Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

New paperbacks for July — Mary Beard, John Grisham and more

https://www.thetimes.com/article/c1db6a3a-de46-4d7d-a071-f85f91475355?shareToken=6ef6825c80d550a8fa16818ef6f9e479

Death on Love Island — and other great crime reads for July

https://www.thetimes.com/article/c64c5838-bbfb-4f0c-bce7-fb97741bad2b?shareToken=7a0b1969ca37013dddfb38d2b75d430c

A Life Made in Shetland

by Jen Hadfield

#StormPegs #NetGalley

Prior to reading this book my knowledge of Shetland came from two wonderful mystery series. They are the Jimmy Perez novels by Ann Cleeves and those written by Marsali Taylor. Both of these writers left me very curious about what life on Shetland is really like. So…I was completely delighted to receive this e galley. It did not disappoint.

This is the (true) story of a woman who moved to Shetland. Even better, this writer is a poet with a wonderful gift for words that make her life come to life.

Anyone who wants to spend time in Shetland will most definitely want to pick this title up!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan-Picador for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 11 July 2024

An e book bargain for 23 April 2024

#TheWomanontheLedge #NetGalley

By now readers know that a book whose title includes the words ”The Girl” or “The Woman” is going to find a complex, twisty story where it is hard to know who to believe and exactly what happened. That is certainly the case in Mancini’s page turner. Mancini is a British criminal defense attorney so keep an eye on the lawyer in the story.

It starts with a holiday party. A woman who works as a temp goes to this party where, by the way, her married lover also works. When she goes out on the roof for some air, she finds said woman on the ledge. She is threatening to jump. Tate talks the woman, who says her name is Helen, down. Things get increasingly complicated when Helen seeks Tate’s help the very next day. She says that she lost an earring at the party and convinces Tate to return to the London high rise building.

Horrifically a woman dies. Tate is arrested. Helen can’t be found. Was she really named Helen? Stories come and go. As is the case in these novels, that the reader does not know what to make of events and who to believe. Pages turn as readers seek answers.

I first heard about this novel in a British magazine and knew that I wanted to read it. You might want to as well.

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

Pub date: 16 January 2024

Four stars ****

Emerson, Thoreau, Alcott (Bronson and Louisa May)…Margaret Fuller? Most readers of American fiction and essays know the first few names on this list. They may be less familiar with Margaret Fuller. However, by the time that readers close this book, they will fully appreciate her life with its successes, challenges and tragedy.

Young Margaret was a highly intelligent child, whose father took her education most seriously. When he died, Margaret was left feeling that she needed to support her family. She did that while also being part of the transcendentalist movement and more.

One aspect of the book that I really liked was the way in which icons became human. For example, early in the novel, Margaret visits Emerson and his second wife. Waldo, as Margaret is invited to call him, engages in a flirtation with Margaret. It is in moments like this, that readers get to look at great American figures in a new and less iconic way. Similarly, as the story opens, Thoreau is a young man working for the Emersons, and just beginning his writing career. Bronson Alcott is running a school, while Louisa May is still a child.

Pataki has written a number of works of historical fiction. She has another success on her hands here.

Many thanks toNetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

From the publisher:

by Kate Davies

#AMysteryattheIncredibleHotel #NetGalley

This book is a terrific read for a young lover of mysteries. They will meet Matilda who is a hotel bellhop. Will she be able to solve the case of the stolen secret recipe? It is needed for the World Baking Contest. The hotel’s Chef Stefan sure hopes so!

Matilda faces some doubts and accusations from those around her. Will she triumph? Who turns out to be behind the theft? Young children will enjoy finding out.

Isabella Follath has created delightful illustrations that enhance the enjoyment of the story. All in all, this is a short and appealing book.

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

Pub date: 03 September 2024

The month-by-month guide to your best ever gardening year

by Zia Allaway; Guy Barter

#RHSTheGardenAlmanac2025 #NetGalley

I found this to be a lovely title. There are attractive illustrations as well as many photos throughout. Gardeners will find much helpful information in these pages, while non-gardeners will enjoy the virtual visits.

This title is organized by month. Each month begins with an illustration and a thoughtful and evocative paragraph. Information follows on many topics. To name some, there are what to do in (that month), plants of the month, projects, info on things like average rainfall, challenges and more. I liked the many entries on “Horticultural Heroes.”

This title belongs on British gardeners bookshelves. I can imagine that its audience would want to purchase this one every year.

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

Pub date: 03 September 2024

A Novel

by Kate Quinn

#TheBriarClub #NetGalley

To my mind, Ms.Quinn is a bit of a chameleon. Her latest novel, The Briar Club, felt quite different from say The Rose Code (a favorite of mine). That is not to say that I didn’t enjoy The Briar Club because I very much did.

A few things about the structure of the book:

The house gets some chapters as events unfold.

The story is told almost as a series of short stories with a section given to each of the main characters.

There are recipes from each of the main characters included.

As regards the story itself, which unfolds during the McCarthy era, right from the beginning readers know that there has been a murder. There may be more to come (no spoilers). Who was killed and why? Of course, readers want to know. They will keep turning the pages to find out.

The character who moves in to the house right at the beginning of the story seems to be the glue between characters. It is Grace March who draws everyone together and it is she who organizes the regular weekly tenant dinners. The residents who attend are quite different from one another. One character works at the National Archives, another is a mother with a young child, someone is more involved with the McCarthy hearings, an older woman was once an artist and is now down on her heels. These are just some of the women and all of them have backstories.

I would read anything by Kate Quinn and this book does nothing to change that opinion. I recommend it highly recommend it as do Library Journal and Publishers Weekly which both gave this a starred review. Readers will remember the women and events at Briarwood House.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are my own..

Pub date: 09 July 2024

Last two posts were booked, not ebook, bargains. N

Five stars *****

We currently live in a rather fractured and partisan world in which, it seems to me, we often lose the ability to disagree without being disagreeable, to attempt to understand another’s perspective and to venture out of communicating only with those with whom we already know that we will agree. How did we get to this point? Is it where we want to be? If, those reading this post recognize that there is work to be done but need help getting there, please pick up this book.

David Brooks has written a work that cries to be read by just about everyone, including the mental health community, politicians, the person who is a friend, a parent, a partner, and so on. He has synthesized a great deal of research on how to relate to others while also sharing some of his personal experiences with the reader.

Brooks observes that, despite being a reporter, he did not always communicate well outside of his professional role. In some ways, he wrote this title for himself as well as the reader.

Some of the topics artfully explored include how to really see another person and to listen to them, what gets in the way of that, whether a person wants to be an “illuminator” or not, defense mechanisms, talking about the hard things, understanding what empathy really is and much more.

The number of highlights that I have added to my copy of this book reminds me of how much I was left to ponder. Book clubs, teachers, social workers and others, read this book and then talk tabout it. It will be worthwhile.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

From the Publisher