Sulari Gentill has authored a number of books in an historical mystery series set in 1930s Australia.  It is a time when there is much unrest; on the one side is the New Guard, a Fascist group, while, on the other, there are the Communists, among others.  Historically, WWII is coming and tensions are high.

Ms. Gentill uses this time period to good effect in her mysteries which feature a mix of fictional and historical characters. In this one, the historical figures include a number of politicians, and readers spend time at the new Parliament building. One does not have to stretch very far to find some parallels with our own uncertain times. There is a quote that relates to the story’s title and those (and our) times.  It is “The dangerous language you speak of is the truth.”

The series in general and this novel feature family dynamics, political intricacies, murder, chases, romance and suspense.  Readers familiar with the series will be delighted to spend time with main characters Rowly (a kind of Lord Peter Wimsey if Wimsey were more on the left), poet Milton, painter Clyde and the female sculptor, Ed.  There is a new character as well, a woman with whom Rowly had been in love as a teen;  will she take Edna’s place in his affections? Readers will also find that Wilf, Rowly’s brother, makes an appearance and the two seem as fractious as ever.

A lot happens in this novel.  A communist is killed on the steps of Parliament.  Egon Kisch, an anti-Fascist (a true historical figure) who wants to speak in Australia may not be allowed in the country; how will he and Rowly intersect?  There is an unidentifiable young woman who is found murdered early in the novel; who is she?  There is a famous air race and more.  The novel is busy but it works.

Each chapter opens with a fictitious newspaper account.   These add a sense of veracity to the book and parallel some of what happens.  series.

I enjoy Sulari Gentill’s novels more each time that I read them.  I highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

pub date:  June 9, 2020

Miss Manners, aka Judith Martin, first began writing about etiquette many years ago. This book is her return to scolding and helping us out. With her signature wit and common sense, along with an inability to suffer fools gladly, Miss Manners dispenses advice and opinions on everything from Christmas wish lists to restaurant behavior to wedding etiquette and so much more. A warm welcome back to the acerbic Miss Manners whose advice is spot on and entertaining to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Pub Date 09 Jun 2020

#MindingMissManners #NetGalley

How to Survive in Ancient Greece by Robert Garland

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsJune 12, 2020

The publisher of this book, Pen & Sword, previously issued a book called How to Survive in Ancient Egypt. I enjoyed that book so was delighted to have the opportunity to read the ARC of a book on surviving in Ancient Greece. (See archive for a review of the Egypt title).
If you are interested in the subject, this book is a treasure trove. Read about Athenian history and learn how the city was run. Learn more about the religion, the family the system of slavery and more. Find out how women were viewed by men, how children were treated and educated, where to shop, what a house looked like, jobs and more. This book includes so many interesting sections.
If you are a person who enjoys imagining life in other eras, give this book a try. I think that you will be fascinated.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of Mason’s Oxford set stories featuring Ray and Ryan. The fourth of these A Killing in November was recently published. All of them have been reviewed on my blog.

This new series has two entries out with a third on tap. It is different from the DI Wilkins titles noted above. It is more spare in its style. The reader has all that they need in a story that has no extra padding.

Readers will soon know that Alice, who had a troubled home life, was not seen after a last sighting while delivering newspapers. What happened to her? No spoiler so readers will have to pick this one up.

Interestingly the finder of the title spends a lot of time reading a particular Henry James story. Is that significant? Readers can decide.

Mason is a talented writer and I look forward to whatever he next writes.

Mason’s novels

Although I reference an e book bargain, that was only true at the time of posting.

#TheFarmersWife #NetGalley

As soon as I saw the cover of this book, I knew that I wanted to read it. The book fully delivered on what I was hoping for.

This is a beautifully written account of the life and family (several generations) who live and work on a farm in the Lake District. Start at the beginning with Helen’s reflections which are beautiful and insightful. Go on to read the whole book.

The author knows that she is lucky to live in such a beautiful area but also acknowledges that she, her husband, four children and animals have good times and challenges. All are recounted well.

