Sprinting Through No-Man's Land: Endurance, Tragedy, and Rebirth in the 1919 Tour de France by Akin Dobkin

August 18, 2021

Sprinting Through No-Man's Land: Endurance, Tragedy, and Rebirth in the 1919 Tour de France by Adin Dobkin

In 1919, close to 70 soldiers-turned-cyclists gathered to hold the Tour de France, which had been suspended for four years because of World War I. They rode down the west coast of France and along the country's borders, through much of what was no-man's land during the war. Their persistence helped reunite a country torn apart by war.

This should have been a lot more interesting than it actually was. I enjoy narrative nonfiction, but the writing was really dry and boring, and I ended up skimming the last half. Too bad, because it could have been an exciting book.

No Man's Land - World War I

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Lady of Ashes by Christine Trent

August 27, 2021

Lady of Ashes by Christine Trent

London 1861 - Violet Morgan is one of the few female undertakers in Victorian London. She owns a funeral parlor and service with her husband, but he has lost interest in the business. Her husband Graham bears a grudge against the United States and has gotten involved in a scheme to sell arms to the Confederate South. Meanwhile, Violet receives the commission of a lifetime: to arrange the funeral of a friend of Queen Victoria. At the same time, she begins investigating a series of deaths among London's poor.

Not a bad book, just a jumble of ideas that's not sure what it wants to be. Mystery? Historical fiction? Romance? Although the concept intrigued me, I don't plan on continuing with this series.

Funerals in the Victorian era were elaborate affairs, even among the poor

Ashes to Ashes by Mel Starr

August 13, 2021

Ashes to Ashes by Mel Starr

Master Hugh de Singleton, surgeon and bailiff of Bampton Castle and the surrounding countryside, attends the annual Midsummer Eve bonfire with his wife Kate and their children. Early the next morning, Hugh is awakened by the tolling of the church bell, followed by pounding on his front door. He is summoned to the site of the bonfire, where workers have discovered bones in the ashes. Checking Bampton and the nearby villages, he learns that a number of men have gone missing recently. But after thorough investigation, all except one are accounted for (either living or dead). The one exception is the bailiff of a nearby manor who is still missing, and the charred bones are determined to be him. The killer put the body into the bonfire to destroy any evidence.

Bailiffs are generally not popular with the local people. They are responsible for collecting taxes and rents, ensuring that the villagers perform their assigned work duties for the lord of the castle, investigate crime, and do other unpleasant tasks for the lord. Hugh must investigate and find out who killed the bailiff and why.

This is the eighth book in the Hugh de Singleton series. Like the previous books, it is well-researched and provides a wealth of details about daily life in the 14th century, which are some of the best parts of the book. One of the interesting tidbits about Bampton (which is a real village in the Cotswolds) is that it was used as the village setting in the PBS TV series Downton Abbey.

A street in Bampton 

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys well-written historical fiction.

A Most Peculiar Book: the Inherent Strangeness of the Bible by Kristin Swenson

August 11, 2021

A Most Peculiar Book: the Inherent Strangeness of the Bible by Kristin Swenson

Hundreds of millions of Christians and Jews revere the Bible as the authoritative text on their religions, often viewing it as the final word on morality, law, and other matters. The Bible affects the lives of the religious and the non-religious around the world. Too many people have a simplistic understanding of the Bible and reduce it to commonly known stories (like Noah or Job) or the prophecies in The Revelations, without ever having actually read the Bible.

The Bible is actually a very weird book. There are disturbing stories that are glossed over by the clergy (like one story where God supposedly instructs a Jewish king to send his army out to slaughter all the pregnant women and their unborn babies), messed up decisions and extreme punishments attributed to God, multiple and often contradictory accounts of battles and the actions of kings, and God being really pissed off with the human race most of the time, while also having time to meddle in day-to-day events.

