Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

A rash decision to attend an anti-Qaddafi protest in London reverberates in Hisham Matar’s poignant and quietly suspenseful third novel.
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2024/01/09/books/review/my-friends-hisham-matar.html

Readers who look at this book’s title may think that Split refers to a breakup in a romantic way. Here it does not. Split is a fictional place, a resort on the Adriatic. In this historical novel, it is a place full of intrigue, murder and even romance.

Readers who enjoy movies like Casablanca may well enjoy this novel. Turn the pages as spies, emigres, smugglers and others spend time in Split. 

Note that the book has a helpful list of characters. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Four stars ****

Anyone who has ever looked at a Buzz Books compilation will know that they want to take a look at this latest edition. It lists the titles of forthcoming books in many genres. There are also generous excerpts of selected titles. 

This FREE resource offers one of the very best ways to add to a reading list. I was excited about many of the titles included here. Some are by authors familiar to me while others will lead me to explore new writers. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publishers Lunch/Buzz Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 16 January 2024

The Wharton Plot is an historical mystery in which (no surprise) Edith Wharton figures prominently as do the privileged of the world in which she lived. For example, early in the book Wharton attends a musicale that is given by Alice Vanderbilt in her very large home. She is acquainted with Henry James.

Readers may choose this book for the historical, the mystery or indeed both. I especially enjoyed the historical as I was familiar with a number of the locations mentioned in the book. Among these were the Arts Club on Gramercy Park, Calvary Church (where those like Roosevelts and Morgans attended) and others in New York City.. 

I also found it fascinating to learn more about Wharton. There are insights into her writing, her troubled marriage, her possible lover, the places where she lived (and wanted to live) and her writing. Readers also witness her strength of character.

A fellow writer, David Graham Phillips, is murdered. Wharton did not especially like him or his writing. She also did not like his scorn for the novels she wrote. Nevertheless, she wants to figure out what happened. Readers will enjoy spending time with her as she does in this novel based on historical fact.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 23 January 2024

From the Publisher

#KylieMinogue #NetGalley

Here is another book in the popular series. I love the cover and all of the bright, engaging illustrations in this entry on Kylie Minogue. 

What kids will see is that a child who was initially shy can go on to achieve her dreams. For Kylie this had to do with acting, singing and being her own person. Kylie’s adversity, having breast cancer, is also touched on.

This is good addition to the many books that have been published about little people with big dreams.

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

Pub date: 05 March 2024

#IslandintheSun #NetGalley.

I get excited every, single time that Katie Fforde writes a new novel. In my opinion, she has consistently told involving stories that have heart. She is a go to author for me when I want to read a book that is “nice” and will leave me feeling satisified.

In this newest novel, Ms. Fforde goes a bit afield, to the island of Dominica. Cass is asked to go there by her photographer father when she visits him in Scotland. When Cass and Rannulph leave him with a petroglyph related mission, a hurricane has hit their destination island. The two make it to host Bastian’s where Cass delivers a map to him. Will Bastian find the petroglyph and will he win a contest in which the truly loathsome Austin is also a competitor? Will all be well…of course it will, this is Fforde country.

What I liked: the descriptions of the storms and the island of Dominica. many of the subsidiary characters. the chance to believe in a love story.

What I liked less: the plot seemed to lack in complexity. Cass could be naïve at times.

Verdict: Fans of Fforde will want to read this book. New readers of the author, if you don’t like this one, try some other books by the author.

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

Pub date: 15 February 2024

I have loved her novels.

a couple of others by her as well.

#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