Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

The American Agent is the fifteenth title in the Maisie Dobbs series.  The first book was published in 2003 with protagonist, Maisie, having been a nurse during WWI.  The American Agent takes place in the Blitz during WWII. The perils that London faced remind me that, while facing Covid is our crisis, there have been many others that people have survived as well.

The Maisie Dobbs series is best approached in order as then readers are current with the events in Maisie’s life and those of the many recurrent characters.  For me, The American Agent felt a bit like it might be the last book in the series although I do hope that will not be the case.

In this entry, Maisie is tasked with figuring out who has killed an American female journalist and why.  In her personal life, Maisie’s best friend has been injured and Maisie’s much wished for adoption plan is not necessarily going to go according to plan.  In this latest novel there is also the possibility of a new relationship with Mark, an American with whom she has been working.  Around all this, Maisie solves her case.

I highly recommend this series and this title.  Have you read the Maise Dobbs series?  What do you think?

Editorial reviews:

“Excellent…. In Winspear’s capable hands, Maisie has evolved into a deeply sympathetic character. Readers will eagerly await her next outing.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“The London blitz is the backdrop to Winspear’s latest as the inimitable Maisie Dobbs investigates the death of Catherin Saxon, an intrepid American journalist determined to document wartime Britain’s hardships for the folks back home. An immersive tale of wartime grit and grief.” (Booklist)

“Everything in this series turns on the psychological traumas of war. That’s what gives Maisie’s sometimes prosaic cases their sturdy backbone and air of urgency—that and Maisie’s own dynamic character. Hang on to your helmet and carry on, girl.” (New York Times Book Review)

“Advances Maisie’s inspiring activities, highlights the bravery of an embattled people during the Second World War, and intimates that lessons from that period have yet to be learned.” (Kirkus)

#trialsofliladalton #NetGalley

Lila Dalton is in a bit of a mess. She has found herself in an isolated court where she is meant to defend a killer. There is a big problem though…Lila has no idea as to how she has gotten to be where she is.

Find yourself in a hearing for a multiple murderer. See if you can figure out what is going on before Lila does.

This title offers an interesting twist on a courtroom drama. Those who enjoy legal thrillers, locked room tales, and stories of forgotten memories may want to give this one a look.

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

This book has already been published.

Advance Praise

THE GUARDIAN BEST RECENT CRIME & THRILLERS

“The well-constructed account of Lila’s nightmare comes across as a howl of frustration at the state of the British legal system.”
—Literary Review

“Remarkable… there are echoes of Kafka, Orwell and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”
—The Times, Best Thrillers for February

by Roz Noonan

 #PuzzleMeaMurder #NetGalley

Those who enjoy reading traditional mysteries will, I think, enjoy this first title in what I hope will be a series. It has a good setting, good characters, an interesting mystery and jigsaw puzzles.

When the husband of Alice’s best friend Ruby is murdered, the stage is set. George was cheating on Ruby but would this be enough for her to murder him? Who was the mysterious wigged woman with George right before he died? Still, all of the motives may not be personal; is it possible that his role in the government with budget power led someone to go too far? Could there be other reasons based on George’s behavior? Find out and enjoy spending time with Alice, her granddaughters and the many others in these pages.

Puzzle Me a Murder offers a good puzzle and a fun read. Recommended for its audience.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 23 July 2024

How Women Wrote the Renaissance

by Ramie Targoff

#ShakespearesSisters #NetGalley

I read Jodi Picoult’s recent release, By Any Other Name, not long ago. This was a fictional, dual time line story about two women playwrights. Picoult posits that of these two main characters, Emilia Bassano, wrote Shakespeare’s plays. She makes a compelling argument.

Anyone who read that novel and was intrigued or anyone who is interested in women’s creative lives during Elizabethan times will want to give this non-fiction title a look. It tells the stories of four women who wrote in an era when most women did not express themselves in this way. The four are Mary Sidney, Aemelia Lanyer, Elizabeth Cary and Anne Clifford. The resulting book is quite interesting.

To help readers, the author has included family charts for each of the women. There are also some illustrations interlaced with the text. The reader is given a sense of what life was like in that time period. They will also learn what it was like to manage typical and expected women’s roles while at the same time wanting and having a creative life.

Recommended to those who are interested in history and literature.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 12 March 2024

From the Publisher

I am not a person who generally wins giveaways but, for once, I really lucked out. I was given a copy of this title through Goodreads and what a good read it was.

I read the first collaboration of these authors when they told the story of Belle Greene and the Morgan Library. That was a good read but I think that this new book is even better.

In these pages, readers spend time with Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune. Each has a life story with unique experiences. Both had struggles for acceptance, although in different ways. Each wanted to make a difference in the world; readers will, I think, agree,that they succeeded in that regard.

Although this book is written by two authors, it flows seamlessly. I enjoyed the way that many chapters were set up so that first there was one about either woman, followed by the same day’s experience for the other.

Big issues are explored here along with telling a work of historical fiction. This is a book both of its time and ours. I recommend it highly.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/what-to-read-next.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/16/books/review/dickens-london-quiz.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

#TheStarlets #NetGalley

This title about two starlets who meet on a film set in 1950s Italy is, itself, cinematic. There is a lot of excitement and action in these pages along with main characters whom readers will enjoy getting to know.

The starlets are Vivienne and Lottie. A Thousand Ships, is being filmed on location where Vivienne is surprised to learn that Lottie, and not she, is cast in the lead. They begin as rivals but will come to be on the same side as they traverse Europe trying to stay ahead of mobsters and corrupt officials. In the course of the action, they even go to Grace Kelly’s Monaco.

This book offers a fun read. It is a story that offers escape and will be enjoyed by those who like stories with some intrigue and a “buddy film” vibe. It is very entertaining.

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

Pub date: 12 November 2024

From the Publisher

#WhattoDoWhentheNewsScaresYouRevisedEdition #NetGalley

The news can feel scary to adults at times and even more so to kids. Much as adults may want to shield them, this strategy often does not work. This book/workbook is filled with information and writing activities to help children to cope. I recommend it highly.

Just some of the chapter headings include Sometimes Scary Things Happen and What is News; others encourage more critical thinking as with What’s the Viewpoint; and What’s Your Source. There are also chapters called Taking Care of You and Making a Plan of Action among others. Each chapter is pretty short so easy to read.

The book begins with a note to adults. Take the time to read this if you are the parent, educator, therapist or other adult who is sharing this book with a child.

I am pretty certain that this title will help kids to feel less overwhelmed. It might just help some adults too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the American Psychological Association-Magination Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 07 January 2025

For fans of The Crown. This novel, set in post WWII England, is a story about the women who made Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown.  Part of the story takes place in 1940s Britain while there is also a modern thread (no pun intended).  I think that this will be an absorbing and fun read. Start the year right with this one.  (Full review to follow)

“Robson deftly weaves issues of class, trauma, romance, and female friendship with satisfying details of Ann and Miriam’s craft. This unique take on the royal wedding will be an easy sell to fans of Netflix’s The Crown and a sure bet for readers of women-centered historical fiction.” (Booklist (starred review))

“Robson vividly brings to life these three women’s struggles. Historical details about fabric, embroidery, and the royal family are well incorporated into their stories, with light romance rounding out this charming work of historical fiction.”   (Library Journal)

“Robson’s novel shifts deftly between… Toronto to London in 2016… giving meticulous attention to the historical detail of post–World War II London. A fascinating glimpse into the world of design, the healing power of art, and the importance of women’s friendships.”
(Kirkus Reviews)