The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

I have followed Marie Benedict since her first novel. She is a native Yinzer and often speaks at events here in the 'burgh. In February she spoke about her latest book, The Queens of Crime. It was a fascinating lecture about how she became interested in the real life disappearance of an English nurse, May Daniels. With maps, photographs, and newspaper clippings, she detailed how she became invested in using the real life mystery as the basis of her fictional one. 

Set in 1931, the novel features the 5 Queens of Mystery writers from the Golden Age: Dorothy and Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. They are a part of a London group known as the Detection Club, made up mostly of men. They feel that they are just as able to write and solve mysteries as their male counterparts and so embark on solving a real life one. The actual disappearance and investigation was actually reported by Sayers and her journalist husband. Nurse May Daniels and her friend Cecelia traveled to Bourgoune, France. They traveled by ferry from Brighton England, intending to take advantage of French shops and food. However, Daniels mysteriously disappears, after seemingly having an upset stomach, and being approached by an unknown man while sitting on a park bench. She does not return with her friend. Her body is found months later in a pool of blood.

The five queens of crime travel to France to retrace her journey and interview those who might have come into contact with Daniels. The police seem reluctant to pursue the case that they believe is one of a drug addict. In their investigation the women began to piece together another woman's disappearance that is connected with London men, the Williams father and son, and a theatre producer, Alfred Chapman. When they establish an hypothesis as to what actually happened, they concoct a plan to entrap the murderer. 

With a cavalcade of characters, the mystery unfolds to its conclusion, complete with red herrings. I had to keep myself from finding newspaper articles about the real mystery so that I didn't spoil the end of this tome.  This was a delightful read that combined mystery and historical fiction. The personalities of the mystery writers shines through as they each have a different tack to solve the case. I have not read any of Marsh, Allingham, or Sayers' works previously, but the novel has given me a new set of detectives to read. 
 

A Death in Cornwall by Daniel Silva

A Death in Cornwall is Silva's 24th Gabriel Allon novel and was his 2024 publication. It is one of my favorite series of books and I look forward to a new novel every July. Unfortunately, I am usually 1 July behind. 

Allon, the former head of Israeli intelligence,  has now, in retirement, transitioned to being a full time art restorer working for his wife Chiara in Venice, Italy. They have twins and many times he is responsible for being the parent in charge. However, he still dabbles in international intrigue when it involves something to do with art theft, restoration or forgery. 

Allon has lived in Cornwall off and on during his days as a spy when he wanted to become incognito. It was because of this and his connection to a young detective, Timothy Peel,  that he became involved in the case of a murdered art historian, Charlotte Blake. She had been researching the whereabouts of a Picasso painting at the same time the "Chopper" serial killer was operating in the same area. Was she his/her victim or was there another murderer on the loose?  

The Picasso had belonged to a Jewish family and was confiscated by the Nazis during the Holocaust. In tracing its provenance, he discovers that it is being held in the Geneva Freeport. The reader always learns something in Silva's novels. As it is owned by a shell company, one of the many created by the corrupt law firm of Harris Weber, the machinations expose the length and depth the owners will go to protect the painting and its worth, influence the selection of a new English Prime Minister, and discredit an upstanding journalist. 

As is the case in all of Silva's novels, the plot twists and turns as he reintroduces characters from the past - Christopher Keller, Rene Montjean, Sarah Bancroft, Ana Rolfe, and Ingrid Johanson. It is more of a page turner than some of the Allon novels and still lets the reader travel to many European locations. The descriptions of the group in Monaco were especially interesting. 

The 2025 Allon, An Inside Job, arrived today so I must finish book club books before embarking on that one.  
 

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Having read Gone Girl by Flynn, one should expect more than the run of the mill murder mystery. Sharp Objects is a triple murder mystery that is also a psychological thriller with so many other themes thrown in. It is disturbing, exciting, thought provoking, and a page-turner.

Camille Preaker is a journalist for a small Chicago newspaper who is assigned to report on a double murder in her hometown of Wind Gap. Her editor, Frank Curry, thought she would have some insight into what was happening in that village and would give her an opportunity to go back home for a bit. Two young girls were brutally murdered within a couple of weeks of each other and there were only a few leads as to who the perpetrator was. Curry was unaware of the cold relationship Camille had with her mother and her step-father, Alan. Her family life was dysfunctional to say the least. She had been born to her young mother, Adora, and never knew her father. Her sister Marian had died at a young age and then another sister, Amma, born when she was a teenager and 13 when the story commences. 

Adora inherited her family's hog farm and was independently wealthy. She suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy for the way she needed to be in control and garner attention from the townspeople. Her sheer indifference to Camille made it difficult for her to return home. Likewise, how so many people and the town itself hadn't changed hearkened a time from which Camille had escaped. She meets Richard Willis who is in town to help with the murder investigation and the tow become close as they work to solve the murders. Upon discovering that Camille was a cutter and had scars over her body, he removed himself from her company, but not after helping to solve the mystery. 

