Gone by Mo Hayder

Gone by Mo Hayder

Warning: If you start this book you will be going to work bleary eyed the next morning or two.  I’m not the quickest reader in the world so I stayed up way too late two nights in a row reading this book.  It hooked me straight off and then kept leading me along.  Even when I was pretty sure I knew who did it, I didn’t know why, and that was driving me nuts!  I had to know!  I had to stay up until midnight! 

Carjacking is on the rise in Bristol.  Just last year a jacker took two cars with little girls in the backseat.  Thankfully both cars were abandoned a short way away from where they were stolen and the little girls were fine.  Now a third car is taken with a young girl in the back seat.  DI Caffery figures the car and the girl will turn up soon.  The clock is ticking and neither the car nor the girl have turned up.  Is it a new carjacker?  Was the criminal after the car?  Or was he intending to kidnap the child?

Nothing about this book is as it seems to be.  Nothing.  And that is what makes everything about this book so great.

The Victoria Vanishes by Christopher Fowler

The Victoria Vanishes by Christopher Fowler

A detective witnesses a woman come out of a pub and stumble down the road.  She is found dead a short way away the next day and the pub is gone.  The Victoria Cross has simply vanished to be replaced with a mini-mart.  To add weirdness on top of strangeness that location was a pub about two hundred years before.  Now middle-aged women are being murdered in crowded pubs in London.  Why?  By who?  Is anywhere safe anymore?

The unorthodox methods of the PCU (Peculiar Crimes Unit) will seem familiar and comfortable to those who remember the card catalog and miss it dearly.  Research is done the old fashioned way, by reading books and interviewing lots of people.  The books just happen to be obscure and the people aren’t the run of the mill experts – conspiracy theorists, medieval history buffs, and the like.  But that just adds to the fun of unraveling what exactly is going on.

If you’re a fan of Jasper Fforde or Terry Pratchett and wouldn’t mind terribly if things made complete sense once in a while, you might want to join the Peculiar Crimes Unit as they solve some of London’s weirdest mysteries.  Most refreshing to me is that there is a perfectly normal solution to the mystery; it just seems peculiar until you get the whole story.

Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

How to describe this book?  It’s haunting and lyrical.  It’s heartbreaking and uplifting.  It’s stark and lush.  It is fantastic and realistic.  It is all these things and more. 

A childless couple moves from their successful farm in Pennsylvania to start over homesteading in Alaska.  The solitude is enormous and their unhappiness grows.  Until one day when it begins to snow and the couple creates a little girl out of snow.  The next day the snow child and the scarf and mittens she was wearing are gone.  But there is a flesh and blood child wearing the clothing running through the woods; a fey child who flourishes in the snow and vanishes in the warmth.  Is she a figment of the imagination?  A creature of legend?  A child who needs a family to love her?

I must admit it’s been a few days since I finished this book and I’m still deciding how it ended since it can be read in a few different ways.  Because of this I’ve decided to choose it for the April Popular Fiction Book Discussion Group which will be meeting at the Bridgewater Library on Tuesday, April 17^th at 7pm. 

The Rope by Nevada Barr

The Rope by Nevada Barr

Once upon a time, way back to last year, if someone asked me to recommend a good mystery without a lot of blood or violence I would automatically suggest Nevada Barr.  After reading this prequel, I’m not so sure.  This is the retelling of the gritty, in your face, ordeal Anna Pigeon survived when she first joined the National Park Service.  This is the story of why she decided to become a ranger after being a stage manager on Broadway.  This is why Anna Pigeon believes more women should carry guns.

If you’re looking for a mystery that pitches a woman against a monster and nature; a story where a woman comes into herself and succeeds in becoming who she wants to be, then you might want to put the squeamishness the first few chapters will induce and give it a try.  If you are a fan of the series, you won’t want to miss how it all began.

And this book features the best use of a wild animal as a weapon (in a very humane way) ever. 