In addition to the narrative, there are some lovely line drawings in these pages (starting with the hens). There are also many recipes.

Readers who enjoy memoirs, stories about women and/or who fantasize about a rural life, here is just the book for you (or someone on your holiday list). I really enjoyed it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Horizon for this title. All opinions are my own.

This title was published in September 2023

From the Publisher

#TheFarmersWife #NetGalley

A Novel

by Katherine Center

Every time that I am given a chance to spend time with Katherine Center, I find myself eager to immerse myself in her fictional world. I know that she will tell a good (if slightly predictable) story and that I will forget about the real world for a bit, something that I welcome these days.

This time readers learn something about what it is like to be a bodyguard. For example, it is in the training and a person does not have to be BIG to be able to do the job. That is why Hannah has been good at her job.

As the novel opens, bodyguard Hannah is having a hard time. Her boyfriend Robbie has broken up with her and is dating Hannah’s close friend. To make things worse and sadder, Hannah’s mother has died. She was not an easy woman but this is still life changing. Usually Hannah uses work to escape, the farther away the better. However, this time her boss is not letting that happen.

Instead, and under protest, Hannah is hired to look after a heart throb movie star, Jack Stapleton who is in Texas which is where Hannah is based. Hannah will pose as Jack’s girlfriend feeling dubious about this as she is no glamour queen. Despite not wanting the position, Hannah will do her best.

From here, readers spend time with Jack as he faces a family issue. How will being the bodyguard for Jack go? Will there be mutuality in Jack and Hannah’s relationship, despite Hannah’s always wanting to be professional? Turn the pages to find out.

Readers may feel that they know what will happen and that’s okay. The fun is in watching the plot unfold and just enjoying it.

I got to do my favorite thing with this title, toggling between the book and the audio. This works so well for me. The narration was clear and easy to follow.

Whichever way, you like your Katherine Center novels or, if you are just discovering this author, give this title a look. It is a good book for those looking for a break.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub Date 19 Jul 2022

A tale of pollen and prejudice, and more. (Achoo!)
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2025/05/10/arts/books-spring-allergies-illustrated.html

I love the title of this book by Sophy Burnham. For many, growing old is looked at as only a time of loss (of abilities, health, loved ones and more), but here is a book that offers a more nuanced perspective. I was engaged with this epistolary read from the very first sentences. There is so much humor, warmth and honest reflection to be found in these pages.

I suggest reading this title along with Judith Viorst’s Making the Best of What’s Left. Both are just terrific.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 20 May 25

Martin Edwards has edited and written the introductions to a number of short story collections published by Poisoned Pen Press. Often these titles look back to the “golden age” of mystery fiction.

This title includes fifteen tales in all. Some of the authors whose works are included are Arthur Conan Doyle, G.K. Chesterton, Agatha Christie, Josephine Bell and Michael Gilbert. Readers may recognize that these authors are British and that this book is titled Continental Crimes. Yes, it is true that all of these authors set stories in other parts of Europe.

Sometimes readers want to immerse themselves in long novels. There are other times when a short story is just right. For those times, this is a welcome collection.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

An e book bargain

#mysterywriter #NetGalley

One thing that I love about Sulari Gentill is that she never seems to rest on her laurels. I very much enjoyed her novels about Rowly Sinclair and his group of friends. These are historical mysteries, set in the 1930s, in a series that began with A Few Right Thinking Men. There are good characters who are good friends and good stories in each of the entries.

Ms. Gentill then began to write some standalone novels and stories set outside of Australia. These include After She Wrote Him, The Woman in the Library, and now, The Mystery Writer. Each has an intriguing and, perhaps quirky, story.

In this new book, Theo (Theodosia) has decided to leave law behind. She wants to be a novelist. When her mentor is killed and her brother becomes a suspect, the scene is set.

A few things to ponder…who was the murderer, where is Theo’s manuscript, and what secret things are happening? Get ready for the unraveling.

It is easy to recommend this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 19 March 2024