Amma is a central character to the case and transforms from the perfect daughter playing with her dollhouse and dolls, when Adora is around, to a vile drug-dealing, and promiscuous teenager when away from home. Camille tries to reconcile their relationship, but it is difficult. 

As the facts about the murders become clearer, so does Camille's internal struggles and the horrible truth that emerges. The character development is one of Flynn's hallmark written qualities. From beginning to end the novel will keep you on the edge of your seat as you deal with the psychological struggles, the reactions and personalities of the townspeople, and the familial relationships. 
 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Thursday Murder Club was a series recommended by a friend and since I love a series that involves the same characters, I thought I would give it a try. By no means was this book a straightforward, solvable mystery. 

Set in a retirement community in England, the Thursday Murder Club is comprised of residents who get together to try to solve mysteries that have stumped the local police. While working on murder that involved a stabbing, the community is thrown into a situation where a couple of murders are committed that are directly related to their retirement home. Elizabeth, Ibrahim, Bernard, Ron, and Joyce work with detective Chris Hudson and Donna De Freitas to solve the murder of Tony Curran, the construction foreman for Ian Ventham, a real estate developer who is in the process of buying the retirement community and its adjacent cemetery. From that situation, other murders are committed, new identities are discovered, and a surprising confession from an unsuspicious character are paraded before the reader. 

Joyce recaps daily events in the the investigation as she writes in her diary. Some may consider this as a repetition of the the actual narration, but it is a good way to maker sure one hasn't missed something because there is a lot that could be overlooked. 

True to English mysteries, this isn't a book for those who want an easy solve. There are no less than 4 plots that with twists and turns all come together at the denouement. I hope to read the next in the series when there is a break in my required book club and P & AL books!
 

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

The Secret Book of Flora Lea was just the kind of book I needed to take to Physical Therapy. It was engaging and a not too difficult read. In addition, it took place in London and was set at the time of World War II, time and place among my favorites. The novel has two timelines, one in the 1940s and the other in the 1960s.

Hazel and Flora Linden live in the Bloomsbury area of London with their mother. Their father has gone off to fight in the war and was killed in faulty engine fire while in training for the RAF. As the war rages, orders are given to evacuate the children from central London. The two sisters are sent to Binsy, Oxfordshire to be billeted with Bridie Aberdeen, a loving and caring woman who is also a single mother to her son Harry. In order to comfort her sister, Hazel creates stories centered around a fictional place, called Whisperwood. It is their secret and no one else is privy to it. Tragically, one day when Hazel, Flora and Henry are near the river in Oxford, Flora disappears. She was left alone sleeping and when Hazel and Henry come back to the river bank, she is gone. A massive search is conducted and she is presumed to have drowned.

Flash forward to 1960s in London to find Hazel working at a rare book store. For most of her life she has pursued what had actually happened to Flora. It haunts her day and night.  She is taken aback the last day on the job at the book store before she moves on to another job at Sotheby's. In the books for her to process to add to the store's collection, she opens one by an American author entitled Whisperwood and the River of Stars. How could someone know about the secret kingdom. Surely Flora is still alive and somehow the author has heard the story from her. 

She takes the book home with her and shares the story with her boyfriend, Barnaby. Inadvertently a couple of the illustrations get ruined, and her guilt about stealing the book gets the better of her. She decides to return the book, knowing that she could be arrested for stealing it and losing her job. 

The novel then morphs into a mystery about the missing Flora and how Hazel plays detective to find her. It becomes a page-turner, for sure as Hazel revisits all those who may have come in contact with Flora - Bridie, Harry, Kelty, and four nurses who often babysat the girls. She contacts the author of the book, Peggy Andrews, who travels from Cape Cod to London to become part of the adventure.

It is a captivating tribute to the power of storytelling and its magic. Throughout the book Bridie tells stories as does the journalist, Dorothy Bellamy,  who is writing about the children of Operation Pied Piper. those who were evacuated. It is also a novel following your heart and listening to what it sees for your future, especially when it comes to love.

 

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

The selection for our February book group was the debut novel by Charmaine Wilkerson. It was hard to tell to what the title referred, but at first glance, we anticipated a more culinary offering than what was the actual focus of the novel. 

It is really a story of relationships, self-identity, coincidences, and a bit of mystery. Benny and Byron, sister and brother have been estranged for a number of years. They are brought back together by the death of their mother, Eleanor,  who leaves them a tape that she recorded that shed light on her life and a black cake. It was also a means to illuminate the trouble that begins the book when she was a small girl, Covey grew up on a Caribbean island in the 1950s. Her mother had left her and her father, driven away by his drinking and gambling. Covey and her best friend, Bunny were swimmers and enjoyed the waters together. In order to settle debts, Covey's father, Lin, arranges a marriage between Covey and "Little Man" Henry. From the wedding day on, the book details how Covey escaped and found a new life in London, where she went to meet the real love of her life, Gibbs Grant.  

