Book Review: Primal by D.A. Serra

A family vacation takes an ugly turn when four armed men invade a fishing camp. The heroine of this story is Alison, a quiet, bookish middle-aged mom and schoolteacher. She doesn't think of herself as a hero, and she certainly doesn't see herself as someone who would kill to protect her loved ones. But when she sees her nine-year-old son Jimmy in danger, she discovers more courage and resilience than she imagined she had. She also finds an unexpected ally in her battle.

Author Interview: D.A. Serra, Author of Primal

I am happy to welcome D.A. Serra, author of the thriller Primal, which I will review tomorrow.

When did you first start writing, and when did you finish your first book?

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t think of myself as a writer. I remember writing my first poem in the backseat of a car when I was eight years old (it was about the Statue of Liberty). I became serious about supporting myself full-time as a writer in my early twenties, and so I moved to Los Angeles because I knew the work was there; I began writing for TV & film. I only turned to books a couple of years ago. Primal is my first thriller. I have two other novels in various stages – different genres – very different stories.

Book Review: Curiosity Killed the Cat by Elizabeth Nelson

After a quiet, solitary childhood, Katherine's understanding of mutual love and commitment hadn't completely formed when she met and married her first love. To her handsome, clever Steven Flynn was perfect. And in Katherine he saw a partner he could shape and mold into the polished but meek and compliant wife he wanted.

With Katherine at his side, Steven has achieved success as an international attorney. The illusion of her perfect life cracks when she meets a frightened young woman, recently immigrated to the U.S. to become a model. This is the first clue that Steven is involved in something illegal and and horrifyingly unconscionable.

Book & Movie Review: Red Dragon

Publication Date: 2009 (originally published in 1981)

Publisher: The Berkley Publishing Group

Format: Paperback

Genre:  Mystery/Thriller

Why I Chose It: It was given to me by Jill at Fizzy Thoughts for the Dueling Monsters Showdown.






Rating: (3.5/5 stars)

Book Review: Genus by Jonathan Trigell -- Dark Dystopian Fiction, Anyone?

Publication Date: 2011

Publisher: Corsair, Constable & Robinson, Ltd.

Format: Paperback

Genre:  Literary Fiction/Dystopian

Why I Chose It: Because it was written by the author of Boy A, which I loved; many thanks to the author and publisher who kindly gave me a copy of this novel with no obligation to publish a review.

Rating: (5/5 stars)

The Crazy School by Cornelia Read (Review and a Ramble)

Publication Date: January, 2008

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Genre: Mystery (Amateur Sleuth)

Why I Chose It: Another random library find; it caught my eye because of the title. :) I grabbed it because of my weakness for mysteries with amateur sleuths and because, perusing the first few pages of the prequel, A Field of Darkness, the author's style caught my fancy.

Rating: (4/5 Stars)

 I'm curious about what readers think of the new format of my book reviews. I thought this would include a bit more relevant information. Also, since I tend to write relatively long reviews, with excerpts to offer examples of the author's writing, I thought the synopsis might be a good option for readers who prefer reading reviews that are more concise. Opinions?? :)

Synopsis of My Review:

Madeline Dare and her husband, Dean, have finally left his native land, in the rust belt of Syracuse, New York, and moved to the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. Maddie becomes a history teacher at Santangelo Academy, a boarding school for emotionally disturbed teenagers.  This bizarre institution forces a sort of milieu therapy -- if you want to dignify it by calling it "therapy" -- on the staff as well as the clients. And its treatment of its young clients crosses the line into abusive and bizarre.

Maddie is appalled to see her fellow teachers led by Dr. Santangelo's strange blend of charisma and intimidation -- they turn on each instead of standing up for themselves and protecting the vulnerable students in their care. After a tragic event, trusting only her frustrated and bewildered husband, her friend Lulu, and several of the academy's troubled and rebellious students, Maddie digs for the truth.
 
This is the second novel in Read's Madeline Dare series, which began with A Field of Darkness. This is a character-driven mystery series, and for me, Madeline is the real hook. She's my kind of heroine: confused and vulnerable as well as tough and edgy.  It's also a solid mystery. The kind I like, with an intriguing "whodunnit," red herrings, and an intrepid sleuth. Read's mysteries rate among my current favorites, and I look forward to finishing the series.

Full Review: 

Madeline Dare and her husband, Dean, have finally left his native land, in the rust belt of Syracuse, New York, and moved to the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. Maddie becomes a history teacher at Santangelo Academy, a boarding school for emotionally disturbed teenagers.  This bizarre institution forces a sort of milieu therapy -- if you want to dignify it by calling it "therapy" -- on the staff as well as the clients. And its treatment of its young clients crosses the line into abusive and bizarre.

Maddie is appalled to see her fellow teachers led by Dr. Santangelo's strange blend of charisma and intimidation -- they turn on each instead of standing up for themselves and protecting the vulnerable students in their care. After a tragic event, trusting only her frustrated and bewildered husband, her friend Lulu, and several of the academy's troubled and rebellious students, Maddie digs for the truth.
 
This is the second novel in Read's Madeline Dare series, which began with A Field of Darkness. This is a character-driven mystery series, and for me, Madeline is the real hook. She's my kind of heroine: confused and vulnerable as well as tough and edgy. Her conversations with her history students offer an opportunity to explore Madeline's off-beat childhood, based on the author's own history. She was born into the last generation of an old, wealthy WASP family and raised by divorced hippie-renegade parents. Her childhood memories included single moms, exploited farm workers, draft dodgers, and Black Panthers. And while my background is very different -- no old WASP money and fewer hippies and radicals -- I identify with Madeline. I relate to her combination of compassionate strength and confused vulnerability, her progressive political leanings, and her edgy sense of humor. I also enjoyed Madeline's rapport with and evident compassion for her students.

The premise -- a dysfunctional school for troubled teens -- definitely helped piqued my interest in this book. I spent years working as a counselor with "emotionally disturbed" and "at risk" youth. Between that and being the mom of a kid on the autism spectrum and a child with severe mental illness, I have plenty of opinions about so-called care for needy youth and families. Believe me. 

