✰✰✰½ A young man suddenly finds himself transported to a strange world in a different time. It is just before WWII in Paris, and a couple takes him in. He eventually takes their name and as Joshua Pearl, he sets out to make his way in the world. Along the way he begins to lose his memories of this fairy tale beginnings. Pearl spends his free time seeking out objects to prove the existence of his other life and his long lost love. With time running out, Joshua and his true love must find a way to break the curse that was placed on them long, long ago.
The Bottom Line: This is a strange and wonderful adventure set in another time. It is a pleasure to read and absorb; however, the shifting points of view are confusing at times. If you dare to pick this book up and start reading, you will be swept away by this poetic tale of first love. Recommended for teens and adults who enjoy literary fiction, fairy tales,and romance.
Details: The Book of Pearl written by Timothée de Fombelle and translated by Sarah Ardizzone & Sam Gordon. Advance Reading Copy published by Candlewick Press in 2017. 368 p. ISBN: 978-0-7636-9126-4 NOTE: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing.
✰✰✰ It’s been nearly three decades since the young women known as the Goddesses were brutally murdered on Halloween night in Salem, Massachusetts. The Goddess Murders have remained unsolved all these years until a recent murder ignites interest in the past. The prime suspect, a mentally ill homeless woman named Rose, claims the banshee that resides within her is responsible for all of the murders.
Callie, a daughter of one of the goddesses, witnessed the horrific murders long ago. For years she was raised by nuns and lived in foster care believing she was all alone in the world. Now that she has learned her "Auntie Rose" is still alive, Callie has returned to Salem. With the help of the town constable and his wife, Callie is looking for answers to her past. Along the way the murders just might finally be solved, and Callie finds a place to call home.
The Bottom Line: This complex, literary mystery will appeal to readers interested in books with witchcraft and time bending themes. This multi-layered mystery requires lots of concentration to read. It was a little slow in the beginning, but the setting kept my attention.
Details: The Fifth Petal: A Novel by Brunonia Barry. Published by Crown in 2017. 448 p. ISBN: 978-1-101-90560-9 NOTE: I received a free ARC from Crown in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing.
✰✰✰½ As a busy pastor's wife and mom of two who runs a catering business on the side, Faith Fairchild is the person the people of Aleford turn to when things are amiss. So when Sophie Maxwell marries a private investigator and begins her new life in Savannah, GA, Faith couldn’t be happier for her friend. Sophie is quickly enchanted by her new husband’s hometown. Unfortunately, Sophie is left to fend for herself quite frequently as her husband’s job takes him away from her.
Alone in a strange house and a new city during the holiday season, Sophie slowly begins to learn the customs and make new friends when she discovers a dead body. By the time help arrives, the body has mysteriously disappeared, and no one really believes her. The only one who will listen is Faith; however, Faith has troubles of her own. With her daughter being bullied at school and a member of the congregation acting mysteriously, all Faith can do is listen to her friend from afar.
As her life spirals out of control, Sophie begins to wonder if she even knows her husband at all. Is this just a case of new bride jitters or is something really wrong? It’s up to Faith to solve problems both in Aleford and Savannah before things get too out of hand.
The Bottom Line: The latest installment in this charming series of a pastor’s wife gets off to a slow start which matches the main setting of the book perfectly. As the reader gets acclimated to Savannah, GA, we are drawn into the mystery with an anxious new bride, a missing body, lots of family drama, and a bit of the supernatural. With several subplots and small town gossip in two cities, there is plenty to keep the reader entertained.
While I have read a few books in the series, I have not followed the books in order; however, Katherine Hall Page does a fantastic job of filling in the back stories of the characters. Thus, readers can pick it up any book in the series without feeling lost. Recommended weekend or beach reading for mystery fans who love cozies and food. The inclusion of several recipes inspired by the South is a nice bonus.
Details: The Body in the Wardrobe: A Faith Fairchild Mystery by Katherine Hall Page. Hardcover published by William Morrow in 2016. 256 p. ISBN: 978-0-06-243950-5 NOTE: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing.
✰✰✰½ Welcome back to the quirky, quaint little village of Three Pines in Canada. It's Eastertime in the village, and the trees are just beginning to bud. To celebrate the holiday the villagers have arranged to hold a séance in the creepy old Hadley residence. Before the night is over, one member of the party will be dead. What appears to be a simple natural death may have been caused by something more sinister. Once again Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team including the inept Yvette Nichol, find themselves investigating crime in the isolated village.
The Bottom Line: The character of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is interesting and complex. With two story arcs, there are plenty of surprising twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the very end. This charming cozy series is suitable for weekend reading, and this installment is the perfect entertainment for a rainy, lazy day. This literary treat will appeal to mystery buffs who enjoy eccentric characters.
Details: The Cruelest Month: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny. Paperback published by Minotaur Books in 2007. 320 p. ISBN: 978-0-312-57350-8
✰✰✰✰ After an Austrian nobleman offers a sizable donation to the University of Oxford, private investigator, Charles Maddox, is sent on a quest to vet the mysterious benefactor. Maddox soon discovers that the Viennese countryside is steeped with superstitious tales about the baron and his castle. As the days go by, disturbing dreams and incidents haunt Maddox. After nearly dying, Maddox returns to London where a series of horrific murders have taken place. The deaths are rumored to be the work of a vampire, but Maddox suspects his nemesis, the baron. With another young woman missing, Maddox must race against time to find her before another innocent dies.
The Bottom Line: This is the third book in a series; each book pays homage to a literary classic. This dark installment plays off Bram Stoker's Dracula. Although I have not read the previous books, Shepherd includes plenty of back story so the reader does not feel lost.
