Phryne Fisher is a woman who lives her life the way that she wants and does not apologize for it. Readers may be familiar with her from other books in the long running series. Others may know Phryne from her TV exploits in Miss Fisher’s Mysteries on Acorn TV. Either (or both) ways or even if a reader does not already know her, it is worth while spending time with this protagonist. (Those new to the series do not have to have read the other books but will just have to accept that they do not know all of the characters’ backstories.)
A lot (!) is going on in this book. It opens with a scene that may well jar current sensibilities as an Asian character is called something maybe appropriate to the time of the story but not to our times. Why was this raid done? Was it successful?
At the same time, there are other subplots. Phrnye’s adopted daughters are volunteering at an institute for the blind where someone may indeed be turning a blind eye to discrepancies in the books. Also, why has one of Phryne’s daughter been locked in the music room?
Phrnye find a body (as she tends to). Is this connected to opium pipes that were found in a garden? Who is sending Phryne poisoned pen notes about her personal life (she does have a habit of taking lovers of whom Jeoffrey appears to the the latest)? What is happening with her Asian lover? And to her relationship with police officer Jack?
There are also two women (lovers) who have escaped their institution. Who are they working (and dancing) for?
Will all of these plot lines come together? It will be a test of Ms. Greenwood’s abilities but she has done it before. Follow her lead in 1920s Melbourne where the story takes place. It is an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Samuel Burr has written a lovely book and one that I very much enjoyed. Here is a story about friendship, community, figuring out one’s life and the ways in which life might puzzle us.
The premise is that Pippa, a superb cruciverbalist, wants to form a group for those who love puzzles in all their guises. This leads to the collection of characters and eccentricities that fill these pages.
When Pippa was well past child bearing age, a child was left on her doorstep. He was in a hatbox (pay attention to this). Pippa took on parenting him as did the other fellowship members (each of which has a special talent). The time comes when Clayton, now grown, goes on a quest to learn more about his origins. Readers and he learn much in the process.
Readers will hope for Clayton’s happiness. They may be surprised by some of the details of the story. For example, Pippa adored Danielle Steel and had all of her novels. Her friend Nancy frequently reread them as well. Will this be significant? What other clues will Clayton find as he tries to solve what might be his biggest puzzle?
Anyone who enjoys a touching story should reach for this one. Those who loved The Wishing Game as much as I did will find much to enjoy here as well.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Vintage Anchor-Doubleday for this title. All opinions are my own.
I do note that in the beginning it was a bit difficult to keep the characters straight. Readers can trust that it will all come together and don’t need to worry about this.
This title was published in April 2024.
From the publisher:
READERS GUIDE
Teeming with heart, humor, and lovably eccentric characters, The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a moving, wildly clever, and life-affirming triumph about finding one’s place in the world.
Right up until her death at age ninety-two, life was a fabulous puzzle for crossword doyenne Pippa Allsbrook. The missing piece was Clayton. He’s the infant she found tucked in a hatbox twenty-five years earlier and raised among the brainiest, quirkiest extended family a boy could imagine: the riddlers, jigsaw artists, maze designers, and codebreakers in Pippa’s collective, the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers.
It’s so like Pippa to leave Clayton with one last puzzle: that of his own personal history and the fates that led him to the Fellowship. For Clayton, this is his chance to figure out where in the world he belongs. Clue by clue, he’s also discovering more about Pippa’s past and where his future lies. Like all great puzzles, it won’t be simple. But nothing worth solving ever is. The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a poignant and exuberant debut novel about finding human connections at the crosswords of life.
The following questions are designed to enrich your book club’s discussion of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers and illuminate its themes of family, secrets, and coming of age—no matter how late that might be.
Questions and Topics for Discussion
1. In Pippa’s Fellowship, she found her people. In what ways does the Fellowship mirror the communal experience and commonalities of your own reading group?
2. One of the first challenges for the Fellowship (and for readers) is the cryptogram on page 40. How many of you tried to solve it before reading on? And in what ways does the solution—In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take—reflect the journeys of the characters?
3. On page 5, Pippa describes finding the infant Clayton as “miraculous” and a “solution she’d spent a lifetime searching for.” To what problem in Pippa’s life is his appearance a solution?
4. At first, Clayton bristles at the idea of Pippa’s game “from the beyond the grave” (on page 9) Why does Pippa think Clayton still needs to be challenged?
5. The motto of Pippa, the cryptic queen, is Veni, Vidi, Solvi—I Came, I Saw, I Solved (on page 23). That certainly sums up the Fellowship, but how does it also apply to life?
6. Though brilliantly skilled, Pippa says that in her younger years she always felt invisible. In what ways does establishing the Fellowship finally make her feel seen?
