I love to read, recommend books and open the world of reading to others. I tutor to ensure that the next generation of readers will know the joys of a good book because their reading skills have improved. I am an avid reader, especially of mysteries and fiction. I believe that two of the world's greatest inventions were the public library and eyeglasses!
This is a wonderful historical novel based upon the Book Women who delivered library materials to those in the out of the way sections of Kentucky. The book women were part of a program started by President Roosevelt under the WPA.
There are many book women in Troublesome Creek, Kentucky but the protagonist of the novel is the unforgettable Cussy. Cussy speaks in dialect which helps the reader to fully enter into her world. Cussy faces special challenges because she is the last of the ‘blues.’ There really were blue-skinned people in America as a supplement at the back of the novel attests. They were objects of curiosity and also of prejudice, just as was the case for the African American population.
Cussy wants to be independent both before and after her disastrous short term marriage. And yet, what will happen with patron Jackson who is one of the few to call Cussy by name, rather than the derogatory Bluet?
Cussy’s love of books flows through the novel. There are references to books that were popular at the time, including those by Steinbeck and Rex Stout. Cussy’s inventiveness in making books and delivering what her patrons need is impressive.
The landscape of rural Kentucky, the small towns, the mines, the mountains are all well described. Each patron that Cussy visits has a back story and readers will even come to learn more about the mule who transports her.
If you are a reader who enjoys historical fiction set in the U.S., consider this one. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Sourcebooks, for this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have been reading books by Elizabeth George ever since her very first which was titled A Great Deliverance. I found many of the books to be quite excellent and hard to put down. Others have been “misses” for me. This title is somewhere in the middle.
What I liked:
I enjoyed spending time with the many characters whom I had gotten to know in the earlier books. These include Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers who have investigated numerous crimes together (although I think that the class differences may be overplayed. Also, is Britain so formal that after all this time, Barbara never calls Lynley by first name, even when away from work and a guest in his house?) There are also members of Tommy’s family in these pages and it was nice to see them.
Other characters that I was glad to see included Daidre (a one time love interest of Tommy. She has a significant back story) and Bea (another detective who has a lot going on in her personal life).
I liked the setting in Cornwall. Here readers get to spend time at Lynley’s ancestral home. It is in need of a serious cash infusion.
What I liked less:
The book is very long at 640 pages and, I think, could have used some editing.
Not spoilers because readers learn this early on (but skip if concerned).
Three male characters are involved with women who are significantly younger than they are. Yes, comparisons can be made but it seems unnecessary to me to have this plot repeat.
I did not find many of the characters likeable.
I wish that I had cared more for the victim.
Final comments:
I spent a lot of time reading this book. I wish that I had liked it more. I hope that George’s next book will be better as I will almost definitely pick it up.
If any blog readers, read this one, I would love to know your thoughts
From the publisher:
Description:
from the publisher
A new and highly anticipated Inspector Lynley TV series releasing this fall from BritBox
Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers and Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley are back in the next Lynley novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth George.
Michael Lobb has just been found dead on the floor of his family’s tin & pewter workshop. It’s suspicious enough that his body was found by a representative of Cornwall EcoMining, a company keen on acquiring his family’s land, and it’s made even worse when he’s revealed to have been the majority owner of the business and the sole obstacle preventing a deal from being made. But it doesn’t take long for Inspector Beatrice Hannaford to unearth the layers of estrangement that surrounded Michael in his final days, pointing suspicions elsewhere. In comes Kayla, a young woman half Michael’s age, who has just been made his widow.
Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers are brought in to help solve the crime and search for justice in a community where lust, greed, and family traditions collide with devastating consequences.
