Point, Click, Love - Molly Shapiro

Point, Click, Love is Molly Shapiro's debut novel.

Four women in Kansas are each facing a crisis of sorts in their lives. Maxine, a successful artist married to an equally successful doctor, finds that their relationship (and sex life) is suffering. When her husband refuses to acknowledge the problem, she instead becomes immersed in the lives of celebrities, scouring online gossip sites. Claudia is angry, very angry. Her husband Steve isn't working and doesn't even try to make an effort to cook or clean their home, instead spending his days on Facebook.

"Now all he wanted to do was gather material and run to the computer or his cell phone, where he could share his thoughts and feelings with a larger, more appreciative audience." (I thought this was a fantastic line)

Annie is a successful single woman, who has just realized she wants a child. With no man in the picture, she turns to online sperm banks. And Katie, a divorcee with two kids, searches for companionship and sex through online dating sites.

"And so she decided to take care of her need for sex in the same way she took care of paying her bills, finding cheap airfare, and buying her kids' school uniforms - she went online."

Although the back cover blurb lists the women as being friends, we don't see much interaction between them. It seems that the story rotates to the next women in line every fourth chapter. Each woman's tale could easily have been a short story. As it was, I started making myself a quick chart to keep track of who was who and what their 'issue' was. Why? Well, none of the characters really stood out for me - they kind of all ran together. I never really became invested in any of them at all - they seemed quite stilted and wooden, despite the dialogue Shapiro has provided them with.

The book is touted as humourous women's fiction, but I really didn't find too much to laugh at or with. I found some of their behaviour tawdry, sad and desperate - not funny at all.

Some of the situations were completely far fetched. A sperm bank receptionist who willingly gives up confidential information to one of them posing as a reporter?

"The fact that Jill had no idea that she was doing anything wrong by disclosing Marcus's identity made it even easier for Annie. Kids today, she thought. No boundaries. No rules."

A mom who seriously considers being a paid 'Seeking Arrangement' on Craigslist as a way to support herself when she loses her job? Ick.  Perhaps some of these ideas looked good in the planning stages on a white board, but they didn't make a smooth jump to the written page.

Shapiro has started with a good idea - Point, Click, Love explores how the web and online interactions impact relationships and how nothing can truly replace that face to face connection.  But for me the delivery of that premise was only mediocre.

Other bloggers had differing opinions. See what Jonita thought. And Jaime.

Read an excerpt of Point, Click, Love. You can find Molly Shapiro on Facebook and on Twitter.

The Informationist - Taylor Stevens

When Taylor Stevens' debut novel The Infomationist came out last year, I was aware of the buzz, but never got around to picking it up. Well, this New York Times bestseller is newly released in trade paperback, so I picked it up - and had a hard time putting it down. Wow - what a non stop thriller!

Vanessa Michael Munroe grew up in Africa, rebelling against the upbringing her missionary parents envisioned for her. Instead she made her own way, creating her own niche as an 'informationist'. Her 'unique' set of skills make her sought after by corporations and private clients. But her latest client is looking for more than information. He wants Vanessa to look for his stepdaughter, who vanished four years ago while travelling through Africa. Although it's not really her kind of case, he's offering a lot of money, so she says yes.

What made it hard to put down? I loved the character. Her past is alluded to in the beginning and only really fleshed out as the book progresses. I wanted to know more about her. It was fantastic to have such a kick a** female protagonist, one who can hold her own in almost any situation. Over the top? Maybe - but a delicious piece of escapist reading.

What I also enjoyed was having a setting outside of North America. I was initially surprised by Stevens' choice until I learned a bit more about the author herself. She has lived in many of the countries she writes about and more. Stevens was born into the infamous Children of God cult and went where she was sent until she escaped when she was 28. Much of the Moore's emotions and conflicts seem to be pulled from Stevens' reality. What makes The Informationist even more impressive is that Stevens has a formal education level of grade six.

When reading  The Informationist, I started to picture Vanessa Michael Moore as Angelina Jolie. If you enjoyed Jolie in the roles she played in Tomb Raider and Salt , you would really enjoy this character. Or if you're looking for a female Jack Reacher character. The next book in this series The Innocent is due out Dec 27th. Stevens will be drawing on her own past again - Vanessa is on the hunt for a child being hidden by a cult. This reader will be definitely picking it up! Read an excerpt of The Informationist.

You can find Stevens on Facebook and on Twitter.

American Heiress - Daisy Goodwin

When I  saw the cover of American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin, my first thought was of Grace Kelly. But Goodwin's novel takes place before that time period, set in the Gilded Age. I found Goodwin's inspiration behind the writing of American Heiress quite fascinating.

