City on Fire by Don Winslow

March 16, 2025

City on Fire by Don Winslow

Danny Ryan is a small-time gangster working for the Irish mob in Providence, Rhode Island, working on the docks and trying to support his little family. Although there has been an uneasy truce between the Irish and the local Italian gang, their peace is shattered when one of the Irish takes the girlfriend of one of the Italians, triggering all-out war between the two factions. As he watches his friends fall, Danny finds himself reluctantly thrust into a leadership role as he tries to find a way to resolve the conflict before more deaths occur.

A modern day retelling of Homer's Iliad, like The Iliad crossed paths with Mario Puzo's The Godfather. I had to go back and make a list of the characters in the Iliad to try and match up the players who represent who (the Achilles character is not who you think it is at first but once I connected the actions, the character absolutely fit). There is even a Trojan horse of sorts. And who doesn't love a good mafia book? Themes include revenge, fate, respect, loyalty, and moral ambiguity. This is the first book of a trilogy. Another good Winslow read is California Fire & Life, a less complicated story but still a very good read. Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Godfather or Casino, especially if you are of a literary bent and are familiar with The Iliad.

Providence, Rhode Island

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

March 12, 2025

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

Elinor is a young woman from a very wealthy Manchester manufacturing family. So she is surprised when she and her father are invited to attend an elegant ball given by one of the local aristocrats that they barely know. At the ball, Elinor meets a charming young man who turns out to be the heir to a title and an estate. After a whirlwind courtship, they marry and move to his family's home, where Elinor quickly learns that her real attraction was her father's money to save their crumbling estate. Furthermore, she is told that people of the upper classes don't marry for love and to learn to "rub along" with the husband she now detests. But a few years after her marriage, Elinor is delighted when her father purchases tickets for himself, Elinor, her husband, their son, and Elinor's maid on the maiden voyage a grand new ship: The Titanic.

Have you heard the old saying "marry in haste, repent in leisure?" Yeah, that's this story. When the opportunity arises, the main character Elinor makes a brave decision to take control of her life. I love a good Titanic book and while the Titanic is the setting, the most compelling part of the story is Elinor's struggle to build a new life in New York as she deals with the constant fear of discovery of her deception as well as survivor's guilt. Years ago, I read a terrific book called Amanda/Miranda by Richard Pec, also set on the Titanic. Unfortunately that book has been diluted down to a short novel for young adults, but if you can find a copy of the original novel, I highly recommend it.

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

RMS Titanic, probably the most famous ship in the world

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

March 8, 2025

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

Patrick is an actor who starred in a successful long-running network sitcom, but when the sitcom ended and he lost his partner in a car accident, Patrick left Hollywood and fled to Palm Springs. After the death of his sister-in-law who was also his best friend, Patrick finds himself looking after his niece and nephew for the summer while their father is in rehab. Having the two children stay with him forces Patrick to face his own unresolved grief.

A heartwarming, funny and uplifting story about family, grief, and second chances. A Guncle is your gay uncle, and Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP for short) is the uncle we all wish we had. Full of great characters, from Patrick and the two kids, to the gay throuple (yes, it's a threesome) who live next door - even Marlene the dog and Patrick's uptight sister Clara (who definitely has a stick up her butt) are great characters. As much as I like this book, I don't plan on reading the recently released sequel because it won't be able to live up to this one, and I have no intention of EVER reading Lily and the Octopus.

Palm Springs, CA

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

March 4, 2025

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Violet Sorrengail was supposed to be a scribe but after the death of her brother and father, her mother (who is also the commanding general) decrees that Violet should join the dragon riders, an elite group of warriors who protect their country from their enemy's griffon riders. But the dragon riders are highly competitive and many cadets are not chosen by one of the dragons, so they are perfectly willing to kill their fellow cadets to get ahead or for revenge.

The Hunger Games meets The Scholomance. At first, this is a typical magic college/dark academia story where students are competing for position as well as survival, and in their spare time, hooking up with each other. But at about the 1/3 mark, the dragons show up and the story really takes off (sorry, bad pun). The gauntlet obstacle course sounds like something you'd see on Wipeout. I did get tired of Violet's constant injuries and everyone trying to kill her. The sex is fairly graphic so if that bothers you, this may not be the book for you. The last paragraph of the book has a good twist. Not sure if I'm going to continue with the series but the first book was fun.