The first part of the book was rough going for me as I tried to sort out the characters and their relationships to each other. When the tape recording revealed the true identities of the characters, it became much more enjoyable and ended up being a real page-turner. Wilkerson masterfully weaves the characters and their relationships together for the reader. As she does that she also amalgamates the themes of feminism, resilience, racism, homophobia, friendship and family ties. The chapters were short and both time-shifted as well as locality-shifted. Once the characters' true identities were revealed, it was not difficult to follow. The solution to the mystery was revealed slowly, but resolved in the last chapter, as was disposition of the black cake

A good and interesting read. 

Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva

In between book club books gives a good time to try to catch up on the TBR shelf. This always leads me back to whatever Daniel Silva books are there. 

Portrait of an Unknown Woman  is a bit of departure from Silva's general M.O. There are no political stances, no threats of destroying world peace or any of the major nations, nor any international spy missions. What it is is a intriguing look into the world of art dealers, forgery, and some Ponzi schemes. 

Gabriel Allon, former head of Israeli intelligence has retired to Venice with his wife Chiara and his twin children. She has taken a job as the head of the Tiepolo Restoration Company and Gabriel has become the stay at home father while he recovers from the bullet wound that nearly killed him in The Cellist. Of course, if he remained in retirement, there would be no novel. Having received a call from his friend and London art gallery owner, Julian Isherwood, he sets off on the trail of a major art forgery ring that is operating from Berlin to Spain to the United States. After Isherwood receives a letter saying that a painting that he recently sold was a forgery and the woman who sent the letter was killed, there is only one person whom Isherwood would call. 

As the novel intertwines art history, forgery, and danger, Allon sets out a trap by creating forgeries of Grand Masters. Through a complicated series of events, especially sting operations involving Sarah, her husband Chris and some old arch-enemies of Gabriel, the investigation of the murder reaches a climax on the tarmac of a Long Island airport. 

Silva creates intense drama in his books without feeling the necessity of long-winded descriptions. It is interesting that he has shifted the focus of the novel to more of an art perspective and take Allon away from his intelligence job at The Office. This was a fascinating narrative into the real world of Gabriel Allon. It will be interesting to see how his character further evolves in the next novel, The Collector. 
 

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

Admittedly, I am a fan of mysteries and "who dunnits." I Have Some Questions For You is an unconventional murder mystery with twists and turns that also deals with the social climate of our country in a very pointed way. Bodie Kane is the narrator of the novel, written in the most part as a letter to a high school music teacher, Mr. Bloch at the Granby School in New Hampshire. 

Just months before graduation in 1995, Thalia Keith is murdered after the performance of Camelot given at the school. The murder is investigated and a black man, Omar Evans, is arrested, convicted, and jailed for the crime. Evans had the opportunity and motive, so the police thought for committing the crime. Students were interviewed and the crime scene examined in a very perfunctory manner. 

After 20 years in 2018, Bodie is invited back to the school to teach a short class on film and another on podcasting, both of for which she has been acclaimed. Her students in the podcasting class are to come up with a topic of their own for the class. One young woman chooses the murder of Thalia and as Bodie helps her, she becomes obsessed with the crime and eventually thinks that Evans was not the murderer. In chapters that follow Makkai creates a scenario for anyone who had been with Thalia the night of her death as to possible motives and opportunity for each to kill her. It was a fascinating way to explain the way that Evans could not have been the perpetrator of the crime. The reader becomes convinced that each of the many characters could have been the murderer. The conclusion is a bit of surprise in some ways, but the manner in which it is proven is ingenious!

The men in the novel are, for the most part, all seemed to have demanded Thalia acquiesce to their demands. Writing at the beginning of the Me Too movement, Makkai has made a strong statement as to what situations such predators demand of women, while at the same time acknowledging the facts that in 1995, women were ill-equipped to handle such advances, let alone bring charges up on those men.  Concurrent to her time back at Granby, Bodie is going through her own marital struggles and at times the reader feels she should just cut that cord!

 

I Have Some Questions for You is a brilliant book and a page turner. It has appeared on almowt all the Best Books Lists for 2023 and understandably so. Hearing Rebecca Makkai speak on the book for Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures added another layer to the understanding of some of the characters and the process by which she wrote the book. 

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

The Violin Conspiracy was an interesting read about a young black man, RqyQuain McMillian, who rises from an amateur student violinist to one of the most accomplished virtuosos in the world of symphonic music who finds himself in the midst of a horrible mystery and crime. From the time as a young boy he has played a rental violin.

The novel begins in media res with Ray and his girlfriend Nicole in New York City where he is performing and with his violin being stolen from his hotel room. The time shifts back to Ray as a youth and recounts the months and years leading up to the crime. 