7. The puzzles, mazes, and brain games of the Fellowship aren’t just for enjoyment’s sake; they help, as Pippa says on page 31, to make “sense of the world around us.” How is that true of the word games you yourself indulge in for fun?
8. On the one hand, Clayton is intrigued about following his mother’s clues toward the discovery of his past. That’s understandable. But do you also understand his apprehension?
9. Clayton, having been raised among people considerably older than him, dresses, feels, and acts older than he is. In what ways does he still have growing up to do? Other than his biological parenthood, what aspects of life has he yet to learn and discover?
10. Operating in a man’s world, Pippa took joy in confounding people’s expectations of her. When was the last time you confounded someone else’s expectations? How did it play out for you?
11. One of the reasons for the Fellowship partaking in puzzles is the pleasure of routine. What routines do you have in your life? What are the ones you’re unconscious of? Aware of? And those you can’t imagine living without?
12. Why do you think Clayton has difficulty in making human connections? In your own life, even in this reading group, are you eager to make new connections? Or do you tend to wait for someone else to do the connecting?
13. Clue words during Clayton’s quest include adventures, appearance, dared, anger, remorse, and anew. How did they apply to Clayton in his quest?
14. Ultimately, Pippa just wanted Clayton to find a zest for life. Why did she think he’d lost it? How did she help? In what ways did Clayton help himself on his journey of self-discovery?
15. In the end, Pippa wonders if there is one clear path to happiness or, as Earl the mazemaker puts it on page 321, it’s a matter of “moving forwards or backwards, sideways even.” How true is that of Pippa’s and Clayton’s journeys?
16. Before reading the novel, were you already a “gamer”? Or were the cryptograms, word games, crosswords, mazes, and brain teasers something new for you?
Suggested Reading
Other Recommended Novels Miss Benson’s Beetle, Rachel Joyce The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman River Sing Me Home, Eleanor Shearer A Single Thread, Tracy Chevalier Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus The Book of Secrets, Elizabeth Joy Arnold Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Nonfiction for Further Reading Why We Remember, Charan Ranganath, PhD Attached, Amir Levine, M.D., and Rachel S. F. Heller, M.A. The Charisma Myth, Olivia Fox Cabane Who Do You Think You Are?, Michelle Brock Incognito, David Eagleman
When I was contacted by the publisher with an invitation to read this book, I was over the moon. I had heard about it and was eagerly awaiting its release. It was an immeasurable treat to have early access.
This title offers a series of reflections and conversations between Judi Dench and Brendan O’Hea. Originally written for an archive, the two got the idea to publish a book together, and the reader is so lucky that they made that decision.
Within these pages, readers get to share in Judi’s life and her professional career. Her love for her husband, her daughter and her craft all come across. She is witty, wise, and it was an absolute pleasure to read her words.
Judi Dench and her husband, referred to Shakespeare as the man who pays the rent because they were in so many productions over the years. However, Shakespeare never really became routine for them and Judi brought her best self to every performance.
The first play that is reflected upon is Macbeth. Judi Dench very much views it as a play about the relationship between Lord and Lady Macbeth. She sees the deterioration of their marriage as a true tragedy.
Included here are Dench’s thoughts on nineteen plays interspersed with other reflections. A couple of examples of these are Company and Fireside Ramblings.
For anyone who admires Judi Dench or who wants to more deeply understand the bard, this book is a must read. I adored it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
I have enjoyed every novel that I have read by Ms. Reay beginning with Dear Mr. Knightley. She wrote several Austen adjacent books that were fun reads and has also written novels in other genres. Every book has offered an immersive read.
The English Masterpiece drew me right in. I loved the art world background, protagonist Lily, and the mystery around that Picasso. I also very much liked that readers entered Lily’s world and got to know her family.
Diana made for an interesting foil to Lily. She saw something in Lily and promoted her despite their rather different backgrounds. Diana is extremely upset and rattled by something Lily says at an exhibition opening. Will these two come to terms?
Will it turn out that Lily is correct about a painting’s provenance? Will she be able to continue to do the work that she loves?
Those who enjoy historical fiction set in the more recent past, stories about art, and those who are both new and old readers of this author will enjoy this story in my opinion. I most definitely recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 10 June 2025
Description
“Art . . . London . . . Seventies Glam . . . Yesss, please. The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay has ALL the goodies–especially for historical fiction lovers and art aficionados . . . Buckle your seatbelt as all hell breaks loose.” –Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author of The Goddess of Warsaw
Set in the art world of 1970s London, The English Masterpiece is a fast-paced read to the end, full of glamour and secrets, tensions and lies, as one young woman races against the clock to uncover the truth about a Picasso masterpiece. Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Ariel Lawhon.
As the recently promoted assistant to the Tate’s Modern Collections keeper Diana Gilden, Lily helps plan a world-class Picasso exhibit to honor the passing of the great artist–and she’s waited her whole life for this moment. The opening is beyond anyone’s expectations–the lighting, the champagne, the glittering crowd, and the international acclaim–until Lily does the unthinkable. She stops in front of a masterpiece and hears her own voice say, “It’s a forgery.” The gallery falls silent.
Lily’s boss, Diana, is polished perfection, schooled in art, and descends from European high society. She’s worked hard to become the trusted voice in London’s modern art scene and respected across the Continent. The Tate’s Picasso Commemorative is to be her crowning achievement, featuring not only the artist’s most iconic and intimate works, but a newly discovered painting–one she advised an investor to purchase. But when Lily makes her outrageous declaration, suspicion and scandal threaten everything Diana has achieved, as museums and collectors across Europe, already doubting most post-war acquisitions, fall into chaos and rumors of a world-wide forgery run wild.
All Lily has ever wanted is to follow in Diana’s footsteps and take the art world by storm in her own right. Yet one comment puts not only her own career at risk but also her mentor’s. Unless . . . Was she right? With the clock ticking and the clues starting to pile up against her, Lily must uncover the truth behind the Picasso before she loses not only the career she’s always wanted, but her freedom.
Block off your calendar and lose yourself in The English Masterpiece, a thrilling read that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end from the author who brought you The London House and The Berlin Letters.
From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
‘A taut and thrilling game of cat and mouse ensues in Katherine Reay’s THE ENGLISH MASTERPIECE, a story of reality, illusion, and imposters set in the winding streets of seventies London. Reay is a master at the top of her game!’ — Bryn Turnbull, author of THE BERLIN APARTMENT
‘An exhibit honoring the recently deceased Picasso and an alleged forgery at the Tate sets the stage for this historical page-turner. Just when you think the stakes couldn’t get any higher Reay ratchets up the tension even more. With an eye for the telling details, this author transports the reader back to London in the 1970s. Art lovers and historical fiction fans alike will find this book impossible to put down.’ — Renee Rosen, USA TODAY bestselling author of LET’S CALL HER BARBIE
In my opinion, Anna Quindlen is one of the premiere practitioners of the art of deeply felt domestic fiction. In After Annie, she once again goes deep into the heart and soul of a family, one that is facing loss and all that entails.
Annie was a mother to four children, all of whom counted on her, taking her for granted in the ways that children do. Her sudden, seemingly unpreventable death from an aneurysm at a young age, is the catalyst that deeply affects these children, her husband and her best friend.
Readers find out more about Annie as they spend time with those around her. Her daughter, Ali, is forced to grow up, her husband falters, and her best friend faces a renaissance of old issues. Will these folks who were left behind be able to move forward? Will they be okay? How will Annie continue to be a presence in their lives? Find out in this work of literary fiction that is as good as anything the author has written (and that is high praise).
Note: Anyone who has experienced a recent loss may find this book both difficult and worth reading
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
I liked the first book that I read by Tessa Bickers so was delighted to receive an early copy of this title. Once again, this author has written a book that was easy to read and enjoy.
Not everyone may feel that getting up before dawn is something to be lauded. However both Daisy and Tom are generally out on the bus before daylight, and each finds this time before London fully awakens for the day to be special.
Daisy is on her way to her job as an entertainment reporter. Tom is trying to get over his heartbreak and wants to be out of his flat. There he is on the bus, always reading Orlando by Virginia Woolf while Daisy is generally scrolling on her phone. When they get off the bus one day, and Daisy is threatened, Tom comes to her rescue and the two talk as Tom walks Daisy to her job.
From this beginning, Daisy and Tom find things to offer one another. Daisy will comb Orlando to try to figure out why the book was so important to Tom’s ex and if this book led to their breakup. For his part, Tom offers to photograph Daisy’s upcoming wedding.
There is a problem however, as it is possible that neither should really be with the ones that they were with. How will things play out? Will Daisy and Tom find their way to one another? Find out in these pages.
Tessa Bickers offers a good read here.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 19 May 2026
Post first published on 10 April 2026
Description:
from the publisher
One book. Two strangers. An unforgettable journey as they rewrite the ending.
Daisy Douglas has spent her life behind the scenes: at work, in her relationships, and now, in planning a wedding she isn’t sure she even wants. As an entertainment journalist, she can spot the start of a story a mile away. So when her routine 4 a.m. bus ride to the newsroom takes a surprising turn, she notices.
For months, the same man has boarded at the same stop, reading the same tattered copy of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando over and over as if his life depends on it. When a broken-down bus and a shared walk through the quiet early-morning London streets finally throws them together, Tom reveals the heartbreaking truth as to why he can’t be without his novel.