Part of the weirdness of the Bible comes from having so many authors from such a long historical period, and in fact, not even knowing who those authors were. Many of the accounts in the Bible were recorded long after the fact. Like many writers, the authors of the Bible often wrote their accounts to flatter whoever was king at the time (e.g., Shakespeare wrote his plays so that the Tudors were cast in a favorable light). Finally, the Bible was compiled by a bunch of old guys who got together to decide what was part of the canon and what wasn't - tell me they didn't have their own agendas.

One year, I decided that I wanted to read the entire Bible. I had a lot of time on my hands since I was waiting for a hip replacement. I got a study Bible that guided the readings to that the reader can complete reading the Bible in one year. While doing the readings, I noticed some of the things that Swenson points out.

A very interesting if unorthodox look at the Bible. Fundamentalist Christians and Orthodox Jews will probably be offended, and I'm sure this book will end up on the banned books list at some point, but it's entertaining and enlightening for the rest of us.

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara

August 30, 2022

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara

American-born Aki and her sister Rose are Nissei, the children of Japanese immigrants. Aki's father runs a successful produce business in a Los Angeles suburb. Aki has always lived in California, until the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. The family soon finds themselves in Manzanar concentration camp out in the middle of nowhere.

When the government offers relocation to cities in the center of the country, the family jumps at the chance to move to Chicago, where there is work and housing available. Aki's older sister Rose works for the camp administration and is allowed to go on ahead of the rest of the family. But shortly before the rest of the family arrive in Chicago, Rose is killed in a subway accident. Her death is ruled a suicide by the coroner. Aki is certain that her sister would never have killed herself and is determined to find out what caused her death.

Chicago 1944

This is Hirahara's first historical novel and it's not as good as her mystery series. It is a fascinating look at life for Japanese Americans during World War II. Lots of descriptions about Chicago, although there is a little too much about traveling around the city. Some of the more interesting characters (like a drag queen Aki meets at the hair salon) are unfortunately not explored and in fact, have nothing to do with the plot. Not the author's best effort.

Manzanar Camp

The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey

August 8, 2021

The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey

Bombay, 1921 - When a female Parsi student is murdered, Perveen Mistry, the only female lawyer in Bombay, is determined to get justice for the family. At the same time, Edward, Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII, the one who abdicates to marry Wallis Simpson) is arriving in India for a four month visit. India chafes under British rule and tensions in the city are high. Perveen isn't surprised when the unrest escalates into riots. Her task is further complicated by racial protests and conflicts between the various religious groups (Parsi, Hindi, Buddhist, Muslim. etc.) as well as the social classes.

Prince Edward's visit to India in 1921 was a complete disaster. There was unrest throughout the country, which is accurately depicted in the novel. I enjoy Massey's Perveen Mistry series, but this one focuses more on political issues than earlier books. Indian independence, the place of women in Indian culture and society, and India's history with England are more front and center than before. The mystery is almost secondary to the political and social issues.

Edward, Prince of Wales, visiting India, 1921

Morningside Heights by Joshua Henkin

August 6, 2021

Morningside Heights by Joshua Henkin

Like so many other young adults before her, college student Pru Steiner planned to take New York City by storm. But instead, she fell in love with one of her professors, a brilliant Shakespearean scholar, and married him. Pru has big plans for their future, but 30 years later, it's obvious that there is something seriously wrong with her husband. He falls asleep reading the newspaper, forgets things, and is unable to teach his classes. A visit to the doctor brings a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimers.

Told through different points of view, it's the story of a marriage, a family, and the heartbreak of Alzheimers.

Morningside Heights has gotten loads of positive reviews on many different sites. but this was a really depressing book that made me feel really sad. I didn't like the characters so it was hard to empathize with them. I struggled to finish, and ended up skimming the last third of the book. Other than Pru's daughter going off to medical school, NOTHING good happens to these people.

This is not Fredrik Backman who takes everyday life and ordinary people and transforms it into something extraordinarily special. I don't recommend this unless you're in a really black mood and want to read about people with very crappy lives.