"Daisy has long been fascinated with the Gilded Age, and she decided to write about it when she was visiting Blenheim Palace and saw a portrait of Consuelo Vanderbilt looking absolutely miserable. Consuelo is the inspiration behind this book: the American heiress who went to England, married the Duke of Marlborough,  lived at Blenheim...Daisy's "aha' moment,  which precipitated her to write this novel,  revolved around wondering who these girls were, what happened to them in England, how they lived, coped, adjusted, etc."

Goodwin has created Cora Cash,  an incredibly wealthy young socialite living in Newport, Rhode Island in 1893 at the time of her 'debut'.  Cora's mother is determined that Cora will make the best match possible. And what she wants cannot be bought in the United States - a title. So they debut continues in England. And Mrs. Cash finally has her wish - Cora marries a Duke. But life is not the fairytale that Cora had imagined. Does her husband truly love her? Her mother-in-law seems determined to thwart her at every turn. The staff don't respect her. And she is alone in a strange country with no friends and really no idea of how things are done in England.

Cora  is spunky and full of life, determined to succeed at everything. I enjoyed her enthusiasm, but found her to be a bit of a spoiled brat at times. Certainly this can be explained by her upbringing, but I found her treatment of her maid Bertha discouraging. Bertha's story was for me just as interesting as Cora's.  Bertha's attempts to find happiness for herself don't even register on Cora's radar. The Duke and his mother (and Cora's mother) were somewhat cliched and almost 'over the top'. I had trouble really 'buying' the love that Cora felt for Ivo - it read like childish infatuation. I wanted to shout at her more than once to open her eyes and really 'see' things. Duke Ivo never really graduated from moneygrubber to devoted husband for me.

What I did really enjoy was the dialogue - the barbed intent behind the politest of phrase. Goodwin has done a wonderful job with this and depicting the social mores of the time. The difference between the servants and their masters was interesting and eye opening. I enjoyed the descriptions of the settings.

American Heiress was good light historical fiction and a strong debut effort, but serious historical fiction readers might be disappointed.  Read an excerpt of American Heiress or listen to an excerpt read by Katherin Kellgren. She is a fabulous narrator who effortlessly portrays the various players.

You can find Goodwin on Facebook and on Twitter.

Call Me Princess- Sara Blaedel

The hot list of crime writers right now includes many from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Denmark. Here's another author from Denmark to add to your list.

Call Me Princess marks Sara Blaedel's North American debut.

Assistant Detective Louise Rick of the Copenhagen P.D. is called in on the case of Susanne Hansson - a woman who has been brutally sexually assaulted. As Rick delves into the case, she discovers that Susanne met her attacker through an online dating site. Susanne's not the only victim of this online Lothario. He know how to hide though - he's left virtually no clues.

I enjoyed the character of Detective Rick and her interactions with her fellow officers. Blaedel has filled the department with an overbearing superior, a quiet family man partner and a publicity seeking chief. They were all comfortable if not original characters. The foray into Louise's personal life was a solid secondary story line. I did not like the best friend, newspaper reporter Camilla at all. She came across as a user of people. The interactions between her and Louse just never rang true as a best friend situation.

Blaedel has peppered her story with lots of red herrings. Many of the male characters seemed they could be the perpetrator at one time or another - the ending provided a good twist.

All in all, a solid police procedural utilizing current events as a effective plot device. It was an easy read -  one that I was happy to pick up. For me, enjoyable but not outstanding.

Blaedel has an interesting background. She founded the first publishing house dedicated to crime fiction in Denmark. She was then inspired to write her own detective novels which have landed on the Danish bestseller lists. She has been voted the most popular novelist in Denmark in 2007, 2010 and 2011. You can find Blaedel on Facebook and on Twitter.

Read an excerpt of Call Me Princess.

The Taker - Alma Katsu

The Taker by Alma Katsu opens in present day Maine at a small rural hospital Dr. Luke Findlay is called upon to examine a young woman named Lanny - a murder suspect - before she is taken to jail. When she slices herself open with a scalpel and the wound begins to heal instantaneously Luke is stunned. She begins to tell him her story - and he is mesmerized. Against all good judgement, he helps her escape and goes on the run with her. And as they drive she continues her story.

In 1817 Lanny was sent to Boston to give birth to her illegitimate child. But she never made it as far as the convent. Instead she fell in with Count Adair and his household. Adair is himself a centuries old alchemist with the ability to bind his minions to him for life - never aging and never dying. His lifestyle is depraved - an unrelenting search for the hedonistic.

Lanny's story is the tale of her years with Adair and the love she so desperately seeks with the father of her child. Can she reclaim that love? What is love? How far will she go? Will Adair let her have that love?