Ray lives with an overpowering mother and twin siblings. His mother thinks it is a waste of time for him to be playing the instrument when he could be working at Popeye's Chicken or a grocery store. She wants the teenager to contribute to the household expenses. The most supportive person in his life is his grandmother who encourages his playing. Then one Christmas she gives him an old violin that was his great grandfather's who was an enslaved man. It was old, covered in resin and in an old alligator case. When Ray has it cleaned, it is discovered that it is a Stradivarius, worth close to 10 million dollars. The flashback that occupies most of the novel details the struggles that Ray has had to endure a a black instrumentalist, even being arrested by a racist policeman in Baton Rouge. When he meets Nicole, a violist, he finds a support person who is encouraging and loving. 

The investigation into the theft of the Strad points to a number of people who would benefit from its sale: his family who believe that it should have been sold and they split the profits, the descendants, the Marks family, of the slave owner, who believe it is rightly theirs, and even a competitor at the world renowned Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.  Both his family and the Marks sue him. The mystery of the theft provides the main plot of the novel.

One of the most interesting parts of the book was the detail of Ray's repertoire.  I got side-tracked numerous times looking up some of the pieces and listening to them. to hear Itzhak Perlman play Serenade Melancolique is as moving as it was described as he played it in Moscow. Slocumb, an accomplished musician in his own right brings much insight into the classical music world. The mystery of the theft of Ray's violin is not without its red herrings plays out in a surprising solution.. A good, solid, and quick read.

 

The Cellist by Daniel Silva

The best laid plans are often sidetracked by life's interruptions. Because our book club was canceled for April, I felt I had ample time to read a number of books before the May book club. However, IT,  happened and my free time, airplane, and travel time were usurped. 

It took me a bit longer to finish Silva's 2021 book than I had expected. Drawing on many characters from past novels, The Cellist takes place as the world is in the grip of the pandemic. There are countless references to lock-downs, masks, and COVID-19.

The book begins, as many of his do, with the very suspicious death of Viktor Orlov, a close friend of the Israeli intelligence commander, Gabriel Allon. The body is discovered by Sarah Bancroft, who had worked with Allon in previous novels and is now working at Isherwood Fine Arts. When she finds Orlov at his desks, she strongly believes that he was poisoned by some sort of nerve agent. Her connection to Orlov was in regard to money she was to collect for the restoration of a painting the gallery had sold to a Russian oligarch.She  In a very convoluted way, this leads to the introduction of the cellist in the novel's title - Isabel Brenner, who works for RhineBank, AG in Germany as a money launderer. Allon devises a scheme to find Orlov's killer and recruits Brenner to become his prime operative. 

From a London, to Geneva, to Zurich to France, Jerusalem and even Wilmington, DE, Silva whirls the reader through a maze of banks, concert halls, museums and villas as he delves into the money laundering schemes of Russia and its wealthy leader, Vladimir Putin. The novel's culmination is at the January 6th Insurrection in Washington, an ending that Silva completely rewrote having been an eyewitness that day while being in Washington on business.  One of the hallmarks of the Gabriel Allon and Silva books is how closely they are tied to the geopolitical real-world events. This was no exception and provides the author a virtual soapbox from which he can deliver his political views, which are quite critical of the 45th president and his followers. The author's notes at the end of the book are illuminating and indicative of the research that Silva does for his novels.

This wasn't one of my favorite Allon books, but a good read, nonetheless. It is my intent to finish the 2022 novel before his new tome is released in July, 2023. Too many books and not enough time.

 

 

Edge of Lost by Kristina McMorris

After reading the prologue and then continuing to the novel itself, I was not sure how the reader was going to get from Point A to Point B. The prologue, set in 1937, describes an apparent escape from Alcatraz, where a young girl has gone missing. As the  pages unfolded, it did become clear and proved to be a very good read. The Edge of Lost is an account of the life of Shanley Keagen, a young boy who is introduced as a young boy living with his uncle in Ireland. His uncle is quite taken with the drink and is eventually kicked off the dole. Shan tries to help make ends meet by performing comedy in some of the pubs. He has in his possession a photo of his mother and a man whom he thinks is his father, am American sailor. His desire is to go to the United States to find him. 

With no other recourse, Uncle Will decides that the two will leave for America to find Shan's father. However, on the voyage, Will dies and Shan is orphaned.  With a serendipitous piece of fortune, he is adopted by an Italian family, the Capellos, and begins his new life in Brooklyn as Tommy Capello. His brother Nick and sister Lina receive him into the family with just less than open arms. Shan/Tommy does will in school and begins to help out his father in the plumbing business while still pursuing the dream of meeting his father. Nick becomes mixed up in some of the criminal activities surrounding prohibition, although he was not really a criminal. Because of this Tommy Capello is sentenced to Leavenworth Prison. From there his is moved to Alcatraz, where he is a model prisoner and is assigned to work in the greenhouses and gardens. 