The Last Dreamwalker by Rita Woods

August 29, 2022

The Last Dreamwalker by Rita Woods

Layla Hurley and her mother Elinor never got along. From childhood, Layla was plagued by strange and destructive dreams that her mother choses to ignore. After a final argument, Layla and her mother hadn't spoken for' a long time. Then Elinor died suddenly, and Layla regretted never having resolved their conflict. Her mother's two sister (who Elinor was also estranged from) show up at the funeral, bringing Layla an unexpected inheritance, an old rice plantation called Ainsli Green, on an island off the coast of South Carolina. The envelope also contains information about the family "gift," the ability to invade other people's dreams. As Layla looks through the information, she recognized a picture of a woman who is the same one who haunts her dreams. She resists accepting the truth, until one of her brothers also begins experiencing the same type of destructive dreams.

Meh. Needed a good editor (one of my favorite criticisms) since there are a lot of scenes that don't advance the plot or the characters, and the book could have been at least 50 pages shorter. Scenes are repeated sometimes more than once. The narrative flips back and forth between two time periods and two narrators. Layla spends a lot of time wandering around in a fog and vomiting. Too many dreams, too much drama. Might appeal to YA readers.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC.

A Rogue's Company by Allison Montclair

August 4, 2021

A Rogue's Company by Allison Montclair

The Right Sort Marriage Bureau is flourishing, with new clients, new offices, and a new secretary. Proprieters Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge are slowly starting to get their heads above water. But Gwen's life is disrupted when her father-in-law returns from Africa with his own plans for her son, including boarding school. At the same time, a new client with his own agenda signs on with the company. A murder and a kidnapping force Iris and Gwen to seek help from friends of Iris' underworld boyfriend.

This is Sparks and Bainbridge #3. It's an entertaining mystery series set right after World War II. The peripheral characters are highly entertaining. Gwen is kind of irritating and wishy-washy but she's getting better.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

August 2, 2021

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Four famous siblings throw an end-of-the-summer party that is the event of the season in Malibu. No invitation needed, just show up at the mansion. But this year is different - by the end of the night, the Rivas mansion will burn down to the ground and all of their lives will change.

Disappointing overall. It's not well-written, which is unusual for a Taylor Jenkins Reid novel, and it needed a good editor. Lots of drama. The main character is a problem (actually all of the characters are a problem). Nina is a super-famous super-gorgeous super-model who is also a world-famous super-surfer. She has three famous siblings, a famous husband, a famous father, and famous friends. Come one - can't someone who has written as many books as TJR come up with a heroine who isn't famous for everything? You know, so that us mere mortals can empathize a little?

I have mixed feelings about TJR's novels. Some of them (Daisy Jones and the Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo) I loved, the others not so much. Malibu Rising is in the "not so much" category. Diehard TJR fans will love it, but I'm starting to think that her writing isn't for me.

The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland

August 26, 2022

The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland

Since high school when they were part of the social but popular set, Melissa, Priya, Suki, and Tara have been besties. They were all named "most likely to..." in their senior yearbook, in various categories: Melissa was most likely to become president, Priya was most likely to find a cure for cancer, Suki was most likely to found a Forbes 400 company, and Tara was most likely to open a Michelin 5-star restaurant.

Fast forward 25 years and it's time for their class reunion. Suki is the only one who has achieved her predicted goal, while the other three have achieved lesser variations of their goals. Melissa, Priya, and Tara resolve to fulfill those yearbook predictions. Will they achieve their goals, and will it all work out the way they hope?