The modern day story of the doctor and Lanny takes a backseat to the pages from the past. I quickly became caught up in Lanny's recounting of her years with the Count. I very much enjoyed the historical detail of the times. Maybe it's my pragmatic nature, but Lanny's obsessiveness with Jonathan, the father of her child, became a bit tiresome after a while.

The Taker isn't my usual fare, but Alma Katsu has crafted an addicting tale that's hard to define. It's paranormal, but without the use of creatures - simply immortality. There's history, mystery and yes, romance. Think Twilight for adults. The Taker was a different read, going in directions I hadn't predicted. I was a bit frustrated by the ending, which I found unsatisfying, until I found out that The Taker is the first book in a planned trilogy. I'll definitely be picking up the second book - The Reckoning - to see where those loose ends go.

Read an excerpt of The Taker. You can find Katsu on Twitter and on Facebook. Watch the book trailer here.

Girls in White Dresses - Jennifer Close

Well they say you shouldn't wear white after Labour Day. But reading Jennifer Close's debut novel Girls in White Dresses is right at anytime - either before or after Labour Day.

Girls in White Dresses follows Mary, Lauren and Isabella as they graduate from college, start their careers and follows their friendships, relationships, marriages etc. on into their early thirties.

I wasn't too sure about the format at first - it's told in a series of stories within the story - vignettes almost. But I quickly found this style addicting. It suited the snapshot moments of each life that are presented - fears, hopes, dreams, disappointments and more. But the thread linking them all is weddings.

Close has a fun, fresh, quirky voice that had me laughing out loud and nodding oh yeah many times. (Kristi the bridezilla was probably the funniest moment for me) Girls in White Dresses would appeal to many age groups - those of us who have lived through the ninety million bridal  and baby showers and emerged unscathed on the other side, those who like a good chick lit read, and those currently passing through this stage of life. Close has written a fun book that celebrates friendships - one you'll want to share with your BFF.

Read an excerpt of Girls in White Dresses.  You can find Jennifer Close on Twitter

The Hypnotist - Lars Kepler

Creepy cover + creepy tale = good read. The Hypnotist is a debut novel for Lars Kepler (a husband and wife team from Sweden)

Three members of the Ek family have been brutally murdered. Their son Josef was miraculously found alive amongst the carnage. Inspector Joona Linna is brought in on the case. Dr. Erik Bark is one of the physicians at the hospital Josef brought to. Bark was a renowned hypnotist, using his skill to help patients uncover and heal from trauma. However he has sworn off hypnotism - a past event is alluded to but not fully explained in the beginning. Urged on by Linna, but against his better judgment, Bark hypnotizes Josef. However, what Josef reveals is unexpected to say the least.

I enjoyed the engimatic character of Joona Linna very much. His confidence in his abilities is not bravado, but he does make a point of asking "What did I tell you?" when he is proven correct. His calm demeanor hides a character not fully explored in this first book of a planned series.

The book takes a different direction with Dr. Bark's involvement. Slowly we are led down a different path as the events that ended his use of hypnotism are revealed. His past comes to haunt him in the present, as does Josef's case.

I found myself continually off kilter as I read The Hypnotist - no one behaved as I expected them to at all. The cadence of the prose added to this off balance feeling at times, but was in keeping with the story. I found the interaction between Bark and his wife quite puzzling at times. Not that it was a bad thing - I really had no idea where the plot line was going next - there was layer upon layer of plotting. I like not being able to predict an outcome and Kepler kept me on my toes.

I look forward to the next book by this duo. The Hypnotist is an international bestseller with rights sold in over 30 countries. It's been on the Globe and Mail bestseller list since it's release. Warning for readers - there are definitely some graphic scenes.

Read an excerpt of The Hypnotist.

Wish You Were Here - Phillipa Ashley

Phillipa Ashley is one of the few British chick lit authors I haven't read yet. When I recently found myself in need of a light, fluffy read, I picked up Wish You Were Here, newly released in North America by Sourcebooks. 

Beth and Jack met on an outdoor tour adventure and had what Beth believed was a serious romance. But, Jack left, breaking Beth's heart. Eight years on, she hasn't heard from him. Until now. Beth goes to interview for a position at at a London adventure company. Unbeknownst to her, Jack is the one interviewing and hiring for the position. Jack knew who he was interviewing though...

Can sparks be rekindled after eight years? Does Beth want them to be? After all, she dating Marcus - everyone says he's quite the catch. And sophisticated magazine reviewer Camilla seems quite determined to keep Jack to herself.