There were moments when the events in the Santangelo school might have felt over the top, even given the suspension of disbelief that goes with reading mysteries. However, to convince myself this wasn't too far in left field, I only needed to look back at some of my own experiences. Treating children and teens, especially those with "differences," as unworthy of respect is sadly all too common. Almost mundane.

Of course, there are also issues I've read about. Like the case of Rotenberg Educational Center in Massachusetts which recently hit the media, where electric shock is regularly used on students with autism. Not to mention revelations about the recently discredited Bruno Bettleheim, the untrained psychoanalytic "genius" who convinced generations of "experts" that autism is caused by cold, unresponsive mothering. Granted, his work was in the past, but his school for disturbed youth -- which has been revealed to have subjected students to physical and emotional abuse -- still has defenders. There are plenty of other stories about therapeutic schools and the special education system. I'll stop now.

Compared to all that, the events at Santangelo Academy are not only believable but incredibly tame. And I need only re-read my friends' reviews of Compliance to be reminded that people will go to extraordinary lengths to comply with perceived authority figures.

While the characters are what I found most engaging, this is also a solid mystery. The kind I like, with an intriguing "whodunnit," red herrings, and an intrepid and often floundering sleuth. Read's mysteries rate among my current favorites, and I look forward to finishing the series.

Other Reviews: Lesa's Book Critiques; Joanne at The Book Zombie; Casey at Bookworm 4 Life; Reading Rants! Out of the Ordinary Teen Booklists; Semicolon

A Field of Darkness by Cornelia Read

In the end there may not be much more to the special gift of aristocrats than the old image of casual grace.... Worse, the image can’t seem to stand by itself. Its light must have a field of darkness, some dull impasto of despair with a glint of violence flashing through. Without fear, the image lacks shape and substance, and dissolves into a pale, thin air of American possibility. With it, the image comes clear, and so does the gift of courage.  Nelson Aldrich, Old Money (quoted in A Field of Darkness)

Madeline Dare was reared in an aristocratic New York family, with a legacy of robber barons and entrepreneurs who made their fortune desecrating the environment. She feels revulsion for their ruthlessness and snobbery and a slight nostalgia for their fading way of life, which seems to be lifted from the novels of Fitzgerald and Wharton. Now her branch of the family is essentially penniless -- "my money is so old there's none left."

Madeline is happily married and unhappily settled near her husband's family in Syracuse. She works, for a pittance, as a journalist, writing about tourist sites and recipes. She struggles with her obnoxious boss and periods of loneliness while her husband Dean, a railroad employee, is working in Canada.

Her life changes dramatically when her father-in-law tells her about a set of dog tags he found, on his land, at the site of a brutal murder that took place in 1969. Two young women were killed and left lying side by side with their heads wreathed in roses. The dog tags seem to link the bizarre crime to Madeline's favorite cousin, Lapthorne.

Before deciding whether to turn this evidence over to the police, Madeline needs to be sure Lapthorne wasn't involved. Her investigation leads her from the "rust belt" in upstate New York to the posh mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast, her family's ancestral home.

I stumbled upon this novel, quite by accident, while browsing the library shelves. A book titled The Crazy School caught my eye  -- how could I resist a title like that? A Field of Darkness happened to be the prequel, so I picked it up and perused it. I can never resist a good mystery, and this one looked intriguing.

The author hooked me, on the first page, with her vivid, eloquent descriptive writing.

The first night was already hot, so still the whine of the neighbor's dog carried right through our bedroom window. I heard a screen door yaw wide to let him out, the tired spring slapping it closed behind, the click of canine toes on sidewalk. 

This novel also captured my attention with beautiful writing, sharp wit, and -- most importantly -- the interesting, unique voice of the protagonist. Madeline is my kind of heroine. She's smart, funny, loyal, and kind. She also struggles with loneliness, guilt, insecurity, and a mountain of family dysfunction. 

Becoming an amateur sleuth doesn't come naturally to her. But she's armed with loyalty and persistence, and she manages to find help from myriad sources, including a former cop and ex-Vietnam vet who now runs a seedy bar, her long-time best friend; who calls Madeline "wild woman;" and a slightly shady auctioneer with a warm heart and a history of suffering at the hands of the Nazis. 

It was not too difficult to guess the identity of the perpetrator. However, the mystery was well crafted and intriguing, with a few twists to keep me guessing. I also enjoyed the flawed but loving relationship between Madeline and Dean, the ideological differences between Madeline and the politically conservative residents of Syracuse, and the humor throughout the novel.

     "It's an open shop, says so right here in the contract. (Dean said) This isn't work they can do, and they're trying to screw me out of a living, The union can suck my dick."
     I wanted to weigh in with Cesar Chavez, the Haymarket riots, to point out that unions benefited us all, raised he bar for everyone. But I knew part of my vehemence was family guilt for screwing over the "working man" in the abstract, while here was an actual and specific working man who had an opinion of his own, thank you very much."
     Plus, we'd had the same argument like twenty times already over the years, starting with a heated dinner conversation on our third date.
     So I just carried the dishes to the sink, not even turning on the kitchen light. And then I started to cry because what the hell was I pissed at him for, when he could have been hurt or even died -- the stupid heartrendingly dear scab fascist shithead.

I enjoyed this novel, and I missed Madeline's company a bit when the book ended. I will definitely read the rest of the Madeline Dare series, and I look forward to seeing how these characters develop through this amateur sleuth's continuing adventures.

Other Reviews: In Which Our Hero; Chaotic Compendiums; Reviewing the Evidence; MBTB's Mystery Book Blog

Rating: 4.5

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

Will Halpin is smart, articulate and hearing impaired -- he's also a heavy guy who doesn't quite fit in -- either in deaf culture or in the hearing world. Because his profound hearing loss was relatively late in onset, his language skills are quite high, and he doesn't feel a complete connection to deaf culture. On the other hand, he isn't quite accepted in the hearing world either.

Will has decided to leave the deaf school where he's always been educated and attend a mainstream high school, despite the inadequate accommodations offered there. This proves to be a struggle, but he is quickly befriended by Devon Smiley, another smart, nerdy outsider. Amid enduring insanity on the school bus, having casserole thrown at him by a bully, and being ignored by the prettiest girl in school, Will becomes intrigued by a local mystery, the legendary ghost of a man trapped and crushed in a coal mine.

Then a tragedy strikes, and Will and Devon find themselves trying to unravel a mystery. They're on the trail of a killer who may be linked to a political scandal surrounding a local citizen or might simply be a fellow student.

My daughter and fellow blogger, MovieBuff25, recommended this young adult novel to me, and I pretty much read it in one sitting. It offered virtually everything I like in YA novels, a smart, quirky protagonist with a distinctive voice, genuine adolescent struggles, humor, and a strong, well-told story. The murder mystery was icing on the cake. I really connected with the protagonist and was sorry when the book ended. The fact that this novel touched on the plight of men who spent their lives working in the coal mines also enriched the story.

I highly recommend this for readers age 13 and up.

Read More Reviews: Reading Junky's Reading Roost; The Book Nest; Alison's Book Marks; Bookish Blather; One Librarian's Book Reviews

Rating: 4.5

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

Harbor by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Domaro, an isolated little island in a Swedish archipelago, is home to a handful of local families -- the descendants of fishermen -- and an ever-returning group of summer folk. On the shores of Domaro, a young boy and girl begin to fall in love as they contemplate the enormity of the sea, which has been gradually reclaiming its islands -- bit by bit -- since the Ice Age.

Years later, on a winter afternoon, Anders and Cecilia take their six-year-old daughter Maja across the ice to visit the lighthouse in the middle of the frozen channel. While the couple explores the lighthouse, Maja disappears -- seemingly into thin air -- leaving not even a footprint in the snow. 

Two years later, Anders returns to the island, shattered and dependent on alcohol to get through the day. He reconnects with his grandmother, Anna-Greta, a native of Domaro, and her lover Simon. Odd things begin to happen in the house Anders once shared with his wife and daughter, and he senses Maja's presence. Then other strange things begin to happen, and some of them are reminiscent of ugly secrets from Anders's adolescence.

Anna-Greta and the other inhabitants of the island are hiding secrets of their own, including a dark secret that's centuries old. As more and more strange, tragic things take place, she must share these secrets with Simon and Anders so they can survive and Anders can try to find Maja and bring her back.

This novel seized my interest from the first few pages. First and foremost, Lindqvist is a master at exploring human psychology. Everything -- from the tender, budding feelings of a 13-year-old boy falling in love for the first time to the raw, crippling grief of a bereaved father -- felt vibrantly real. Lindqvist is also brilliant at creating fear and guilt, including guilt triggered by the ambivalence some parents feel toward their own children. This is largely what drew me in, eager to be part of the characters' lives, and what made this story work on a visceral level.

I was intrigued by the cast of quirky characters. This included a widowed young mother who survived through trading with World War II soldiers and occasional bootlegging, a professional magician, and a lighthouse keeper with an endless thirst for solitude who studies the Bible and greets visitors with the word of God -- because nothing drives people away as quickly as preaching at them.

I especially enjoyed the relationship between octogenarians Anna-Greta and Simon. It's rare -- at least in our culture -- to read about an intimate romance between two older people. I found this believable, interesting, and refreshing.

Lindqvist also captivated me with his elegant use of language and lovely imagery and the way he uses language and imagery to create an eerie mood. 

     The trees felled by the storm lay there like long-necked, thirsty dinosaurs, stretching out all the way to the water's edge ...

... the fallen fir trees were still there, dark, gloomy tree trunks lying across the rocks, with the odd branch sticking up out of the water here and there like the arms of skeletons pleading for help, ignored and rejected by one and all.

     The moon had begun to tire and shrink, balancing helplessly on the branches of the few firs still standing. Veils of cloud drifted past, and as Anders drew closer Kattholmen was bathed in a light with no luminosity, like aged aluminum. He rounded the northern point where a concrete buoy marked a shipping lane that was no longer used, and continued along the rocky shore on the eastern side of the island. (p. 448)

The only thing that disappointed me was the ending. Most of the novel moved rather slowly, with great attention to detail. I appreciated this, because it allowed time to develop the various threads of the story. But after all that, I expected a richly satisfying conclusion. However, the novel ended abruptly. The supernatural threads of the story were never completely woven together, and I was pushed quickly out of this world, without time to gain closure with the characters with whom I'd lived for 500 pages. Perhaps the author intended to leave us with a sense of mystery and unanswered questions? I don't know, but it didn't work for me.

Overall, this was an absorbing novel, and in some ways it was even richer than the author's previous books: Let the Right One In and Handling the Undead. The thing Lindqvist does best, seamlessly blending psychological and supernatural horror, is what really shines here. This created characters and scenes that will be hard for me to forget.

Read More Review of this Novel: Mad Bibliophile; Book Banter; Killin' Time Reading;

Rating: 4

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

In 12th century Cambridge, England, pilgrims are returning from Canterbury. Knights have been coming back from the Crusades, and the power struggle between King Henry II and the Catholic Church recently culminated in the murder of Thomas a Becket. In the midst of this turmoil, someone is luring children away from the village and brutally murdering them. Christian villagers scapegoat the local Jewish population, and violence erupts. This increases pressure on King Henry to expel the Jews from England; this is unacceptable to him -- it would lower his tax base. He appeals to the King of Sicily for help, and he is sent an investigator and a female doctor, Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar, a mistress of the art of death.

Adelia was an orphan, raised by an atheist Jew in Salerno. Recognizing a mind rivaling his own, her foster father trained her as a physician, in one of the few parts of the world where female doctors were allowed to practice, and taught her to examine corpses to determine the cause of death. Now Adelia arrives in England, a backward country where she must hide her profession because of her gender, and where medical practitioners are viewed with suspicion. She begins her increasingly dangerous pursuit of "Raksasha," the devil who has been torturing and murdering children and may bring down death on all of Cambridge's Jews.