The intersection of the two story lines is what keeps the reader anxiously turning pages. McMorris skillfully blends the accounts of Italian and Irish immigrants with the hardships of life during the prohibition and depression in America. She has provided an intriguing glimpse into life in that period as well as what it must have been like to live on The Rock as both civilian and prisoner. The twist in the ending pages was one that was not telegraphed in the earlier part of the novel and was a surprise for sure. Good and interesting read.
 

The Maid by Nita Prose

The January selection for our book club was a delightful debut novel by Nita Prose who was inspired to write it as a result of walking into her hotel room and startling the maid. She began to think that a maid really knows quite a bit about the hotel guests, whereas the guests know nothing about the maid. So began the story of Molly Gray, a very conscientious maid at the luxury Regency Grand Hotel. 

Molly was raised by her grandmother after her mother disappeared from their lives. Gran had a profound influence on Molly in her actions and thoughts even after she had died. Molly continues the same cleaning routine of their apartment and hear her grandmother's voice when faced with a decision. Molly was not very comfortable in social situations whether because of her isolation in living with her grandmother or, perhaps, because she may have been autistic. 

She is a very hard worker and finds it difficult to understand how other maids can't be so dedicated to their work, especially the head maid, Cheryl, who steals tips from the other maids. One day when cleaning the penthouse suite, she discovers the body of Mr. Black, a tycoon and frequent guest in the hotel. Molly and Black's wife, Giselle, are close acquaintances and Molly has no idea of what has happened. Molly becomes embroiled in the investigation of what is, perhaps, considered murder.  

To detail the rest of the plot would inevitably spoil the enjoyment of the novel. Throughout The Maid reminds the reader of an Agatha Chirstie "who-done-it" with twists, turns and red herrings. At the same time it is like the game of Clue - was it Molly with a rope, Rodney with a knife, Juan Manuel with a hammer? The characters are well-developed, the writing flowing, and the resolution a real surprise! It was a delightful mystery with which to curl up in front of a fire and have a cup of tea or two!

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny

The third book in the Inspector Armand Gamache series, The Cruelest Month was a winner. We had originally downloaded this as an audio book for our trip to North Carolina, but with nasty weather, traffic, and all the French names and character iterations, it was hard to follow. After finishing some book club books, I decided to revisit the print version. 

It is hard to summarize an twisted and complex mystery novel. Set in Three Pines, Québec, this book mirrors some of the intricate English mysteries. Over Easter weekend, as villagers are in the midst of holiday preparations, a psychic, Jeanne Chauvet comes to the town and is convinced to conduct a seance. One is held Friday night, basically a dud, and another Saturday evening at the old and deserted Hadley House. On Saturday night one of the attendees, Madeleine Favreau, collapse and dies. Was it fright or was it murder? 

Gamache and the Sûreté du Québec are called in to investigate. His investigation establishes that the death is actually murder and all the séance participants can be considered suspects, with no fewer than 4 or 5 having motive. He adeptly pieces together the case and arranges for another gathering of the group to uncover the murderer. 

In a previous book in the series, Gamache had accused a superior of some very serious crimes and this subplot figures into The Cruelest Month. With stories appearing in the newspapers and circulating in the office, Gamache postulates that there may be a mole within his team. He threatens to resign his position as part of the ploy, but in the end (since we know that there are 15 more Inspector Gamache books) both his name and the murder are solved. 

Louise Penny's books are enjoyable with challenging mysteries to solve and characters that become like old friends. Can't wait to read the next one. 

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

 The Nature of Fragile Things engages the reader from the very first page and continues that straight through the last page. Set in 1906 in San Francisco it combines well-researched history with mysterious relationships and endearing characters.

Sophia Whalen, an Irish immigrant living in New York City answers an mail-order bride advertisement and makes her way to San Francisco. She is met at the train by Martin Hocking, who whisks her off to city hall where they get married. He explains that his young daughter, Kat,  was still recovering from his first wife, Candace's death. It is so traumatic to lose your mother at such a young age. They go to the caregiver's home to pick up Kat and then to the new home that Martin has bought for the family. Although a bit surprised at the sleeping arrangements, Sophia understands that it may take a while before an amorous relationship can develop. 

As the months pass Sophie and Kat begin to develop a bond and Kat begins to emerge from her silence. Sophie is puzzled by the mysterious comings and goings of Martin and his reticence to share his work details with her. She meets Libby, a neighbor across the street, and the two share some play-dates with their children. Libby has become used to an aristocratic lifestyle and seems to lord this over Sophie. 

And then one day a very pregnant Belinda appears at the door, looking for a man by the name of James. She reels at the sight of Sophie and Martin's wedding picture and recognizes Martin as her husband, James. The two begin comparing stories and plan what to do. Martin returns home to find the two of them and tragic events ensue - an accident in the house and the April 18th San Francisco earthquake. With detail that leaves the reader truly understanding the dire results of the earthquake and fire and feeling compassion for all those who had to flee their homes, the days in Golden Gate park come vividly alive.

In page-turning fashion, Meissner unfolds the story of all the relationships that soon embraces the third woman, Candace. It is a novel that accentuates the power and bravery of women, the love for their children, and the consequences of one's actions as innocent or harmful as they may be. There are twists to be sure and a very revealing and shocking ending to the book. It is a very enjoyable read, many times extremely emotional with much attention paid to the setting and events of the day. 

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

Upon the recommendation of a couple of my trusted literary friends, I picked up the first in the Maisie Dobbs series, published in 2003. What a treat it was to read something not required for a book club or lecture series. 

In 1929 in London, Maisie Dobbs is in business as a private investigator. She has been hired by a man who suspects that his wife is carrying on an affair with another man. In following the woman, she finds herself in a cemetery and watches her lay flowers on the grave of a man whose headstone only reads Vincent. Vivid memories cascade into Maisie's mind and Winspear uses it as a flashback technique to give Maisie's backstory. 

The daughter of a Frankie, a costermonger and eventually a groomsman, Maisie was sent to live with Lady Rowan Compton, a wealthy philanthropist  to add to some income for the family. Maisie's work ethic and intelligence was recognized by Lady Rowan and she offered Maisie the opportunity to be tutored by Dr. Maurice Blanche. He also is impressed with her propensity for learning and encourages and prepares her to take the entrance exams for Cambridge. Maisie enters Girton College at Cambridge and makes friends with Priscilla Everndon, who introduces her to Captain Lynch. At Priscilla's urging and as a result of losing a close friend to a bombing during the war, Maisie enlists as a nurse and is deployed to France. As it would happen she reconnects with Captain Lynch and they fall in love and he proposes.  

Between the flashbacks and the present time, the story of Maisie becomes clear and her detective skills, honed by Dr. Blanche lead her to uncover the mystery of Vincent and so many other young wounded war veterans. Throughout the present day scenes the reader is plagued by the question as to what happened to Captain Lynch and is grateful for the reveal at the end of the book. 

Winspear's Maisie series is now on book 17. The series has been touted as in the mystery genre, but there was more introduction of the main character in the first book than mystery. I will be anxious to read book #2 to see how Maisie is developed as a private investigator and solver of mysteries. 

 

The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl

This book has been sitting on my book shelf since its publication in 2003. I am not sure why I hadn't picked it up to read, but it rose to the top of the TBR list this year. As much as I try to read everyday, life and clients seem to get in the way. Although fiction, The Dante Club is based on true facts, most of which I was unaware. As per usual, as I was reading, I had to inform myself as to the veracity of what Pearl was writing. 

Set in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1865, the book's basis is the 1st American translation of Dante's Inferno. The novel opens with one of the most gruesome descriptions ever published as it described the death of Judge Healey:

"Nell kicked away the wasps’ nest and stuffed the judge into the wheelbarrow. She half wheeled and half dragged his naked body through the meadows, over the garden, through the halls, and into his study. Throwing the body on a mound of legal papers, Nell pulled Judge Healey’s head into her lap. Handfuls of maggots rained down from his nose and ears and slack mouth. She began tearing out the luminescent maggots from the back of his head. The wormy pellets were moist and hot. She also grabbed some of the fire-eyed flies that had trailed her inside, smashing them with the palm of her hand, pulling them apart by the wings, flinging them, one after another, across the room in empty vengeance."

The members of the Dante Club, who were supporting Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in translating The Inferno, were Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr,  James T. Fields, George Washington Greene, and James Russell Lowell. Judge Healey was the first in a series of murders that began to intrigue the club because of their similarity to the punishments in Dante's poem. With such a connection the members of the club take it upon themselves to help solve the murders. The second victim is Reverend Talbot, who was found in a cemetery, buried upside down with this feet exposed and set fire. Upon removal, a large sum of money was found. Talbot had been paid by the Harvard Corporation to preach against Dante. The third murder was that of Phineas Jennison, who was also a contributor to the Harvard Corporation, found dead and sliced open as described by Dante

The novel follows the investigation by the club as well as by Nicholas Rey, a Boston's first black policeman. It becomes apparent to the club that the murderer is tied to the publishing giant of the time, Ticknor & Fields, through a Civil War soldier who had listened to Greene's sermons. 

The final solution has a climatic and brutal end to it after numerous red herrings were planted by the author. It is also a look at the families of the poets, their lives, and the culture of Boston. The prejudice that faces Nicholas Rey exposes the hypocrisy of those who fought for an end of slavery in the Civil War. His life is fraught with discrimination and often dismissed because of his color. 

The Dante Club is a rich read, not only for the manner in which the crimes are solved, but for the insight in to the remarkable influence and heritage of Dante. As when I read The Inferno by Dan Brown, Dante has always held a special interest for me. A great and suspenseful thriller.

The Order by Daniel Silva

It is definitely an unusual situation here that I have actually caught up on all the Daniel Silva books. This was Silva's 20th book in the Gabriel Allon series and it really took a different tack than most. Allon is the art restorer, but also head of the Office for Israeli intelligence. In that position, he really misses the field work. 

As the novel begins, Chiara, his wife, arranges for Allon to take some time off and accompany the family to Venice for some R & R. The reader knows that this won't last long and it doesn't as he is summoned to Rome by his friend Archbishop Luigi Donati after the death of the Pope Paul VII. Silva's fictious pope had previously appeared in 3 of his books and owed his live to Allon. What ensues is the mystery surrounding his death, the disappearance of a Swiss Guard, the uncovering of a new Gospel, and the influence that a new organization will have on the conclave of cardinals. 

 Of course Allon leaves Venice and finds himself teaming up with Donati in solving a complicated plot and what, eventually, is discovered as a series of murders. The action, which is very unusual for an Allon novel, is concentrated between Rome, Obersalzberg, Munich, and Assisi. Having been fortunate to travel to all those places, I was able to visualize the settings. This book was a page turner and presented some incredibly intricate alternative historical scenarios. The description of Rome and the convening of the Cardinals in the chapel were particularly interesting and brought back the memories of being in Rome following the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005 and hearing the bells when Pope Benedict XVI was elected. 

 Silva loves to bring back his favorites for his novels and The Order is no exception. His children are growing up, Carlo and Veronica Marchese whose tragedy is recollected, and one who figures significantly in the plot line, Eli Lavon. For once, though, Ari Shamron is not among them. In Munich, Gabriel returns to the spot where his son was killed and where his wife was severely injured by a bomb exploding. Obviously edited after the onset of the pandemic, Silva introduces it as an aside in the novel. There is much foreshadowing about Gabriel Allon's retirement from The Office and it saddens me that Silva might be set to end this series.

The role of the Catholic Church in the Holocaust is the major them of the novel and throughout it and antisemitism are addressed. It was interesting to read the Author's Notes and find mention of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre in Squirrel Hill

The majority of reviews on The Order have been critical, protesting the heresy that it promulgates against the religious tenets of the Catholic religion. In fact many have compared it to a Dan Brown novel such as The DaVinci Code or Angels and Demons. That isn't a bad thing for me. There is a place in my reading for both and I enjoyed the "on vacation" Gabriel Allon and his escapades just fine. Just, please don't let him retire.

Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews

Sometimes you just need a read that is fast-paced, easy to read, and enjoyable at the same time. During this pandemic time Sunset Beach was just that kind of read. Somewhat reminiscent of Mary Higgins Clark's novels, this book was immediately accessible and engaging. 

Drue Campbell, a 36 year old former professional kite boarder, has just lost her mother, Sherri,  as the novel begins. At the funeral, her father, Brice, appears and seems to want to reconnect. Without a job, a place to live, and no money, Drue reluctantly accepts his offer of a job in his high profile law firm on the west coast of Florida. Part of the draw was that she has inherited her grandparents' home on Sunset Beach. And so she picks up and moves from Ft. Lauderdale into the cottage, which has been allowed to deteriorate to such a condition that she had to start from square one to make it livable. She tore up carpeting and scrubbed and scrubbed. In the process of trying to stop a leak in the attic, she finds a box of newspaper clippings and files from an account of the disappearance of a young woman nearly 40 years ago. She is intrigued and her curiosity gets the best of her and starts to dig into the disappearance - Plot line #1 of the novel.

When she goes to her father's office, she discovers that one of her friends from high school, Wendy,  has married her father. Wendy is intent on making the job stressful for Drue as she is his office manager. Drue is given the responsibility of answering phones and referring solid cases to the lawyers. Nothing Drue does seems to be right or in accordance with Wendy's ways - Plot line #2 of the novel. 

One of these phone calls is in reference to a possible murder at a local motel that the firm settled quickly and for a minuscule amount of money. A young mother is found dead while on duty as a maid at the motel. The firm has washed its hands of the case, but Drue finds it heart-wrenching that the woman's mother and child are now living near the poverty line because of a lack of income. Looking into the facts of the death lead Drue to a conclusion that there is more to the case than was investigated and that possibly her father's firm was involved in a cover-up. - Plot line #3 of the novel. 

With the intertwined plot lines there are supporting characters that all play a part in the resolution of the plot. Jimmy Zee, best friend of Brice Campbell, is an investigator for the firm and has known Drue since she was born. Drue meets a number of young men who will unwittingly play a role in her detective work - Jonah, Corey, Ben. Are they all out to help?

Along the way there are some plot twists and some disturbing innuendos. All go to keep the novel absorbing and moving along. Drue was a likeable young woman, but sometimes unrealistic in her actions. A great page-turner for enduring pandemic time. 