The Vault by Ruth Rendell

The Vault by Ruth Rendell

Chief Inspector Wexford is retired and he likes retired life.  Except for the parking.  It was much easier to park when he didn’t have to worry about parking tickets.  As a pensioner he can devote time to his family and poke around asking questions about police cases when called in to assist with inquiries.  When four bodies are found in a long closed coal hole under a posh “cottage” in London Wexford pokes around with police permission.  Three bodies have been down there about twelve years and the fourth only about two years.  Who are they?  How did they end up there?  Will we ever know?

The mystery is told through Wexford’s eyes only so we learn facts as he does and start piecing together those long ago events with him.  It’s a well crafted mystery with a lot of interesting characters (reminded me of some of the neighbor characters from Midsomer Murders) and the voice actor did a wonderful job keeping them all straight.

While checking this entry out in the catalog I noticed that this book was the sequel to another.  I had no idea!  No need to read the former to understand and enjoy the later in this case.

If you are a mystery reader, you may be interested in joining the Mysterious Mornings discussions.  Our next theme/sub-genre is British Bobbies and Inspectors.  A list of suggested authors and titles is available at the Bridgewater Library and titles will be on display starting tomorrow.  The discussion will be held on Tuesday, March 6^th at 9:30am.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

I took the introvert/extrovert quiz at the beginning of this book while driving home from work.  (No worries, I was listening to the book, not reading it.)  The quiz confirmed what I already knew.  I’m an introvert.  While I may not be the stereotypical introvert (at least not at this point in my life) I still value my alone time and just sitting and thinking.  I like quiet.  Downtime for me isn’t an occasional relief it’s a mandatory recharge period and I’m happy to find out that many of the people around me feel the same way.  Well, at least according to this book a third to a half of people in the world are introverts, so I’m assuming a lot of people feel the same way.

Cain is a proud introvert and writes this book for everyone, introverts and extroverts alike, to learn about how best to work and live with those different than you as well as deal with the type of person you already are.  There are great examples of introverts supposedly working against type (like doing a lot of presentations and public speaking) but then the dirty secrets come out (they are either amazingly over prepared so they can appear calm, or are totally freaking out). 

It’s a very insightful book told in a readable (listenable?) style so anecdotes, scientific studies and experiments all flow together in a convincing narrative.  I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys learning about people in general, those around you, and yourself.

A Grown-up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

A Grown-up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

I have to describe this book first and foremost as perfectly done southern fiction.  There is never a time when you forget where you are.  The dialogue, the mannerisms, the phrasing, the setting, all brought me down to the land of the tupelo trees. 

Fifteen is the cursed number for the Slocumb women.  When Ginny turned fifteen she gave birth to Liza.  When Liza was fifteen she too became a mother.  Now the youngest Slocumb, Mosey, is turning fifteen and Ginny and Liza are holding their breath.  The year starts out okay but then is all comes crashing down.  Liza collapses from a stroke at thirty and a small corpse is found buried in the backyard.

This is a story of identity and what makes you who you are.  It’s also a story of redemption, how even the person who seems to have thrown everything away can change everything for the sake of another.  As the story unfolds you have an inkling where it’s heading but there are enough twists to keep you on your toes.  Told with heart and humor this is southern fiction at its finest.  So grab some sweet tea and enjoy

One Soul by Ray Fawkes

One Soul by Ray Fawkes

Reviewed by Chris, Librarian at Bridgewater Library

This is one of those books that could only be told in comic form. The book takes the form of a two-page spread of nine panels each; each of those eighteen panels represents an entirely different life (perhaps the reincarnations of the titular 'one soul', although that is never made explicitly clear), from a prehistoric caveman to a recent-years punk rock girl. Each life progresses page by page, from birth to childhood to eventual old age (in some cases); as each various life ends, its associated panel goes dark.

Even if you don't think you like comics, this book is worth a read; it is not your standard panel-to-panel graphic novel. The plot and pacing are hard to describe, as there are 18 stories being told simultaneously.