Ashley combines all the right ingredients - love lost and found, will s(he)/won't s(he) moments, missed cues, some steamy scenes, the fun sidekick girlfriend and a quirky, loving and family - to produce a wonderfully enjoyable read.

The travel packages and adventures described gave me lots of pause for thought - especially the descriptions of Corsica.

A lovely little read, perfect for an afternoon in the hammock. Read an excerpt of Wish You Were Here. You can find Phillipa Ashley on Twitter and on Facebook.

Never Knowing - Chevy Stevens - Review AND Giveaway

Chevy Stevens hit the ground running with her debut novel - Still Missing. It was a break out thriller that ended up on the New York Times bestseller list. (my review.) Her second suspense book, Never Knowing, releases today.

Sara Gallagher was adopted when she was very young. Now as a young mother herself and about to be married, she decides to seek out her biological mother. She finds her alright....but she also finds out much more than she bargained for. Her mother is the only surviving victim of The Campsite Killer - a serial murderer who was never caught. Sara - she's the result of a rape by said killer.

When word of Sara's existence and circumstances go viral, the Campsite Killer reappears. He'd like to get to know his daughter and grand daughter. The RCMP would like to catch him and ask Sara to communicate with him.

Never Knowing is told in an interesting format. Each chapter is a session with Sara's psychiatrist, told from Sara's point of  view. (side note: This same format featuring Nadine the psychiatrist was employed in Still Missing.Chevy indicates that her third book, Always Watching, will be from the perspective of Nadine)

Stevens has again come up with a terrifying concept for a book. Sara is torn between wanting to know her biological father and wanting to put him away. Sara is an interesting character - she is high strung, prone to anger, self centered and very high maintenance. Maybe she is more like her real father than she realized? I must admit that I found Sara annoying, despite her situation. Many times I just wanted to shout at her. The supporting characters, cops and dysfunctional birth family, are all very defined, perhaps a bit too much in some cases -I found many of the characters to be  somewhat cliched - especially the adoptive father.

I enjoyed the Canadian setting and references. Never Knowing is an addictive read with some good twists and turns along the way. For me it didn't quite live up to Still Missing, but was a great page turner, perfect summer escapist reading.

Get a head start - read an excerpt of Never Knowing. And if you missed it, here's the link to my Q& A with Chevy last month.

You can find Chevy on Facebook and on Twitter.

And thanks to St. Martin's Press, I have three copies to giveaway! Open to US and Canada, no po boxes please. Simply comment to be entered. Ends Sunday July 31 at 6 pm EST.

Robopocalypse - Daniel. H. Wilson- Review AND Giveaway

I'm wondering if my computer's camera is watching me as I type this review.....No I haven't lost my marbles. That's the premise of Daniel H. Wilson's debut novel Robopocalypse.

The computers, machines and robotics that humans have built, developed and embraced as part of our everyday lives have turned the tables....Slowly but surely, they've evolved...and learned to think for themselves. And us? Well, we're now expendable. Zero Hour is scheduled.

I freakin' loved this book! It totally fed my passion for dystopian, apocalyptic fiction. There are no deep themes to discuss at book club (but you will be talking about it) and it won't be immortalized as great literature. But, boy oh boy was it was an action packed thrill ride of a read.

Wilson utilizes a very unique and creative format to tell the story of the War between humankind and machines. We meet Cormac "Bright Boy" Wallace in the opening chapter. He has survived the war so far and makes a startling discovery. "This is the goddamn black box on the whole war." Utilizing the data found on the cube with back up from other electronic and human sources, we start at the beginning of the end and works backwards. At first I thought, no, I know the outcome already, but it works. Every chapter introduces us to more players in this planet encompassing apocalypse. Each is completely different and their actions and lives intersect in ways they couldn't have imagined. Cormac's commentary opens and closes each chapter tying it to the next. The foreshadowing at the end of many chapters kept me up turning pages far into the night. 

For sheer entertainment this summer, Robopocalypse simply can't be beat. And in the near future, you'll be able to catch the movie version - Spielberg will be directing.

Who would like this book? Those who enjoyed the movies The Book of Eli, The Road, Terminator, the television show The Walking Dead and the books The Stand, The Road and I Am Legend. Vehicles that celebrate the triumph of human spirit.

Read an excerpt of Robopocalypse. You can find Daniel H. Wilson on Twitter and Robopocalypse on Face book.

AND thanks to Doubleday Publishing Canada, I have one copy of Robopocalypse to giveaway. Canada only, ends Sunday July 31 at 6 pm EST. Simply comment to be entered.

Daniel H. Wilson has a Ph.D in robotics. Maybe it's not so far fetched an idea. Do you know what destination your GPS has programmed for you?