This book got off to a slow, smoldering start as I adjusted to the writing style. The story jumps back and forth between different points of view and times. However, the book is full of mystery and intrigue. Shepherd has braided together the elements of superstition, science, and classic literature to create a gripping suspense that I couldn't put down. With the paranormal twist and Gothic mood, this book will appeal to fans of historical fiction. A word of caution though...this tale is not for squeamish readers.
Details: The Pierced Heart: A Novel by Lynn Shepherd. Hardcover published by Delacorte Press in 2014. 256 p. ISBN: 978-0-345-54543-5 NOTE: I received a free copy from Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing.
✰✰✰✰½ CC de Poitiers is an arrogant, self-centered, and cold-hearted woman. CC believes that her philosophy of life and self-published book, Li Bien, will soon make her a household name. She also believes that she is on the path to great success. She even had the gall to purchase the old Hadley residence in Three Pines. Unfortunately, she’s managed to alienate just about every single resident of the sleepy little hamlet and is about to become the latest murder victim. When CC is electrocuted in full view of all the spectators at a curling match on Boxing Day, no one sheds a tear.
Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Gamache had planned to spend Boxing Day with his wife, Reine-Marie, reviewing case files of unsolved murders. Hoping to bring new insight to the cases, once a year Gamache exchanged files with his counterpart at the Montreal Metropolitan Police. One case in particular catches his wife’s eye: the murder of a vagrant just before Christmas. Reine-Marie convinces Gamache to look into the case with the hopes of at least finding the bag lady’s name. With this mystery already on his mind, Gamache and his team arrive in Three Pines to investigate CC’s death. They have their work cut out for them as there are no witnesses. Gamache and his team will have to gently pry out the clues little by little as they uncover one of the town’s darkest secrets.
The Bottom Line: Author Louise Penny does it again by delivering a riveting literary mystery full of twists and turns and a surprise ending. A Fatal Grace is an excellent follow-up to A Still Life. It drew me in from the very beginning and wouldn’t let go. All of my favorite characters (and one not so favorite: Yvette Nichol) return as Penny takes the reader deeper into the secrets of this sleepy little town to uncover another layer of mystery and intrigue. All-in-all, the second book in the series is even better than the first. The eccentric characters have more depth and the writing is breathtaking. Penny makes the reader feel as if they are right there in Three Pines battling the elements and trying to solve the mystery with Gamache and his team. Highly recommended for fans of mysteries, cozies, and literary fiction. Penny keeps the reader guessing until the very end.
Details: A Fatal Grace: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny. Paperback published by Minotaur Books in 2006. 320 p. ISBN: 978-0-312-54116-3
✰✰✰✰ Three Pines is a quaint little town south of Montreal where no one ever locks their doors at night. Well, no one does, that is, until retired school teacher Jane Neal is found dead in the woods on Thanksgiving Sunday. At first it looks like a hunting accident gone wrong, but upon closer inspection there is more to her death than at first appears.The case falls under the jurisdiction of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, who arrives with his team to investigate the suspicious death. As he digs deeper into Jane Neal's death, the secrets of this sleepy little town begin to unravel much to the dismay of the villagers. The twists and turns of this complicated mystery keep everyone guessing right up until the surprising ending.Still Life is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Three Pines and Inspector Gamache. I received it as a gift from my Secret Santa at LibraryThing, and I'm glad that I did. I'll definitely have to pick up the rest of the series.The Bottom Line: Still Life is written in the tradition of an Agatha Christie mystery. While it does have a slow start, it succeeds in drawing you in until you can't put it down. It's easy to see why Still Life made a splash at the CWA Debut Dagger in 2004. Not only is it a fabulous mystery with its layer upon layer of clues and symbols, but it's also a literary treat. The quirky characters are lots of fun too. Highly recommended for mystery buffs.Details: Still Life by Louise Penny. Paperback published by St. Martin's Paperbacks in 2007. 336 p. ISBN: 978-0-312-94855-9
✰✰✰½ "Dick is dead." Thus, begins Meldrum's latest novel, Amaryllis in Blueberry. Set mostly in the 1970s, we follow the Slepy family as they escape their secrets and head off to Africa. The Slepys aren't your average family. There's Seena, who is self-absorbed and doesn't pay much attention to her family. Dick, the father, is obsessed with Seena to the point where he must have total control over her. Then there are the three daughters all named Mary, each with their own secrets and rebellions. The youngest, Amaryllis, is different from all the rest. Not only is she dark complected with blueberry eyes, but as a synesthete she sees things the others don't.As the family grows accustomed to their new life in Africa, each member begins to unravel. Follow the twists and turns of this story to discover how Dick ends up dead as the story begins with the end. This is a book with a little bit of everything: murder, infidelity, secrets, lies, an unplanned pregnancy, and inter-racial relationships. In fact, it's the secrets that propel this story forward.The Bottom Line: This book moves back and forth between two worlds, Michigan and Africa, and seems to shift time and space with ample flashbacks. It is told from multiple points of view; as the narrators change, the story builds. Each person adds a little piece of the puzzle. At times I found this dysfunctional family to be both fascinating and repelling. While the imagery is vivid and beautiful, I found it difficult to like the Slepy family. This is a challenging read, but worth the effort for those who enjoy contemporary, literary fiction and coming of age tales. There is a strong use of symbolism with references to both religion and mythology. This book was different from anything else I've read, which made it interesting. It would be a great pick for a book club; a reading guide is included with discussion questions and a conversation with the author.Details: Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum. Paperback published by Gallery Books in 2011. 384 p. ISBN: 978-1439156896 Note: I received a free copy from the publisher for review purposes.