Mistress of the Art of Death is crafted like a modern murder mystery, with the plots twists and intense, violent climax we've come to expect in today's thrillers. It also includes a wealth of fascinating historical detail. Some reviewers have criticized this novel for glaring historical inaccuracies. Several anachronisms are explained in the author's afterward, but some are not. I am no scholar of medieval history, but I noticed that some characters suffered from cholera, although it wasn't identified until the 19th century. However, I thought the wealth of believable period detail and the thoughtful exploration of important historical events and social changes of the time more than compensated for a few anachronisms.

This author provides an interesting and fairly balanced perspective on Henry II, looking at his struggles with the church from a different angle. She focused on England's movement toward religious freedom more than his role in Thomas a Becket's brutal murder. This was a different perspective from others I've read, and while it didn't deny the King's tendency toward rage and cruelty, I found it thought-provoking.

This author is also gifted at descriptive writing. She recreated medieval Cambridge, which was a vibrant river port, with rich detail and vivid color. She recreated the blending of a simple feudal village and a port where travelers from all over the world converged.

My favorite part of the novel, however, was the character development, particularly Adelia. She was a woman who was out of place in her own time, and this was made believable by her unusual upbringing. She was intelligent, freethinking, courageous, and compassionate, and I loved being in her mind and seeing the world through her eyes.

The only thing that didn't appeal to me was the romance, which I found a bit predictable and not wholly convincing. However, Adelia's relationship with her love interest did have a few interesting twists.

I recommend this novel for mystery lovers and historical fiction fans. In addition to a suspenseful yarn, which highlights Ariana Franklin's glorious storytelling skills, it provides an vivid glimpse of life in Medieval Britain along with a stimulating look at a fascinating period in English history. It does have disturbing material, including a Poe-esque twist near the end, so it might not be a good pick for everyone. However readers who connect with the book will savor the accomplished storytelling, vividly painted characters, and the twists and turns in the plot, which kept me turning pages long after I should have been asleep.

Read More Reviews:
Tell Me a Story
Mystery Ink
Bookshelves of Doom



Rating: 4

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

The thriving romance-with-the-undead genre is funny to me. The classic literary versions of the old vampire myths, like Dracula by Bram Stoker, definitely have a sensual component. But the sexuality is subliminal -- it seems that the Victorians found it easier to see a young virgin ravaged by a blood-sucker than to actually talk about people having, heaven forbid, sex. But it was that subliminal sexuality that gave vampires their charm and made the stories so compelling. In this enlightened age, on the other hand, we have no use for subliminal sex. We put it right out there. And vampire novels like Dead Until Dark are about, well, Doing It with a vampire, with a little blood-drinking thrown in to add sexual spice.

On that note, the thing I liked best about Dead Until Dark, the first novel in Charlaine Harris's popular Southern Vampire series, was the humor. I loved the premise. Vampires do exist, and they've come out of the closet. Now they're a recognized minority group, with the same rights and privileges as any other. And while there are occasional "unfortunate incidents," as the vampire community dubs the brutal killing of humans, the Japanese have invented synthetic blood which can be purchased in any bar, and this keeps most undead creatures on the straight and narrow.

Vampires have their own bars and even their own hotel in New Orleans, which is sort of a mecca for their kind (y'know, the whole Anne Rice thing). Curious tourists flock to these places. And some humans can't resist these creatures, even becoming sex-crazed groupies -- they're called "Fangbangers." Seriously, Fangbangers? Looking around at our contemporary culture, y'know -- I can kind of see it.

Our heroine, Sookie Stackhouse, is a cocktail waitress in a small town in Louisiana. While she's 25 and very pretty, her dating experience is almost nil. This is because of her "disability" -- she can read minds. The effort involved in shutting out the torrent of a person's thoughts makes relationships too difficult. When Bill the Vampire enters her bar, she finds, to her great relief, that she can't hear his thoughts. He's also extremely sexy and, having lived through the Civil War, has a wealth of experiences to share.

Sookie is hopelessly attracted to Bill, and she is definitely ready for romance. But when a string of killings, including several women known to be "Fangbangers," strikes the town, Bill appears to be a likely suspect.

Not as complex or as dark as Let the Right One In, this was a change of pace for me and a fun read. I didn't fall in love with the relationship between Sookie and Bill. While Bill the Vampire didn't annoy me as much as Edward (count me as a Twilight hater), that whole dark, twisted, bad-boy romance thing just doesn't do it for me.

It was a sexy book though, and a decent mystery, and Charlaine Harris drew me in with her vibrant writing and sense of humor. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of the series.


Rating: 3

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

Seven-year-old Calli hasn't spoken since she was four years old, when a traumatic incident robbed her of her voice. She has been diagnosed with selective mutism. She communicates intuitively, without speech, with her best friend Petra, who often speaks for her. No one -- including her teachers, her devoted mom, Antonia, and Griffith, her angry alcoholic father, can entice her to speak. Only her beloved older brother, Ben, and a gifted school counselor seem to understand that her silence is not a choice, and that coaxing and bribery won't help. Fourteen-year-old Ben, who seems preternaturally mature and brave, protects his little sister -- hands down, he's my favorite character.

One morning, both Calli and Petra disappear. In alternating scenes, we watch Calli go through a grueling ordeal in the wide Iowa forest that has always been her refuge, as we watch the investigation unfold. Throughout the day, we also come to intimately know each of the characters. As the girls' parents struggle with their fear and guilt over their missing children, other memories unravel, some wonderful and some charged with regret and shame.

The Weight of Silence was a suspenseful story, full of complex characters. It moved fluidly among various points of view, adding richness and complexity without losing the silky flow of the story.
Folks, I couldn't put this one down. The suspense hooked me in, but what held me were characters I cared deeply about and themes that -- for me -- cut painfully close. It was a story about parental love, regrets in marriage and parenthood, and the agony of feeling we've failed those we love most. It was also about love, forgiveness and hope.

Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the carefully observed nature scenes. I could see, hear, and feel the life in the woods -- which seemed to have a faintly magical quality. The author illuminated those corners of childhood which include picnics in trees, marveling over a fawn wandering in the forest, and cicada shells preserved in treasure boxes.

My only quibble was that I was disappointed in the ending. The resolution seemed contrived and predictable to me. However, I recommend this book to fiction lovers, particularly those who, like me, are suckers for family dramas. I will warn you that a child is physically and sexually assaulted, though there is nothing explicit.

This novel has been on tour in the blog realm, so die-hard book blog readers have probably been seeing it pop up again and again. Here are some other reviews:

• Darlene's Review at Peeking Between the Pages
• Review at Book Line and Sinker
• Review at Virtual Wordsmith
• Review at Hey Lady! Watcha Readin'?
• Review at Bookstack

Also check out this interview with the author at Word Lily

Rating: 4

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

I was skeptical when I started Marcelo in the Real World by Francesco X. Stork. It seems that his knowledge of his subject -- a person on the autism spectrum -- stems from spending about a year working part-time with people with what we now euphemistically call "special needs." This included individuals who probably had Asperger's Syndrome, though that diagnosis wasn't added to the DSM until 1994. How could this author, a Boston attorney, have the understanding to create a rich, convincing portrait of a young man with Asperger's? However, I was pleasantly surprised.

The protagonist, Marcelo, is 17 and almost ready to start his senior year of high school. His father's income as founding partner of a law firm has provided the opportunity to attend Paterson, an excellent school for individuals with disabilities. There, he has been accepted for who he is and allowed as much time as he needs to process what's going on in his environment and finish tasks. This is the one place where Marcelo isn't rushed.

Like Christopher Boone, the Aspergian protagonist of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, Marcelo has a special interest. While Christopher's passion is math, Marcelo is fascinated with God and religion. His family is Catholic, and he enjoys praying the Rosary. He also delves into the holy books of different religions, and his mother arranges for him to have regular discussions with a rabbi. This is not a pervasive interest that lends itself to static thinking -- he is not memorizing train schedules or sports scores. He is exploring abstract ideas, like Man's relationship to God and the experience of prayer.

When Marcelo finishes his junior year of high school, his father decides he needs to come out of the protected environment of Paterson and learn to cope with the "real world." This involves a summer job with his father's law firm, which is a bit like being thrown into a viper pit. While Marcelo asks his rabbi friend questions like "Why were Adam and Eve ashamed, after eating from the Tree of Knowledge, when they realized they were naked?" he experiences his own journey from innocence to knowledge. He is facing human evil in various forms. And he has to make some very difficult decisions.

As we watch Marcelo leave the Garden of Eden, we also see him struggle with various decisions -- large and small. He is no longer in a static world where tasks are clearly laid out, he gets as much time as he needs, and right answers are usually clear. He has to decide whether a task merits being done at a slow, meticulous pace or if it has to be done quickly. He has to "read" people who are not being straightforward about what they mean. He has to improvise. He is learning what the best autism therapies try to teach -- to "read" people and situations, adapt, solve problems, and make choices. Part of this is deciding how to respond to unethical behavior, even on the part of his own father. When his dad puts Marcelo in the "real world," he gets more than he bargained for.

I found Marcelo to be a multi-layered, believable character with a compelling story. There are many layers of truth in this novel, from how people with neurological differences learn to the role of faith in human life and the nature of good and evil. It's definitely a book I won't forget.

While I recommend this novel to all readers, especially young adults, it might have particular interest for teens on the autism spectrum. It could stimulate discussion about the particular gifts and challenges they face, relationships, and how they feel about their differences.

Check Out this Great Review of this Book: Marcello and the Real World at the YA YA YAs

And This Fascinating Post

Rating: 4.5

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith is the latest in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Precious Ramotswe lives and works in her native Botswana. She is a "traditionally built" woman, though once in a while, people indelicately refer to her as "fat." She also embraces traditional values, rooted in her love of her family and her country.

Mma. Ramotswe runs the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency with her assistant, Grace Makutsi. Together they solve mysteries for local citizens -- their motto is "no case is too large or too small."
In this novel, she takes on a well-known, affluent client, Leungo Molofololo, owner of a soccer team. He is determined to uncover the reason for his team's long-running losing streak; he is certain someone on the team is being bribed to throw matches. Mma. Ramotswe also helps Mma. Makutsi resolve a problem threatening her relationship with her fiancee. And she enlists the help of her husband's apprentice from the auto repair shop to try to resuscitate her beloved tiny white van.

For me, this series is like comfort food. My stepmother introduced me to it in 2003, when I was recuperating from childbirth -- she felt I needed something light and delightful that I could gobble up like candy. I have thoroughly enjoyed every one, and this was no exception.

This is a far cry from a hard-core procedural thriller, and it's not the kind of mystery that promises a dramatic climax. Often the solutions to clients' problems lie in small things, and in intuition and common sense. It all stems from Mma. Ramostwe's knowledge of her community, her belief in caring for others -- "love always has plenty of work to do" -- and her sense of what it is to be Botswanan. She helps her neighbors, cares for her husband and two foster children and offers wise counsel to her clients -- though it's not always what they want to hear. She also honors her beloved late father in her memory.

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built is entertaining and funny with thoroughly likeable characters. The novels in this series bring Botswana to life. I can see the flora and fauna in the landscape and feel the scorching heat. I also get a sense of local customs and culture. Above all, these books touch on the connections that link families, villages, and communities, and what it means to be human.

Rating: 4

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

The Secret Keeper by Paul Harris

British journalist Danny Kellerman first arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 2000, where he was covering the civil war. He fell in love with Maria Tirado, an aid worker dedicated to rescuing children; this included guiding the drugged, dead-eyed child soldiers back into civilian life. Danny's passionate affair with Maria came to an end when he returned to England, and she stayed to continue her work in Sierra Leone. Four years later, Danny gets a letter from Maria: "I need you. I'm in trouble."

Before he can return to Africa, Danny learns Maria was murdered. Soon he is headed to Freetown, leaving behind his frustrated lover and his ailing, somewhat estranged father. Having convinced his newspaper editor to send him back to Sierra Leone to report on the nation's recovery from civil war, he is determined to discover why Maria died and who is responsible.