Breaking Silence - Linda Castillo

Here's another great series that I'd heard good things about from my patrons but hadn't yet had a chance to read. I just finished Breaking Silence, the lastest release in Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series. And yes, they were right! I'll be adding Castillo to my list of must read authors.

Castillo has created a unique character in Kate Burkholder. She is the chief of police in the town of Painters Mill - a town that also shares close proximity with a large Amish community. Kate herself was raised in the community but left 14 years ago. She has an understanding of both communities and it serves her invaluably in her work.

In Breaking Silence, the Amish seem to be the target of a number of hate crimes - sheep are being killed, buggies run off the road and more. But when an Amish couple, the parents of four children are found overcome by fumes in their barn, it looks like the crimes have escalated to a new level --murder.

I enjoyed Kate as a character - her personal conflicts between the community she was raised in and the world she now lives in provide a great secondary story line. As does the tension filled relationship she has with State Agent John Tomasetti. I found the descriptions of the Amish community informative and wondered about Castillo's research into this people and their society. The plot moves along quickly and the ending has a great twist.

Read an excerpt of Breaking Silence.  You can find Linda Castillo on Facebook. Breaking Silence is also available as an audio book. The reader is Kathleen McInerny - she's got a very expressive voice that really works for this book. Listen to an excerpt here.

Although this is the third book in the series, you don't need to have read the first two to enjoy this latest offering. A fourth book is in the works -I'll be picking it up for sure.

Fans of Tami Hoag and Iris Johansen would enjoy this author.


Breaking Silence - Book Trailer from Emily Greaser on Vimeo.

The Map of Time - Félix J. Palma

Do you ever start a book , get a few pages in, recognize that  you are inextricably hooked already and jump for joy when you realize there are 600 more pages left to savour?

That's exactly how I felt after the first two chapters of Félix J. Palma's novel The Map of Time.

It started off in one of my favourite time periods - Victorian England - with an unknown narrator telling us of a young man's visit to Whitechapel in 1888- the time of Jack the Ripper - and more.

"Yes, I know that when I began this tale, I promised there would be a fabulous time machine, and there will be, there will even be intrepid explorers and fierce native  tribes - a must in any adventure story. But all in good time, isn't it necessary at the start of any game to place all the pieces on their respective squares first? Of course it is, in which case let me continue setting up the board, slowly but surely..."

At the heart of it all - Murray's Time Travel. Could the fourth dimension really have been discovered in 1896? ..."what was underneath the world, what was behind reality." Can the Murray Company really take travellers to the year 2000? All of Victorian England would like to believe so. Jules Verne and H.G. Wells and their futuristic novels are all the rage.

H. G. Wells plays a prominent role in this tale, as well as other historical figures including the Elephant Man, Henry James, Bram Stoker. Palma creates many other characters, all incredibly well drawn, leaping off the page and into my imagination with ease.

The book is written in three parts, with each part approaching time travel from a slightly different angle, with the third part tying it altogether. But not tying it all up with a neat little bow, for Palma plays with us many times throughout the 600+ pages. We are kept on our toes, wondering if time travel was/is possible....

There is no way to pigeonhole this book into any one genre. It is incredibly imaginative, ingenious, whimsical and addictive, combining history, mystery, romance, adventure and fantasy into a page turning, clever, keep you on your toes, thought provoking tale. What would you do if you could go back in the past or see what's coming in the future?

Palma is an absolutely fantastic storyteller. I was captured from first page to last. For those who are looking for something completely different, pick up The Map of Time, releasing today.

See for yourself - read the first chapter of The Map of Time. Or listen to an excerpt. Or the website for the book.

Graveminder - Melissa Marr

It was the cover of Graveminder that first encouraged me to pick up Melissa Marr's latest book. I love abandoned buildings and found this old structure quite appealing. Marr is an author I was unfamiliar with, but she is known for her Wicked Lovely series, aimed at young adult/teen readers. Graveminder is her first adult novel.

Rebekkah Barrow has returned to the town of Claysville for the funeral of her beloved grandmother Maylene. Most folks don't ever leave the town....and if they do, they are inexplicably drawn back. For the town has made a deal with the dead. A graveminder and her protector - the undertaker - will take care of the dead and make sure they don't wander. And that was Maylene's job. But now that job has fallen to Rebekkah and her new undertaker, Byron Montgomery.

This isn't my usual genre of read, but I was curious to see what Marr had imagined. I found her depiction of an entire City of the Dead quite imaginative, populated without drooling bodies (although there are a few of those up top) It is those dead in Claysville that are the problem that the new graveminder and undertaker must deal with. Who has undermined the contract and why? Someone alive or dead?

I chose to listen to this book. The reader is Emma Galvin. Her voice is quite expressive with a gravelly quality that adds to her reading. I enjoyed her interpretation. But, she does sound young and on further investigation found that she has narrated pretty much only YA novels. If Marr's intention was to separate Graveminder as an adult book, perhaps an older sounding voice would have been more appropriate. I found some of the dialogue a bit repetitious and don't think I would have noticed it as much in written form. I also found Rebekkah and Byron's interactions somewhat 'teenish' and not that of two adults.

It's always good to step outside our comfort zone. For me, fantasy isn't a place I go very often, but I enjoyed Graveminder as something different for me.  Fans of YA books will love it.  I was fascinated by the City of the Dead and think that Marr could find more stories to write about there.

See what you think - read an excerpt of Graveminder or listen to an excerpt.

The Girl's Guide to Homelessness - Brianna Karp

I have to tell you upfront that Brianna Karp's book The Girl's Guide to Homelessness is a memoir. Really. If it was fiction, I would have said that the author was really stretching the bounds of believability. Karp's story is real.

Brianna Karp is a third generation Jehovah's Witness. She started working at age 10. She has survived violence, abuse and poverty for most of her life. She had finally made it - a good job, a tiny rental home, a pet (a giant Mastiff) and was finally living the life she had always dreamed of. When the recession hit, she lost her job, ran out of benefits and had trouble finding another job. She was forced to move back in with her mother. (I can't even begin to describe this women - you have to read it yourself) She receives a call and learns that she is the next of kin for the biological father she hasn't seen in 20 years. He's killed himself. His legacy? Brianna inherits a trailer. And that trailer becomes her home when her mother kicks her out. Her new address? The corner of a Walmart parking lot. She's just  23 years old.

Karp begins to blog about her experience and it takes off from there. I'm not going to give away any more of her story. It truly is a shake your head unbelievable story.

At first I thought the book would be more of an 'insider's' look at being homeless. It is to a certain degree, but it really is about Karp's life. I honestly couldn't book the book down. Her writing is raw and honest. My reactions ran the gamut from anger, shock, sadness and joy as Karp bucks the odds, keeps plugging away and triumphs.

I'm sure we haven't heard the last of Brianna Karp - I'll be curious to see where life takes her next. And The Girl's Guide to Homelessness will without question have you rethinking your definition of homeless.

You can find Brianna on Facebook and on Twitter and of course on her blog.   Read an excerpt.

The Mapping of Love and Death - Jacqueline Winspear

The Mapping of Love and Death is the 7th book in Jacqueline Winspear's series featuring Maisie Dobbs.

This wonderful series is set in the past in England. The first novel began in the 1920's and this seventh offering is set in 1932. Maisie Dobbs is a unique creation. She began as a servant in a mansion at age thirteen. When her employer took an interest in Maisie and her intelligent, inquisitive nature, she sponsored her education. Fast forward to 1932. Maisie has had psychological training, served as a nurse in the war and now owns and runs an Investigative Agency.

"The path from there to here had been far from straight, had looped back and forth, yet always with an imagined place ahead - that she would be a woman of independent means would rise above her circumstances."

This latest outing finds Maisie employed by the Clifton family. Their son Michael's  body has just been recovered - he was killed during the war. With his body were unsigned letters from a nurse he seems to have fallen in love with. The family would like to connect with her. Maisie is hired to track her down. But examination of Michael Clifton's body reveals that he was murdered before his unit was bombed and killed.  Could his mapping skills and land purchase just before the war have something to do with his death? The case involves much more than first thought.

The Maisie Dobbs series are such a comfortable, almost genteel read, if you will. The social customs, manners and mores of the times are all faithfully observed in Winspear's writing. I enjoy being transported to this time period. The Great War brought many changes to England. Class and gender lines are changing. It has been interesting to watch Maisie's growth as she acquires knowledge, confidence and skills over the last 6 books. Of course, detection methods during this time are greatly different from the modern day detective novel. It is refreshing to see crimes solved the 'old fashioned' way, with a lots of legwork, questions and thought. I admire Maisie's quiet intelligence and her calm demeanor.

Winspear also includes an ongoing secondary storyline in addition to the mystery of every book. Maisie's personal life - her search for love and happiness- is just as interesting.

Read an excerpt of The Mapping of Love and Death. The 8th book in this series - A Lesson in Secrets- releases this week.

Maisie Dobbs is perfect for curling up under a quilt with a pot of tea - just a great historical mystery series with an intriguing protagonist.

 

Check out what others on the TLC Book Tour thought - full schedule here.