Black dragon

The Murderess by Laurie Notaro

February 24, 2025

The Murderess by Laurie Notaro

In October 1931, two trunks arrive in Los Angeles on a train from Phoenix. At first, railroad employees think someone is smuggling meat, but once the trunks are opened, they discover a much more horrific cargo. 

Based on the crimes of Ruth Judd, aka the Trunk Murderess, who murdered and dismembered two women she called her closest friends (I would hate to be her enemy). The crime is described in gory detail, especially the disposal of the bodies, as is Ruth's descent into mental illness, so more sensitive readers should be aware. Extensively researched, this is a departure for Laurie Notaro, who is best known for her humorous essay collections. Readers who enjoy Megan Abbot's edgy novels will enjoy this true crime fiction.

Winnie Ruth Judd, dubbed the Trunk Murderess

The Morningside by Tea Obreht

February 25, 2025

The Morningside by Tea Obreht

Set in Island City, the Morningside is a once elegant but now rundown apartment building where Silvia and her mother live after being evicted from their ancestral home and resettled in Island City. The building is only partially occupied since many residents fled the city. Silvia's mother wants to forget their past and where they originally came from, but Silvia's aunt fills her head with superstition and fears. Silvia lives a lonely life until a girl close to her age named Mila moves into the building, and the two girls become fascinated by the woman who lives in the penthouse.

Meh. A dystopian novel by the author of Inland and The Tiger's Wie that sounds like it might be set in a future Manhattan devastated by climate change and war. The author doesn't seem to know what story she wants to tell: first it's about evil spirits and folklore and discovering the true identity of the woman in the penthouse, then it changes to the plight of refugees and conspiracy, and then it switches to war crimes and government abuses. And then there are these damned birds that don't have anything to do with anything. If you want to read something that has similar themes but is a much better book, read Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts.

Post-apocalyptic New York

Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars

February 25, 2025

Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars

Drag queen Misty Divine leads a double life: by day, they are plain Joe Brown, accounts payable clerk for a rundown London hotel, but in the evening, they transform into Misty Divine, rising star and regular performer at Lady's Bar, London's premiere drag club. But when her mentor Lady Lady is found dead in her dressing room wearing a stolen dress, and the police seem more interested in finding an elusive cat burglar, Misty is determined to find out who murdered her beloved friend.

A fun and campy cozy mystery with a unique setting, the first book in a new series. The author did a good job of describing Joe's nightly metamorphosis into Misty, sharing their thoughts in both incarnations. While Joe tends to stay in the background at their day job, alter-ego Misty is bold, confident and not easily intimidated. And I loved the descriptions of Misty's wardrobe! The story is a little slow moving and Joe/Misty is a little stiff as an amateur sleuth, so there is a lot of room for growth in future mysteries.

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

Raja, a really beautiful drag queen from RuPaul's Drag Race

Dirtbag Queen by Andy Corren

February 17, 2025

Dirtbag Queen by Andy Corren

Corren's irreverant memoir of Renay, his outrageous Jewish redneck mother who raised six kids (sort of) by herself after she split from her husband, isn't like any other memoir you've read. Everyone in their town near Fort Bragg knew Renay, manager of the local bowling alley, gambler and party girl, collector of strippers, card players, bowlers, and other strays who needed a place to sleep for the night. While Renay may not have excelled at cooking, keeping house, or hanging onto money, she lived life to the fullest.

Outofshapeworthlessloser by Gracie Gold

February 12, 2025

Outofshapeworthlessloser by Gracie Gold

Ice skater and Olympic bronze medalist Gracie Gold details her triumphs and losses on the ice, her struggles with mental health and addiction, and her road to a healthy, fulfilling life. Many of the problems with being an elite athlete and the toxic culture surrounding the Olympics and national competitions have been detailed by others (e.g., struggles with weight and body image, the physical toil that long hours of daily hard training takes on the body, an unnatural childhood and adolescence that focuses only on training and competition, thoughtless coaches unconcerned by the overall health of the young people they coach, sexual predators who prey on young athletes, a governing and judging body that chooses to ignore or hide anything unpleasant). She details the way that being an elite athlete skews one's judgment: after winning a bronze medal in the team Olympic event, she threatens to throw it in the trash because she didn't get a gold medal. Honey, you may not have won a gold medal but there are THOUSANDS of athletes who didn't even get the chance.