Where the Crawdads Sing by

It is hard to ignore a book that has stood atop the NYTime Best Seller list for 21 weeks as of 15 August 2019. The book was chosen in April for our September Gables Book Club selection to insure that members could get on a waiting list to borrow it. It was worth the wait for sure.

The prologue sets the stage for the novel and immediately creates the tension that the reader will experience throughout its course. A body has been found by two young boys and the sheriff of the small town embarks on an investigation as to whether it is an accident or murder. 

Set in  Barkley Cove, North Carolina, it is the story of Catherine Clark, known as Kya or The Marsh Girl. At the novel's onset, Kya is 7 years old and lives in the swamp with her parents and siblings. Not being able to take the abuse of her husband any longer, her Ma up and leaves the house one day, abandoning Kya and her brother. Not long after, Kya's brother Jodie leaves and Kya is left on her own with her alcoholic father, who is sometimes present and more often, not.  Pa eventually leaves her when she is 10. In order to sustain her life, Kya resorts to harvesting oysters and trading them to Jumpin', the owner of a gas station and fishing supply store, for food, gas, and other necessities. His wife, Mabel, also becomes a surrogate mother to her and helps her with clothing and guidance through puberty. 

Although brought to school one day when she was six by a truant officer, Kya was ridiculed by the other children and never returned. She became self-sufficient and self-reliant. The novel retells her childhood and young adulthood in alternating chapters of flashback and present day. Jumping from 1952 to 1969, the reader learns that one of the town's notable citizens, Chase Andrews,  has been found dead, apparently having fallen from the local fire tower.   

When she was 14, Kya met Tate Walker who befriends her and teaches her to read. Their relationship blossoms into love but Tate, who is 4 years older, insists that making love waits until she is older. He leaves for college, promising to return to her. Once again she is abandoned. She spends her time collecting and sketching wildlife in the marsh. She becomes quite the naturalist. When she is 19 she meets Chase, who professes to be in love with her and convinces her to have sex with him. He woos her with the premise that he wants to marry her. 

When Tate returns to Barkley Cove, a biologist, to research the marsh, he visits Kya and asks for forgiveness. Not wanting to be hurt again, she refuses. He does, however, convince her to submit her drawings to a publisher. The description of her specimens and her observatory powers are fascinating.

As one who knew Chase and was an easy scapegoat, Kya was charged with his murder and stands trial. To see how that ends, you will need to read the novel, because I do not want to include any more spoilers here. 

This is definitely one novel not to be missed. Although the alternating chapters and date changes can be a bit problematic until the reader understands what Owens is doing, it was a heart-wrenching and emotional read. Kya is an endearing character and the chutzpah she shows in her maturation is laudable. Infused with themes of abandonment, loneliness, class and racial divides, and lost love, Where the Crawdads Sing will be one of those novels that will stand the test of time.

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens

This novel was chosen for our August book club meeting. There are a number of threads

that come together in this novel. There is mystery, murder, a romantic involvement, empathy for an autistic person, and righting a wrong. 
Joe Talbert is a struggling college student who must right a biography of a hero for a class. He travels to Hillview Nursing Home to pick his subject. Suggested by the receptionist and director of the nursing home, he meets with Carl Iverson. Carl has recently been moved from prison to the nursing home because he is suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer. As they were becoming acquainted, Joe receives a phone call from his mother, who has an alcohol problem. She is in the process of being arrested and needs Joe to drive the 2 hours to come get his brother, Jeremy, who is autistic and needs to be in someone's care. This sets up the struggle that tears at Joe - his college career and his devotion to his brother. When he brings Jeremy to his house, he meets Lila, who seems to understand the needs of and his able to communicate with Jeremy.

Iverson had been in prison for 30 years, convicted of the rape and murder of Crystal Hagen, his next door neighbor. As Joe begins to interview him and hear his denial of guilt, Joe becomes convinced that he may actually be innocent of the crime. Enlisting the aid of Lila, the two set out on a course to delve deeper into the facts surround the crime. They manage, with the help of a professor, to obtain copies of the trial transcripts and evidence. In the evidence they find Crystal's diary, part of which was written in code. They deduce that the code is the key to the murder and set about to decode it, something that was never done during the trial. 

Throughout the novel much is revealed about the secrets and guilt that each of the characters carries with them. Iverson reveals what happened in Viet Nam, Lila discloses parts of her lurid past, and Joe, recounts the details of his grandfather's death. Each one of these revelations has been buried in their past, giving meaning on a philosophical level to the title of the book and substantiating the theme of guilt and second chances . 

To be able to prove Carl's innocence before he dies, Lila and Joe embark on a dangerous and risky journey that puts their lives in peril. This hazardous course proves to be the crux and climax of the novel. They enlist the aid of police detective Max Rupert, the central figure in a number of Eskens books.

The Life We Bury a fast-paced and satisfying read and with its premise of rape and murder, was also a disturbing one. The reader is drawn in quickly and follows the characters to the resolution of the mystery.