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

Imagine that your family sends you (alone) to the U.S. because of financial hardship in Ireland and you will need to support your relatives back home. Imagine that you are able to take on someone else’s identity to become the servant of Andrew Carnegie’s mother. Will you be found out? Will your position be secure? These are among the premises of this richly detailed historical novel. Relationships between upstairs and downstairs, specifically between Clara and Andrew Carnegie are a major part of this novel. Read it too to learn more about the business world and women’s roles in the post Civil War U.S. Overall, an enjoyable read.

The Shadow of Death is a cozy mystery by an author who is new to me. The novel’s protagonist, Sister Agatha, is a Jessica Fletcher like amateur detective. In the book the reader finds murder, financial shenanigans and characters who have troubled pasts. The delights in the novel are the setting, the insights into modern (un-stuffy) religious life and the warmth of the characters. My guess is that we will be reading a sequel this time next year!

Only one visitor so far this month.  To all who  read this blog, are there things that you would like to see?  Let me know!  I love writing about books so will keep on but I would love some more visitors.  Thanks.

I enjoyed spending time with Annie, her friends and family as she moves to Cornwall, at first reluctantly but later as a conscious choice. The story of how Annie embraces her community, learns to trust her family and finds romance makes for a good and pleasant read. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of Cornwall and the warmth of this story.

I have read all of the Peter Diamond mysteries.  I was first attracted to them because of their Bath, England setting.  Having lived in Bath, I was excited to visit fictionally.  The books do not disappoint if you like traditional mysteries leavened with some humor.  In this forthcoming entry, a body is found and questions arise as to whether the victim was Beau Nash, a famous historical figure.  This is a fun and intriguing mystery with well developed characters and an interesting plot.  Put it on your winter TBR list.

The novels in the Seven Sisters’ series are the first books that I have read by this author, although she has written other books before embarking on this series.  If you are able to suspend some disbelief around the formation of the family and how each sister could be connected to an historical person and time, these interlocking novels are a fun read.  Pa Salt has died (or has he?) leaving behind the six daughters whom he adopted.  There is a mysterious seventh daughter as well.  Each of Pa’s children is given clues to their biological family and, of course, each pursues her past.  The Seven Sisters takes the reader to Rio; The Storm Sister to Norway and The Shadow Sister to England.  The fourth book The Pearl Sister is to be released early next year, although it is out in the UK.  I plan to purchase it as sadly I was not approved to read this by my wonderful NetGalley.  The books are long but in a good way; the reader can relax and watch the stories unfold.  Not recommended for those who prefer literary fiction but otherwise, travel, find romance and be exposed to a bit of history with these siblings.  There will be several more novels forthcoming before all is revealed!

Love happens in all places, at all times and, hopefully, for all people. Each person’s story includes joy, heartache and changes over time.
Amy Bloom’s novel is both universal and specific regarding relationships, as she writes about Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, largely from Lorena’s point of view. Their coming together and moving apart is richly imagined as is the era in U.S. history. With appearances by FDR, Missy LeHand and others, historical personages are shown with both their strengths and flaws. This novel evoked many feelings. Definitely a book worth reading.

This is the first book that I have read by Ellery Adams and I truly enjoyed it. The protagonist, Nora, is a bookseller who believes that there is a book that is just right for each customer’s particular emotional state; the notion that one could get meaningful suggestions from a bookseller was lovely in this day of internet sales. I enjoyed the many literary references and the back stories of the protagonists. There are also hints of romance. If you like cozies, I would recommend this book highly.

I have read Jennifer Chiavarini’s quilting novels and enjoyed them all. Of her historical novels, I have read Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival and found the story to be quite interesting. So…I was truly looking forward to reading this book. I found the history to be fascinating. While I knew something about Byron’s relationship with his cousin, I knew less about his marriage. I knew almost nothing about Ada and her complex relationship with her mother. Reading about her life was compelling. I would rate this book more highly except that I wished the narration had been a bit livelier.