I very much enjoyed the three other novels that I read and reviewed by Julia Kelly. They were The Whispers of War; The Light Over London; and The Last Garden in England. Each of these had war as a backdrop for good historical fiction.

Now, Julia Kelly has turned her pen to the post WWII period with this book that has nostalgia, drama, some interesting characters and lots of details. As can be seen from the title, this book is about debs, specifically a group of young women who were among the very last to be presented to royalty in 1958. Such presentations and the seasons that followed were the aspiration of many upper class families.

Here the author follows three different young women; Lily, Leana and Katherine. Each copes with their season in a different way; all of their lives intersect in a kaleidoscope of lunches, suppers, dances, balls, shopping trips, country weekends and more. Those who would like to vicariously sample the dresses, menus and venues will have much to enjoy here.

Each of these young women is looking to find their life’s direction. Follow them on their journey. You will witness friendship, love, conflict and some secrets!

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

Natalie Jenner’s previous novel, The Jane Austen Society, was a true favorite of mine. (See review on my blog). I was so excited when I learned that she had a new novel coming out. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the double thrill of receiving advanced copies of both the audio and print book editions. I enjoyed toggling back and forth between them, being able to listen on my walks and when doing chores.

The audio is read by one of my favorite actresses, Juliet Stevenson. She is brilliant and captures the voices of each of the characters, all of whom have different accents. This audio is a real treat!

Before picking up the novel, I thought that it was a standalone. It can function as that but there are some recurring characters from The JAS. Readers of that book will, undoubtedly, be happy to encounter Evie and some of the others again.

This novel has moved forward in time to the early 1950s. Much of the action (though action is not exactly the correct term for a leisurely read), takes place in a bookshop. This is a bookshop with rules; each chapter is headed by one of them. I loved imagining what the interior looked like based upon the descriptions. I adored the dropping of book title names and the famous real life literary people who came in, including Daphne DuMaurier and Ellen Doubleday.

The story focuses on a number of people who work in the shop. My one minor quibble is that I would call them women not girls, as in the book’s title. Evie is a character from The JAS. A Cambridge graduate, she is not able to easily find a job as the better jobs go to men. How does she get her job in the bookstore? There is some drama around this. Vivien has worked in the shop for a while; she has been thwarted by her inability to advance. She has also faced a tragedy. Change may come for her….Finally, there is Grace. She is presented as calm, practical and less than happy in her marriage. Will anything change for her?

There are a number of men in the story as well. There is the Indian gentleman employee who is interested in entomology. Readers also meet an employee who has a touchy relationship with Vivien. Another character is a Lord who owns the shop. Each of these men is well portrayed. They interact with the book’s female characters.

As was true for The JAS, this is a slower moving book and one to savor. I most highly recommend it. Note: All opinions are my own.

This title will be published on Pub Date 17 May 2022.

A Novel

by Sheila Roberts

#TheBestLifeBookClub #NetGalley

I very much enjoy stories that offer a window into the lives of characters who are facing the sorts of issues that any of us made have to deal with. In this story, for example, there is divorce, death of a spouse, raising kids, looking for and starting new jobs and even a cute dog who needs a bit of training.

Readers get to know Karissa and her daughter who are learning to live with their new circumstances. When they move to their new home, they meet Alice. She was widowed a few years ago. The third primary character is Margot; she, too, has a divorce and (lack of a)job issues with which to deal. In addition, there is also Alice’s sister in the story.

How these women and those around them fare makes for an involving read. Plus, I do love any book that is about books and book clubs.

Anyone who reads book by authors such as Brenda Novak, Susan Mallery will, I think very much enjoy this title. I will now look to read more novels by Roberts.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 07 May 2024

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Don’t we all want to become the heroine of our own story? Well, welcome to The Best Life Book Club. In a charming setting on an island off the Northwest coast, a set of characters so vivid we want to be their best friends, and a story that keeps us turning the pages, The Best Life Book Club is your book club book of the year. When Karissa, Alice, Margot and Josie discover the power of books and story to change their lives, they must decide whether to take the chance for something new: cue laughter, tears and love. With her trademark wit and warmth, Sheila Roberts delivers a story nestled inside a story, a novel of pure delight! —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times Bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea


“Sheila Roberts makes me laugh…and come away inspired, hopeful and happy.” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

From the Publisher

I have been reading the Maggie Hope mysteries since the first title, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary, was published in 2012.  The King’s Justice is the ninth in this historical mystery series.  Any of the books can be read as a standalone but readers of the series will relate to familiar characters including members of Maggie’s family.

The King’s Justice is a complex tale.  By the time that this story takes place, the stresses of war and Maggie’s work life (currently as a bomb disposal expert) are taking their toll.  Maggie is smoking and drinking too much and pushing for intimacy in a relationship where it does not appear wanted.

