The Dark Flood Rises - Margaret Drabble

The Dark Flood Rises - Margaret Drabble

She Read

I’m not a huge fan of Margaret Drabble’s, but I did enjoy this book.  It is very literary and a bit of a slog to get through. I liked the characters and thought the reflections on aging were spot on. Although the effects of age and one’s mortality are ever present, the book was more comforting than depressing. Not a lot of action…just the ever passing on of everyday time and life. 

Anything is Possible - Elizabeth Strout

Anything is Possible - Elizabeth Strout

She read

Fans of Elizabeth Strout will be delighted with this new collection of loosely linked stories.  All of the characters have in common that they were familiar with the young Lucy Barton (My Name is Lucy Barton) as she grew up in a small midwestern town and now weave in and out of each others’ lives.   Strout is a gifted writer whose characters are beautifully drawn and her poignant observations of life are right on.  This book can be enjoyed on its own, but I think it my be more meaningful if one has read My Name is Lucy Barton. 

The Cutaway - Christina Kovac

The Cutaway - Christina Kovac

She read

This is a mystery from the perspective of a television news producer/investigative journalist. In addition to the main plot line described in the book synopsis, office relationships, the effect of family history on current characters’ functioning and the precarious position of tv news in today’s world are all subplots.  There are some twists, but as I was reading felt the story and characters to be somewhat flat; there was just something missing to connect with.

I thought the author was a little sloppy in pulling it all together as the mystery climaxed, but it moved along at a good pace, held my attention and I didn’t want to put it down.  I believe this is the author’s first novel.  It’s a good debut and I look forward to more from her. 

One Perfect Lie - Lisa Scottoline

One Perfect Lie - Lisa Scottoline

She read

I enjoy Scottoline’s writing and have read all of her books featuring attorney Bennie Rosato.  This is outside of that series and with it, Scottoline has hit a home run! The development of all the various characters is excellent.  There is good insight into the mind of a (non sexual) predator and a twist (well more than one) that has you guessing and makes you not want to put down the book until the end.  As a bonus, you even learn a little about our government! The climax was a little over the top, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.  Be prepared to read this book well into the night……

Heartbreak Hotel - Jonathan Kellerman

Heartbreak Hotel - Jonathan Kellerman

She read

I am a fan of Kellerman's Alex Delaware series and this is his 32nd. You do not have to have read all the prior ones, but familiarity with characters is part of the charm of reading this series.  I enjoyed this one, as I have just about all of the others except for the one where it got a little supernatural.

Conviction - Julia Dahl

Conviction - Julia Dahl

She read

Julia Dahl has written two other books in the Rebekah Roberts series.  Rebekah is a journalist (alright, she works for a tabloid!) who seems to find cases to investigate that involve the Orthodox Jewish community as well as the wider community in New York.   There is good character development, the story moves along quickly, and held my interest throughout as the plot moved back and forth between the time right after the Crown Heights riots in the early 1990s and present (2014) time. I enjoyed this book and when I find the time, will go back and read the prior in the series.  I don't think that not having read the previous two books negatively affected my reading of this one.

Mangrove Lightning - Randy Wayne White

Mangrove Lightning - Randy Wayne White

She read.

This is the 24th in the prolific Doc Ford series written by White. I've read a few of his other books; if this had been the first one, I probably would have never read another.  Perhaps fans of his will enjoy the story, but I found it to be a bit of a jumble.  There is a subplot second story that never really seems to go anywhere, just adding to the muddle.  While I did enjoy some of the history of the southwest Florida area, this was not a pleasant story and a bit too misogynist and fragmented for me.