Foster - Claire Keegan

 Foster - Claire Keegan

She read

I read Keegan’s novella Small Things Like These and thought it a very worthwhile read so I was very happy to see this offering on NetGalley.  It was the winner of the Davy Byrnes Memorial Prize.

This very short novella finds a young girl sent to live with a relative in rural Ireland while her mother gives birth to yet another child.  Her family is poor and she has not received a lot of care or attention.Nervous about this new living situation and not knowing what to expect or when she can return home, she finds nurturing, caring adults taking care of her.  She learns a secret about this couple that explains some things.  When she has to return to her family, 

This is a sweet, yet heartbreaking story.  Beautifully written, you will find yourself warming to this waif of a child and the couple who foster her. Keegan paints a vivid picture of rural farming as well as the nearby coast.  The affecting, bittersweet ending will stay with you for a while.  

Thanks to #netgalley and #groveatlantic for the ARC.

*****

The Light Pirate - Lily Brooks-Dalton

 The Light Pirate - Lily Brooks-Dalton

Release date: Dec. 6, 2022

She read

Born during a hurricane that took her mother and step brother and named for it, Wanda, over her lifetime, is witness to the climatic obliteration of the state of Florida, while step brother Lucas sees the destruction on the west and east coast of the United States. Told in four parts, harnessing the elements of power, water, light, and time, the loss of the world as we know it is chronicled in Wanda’s story. 

I typically do not choose futuristic dystopian novels. This one, however,  intrigued me.  I live on an island in south Florida.  I have seen what was once a popular beach filled with lounge chairs and cabanas become a sodden mud hole, flooded during high tides. And, we are still reeling down here from the massive destruction of hurricane Ian.

Beautifully written and exquisitely detailed, Brooks-Dalton presents a futuristic horror that is all too real.  The beauty and the violence that is both Florida and nature is a repeated theme. Feel the intolerable heat; experience the ever present and rising water. As the novel focused on the survival of those few who chose to stay, it slowed a bit, but was still a fascinating read.  This is a book that will stay with you for a long time. 

Thanks to #netgalley and #grandcentralpublishing for the ARC.

*****

Two additional comments: 1. This is a futuristic horror that is all too real but what can we expect when we have had a governor who forbade his staff from using the words “climate change” and Floridians rewarded him by sending him onto the Senate? You reap what you sow . 2. Wanda seems to have a magical power involving light. I’m not a fan of magical powers in a novel, but  pay attention to Phyllis’ explanation of this as it relates to bacteria in the water….an all too real effect of the storms down here.  

The Forever Witness - Edward Humes

The Forever Witness - Edward Humes

She read

Publication Date: November 29, 2022

 This is a true account of how a 1987 cold case involving the murder of two young Canadians on a road trip in the state of Washington was solved thirty years later by a dogged detective with the assistance of DNA and genetic genealogy.

Humes details the trip the two victims made, the search for them, and the years long investigation.  He reports on the limited capabilities of forensics in the 1980s and 90s, along with the progression of advances in the analysis of DNA.  Insight is given into how a cold case detective works in identifying suspects.  While focusing primarily on this case, there is exploration into additional cases using forensic genealogy. 

A well written, engrossing, fast read,  Humes writes with humanity in talking about the young couple and their families. Some might find the book over detailed when describing the victims, the trial, the forensic science; I did not. He explains the science and controversy behind DNA matching in criminal investigations in an easily understandable manner.  

I enjoyed Humes mention of the queen of true crime novels, Ann Rule.  I have always enjoyed her books and found this one to be similar. Fans of true crime podcasts and shows such as Dateline will particularly enjoy this book.

*****

Thanks to #netgalley and #Dutton for the ARC

Murder at Black Oaks - Phillip Margolin

 Murder at Black Oaks - Phillip Margolin

She read

Release Date: Nov. 8, 2022

This is the sixth in the attorney Robin Lockwood series.  It is the third I have read. It would work well as a standalone. 