A light, heartwarming novel about women determined to take one last swing for the outfield fence, and what can happen when you get what you wish for. Would make a good choice for book clubs and vacation reading.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Murder at the Spring Ball by Benedict Brown

July 31, 2021

Murder at the Spring Ball by Benedict Brown

At his 75th birthday party. retired detective lord Edgington announces that he is throwing a grand spring ball, a tradition that lapsed with the death of his wife. But Cranley Hall, the family home, is run down and in desperate need of refurbishment before the ball. He enlists the help of his grandson Christopher (probably because Christopher is a teenager and will take instructions) which pisses off the rest of the family, since they figure Christopher has been sucking up to the old man. The renovations are completed in time for the grand ball, which starts off great but then one of the family members keels over dead after drinking a glass of champagne. But at least it stops the rest of the family from drinking what turns out to be a bottle of poisoned bubbly. Everyone is a suspect, so Lord Edgington and Christopher set out to solve the mystery before anyone else dies.

Light cozy mystery whose solution is a little unbelievable. I love mysteries set at English country houses, and the descriptions of the house and the party were great. Some of the characters were a little too eccentric. Not sure I'm going to continue with this series.

A society fete in the 1920s

Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg

July 28, 2021

Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg

Elsie Camden is a spellbreaker - she can undo magic spells that are set by the wealthy or aristocrats to harm the common people. She receives her instructions from a mysterious handler that she has never met. Whoever it is leaves notes and instructions for her. But Elsie's biggest problem is that she is unlicensed to perform magic, which carries a hefty penalty. She has to work surreptitiously to accomplish her assignments.

Elsie works for a low-level magician who works as an artist. Things are going pretty well for her, until she runs afoul of a powerful magician at a nearby estate. To keep him from exposing her, Elsie must agree to work for him. But when a more powerful but unknown sorceror begins to kill wizards and steal their spell books, they must work together to undo the sorceror's dark magic.

This is book one of a duology featuring these characters. You can tell there's going to be a romance in the second book, but that's okay, the author keeps it low-key. Holmberg has another series that I tried and didn't like, but this one is a very enjoyable fantasy.

Spell book

Rotten to the Core by T. E. Kinsey

August 25, 2022

Rotten to the Core by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are back for another adventure. It's the day after the village fete and there is a heatwave across all of England. Walking to the village pub for refreshment, Lady H. and Flo encounter a stranger, a young and attractive woman, who is looking for a room in the village. When they arrive at the pub, all of the patrons are sitting or standing outdoors, while the pub itself is empty except for one group of men. They are the Weryers of the Pomary (aka, keepers of the orchard) having their regular meeting. Tradition states that they get the pub to themselves when they meet.

But the next morning, the village constable is at Lady Hardcastle's door early, to tell them that there has been a murder and Inspector Sunderland would like them to come round and take a look. One of the Weryers (who happens to own the orchard) has been found dead with a stab wound to the heart (there are an awful lot of murders in a town as small as Littleton Cotterell). Who would do such a thing to a charming, handsome man? Does it have anything to do with the Weryers? Or is the young lady staying at the pub involved? It's up to Lady H. and Flo to snoop around and find out.

This is #8 in the Lady Hardcastle and Flo series. Great fun, lots of puns and malapropisms, plenty of local color, and good mysteries. Highly recommended.

 A cider press

You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus

August 25, 2022

You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus

Ivy, Cal and Mateo have been friends since grade school, when they had a memorable day cutting school. Now seniors in high school, after each experiences a devastating event, they spontaneously decide to recreate "the greatest day ever." They cut school for the day and head into Boston, where they unexpectedly encounter a classmate who winds up dead. At least one of them is implicated in the murder, and they find themselves trying to stay one step ahead of the murderer, the police, their parents, and the news media, while they attempt to figure out who the killer really is.

Lots of drama here of all varieties, which is to be expected since this is a young adult book (and YAs love their drama). There are several narrators here. I listened to the audiobook and it was easy to differentiate which character was speaking. I've read several of the author's books, and I think this is the last one. They all have a similar flavor, but YAs in particular will like them.

