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

The Apothecary Rose is the first of the Owen Archer mysteries by Candace Robb.  I read this many years ago,  enjoyed it and went on to read other novels in the series.

From Goodreads:

Christmastide, 1363-and, at an abbey in York, two pilgrims die mysteriously dead of an herbal remedy. Suspicious, the Archbishop sends for Owen Archer, a Welshman with the charm of the devil, who’s lost one eye to the wars in France and must make a new career as an honest spy.

Masquerading as an apprentice to Apothecary Nicholas Wilton, whose shop dispensed the fatal potion, Owen’s dark curls, leather eyepatch and gold earring intrigue Wilton’s wife. But is this lovely woman a murderess? and what links the Wiltons to bumbling Brother Wulfstan, ascetic Archdeacon Anselm and his weaselly agent Potter Digby, and the ragged midwife Magda the Riverwoman? Answers as slippery as the frozen cobblestones draw Owen into a dangerous drama of old scandals and tragedies, obsession and unholy love…

The Apothecary Rose marks the arrival of a bold and quick-witted detective in this expertly detailed, engrossing tale of medieval life-and death.

I have absolutely adored Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway mystery series and hope that she will continue to write many more book about Ruth, her family, colleagues and friends. Ms. Griffiths has also penned the post-war Max Mephisto series. Now, she has written her first standalone novel. I will start by saying that this atmospheric, character driven story does not disappoint.

Plot: Clare is a teacher at the school where her daughter, Georgia, is a student. Harbinder is a Detective Sergeant whose alma mater is this school. When Clare’s colleagues begin to die, Harbinder is assigned the investigation. The school also has close ties to the author of a very scary story. These threads intertwine to produce a suspenseful, somewhat Gothic tale.

Most interesting to me in the book were the many characters and their interrelationships. There are Clare and her ex-husband, Clare and her daughter, Clare and her colleagues, Clare and Harbinder. Then there are Georgie and her parents, Georgie and her teachers, Georgie and her boyfriend, Georgie and her writing group, etc.

Another feature of the novel is the offering of different points of view. The reader sees events through the eyes of Clare, Georgie and Harbinder.

As in all good mysteries there are some twists. This is a novel that I definitely recommend. My favorite novels by this author are still the Ruth novels but this is worth a read for suspense lovers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read by one of my favorite authors!

Some advance praise for the novel:

Utterly bewitching. This atmospheric, intricate thriller, a pitch-perfect modern Gothic, chilled my blood and warmed my heart. As unforgettable as it is original.”
—A.J. Finn

“Goose-bump spooky, smart, and haunting, in every sense.  I loved this book!  And you will too.”
—Louise Penny

In this picture book, bedtime story, a little girl cannot fall asleep.  Her mom suggests that she think of some stories and that she will then drift off.  Mom goes on to tell several stories (in prose that rhymes at times), none of which is quite right.  You can guess who falls asleep first!  The illustrations are soft and sweet; all in all a charming bedtime book.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher.

So many good choices here.  Note that for some authors more than one book is a bargain this month.  That was definitely true for Susan Hill.  Hope you find some good reads here!

Are you one of the folks who was glued to the TV for the Royal Wedding? Would you like to relive some of the fun of that day? If you would, this is an excellent coloring book. The illustrations are very well done and there is lots to color. If you have your pencils at the ready, and you are a romantic, this could be for you!

This is a fantastic sampler of books that are being published by Algonquin. Included is an excerpt from new book by B. A. Shapiro whose new novel is about post Impressionist Art, the Barnes Foundation and Paris in the 1920s. I am quite excited about this one as I have been a frequent visitor to Philadelphia’s Barnes Foundation and have taken a class on Contemporary Art.

There is another fictional story set in the world of art, Heather Rose’s The Museum of Modern Love. This is about the artist Marina Abramovic.

There is also Mesha Maren’s debut novel which takes place in West Virginia. It is a book which explores the meaning of home. The novel was written when the author lived in a one-room cabin in the state.

Also included are a short story collection by D. Wystan Owen and books by Gina Wohlsdorf and Tim Johnston. (Ms. Wohlsdorf’s novel, Blood Highway is a thriller while Tim Johnston is a crime story.)

Of note is that the sampler includes essays with the authors. These may serve to whet your appetite for reading their works even more.

So…lots of good suggestions for reading as we move toward fall’s shorter days.

Thanks for this sampler NetGalley and the publisher.

Do you enjoy mysteries? Short stories? Female detectives? If yes, this book deserves a place on your bookshelf. It is filled with stories from different eras and covers 150 years of writing, beginning with the Victorians. My favorites sections are the Golden Age, Mid Century, the Modern Era and Bad Girls. Many, many of my favorite authors are to be found in this collection. At over 1000 pages, this will be a book to dip in and out of over time. Highly recommended!

This richly and beautifully illustrated storybook comes out at just the right time.  It is a lovely re-telling of a classic Christmas story and will help little ones you know to anticipate the joys of the season.  Re-discover or enjoy this classic about belief for the first time.

My favorite quotes:

This one for fun:

“How can he know how to speak to everyone?…He must be Santa!” “Darling, that doesn’t make him Santa Claus,” Mother said.  “I speak French, but that doesn’t make me French toast!”

This one as a classic:

“Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.”

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

 

This book comes with an excellent pedigree. Jessica Fellowes, daughter of Julian and Downton Abbey fame, is a writer in her own right. The Mitford Sisters who led fascinating lives and are the subjects of many books are the children of the book, while Nancy is the protagonist. The setting is Britain, the time is after WWI so all of the elements are in place. Despite this however, I found the book to be good but not extraordinary. There is a mix of romance, mystery, secrets from the war, questions of identity and yet to my disappointment, it was not a five star book. This is the start of the series; I will hope the next book is just a little bit better.