Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

The Hotel That Set Women Free

by Paulina Bren

There was a time when young women moving to New York City spent their first weeks (or longer) at the Barbizon Hotel. The guests were both famous and not. All were looking for a place that a female could safely and uncontroversially stay. Everyone from Grace Kelly to Sylvia Plath spent time there, beginning after WWI. The building is still there but, of course, is no longer the same.

It was a place of rules. For example, no men were allowed upstairs. But, even so, it offered a welcome sense of freedom to its residents.

Those who are interested in the social history, the roles of women and the city of New York will find that this title is interesting and informative. It is also somewhat nostalgic and, for that reason, may give readers a pleasant escape.

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

A Novel

by Zakiya Dalila Harris

#TheOtherBlackGirl #NetGalley

The Other Black Girl has received a great deal of attention and praise. This is a first novel about publishing, being Black, ties, connections and more. It is written by an author who worked in publishing and she most successfully creates her fictional house. There is jockeying for position from the lowly assistants through the editors…and, of course, the authors. All of this is very successfully portrayed.

Nella has been working as the only person of color in her position as an editorial assistant at Wagner. Mostly, early in the book, it feels as if everyone gets along with Nella, although there are microaggressions and the firm is certainly not forward looking. One day, another Black young woman is hired. Hazel exudes a confidence that Nella does not always feel. The two develop their relationship but it is complicated.

Layered into the plot are an author who mysteriously disappeared and thet troubling notes that Nella begins to receive. These notes clearly state that Nella should leave Wagner. Why? Who is behind this? Pages turn in this novel as readers await the denouement.

All credit to new author, Ms. Harris for writing a novel that is entertaining, even if some plot elements strain credulity, It is also one that may make the reader think.

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

A Good Morning America, Esquire, and Read with Marie Claire Book Club Pick and a People Best Book of Summer

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2021 by Time, The Washington Post, Harper’s Bazaar, Entertainment Weekly, Marie Claire, Bustle, BuzzFeed, Parade, Goodreads, Fortune, and BBC

Sometimes a couple of books are published close together that have similar plots. That is the case of the novels Falling by T. J. Newman and Hostage by Clare Mackintosh. Each has a story line in which a threat is made to someone who works for an airline. These threats in both cases are to cause harm to family members of the employee unless certain demands are met. In each case, there are moral decisions to be made. Further, in each of these novels, there is a lot of action and that action includes some violence. Within that framework, I found the beginning of Falling to be rather grim, more so than the opening of Hostage.

In Falling, a pilot, Bill, is putting over 100 passengers at risk. Who will he enlist to possibly help thwart a total catastrophe? What decisions will he make? Can it possibly end well (or less badly)? To find out, read this novel that many have hailed as a best book of the summer while, other reviews, have been just one star.

If you feel brave about flying, learn more about this title and decide if it is for you. The author has worked for an airline and has some inside knowledge.

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

State of Terror was a highly anticipated fall release. It will have its admirers and detractors. I suspect that conservative Americans will be offended by the thinly veiled references to the presidency of Donald Trump and the consequent perilous state that was left in his wake. But…this is fiction and should be judged as such.

This book is a page turning thrill ride that goes from one scary scenario to another. Throughout is a stalwart Secretary of State, Ellen, who I imagine has some of HRC’s characteristics. Ellen is a good person who is willing to take risks for the good of her country. She was appointed by a president who did not like her and who perhaps wanted her to fail; will she?

Interestingly, readers learn a bit, through Ellen, about how women are judged. Ellen takes advantage of this in her role as chief diplomat. For example, while she may act one down or look a bit disheveled Ellen is as clever as they come.

In addition to the action and the feeling of insider information, there are some nice relationships with the main characters and their connections. Ellen’s friendship with Betsy is the kind of relationship many wish for with their closest connections. Readers also get to watch Ellen with her adult children.

There are many other characters in this book. All contribute to the story line and readers will care for many of them. The villains also get their time in these pages.

The collaboration of these two authors works very well. Each had a role to play in creating the book. SPOILER: Readers of LP’s books will be delighted when they see how her own series comes into play. I loved how that was done.

I recommend this novel. It is a thriller with heart and some important messages.

The new year is the perfect time for this!

A number of years ago, I read an entertaining mystery series by someone named Kathy Hogan Trochek. The stories featured Callahan Garrity. She ran a cleaning service as I recall but bodies always seemed to be in the way. I recommend the novels. What is relevant here is that KHT and Mary Kay Andrews are one and the same! This meant that I knew that The Newcomer would feature an involving story line, good plotting and interesting characters. I was not disappointed.