In 1990, district attorney Francis Melville successfully prosecutes Jose Alvarez for a murder and Alvarez is sentenced to death. A few years later, as the result of a privileged attorney-client communique, Melville learns who the real  killer is.  After the death of the guilty party, Melville asks Portland Oregon’s Robin Lockwood to help exonerate Alvarez.  All meetings with Melville take place at his desolate home, Black Oaks.  A replica of a 17th century English estate, it comes with a long sordid history and a curse. 

I have always liked Margolin’s books, and this one is no exception although it is somewhat different in that it includes a bit of spookiness and monsters.  As I read it, I  was reminded of  Agatha Christie’s stories.  Margolin acknowledged that attribution when a character said that they felt they were in an Agatha Christie novel. There were also mentions of werewolves and a hint of Frankenstein!  What fun!  

This was a quick, enjoyable read.  There are parallel stories to the main plot, something that seems to be a feature of the Lockwood series.  The one point that bothered me, though, was that I thought there was a flawed premise behind the unveiling of the motive of a killer in one of the side stories.  I don’t want to say any more about that lest I reveal a spoiler. 

Note:This was an ARC.  In some descriptions of the book, Melville has a different name (Hardy).

Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress #minotaurbooks  for the ARC



****

The Family Game - Catherine Steadman

 The Family Game - Catherine Steadman

She read

Harriet, who has just published a wildly successful novel, has emigrated to the United States to be with the love of her life, Edward. Edward comes from a very wealthy “old money” family from whom he has been estranged. The family hopes that Harriet will bring Edward back into the fold. But, they are a family who likes dangerous games, starting with a tape that the patriarch gives her.  Will Harriet succeed at the games and will her long held secret remain just that….secret? 

A lot of readers really liked this book.  I liked the atmospheric writing and enjoyed that it was a quick, engrossing read.  However, I thought the storyline a bit much.  There is a saying “the rich are different”.  Are they really THAT different?  As the action spirals downward to the ending, which was not a surprise, I felt the entire story deteriorated.  And don’t get me started on Harriet’s careless treatment of the tape.

I have to point out that I am a reader who does not like to suspend belief when I read.  Those who are comfortable doing this will probably like the book much more than I did. I have enjoyed Steadman’s books in the past and will certainly seek out her next one.

Thanks to #netgalley and #ballentinebooks for the ARC.

***

The Last Chairlift - John Irving

The Last Chairlift - John Irving

He and she read

 Spanning 80 years, this is the memoir of Adam, a writer and his eccentric extended family.  He had an unusual childhood and throughout his life is surrounded by some vivid characters.   I can’t possibly summarize this sprawling book in a brief review.

There is humor and horror.  It is disturbing; it is  poignant; it is infuriating. Fans of Irving will recognize some of his favorite settings and themes. As Adam’s life unfolds, Irving chronicles political and cultural events of the times. 

The book is very long…more than 900 pages and there is a lot of repetition. Part of it is written as a screenplay. Initially, I read all day and hadn’t even made a dent in the story.  I felt as though it were a chore to get through it until I changed my tactic.  I spent a set allotment each day to take my time to read just a few chapters while also reading other faster paced books at other times during the day. That way I was able to savor the writing rather than being frustrated by seeming to be going nowhere.

Thanks to @netgalley and @simonandSchuster for the ARC.

****

A Heart Full of Headstones - Ian Rankin

A Heart Full of Headstones - Ian Rankin

She read

 This is #24 in the Inspector John Rebus series; it is the second one I have read, having only recently discovered  Ian Rankin’s Tartan noir works. Scotland is just coming out of Covid lockdown and the retired, ill Rebus is in jail on charges of murder.  How did he get here and is this end of him? The actions leading up to this arrest expose the underbelly of the Edinburgh crime scene as well as police corruption.

Well written and fast moving, the plot is a bit complex and there are a lot of characters.  It took a while for me to get them straight in my mind.   I think it would have helped in understanding some of them had I read more than just one prior novel in the series.  

Fans of Rankin’s John Rebus will enjoy this latest installment. For those just being introduced to it, you might want to go back and read some of the prior novels.  

Thanks to @netgalley and @Littlebrown for the arc

****