Uncategorized – Page 1074 – Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too!

Pub Day!! Mortals & Immortals of Greek Mythology, Time for bed, Mikyuki and Dark Tide Rising

Mortals and Immortals of Greek Mythology Many books have been written for children retelling the stories of the great Greek myths. This book deserves a welcome place on that shelf. Each God or Goddess is introduced with a paragraph stating their Latin name, their parents, their appearance, character traits and role. The stories are told in a lively manner that demonstrates the human qualities of the gods; they can be jealous, have affairs, go to war, fight with their siblings, etc. The illustrations are lovely and have a painterly quality. If you or your child wants to know more about mythology, take a look at this appealing book.

Miyuki takes her time as she puts off going to bed. Her grandfather lovingly and patiently waits for Miyuki to complete her tasks and be ready. Finally, Miyuki is tucked in, hears a bedtime story and falls asleep.

This is an absolutely gorgeous book! The illustrations are of such high quality with their whimsy, imagination and bright colors. The text is sweet and repeats, something that is quite appealing to young children. This book will be a welcome addition for those looking for gentle bedtime stories. Highly recommended!

A new Anne Perry novel is always most welcome! Dark Tide Rising is in the William Monk series, following last year’s excellent An Echo of Murder. This new case hits very close to home for Monk, in terms of his feelings for Hester and, at work, where he fears that one of his men has betrayed the team. Some plot…Monk works for the River Police where he is a Commander. He is contacted when Kate Exeter is kidnapped and her husband wants assistance in releasing her once he has paid the (exorbitant) ransom. He and Monk’s team accompany him to a very dank, dreary spot known as Jacob’s Island for the transfer. But something goes very wrong…no spoilers, so I won’t say more. It will be well worth your reading the book to find out for yourself.

In this novel, there is back story that will please long time readers of the series. We learn much more about Monk’s second in command, Hooper, and watch him fall in love. There is a trial with Oliver Rathbone defending and Inspector Runcorn also makes an appearance. If you are new to the series, you will be able to catch up and know who’s who quickly.

Dark Tide Rising is another very good entry in an already strong series. You will feel the iciness and fog on the Thames, care about the characters and await the resolution of the case. Enjoy!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review of Lethal White by Robert Galbraith

Under her Galbraith pseudonym, J.K. Rowling impressively sustains suspense over the course of a lengthy mystery in her fourth outing for London PI Cormoran Strike and his partner, Robin Ellacott. The pair have reunited professionally after the events of 2015’s Career of Evil, in which Strike fired Robin for her handling of the Shacklewell Ripper case; their personal relationship remains unsettled in the wake of Robin’s marriage to a man who resents her job. The “curious case of a government minister, slashed horses and a body buried in a pink blanket, down in a dell” begins when a man named Billy, “one of those ill and desperate people you saw in the capital who were always somebody else’s problem,” bursts into Strike’s office and claims that he saw a child strangled when he was very young. Billy flees before offering more information, but Strike’s curiosity about the possible cold case leads him to try to trace Billy. Soon after, in what seems to be suspicious timing, Strike is retained by Culture Minister Jasper Chiswell to protect him against an extortionist, who turns out to be Billy’s brother, Jimmy Knight. Rowling’s emotionally intelligent portrayal of her protagonists never overwhelms the whodunit story line. Agent: Neil Blair, the Blair Partnership (U.K.). (Sept.)

Moms who are there: A Tale of Two Mommies by OelschlagerA t

A Tale of Two Mommies is an excellent book for home and school libraries. It reflects that, in families, adults take care of their children with love. In a rhyming cadence, questions are asked and answered about which female parent meets her son’s needs in different situations. Sometimes it is one mother, sometimes the other and sometimes the little boy can take care of himself. This book is an easy and positive way to teach children that there are many kinds of families and that they are all alike in so many important ways.

This book is a companion to the author’s book A Tale of Two Daddies.