On one level, this is a well crafted mystery. It smoothly shifts back and forth in time from 2000, when Danny traveled through war-torn Sierra Leone and spent time with Maria, and 2004, as he navigates the post-war government to unravel the truth behind her brutal murder. The action-filled plot glides quickly as Danny faces dangerous former soldiers and corrupt politicians, unsure whom to trust.

On another level, it's a vivid, harrowing glimpse into the recent civil war in Sierra Leone and its aftermath. This author drew on his experience as a war correspondent in that tumultuous region to make the setting incredibly real. I could feel the African heat and see the city and the vivid landscape. Kellerman's description of the region also touches on the lingering effects of European colonialism:

Gradually the car crawled out of Freetown's lower suburbs where the poor masses lived and up into the foothills above the city. In the days of British rule many colonial officials had chosen these shaded slopes for their houses, high enough up in the mountains to catch a lucky breeze. The area had been given the name Hill Station, an echo of the Indian Raj that no doubt most of the officials posted to Sierra Leone had secretly longed for. After the British had left, the area had become home to Sierra Leone's ruling class: whether Krio politicians, army generals, or Lebanese and Greek families.

This novel also probes profound ethical questions. Is it sometimes necessary -- and morally right -- to sacrifice the rights of individuals for the good of society as a whole? After a war in which many civilians were murdered, and children forced into military service, is it necessary to seek justice, ensuring that the perpetrators of atrocities don't profit from the war? Or is it better to seek peace at all costs?

The Secret Keeper is also a story about enduring passion. While Danny is with Maria, it seems that he would do anything for her, including risking his life to help her rescue child soldiers. After he returns to England, despite his relationship with a live-in lover, he never really leaves Maria behind. His life is largely defined by frustration, loss, and heavy drinking. And he risks everything to learn the truth about her murder.

My only complaint about this novel is that I never felt their relationship was fully developed. I felt the intense sexual desire between them, though I wasn't sure whether it was passion or their response to being caught in an intensely dangerous situation together. From the descriptions of their intimacy and snippets of conversation between them, I didn't get a clear sense of their relationship. I can understand why this beautiful, intensely dedicated woman captivates him. But where is the love that haunts him for four years and prompts him to put aside everything in his life to solve her murder? That was the heart of the story, and it never fully came to life for me.

Nevertheless, this is an outstanding debut novel. It's both a gripping mystery and a complex novel about love, loyalty, war, justice, and retribution. The author designed a well crafted plot, and he has a tremendous gift for vivid descriptive writing, drawing me so thoroughly into Sierra Leone that I will never forget the journey.

Nod to the FTC: This book was sent to me by the author for review.

Read More Reviews: Maw Books; Peeking Between the Pages

Rating: 4

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

Trouble by Jesse Kellerman

Jonah Stem is a medical student living in New York City with his eccentric roommate, Lance, an aimless stoner who's devoting much of his time to starring in his own private version of a reality T.V. show. Jonah is caught up in grueling internship work and helping care for someone who's an important part of his past. Already driven to the point of exhaustion, he stumbles upon a brutal scene.

...he saw a woman on all fours. Behind her stood a man in a flaccid overcoat several times too big. He seemed in no particular hurry, slumped against a Dumpster, watching her crawl away.
oh my God he stabbed me
Despite the pressing heat, she was dressed in a down jacket and dark stockings. She jerked like a windup toy, listing to avoid her left hand, her left arm dripping with dark black blood. Screaming and screaming and screaming.

Jonah rushes in to protect the young woman, accidentally killing her attacker. He stumbles reluctantly into heroism, cringing through a brief stint in the media spotlight. He also faces a potential wrongful death suit. And to further complicate things, he plunges into an affair with Eve, the woman he intervened to save. He soon discovers she has a dark side to her nature that's beyond anything he could have imagined.

Jesse Kellerman has an eloquent and very witty writing style; this, along with skillful pacing, keeps this novel flowing. It is enhanced by a vivid portrayal of medical school life. Jonah's description of everything happening around him let me imagine I was walking in his shoes and often made me laugh out loud. Here's a snippet:

The medical student's real job during rounds, however, was to carry The Bucket, a turquoise emesis basin filled with gauze, dressing, scissors, syringes, gloves. Tegaderm patches in three sizes; if the resident called for a medium, and all you had was small and large, the world screeched to a halt as you sprinted to the supply closet. Lots and lots of Surgilube. Especially on a colorectal. Yokogawa would stick out his glove. Lube me, Superman. Jonah felt like a hot dog salesman.

This author also has a knack for exploring the dark side of human psychology, reminding me of his father, popular author Jonathan Kellerman. At times it went further over the line than I cared to go, but I was impressed with this writer's talent.

Unfortunately the story itself felt derivative and predictable, and there was not much substance to the mystery.  I anticipated a few unexpected twists near the end to save this novel from being too much like other books and movies in this genre. However, the ending was unsurprising and felt a bit rushed. There were also several threads of the story left dangling. If they'd been fully developed and resolved, they might have enriched this rather one-note noirish thriller.

If you enjoy stories in which basically decent characters have affairs with spectacularly sociopathic people, you might want to give this novel a go. Due to the strong though somewhat over-the-top writing, I will probably try something else by this author sometime. However, I think mystery and thriller aficionados are not likely to be dazzled by Trouble.

Rating: 2.5

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

Blood Orange by Drusilla Campbell

Dana Cabot escaped her lonely childhood and married the man of her dreams. Now her husband David, a football quarterback turned defense attorney, is a workaholic. Most of Dana's life is focused on their beloved 7-year-old daughter, Bailey, who has special needs. Dana is trying to salvage bits of her former life, when she was a doctoral candidate in Art History. Then Bailey disappears from their home. Dana suspects it happened because of David's involvement in a high profile, controversial case -- he's defending a man who may have brutally murdered a child. Their marriage is unraveling, and Dana is hiding secrets of her own.

This author writes skillfully, using artful turns of phrase which I enjoyed. She effectively explored the ambivalence felt by a mother who's put her own life on the back burner to care for a high-needs child. Many women will be able to relate to Dana's struggles with motherhood. I could truly feel how lovely and delightful Bailey is, and also how exhausting she can be. Drusilla Campbell also did an outstanding job of showing us the point when the seismic cracks in a marriage begin to open and everything begins to crumble.