The Newcomer in this story could be looked at as several different people, although I think that it principally refers to Letty. Letty and her sister Tanya grew up in less than stable circumstances. Letty, an aspiring actress, has moved to New York. She meets and gets to know Evan. Not long after, Letty’s sister Tanya joins Letty, thus becoming a newcomer to New York. She proceeds to take over Letty’s boyfriend (Evan) and works as an aspiring model. When something happens to Tanya, Letty flees with Tanya’s little girl. Letty then becomes the newcomer at a Florida motel that is run by a very goodhearted woman. Letty got the name of this motel from Tanya’s belongings.

Why did Tanya keep the clipping on the motel? Who was responsible for what happened to Tanya? Will Letty successfully be blamed by Evan? Will Evan track her down?

Around this, also get to know Joe. He is a cop and the son of the motel owner. Will he figure out Letty’s story? If/when he does, will he then help or harm her?

The fun of reading this book is the sense that everything should mostly work out in the end. This lets readers relax and immerse themselves in a perfect beach book that is partially set at a beach.

I read some of this book and listened to some of it on audio. Both ways were involving and entertaining. The narration of the audio book got me through many a walk in the heat.

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

Are you now, or were you ever, a mother with young children? If yes, did you feel that you received the support that you needed from your partner? Did you want not just help but proactive assistance? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you may well identify with Nora Spangler.

Nora has a four-year-old, is pregnant and it is her year to become (or not) partner in her law firm. She is trying her best but is overwhelmed. Nora loves her husband (she says) but some days is incredibly irritated by him.

So…Nora and Hayden look at a house that is for sale in an upscale community. Interestingly, the husbands there are way more helpful than usual. The women all have these incredibly high powered jobs. What is going on here? Do Nora and Hayden want to live here? Will they?

Also, what about that arson that killed Penny’s husband. Nora is investigating it thinking about a wrongful death suit. Is it that or is it murder?

There are many threads running through this novel. I have seen mixed reviews but I found it to be a book that I enjoyed. Make up your own mind. Give this one a look.

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

From the publisher:

#TheHeronsCry #NetGalley Pub Date 07 Sep 2021

The Heron’s Cry is the second novel in the series featuring Matthew Venn. It follows on The Long Call. In that first novel, readers learn Matthew’s history. He was raised in a strict religious group where his sexual orientation and desire to work in the police force were in conflict with the values of those around him. Doing what was right for him has taken something out of Matthew. Luckily, his husband Jonathan offers support and love along with a different way of looking at the world.

Matthew’s current case takes place in a small community. There are several deaths. How are they connected? How will those around the victims cope and live their lives from this point on? Those characters are farmers, artists, pub owners and others with intersecting lives.

The first victim is Nigel Yeo. Was his death a personal vendetta or was it related to work that he was doing for an organization called Patients Together? How is the death of an artist related to this? And what about the cause of death of a third victim?

What Ann Cleeves does well:

-She creates a strong sense of place with her descriptions of the book’s settings.

-She forms a world filled with characters whose lives collide. All of these characters come alive. There are those who are present in this novel and also the recurring police characters and Matthew’s mother and husband. I enjoyed spending time with them.

-She raises an important social issue but it may require a trigger warning for some readers as the subject relates to suicide.

More than halfway into the novel, Matthew and Jonathan (his husband) see a heron. Watch for this and how Jonathan connects that bird to Matthew and his way of looking at the world. It seemed quite apt.

I was delighted to receive this ARC from NetGalley. I have read all of the Vera Stanhope and Jimmy Perez novels by this author and recommend them highly. When Ms. Cleeves announced that there would be no more Perez novels, I knew that I would miss them. The Matthew Venn novels are just a scintilla less engaging to me but I do recommend them. I hope that before long there will be a third Matthew Venn story.

NOTE: There is a review of The Long Call in my blog’s archive.

What others say:

New York Times bestseller Ann Cleeves returns with The Heron’s Cry, the extraordinary follow-up to The Long Call, soon to be a major TV series, alongside her two hit TV shows Shetland and Vera.

“In Matthew Venn, Ann has created a complex, daring, subtle character.” —Louise Penny

“A complex mystery full of surprises . . . this character-driven exploration of people’s darkest flaws is a sterling example of Cleeves’ formidable talents.” —Kirkus Reviews