Who can you believe or trust? The Suspect by Fiona Barton

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsFebruary 5, 2019

I recently posted a NYT Book Review’s review of this title.  In many ways, I agreed with it.

I had read The Child, this author’s second novel. and very much enjoyed it.  See my review of that one below.  I began this book with high expectations that were not quite realized.  Nonetheless, I found that I was constantly turning the pages of the short chapters until I got to the end.

The central story is about Rosie and Alex who travel to Thailand for their gap year.  The two are very different with Alex having a stronger moral compass.  Rosie wants to party while Alex wants to see and experience the country.  What happens to them and why forms the central mystery/suspense of the book. No spoilers here. Around them, there are other characters in Thailand and Rosie and Alex’s families at home in England.  The reader also spends time with a detective and reporter who were also in this author’s earlier novels.  Their relationships and backstories figure prominently in the narrative.  There is an overlap in that Kate is reporting but her son is also traveling in Thailand and a part of the story’s events.

This novel deals with tragedy and the impact of a difficult upbringing. I won’t say about whom or whose so as not to spoil the suspense.  Yet, despite this, I found that I did not care about the characters or story as much as I had hoped to.

I give this one a solid three stars.  If you read it, I would love to know what you think.

True Stories of Fantastic Felines

by Penelope Rich & Isabel Muñoz

Pub date: April 1, 2021

The cover of this book will undoubtedly appeal to young cat lovers as will the illustrations inside. They are adorable. Cat lovers will also enjoy browsing through the content of this title. Inside are short stories about many famous cats. The book is divided into categories including Cats Throughout History; Cats with Jobs; Extraordinary Cats; and Famous Cats. There are also sections on caring for cats and kittens and further reading suggestions. I enjoyed learning about Hemingway’s cats and Unsinkable Sam who survived the sinking of three warships during WWII. There are many additional entries here, all of which are fun to read.

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

The Windsor Knot

A Novel

by SJ Bennett

Narrated by Jane Copland

The Stills

A Novel

by Jess Montgomery

The Stills is Jess Montgomery’s third novel, following on the earlier titles, The Widows and The Hollows. I read and loved those two earlier books. The Stills continues the story of many of the characters. The books are probably best read in order as the backstory from the earlier novels is relevant. If read as a first experience with Ms. Montgomery, readers may well want to then go back to the earlier titles.

The author has so many strengths. One is her ability to carve out a time and place. Another is her careful building of the relationships between characters. The story’s setting is 1920s Bronwyn County, Ohio during the Prohibition years. This small community where Lily lives is so well portrayed. There are small farms, mines, charismatic churches, stills and speakeasys.

Lily became the Sheriff following on the events of the first novel. She is a widow who is devoted to her children, her mother and her half-sibling. The book opens with all of them, along with some additional guests, enjoying Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, the calm does not last.

One guest at dinner is Benjamin. Lily inches toward becoming closer to him over the course of the story. Another is Lily’s best friend Marvena. She puts Lily in what could be a compromising position in this title.

Other characters include a number of villains. Foremost among these are George Vogel and his henchmen. George is an unfeeling, hard man who has benefited from illegal acts. Will this be the book in which he finally gets stopped? George’s wife Fiona is a master manipulator who has a complex relationship with George. What will happen to her? To their relationship? Is Fiona as clever as she thinks she is?

And, of course, there are the stills, those sites for making moonshine. What events happen there? How will they radiate out to impact the community?

I was very delighted to receive an ARC of this title. I look forward (already) to finding out what comes next for the folks of Kinship.

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

A Novel

by Jennifer Saint

Pub date: May 4, 2021

I often wish that I remembered the Greek myths in more detail. I have spent time with Edith Hamilton and Stephen Fry but need to go back. So, I was not fully aware of who Ariadne was before I began this novel. At the start, I will say that I have seen some mixed reviews but I found this book to be interesting and engaging. Its’ main subject is the story of the titular character whose relative was the MInotaur.

Ariadne is a retelling of a well-known Greek story but from the woman’s point of view. It will be enjoyed by readers of other books including Circe.

Early in the novel, readers learn about Ariadne’s parents. They are Minos and Pasiphae. He was the ruler of Crete. She was the daughter of the sun god and is beautifully described in the beginning of the novel. What Minos did, how that affected Pasiphae and the circumstances of the Minotaur’s birth are told.

A number of stories of the Greek gods are dramatized. As readers may know, the gods are often like larger than life humans, full of passion, temper and more. They form the background of Ariadne’s world.

Others whom readers get to know include Theseus becomes involved with Ariadne. There are also Daedalus, Icarus and Phaedra. All of their stories led to an immersive read for me.

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

The Rose Code

A Novel

by Kate Quinn

#TheRoseCode #NetGalley

Pub date: March 9, 2021

To say the most important thing first…I LOVED this book and highly recommend it. Yes, there are many, many novels currently being published that are set in WWII. I have read and enjoyed many of them. Still, even if you feel WWII fiction fatigue, give this one a chance.

The Rose Code’s main setting is Bletchley Park. As most know, this was an important location for those who broke codes and helped to win the war. Into this setting come three women:

Osla: She was a debutante before the war took her to BP but she has always wanted to do more and to be seen as more than this. Osla had a haphazard upbringing by a neglected mother but she moves in society’s highest circles; her godfather is Mountbatten and she knows a certain Phillip very well.

Mabel, renamed (by herself) as Mab: She grew up in Shoreditch where expectations for her were low. Coming to BP allows her to do and become more.

Bethan/Beth: She has lived in the shadow of a domineering mother but BP allows her particular genius and talents to flourish. She has a laser like focus and a great talent for the work she does.

What happens to these three and the events and people around them form the core of this immersive read. There are romance, joy, friendship, traitors, hardship, mystery and more contained in the pages of the story. It will engage readers who will wish that the book were even longer than its hefty length.

I listened to the audio of this title. The narrator was fantastic. She created each of the characters with their own voice.

Whether you like to read or listen, put this one on your TBR list.

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

sleuthofbakerstreet.ca/i/1584200/March_2021_e_MOM_Print.pdf