All these strengths, along with Dana's passion for early Italian Renaissance art and a few glorious glimpses of Florence, sweetened what was otherwise a disappointing mystery/thriller. For one thing, I found both Dana and David supremely unlikeable. I really wanted to connect with them; these are parents faced with the possibility of losing a beloved child forever -- how could they not find a place in my heart? But I found David incredibly manipulative and controlling. Both he and Dana are tremendously selfish, and I found their values shallow. I tried to at least care about Dana, but as I watched her do one monumentally stupid thing after another, my empathy withered. As for the mystery itself, it revolved around several twists which were entirely too predictable, plus several implausible scenarios.

On the positive side, Campbell is a talented writer, and she explored the themes of loss, betrayal, guilt, and forgiveness in a compassionate way. She also offered several interesting secondary characters, including Lexy, a recovering alcoholic and professional model turned priest. She's an intelligent character with an edge, and I enjoyed her reflections on faith and what it means to do Christ's work. How many of us are willing to take an unflinching look at ourselves and require ourselves to truly love our fellow humans unconditionally? That takes tremendous strength, and it's at the heart of spiritual growth.

While this book, as a whole, didn't work for me, I was impressed with this author's abilities and will probably read more of her work. And I hope she'll return to the themes of motherhood, marriage, guilt, and forgiveness in other novels.

Read More Reviews: Book Addiction; The Lovely Wife

Rating: 3

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

 

Sookie is working at Merlotte's Bar, in a small Louisiana town, when Deputy Sheriff Andy Bellefleur staggers in, drunk as a skunk. He's in no condition to drive home, but when he comes back to pick up his car the next morning, someone has left a corpse in it. With no viable clues pointing to the perpetrator -- only the rumor that the victim had been to a "sex party" that night -- Andy is the prime suspect.

He's not the only one with problems. Working full time in a bar is not an easy life, but for 26-year-old Sookie Stackhouse, it's doubly difficult. She's a telepath, and she's spent most of her life learning to shield her mind from other people's thoughts. At moments, she lets her guard down, and she has to "hear" all the lustful and spiteful thoughts bar patrons are afraid to say aloud. That's one of the things that attracted her to her boyfriend, Bill, who is at times sexy and sweet and at other times dark and creepy. She can't read Bill's thoughts because he's not human -- he's a 150-year-old vampire.

Vampires have always existed, but they've only been out of the closet -- or out of the coffin -- for a short time. Since the Japanese invented a form of synthetic blood that can conveniently be heated in a microwave, vampires have come out of hiding. But they are still a very different race, with their own hierarchical system of rule, their own laws, and their own ways of doing things.

Sookie has agreed to use her telepathic abilities to help the vampires of Dallas, who are struggling with an unsolved mystery of their own. This leads her on a strange adventure that includes being surrounded by vengeful vampires, visiting a violent, fanatical church, and an encounter with a shapeshifter.  

Living Dead in Dallas, the second in Charlaine Harris's popular Southern Vampire series, is an unusual mix of genres. It has elements of a hot bodice-ripper romance, a genre I actively dislike. It didn't really work for me as a mystery. There weren't enough clues and intriguing possibilities strewn throughout the book -- the solutions to the mysteries just kind of presented themselves. And the vampire lore, in itself, is not all that compelling.

So why did I enjoy this novel? While none of these elements, by itself, worked for me, the combination of all of it, woven together by Charlaine Harris's gift for storytelling and edgy but good-hearted sense of humor, makes a great read. Her unique take on vampires, and their ambivalent, often salacious, relationships with humans, is hilarious. The story, with all its twists and turns, is thoroughly unique. While I never fell in love with the Bill/Sookie pairing, it does have elements of a real relationship. And this author's world, populated with vampires, shapeshifters, a maenad, and -- apparently -- werewolves, seamlessly joined to the world we know, seems believable and is a lot of fun.

 I definitely recommend this novel, for imaginative, funny light reading, to folks who enjoy supernatural creatures.  

Read More Reviews: Avid Book Reader; Rhapsody in Books; Fyrefly's Book Blog


Rating: 3

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

Southern Vampire Series Picks Up Steam

Cursed with the gift of telepathy, Sookie Stackhouse, a native of the small Louisiana town of Bon Temps, has never been accepted by normal mortals. Her abilities frighten people, so the sexy, blond 26-year-old waitress is viewed as a freak of nature. However, there is much more to the world than meets the eye, and Sookie befriends -- and is romanced by -- various supernatural creatures, including vampires, werewolves, and shape shifters.

The three sequels to Dead Until Dark and Living Dead in Dallas continue her story, adding a new mystery -- and some new supernatural twists -- in each novel. Sookie's romantic adventures, and the occasional steamy sex scene, are fun, but not enough to hold my interest. The mysteries are intriguing, but often predictable. And the characters, while quirky and delightful, would not be richly developed enough to stand on their own, without the paranormal mystery and romance. None of these elements, on its own, would make a particularly good novel. But somehow the blend of all of them, illuminated by a liberal amount of humor and local color, creates stories that are unique, imaginative, and tremendous fun, not to mention dangerously addictive.

Sookie is a warm, funny and likable character. Despite the suspension of disbelief required to become absorbed in her story, full of wild adventures and supernatural twists, she is a believable character. She's full of vitality, compassionate, brave, flawed and very "real." I think this seamless combination of a believable heroine -- along with humor and the minutiae of everyday life -- with wild paranormal adventures is part of what makes this series work. It's easy to slip into Charlaine Harris's fantasy world and go along for the ride.

 

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 3)  Bill, a 150-year-old vampire, has been Sookie's first love in every sense of the word. But he's been immersed in a major project, a computer registry for vampires, and has been distant and preoccupied. Then he leaves the state, and his boss Eric, who was a Viking in his mortal life, suspects Bill was kidnapped. Sookie has reason to believe Bill may have betrayed her, but she still feels she owes it to him to find him and bring him home safely.