Editorial reviews:
Praise for A Slowly Dying Cause and Elizabeth George
“George again delivers a winner…this is George at her best; she delivers a stunning must-read for Lynley fans new and old.” —Booklist (starred review)
“Plenty of intriguing twists and turns that will leave the reader guessing. Trademark George, with a satisfying resolution that’s a long time coming.” —Kirkus Review
“[George] is an essential writer of popular fiction today.” —The Washington Post
“[George is] one of the reigning queens of the genre.” —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Elizabeth George is a superstar of the crime-fiction world.” —The Seattle Times
“It’s tough to resist the pull of [George’s] storytelling once hooked.” —USA Today
“George can do it all, with style to spare.” —The Wall Street Journal
“[Lynley is] one of the greatest character portraits in contemporary crime fiction.” —The Boston Globe
The book is, also as ever, too long by a quarter, but it’s got plenty of intriguing twists and turns that will leave the reader guessing. Trademark George, with a satisfying resolution that’s a long time coming. Kirkus Reviews
The author:
from Amazon
Elizabeth George is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one psychological suspense novels, five young adult novels, two books of nonfiction, and two short-story collections. Her work has been honored with the Anthony and Agatha awards, two Edgar nominations, and both France’s and Germany’s first prize for crime fiction. She lives in Washington State.
Ann Cleeves is the author of many wonderful mystery series. She is, perhaps, best known for Vera but my favorites are the Jimmy Perez titles. Note that there are also series featuring the bird watchers named Palmer, and the Inspector Ramsays which were earlier and the more recent Matthew Venn books.
When Wild Fire was published, I thought that was the last time that I would read about Jimmy. I was sad about that so imagine how thrilled I was when I heard about this new title. When I received it from NetGalley, I was ecstatic.
Readers do not have to have read the other books to enjoy this one but whether the earlier entries are read before or after this one, they will offer readers a lot of pleasure. I recommend them all.
The story picks up with Jimmy and pregnant Willow who are now living and working in Orkney, whereas they had earlier been in Shetland. This gives them a fresh start but they will feel very much the same to fans of the books who will enjoy catching up with the couple and their young son.
This time, there is a lot of history about Orkney and an archaeological dig is an important setting in the story. When the first murder occurs, it is very personal to Jimmy as the victim is someone with whom he grew up. Jimmy is challenged to maintain his objectivity while also mourning. He needs to interview Archie’s wife Vaila and her parents among others. The killings do not stop at one murder. Readers can trust that Jimmy and Willow will work very hard to restore peace and order.
The settings in this book are beautifully brought to life. The important artifacts in the story are made vivid in the reader’s imagination. The characters are equally well described and are plentiful.
This book offers everything that a mystery lover of traditional stories could want. Those who already follow this series will be delighted and there may be new fans for Cleeves here.
Kirkus Reviews states: “A first-rate mystery full of historical detail and descriptions of a beautiful place.” I concur.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 30 September 2025
Some others in this series:
Note that there are reviews on my site for the author’s other series featuring Vera Stanhope and the one with Matthew Venn.
I wanted to read this book from the moment that I learned about it so, thank you NetGalley for this enjoyable read (all thoughts are my own).
I knew that the author was a therapist so was interested in how her day job connected with this new writing experience. Indeed, Perry offers some psychological insights to the reader. For instance, she gives a pretty clear differential diagnosis for suicide. Yes, there is a question of suicide for the victim but I would describe this as a cozy mystery.
Here are eccentric characters, a fairly grumpy protagonist, a depiction of life in a village and some crime solving. Anyone who likes their mysteries on the light side will, I think, want to give this one a look.
Many thanks to Crown Publishing and (again) NetGalley for this title. All thoughts are my own.
Post first published on 08 August 2026
Description:
from the publisher
A small-town psychotherapist draws on all her knowledge of the human psyche to solve the murder of a patient in this warm and witty mystery novel—by a real psychotherapist turned #1 internationally bestselling author.
“Bears all the hallmarks of a Richard Osman-style cozy: a small community with a picturesque setting; prickly-but-lovable middle-class types who turn to crime-solving in later life. An enjoyable blend of mystery and gentle satire.”—The Guardian
Living in idyllic coastal Sussex, Patricia Philipps enjoys her quiet life—walking the cliffs, shouting at poorly disciplined dog owners, telling tourists to keep their distance from the crumbling cliff edges, and cold-water swimming.