Into this tense and chaotic life come new challenges.  A Stradivarius violin has been stolen.  Will it be connected to the bigger cases of the novel?

Maggie is working with many Italian conscientious objectors in the UXB squad.  Why are they disappearing?  Are they dead or alive? Where would they go? Who is responsible for what is happening?

As if this were not enough, an imprisoned serial killer from a prior case wants to see Maggie.  He tantalizes her with the possibility of helping to solve another serial murder case that is being investigated, the one dubbed the Jimmy Greenteeth case. Readers will gradually watch the aspects of the story come together.

The author has done her research and posed some big questions.  I learned a lot about how the Italian community  in Britain was treated during WWII.  There are also questions raised as to what justice is or should entail.

There are big themes here and a story that reads very quickly.  My time with Maggie and her circle was well spent.  I already am looking forward to where the author will takes me in the next novel in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.  I honestly recommend all of the books in this series.

#TheKingsJustice #NetGalley

Prior books in the series that I reviewed:

If you like Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None and WWII intrigue, you will certainly like this book. I have read and enjoyed all of the novels in this series, starting with Mr. Churchill’s Secretary. Maggie Hope is a resourceful, smart and spunky protagonist who takes great, and possibly foolish, risks, in order to help with the war effort. In The Prisoner in the Castle, Maggie has been exiled to an island where agents who pose a risk to security are secretly being housed. Over the course of Maggie’s stay on the isolated and claustrophobic island, life goes on with one big exception…Maggie’s fellow agents are being killed at a rapid, daily rate. Why? What danger do they present? Who can be trusted? How will the murderer be stopped? Will Maggie survive or could this be the end of the series? You will need to read the novel to find out.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a fun read in an enjoyable series.

The Paris Spy is part of a series set during WW II; The cover illustration for this latest entry is appealing but does not not reflect the gravity of Maggie and her fellow SOE operatives’ risky lives. This book is NOT a cozy mystery; the scenes with interrogation and torture were difficult to read.
I recommend this book. The Paris of the occupation was well drawn and there was an interesting mix of fictional and historical personages, including Coco Chanel. I connected with the characters and worried about their safety.
Occasionally, the plot relied on coincidence and was not completely believable. Nonetheless, I rooted for Maggie and hoped for her mission and England’s success as D-day comes closer. I would definitely recommend that you read other books in this series; the books do not have to be read in order to be enjoyed as some backstory is provided.

Pub date: June 1, 2021

The Bombay Prince is the third of Ms. Massey’s titles featuring Perveen Mistry. This one is my favorite!

The story is set in the early 20th century when Perveen was the first female solicitor in India. Perveen was educated at Oxford when she could not attend law school in her own country. She is in a practice with her father.

At the time that this story begins, Prince Edward is traveling to India. It is a time of unrest and protest as many in India would like to leave British rule behind. Some of those who are protesting are students. In this context Freny, a young college student, consults with Perveen. Freny is later murdered (not really a spoiler as this happens early in the book). Who killed her? Why?

The story itself moves at a leisurely pace. Readers get to know Perveen better in this book. There is more time spent with her family. Perveen’s friend Alice and Colin (from the second book) also are quite present.

The settings are beautifully presented. There are the college, the hotels, clubs, storefronts and more. There is also a lot to learn about Indian culture, foods and funeral customs. The author’s care in including so much detail enhances the reader’s experience.

Ms. Massey has written this series and also an earlier one set in Japan. I recommend all of her books most highly.

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

Welcome back Richard Jury and Co! 
After reading The Man with a Load of Mischief, I always looked for books in this series. Then, I moved away from them…not sure why, the books or me. But, I will tell you that I very much enjoyed The Knowledge. All of the trademarks are here; characters including Wiggins, Melrose Plant, Diane, etc. and of course the preternaturally smart, cunning and ingenious child(ren). On top of this there is Africa, Art, Astrophysics, the Stars and murder, all of which line up as perfectly as an eclipse. If you enjoy traditional British style (author is American) mysteries with a twist, read this novel!

#TheSunsetYearsofAgnesSharp #NetGalley

Older characters and detectives are having a moment in the mystery genre. It may have begun with Richard Osman and Robert Thorogood has also followed this path. In this novel, we have the older characters created by Ms. Swann in this title that was originally published in German.

A number of older folks live together. Referred to as hippies, they have their limitations.  Somehow they manage the indignities of aging. However, when two murders occur will they be able to manage…and to solve the cases?

I wanted to like this book based on all I had heard but I just found it to be okay. An issue for me was that I did not especially care for the characters who were living at Sunset Hall. I did love the illustrations and the tortoise though.

