The Impossible Fortune

This fifth installment in the "Thursday Murder Club" series rejoins our fearsome foursome a year after the death of Elizabeth's husband Stephen has died. Joyce's daughter, Joanna, is getting married and one of the wedding guests, Nick--best friend of the groom--approaches Elizabeth and asks her to find out who is trying to kill him. There may well be a veritable fortune--a quarter of a billion in Bitcoin-- at stake. But getting to the money requires finding both his 6 digit code and that of his business partner, Holly. Nick disappears and it's feared that he is dead. Then Holly is killed. Every character has a whole other story going on besides the search for the money and at times it is a bit confusing as the POV narrator switches so frequently. 

An interview with the New York Times about the book and his writing generally is here. The interviewer notes that "Osman’s work reflects his own witty and openhearted view of human nature..." and also observes that his characters "are aging almost in real time. Tucked inside the crowd-pleasing plots are themes of grief, loss, friendship, the renegotiated relationships between parents and their adult children, and the indignities and sorrows of old age." Osman himself comments that "he wants to present his sleuths as complicated and flawed, just like anyone else."

Kirkus says in their review that "the Thursday Murder Club is back and better than ever." And they go on to conclude: "There are satisfying red herrings and a well-constructed answer to the puzzle of what happened to Nick and why. And you’ll be happy just to have spent some time in Osman’s delightful world. "If you’re coming to the series from the Netflix movie, start at the top. If you’ve read the others, this is a high point.

 

The Lost Tomb: and Other Real-life Stories of Bones, Burials, and Murder

This is a collection of essays by Douglas Preston that all deal with actual mysteries he explored as a journalist, and which he later used as the bases for much of his thriller fiction (several written with James Patterson). He writes non-fiction as compellingly as his thrillers, for example the book length story of an expedition that locates a long-lost kingdom in the unexplored jungles of Honduras, The Lost City of the Monkey God. 

Publishers Weekly praises this work and offers brief summaries of some of the selections: "in this gripping compendium of his journalistic work, much of which was previously published in the New Yorker. Selections include the masterful "Monster of Florence," in which Preston and an Italian crime journalist attempt to identify a serial killer who claimed 14 victims in the 1970s and '80s, and Preston himself gets accused of complicity in the murders. "The Skiers at Dead Mountain" is another highlight, and has a more satisfying ending: Preston provides a persuasive explanation for the "apparently inexplicable" mass deaths of skiers in Russia's Ural Mountains in 1959, which some attributed to a murderous yeti. There are also intriguing natural puzzles, such as "The Mystery of Hell Creek," about a graveyard in North Dakota containing animals killed by the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. " Booklist concludes, "Though these are all republished from earlier work, the pieces are so good and the reporting so thorough that The Lost Tomb is a worthy addition to library collections."

An Evil Eye

I quite liked the other books by Jason Goodwin featuring Investigator Yashim: The Janissary Tree, The Snake Stone, and The Bellini Card.  This 4th installment in the series, however, I found to be extremely confusing and convoluted. We still get to deal with our two main characters, the eunuch Investigator Yashim and his friend, Palewski, the Polish ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. And the flavor of Istanbul is still rich although a map would have been tremendously helpful. We get glimpses into Yashim culinary skills once again and his diplomatic skills are on display throughout. We also get a chunk of Yashim's background that is new.  Even having read the 3 previous books, I found it hard to follow and The Historical Novel Society agrees, saying "I quickly discovered the need to have read the previous three novels to fully understand the author’s tale.As it stands, I had limited success. I also found the number of subplots and characters to be far too numerous for even the most ambitious reader to digest. I still wish to stand with Yashim as he searches for truth, but reading the series in sequence may be required."

The Washington Post has this to offer: "In "An Evil Eye," Goodwin's fourth novel, Yashim's world is the decaying Ottoman Empire of the early 19th century. The year is 1839, and a new sultan, Abdulmecid, has replaced the old one in Istanbul. In the novel's most atmospheric, least realized subplot, this change in monarchs occasions a corresponding change in the monarch's harem. In an echo of Goodwin's first book, "The Janissary Tree" (2006), the sultan's harem also contains a mystery that will eventually involve our detective. But in "An Evil Eye," the more immediate puzzle is posed by a dead body found on the island of Chalki in the well of the monastery....The complicated plot that unfolds is deftly controlled throughout, with dangers, chases, intrigues and frequent trips back to the harem. Goodwin’s prose is sharp and surprising..." Publishers Weekly notes in their review that "While Goodwin excels at plotting, the book's main strength lies in the assured depiction of a nation restrained by a corrupt leadership far removed from the old traditions of transparency and justice." Booklist offers a positive review "Goodwin continues to create historical mysteries with A-quality plots, excellent historical detail, and a strong sense of place, conveyed through vivid description of the sights, sounds, and foods of Istanbul. Series newcomers won't have a hard time picking up the backstory here, and established fans will be thrilled to see that Goodwin is still at the top of his game..."