Then a body washes up near Beachy Head, upending her carefully curated life as she discovers the deceased is one of her clients—her “Three O’Clock,” in fact.
The police chalk it up to suicide, but Pat sees things differently. She reads people. She understands them—their lusts, their loves, their quirks, their ticks, their tells, their deepest desires. She looks, she listens, she watches. And she never jumps to conclusions. After all, she spends her days listening to secrets, resentments, fantasies, and motives. She’s certain someone wanted Henry Clayton dead.
With her chaotic best friend Pritchard (part-time poet, full-time meddler) in tow, Pat swaps the therapist’s couch for the crime scene. It’s time to unpick the lies, untangle the egos, and catch a killer hiding in plain sight.
From the Publisher:
Excerpts from the author’s interview with the BBC
Of her new release, she said: “It’s a cosy crime novel for people who like to lose themselves in a book and for people who like a good page turner.”
Shrink Solves Murder is for everyone, she said, but particularly those who enjoy Agatha Christie and Richard Coles novels.
“There are some similarities between me and my main character but she’s much grumpier than me. I’d make a useless sleuth,” said Perry.
From Penguin Books Australia
The warm, witty and wise crime caper by the nation’s favourite therapist
***THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR***
**OVER THREE MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE**
‘Fantastic book: wickedly witty, with delightful, quirky characters and a cracking plot’ JACQUELINE WILSON ‘An assured and hugely enjoyable murder mystery debut. It’s brilliant!’ RICHARD COLES
What Waterstones says:
The bestselling author of The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read delivers a deliciously witty and warm crime caper, as psychotherapist Patricia Philipps swaps the therapy room for sleuthing after one of her patients whose secrets she is extremely familiar with ends up dead.
Her 3 o’clock just became a murder case…
When a body washes up near Beachy Head, the Police chalk it up to suicide — a tragic but not uncommon end in these parts.
But local psychotherapist Patricia Philipps isn’t convinced.
The victim? Her three o’clock patient, Henry Clayton. The cause? Supposedly self-inflicted. The truth? Pat suspects murder and she’s trained to spot what others miss.
After all, she spends her days listening to secrets, resentments, fantasies and motives. And she’s certain someone wanted Henry Clayton dead.
With her chaotic best friend Pritchard in tow (part-time poet, full-time meddler), Pat swaps the therapy room for the crime scene. It’s time to unpick the lies, untangle the egos and catch a killer hiding in plain sight.
Shrink Solves Murder is a warm, witty and wise crime caper from the nation’s favourite therapist.
I first read about this book when it was published in England and knew that I would want to read it. My favorite genre-mystery- plus an Oxford setting and a lot about words. (I loved The Bookbinder which was historical fiction set in Oxford with much about words). So, getting this book from NetGalley was a real treat. It did not disappoint.
Readers meet Martha who works for the Clarendon English Dictionary which feels like a fictional stand in for the OED. She and her colleagues including Simon, Alex and Safi get to deal with words as their profession. They are just four of the many characters in this story.
As the book opens, there is a staff meeting and all seems pretty much as usual until an odd letter arrives. It takes a bit but Martha comes to realize that this letter may be referencing the disappearance of her talented, bright and beautiful sister thirteen years ago. No one knows what became of Charlie? Who is “chorus,” the anonymous letter writer? What other messages will be received? What did happen to Charlie?
From this point in, I was so drawn in and spent as much time as I could reading the story. There were also some fun treats along the way with various vocabulary words. For example, I loved conjobble which was defined as eat, drink and talk!
Still, while the English vocabulary references were great fun, it was the story that kept me intrigued. Publishers Weekly described this book as a “treat.” I definitely agree.
