The Widow - K. L. Slater
She read
This is the second book I have read by K.L. Slater. The plot was intriguing and it was a fast, “I don’t want to put it down” read. The author portrayed a good sense of small village living and her descriptions evocative: I could feel the cold and the rain! Twists and turns and vibrant characters.
****
The Drowning Girls - Lisa Regan
She read
Publication Date: Dec. 10, 2021
I like Lisa Regan’s Josie Quinn detective series and look forward to each new release; I have read 6 of them.
Still mourning the death of her beloved grandmother (in the 11th book), Josie is stronger in this the 13th of the series. All of the familiar supporting family and work characters are here. Although the plot is a bit convoluted, this is another fast, engrossing read. Unfortunately for Josie, aspects of the case remind her of her abusive upbringing and she must cope with some break through reactions while still conducting the case.
I always appreciate revisiting the repeating characters in Josie’s life. Although this would work as a stand alone, I think it will be appreciated more by those who have read others in the series and are familiar with Josie’s personal story.
If you like well written police procedurals/thrillers, and are not familiar with Lisa Regan, I would recommend her. I can’t wait for the next one!
****
Autopsy - Patricia Cornwell
She read
Publication date: Nov 30, 2021
I used to read the Kay Scarpetta novels faithfully but lost interest as I thought the writing style declined over time and felt the last one I read years ago was barely intelligible. I always enjoyed the characters, but the decline in language and grammar really turned me off.
This twenty fifth in the series sees Kay returning to her earlier professional roots and is certainly better written than the last one I read. I do like her character, as well as the supporting individuals in her life. However, there was a lot of time spent on a subplot that, while interesting, just fizzled out. Reading it, I started to wonder, “what other book have I wandered into?”. I almost felt as though it were just a page filler.
The ending seemed rushed with some actions not explained well. So much time was spent on activities not necessarily related to the story and then things were tied up very quickly. I usually have a feeling of satisfaction after finishing a book. Here, I just felt cheated.
Fans of the Scarpetta series will no doubt enjoy this read….it just left me kind of “meh”. However, it did not turn me off to Cornwell’s writing and I will certainly seeking out the next novel.
****
Stolen Ones - Angela Marsons
She read
This is the fifteenth in the D.I. Kim Stone series and the first one I have read. I am sorry that I haven’t read any of the others because I think I would have enjoyed this one more had I. The characters are well known to fans of this series, but I didn’t feel they were at all developed reading it as a standalone. I have read a number of other singletons from a series and felt they worked well as a standalones; this one did not.
Although the plot was decent and it is a solid police procedural, I felt I missed a lot by not knowing the background or personalities of the main players. I did not like the main character, Kim, at all and, again, feel that might be because I didn’t have much knowledge of her. I thought the analysis of body language during interviewing a suspect very interesting. There are two story lines, the second one involving sociopath Dr. Alex Thorne, it seems, sets itself up for the next in the series. I did not like this story line as much as the main one and don’t look forward to reading more about it!
I did find it amusing that Noelle Holten, a well known blogger in the UK and author herself, was the name given to a very minor character in jail for murder!
****
The Dark Hours - Michael Connelly
She read and he is reading it
Whenever I read a book by Michael Connelly, I am reminded of what a good writer he is and how much I enjoy his work. This is no exception. I was totally engrossed in the story; didn’t want to put it down. I really liked how he tapped into the “spirit” of 2020 with Covid and all the issues surrounding police. And, Bosch is my favorite Connelly character; so glad he played a major role in the story.
If you are not familiar with any of Connelly’s works, I highly recommend him to anyone who likes police procedurals and good writing.
This is book 4 of the series; I can’t wait for the next one in the series. It does work as a standalone, although do yourself a favor and go back and read the other three.
*****
Mercy - David Baldacci
She read
Publication Date: Nov. 16, 2021
I think I am just about over Baldacci….his stories more and more strain credibility and I am not one for fantasy. From the very beginning, Atlee connecting with her biological father who offers his private jet, Porsche SUV, and unlimited credit card in her search for Mercy (also his biological daughter) was a bit much for me….and then it got worse!
This is a fast read. Some parts were VERY fast for me as descriptions of two women cage fighting and other violence are not at all appealing to me and I skipped more than skimmed over it.
There is brutality and incredulity. Despite that, Baldacci does spin an intriguing tale and I couldn’t put the book down!
If you are OK with the aforementioned traits and like Baldacci or action packed novels, you will like this.
Our Country Friends - Gary Shteyngart
He and she read
Shteyngart captures the zeitgeist of 2020 … the pandemic, racial issues, the political split, the immigrant experience, white supremacy, the dangers of social media. There is humor, some absurdity; some satire, some farce. I thought parts were brilliant, other sections I just wanted to skim over.
Is this THE pandemic novel as some tout it? I don’t think so, but it is certainly an important contribution to this body of literature. I recently read another pandemic novel by another noted author which is soon to be released. While Our Country Friends is more intellectual, worldlier, perhaps wittier and both address the delusional aspects of Covid, I felt the other novel to be much more readable.
He is in the middle of reading it also and, so far, really likes it....
Murder at Greysbridge - Andrea Carter
She read
This is the fourth of Inishowen series featuring Solicitor Benedicta O’Keeffe of
County Donegal. It is the first one I have read and I am glad I discovered this little gem. The comparison to Miss Marple and description as a “cozy”mystery I read in some reviews almost put me off. While there was not a lot of overt action and certainly there was tea, I thought it a step up from cozy mysteries and Ben is certainly no elderly spinster doddering around.
The murders do not occur until one quarter through the book. What occurs instead is good character development and wonderful atmospheric descriptions of Greysbridge Hotel, the Irish seaside, and the nearby island. As the plot develops, what may initially seem like a very simple case has much more to it.
While this is part of a series, it worked fine as a standalone although I would have liked to know more about the death of Ben’s sister. There are references to that case and the perpetrator, but it is never explained or summarized. At the conclusion, some life decisions for Ben are left hanging and now I can’t wait until the next book to find out the resolutions.
****
The Bookseller of Dachau - Shari Ryan
She read
It seems I’ve read a lot of World War II novels lately. Many of them have been written with various, unique foci and some have also had dual timelines, as did this one. I loved The Bookseller of Dachau. The idea of presenting the atrocities of Nazism along with the pain and joy of discovering lost relatives years later worked well.
Although perhaps a little fairy talish, it was well written, engrossing, and touching. The story tugged many heart strings; the pain and suffering experienced during World War II and the discovery of lost relatives. Lest you think it was a downer, it was not. There are many positive human emotions here as well.
Having, during my adult years discovered the family of a grandmother I thought was lost to me, despite much searching by my parents, I thought Grace’s persistence and feelings were quite realistic.
I have frequently commented on the plethora of World War II historical fiction (see above!) written now. It is important though for them to continue to be written and read, especially by younger generations. We need to never forget man’s inhumanity to man and atrocities committed in the name of hate. And we need to be sensitive to the dangers of cult like figures, hatred, and how easy it is for the unthinkable to become reality or a nation to be led astray.
