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

I have a friend who has been recommending Trollope’s Barsetshire Chroinicles to me for years yet somehow I never got to this book. Now that I have read it, I see why it was suggested to me and I very much enjoyed it.

There are many characters in this shortish title. They include:

Septimus Harding-The Warden

Susan and Eleanor-The Warden’s daughters

Archdeacon Grantly and John Bold-The former is Susan’s husband and the latter is in love with Eleanor. Grantly is a bit pompous. John Bold is a reformer.

Sir Abraham Haphazard-a lawyer

Tom Towers-a journalist

The books are set in what is thought to be England’s southwest. The location is one that includes Hiram’s Hospital. This is actually not a hospital but an almshouse for twelve men. The plot has to do with the finances of this hospital and whether or not The Warden is receiving more income than is rightfully his. Eleanor’s beau feels that the pensioners are being cheated while Grantly feels that the church is entitled to these profits.

Along with this plot readers can enjoy the relationship between Eleanor and Bold. What will happen when Eleanor is in the middle between her father and her beau?

One thing that struck me when reading this title was the ways in which it related to current issues. These include fiscal responsibility, an individual’s moral compass, freedom of the press and more.

The story is told with some humor, caricature, and a wonderful depiction of its time and place.

I will continue this series happily. Please don’t disregard this book because it is a classic.

General fiction-romance-women’s fiction

336 pages

Pub date: 20 May 2025

About the book:

A young woman crashes the wedding of the summer on Fire Island in search of her birth mother—and gets a whole lot more than she bargained for—in this warm, heart-stopping getaway from Jane L. Rosen

Maggie Mae Wheeler is content with her life. At 30, she has grand plans for her vintage record shop in the charming Midwestern town where she grew up, and is soon to be engaged to her childhood best friend.

But when she discovers a letter she wrote to herself at thirteen, being content doesn’t feel like enough anymore—Maggie needs answers to figure out who she is and where she belongs. Since losing her parents, the only family she has ever known, Maggie decides that finding her birth mother is the best place to start.

Her search leads her to Fire Island, an idyllic summer getaway where her birth mother is attending a wedding. As Maggie observes her biological family from a distance, she sees that they come with a lot of… drama. Torn between diving deeper into their world or returning to her peaceful life and cozy relationship, her decision gets more complicated when a handsome local offers to take her to the wedding — if she will pose as his date.

Is it the magic of the island, the rush of the music, the fun of jumping into the weekend’s events with her fake beau? Suddenly, playing the part of his girlfriend starts to feel way too real, and the words to every love song seem to be about them.

The author:

JANE L. ROSEN is an author and Huffington Post contributor. She lives in New York City and Fire Island with her husband and three daughters. She often takes inspiration from the city she lives in and the people she shares it with. In addition to her writing she has spent time in film, television and event production and is the cofounder of It’s All Gravy LLC, a web and app-based gifting company.

My thoughts:

I very much look forward to finishing this book which I recently started. As I worked in adoption, I am most interested in seeing how the author deals with what can be a very delicate subject and one that raises many issues for the person who was adopted, the birth family, and the adoptive family. It does offer a resonant subject for a novel.

I also am looking forward to the summer vibe of this title. I eagerly anticipate my virtual visit to beautiful Fire Island.

Music and Judaism also have places in this story. I am eager to see how these are integrated into the plot.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.

Note: This book is part of a trilogy. The other titles are On Fire Island, and Seven Summer Weekends.

#TheEights #NetGalley

I had learned about this novel long before it was published and knew that I wanted to read it. I was absolutely thrilled to be given an advance e-galley.

I could not wait to sit down and begin this novel. I went on to savor it and find it easy to give The Eights an excellent review.

WWI led to devastation and a reorganization of British society. Many men died; consequently, many women were unlikely to marry. Social changes came as with the suffrage movement and (finally) the admittance of women to Oxford degrees. (Prior to this, women could attend but would not formally graduate).

This engrossing historical novel follows four women from this time period who were known as “the eights” because of the corridor that they lived on at their Oxford College. Readers meet Beatrice, Marianne, Otto, and Dora. Each has their own history and backstory.

Beatrice is the daughter of a very politically active mother who was an absent parent. Readers learn that it was difficult for Beatrice to confide in her mother. Beatrice s studying PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics).

Marianne is a cleric’s daughter. It is clear that she is hiding something. Marianne is also less financially well off than some of her peers.

Otto is part of a family with socialite sisters. Her parents would like her to marry. Otto is studying Mathematics.

Dora has had two major losses from the war. Both her brother and fiance died. These men would have been at Oxford had they lived. Dora feels that she is there in their place. Dora is studying English.

The world of Oxford in this time period is engagingly portrayed through many characters in addition to these four. I came to care very deeply for the eights and did not want the book to end. It is my sincere hope that Miller is penning her next novel even as I write this.

Note that there is a helpful glossary at the back of the book for those who are unfamiliar with British higher education.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 15 April 2025

Historical fiction

382 pages

Note:

Recommended those who have enjoyed the novels by Pip Williams.

