Month: May 2023

What does it mean to be: The Nigerwife (by Vanessa Walters)

I very much enjoyed this suspenseful novel that catapults the reader into the world of the ex-pat Niger wives and those around them. It is a lifestyle of opulence, a huge clothing budget, parties, clubs…and some missing wives.

What has happened to Nicole? Married to Tonye and the mother of two children, she disappears one day (as did a friend of hers previously). Her husband does not seem overly concerned but a relative from London is. She flies to Lagos to try to get to the bottom of things. It will be tricky and along the way some dirty laundry will come to light. Readers will avidly follow along with Claudine as she investigates and observes. Readers also learn more about Nicole and her life before she was gone.

For those who enjoy suspense stories and who would like to travel to moneyed Nigeria (from your chair), I highly recommend this one. It was a good read..

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 02 May 2023

NOTE: THIS TITLE IS A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK

From the Publisher

The Nigerwife
The Nigerwife
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R.F. Kuang’s Novel “Yellowface” Is a Brutal Satire of Publishing, and the Industry Loves It – The New York Times

In “Yellowface,” R.F. Kuang draws on her own experiences to tackle issues like cultural appropriation and representation. “I hate the feeling of being read just because somebody’s trying to tick off a diversity check box,” she says.
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2023/05/12/books/yellowface-rf-kuang.html

Can you decipher: The Twyford Code (by Janice Hallett)

I devoured this author’s first book, The Appeal. It was told in a series of documents, had a wide cast of characters and a terrific plot. I am happy to say that The Twyford Code is a most worthy successor to that title.

Once again, the author takes an idiosyncratic approach. This time much of the story is told through a series of audio tape transcripts. Some transcribed well, others less so, giving room for questions and ambiguity.

The book’s narrator has had a hard life, including time in prison. Understanding events from the past motivate the (unreliable?) narrator.

When he was younger, he was in a remedial reading class with some other students (who will be met in these pages). One day, Steve took a book that he found on the bus \, rather than turning it in. His teacher recognizes it and feels a connection, a strong one, to it. And so, things go from here.

Who was the author of this book? What was its significance? What happened to the teacher? Settle in for a satisfying read with this title as the story unfolds.

On another level, this book points to the glories of literacy. Reading opens worlds and nothing can replace that in my opinion.

In a starred review, Publishers Weekly observes: Filled with numerous clues, acrostics, and red herrings, this thrilling scavenger hunt for the truth is delightfully deceptive and thoroughly immersive.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for this title. All opinions are my own.

This title was published in January 2023

From the Publisher

The Twyford Code
The Twyford Code
The Twyford Code
The Twyford CodeThe Twyford CodeThe Twyford Code
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