Gideon's War - Howard Gordon

I am a fan of the television series 24. Sadly it has come to an end. But writer and producer Howard Gordon has donned yet another hat and written his first novel Gideon's War.

Gideon Davis is a skilled political negotiator. He believes in peace without violence. His skills are recognized and appreciated by the current White House administration. Family friend Earl Parker - also deputy national security advisor - calls on Gideon to put those talents to use. A rogue agent has agreed to surrender, but only to Gideon. The agent - his estranged brother. When the planned surrender goes awry, Gideon is forced to choose between his beliefs and the need to stop terrorists who have taken an oil rig in the South China sea hostage. Their plan could start a war. His only ally - oil rig manager Kate Murphy.

This was a great read! I have to admit - I immediately pictured Jack Bauer as Gideon. The action is non stop, the escapes, twists and turns are over the top, but provide a thrill ride of a read. Kate Murphy should not be ignored either. She's tough as nails and rivals Gideon for nerve and determination. The political intrigue and terrorist angle is current but doesn't overpower or bog down the story at all. This is where I usually get glassy eyed and flip forward. Not this time.

Over the top - yes. Great escapist reading - definitely yes! I can see future books featuring Gideon - and maybe Kate too? Fans of 24 will love it. Read an excerpt of Gideon's War.

Now You See Her - Joy Fielding

In Joy Fielding's latest novel Now You See Her, we meet 50 year old  Marcy Taggart as she's on a tour bus in Ireland. This trip was supposed to have been a 25th anniversary trip with her husband Peter.  However, their marriage fell apart after their daughter Devon died. Marcy has never accepted that her bipolar daughter committed suicide - her body was never found. Peter has left her for another woman and divorce proceedings are underway. Marcy has taken the trip anyway - why not?

While sitting in a pub, looking out the window after the tour, Marcy is stunned - she is sure she has seen Devon walking by. But as she races into the street, the girl has disappeared. Could it be true - could Devon still be alive? Maybe she faked her own death?  Marcy is determined to track her down. New acquaintances such as the local bartender and another passenger from the bus tour are eager to help Marcy with her search. Too eager?

Fielding does an admirable job with Marcy's character, weaving the spectre of mental illness, grief and anguish into her storyline with thought and consideration.

Many red herrings and plot twists keep the story moving along very quickly.  Although Marcy may be blinded by her desperation, I did question some of the decisions and choices she makes - some of them were downright dangerous. But this added to the question - is Marcy of sound mind herself?

An engaging read that will keep you turning pages to see if Devon is alive or not.

Read an excerpt of Now You See Her.

Fans of Mary Higgins Clark and Iris Johansen would enjoy Joy Fielding.

The Weird Sisters - Eleanor Brown

Eleanor Brown's debut novel The Weird Sisters is an absolute gem. I was hooked from the first few pages. And as I turned the last, I sat quietly and savoured the story in my mind.

Cordelia (Cordy), Bianca (Bean) and Rosaline (Rose) Andreas are three sisters all named after Shakespearean characters by their father, who is a Bard scholar.

"We wear our names heavily. and though we have tried to escape their influence, they have seeped into us, and we find ourselves living their patterns again and again."

An event in each of their lives has each of them heading home again...

"We came home because we were failures. We wouldn't admit that, of course, not at first, not to ourselves, and certainly not to anyone else. We said we came home because our mother was ill, because we needed a break, a momentary pause before setting off for the Next Big Thing. But the truth was, we had failed and rather than let anyone else know, we crafted careful excuses and alibis and wrapped them around ourselves like a cloak to keep out the cold truth."

Each is surprised and not overly happy to find the others there. "See, we love each other. We just don't happen to like each other very much."

What follows is an absolutely mesmerizing story of the complicated relationships between sisters, between parents and children and the search each sister undertakes to find herself and her place in family and life.

 "Who would Bean be if she dropped her beautiful mask? Who would Cordy be if she stepped up to the plate in her own life? Who would Rose be if she weren't the responsible one anymore?"

Brown's characters fairly leap off the page - I could hear their dialogue and picture their actions so clearly. (And maybe hear some of my own sisters' words as they spoke...)

Brown has a way with words. Some of her descriptive passages had me reading them twice...."Bean pulled a heavy towel form the stack of laundry, unwinding it from the lascivious position it had gotten into with a pillowcase."

The Andreas family are lovers of  the written word. They often connect (and dad most often) by quoting Shakespeare passages. "Our family has always communicated its deepest feelings through the words of a man who has been dead for almost four hundred years." Their home overflows with books, often laying about half finished, picked up and read by the next person to pass by. And there's nothing that can't be solved by having a library card. (!)