Editorial Reviews

A Goodreads Most Anticipated Book of Spring
A Book Riot Best Historical Fiction of April
A Brit & Co. New April Book to Add to Your Calendar STAT

“The Eights is an entertaining and moving imagining of four smart women dealing with the engrained misogyny of the time. I came to love these four women as though they were my sisters.”
—Tracy Chevalier, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Girl with a Pearl Earring and The Glassmaker

“A story about women taking their place in a man’s world, The Eights beautifully captures the power of friendship and love in the wake of extraordinary loss. It was a pleasure to read.”
—Pip Williams, New York Times bestselling author of The Dictionary of Lost Words

“Miller’s engrossing debut follows the first women undergraduates eligible to earn degrees at Oxford University. …. They’re unlikely allies, a novelistic trope that Miller transcends through insightful and surprising characterizations…. It’s a memorable tale of a fast-changing world.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Miller describes campus life in vivid detail, and her protagonists are complex, with hidden motivations and insecurities that are gradually revealed as their friendships develop. This pairs well with Helen Simonson’s The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club and Kate Quinn’s The Briar Club.”
—Booklist

“A heartfelt, thoughtful and engaging book about the first women students to go to Oxford University – their friendships, their secrets, their ambitions and their opponents – in the tremulous, haunted years immediately after the First World War. Joanna Miller brings 1920s Oxford to life with a vivid immediacy and makes us care deeply about four young women who find themselves pioneers in a strange new world, trying to find a way forward in the aftermath of war. A thoroughly lovely debut that will win many hearts, with its celebration of friendship and the persistence of hope.”
—Joanna Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Whalebone Theatre

“My book of the year. The writing is wonderful, the subject fascinating and the storylines utterly absorbing. I’m so sad I’ve finished it. I loved everything about this book. I ADORED it.”
—Jill Mansell, Sunday Times bestselling author of Rumor Has It

“The past feels aston­ishingly present in Joanna Miller’s debut…Rigorously researched, The Eights bril­liantly synthesizes fact and fiction, and the trials and triumphs of the quartet are deeply relatable. [Surrounding a] debate about whether women have any business being at Oxford … The Eights is a rewarding read for anyone who enjoys emotional, character-driven narra­tives and for anyone who celebrates impeccable writing. But most of all, it’s for anyone who has ever been told they couldn’t do something but did it anyway.”
—BookPage

Four stars ****

Is everything false? Is nothing true? Is the title of the book just a trick? Readers will eagerly, maybe compulsively, turn the pages of this title to find out. If they know Lisa Jewell at all, they will expect a gripping story that takes them for quite a ride. If readers are new to the author, they will finish this and look to her backlist.

Two women. Two lives. Two stories. Intersections. Podcasts. True crime shows. Is that enough? I assure you that it will be.

Josie and Alix are both celebrating a forty-fifth birthday. Their lives look very different when each goes to dinner that night at the same place. Josie is there with her husband and it is a big splurge while Alex is there with a large group of friends and seems more financially comfortable.

Josie starts something when she points out to Alix that they are “birthday twins.” Uh-oh, a lot happens from this point on as readers get t know these women, their families, the way their minds operate and more. When Alix and Josie start work on a project together a complex set of circumstances results.

Those who like domestic thrillers and.or domestic thrillers will turn the pages at lightning speed in an effort to figure all of this out. Ms. Jewell has done it again; she has written exactly the kind of novel at which she excels.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

From the Publisher

#TheMinotaurSamplerVolume17 #NetGalley

Mark your calendar for this free volume’s release date. These Minotaur samplers are always great for making decisions about books to read.

This time, titles by Rachel Louise Adams, T. Jefferson Parker, and Lev AC Rosen are featured. There are descriptions of each book, generous samples and information on the authors in these pages.

Start reading and enjoy!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 10 June 2025

This novel is certain to be one of the “big” novels of the fall. Its author Ann Patchett is well known for her thoughtful, literary style and moving story lines. The Dutch House will be welcomed by Patchett’s loyal readers and may well attract some new fans.

The book tells the story of siblings, Maeve and Danny, those around them and the home that resonates with them. The story moves back and forth in time as characters and their stories take center stage or temporarily recede.

This is a complex and sophisticated novel that makes readers think about relationships (parent/child, stepparent/child, husband/wife, siblings, step-siblings, those who work for families), finding a way in life, sacrifices and choices. Readers will not forget The Dutch House and those who lived there.

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

Other Reviews

This novel has received a good deal of attention, including being selected for Reese Witherspoon’s book club.  It is the story of Laurie and Jack, their friends and families.  It is a story of a romance that may or may not go to a happy ending.  It is definitely one in which the course of true love “never did  run smooth.”  If you enjoy light, romantic fiction you might want to join the many who have read this title.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley.  The opinions are my own.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick“Get ready to be swept up in a whirlwind romance. It absolutely charmed me.” —Reese Witherspoon“Josie Silver writes with a warmth so palpable her characters sneak their way into your heart and stay for a long time.”—Jill Santopolo, New York Times-bestselling author of The Light We Lost #OneDayInDecember #NetGalley

I previously reviewed another novel with the same name.  That review is reprinted below.  I think that I preferred the less well known one, which is this one.