Two books that I am excited about: Transcription and Lethal White

Transcription: A Novel Read a story about this novel in today’s New York Times. This looks like it will be an excellent read from the talented Ms. Atkinson. See link below.

and for a preview

Lethal White (A Cormoran Strike Novel) by [Galbraith, Robert] Tomorrow is pub day for the newest Cormoran Strike. A related article link is below.

https:/nyti.ms/2NjoyGm

I am very (!) excited about these two novels. Are you??

E-book bargain: The Chalon Heads by Maitland

The Chalon Heads (The Brock and Kolla Mysteries) by [Maitland, Barry] Barry Maitlandis the author of a very British police procedural series. As you can tell from the cover, this one centers on a stamp. This entry is an e-book bargain today. As I read it long ago, I will include some others’ opinions below:

“Superb . . . An ingenious, craftily plotted, well-written, full-bodied procedural. . . . [H]e just keeps getting better and better. . . . The revelations continue and delight until the very last page.” —Providence Journal

“[Barry Maitland] writes what may be the best police procedural today. . . . [A] classy story in a usually unclassy genre.” —Sunday Star-Ledger

“Barry Maitland is a master of mysteries, and The Chalon Heads is a crafty and well-crafted showpiece of the genre.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review

“Riveting . . . Deviously complicated . . . Maitland’s intricate tale never fails to grip.” —Publishers Weekly

My two favorites in this series are:

The Marx Sisters: A Brock and Kolla Mystery (Brock & Kolla Mysteries)

The Malcontenta: A Brock and Kolla Mystery (Brock And Kolla Mysteries)

. The Marx Sisters was the first in the series. It was well written and engaging. The Malcontenta takes place at a health spa. I adored it.

I definitely recommend giving Kathy and Brock novels a try!

Will William find himself? The Lost Letters of William Woolf by Cullen

The Lost Letters of William Woolf Here are the British and American covers for this novel; American is on the left and British on the right. Which do you prefer?

William Woolf has a most intriguing job. He works in the lost letters department of the British post office. Using available resources, William tries to get letters that strayed to their rightful recipients. There are several moving stories in the novel in which William succeeds in this task.

William is married to Clare. They were once very happy but now are struggling. Will they stay together? How deep are the ties that bind them? Can they accept each other?

While they struggle, William becomes involved in his most engaging quest ever. He begins to find letters from the mysterious Winter, addressing her true love. William longs to know who Winter is and his search, along with her letters, form the backbone of the novel.

There were many things that I very much liked in this novel. All of the characters came to life and were well portrayed with their idiosyncrasies, faults and foibles. I loved some of the descriptions of William’s travels, especially Clovelly and Dublin. However, I confess to being a mite disappointed with what is the “big reveal.” Nonetheless, this is an engaging novel and should be a successful debut for the author.

#TheLostLettersOfWilliamWoolf #NetGalley

Interlocking Lives: One Day in December by Shari Low

Four main characters and a number of their connections feature in this engaging women’s fiction read. The action takes place over the course of one day with sufficient back story to give the novel some depth. The book begins with a character dying in hospital; it will only be at the end of the novel that the reader learns who this is.

As for the characters…Bernadette is married to surgeon, Ken, their union is not a happy one. She, Ken and their two children are one story line. Media obsessed Lila is another; she is involved with Ken and is half sister to the more likeable Caro. Both Caro and Lila’s mothers were married to the same man but they have never met. Cammy wants to marry Lila but gets to know Caro as well. There are others in the novel including Caro’s cousin, Caro and Lila’s parents and an entire French football team! Each chapter follows one of the main characters.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read; one of those novels that is good for a time when you want to relax. There will be another book by this author coming out soon.

A new quarterly

This magazine is an excellent resource for those who enjoy romance in all its media forms. I was pleasantly surprised by how much was included in this journal. There are book, tv and movie reviews and also a number of articles. For example, one article was about motherhood in romance and why it seems that women who choose not to have children are seldom featured in the genre. Another article was about southern romantic fiction. There was also an article about who would have been the better husband for Jo March in Little Women, Laurie or Bhaer This journal is a concise and good place to go for a sense of what is coming out soon and what has been out and seems worthwhile.

