I reviewed this one on the blog.
Where is she? The Mitford Vanishing
A Mitford Murders Mystery
by Jessica Fellowes
Pub Date 18 Jan 2022 |
The Mitford family is having their (fictional) moment. There has been a recent streaming show of The Pursuit of Love; the publication of Michelle Gable’s latest novel, The Bookseller’s Secret; and the upcoming The Mayfair Bookshop by Eliza Knight. The latter two feature Nancy Mitford.
Jessica Fellows was one of the first (so far as I know) to fictionalize the Mitfords. She finds the Mitford family fascinating and has created a mystery series that centers on them. The Mitford Vanishing is the fifth book in the series. I found it to be a good read.
Jessica Mitford is missing. Nancy Mitford calls on Louisa and Guy to find her. For those who don’t know, Louisa was once a servant to the Mitfords. She married Guy, a police officer, and now has a little girl. Together, Guy and Louisa have formed a private detective business, Cannon and Sullivan. Nancy’s call brings Louisa and Guy back into the Mitford orbit and they accept the case.
The story takes place as the Spanish Civil War is being fought. Has Jessica gone to Spain? Why? Who is she with? Readers know that Jessica was the “communist” Mitford so going to help the forces there may be a logical possibility.
At the same time, Louisa is consulted by a woman who is looking for her sister. Where has she gone? Is she also in Spain? Will the cases intersect? Pick this one up to find out.
This review is for the audio version of this title. It has a wonderful narration with each character having their own voice.
I recommend this title in either book or audio form for those who enjoy historical mysteries. Readers may then want to read other titles in the series. Each has featured one of the Mitford sisters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Now out: Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
This time the background (and foreground) issue is the Covid epidemic. For some readers, it might still feel too close and they might want to skip reading this title. I would argue against that. In addition to re-experiencing some of the trauma, I was also reminded of how far life has come (at least for those who have been vaccinated). This, of corse, does not mitigate the deep losses that so many experienced in the real world.
The protagonist of this novel is Diana. When the story opens, she is working for Sotheby’s and is in a relationship with a surgical resident at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Diana is working with a client who seems to be based upon Yoko Ono. Due to Diana’s work, readers are treated to some interesting art and music history. I enjoyably learned a lot about Toulouse Lautrec.
Diana and Finn are planning a trip to the Galapagos Islands. Finn cannot/chooses not to go because of the emerging pandemic and his need to be at work. He encourages Diana to go on the trip and she does. Finn’s emails to Diana offer all of the horror of Covid, especially the early impotence that medical professionals felt in the wake of this tsunami of an epidemic.
Diana makes it to the Galapagos but is stranded there because travel is cut off. She manages to get settled, leading her to meet with a troubled adolescent, her father and her grandmother. They open Diana up to a new world. It is most likely no coincidence that our main character is living where theories of evolution were formed as she may be adapting and changing too.
The Galapagos are beautifully described and form a contrast to life in New York. Which place is right for Diana? Which relationship? What plot twists will Ms. Picoult bring to this, her latest novel? Read the book to find out. I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
https://randomhouse.box.com/s/t3sgfg7hpaurx0fuaomq9xjwllafeswy
The above should link to a book club kit for this title.
What makes it: A Murder Like No Author (by Amy Lillard)
This title is the third in the series following on the earlier Can’t Judge a Book by Its Murder and A Murder Between the Pages. I have not read these by may go back to them.
A Murder Like No Author is a southern set mystery. I was interested to read it when I saw that a book store is a part of the story.
Readers of cozies will enjoy this story. The plot has to do with a new movie production of GIrl Missing. The author is no longer alive but a stranger has appeared questioning her authorship of the novel.
Of course, there is a murder. There are suspects. There are recurring series characters. And, there are the elements that readers hope for in cozies.
Those looking for a light read may well enjoy this title. The author has a very readable style. Give it a peek.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Kirkus Reviews says “the book club ladies make a winning team in an amusing tale replete with down-home atmosphere and romance,” and Mystery and Suspense Magazine calls Murder Like No Author “well-crafted and unique. Passages throughout the book reveal an author who understands the south and what living in a small southern town is like.”
Some e book bargains for 12.1.21
The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is free.
Some e book bargains for 11.30.21
The fairy tales are free.
From The NYT. Best books 2021
An e book bargain for 11.29.21 and highly recommended
Whether you have watched the TV show or not, this is a great bargain for fans of Sidney! See my review of The Road of Grantchester.
The Road to Grantchester (Runcie)
As soon as I saw this title on NetGalley, I desperately wanted to read it. Many thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for granting my request. The opinions below are my own.
I read the first Sidney Chambers novel, Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death, when it was first published. I was captivated by the character of Sidney and wanted to know more about him. I have continued to read the stories and have adored the Grantchester series on TV. For me, James Norton has personified Sidney in a most satisfactory way.
The Road to Grantchester tells the story of Sidney before he was the TV character or the man in SC and the Shadow of Death. I was so pleased at the prospect of learning how he became himself.
The beginning of the book was not easy. After a brief prelude, Sidney is immersed in the horrors (and I mean horrors) of WWII in Italy where he serves with Robert Kendall. Robert is the brother of Amanda, a key character in the series.
What Sidney and his fellow soldiers witness and participate in is truly unspeakable. James Runcie has written about war in a way that will make the reader long for peace. Survival in his circumstances is kind of a miracle for Sidney. However, not everyone important to him makes it home safely.
As a reader, because of how awful it was, I was relieved to move to the part of the novel that was post war. Sidney comes home to a world that has changed and yet he has changed even more. He tries to understand what he is meant to do with the gift of his life. After much reflection, he decides to join the church. The reader follows Sidney on his on-going faith journey.
This book is about those important to Sidney. There is Robert his best friend and war compatriot…no spoilers here so I will not say more. As in the TV series, there is prickly Amanda whose relationship with Chambers (as she calls him) is complex but important.
I left this book wanting to reread all of James Runcie’s books. This is an excellent read if you are a fan of Sidney, want to remember why war is a mess or if you want to understand a protagonist’s wish to live a meaningful life.
This novel may not be for everyone but for me it was a five star read.
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World is an e book bargain for 11.29.21
This book is an excellent compendium of stories for “rebel girls” but also for anyone interested in learning more about a variety of accomplished women immigrants. The book can be read in order or at random. For each woman her area of interest is listed. To name just some of the women included, there are Lupita Nyong’o, an actress; Madeleine Albright, politician; Frieda Belinfante, cellist and conductor;Burke Harris, pediatrician and so many more, all the way to the end of the alphabet. Each short, engaging entry includes an illustration, a quote and a short biography.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this inspiring collection that will remind girls that they can be anyone they choose. All opinions are my own.
pub date: October 13, 2020
| #100ImmigrantWomen #NetGalley |
Hostage by Clare Mackintosh is an e book bargain for 11.29.21
Are you a person who finds getting on an airplane to be an adventure or are you a nervous flyer? Either personality type may well be riveted by this thriller in which much of the action centers on a long haul flight from London to Sydney (20 hours in the air!). In some ways, the story is a take on a locked room mystery in that much of the action is confined to the plane and the stories of its passengers and crew. However, there is also backstory so some time is spent on the ground and with other characters.
The book’s protagonist, Mina, is on the flight when…a note is given to her. What does it say? How will it influence what she does? In order for there not to be spoilers, it is not possible to say more except that this is a story that may well put readers on the edges of their seats.
My only quibble with this story is that I did not absolutely love some of the characters and I don’t just mean the “bad” ones.. I do, though, admire Ms. Mackinstosh’s imagination and storytelling ability. Readers, remember that this is fiction!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 