A Maiden Weeping by Jeri Westerson

July 25, 2021

A Maiden Weeping by Jeri Westerson

After a night of drunken sex, Crispin Guest wakes up in a strange bed with a dead young woman. Although the sheriffs are suspicious, they take Crispin's statement and let him go. But when more women turn up dead in similar circumstances, Crispin finds himself in prison as the only suspect. It's up to his apprentice Jack Tucker to solve the crime. But fortunately Jack has some friends to help him: Nigel, a young lawyer; Isabel Langton, the fetching niece of Eleanor and Gilbert of the Boar's Tusk tavern; and John Rykener, their cross-dressing friend who goes by Eleanor the seamstress at times. 

There is a missing relic, too. What happened to the Tears of the Virgin relic? Is it real? Why do so many people want to find it?

Jack takes the lead in this installment of the Crispin Guest series. Not only does he solve the mystery and free Crispin, he meets a pretty young woman. It's bittersweet to see our Jack growing up - it seems like only a few books ago that he was a homeless street kid who wormed his way into Crispin's care.

Love this series! This is book #9, and the stories never disappoint.

A medieval prison cell

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

July 24, 2021

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Ryland Grace is a reluctant member of a desperate last-chance mission to save life on Earth from extinction. After being asleep for a long time (think years), he wakes up to find himself the only surviving crewmember. His crewmates are dead so it's up to Ryland to carry out their mission by himself. The only problem is that it's a suicide mission: his tiny ship doesn't have enough fuel or food for the return trip to Earth.

Things aren't going too well on Earth, either. Ryland loses communication with his contacts, and the only message he picks up from another ship is ominous, to say the least. But thanks to an unexpected friend, he just might not only succeed but also survive.

This is the third novel by the author of The Martian and I loved it just as much. After his dismal second book (Artemis), I was very glad to see that the author returned to his signature witty style and characters. It's little heavy on science at times, which doesn't bother me but may put some readers off. There is enough peril, adventure and disasters to rival The Martian. Like Mark, the main character in The Martian, Ryland gets plenty of chances to exercise his inner MacGyver. 

Although the storylines are exciting, Weir's characters make the book. I loved the friendship between Ryland and Rocky. I have recommended this book to a number of people, and the only complaint has been whether there will be a sequel so that we can find out what happened to everyone on Earth.

A fanciful picture of the solar system from NASA

Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce

July 18, 2021

Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce

Emmy Lake is an aspiring columnist at a women's magazine in London when the Ministry of Information asks all the women's magazines and columns to help them recruit women workers. Emmy jumps at the chance for greater responsibility. Although she embraces the challenge and plans a series of columns about women doing war work, a visit to a munitions factory staffed by women brings home the stark reality of mothers working in wartime. Emmy resolves to do everything she can to help these women.

Bunty, Emmy's best friend, is shattered when she finds out that her fiance has been killed in action, and the Blitz makes her anxiety even worse. Emmy and her fiance Charles decide to plan a hasty wedding when they learn that Charles is being shipped overseas. The difficulties with transportation during wartime make the build-up to the wedding a comedy of errors with a happy conclusion.

This is the second book by the author featuring these characters. The story is heartwarming and often funny, while also heartbreaking at times.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly

July 15, 2021

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly

A girl from a wealthy Northern family isn't content to sit home and knit socks for the Union soldiers, so she finagles her way into a nursing program. She finds out that nurses are treated like shit by the doctors and orderlies at the Army hospitals. She ends up starting her own nursing program. Meanwhile, a slave escapes from a brutally cruel owner and winds up hiding out at the rich girl's fmily's house up north. The owner sends a bounty hunter to recapture the slave while the rich family does their best to help.

The story is told from three POV's: the plantation owner, the slave, and the nurse.

Nothing new here - inhumanly cruel plantation owner with absolutely NO redeeming qualities whips and tortures her slaves. Female slave is brutally abused and escapes when she gets the chance. Plantation owner will stop at nothing to find the slave and drag her back to the plantation. Pretty typical depictions of both slave and plantation owner.

