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An e book bargain for 20 April 2024

Val McDermid is one of my favorite crime writers. She is a pioneer in the crime fiction world, beginning with her Lindsay Gordon series. Lindsay was the first lesbian to feature in a mystery as protagonist. By the way, these titles have been reissued along with the author’s Kate Brannigan novels. And, of course, Ms. McDermid’s fans also follow Tony Hill and Carole Jordan as well as Karen Pirie in the novels featuring them.

Not one to rest on her laurels, now there is a new series. This one follows Allie Burns. Allie is a reporter on a Scottish daily at a time when women in the newsroom were few and rarely reported on anything other than women’s issues. Allie, though, is becoming a tough investigative reporter.

Two of the stories that Allie follows are the one with financial chicanery and tax evasion at its core, and a second that involves Scottish Nationalists who want to plan an IRA like bombing. Allie investigates both of these stories with fellow reporter Danny.

In my opinion this book starts a bit slowly but things speed up to be sure. What follows is a suspenseful and involving story with well sketched characters, settings and situations. McDermid started her career (after an Oxbridge education) at a local paper. She, presumably, uses this knowledge in creating Allie and the newsroom.

Fans of McDermid will be eager to read this title. I enjoyed this one and I look forward to additional titles in this new series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. I was very excited to read it. All opinions are my own.

Kamala Harris

by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

This is another entry in the inspiring Little People, Big Dreams series that shows children that those who have done great things started out as kids themselves.

This time readers learn about Kamala Harris and her journey from child of civil rights marchers to Vice President of the United States. Children see Kamala embracing both her Jamaican and Indian heritages. They also find out that she valued education, attending an historic Black college and then law school. They see that Kamala achieved so much even before she knew Joe Biden!

One message that kids can take away from this title is Kamala’s belief that, while she may be the first Black and female VP, she does not believe that she will be the last. Hopefully this book will encourage children to believe in what they can achieve and to consider public service.

The text is vibrantly illustrated and there are additional resources and a time line at the end of the book.

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

Helen Tursten has been writing for many years but this is the first time that I have read something by her. It will not be the last.

This book is a collection of interlaced short stories. It is a sequel to an earlier “elderly lady” collection that I will look for. I enjoyed that Maud was in her eighties as so many mystery protagonists are much younger. Maybe this is the start of a trend given other titles like The Tuesday Murder Club. That being said, she also recalls her childhood in a story that is included here.

All in all, this is a book that will delight its readers. Take a look.

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

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed

An October 2021 Indie Next Selection
“Tursten effectively juxtaposes a cozy, Agatha Christie–like tone against the often surprisingly dark nature of Maud’s recollections, which are rife with clever satirical jabs and delicious ironies. This absorbing dive into the mind of a ruthless pragmatist posing as a Swedish Miss Marple will please psychological-thriller fans, once they realize that Maud isn’t nearly as cozy as she looks.”
—Booklist, Starred Review

“The six linked stories in Swedish author Tursten’s delightful sequel showcase the ingenious murder methods that Maud, an idiosyncratic octogenarian with questionable motives, has devised over the years . . . Assured prose matches an irresistible heroine. Readers are sure to welcome a third entry in this beguiling series.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A guidebook to growing old without a single regret for victims who deserved just what they got.”
—Kirkus Reviews

A Novel

by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

This title follows upon the highly regarded, Before the coffee gets cold. Once again, the author spins a world that comes vividly to life. There is a bit of sci fi or magical realism within, call it what you will.

The tales take place in a very special cafe. A customer can go back in time so long as they are ready to return to their world before the coffee gets cold. This title follows four such patrons of the cafe. Each of these customers will come back changed.

This book is a treat. Those who enjoyed The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World are most likely to enjoy this title as well. It is a short book at 145 pages but also one to savor.

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

A Christmas Carol is, I think, one of Charles Dickens’ most popular stories. So many know the main aspects of the tale but, I imagine there are those who either have never read the original or who have not read it for many years. Now would be a good time to change that!

This version of the story is enhanced by its’ absolutely gorgeous and appealing illustrations. They are detailed and have a softness to them that I found that I very much appreciated. The illustrator’s artistry clearly adds to the reader’s experience as the pages turn.

Rereading A Christmas Carol has led me to remember that it would make a great Christmas season read aloud with a child. True, some of the vocabulary may need to be explained but there is something to be said for introducing a child to such a well-known and loved story.

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

One Hundred Essays from Colonial Times to the Present

by Phillip Lopate

This book is aptly named; it is truly glorious. It contains such a wide range of essays and covers works from Colonial Times to now. It is such a treat and will be loved by readers with inquiring minds. It is extraordinarily generous as well, clocking in at over 900 pages.

Start at the very beginning of the book, following an excellent introduction. There you will find authors including Cotton Mather, Jonathan Edwards and Thomas Paine, to mention just the first three. Or…just dip in anywhere that appeals. It is impossible to do justice to all that is found here. How about Washington or Lincoln? Henry James? Elizabeth Cady Stanton? Edith Wharton? Zora Neale Hurston? The choices go on and on until one finally approaches the end of the book to find Marilynne Robinson and Zadie Smith among others.

This is a gorgeous book. Think about getting it for yourself or someone you love right now or maybe as a holiday gift.

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