tried. It is mostly a police & drugs & family novel set in Philadelphia, mostly in the northeast Kensington area. The protagonist and narrator is 32 year old Michaela (Mickey) Fitzpatrick, a cop and single mother of a four year old son. Her worry is for her estranged sister Kacey, two years young, and a long-term junkie. Several other women like Kacey have turned up dead in the district, and it looks like they might have been murdered rather than dying from the overdose as first seemed likely. But mostly this is a book about Mickey and her family and friends (not that she has many), her upbringing by her cold grandmother after her mother OD’d, as well as a portrait of Philadelphia. Moore keeps things moving so well that I raced through the 450 pages in just over two days. Every once in a while she drops in a shocking plot twist, some of which I saw coming, others not. Occasionally you wan to shake her and say, “Wake up!” when she just doesn’t see the big picture. It is a very good book, which has been compared to Dennis Lehane’s Boston books. Recommended. Now I’ll have to look for her earlier books.
I do have other books on hand:
Jeffrey Siger, NOT DEAD YET. I missed that the latest Adreas Kaldis book was out.
Dave Barry, CLASS CLOWN. I’ve ben looking forward to reading Dave’s memoir.
Rob Osler, THE CASE OF THE MISSING MAID. A friend recommended this one.
Have a good week.
I play far too many word games, and it’s seriously encroaching on my reading time, and yet here we are.
– Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword (daughter and grandson also do these and then we compare scores the next day. My best time doing the crossword was 37 seconds, of which my untrusting family demanded to see proof)
– Words With Friends. If I haven’t played within the last 12 hours, there will be 36 games waiting for me.
– Upwords. Takes the most time because I have to think a lot, but I only play with five other people.
– Two Birds. I love this excellent, fun, and quick game. I play with five other people, but also in a league.
Oh I forgot to mention the game Timeguessr! Do you know that one? I don’t play it but David loves it. A combination of history and geography. Each day’s game consists of five photographs and you have to decide two things – the year and the place. You can click on the map and zoom in to pinpoint where you think the event in the photo took place. Maximum 5000 points each for time and place, for a maximum score of 50,000 for the game.
Lesa, it is nice to hear about your trip to visit with your mother and sister. Your planned trip to Shipshewana, Indiana sounds very excellent. I have never been to Amish country.
We have had some errands to deal with this week and today the tree service is coming to prune the lemon tree that we planted 25 years ago. I never expected it to be so huge. Also they will cut down some bamboo that is becoming troublesome.
Glen is still reading the book he started last week … HIGH: A JOURNEY ACROSS THE HIMALAYA THROUGH PAKISTAN, INDIA, BHUTAN, NEPAL AND CHINA by Erica Fatland. He is liking it a lot but is it very long, 570 pages. He is about halfway through.
This week I finished CLAIRE DEWITT AND THE CITY OF THE DEAD by Sara Gran. It was another very different mystery novel with a strange private detective. Claire DeWitt describes herself as the best detective in the world, and she is very expensive. She returns to New Orleans to attempt to find a man who disappeared during Katrina. Everyone assumes he is dead, but his nephew wants to find out for sure. There are flashbacks to her years when she learned her detective skills from her mentor, Constance Darling, and a multitude of quotes from a French detective, Jaques Silette. I read this book because it was compared to The Spellman Files, and there are similarities. I liked the setting of New Orleans, a couple of years after Katrina, showing how much the area was affected. I borrowed the book from Glen and he has read that one and the other two in the series, so I will read more of them.