The stark descriptions of Army hospitals and the way nurses were treated were more interesting than the rest of the book. This is the third book in the author's Woolsey-Ferriday series, following the women from an actual family. It was WAY too long - at over 500 pages, it needed a good editor to chop out about 200 pages. Not nearly as good as the previous two books.

The Monks Hood Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin

July 11, 2021

The Monks Hood Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin

An old reprobate donates a very old and valuable book to remote Monks Hood Abbey in Yorkshire. But the book disappears and the abbot contacts Major Heathcliff Lennox (don't call him Heathcliff) and ex-Inspector Swift to come and investigate. Lennox packs up Greggs, Fogg the dog, and Tubbs the cat, and they set out for the wilds of Yorkshire.

Their search raises more questions than it answers: why did the abbey get the book from the donor in the first place? When was the book last seen? Why do so many people have access to the abbey? It turns out that a number of other people are interested in finding and claiming the book as well. Everyone in the nearby village seems to be related, and when a couple of them turn up dead, Lennox and Swift are obliged to figure out who is murdering the locals and if they are also responsible for the missing book.

A fun light mystery with great characters and wonderful descriptions of the the setting and the food (they seem to be constantly eating or getting ready to eat). This is #5 in the Heathcliff Lennox series and they are such a pleasure to read. Love the covers on these books, too. Highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries.

Abbey in Yorkshire

The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker

July 9. 2021

The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker

Chava the golem and Ahmad the jinni have both carved out lives for themselves in early 20th century New York City. They are opposites - Chava is a woman of cool clay programmed to help others, while Ahmad is a fiery djinn who prefers to keep to himself. They are friends and spend their sleepless nights walking the streets and rooftops of New York. Their lives intersect with others including an heiress who suffers from a strange illness after a brief encounter with Ahmad and a rabbi's neglected daughter who stumbles into dark magic. Chava has made a life for herself as a teacher, but realizes that her time at the school may be coming to an end since others are beginning to notice that she doesn't age. Ahmad avoids contact with humans after the disastrous effect he had on the heiress, but he has a burning desire to create something magnificent.

This is a follow-up to The Golem and the Jinni, and while not as good, it is still worth reading. The author gives enough of a summary that it's not necessary to go back and re-read the first book. Multiple narrators offer different points of view and their stories are interwoven at the end.

Djinn

The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman

July 1, 2021

The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman

Mia Eliot is an English starlet looking for her break-through role. She has had some success in England and her agent arranges for her to audition for several potential roles during pilot week in Hollywood. While at one of the auditions, she meets another actor named Emily, who leaves some personal items with Mia and then disappears. Mia is the last person to have seen her and the more she tries to track her down, the more she begins to wonder if Emily really exists or if it is all a hoax.

This one had an interesting premise and usually I really like books about missing persons, but I had problems with the plot almost from the start. The main character is TSTL (romance novel-speak for Too Stupid To Live). She makes the worst possible decision at every turn. Yes, I realize that if characters in novels made sensible choices, there would be no story and the book would be four pages long. But come on - characters need to exercise SOME brain power for the reader to feel something for them - you have to feel like they're trying. For example: if you knew someone intended to kill you, would anyone agree to meet that person at a remote location and then follow them to a place where there is NO chance anyone can help you or even hear you? I mean, seriously, suspense is one thing, pure undiluted stupidity is another.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Actors waiting to audition

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

June 24, 2021

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

Four women decide to compete in a cooking contest sponsored by a BBC radio program, for different reasons: newly widowed Audrey wants to win the prize to save her family's home and support her three sons; her estranged sister Gwendoline, married to the local lord who ignores and belittles her, want to win the prize to earn a spot as a radio presenter; Nell, a kitchen maid at Gwendoline's house, wants to win the prize to escape the life of a low-level servant and become a head cook; and Zelda, a self-trained chef working at a local factory but with a secret of her own, wants to win the prize to earn a spot as a head chef in the male-dominated world of fine restaurants.