I am delighted to know that this is the first in a series. I can’t wait for more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 30 September 2025
384 pages
Mystery & Suspense
Editorial Reviews
Review
“There are pleasures here for anyone who revels in the joy of text.” ― Kirkus Reviews
“Etymologist Dent makes an impressive fiction debut with a clever whodunit that pivots on her linguistic expertise…a tantalizing puzzle for Anglophiles and Golden Age mystery lovers alike.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Linguist Dent proves she is a talented wordsmith in her own right, diverting readers with historical and lexicological tidbits throughout the story…Martha and her team are whip-smart and fun, providing a light juxtaposition to the suspense elements, while the lush and vibrant descriptions of Oxford create a lovely sense of place; readers will be both informed and entertained.” ― Library Journal
“If you’re like me and love both language and crime, then Guilty by Definition has it all. Susie Dent’s impressive debut novel is virtuosic. So meticulously and fascinatingly steeped in the archaic glory of words, it will surely be the ultimate treat for every logophile out there. But this is so much more than a celebration of the dictionary – it’s a tantalizing mystery of a missing sister, a cold case that will not lie down, and a family frozen in their unresolved grief… all while their circle of friends and colleagues nurse secrets and lies beyond explication. Guilty by Definition is positively aglitter with etymological and detecting treasures for word-sleuths and crime-fans alike.” ― Janice Hallett, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Appeal
Next in the series:
Publisher’s Synopsis-From the British publisher
A brand-new linguistic mystery from Countdown‘s resident lexicographer, Susie Dent, set in the city of Oxford
**AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW**
When mysterious symbols appear as graffiti around Oxford, lexicographer Martha Thornhill recognises them from a runic alphabet created by a deceased fantasy writer whose papers she once worked on. But this is no publicity stunt, and tensions intensify when further graffiti is found near the body of a university lecturer.
Martha is not the only one to have doubts when the suspicious death is ruled by police as suicide. Called upon to lend their linguistic expertise to the case, Martha and her colleagues begin to unearth a tragedy that extends beyond the ancient walls of the university. As new messages portend more death, it’s clear that a spirit of vengeance is stalking the city’s streets, and may be reaching out towards them too.
Fall Asleep with a Fairy Tale is a magical collection of classic stories specially adapted for the youngest readers. Favourite tales such as The Twelve Months, The Princess and the Pea, Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp, and more are transformed into delightful adventures that nurture children’s imagination and early reading skills. The book is beautifully illustrated by artist Juraj Martiška.
My thoughts:
Here are ten whimsically illustrated short versions of fairy tales. They are intended for young children who have an adult to read to them. Here are Jack in the Beanstalk, The Princess and the Pea, and Snow White to name a few.
I enjoyed what I read of this book. Note that it was a preview and not the full title. Still, I suspect all of the tales are well told.
This looks like a nice addition to a shelf of bedtime stories.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pierrot Books Canada for this title. All thoughts are my own.
Arts & Photography-Children’s Nonfiction-(Art) History
Pub date: 06 October 2026
My thoughts:
I love this book that introduces elementary school aged children to women artists from different schools over the centuries. The illustrations are completely engaging as is the text from the author. From the introduction to the last page, kids are invited to think about art. There is much information (in small sections) and questions for young viewers to contemplate. There are also many works of art to see.
Readers/viewers begin with the Renaissance and move forward from there. The journey will, I hope, be enjoyable for them.
I easily and enthusiastically give this book five stars. I think that, along with its intended audience, adults may also enjoy this title.
Many thanks to Norton Young Readers for this title. All thoughts are my own.
Description:
from the publisher
An illustrated remix of Katy Hessel’s best-selling The Story of Art Without Men illuminates the works of women artists throughout history.
