Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

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

Marilynne Robinson is a writer who cannot be rushed and the result shows in her beautiful novels. Gilead, the first novel to feature some of the characters in this newest book, was published in 2004. That was followed by Home in 2008, Lila in 2014, and now Jack.

Jack is the “bad boy” of the novels and the one to be featured in this one. The novel follows him as he tries to live his life. In part, the novel tells the story of Jack’s complex relationship with the Black woman with whom he falls in love. Given the historical time period of the novel, readers can be sure that this will be challenging.

Readers of Ms. Robinson’s novels will undoubtedly welcome this novel. However, I think that Jack could be read and would make an impression on readers, even if they have not read the earlier books. They may well want to go back to them though.

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

The “Eleanor” of the title is, of course, Eleanor Roosevelt. She had most difficult early years and went on to live a truly remarkable life. How did Eleanor go from a child so alone in the world, an orphan at an early age whose mother ridiculed her and whose father loved her but suffered from alcoholism and an inability to cope with life, to a most admired woman? What was it like to be sent to school in England? What did it mean to have an uncle who was larger than life and a president? To fall in love with an ambitious, pampered cousin who could not be faithful and who also had serious health challenges? How did Eleanor go from an insecure young woman to a woman who was among the most admired in the world, a surrogate for Franklin and a first lady throughout WWII? Who did she lean on and love once she knew that Franklin had affections elsewhere?
All of these questions come under the scrutiny of Mr. Michaelis who has written an engaging and very readable biography of Eleanor. It covers her whole life and finds the sweet space between a serious biography and an absorbing read. I recommend it highly.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date:  October 6, 2020

Of note, readers of this title may also enjoy the novel White Houses by Amy Bloom, Franklin and Lucy by Joseph Persico (non-fiction), Lucy by Ellen Feldman (fiction) and the biography of Eleanor by Blanche Wiesen Cook.  I have read them all and have reviewed White Houses on the blog.

Miss Honeysett is a prim woman who is 85 years old. She believes that the time has come to take control of the end of her life. This leads her to contact a Dignitas like clinic and submit an application. Will her request be granted? Will Eudora want it to be?

Readers learn that Eudora faced a number of tragedies and disappointments over the course of her her life. Most chapters in the novel include a flashback to a key moment for Eudora. No spoilers so I do not want to write more.

So many of the reviews that I saw for this novel were quite praiseworthy so I looked to it with very high hopes and expectations. It did not disappoint. This is a novel that engages the reader through its characters and its story lines. I think that readers who enjoyed novels like The Little Paris Bookshop or The Lido will want to read this one…as will many others.

In the present, Eudora meets the irrepressible Rose. The two have a relationship that evolves over the course of the book as Rose awaits becoming a big sister.

Another important character is Stanley. His friendship with Eudora and Rose is impacted by some memory issues. What will happen to each of them?

At times acerbic, at times touching this is a novel that I most definitely recommend. The audio version is also well done and the narrator reads with a clear, easy to follow style.

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

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callhan tells the story of Joy Davidman and C.S. (Jack) Lewis. I absolutely adored that book so was thrilled when I received an early review copy of Once Upon a Wardrobe, another novel about C.S. Lewis.

The structure of the story is that George, a young boy with a heart defect, discovers The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and wants to know more about it. George’s sister, who loves him deeply, shares that Lewis is at Oxford where she, Megs, is a student. Wanting to do what she can for George, Megs gets to know Jack and Warnie and brings the tales that Lewis shares home to her brother.

Jack’s life story is beautifully told. There were very hard times and yet a man emerged who is so beloved by many. I won’t detail the biography so that readers can discover it for themselves.

George is preternaturally wise about life while Megs is perhaps less so. Over the course of the novel, she learns that her beloved scientific point of view and way of solving problems is but one way to look at the world. She and George are both deeply human, seeking, loving people with whom readers will enjoy spending time.

Those who have read the Narnia stories will eagerly read this title looking for the same insights that young George is seeking…to understand where the characters in the books came from, who they may have been based on and more. Will those answers be in these pages? You will need to read the novel to find out.

Those who have not read the Narnia books can still love this title. Its insight into a person’s life with all of its tragedies and peaceful moments are for all readers.

I give this one my highest recommendation. Ms. Callahan your talent for understanding Lewis and life are so impressive.

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

The Cup of Silver Linings is the second in this author’s Dove Pond series. I enjoyed the first novel, The Book Charmer (see review on my blog or NetGalley). Each of these books has featured one of the Dove sisters. They each have a magical property so in this way remind me of books by Sarah Addison Adler.

In the first novel, Sarah hears books. They literally tell her which book a reader needs. In this new story, Ava has a special relationship with plants and teas. She has a talent for knowing what special drink a person needs for what ails them, much as Sarah knew about books.

This book tells several stories. One is about Ava and her life’s work. Another thread tells the story of Kristen Foster and her grandmother Ellen. Kristen and Ellen come together in the aftermath of Kristen’s mother’s death. Julie was, of course, Ellen’s daughter. Julie, an artist, rebelled against Ellen in every way. Ellen begins the novel as a talented architect who is precise and stiff. Kristen is more like her mother. She wants to stay in Dove Pond while Ellen wants to move the two of them back to Raleigh. Can these two disparate people come together in a way that will feel right for each of them?

In the meanwhile, Ava’s teas have gone amok. Will she be able to find out what the problem is and to fix it? Will her (gorgeously described) tearoom open on schedule?

Also, what about this book’s title? Will there be silver linings for each of these characters?

This book is good women’s fiction. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I would certainly read book 3 if/when it is published. Note however, that Julie suffered from mental illness if this is something that a reader needs as a spoiler alert.

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

Those who enjoy women’s fiction may want to take a look at this series of six books, of which this is number five. I had not paid attention when requesting this book so did not know its place in the series. Nonetheless, I felt fully able to read this book without any issues. It tells a story of a wedding planner and a thriller writer who are attracted to one another. Each has issues that impact their willingness to make a commitment. Will they have a happy ending and what will happen as they try to get there?

This book was not my favorite by this author. That said, I will continue to keep an eye out for future titles by her.

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