The Weird Sisters is written in first person plural style. This took me a bit to get used to and I found myself trying to determine who was narrating for the first little bit. But it seemed to work - it seems as each sister is contributing to the narrative, instead of just one of them.

This one was a five star read for me - one to recommend to the women in your life - sisters, mothers, daughters and friends. (Books clubs would love this one too)

Read an excerpt of The Weird Sisters. You can find Eleanor on Facebook as well.

The Death Instinct - Jed Rubenfeld

I was intrigued by the description of Jed Rubenfeld's latest book The Death Instinct:

"On Sept.16 1920, a horse-drawn wagon carrying 100 pounds of dynamite and a quarter-tone of cast-iron slugs exploded in front of the Morgan Bank and the New York Stock Exchange - in the very heart of New York's Financial district. More than 400 people were killed or injured. It was the deadliest bombing in the nation's 150-year history - and was the first terrorist attack on American soil. To this day, the reason for the bombing - and its perpetrators- remain a mystery. In The Death Instinct, Jed Rubenfeld offers the thrilling story of what happened on that day."

My first thought was to wonder if this event truly happened or if it was a great fictional idea. Well, it really happened. Jed Rubenfeld has taken numerous factual historical events and combined them with his idea of what may have happened. Many significant historical figures are also 'brought to life' including Madame Curie, Sigmund Freud, and prominent politicos of the time.

The Death Instinct features the two protagonists from Rubenfeld's first novel - The Interpretation of Murder - (I hadn't read this one) - Dr Stratham Younger and NYPD Captain James Littlemore. I was initially enthusiastic about this pair - especially Littlemore- his powers of deductive observation reminded me of Holmes. As the story continued though, I felt I never really engaged with the two of them. We are privy to some of what drives them and some personal moments, but these subplots felt extraneous. I felt as though they were only the vehicle to get to the next piece of  the plot.

And there were many, many parts to the plot. A few too many perhaps.  I finished the book as I wanted answers to some of the more baffling occurrences put forth. At 464 pages, the story seemed too drawn out.

Rubenfeld wrote his undergrad thesis on Freud and he draws upon this knowledge to espouse many of Freud's theories. I must admit, I found them a little tedious after the first few initial analysis.

Where this novel shone for me was in Rubenfeld's historical research and his theory of what may have transpired. There are interesting parallels to today's headlines.  An okay, not great read for me.

But that's just my opinion. Check out what others thought on the TLC tour. Or read an excerpt of The Death Instinct.

(an interesting side note - Rubenfeld is the husband of author Amy Chua, whose book Tiger Mom has been making some news)

Bride of New France - Suzanne Desrochers

Bride of New France is a debut novel by Canadian Suzanne Desrochers. It arrived with a 'must read' recommendation that it definitely lived up to.

Bride of New France tells the story of the filles du roi - the King's Daughters. In 1659 France is acting on the King's decree to "clean the streets". Clean the streets of the poor, the destitute, the beggars - "...troublesome sights for the young King and his regents". Seven year old Laure Beausejour is taken from her family and placed in the Salpêtriére Hospital - a building that housed prostitutes, criminals, the insane and the poor. It is here that Laure works in a dimly lit sewing room producing lace. She dreams of one day leaving, opening her own business and getting married.

She does get to leave, but not in the manner she had planned. The King is eager to populate New France - the French colony in Canada.  In 1669 Laure and her friend Madeleine are chosen to be sent to Canada as brides for the male colonists and to produce children. Rumours of life in New France tell of a terrible climate and danger from all sides. They turn out to not be rumours.

I enjoy reading historical fiction, but this was even more of a treat as it was Canadian. Names and events brought to mind history lessons learned long ago. But Desrochers does more than bring it to mind - she brings it to life. The settings are full of fact based details that paint a vivid picture of both France and Canada. Desrochers' academic background in history serves her well. But it is the character of Laure I became so engrossed in. Her life in Salpêtriére is harsh, yet she dreams of something better and a future. When confronted with the brutal life that is New France, she still does not give in, despite being driven to the edge.

The first half of the book, in France, involves more detail and serves almost as  set up for the Canadian part of the novel. Desrochers surprised me here - Laure's character does not follow the path I expected. Her choices lead to some interesting plot lines and an ending I didn't expect. My only criticism - I wanted more of the Canadian life. The focus is on Laure, but I was interested in some of the secondary characters as well. Madame Rouillard, the bar owner/midwife has stories of her own to tell. And I'm curious as to what was in store for Laure after the book ended.

A fascinating historical read about a period and place not as well documented as the English settlements. I look forward to more fiction from Suzanne Desrochers.

Suzanne will be stopping by for some Q&A in the near future!