Gracie had some terrible experiences but she also portrays herself as a victim betrayed by those around her, including her sister, who had the nerve to quit skating and make a life for herself, rather than remain available at all times to manage things during Gracie's next crisis.

Gracie Gold

After Happily Ever by Jennifer Safrey

February 10, 2025

After Happily Ever by Jennifer Safrey

For 30 years, the princesses Neve, Della and Bry have been married to the three Princes Charming. But after all that time, they are finding the princes to be not so charming anymore. Life in the kingdom of Foreverness has always been perfect (at least according to the old king and the princes and the men of the kingdom), but following the old king's death, things begin to change and the women of the kingdom decide they will no longer be silent about how they are treated.

What happens after "and they lived happily ever after" at the end of the fairy tale? Especially 30 years on, when the not-so-charming princes and their brides are heading into middle age? The princesses (better known to us as Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty) face some very modern problems: infidelity, fading looks, aging bodies, infertility, the need to be a people pleaser, spouses resistant to change especially in their wives, a new society where people want to step outside assigned gender roles by treated fairly. Plus, the princesses' own origin stories have been rewritten to cast the princes in the most favorable light - the whole awakened-with-a-kiss thing was a pile of nonsense. These are not those princesses that you find in Disney. Will appeal to readers who enjoy strong female characters and a retelling of fairy tales.

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

These are not the princesses in the novel

The Voyage Home by Pat Barker

February 9, 2025

The Voyage Home by Pat Barker

The wind has finally shifted and the Greek army is sailing for home, along with the enslaved Trojan women who are their war prizes. Agamemnon arrives home with his concubine, the Trojan princess Cassandra, thinking his life is going back to the way it was before he left ten years earlier. But Agamemnon murdered his oldest daughter Iphigeneia, and his wife Clytemnestra has been planning her revenge for ten years.

The last book in Barker's trilogy about the women of Troy, victims of the Trojan War who are enslaved and awarded to the victors as war prizes. I loved the whole trilogy and while I liked Ritsa's character and story, it was disappointing that there was barely a mention of Briseis who narrated the first two books. Will appeal to readers who enjoyed Madeline Miller's Circe or Costanza Casati's Clytemnestra.

Depiction of a palace in Ancient Greece

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

February 9, 2025

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

Dorothy Gentleman, detective on the Fairweather, an interstellar cruise ship, wakes up in a body that doesn't belong to her. Normally finding oneself in a new body isn't that unusual on the ship, since that is one of the services offered: eternal reincarnations, at least until they reach their final destiny. But Dorothy's mind was supposed to be resting for a few years in the ship's library between incarnations, and she certainly didn't ask to be transferred into THIS body. The ship's AI appears to be on a drunken bender, so it's up to Dorothy to figure out on her own what is going on.

First book in a new noir sci-fi mystery series, although some readers feel it has a cozy setting, on an interstellar cruise ship on a millennia-long voyage to a new destination after leaving Old Earth. All of the passengers live out their lives, die, and are brought back to life in a new body. The science makes sense, like a magnetic storm erasing some of the files where a person's permanent memories are kept. Who doesn't love a cocktail drinking auntie who solves mysteries? Fun setting, fun characters, fun premise. There is even some P. G. Wodehouse-esque humor, with Dorothy's nephew having a boyfriend who strongly reminded me of Jeeves. Recommended for readers who enjoy Becky Chambers' quirky novels.

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

Now THIS looks like a fun cruise ship!

The Twelve Saints of Christmas by Karen Baugh Menuhin

February 7, 2025

The Twelve Saints of Christmas by Karen Baugh Menuhin

Major Heathcliff Lennox and retired inspector Jonathan Swift are called to a country estate just outside Bath to investigate a suspicious death at what appears to be a retirement home for the very wealthy. But intrigue bubbles just below the surface and Lennox and Swift are soon faced with a second suspicious death.

Lennox and Swift return for their 12th investigation among the toffs, with their usual cast of supporting characters, including Greggs the butler and ladies' man, Lennox's spaniel Mr. Fogg, and his chubby cat Tubbs. Unfortunately Mr. Foggs and Tubbs make only brief appearances, as do Persi and Florence, wives of Lennox and Swift. I love a country house mystery, especially one set at the holidays, and this one is great fun like all of the books in the series. I recommend starting at the beginning of the series if you haven't read any of the earlier books.

