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

Many readers will know that literary fiction author, John Banville, uses the pen name Benjamin Black. As Mr Black he has written a well regarded series of mysteries that take place in 1950s Ireland.

This historical/suspense novel also takes place in Ireland. It is a dark time for Britain as bombs regularly fall in London. Based on what the author thinks happened, this novel posits that fourteen year old Elizabeth and ten year old Margaret were sent to Ireland to keep them safe.

This slow burn of a novel imagines how this was done, what it was like for the princesses and who the people were who ensured their safety. They are challenged.

Margaret, renamed Mary, to keep her identity hidden, is a particularly vividly drawn character. She is inquisitive and a bit of an imp. Elizabeth/Ellen as the older, more staid sister is also brought to life.

There is a plot against the princesses. Who knew they were there? Who is responsible? We all know that Margaret and Elizabeth survived so the reader knows the ending. Nonetheless, the unraveling is suspenseful.

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

This book will be so helpful for those who are retired, are thinking of retiring or know someone who has retired and may need some advice.  This title will be most relevant to U.K. readers but offers wise guidance for all who are planning ahead.  The list of topics covered is truly exhaustive with information on finances, health, leisure activities and more.  By demystifying this life stage the editor helps readers to prepare for a secure future.

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

  An Oprah Book Club pick, women’s fiction and mystery/suspense today.

Last year I read and reviewed this author’s first book, The Widows. I thought it was a fantastic book, one that seemed very much the work of a seasoned author. I was very, very excited to receive this second novel in the series from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press; thank you!! I adored this book although I do acknowledge that it covers some very difficult topics.
The plot has much to do with events that happened in this small, mountain, Ohio community during the Civil War. Those occurrences have haunted lives and are re-awakened in the present. The past and present intertwine as, during both time periods, there were many strains, struggles and injustices centered on race and discrimination. Kudos to the author for making the time period vivid and memorable, if not easy. Readers will learn something about the WKKK, an organization that I wish had never existed and about women who could be placed in asylums by the men in their lives. Mysteries will be solved but not in a merry, we can all be happy sort of way.
The characters are so well portrayed. They are complex, struggling, some honorable, some not. The main protagonist, Lily, a female sheriff, is beautifully brought to life as are her close friends Marvena and a struggling Hildy. I was so happy to meet up with them again.
This new novel can be read as a standalone. However, you may be so caught up in the lives of these people and their time, that you will read both novels in some order.
I give this book five stars, something that I do not do lightly or often. If you enjoy this one, I would also highly recommend that you read the books by Julia Keller.

The Book of Candlelight is the third entry in this mystery series by Ellery Adams. I have enjoyed all three books. In this one, readers again spend time with the four main female characters, each of whom has a significant secret in their past. They have bonded together to provide support to each other and to their community. Chief among the protagonists is Nora who owns a bookstore. She is a bibliotherapist and readers enjoy the added bonus of learning some of her book picks.

Series do not stay stagnant, so new characters are introduced. I hope that some will reappear in the next entry. The arrival of Sheldon adds a bit of magic to life at Nora’s bookstore and in the community. There are also the new owners of an inn.

There are two murders in the novel, one of a local Cherokee potter and the other of a young man who was seeking adventure and experience in the North Carolina region where the books are set. The mystery itself has connections with the past and is well developed. However, the main delight of this series is the characters and their world.

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

 

 

Some comments.  While Middlemarch is the better known work by George Eliot, I highly recommend Daniel Deronda if you have the time for a LONG read.  Otherwise, women’s fiction, mystery and spies here.  Enjoy.

I reviewed The Dearly Beloved a while back.  This morning I listened to an excellent podcast on the Bookreporter in which the author was interviewed.  If you read, or are interested in this title, I recommend that you give the podcast a listen.

The Dearly Beloved is the first novel by Cara Wall; I am pretty certain that it will not be her last. The Dearly Beloved is the story of Charles, Lily, James and Nan. Each is an adult with a unique upbringing. Charles has faced many parental expectations; Lily has suffered much loss; James had a hardscrabble background, while life seemed sweet for Nan. While in college, Charles and Lily meet as do James and Nan.

Both Charles and James are “called” to the church; they have different approaches to God and activism, as demonstrated over the course of the book. Charles and James are appointed as co-ministers of a New York City church on lower Fifth Avenue. Their strengths and weaknesses come to light and are not the same. The reader watches as the two families’ lives unravel and knit over a period of many years.

This book includes discussion about what faith (or lack of it) means to each protagonist. I found these sections enhanced the novel for me.

This is not perhaps a perfect book, just as James, Charles, Nan and Lily are not prefec

Whether you were an English major or not, you may find this short book to be an excellent resource on all things literary. Some of the concepts covered are the oral tradition, early modern literature, the ballad, Satire and so much more.
The author notes that “Through literature, as readers we gain insight into worlds we could never have dreamt of…” They also note that literature connects us to each other. True readers know just how true this is and how amazing literature can be. This book will enhance readers understanding of many things literary.
The authors ambitious plan is to briefly reflect on the novel, literary prose, poetry, drama, literary devices and literary styles. You will know what a Gutenberg parenthesis is and way vorticism mean as you read and these are only two of the many included definitions. Review your favorite kinds of fiction form historical novels to fantasy with everything in between.
I recommend this cleverly illustrated and written volume. I feel like I already know more than I did before I opened this book.

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