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

I adore this series which tells the stories of women of many talents. The books are short but detailed and factual with appealing illustrations. Georgia comes to life as a young girl who loves art and moves away from home to become an artist. Her love of city architecture, the appeal of looking at things up close and her deep appreciation for the southwest all shine through. Plus, the reader learns about Alfred Stieglitz. A great series for parents and children to share. These books provide role models for dreaming children.

#GeorgiaO’keeffe #NetGalley

This is the most buzzy of buzzes! This publication is available through NetGalley or you can access it at Amazon. It is absolutely worth looking at. Among the exciting things to mention for the fall season …Jodi Picoult, Tana French, Barbara Kingsolver and Kate Atkinson all have novels coming out.  They and so many others are listed in this Book Buzz.  It will be a great season for reading!

As June approaches, love and weddings start to be on people’s minds. If you don’t have a real June wedding to attend, take some time to spend a fictional summer on Nantucket and be a guest at a wedding there.
David and Alison are a middle aged couple who have found love after their spouses died. Their relationship is sweetly portrayed. The drama in the novel comes from the intricacies of their adult children’s relationships. There are Alison’s children. First is Jane who is married to Scott; both are hardworking but are they right for each other? Then we have Felicity and her husband, who spends a lot of time at work with his assistant. Will their marriage survive? Does Felicity want it to? Then there are David’s children; pregnant Poppy and her playboy brother. Poppu wants to take over her father’s company but is she prepared?  She  does not want to welcome Alison in to family. There is also Poppy’s playboy brother who may create a lot of havoc.  Read this novel to find out how all of these dramas play out. Along the way, you will be treated to a generous and lovely slice of life on Nantucket. Enjoy!

#AnantucketWedding #NetGalley

Reviews of these novels should be coming soon.  Thanks NetGalley for three great reads!

Every Elly Griffith’s book is a treasure.  The series features Ruth Galloway who is a forensic archaeologist.  The stories are always interesting and the characters are a joy to spend time with.

Nancy Thayer’s novel is good women’s fiction about an upcoming wedding and the impact on the 60 something year olds’ children.  Many relationships are explored in this novel and the reader enjoys vicarious time on Nantucket.

The Masterpiece is fascinating.  This is an historical novel about Grand Central Station and the art school that was there in the 1920s.  Part of the novel takes place then and part in the 1970s.  Of course, the two stories link up.

Full(er) reviews of these books will be forthcoming.

Seeing this book as a bargain reminded me of what a wonderful series the Kathy Kolla and David Brock series is.  The Marx Sisters was the first book.

As I read this when it first came out, I am borrowing information from the author’s website to tell you more.  See below.

First published : 1994 Hamish Hamilton/Penguin, UK; 1999 Arcade, USA

Jerusalem Lane is a little piece of Dickensian London untouched by development, its inhabitants mainly refugees from pre-war central Europe. But could elderly Meredith Winterbottom really have been killed for the politics of another age?

As DS Kolla and DCI Brock delve into the Lane’s eccentric melting pot, past and present interlink in unexpected ways. What connects Mrs Rosenfeldt and Adam Kowalski to a smooth property developer and an American academic? And what is Meredith’s son Terry up to? Not to mention the dottily Marxist sisters. Could this be a recipe for murder?

Shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Award for the best first crime novel of 1994.

One of the most intelligent, intriguing and well thought-out debut crime novels I have read for a long time. (The Times, UK)

The Marx Sisters is a well-wrought, well-paced, original and elegant crime mystery. (Australian Book Review)

There are at least ten novels in the series so if you like one, keep going.  My favorite was the Malcontenta.  See below from the author’s website.

For DS Kathy Kolla the chance to investigate the unnatural death of a physio at the exclusive Stanhope House Clinic seems the ideal opportunity to leave behind more mundane police duties. Especially when what at first seemed suicide or accidental death is clearly more complicated. A cover-up to shield the clinic’s illustrious clients, or murder?

So Kolla is not at all pleased when she is abruptly taken off the case, and turns to DCI Brock for help. But their unofficial inquiries flounder in the mire of corruption as the violence behind the clinic’s respectable face escalates out of control.

Joint winner of the inaugural Ned Kelly Award for the best Australian crime novel of 1995.

I look forward to Buzz Books Monthly and am never disappointed. This is a great resource for learning about what to read as the new books for the month are released. This time read excerpts from good fiction, including the new novel by Allison Pearson. She wrote I Don’t Know How She Does It and will now examine midlife issues for her characters. There are also listings of fiction, non-fiction and debuts for June. Take a look and savor your next read.

Lisa Scottoline has written many books.  This is where she began.  I read this many years ago and went on to read other books in the series.  The book was originally published in 1993 so I will borrow the blurb, rather than trying to remember the plot.

From Publishers Weekly

Deborah Crombie is, like Elizabeth George and Martha Grimes, an American author who sets her novels in Britain.  I adore this series which I have read ever since the first in the series, A Share in Death, was written.

Clare O’Donohue has written several mystery series. I was familiar with her quilting mysteries which I enjoyed. I was excited to see that the author had written something in a new series and that it was set in Ireland. The descriptions of places in the Emerald Isle did not disappoint. I also enjoyed watching the relationship between Finn and Hollis evolve, each has a distinct approach to life at the start of the novel. Anyone who has been married or in a relationship will be able to relate. The mystery itself was a bit too based on chases for me. In that way, I think that perhaps the book could have been more tightly written. Nonetheless, a good read.

Dorothy Gilman’s books are lighthearted spy stories.  These tales are not at all like the plot of  The Americans.  Mrs. Pollifax is a woman of a certain age who wants to help her country and experience adventure.  These are fun reads that were first published in the mid-60s.  If you crave an easy read, the series is worth considering.

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
Mrs. Virgil (Emily) Pollifax of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was a widow with grown children. She was tired of attending her Garden Club meetings. She wanted to do something good for her country. So, naturally, she became a CIA agent. This time, the assignment sounds as tasty as a taco. A quick trip to Mexico City is on her agenda. Unfortunately, something goes wrong, and our dear Mrs. Pollifax finds herself embroilied in quite a hot Cold War–and her country’s enemies find themsleves entangled with one unbelievably feisty lady.

The Mr. and Mrs. North books are set in New York.  They remind me of nothing so much as the Thin Man movies.  The books were originally published in the 1940s and 1950s.  I think that they were out of print for awhile.  Mr. and Mrs. North solve their cases pretty much between martinis.  As is true for Mrs P above, the series is a light, relaxing one.

So, there you have it…bargains and nostalgia both!