Yes, there really are baths in Bath, England, although I'm not sure I'd want to go soak in them

Trust by Hernan Diaz

February 3, 2025

Trust by Hernan Diaz

A novel comprised of four shorter books: a novel called Bonds, about the life of a New York financier; the outline of a memoir/family history by a Wall Street investor who believes Bonds is a fictionalized account of him and his wife; a memoir by a woman hired to write the financier's autobiography but later decides to discover the truth about the couple; and a journal by the financier's wife. But what is true, and what isn't?

A complex novel that explores themes of family, wealth, ambition and deception in a non-traditional format. I really enjoyed the first three sections of the book, but I found the last section to be disappointing. Since that section was in the wife's voice, I was hoping for answers to the questions posed in the earlier sections, and while there were some revelations, I mostly found it unsatisfying. Love the cover art, a skyscraper under a bell jar. Five stars for the first 3/4 of the book, 2 stars for the final section. For readers of literary fiction, especially if you enjoyed books like Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.

Panic on Wall Street in 1929, which figures in all sections of the novel

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

February 1, 2025

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

Charlotte Cross is an assistant curator for the Egyptian Art department at the Metropolitan Museum. For 15 years, she has spent her days cleaning up after the head curator, heading off problems that he regularly creates (and enjoys doing). Now she believes she has discovered information that overturns his work. But getting the necessary proof requires her to return to Egypt, where she suffered a tragedy 40 years earlier.

Although I have enjoyed several of the author's other books (The Dollhouse, The Address), I didn't care for this one as much. Too much drama, everything like an overwrought soap opera. A lot of the things that happened were completely outlandish (like a waitress with no experience landing a job as assistant to a major designer for the social event of the year). I know I'm in the minority here, since so many readers have given it rave reviews. I hope Fiona Davis' next book is better.

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

An example of an ancient Eqyptian collar piece like the one featured in the book

The Second Murderer by Denise Mina

January 31, 2025

The Second Murderer by Denise Mina

While ruminating on a recent case that seems too neat, private investigator Philip Marlowe is hired by a nasty millionaire to find (or maybe not find) his missing daughter.

So 1930s! So noir! So fun! This has all the hallmarks of traditional noir: a hard boiled detective who lives by his own code of honor, perpetually short of cash and down on his luck, a job he knows he shouldn't take, women that he should walk away from (or better yet, run), the gritty underbelly of the big city, plenty of wisecracks and slang. But most notably, without the misogyny found in noir mysteries of the Golden Age, probably because the author is female. Who doesn't love a good noir story? Even Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek: the Next Generation fantasized about being a noir private eye. Scott Brick narrates the audiobook - I could listen to him read the phone book. Recommended for fans of noir mysteries.

The noir detective at his gritty best

The Dressmakers of Auschwitz by Lucy Adlington

January 25, 2025

The Dressmakers of Auschwitz by Lucy Adlington

An astounding story of a designer dressmaking salon run out of Auschwitz concentration camp, mostly staffed by Jewish women, patronized by the wives of high-ranking Nazis and SS officers. The Nazis were well aware of the importance of clothing to elevate or degrade people, and even in the middle of a war and clothing shortages, they and their families wanted to be well-dressed. (The Nazi culture was so bizarre, wanting to obliterate anyone who didn't fit their mold and keeping meticulous records about how they did it, yet using the talents of those same people when it suited them.) 

Sewing literally saved the dressmakers' lives, while at the same time allowing them to participate in sabotage in the camp. Many parts about the horrors of camp life and the way the inmates were treated were hard to read, but the stories of these smart, courageous women need to be told. The author had the privilege of interviewing the last surviving seamstress while researching this book. Stellar in-depth research. Recommended for readers interested in women's history and the Holocaust.

Berta Kohut and her sister Katka, two of the seamstresses of Auschwitz who survived the war

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

January 24, 2025

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keogh

A memoir of growing up Presley by the daughter and granddaughter of Elvis Presley. Like the children of many celebrities, Lisa Marie led a troubled life, expected to follow in her famous father's footsteps. The story shifts back and forth from Lisa Marie to her daughter Riley. At times, it was hard to remember who was talking, because both Lisa Marie and Riley refer to their mothers as "my mom" - it would have been clearer if Lisa Marie would have referred to her mother as Priscilla and Riley would have referred to her mother as Lisa Marie. 

