Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsDecember 10, 2018

THIS TITLE IS AN E BOOK BARGAIN FOR 6.26.21

A new novel from this author is always most welcome! What I love about this series is not so much the mysteries, although those are well constructed, but the relationships among the characters and the ways in which the city of Venice is brought to life. Guido and Paola seem so real and affectionate with one another; they have a marriage that many would envy. Watching Guido and Paola with their children is a treat as is reading about their latest family dinner. Guido’s relationships with his extended family and work colleagues are also brought vividly to life.

In this book, a friend of the family who is elderly wants to adopt an adult male to be his heir. Will you as the reader feel empathy for this lonely man? All around wonder if this adoption is a good plan but he is determined and undeterred. Is this what leads to his and one other’s death? What are the reasons for what is happening? How are families constructed? They are not all like Guido’s.

For fans of Donna Leon, the chance to spend time with her will be a delight. New readers will also enjoy the book and will probably then look to read others in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this good read. The opinions are mine alone.

#UntoUsASonIsGiven #NetGalley

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsJuly 22, 2019

THIS TITLE IS AN E BOOK BARGAIN FOR 6.26.21

This is a wonderful historical novel based upon the Book Women who delivered library materials to those in the out of the way sections of Kentucky.  The book women were part of a program started by President Roosevelt under the WPA.

There are many book women in Troublesome Creek, Kentucky but the protagonist of the novel is the unforgettable Cussy.  Cussy speaks in dialect which helps the reader to fully enter into her world.  Cussy faces special challenges because she is the last of the ‘blues.’  There really were blue-skinned people in America as a supplement at the back of the novel attests.  They were objects of curiosity and also of prejudice, just as was the case for the African American population.

Cussy wants to be independent both before and after her disastrous short term marriage.  And yet, what will happen with patron Jackson who is one of the few to call Cussy by name, rather than the derogatory Bluet?

Cussy’s love of books flows through the novel.  There are references to books that were popular at the time, including those by Steinbeck and Rex Stout.  Cussy’s inventiveness in making books and delivering what her patrons need is impressive.

The landscape of rural Kentucky, the small towns, the mines, the mountains are all well described.  Each patron that Cussy visits has a back story and readers will even come to learn more about the mule who transports her.

If you are a reader who enjoys historical fiction set in the U.S., consider this one.  Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Sourcebooks, for this book in exchange for an honest review.

by Helen Cathcart

#TheQueenandPrincePhilipTheEarlyYears #NetGalley

Given the popularity of The Crown and the recent death of Prince Philip, many readers may be interested in taking a look back at how Elizabeth and Philip, met, courted and became one of the world’s best known couples and love stories. This book offers an uncontroversial retelling of their story. Those who are fans of royal biographies may well want to look at this one. It is part of a series of four books that the author penned about the royal family.

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

nyti.ms/3xC4cKC

This title is an e book bargain for 6.24.21

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsMay 15, 2020

Remain Silent is the third book in Susie Steiner’s Manon Bradshaw mystery series.  I very much enjoyed this author’s first two novles in the series and was eager to read this one as well.

Remain Silent is, in some ways, a very tough read.  It is the second book that I have finished recently that has a theme centering on the plight of illegal immigrants.  Ms. Steiner portrays what happens to these characters including Matis, Lukas and  others, with such brutal reality that it was painful to read.  The message is an important one however and something that needs to be considered.

Manon herself can be acerbic, funny and a woman who makes many pithy parenthetical statements.  In this book, Manon is overwhelmed with challenges.  She has a young son, a teenaged son and a partner, Mark, who is in the hospital.   Manon’s lament on how she wishes that she had been treating Mark better will strike a chord with anyone who has faced challenges in a relationship.

Around all of this, of course, there is a mystery.  The murder is that of one of the immigrants and Manon is tasked with solving the case.  Readers who have read the series will welcome back characters on her team including Davy.

SPOILER:

The afterword by the author reveals some of what she, herself, has been experiencing and this, too, has been quite sad and difficult.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in an excellent series in exchange for an honest review.  I hope that Ms. Steiner will continue writing.  She is a talented and clear eyed author.

This title is an e book bargain for 6.24.21

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsJune 4, 2017

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.

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 read other books in this series; the books do not have to be read in order to be enjoyed as some backstory is provided.

Book provided by Net Galley in return for an honest review.  Thanks Net Galley!

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsMay 19, 2021

by AnneliesDraws

This title has now been published!

What does it mean to be brave? Young listeners will learn that being brave doesn’t mean not being afraid. It means trying despite this and accepting that mistakes are an important part of life. Children find that it is more than okay to learn from what goes wrong. This is how we grow. The lesson is brought home through the adorable animal characters who try things out in these pages.

The message of this sweetly illustrated book is a good one for adults as well! So…enjoy this title with a young person in your life.

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

#TheHollywoodSpy #NetGalley

Pub date: July 6, 2021

The Hollywood spy is the tenth entry in Ms. MacNeal’s Maggie Hope historical mystery series. I have read all of the novels, starting with Mr. Churchill’s Secretary which was published in 2012. Maggie has had many adventures, relationships and heartaches over the course of the stories as she experiences WWII.

As is obvious from the tile, The Hollywood Spy takes place in California. There are cameo appearances by so many who lived there in the book; to name just a few there are Walt Disney, Howard Hughes, Lena Horne, Linus Pauling and many others.

Many locations also are brought to life. There are famous hotels, Disney Studios, Cal Tech, nightclubs, speakeasies and more. Each described location feels very authentic.

Maggie travels to California to help a very close friend (and former love), John Sterling, investigate the death of Gloria Hutton. As readers would expect, there are a number of suspects, everyone from the husband she is divorcing to those with whom she worked

Several other murders follow. Are these deaths connected to Gloria’s? If yes, how and why?

While everything just described is done very well and would be enough to lead me to encourage readers to buy this novel, that is not all that was outstanding. What I feel that the author did brilliantly was to describe the times. Note: they were ugly in many ways and bear a resemblance to some current times in America. (Think of the slogan America First, for one.)

The KKK features prominently in the story. The discrimination against Blacks and Hispanics is graphically portrayed. If readers are not aware of this part of the country’s history, it is something that they need to know about. There is surely much to be proud of in the U.S. but also injustices and they are seen here.

In my opinion, The Hollywood Spy may well be the author’s best book to date. I highly recommend it.

The author has included an extensive list of resources at the end of the novel. It will be most helpful for readers who want to further explore the period in which the story is set.

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

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsAugust 20, 2018

Anna Lee Huber began a new series last year when This Side of Murder was published. In Treacherous is the Night, the second novel featuring Verity Kent, the author hits her stride.

The reader learns early on that Verity was an agent in La Dame Blanche, a resistance and intelligence group, during WWI. This story has to do with events that had their origin in that time.

At the beginning of the novel, Verity, although not a believer, attends a seance with a friend who hopes to contact her brother. For those who don’t know, attending seances was common after the war. The medium appears to channel an agent with whom Verity worked during the war. From this point on, the novel is a hunt for clues to find Emilie and to prevent a tragedy. While the reader assumes that, since this is a series, Verity will survive, the author should be credited for creating suspense in her narrative.

There is a reason to read the books in order. SPOILER: This has to do with what happened to Verity’s husband, something the reader learns in the first novel. However, if the reader is willing to move forward, there is no reason that this novel cannot be read first.

I gave This Side of Murder three *** and am happy to give the new novel four. I enjoyed spending time with the main characters in this book and look forward to meeting up with Verity, Sidney and the rest of the crew in the future.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher.