Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too!

Some real variety today.  Several mysteries, an historical fiction and some women’s fiction.  Mysteries are The Dream Stalker, Murder Out of Turn and Murder at Chateau du Mer.  Historical fiction is House of Shadows.  Celia Imrie and Barbara Delinsky are women’s fiction.  I also include Wiley Cash.  While I have not read this book, it has excellent reviews.

This week in class we discussed In the Last Analysis, the first book in the Kate Fansler series of mysteries.  The book was written under a pseudonym with the author, Carolyn Heilbrun being a feminist scholar and professor at Columbia.

The author’s protagonist is herself an English professor at Columbia.  A student of hers asks for a recommendation to a psychoanalyst.  Kate refers the student, Janet, to Emmanuel Bauer.  Emmanuel is a Freudian analyst which leads to some interesting asides in the book.  He is also a past lover of Kate’s.

Janet is murdered.  Kate is invested in learning what happened both because she is the one who referred Janet to Emmanuel and because Kate and Emmanuel have been good friends, even though their affair ended. She is concerned that he not be found guilty if he did not commit the crime.  From this point, Kate uses her resources and delegation skills to gather the pertinent facts.  The solution to the mystery, in my opinion, is less interesting than other aspects of this novel.

Kate is perhaps one of the first feminist detectives.  She is very urban, does not seemingly want to marry, supports herself, smokes, drinks and is a curious, intelligent woman.

By the end of the story, which is improbable in spots, the case is solved.  In accord with mystery traditions going back many years, order is restored as the perpetrator is caught.  Along the way, there are references to classes that Kate teaches,  other literary references (one of which is important), life on campus and psychoanalysis.

This book was written about 50 years ago but seems contemporary in terms of the issues that are still important.  If you have not read the series, it is worth a try.

 

I read and enjoyed this author’s first novel, The Postmistress, so was thrilled to receive an e galley of her second novel, The Guest Book. The Guest Book was chosen as a Barnes and Noble book club read and it is easy to see why. This is the sort of novel that the reader wants to talk about with others who spent time getting to know the Miltons, their circle, and those who are on the outside of it.

The story covers three generations in a narrative that moves back and forth in time, beginning with Ogden and Kitty. They appear to literally own all that they could ever want, even including an island in Maine that is central to the book. The next generation includes Moss, Evelyn and Joan. Children who grew up with so much and who each make decisions about how they want to live in the world. Their children form the book’s third generation. Other important characters are Leonard, who is Jewish and Reg who is African American.

The world of these characters resembles the dance on the island late in the book. People dance with “their own” and occasionally with “others.” These interactions fuel the plot and thinking of the novel.

This is a story about those with power who casually dislike those who are not like them. So…can Leonard, who is Jewish, ever truly be with Joan? Is there a reason that Reg, who is African American does not sign the guest book of the title?

The reader spends much time with Kitty. No spoilers but several of her decisions, one casual and without awareness of the tragedy that will befall and one with knowledge of that but still a particular decision. The reader will be immersed in Kitty’s thoughts about the choices that she has made.

It can be easy to dislike some of the characters for their choices. The author tries to show that life and decisions are complex, made for reasons that are not always clear and may or may not be regretted. Ms. Blake has a message that she would like readers to take away. Around it, she creates a novel of considerable depth.

I highly recommend this one. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an e galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an adorable bedtime read for toddlers. The illustrations are bold and appealing while the simple text pairs well with the pictures.

In the story, a group of creatures tell what they need to do before going to bed. By the end of the book, a young child tells their routine for what must happen before going to sleep. In a sweet way that ties the book together, each critter that was previously featured in the story then is shown within the child’s room (for example, as part of a mobile). Young readers are then asked what they need before going to sleep.

This storybook has an appealing concept; reluctant toddlers will undoubtedly love to see how each featured player finds ways to avoid bedtime. The book will then, hopefully, send them off to the land of Nod.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this book which I was given in return for an honest review.

This book is very clever, funny and yet full of art history. It is a wonderful way to learn about or review art movements. The facts are well researched while the art reflects each period. Covering everything from Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, Fauvism, De Stijl to Abstract Impressionism and more, the book provides a thorough introduction to art movements. I even learned about several art periods that I did not know including CoBrA and the Young British Artists.

For each era, there is one large and other smaller illustrations. There are sections of the painting techniques and the artists of each movement. For example, the Fauves use of bright colors and collage are noted. For this section the illustration is of a cat that could have been painted by Matisse. For on Pop Art there are cat food cans that are recognizable as being in Warhol’s style. At the end of the book there is a timeline which provides a helpful additional reference.

I will enjoy going back to this book time and again. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the fun and informative read.

Here is the publisher’s description for readers’ additional a-mews-ment:

Become litter-ate in the basics of important art movements through a host of beautifully illustrated cats, each one inspired by a specific period in art hiss-tory: Surrealism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, Ancient Egyptian (of course), and many more. From Claude Meow-net to Jackson Paw-llock, these creative cats will introduce you to key themes and artists you won’t soon fur-get. Purr-haps even inspiring you to make your own version!

This is an appealing book of opposites featuring Pandas.  It offers a very cute way to teach your child while you enjoy gorgeous photos of the animals.  Both adults and children will have fun with this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an extraordinarily charming book. The illustrations are delightful and evocative. The text is rhyming. Young readers or listeners will learn about Steinlen, the artist who made the iconic Le Chat Noir posters. He studied textiles but realized that fine art was his calling. Steinlen encountered many other famous artists during this exciting time in French art.

At the end of the book, there is additional biographical information on the artist. There is also a section on objects that young readers can go back and search for in the text.

I enjoyed this lovely trip to France. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I have very much enjoyed the Peter Diamond mystery series, set in Bath, by Peter Lovesey.  Here is one as a bargain.

The Au Pair is in my TBR pile and has gotten good reviews.

Enjoy.

This colorfully illustrated story will appeal to young children and their adults. In it, Herbert only wants to eat his favorite food; will he ever tire of it? See what happens when Herbert’s parents go away and his grandmother accedes to his wishes. This is a cute read on a typical toddler-preschool food issue.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this read in exchange for an honest review. I’m off to my freeezer now!

Although I do not live in the UK and few of her books are published in the U.S., I am a big fan of Erica James and often order her books, happily paying for the shipping.  This one has been in my TBR pile for a while although I am not sure why.  I think that this is one of the best books that this author has written.

The novel has a dual story line; the one in the present is about Saskia and her family.  Saskia, a book restorer, lost several family members to an accident when she was younger.  A book restorer who is now in her thirties, Saskia lives with her two grandfathers and her father.  Saskia is content with her life but perhaps not willing to risk hurt in looking for more.

All of the characters in the present story line come to life in the novel.  Saskia’s father and grandfather’s personalities and love for Saskia are clear.  Into this world comes Matthew who has books to be evaluated by Saskia’s father.  Not surprisingly, Matthew and Saskia bsecome a focus of the story.

Matthew and his mother lived with Jacob, a professor.  Saskia discovers a  WWII diary that she and Matthew realize was written by him.  This backstory is the backbone of the novel.  The reader follows Jacob and Kitty’s moving love story through Jacob’s diary.

The Dandelion Years refers to how Kitty thinks “of the war and the effect it’s having on everybody.  The hopes and certainties we used to live by have been swept away.  We live in a time when all it might take is one little puff and everything could be gone…”  That sense of time and life as precious permeate the story in the past and give a lesson to those in the present.

I highly recommend this novel and hope that more readers will discover this author’s many titles.  Let me know if you know of Erica James.