The Chalk Girl by Carol O’Connell

The Chalk Girl by Carol O’Connell

Like sociopathic good guys like Lisbeth Salander and Dexter Morgan?  Then meet Kathy Mallory.  Mallory came from less than ideal circumstances but being adopted by wonderful parents took her aptitude for crime (she is an amazing thief, and has a bit of a temper) and molded her into a fighter of crime, now a detective for NYPD. 

This is a creepy, slightly gory, complex crime novel.  There is a serial killer at work and the actions of the present have a definite beginning in the past.  The start of each chapter is an excerpt of the diary of a young boy who died years before but we don’t know why or how his story fits, but we know that something horrible happened to him and it is the reason (somehow!) of what is happening in the Ramble of Central Park now.  Thoroughly engaging page turner!

While this is the 10^th in the series I don’t feel like I missed out on any back story.  The author does a great job clueing her readers in to the circumstances which made Mallory the way she is without overdoing it. 

The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James

The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James

Reviewed by Cassandra, Librarian at Mary Jacobs Library

It must be Valentine's Day because I seem to have flooded my eReader with romances. My recent grab is the latest book by Eloisa James, The Duke is Mine. It was a great pick for a cold weekend. We follow the quirky heroine Olivia Lytton who has been betrothed since childhood to a family friend. All of her family's expendable income has been spent on training her to be a duchess - to actually run a duke's estate since her betrothed was born with some difficulties. Olivia knows she will never have a happily ever after but she hopes her status will help her sister Georgiana secure an engagement to the handsome Duke of Sconce. However, it is the strong, fiery and sensual Olivia that grabs the Duke's attention and heart. Scandal! The Duke is Mine is a fun and whimsical with moments of laugh out loud hilarity and weird antics that can only be found in the fictional world of regency romance. If you've enjoyed Julia Quinn's Just Like Heaven or Lady Most Likely than the latest Eloisa James may be a good bet!

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Jane Austen’s timeless classic Pride and Prejudice has been revisited by bestselling mystery author P.D. James.  The mystery takes place five years after Darcy and Elizabeth wed on the grounds of Pemberley.  A man is discovered dead in the arms of Wickham (the rogue who married Lydia Bennett) and he is charged with murder.  Darcy and Elizabeth can see Wickham being guilty of many crimes, but murder isn’t one of them. Will they be able to clear his name?  Why did the two men (Wickham and the victim) leave their carriage while crossing Pemberley’s woods? 

Told in a voice similar to Austen’s this is a meandering tale of everyday life and how a crime can upset entire households during the aftermath (inquest, trial, etc.)  I think James did an admirable job telling a mystery as Austen might have, but in my opinion the mystery was lacking.  There was no chance for the reader to figure out much of anything about the crime, we weren’t given enough background to formulate any hypotheses.  The reasoning for the murder made sense when all was revealed, yet it was uncovered in one fell sweep towards the end.

Love in a Nutshell by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly

Love in a Nutshell by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly

Kate has been having a rough time of it.  She is recently divorced, lost custody of her beloved poodle, and is living in her family’s wreck of a summer home (the Nutshell) which she is determined to restore and make into a bed and breakfast.  Biggest problem is she’s broke, some idiot owns the mortgage on her house, and she just got fired for serving skunky beer to a customer.  So she marches right down to the brewery that made the skunky beer and demands a job.  She gets it, and more.  If she finds out who has been sabotaging the brewery she’ll get a $20,000 bonus.  And she gets to work closely with her gorgeous boss, Matt, so how could anything possibly go wrong?

In typical Evanovich fashion things go astoundingly wrong, but this is a standalone mystery/romance so you do get a wrapped up story unlike the whole Joe/Ranger thing that’s been going on in her popular numbers series.  If you like quirky humor, cutesy romance and a surprisingly good mystery you may want to visit the shores of Lake Michigan in Love in a Nutshell.