The contest focuses on creative cooking using the limited ingredients available during rationing, and unexpectedly brings the four together despite being rivals. All four women want a better and different life for themselves. They end up supporting each other and forging bonds of friendship.

The heartwarming story is based on an actual radio program and contest. Food rationing began in England in 1940 and ran until 1954, with coupons necessary to obtain tiny amounts of basics like sugar, butter, and proteins. I had not realized that rationing went on so long in England.

British ration books from World War II

These Tangled Vines by Julianne McLean

June 12, 2021

These Tangled Vines by Julianne McLean

On her deathbed, Fiona's mother told her a secret and made her promise never to tell her father Freddie. Years later, Fiona gets a call from an Italian lawyer, informing her that her biological father (not Freddie) has died and left her an inheritance, but she needs to come to Italy for the reading of the will. Oh, and he's also left her a stepmother and two half-siblings who didn't know Fiona existed and are resentful about it, understandably, when they learn that she is going to inherit a chunk of their father's estate.

Although there are family secrets (who doesn't love a good family secret), there was a lot more romance than anything else. The first half of the book is pretty good, but once the flashbacks start in the second half, the story becomes predictable. There are good descriptions of food, wine, and Tuscany.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala

June 5, 2021

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala

After a bad break-up, Lila moves back to the small town outside Chicago where she grew up. She works at her Aunt Rosie's not-very-successful Filipino restaurant while trying to avoid her multiple aunties' matchmaking attempts. When a local food critic (and one of Lila's former boyfriends) keels over dead after tasting food at the restaurant, Lila become the prime suspect in his murder due to her relationship to the dead guy and because she works at the restaurant. She soon realizes that she is the ONLY suspect the cops are looking at, so it's up to Lila and her friends to do their own investigation to clear her name.

Light, fun cozy mystery, the first book in a new series. I worked with Mia's mother at the library for many years, and they must be so proud!

Chicken Adobo, a popular Filipino dish - every cook has their own version

Dreadful Company by Vivian Shaw

August 20, 2022

Dreadful Company by Vivian Shaw

Dr. Greta Helsing, physician to paranormal beings, has been invited to a conference in Paris to present a paper about her work. Her good friend Edmund Ruthven the vampire accompanies her to spend a few days in Paris. But they observe some strange happenings, even with a supernatural conference in town. Little supernatural animals are turning up, as well as ghosts of the long-dead, demanding to know where the rest of their body parts are and a rogue vampire coven (they are all linked). Ruthven returns to England to deal with a structural issue at his family home, expecting to pick Greta up at the airport on Monday. But Greta disappears into thin air, and Ruthven and vampyre Sir Francis Varney (yes, that's vampyre with a y, and he gets all starry-eyed over Greta) travel to Paris to search for her in the Paris catacombs with the help of an amiable werewolf and a pair of psychopomps.

Such a fun and clever series! Vivian Shaw has put a lot of thought into the characters' backstories as well as adding new characters that make sense. This is the second book in the series (first book was Strange Practice) with a third book to follow.

FYI, there are urban explorers called cataphiles who explore the catacombs, take people on tours, and even hold parties and picnics there. The catacombs were created when the Paris cemeteries got too full to hold any more bodies, so the existing graves were excavated and the bones were hauled down to crypts below the streets of Paris.

The Paris Catacombs

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

August 20, 2022

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

Four nice middle-aged women embark on a luxury retirement cruise, courtesy of their employer. But all four have worked as contract killers for a clandestine organization, and they quickly realize that their employer has plans to dispose of them permanently. They need to use their skills and quick thinking to stay ahead of events and stay alive.