#RomanticIntentionsQuarterly-Issue2,July2018 #NetGalley

Some good e-book bargains: George, Crombie and Matar

Believing the Lie: An Inspector Lynley Novel: A Lynley Novel by [George, Elizabeth] Elizabeth George is the prolific author of the Inspector Lynley/Barbara Havers series. Many of the books are excellent in my opinion, while a few are less strong. Here is a chance to try one for $1.99.

The critics say:

“A multiplicity of subplots and a richness of physical detail . . . The terrain and the weather are objective correlatives to the characters’ stormy patches. Meanwhile, the story strands are untied and retied in satisfying and often moving ways.” —The Wall Street Journal

“Elizabeth George is a superstar of the crime-fiction world, British Inspector Division. Deservedly so: Her tales always provide nuanced character studies and insights into social issues along with their intricate mysteries.” —The Seattle Times

“Devilishly complicated.” —Entertainment Weekly

“A dense, twisty plot with characters who reveal the sad spectrum of human dereliction.” —People

Garden of Lamentations: A Novel (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Novels) by [Crombie, Deborah] Both Deborah Crombie and the above noted, Elizabeth Geroge, are Americans who write Britain based mysteries. You would think they were British if you did not know better. I have loved every book in the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma Jones series. This one is on sale today for $1.99.

From the Back Cover

On a beautiful morning in mid-May, the body of a young woman is found in one of Notting Hill’s private gardens. To the surrounding residents, the pretty girl in the white dress looks as if she’s sleeping. But Reagan Keating has been murdered, and the lead detective, DI Kerry Boatman, turns to Gemma James for help. She and Gemma worked together on a previous investigation, and Gemma has a personal connection to the case: Reagan was the nanny of a child who attends the same dance studio as Toby, Gemma and Kincaid’s son.

Gemma soon discovers that Reagan’s death is the second tragedy in this exclusive London park; a few months before, another victim died in an accident. And when still another of the garden residents meets a violent end, it becomes clear that there are sinister forces at play within the intimate walls of this private square. Boatman and Gemma must stop the killer as Gemma realizes she holds a child’s fate in her hands.

The Return (Pulitzer Prize Winner): Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between by [Matar, Hisham] This one is non-fiction and also $1.99 today. It deservedly won the Pulitzer prize. I heard the author speak and he was most impressive. This is an amazing (really!), heartbreaking and inspiring read about fathers and sons, freedom and confinement, letting go and choosing life. Highly recommended.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times • The Washington Post • The Guardian • Financial Times

“A tale of mighty love, loyalty and courage. It simply must be read.”—The Spectator (U.K.)

“Wise and agonizing and thrilling to read.”—Zadie Smith

“[An] eloquent memoir . . . at once a suspenseful detective story about a writer investigating his father’s fate . . . and a son’s efforts to come to terms with his father’s ghost, who has haunted more than half his life by his absence.”—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

“This outstanding book . . . roves back and forth in time with a freedom that conceals the intricate precision of its art.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Truly remarkable . . . a book with a profound faith in the consolations of storytelling . . . a testament to [Matar’s] father, his family and his country.”—The Daily Telegraph (U.K.)

An inspiring entry in an inspiring series: Little People, Big Dreams: Jane Goodall by Vegara

This is a truly inspiring story in a continually inspiring series.

Jane Goodall knew what she wanted from a young age and figured out a way to realize her dream. Starting from the moment that her father gave her a stuffed animal named Jubilee, Jane was in love with chimpanzees. Unable to afford university, she made her way to Africa, met Leakey and began to patiently observe chimps in the wild. Touchingly, she named the animals and did not only see them as research subjects. Through patient study, Jane learned a great deal and made an amazing discovery (read the book to find out what this was). In later years, she has fought tirelessly for our environment.

Jane is a determined woman and her story will encourage young readers to be determined in setting and keeping to their own biggest hopes and dreams.

Highly recommended! Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto and the author for this excellent entry in an excellent series.