If you’re a fan of the Stephanie Plum books on audio you’ll really enjoy this since the same reader, Lorelei King, reads both.  However, be warned, you’ll be confusing Kate Appleton with Stephanie Plum (she really likes fruit doesn’t she?) in your mind.

Mad About the Earl by Christina Brooke

Mad About the Earl by Christina Brooke

Everyone has their guilty pleasure reading and in February I have to read some romance.  Preferably a paperback romance.  For me good romances come in small packages.  I like them because they are just plain fun and you know everything is going to end well.  This one is no exception. 

This is a typical Regency romance, that is a sexier than most.  If you like your repartee witty and your shirts flounced this will hit the mark.  The uniqueness of this book lies in the personalities and appearances of the hero and heroine.  The hero is a brawny, burly and scarred man who sees himself as a beast.  His beauty is a gorgeous damsel who is stronger than her looks would make her seem.  While it is an arranged match, it is a match that both approve of, yet neither can believe the other could possibly be happy with them. 

The Sisters by Nancy Jensen

The Sisters by Nancy Jensen

This is the story of how multiple generations can be affected by one incident in the lives of their ancestors.  As two sisters are torn apart at the beginning of the novel you see how a point at time trickles through time to affect future relationships between mothers and daughters and sisters.  At the heart it is the story of multiple pairs of sisters and how they relate, annoy and care for each other.

Told chronologically yet by multiple narrators each chapter is almost a short story on its own.  It helps to get the different perspectives to understand the motivations of each character’s actions and how they affect the other characters.  It was interesting to see a daughter become a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and how she changes as she takes on different roles.

I would consider this a well-written debut novel.  Even thought there are multiple perspectives being presented the helpful family tree in the beginning of the book isn’t really needed.  Each woman has her own unique voice.  The takeaway from this book is communication.  I found myself wanting to shake many of the women and yell at them to talk, open up, say something, but in each of the circumstances as frustrating as the non-communication was, it was understandable. 

The Angel Makers by Jessica Gregson

The Angel Makers by Jessica Gregson

I was intrigued when I read in a review that this novel was based on a true story.  This is the story of life in a rural village in Hungary that spans the years leading up to, during, and after World War I.  Sari Arany is the main character, a young herbalist trained by her doctor father before he passed away.  As the story progresses and the years go by with hardly any men in the village the women get used to the way life has changed.  They are friendly with each other, tease each other and are very relaxed in their manner.  Then the war ends and everything changes when the male residents return to the village.

Men that were abusive become even more tyrannical and men who seemed kind are anything but.  It is this dynamic that forces Sari’s hand and turns her from healer to an accessory to murder.  She provides the poisons which make problems go away.  She is the angel maker, another name for an abortionist, yet now she is helping make much bigger angels.

This is a wonderful psychological study of a town of women who find freedom and then lose it and their reactions to their circumstances.  Human nature really shows its true stripes when the plot comes crashing down under investigation.  For fans of historical fiction, women’s fiction and psychological thrillers.

The Vault by Boyd Morrison

The Vault by Boyd Morrison

What if Midas really had the touch that turned things into gold?  What if after centuries the touch of his mummified remains still had the same effect?  What if the directions to the tomb were found yet the evil mastermind couldn’t decipher them?  He’d kidnap an expert in mechanical engineering and an expert in the classics and persuade them (read: threaten their loved ones) to help him find the treasure.

From Puget Sound to the old aqueduct tunnels under Naples our team of treasure hunters is on a race against time to find the vault.  If you like adventure books that travel the world following clues (like Steve Berry, James Rollins and Andy McDermott) you will probably enjoy this one as well.  Fun on audio because the narrator does some great accents.  I especially liked his Scottish brogue and his American Sean Connery sound-alike!

The science behind the Midas touch, the ability to change matter to gold, is a fascinating one.  Morrison really put his thinking cap on to come up with this one.