As someone over 60, I appreciated reading about heroines who aren't 20 and super gorgeous and perfect. These are smart women, quick thinking and resourceful, who work with the trials of getting older to survive. There is the issue of society ignoring women over 50 (unless you're Jennifer Anniston), which these women use to their advantage. I've told my co-workers that I could be running a drug cartel, or printing counterfeit money in the basement, or working as a hired killer, and no one would ever know. Who would suspect a young-ish senior citizen wearing leggings and a sweatshirt that says "Ask Me About My Cat"? (FYI, I don't have a cat, I'm more of a dog person).

Here's another news flash: mentally you never feel old - you always feel like you're 25.

The characters get a little bit Golden Girls as times, but this is a thoroughly enjoyable read. I love Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell and Lady Julia Grey series, and this stand-alone novel does not disappoint. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Magical Midlife Madness by K. F. Breene

June 2, 2021

Magical Midlife Madness by K. F. Breene

Jacinta was married for over 20 years and was preparing to settle down to comfortable (boring) middle age with her husband, now that their son is off to college. But her husband up and leaves her for a trophy wife, which doesn't upset her all that much but does disrupt the plans she's made. She is at loose ends and when her BFF offers her the chance to house-sit for the BFF's aunt, Jessie jumps at the chance. She had visited the house as a child with her BFF's family and looks forward to seeing it again.

But the house, the town, and its denizens turn out to be a little - well, odd. There are three elderly caretakers including Mr. Tom, a cape-wearing butler who doubles as a life coach, a geriatric neighbor who throws rocks at Mr. Tom and can drink all the men under the table, and the studly owner of the town's only bar who is a shapeshifter and the unofficial mayor of the town. The vampire gardener brings one of his victims through the backyard the morning-after doing the Drag of Shame.

Creepy old house - love this picture!

Great characters, decent humor, romance is kept low-key. This is the first book in a series (Leveling Up) that features 40-something main characters who actually (gasp!) still have a sex life as well as a real life.

Death in Damascus by Karen Baugh Menuhin

May 25, 2021

Death in Damascus by Karen Baugh Menuhin

Major Heathcliff Lennox is enjoying life at his country house when his friend former Scotland Yard detective Swift descends on him, demanding that they leave for Damascus at once. Lennox's maybe-girlfriend Persi (the anthropologist he met at Braeburn Castle) needs them to come and rescue her. So Lennox packs up his spaniel Fogg, Mr. Tubbs the cat, and his reluctant butler Greggs (one simply can't do without one's butler on this kind of trip) and heads off to the Middle East. An actor was killed on a movie set although the gun was supposed to be loaded with blanks. Persi is the main suspect and under house arrest at the hotel. But there are many other suspects as well as a linked plot about a hidden treasure map. Plus, Persi's old boyfriend/fiance is also on the scene to complicate matters.

Great fun! Reminds me of the Jeeves and Wooster books by P. G. Wodehouse. The characters are wonderful as are the descriptions of  the early days of air travel. This is the fourth book in the series and I look forward to the next book.

Street in Damascus, one of the oldest cities in the world

The Silence of Stones by Jeri Westerson

May 19, 2021

The Silence of Stones by Jeri Westerson

London 1388 - when the Stone of Destiny is stolen from Westminster Abbey during a festival service, Crispin Guest (aka The Tracker) witnesses the theft, as do hundreds of other Londoners. King Richard II's popularity has been declining drastically over the past two years due to high taxes and defeat in war. He can ill-afford more bad publicity. Although he hates Crispin for his part in a treasonous plot, he enlists Crispin's aid to find the missing Stone. To make sure Crispin does his best, the king holds Crispin's apprentice Jack Tucker hostage. Crispin has three days to find the Stone before Parliament convenes, or the king will hang Jack.

This is #8 in the Crispin Guest series and a very good mystery. Jack plays a larger part than in previous books and shows himself to be a clever young man. Richard II is depicted as not only a poor ruler, but a shitty human being. Great research, atmospheric, blends historical and political facts and people with fiction seamlessly.

The Stone of Scone, which the Stone of Destiny is based on

Richard II (he became king as a child - although he is in his 20's during this book)