Note the following though so don’t just go by me.

A Washington Post Best Mystery Novel of 2023
A New York Times Editors’ Choice
Book Riot Most Anticipated Beach Reads of 2023
A LibraryReads August Bonus Pick

Many thanks to NetGalley and Soho Press/Soho Crime for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 29 August 2024

Trace Elements A Comissario Guido Brunetti Mystery by Donna Leon is an e book bargain

Where I live, the weather is currently cold and the days are short. When Trace Elements takes place during a summer in Venice, it is as hot as hot can be. Clothes are sticking, meals need to be light and our detective, Guido Brunetti is mystified by the tourists who want to be in Venice at this miserable time. I could feel the heat and the need to drink mineral water. All of this is to say that Ms. Leon is a master at creating her scenes and characters. When Brunetti was eating his cheese and salad, I salivated. When I followed this essentially good man throughout the story, I wanted to know him and his colleagues as real people. When Brunetti was with his wife, Paola, I wanted a marriage like theirs. All of this adds verisimilitude to a novel that, in parts, is deeply tragic.

Tue story begins when Brunetti and a female colleague go to visit Benedetta, a women in hospice care, who is dying a miserable death from cancer. Readers will feel great sympathy for this character’s suffering. Before she dies, Benedetta presents Brunetti and Claudia Griffoni with something to investigate. They learn that Benedetta’s daughters are about to become orphans as Benedetta’s husband recently died in a crash. Was his death an accident? If it was murder how, if at all, does it relate to his job?

In Trace Elements (an apt title), the crime as it relates to Venice feels all too plausible. Ms. Leon has done her research and written a believable and sad tale of human corruption and its consequences. Wrong actions happen but the reasons for them differ.

This title is the latest entry in Donna Leon’s long running series about Guido Brunetti. It is a most excellent novel and I recommend it highly.

by Camilla Trinchieri

#TheBitterTasteofMurder #NetGalley

Pub Date 10 Aug 2021

One thing that all of my favorite Italian/Sicilian mystery series have in common is their love of food and drink. Brunetti and Paola on their terrace is a place that I always love to visit (Donna Leon) as is Montalbano’s favorite Sicilian restaurant (Andrea Camilleri). Now, in her two novels (the first was Murder in Chianti), Ms. Trincheri has successfully found her place in that gastronomic firmament. To readers’ delight, there are frequent visits to the restaurant where retired NYC detective, Nico, works with his wife’s family; to the local breakfast spot (I want cornetti!) and to several wineries. Perfection! Oh…and there is style the murder mystery to be enjoyed as well.

This time, Nico is involved in trying to discover who has murdered a (crooked) wine critic. Some of the suspects are people that Nico knows well, including his landlord and his landlord’s wife. There are also the victim’s wife and girlfriend among others. The mystery is fair to readers who want to try to solve it. That said, as already noted, there is much to be enjoyed around the case.

Readers can read this title without having read the first book, although both are quite enjoyable. Those who read the first book will enjoy again meeting up with all of Nico’s family members, those in the police department and the people who live in his town.

This is a perfect summer read mystery. Buon Appetito e buono lettura!

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

I’ll just put it out there: I loved this book. It is a novel for anyone who has ever felt the power of books and the delight in reading a special series (there is a fictional one in this novel) and for those who know how important relationships can be. It is part whimsy, part fairy tale, part game and all a page turner with heart. There are characters that I loved and wanted good lives for, most especially Lucy and Christopher who both suffered difficult childhoods. Lucy is in her twenties as the story opens while Christopher is seven. Lucy deeply wants to be Christopher’s parent as he very much needs one.

Those who enjoy stories about reclusive authors, puzzles and the power of dreams and wishes will find this to be a most satisfying read. Travel to Clock Island, try to solve a riddle and watch what happens.

Four adults who were childhood fans of author Jack will come to Clock Island. Lucy will also get to know Hugo, an illustrator and wing man for Jack. What will happen when they meet?

Read this fairy tale for adults. I wonder how many people you will then urge to read it.

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

#TheWishingGame #NetGalley

Pub date: 30 May 2023

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Meg Shaffer’s beautiful novel is part Willy Wonka, part magical realism, and wholly moving. It broke my heart and patched it over and reminded me that even as an adult, if you look hard enough, you can find the child still inside you.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling co-author of Mad Honey

“Our list of must-read fiction books wouldn’t be complete withouta novel that reminds readers of the power books hold between their pages. Meg Shaffer’s The Wishing Game may not contain any magic—this is a whimsical tale, but it’s grounded in reality—yet there’s something magical about the book.”—Reader’s Digest, in “Best Fiction Books of 2023”