Determined to help him find the answer to the riddle hidden in its pages, Daisy joins Tom on his strange literary quest—one that leads them to places neither of them ever expected. But as their friendship deepens, she starts to wonder if what they’re both looking for might not be in the book after all.
This book is geared to kids between the ages of four to seven. It is visually appealing and colorful. The goal is to help kids to learn 101 sight words. If children stick with this title, that goal will be achieved.
Note that this is a workbook and the way that the exercises are set up may start to feel repetitive to some children. Some kids will love that predictability while others may be a bit bored.
Kids will color and trace a word and then look for it in a sea of fish or complete a sentence, look for the word in a small grid or write a sentence in these exercises. The end of the book includes some larger word searches and coloring activities.
This book would make an excellent book for review over the summer months.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 07 July 2026
Description
Dive into reading success with an exciting underwater adventure that transforms learning 101 essential sight words into the ultimate treasure hunt!
My First Learn-to-Read Sight Words Workbook takes young readers on an ocean exploration where every page brings new discoveries and reading victories. This comprehensive 144-page workbook turns learning into play with engaging exercises that help kids learn to read with confidence. Designed for beginner readers from Pre-School up, this activity-packed adventure combines hands-on games, treasure map word searches, underwater coloring activities, and pirate code-breaking challenges to reinforce the most important high-frequency words.
Each page is designed to keep kids motivated, moving, and learning—whether they’re following treasure map paths to trace words, solving deep-sea puzzles, coloring coral reef word hunts, or decoding the pirate’s secret messages. With delightful ocean-themed illustrations featuring friendly sea creatures and a clear, encouraging tone, this workbook makes mastering sight words feel like an exciting underwater quest—not homework.
Organized into four progressive levels, children advance as they build their reading skills. Perfect for use at home or in the classroom, this book offers a fun and engaging way to build foundational reading skills through repetition, recognition, and joyful practice.
I have read and enjoyed novels by Barbara Kingsolver and so was both excited and intrigued to see that she was publishing a book of poems. I read about this volume in an interview with the author that said her poetry was personal and could not have been put out into the world earlier in her life.
The poems themselves cover many topics. The first section, aptly in view of the title of this collection, is all about how to…how to Have a Child, Cure Sweet Potatoes, Survive This and more. There are a number of other sections as well.
The poems can, of course, be read in any order. I loved many of them. There is a life wisdom that Ms. Kingsolver has acquired and shares; take part in it. Read this title.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I have long been curious about the gardens at Madoo (translated as My Dove according to the author). Now, I have had a glorious virtual visit and cannot wait to visit this special place in person.
This beautifully photographed book is organized by sections on the property. A few of these include The Summer House, The Pompeian Court, The Long Border, The Summer Lawn, and also The Maze, The Sunken Terrace and the Yellow Arch (all in one section). Readers see both outdoor and indoor aspects of the property.
In addition to the photos, there is art work by Robert Dash. He is the one who brought this abandoned property to life and there is material that he,himself, wrote in these pages. Others have also contributed to this title.
Armchair and dedicated gardeners will both find much to enjoy in these pages. Those who live close enough to visit will surely want to. Those who can’t will be happy to have had a virtual visit.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Timber Press for this title. All thoughts are my own.
Pub date: 16 June 2026
Description:
from the publisher
A portrait of an iconoclastic garden in the Hamptons where painter, poet, and self-taught horticulturist Robert Dash created an eclectic plant paradise and a literary and arts salon.
During the 1960s, painter, poet, and gardener Robert Dash set out to create a haven where art and the garden existed in tandem. What began as a fallow farm field over time became a beloved public garden and Hamptons treasure that TheNew York Times has called an “ever-changing masterpiece.” Madoo is a living tribute to this eclectic, beautiful place. Sumptuously photographed by Tria Giovan, the book is filled with stunning images of interiors and gardens, archival pieces illustrating Madoo’s early days, paintings and drawings by Robert Dash, and essays from contributors who have witnessed its evolution. Madoo appeals to a broad range of readers infatuated with American culture, the gardens of artists, and the enduring appeal of the Hamptons. “Madoo,” which is Old Scots for “my dove,” was both Dash’s personal haven and a forum for collaborative, creative discourse and critique, marked by the arcadian confluence of art, music, literature, and poetry. It was also a refuge for many famous artists and poets—John Ashbery, Fairfield Porter, Willem de Kooning, James Schuyler, and others—who spent time at Madoo, were deeply inspired by it, and often referenced it in their work.
Since the mid-1960s, Robert Dash has been regarded as an accomplished painter for his depictions of a now all-but-vanished Hamptons landscape. His work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, Yale University, and the University of Missouri’s Fine Arts Building and is included in the collections of the Modern Art Museum in Munich, the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Arts, and more. His archive of poetry and garden writings was acquired by Yale University’s Beinecke Library in 2011.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 