The Madness of Crowds follows on All the Devils are Here. That was a book that I absolutely adored. The Madness of Crowds is a book that I respect and one that has made me think.

Layered on the mystery of why the victim was killed and, if she was even meant to be the victim, are topics about community, the responsibility that we owe to one another as individuals and members of society, the high cost of tragedy and trying to save others, other ethical issues about practices in psychology and much more.

Among the characters is Abby who has a theory that some agree with and others find abhorrent. I don’t want to have spoilers so will not say more. Abby is close to Debbie who is a long time friend and her assistant. Their relationship turns out to be complex as is her relationship with a university chancellor. Then there is Haniya, a stranger to Three Pines and a controversial figure, even if she may be proposed for the Nobel prize.

The residents of Three Pines in all their eccentricity are here. So are Jean-Guy, Isabelle and the ever good man with a strong conscience Armand Gamache and his thoughtful wife Reine Marie. All are tested over the course of the novel.

This story is long, complex and thought provoking. Those of you who have read it, what did you think?

Louise Penny is an author whose books I eagerly read. Wanting some escape, I recently picked up this one from my backlist. A newer book, The Gray Wolf, has been released.

Once I starting reading, I could not stop. Every spare minute had me wanting to read this tense and intense story. I found myself fearing for some of my favorite characters and hoping that Penny would let them live.

Three Pines, Penny’s fictional village, has been a place of refuge to its residents. However, series stalwarts, Gamache and Beauvoir among others are stressed by the appearance of siblings Fiona and Sam. The two have a disturbing history. While the Gamaches have tried to help Fiona, Sam has been left to flounder. How will their presence affect others, especially perhaps the niece of another series regular, Myrna? Readers also meet a minister who is new to Three Pines; it will take an astute reader to figure out more about him.

The events of the book reference an earlier one entitled The Nature of the Beast. It is not necessary to have read this prior to A World of Curiosities but those who have will feel the full shock of this book’s events.

Note that the title of the book references a painting that exists. It is an integral part of the plot.

Readers learn more about Gamache’s back story including his relationship with the complicated, surly Amelia Choquet. Devoted readers, I think, always enjoy these insights which include flashbacks to when Gamache and Beauvoir first met.

I will note that the ending was frenetic and a bit over the top. That said, Penny’s fans will not want to miss this excellent entry in the series.

Outstanding Praise for A World of Curiosities

ONE OF WASHINGTON POST’S BEST MYSTERIES AND THRILLERS OF 2022
ONE OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE’S BEST FALL BOOKS
ONE OF AARP’S BEST FALL BOOKS
ONE OF CRIMEREADS’ MOST ANTICIPATED FALL BOOKS
ONE OF BARNES & NOBLE’S BEST BOOKS OF 2022
ONE OF BUSTLE’S MOST ANTICIPATED NOVEMBER 2022 BOOKS

“Simply outstanding… Penny’s gift for intelligent and transcendent storytelling delivers light, bringing themes of forgiveness and redemption to society’s darker moments.” —Christian Science Monitor

“Penny delves into the nature of evil, sensitively exploring the impact of the dreadful events she describes while bringing a warmth and humanity to her disparate cast of characters that, unusually for a crime novel, leaves you feeling better about the world once you’ve finished.”–The Guardian

“Another superb achievement… Penny weaves together all these narratives–the
series of modern-day killings, the decade-old bludgeoning murder and the haunting artwork that has remained shrouded in mystery across the centuries–with a master’s deft hand.” —BookPage (starred review)

“For Penny, the novel is a narrative tour de force, drawing brilliantly on some dark moments in Québec history and leading Gamache and the residents of Three Pines to a hard-won, thoroughly unsentimental recognition that forgiveness is our most powerful magic.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Virtuoso… blends nuanced characterization with nail-biting suspense…This tale of forgiveness and redemption will resonate with many.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Penny’s 18th Gamache novel is intense as the detective digs deep into his own fears. The darkness in this intricately plotted story forces readers to search for contrasting moments of hope.” —Library Journal (starred review, and Pick of the Month)

#TheBookloversLibrary #NetGalley

Madeline Martin is a talented author of historical fiction as she ably demonstrates in this title. She evokes the time period when WW2 was beginning with characters and settings that come to life.

Emma is the protagonist. She lost her mother too soon and faced further loss with the death of her father. The war also threatens loss as Emma has to make decisions about whether to keep her daughter Olivia home or send her to the country for safety.

Emma is in financial straits. She manages to get a job at the Boot’s subscriber’s library. This makes sense as, in the past, Emma and her father ran a bookshop. I very much enjoyed all of the scenes that took place in the library as well as the many mentions of books by title. Readers will learn about how the library was run, the categories of patrons and more. They will also wonder, along with Emma, why someone is shelving books in the wrong places.

There are many characters alongside Emma in these pages whom readers will get to know. They will root for those for whom Emma cares. They will also experience a vivid evocation of British life in the time period.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 10 September 2024

From the publisher:

From the Publisher

Also by the author:

These may no longer be e book bargains.