In The Story of Art Without Men, best-selling author and renowned art historian Katy Hessel journeys from the Renaissance to the twenty-first century, and across the globe, from Cornwall to Manhattan, Nigeria to Japan, to discover the stories of women who changed the world with their incredible art. She invites readers to explore the works of Sofonisba Anguissola, whose glittering Renaissance paintings blended art styles; Harriet Powers, a freewoman who quilted stories from her faith and her community; and Tarsila do Amaral, who painted her Brazilian culture to preserve it from colonization—and more than ninety other visionary women artists both famous and lesser known.
Buoyed by Ping Zhu’s dazzling illustrations and Katy Hessel’s signature sense of humor, The Story of Art Without Men upends our perspectives on art and its true masters—and cracks open the canon for women artists still to come.
About the Authors:
Katy Hessel is a London-based art historian and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Story of Art Without Men.
Ping Zhu is an illustrator and an instructor at the Pratt Institute. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Advance Praise
“Makes for an inquiring, chatty guide, and the pages will fly by. [Hessel] deftly intertwines explanations of concepts such as perspective and discussions of great works with context about the systemic sexism these women faced… Concise yet thorough and engaging, this is an impressive introduction to art history; its focus on those whose names are often omitted makes it essential reading. An inspiring feast for eyes and mind.” -Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
It has been a long time since Stedman wrote The Light Between Oceans. I highly recommend that book and was very eager to read this new novel.
A Far Flung Life includes some beautiful prose. Here are a few examples.
-In the end, we’re all looking for a place to ride out the storms of life. Among all these husks of houses and fossils of trees, we are like hermit crabs, borrowing a shelter for a time and moving on. (64)
-We think we know who we are: that each day, we’ll wake up more or less the same person. But just as rocks are weathered, we are perpetually formed and changed by time and experience until we leave this world… (65-66)
-There are some events you can’t come back from. Some gates close off every other path you could possibly take. A single moment in your past denies you a future…(164)
As can be seen, this novel was extremely well written. The sense of what life is like on a sheep ranch in an isolated community came through very strongly as did the challenges of that life. The characters are similarly described in ways that make the reader see and know them. That sense of the characters and caring for them did, for me, make the book hard to read at times. I wanted so much for them or even just some happiness. There were many tragedies and moments where the menace was palpable in these pages.
Readers will remember Matt, Bonnie, Rosie, Andy, Peachy and others long after they turn the last page. I do highly recommend this novel but with the caveat that it is not always an easy read.
Have you read this one? If so, I would love to know your thoughts.
Description:
from the publisher
From the author of the acclaimed bestseller The Light Between Oceans comes a breathtaking and epic novel set in the vast outback of Australia—about tragedy, family secrets, and the enduring power of love.
When we do something that can’t be undone or mended, how do we go on living? How do we find our North Star when there is no right answer? These are the questions at the center of M. L. Stedman’s unforgettable and magisterial new novel, A Far-flung Life. From the author of the beloved and bestselling The Light Between Oceans, this is a sweeping and epic story of a family, a tragedy, and the aftermath that reverberates for decades.
Remote Western Australia, 1958: here, for generations, the MacBrides have lived on a vast sheep station, Meredith Downs. It is a million acres, an ocean of arid land. On an ordinary day, on a lonely road, under the unending blue sky, patriarch Phil MacBride swerves to avoid a kangaroo. In seconds the lives of the entire MacBride family are shattered. And then, tragedy revisits when a twist of consequences claims the life of one sibling, and leads another to give up everything for the sake of an innocent child. Matt, the youngest MacBride, is plunged into a moral and emotional journey for which there is no map, no guide. The secrets at the heart of this gutting and beautiful story force him to choose between love and duty, sacrifice and happiness.
A Far-flung Life is a tale about family and belonging, fate and time. It is about people trying to do their best, and each, for private reasons, seeking shelter from the storm of life.
Can a fleeting moment unravel a whole life, mar it indelibly and irrevocably? Can compassion, resilience and forgiveness allow us to come to terms with our human imperfections? These are the questions Stedman asks in A Far-flung Life, her profoundly moving, uplifting, and luminous new novel about what the heart can endure for the sake of love.