Even though she was four when her parents divorced, and then nine when Elvis died, for all of her life, Lisa Marie worshipped the memory of Elvis. The media was frequently cruel to her, criticizing her singing career and also her problems with her weight. There are some really weird things too, like after her son committed suicide, Lisa Marie kept his body in a room at her home on ice for months. She died way too young, from a variety of causes including drug abuse and an unstable life. A look at a sad life that should have been so much more. If you are looking for a biography of Elvis, this isn't it.

Lisa Marie near the end of her life

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

January 24, 2025

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Each summer for decades, Rachel and her family have been spending a week at the same vacation rental on Cape Cod. They do all the touristy things: swim in the ocean, picnic on the beach, eat at the town clam shack, shop for local seafood and sweets, visit the library book sale. But this year is different. Rachel is in the throes of menopause, her children are on the brink of real adulthood, and her parents are slowly slipping into old age. She feels as though she is balanced on the fulcrum of a seesaw, sandwiched between two generations that need her.

This is a book that addresses a topic that isn't often talked about, the generation that is sandwiched between their children and their aging parents, being pulled in both directions. I can understand the mixed reviews on the book; it's not for everyone. Not everyone will identify with the main characters or the storyline, and I agree with some reviewers that the main character Rachel (for some reason, the author makes a point of telling the reader that people call her Rocky, even though I think her husband is the only person who uses that nickname once in the book) is annoying. She was probably annoying before menopause (note: menopause isn't like that for everyone - a lot of us managed it with minimal discomfort and without ripping our clothes off in public or sharing with everyone - anyone who is suffering as bad as Rachel needs to see their doctor for some pharmaceutical assistance). Rachel is also not appreciative of what a lovely husband she has, instead she is furious with him because he can't read her mind (this irritated me, because it's one of those stereotypes about women that need to go away). But there is also a lot of humor, like when one of Rachel's friends says she saw an ad for a drug that will help a man last longer during sex, and the friend says who wants a guy to last longer, finish already, my library book isn't going to read itself. They do eat a lot of sandwiches, and who doesn't love a good sandwich! Themes are loss and change, and sensitive readers should be aware that there are discussions about miscarriage, abortion and sexuality. For readers who enjoy literary fiction.

A Cape Cod wharf

Me by Elton John

January 15, 2025

Me by Elton John

From his boyhood in a London suburb to being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, Elton John (nee Reginald Dwight) has led a drama-filled life. His recent memoir talks about his meteoric rise to fame, his addiction problems, and his celebrity friends (and losing many of those friends to addiction, suicide and AIDS). 

He also talks about his personal life, finding lasting love, becoming a father, his philanthropic work, and the trauma of losing his hair. Recommended for music fans, especially 1970s/1980s rock.

Elton John in his 1970s glory

A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi

January 11, 2025

A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi

Emma and Agathe Delorme are sisters, close friends as children with older sister Emma protecting the more fragile Agathe from their mother, other children, and life in general. As adults with their own lives, they have grown apart but remain united in their love for their grandmother, Mima. When Mima dies, the two sisters come together one last time at her house to reminisce about the time they spent there together and how their grandmother shaped their lives.

The format can be somewhat confusing, with two narrators and two timelines, one of which is always moving. I loved their story but the chapters were confusing and I found myself frequently going back to the beginning of a section to see who was talking and what year is was. While I don't have a sister, I do know about the dynamics of sibling relationships (as I tell my brothers, I know them better than anyone else on this planet). Told with love and frequent humor, painful subjects such as child abuse and mental illness are treated with compassion. Lovely writing and a good translation. You may need tissues at the end. Don't be fooled by the cheery image of the two women on the surfboards on the cover. And yes, a good life is something worth striving for. 

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

French Basque country

The Old Lion by Jeff Shaara

January 10, 2025

The Old Lion by Jeff Shaara

A novel about President Theodore Roosevelt, focusing on his life before and after his time in office.

