I have read and enjoyed Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie mysteries. Life After Life and A God in Ruins have been in my TBR pile for quite awhile. When, pre-publication, I read about Transcription, I knew that I wanted to read this novel. Some of my favorite fictional subjects were in fact subjects in the novel including WWII, Britain and spies. Despite all of this, I did not enjoy Transcription as much as I had hoped that I would. Yes, the pages turned and there were some good plot twists but, somehow, I expected more given that Atkinson is so accomplished a writer. My favorite parts of the book were the parenthetical asides.

Have you read Transcription? If yes, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Another view:

This is from the Poisoned Pen Bookstore’s Newsletter: as you will see, I think that they liked the novel more than I did.

“Kate Atkinson brings the past of mid-20th century Britain so thoroughly to life that she almost seems to be reporting rather than inventing.  Her details are so rich and her hand so certain that, as readers, we are there-we are walking those streets, sitting in those smoky rooms.  And, most of all, we are completely caught up in the emotional power of the tensions and fears of that past.  With Juliet Armstrong, Atkinson has given us a remarkable addition to the canon of British spies.”

Ever since Daphne DuMaurier wrote Rebecca, readers have enjoyed stories set in atmospheric mansions and their environs. That is the case here in a story that takes place in North Carolina. The mansion was the home of an extremely rich woman whose first name was Ruby.

Ruby had quite a history. When she was young, Ruby got lost in the woods and was taken by a family who had lost their own child. Her wealthy parents searched for her and eventually Ruby made it home. Were the events really as described? Readers may wonder as they turn the pages.

Ruby went on to marry four times. All of Ruby’s husbands seem to have come to bad ends. Was Ruby responsible?

Ruby adopted a child. Why did she adopt Cam? Are there any secrets here? Again, readers will wonder as they turn the pages.

Around Ruby and Cam there are many other characters. These include Ruby’s jealous sister, with whom she never got along, and her sister‘s children, among others. All have their parts to play.

For his part, Cam wanted a normal life, even though he could live the life of a very rich person. Instead, Cam isan English teacher who lives in Colorado with his wife, Jools. When Cam and Jools decide to go to North Carolina, events are set in motion.

I enjoyed this book. It was suspenseful and engaging. I liked how the narrative took different forms, including letters, newspaper reports, etc.

Those looking for a page turning read, look no further. The Heiress will entertain you.

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

Pub date: 09 January 2024

New historical fiction for November — Hitler’s personal clairvoyant

https://www.thetimes.com/article/d6faa50b-64ec-4724-80b3-c62f92deb1ca?shareToken=d339c05c58f59ea2b028447aa404bae1

The Sunday Times Bestsellers List — the UK’s definitive book chart

https://www.thetimes.com/article/c5ffe854-28da-40b8-92d8-dc2e07dc679f?shareToken=7f7a60b674004e603826ac141ea42337

The Ghost Cat

A Novel

by Alex Howard

Well, we all have heard that cats have nine lives but do we really consider that? The author of this book did! Here is the story of a ghost cat who lives out all of its lives over the course of more than 100 years. This leads to much observation on the cat’s part and a good deal of entertainment for the reader.

This book will appear to those who enjoy cats and their points of view, history, Edinburgh and a quirky read.

From the Publisher

This is the third book that I have read by Jennifer Ryan. I very much enjoyed her earlier novels, The Chilbury Ladies Choir and The Spies of Shilling Lane. Ms.Ryan has found her authorial voice writing fiction about women and WWII. The Kitchen Front, also set during WWII, is a book that I highly recommend.

As the novel begins, the men are mostly away or involved in war work, while women try their best to manage both on the home front and in the kitchen. Food is scarce and rationing pervasive. There is a campaign to make creative, practical recipes using what is at hand.

In this story, food concerns lead to a cooking contest in a small village. The winner will be given co-hosting duties on a food related BBC radio show. The novel tells the story of four of the women who, through their recipes, try to win first prize. They are Audrey, a young widow with three children; Audrey’s sister, the snobby Lady Gwendoline; kitchen maid Nell and pregnant, unmarried, French trained chef, Zelda. Each of these characters comes to life with a backstory and relationships. I very much enjoyed spending time with each of them and also enjoyed the village setting. An added plus of this book is that each cook’s recipes are included, giving insight into what cooking was like in the 1940s.

I highly recommend this enjoyable novel. For Ms. Ryan, third time (for her historical novels) is definitely the charm!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

10 recent paperbacks — Arnie’s self-help advice and a Roman thriller

https://www.thetimes.com/article/e04289c5-19aa-4a44-b785-f7bbe7edb898?shareToken=950e42d4a0270d3d207e7d71ccf4704c

#SwimmingforBeginners #NetGalley

Loretta lives a carefully controlled and planned life. She has a fiance with whom she shares a measured relationship. Surprises are not her thing. Loretta works hard, wants a promotion and is trying her best to fit in at work, even if this has her doing things that she does not enjoy. Loretta is traveling abroad to meet with a client when…she meets Phoebe at the airport and her life changes.

Readers get to know Loretta and Phoebe well. Their relationship will change both of them in ways that they were not expecting or prepared for.

Those who enjoy warmhearted stories with quirky protagonists, this novel is for you. The last heroine I enjoyed who reminded me of Loretta was in Lessons in Chemistry. Both of these women have their unique style and ways of living their lives.

I very much enjoyed this book and am delighted to recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 14 September 2023

Stephanie Barron has written in several genres. She is the author of the Nantucket based, Merry Folger mysteries which I read and enjoyed. She also wrote the Jane Austen mystery series and novels with JFK and Virginia Woolf as characters. In this book, That Churchill Woman is Jennie Jerome Churchill, the mother most famously of Winston, the wife of Randall and a lover of Charles Kinsky.

The novel moves back and forth in time allowing the reader to understand Jennie’s upbringing in the Gilded Age and her father’s influence on her life. The reader also learns about the traumas of Jennie’s early life, including the profound loss she faced, her father’s affairs, her move to Europe, etc.

Jennie glitters in British society. There are numerous appearances in the book of Bertie, the Prince of Wales and his wife Princess Alix. Other American women who married into the British aristocracy are also characters in the novel.

The reader empathizes with Jennie, especially during a time when a young Winston is quite ill. Further, as Jennie learns the truth about her husband, (I don’t want to include spoilers), one truly feels for her.

I highly recommend this novel for those who like historical fiction, those who are Anglophiles and those interested in the family in which Winston grew up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this absorbing read.

#ThatChurchillWoman #NetGalley