This quest takes her to "Club Dead" in Jackson, Mississippi, a nightclub for supernaturals. She's accompanied by Alcide Herveaux, a kind, sexy man with a supernatural quirk of his own. There she tries to peek into people's minds, probing for information about Bill. This investigation leads her into a dangerous vampire's lair, as well as into betrayal and heartbreak.   

 

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 4) Sookie is estranged from her former boyfriend, Bill, though things are far from resolved. And her life is becoming much more complicated. She finds a man wandering at the side of the road, half-naked, disoriented and confused. It is none other than the dangerous, sexy vampire Eric. A witch has hexed him, causing him to lose his memory.

Sookie takes him under her wing, keeping him safe until his memory and personality can be restored. He amuses himself, in her house, by watching taped episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And Sookie find this Eric -- gentle, confused, and grateful -- hard to resist.

To make matters worse, Sookie's brother Jason -- her only living family member -- disappears. Jason is not particularly bright, and he's a womanizer to boot. But when he's been gone several days, Sookie starts to worry. Is his kidnapping connected to what happened to Eric? And why are these witches preying on the community?

This novel, which was my favorite in the series, introduced new elements to the story. This includes the nearby town of Hotshot, a small, in-bred community whose residents are all a little "different," which has a rather Lovecraftesque quality. And I loved the way Charlaine Harris blended facets of the rural South which I know and love, in a gently satirical way, into the story. In this passage, Bon Temps residents are searching for Jason:

The search party was the popular activity for the day in Bon Temps. Not only do people like to help in our small town -- but also rumors had inevitably begun circulating about the mysterious wild animal footprint ... most of the men had come armed -- well, actually, most of the men were always armed. Hunting is a way of life around here, the NRA provides most of the bumper stickers, and deer season is like a holy holiday.

I loved this combination of humor, the supernatural, and the quirky, familiar rhythm of small-town Southern life.   

 

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 5) A sniper is pursuing local shape shifters, and for reasons I'd prefer to let you discover for yourself, Sookie's brother Jason is likely to be a prime suspect. Still struggling with her unresolved romantic attachments to vampires Bill and Eric, Sookie is anxious to help solve this mystery before the next full moon, when shape shifters are likely to seek revenge.

She is also worried about her friend Tara, who is involved with a dangerous vampire. And to complicate matters further, she is drawn into a campaign for leader of a werewolf pack, a brutal contest that's likely to be decided by treachery and sheer ruthlessness.

Like all the other books in this series, this novel blends wildly imaginative elements with the details of quotidian life, making it easy to slip into this author's world. And like the rest of the series, it is both disturbing and laugh out loud funny, and it's definitely not for the squeamish.


Rating: 3.5

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is a Tasty Mystery

 

We are transported to the summer of 1950. Eleven-year-old Flavia DeLuce and her two sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, live isolated lives in Buckshaw, a large, crumbling old British mansion in the village of Bishop's Lacey. Their mother died when Flavia was a baby, and their taciturn father rattles around the estate poring over his stamp collection.

In this aloof, eccentric family, each daughter is an autodidact pursuing her own passions. Ophelia is a gifted pianist who also has a weakness for boys and gazing into mirrors. Daphne is an avid bibliophile. Flavia is a blossoming chemist with a rather disturbing fascination with studying and concocting poisons.

Of course, Flavia's expertise comes in handy when a dead man mysteriously appears in the garden, catapulting Flavia into the role of amateur sleuth. Only hours before, she heard a man arguing with her father in his study. They mentioned a killing in the distant past. When her father is arrested by the constable, Flavia feels driven to prove his innocence. This, along with her insatiable curiosity and desire to one-up everyone around her, leads her on a quest to unravel the mystery.

The inspector made a note ... "That's quite understandable," he said. "It must have been rather a shock." I brought to mind the image of the stranger lying there in the first light of dawn: the slight growth of whiskers on his chin, strands of his red hair shifting gently on the faint stirrings of the morning breeze, the pallor, the extended leg, the quivering fingers, that last, sucking breath. And that word, blown into my face ... "Vale!" The thrill of it all! "Yes," I said, "it was devastating."

This is a clever, funny novel, full of witty turns of phrase, literary allusions, and cinematic references. At times, it almost felt too heavily laden with cleverness, and it took me a while to completely get into the book.

When I did, however, I was swept up in the well crafted mystery. It's a straightforward whodunnit, following a conventional pattern with few red herrings and many details and twists I didn't expect. Well done, Alan Bradley!

I was charmed by the quirks of the small English village. It's brought to life through vivid imagery and characters who, while lightly drawn, are interesting and colorful. There are also serious overtones; we feel the shadow of the unspeakable horrors experienced by men returning from World War II. I was particularly fascinated by Flavia, who was a thoroughly unique protagonist. This clever, erudite narrator doesn't speak in the voice of an 11-year-old girl, even a remarkably precocious one. However, swept along by the suspension of disbelief I bring into a mystery, and absorbed in the quirky, Gothic setting, I didn't mind. And in many ways, she does reflect a child's curiosity, spirit, and naivety. She's also a little disturbing at times, though not much more more than the rest of her family.

Anastasia at Birdbrained Book Blog said, in a quote that made me laugh: "Her whole family is weird, but Flavia is a particular shade of weird that reminds me of Willard– like she’s just two degrees and an insult away from becoming a mass murderer." If it weren't for that somewhat Gothic, eccentric nature of the story and characters, and the suspension of disbelief I bring to mysteries and Gothic novels, I might have felt the same way. However, I was drawn in by Flavia's wit, intelligence, and her balance of reckless curiosity and clear-headedness. And I was occasionally reminded that, underneath it all, she's a lonely little girl.

Overall, this is a delightful book and a solid murder mystery. I recommend it to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, period pieces, and eccentric characters. I can guarantee this is an amateur sleuth you won't quickly forget.

Read More Reviews: The Zen Leaf; Reviews by Lola; Birdbrained Book Blog; Beth Fish Reads; Desert Book Chick; Fyrefly's Book Blog

Rating: 4

5- Cherished Favorite	4 - Keep in My Library	3 - Good Read	2 - Meh	1 - Definitely Not For Me