Although Theodore Roosevelt died at the age of 60, he packed a lot into those 60 years. Before reading this novel, I knew about Roosevelt's life superficially. I knew his face is on Mount Rushmore, but not really why he was chosen over other presidents. He suffered from ill health for much of his life, as well as the loss of two of his sons, yet he was determined to experience all that life could offer. He was a prolific writer on a wide variety of subjects. Rather than his presidency, the author chose to focus on Roosevelt's adventures and exploration. Part of Roosevelt's enduring legacy is the establishment of the national parks service, and he is responsible for the birth of the conservation movement. Recommended for readers of historical fiction, especially if you don't know much about Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt in his western gear

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

January 5, 2025

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Grady Green is at the top of his writing career, with his latest book climbing The New York Times bestseller list. The his wife Abby, an investigative journalist, goes missing while driving home, and his life goes to hell. He has no idea what happened to her: no goodbye letter, no suicide note, no ransom note, no body. After a year of drifting and not writing a word, his agent offers him the use of a cottage in the Hebrides off the coast of Scotland. He and his dog Colombo make the long drive north from London, and once he arrives, he begins to see Abby everywhere.

The good news: Colombo the black Lab is safe all the way through the book. I have enough people who call me while reading a book, asking if the dog is okay at the end, because otherwise they won't be finishing the book, that I know to include this right away. Feeney's trademark suspense featuring the ever-popular unreliable narrator. It's a slow plot for almost 2/3 of the book. The twist and the island's backstory start at this point. The real twist is at the 90% mark. This is the third Alice Feeney book I've read and I always figure out at least part of the "twist" well before we get there - with Daisy Darker, I think I figured it out by page 20. The only reason I keep reading is to see if I'm right or to fill in the gaps. Maybe I read too much. I think I'm done with Feeney. Readers who enjoy Freida McFadden will enjoy Alice Feeney's style as well.

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

Outer Hebrides village

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman

January 4, 2025

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman

A holiday (sort of) short story by the author of A Man Called Ove. A bit more melancholy than most of Backman's writing. But that doesn't really matter since I read everything he writes.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

January 3, 2025

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

In 1940, three women are recruited to do war work at Bletchley Park in the English countryside. One is a debutante who speaks several languages, one has superior office skills, and the third can work a crossword puzzle in minutes. Although none of them are sure at first what the people at Bletchley Park are doing, they soon learn that BP is Britain's World War II code breaking center.

Based on actual people who worked at Bletchley Par on the German enigma cypher. They recruited university types at first, but later also people who did puzzles, spoke languages, and had great organizational skills. The reason the cypher was initially so difficult to break is that the code changed daily. Once the code breakers figured out how to break the code, the challenge became preventing the Axis forces from realizing that the British were reading their secret messages. Part of the government's strategy for keeping the secret was isolating each section from the others, sharing only the information that they needed to do their work. The rose code in the book is an example of the types of code they worked on, so called because the code wrapped around like the petals on a rose.

While I was interested in the whole story of code breaking and the enigma cypher, the book is a whopping 650 page and would have been a better book if an editor had whacked out 100 or so pages of repetitious details. Fun fact: Valerie Middleton, grandmother of Katherine, Princess of Wales, was a code breaker at BP during the war and appears in the book. Recommended for readers of historical fiction, especially about World War II.

Bletchley Park

The Women of Troy by Pat Barker

December 28, 2024

The Women of Troy by Pat Barker

After Achilles' death, his former war prize Briseis is now married to one of Achilles' lieutenants to protect her and Achilles' unborn child. Her husband is now lieutenant to Pyrrhus, son of Achilles. With the war over, the Greek army waits for a suitable wind to sail for home, only three days away, but they are stuck there waiting for the will of the gods to favor them.

The second book in Barker's Women of Troy trilogy begins inside the infamous Trojan Horse, in the voice of Pyrrhus. Pyrrhus is kind of a jerk, but you feel sorry for him as well - there is no way he can live up to his hero father's image. When you hear about the Trojan Horse, you don't think about a bunch of big hot sweaty men stuck inside for hours with no bathroom facilities and no ventilation (nasty). All of the main characters here are only names mentioned in the Ilian (Hecuba, Cassandra, Briseis) because they are women and therefore beneath notice. When someone in the camp commits a forbidden act, the Greek soldiers are sure it was one of the two Trojan men in the camp. There are hundreds of Trojan women, but they are totally discounted, the way royalty and aristocrats treat their servants, like they are part of the furniture. Looking forward to the third book in the trilogy. Recommended for readers of historical fiction and mythology.