The Heiress

This book by Rachel Hawkins will keep you guessing until the very end. Booklist offers this summary and recommendation: "Ruby McTavish is a famous North Carolina heiress known for two things: being kidnapped as a child and having four dead husbands. When she herself dies, her fortune and her family's estate, Ashby House, go to her adopted son, Camden. In the 10 years since Ruby's death, Camden has created a simple life for himself and his wife, Jules, as far away from the McTavishes as he can get. When he's forced to return to Ashby House, he's determined to wash his hands of his family once and for all by relinquishing his inheritance. But when Jules finds herself drawn to the house, and the family's secrets start to be exposed, it becomes a question of whether Camden will be able to escape Ruby's machinations even now. Featuring unreliable narrators and twists throughout, Hawkins' (The Villa, 2023) latest continues her reign as the queen of slow burn domestic thrillers. This is a page-turner that readers will find hard to put down..." 

Similarly Publishers Weekly praises "Hawkins...delivers a delicious tale of murder, greed, and the ties that bind...Hawkins does an excellent job keeping readers off-balance throughout. Nonstop twists and surprises make this a true thrill ride. " 

The Traitor

This is the 2nd book from Ava Glass featuring MI6 operative Emma Makepeace ( see my post for the previous book, Alias Emma). When an MI6 agent is found dead and stuffed in a suitcase, Emma is sent in undercover to see who was behind it. She will be working on a yacht out of the country--out of any country--without backup but she is willing to take the risk. When her cover is blown, Emma is sure that the leak was from within and that leaves her not knowing who to trust. She almost has one of the major players in hand when she is kidnapped and it's clear she will be killed. But she is rescued by a colleague and once again sent undercover, at her insistence, to try and trap the person pulling the strings. Glass creates a tight timeline in a tightly bound plot and her characters are well developed. You'll guess who the betrayer is before it's revealed but the book will still keep you engaged until the end. 

Publishers Weekly calls it a "gripping sequel" and gushes in their conclusion:  "Enriching the narrative with meticulous spycraft, sound character development, and exquisitely realized settings, Glass has delivered an un-put-downable winner." The Washington Post says the book "delivers everything fans of spy fiction could want: an absorbing plot, shadowy characters, page-gripping tension..." and goes on to say "Glass’s prose is crisp but never lazy, the descriptions telling without being overwhelming." They also praise the protagonist and overall character development:  Glass "has crafted such a wonderful character in Emma. She’s mission-oriented but vulnerable. Loyal yet informed by past experiences of the dangers of nationalism. Pragmatic and compassionate...Side characters, such as the oligarch’s girlfriends and bodyguards, as well as the agency staff supporting Emma’s mission, are fully formed."

The Impossible Thing

This book by Belinda Bauer failed to engage me, even after reading half the book, so I gave up. Here is the review from Publishers Weekly, one of several positive reviews of the book. "Bauer... tugs at the heartstrings in this extraordinary literary mystery that unfolds across intersecting timelines. In 1926, young Celie Sheppard retrieves a striking red egg from a guillemot's nest near her home in Yorkshire. With rare egg collecting booming in the region, Celie's discovery rescues her family from poverty--the egg's particular hue has never been seen before, and Celie finds it on a cliff near Metland Farm that's too treacherous for full-grown men to navigate. Her mother sells the egg to pay months of back rent, and enters into a contract to sell any other eggs that Celie finds. Eventually, the broker who buys Celie's egg is murdered. Bauer alternates that narrative thread with one set in the 21st century, in which a post about one of the so-called "Metland eggs" on eBay triggers a robbery that pits brothers Patrick and Nick Fort against an international crime ring. Bauer's deep empathy--for both her human characters and for the birds whose nests are looted--elevates the immersive and unpredictable plot." 

Library Journal called it a "a time-twisting crime adventure"... Kirkus says of the book that it "Succeeds not only in its intricately balanced plot, but also in its emotional weight." The Times Literary Supplement calls it "an exciting contemporary whodunnit." The Wall Street Journal raves that it's "a cliffhanger of a tale." Decide for yourself. 

Neferura: The Pharoah's Daughter

I read and enjoyed this book several years ago but am now trying to catch up on these missing book posts. "In her adult fiction debut, [Malayna] Evans ... uses her Egyptology background to tell the almost-unknown fictionalized story of Hatshepsut's daughter at the height of ancient Egyptian civilization. A split between the famous woman pharaoh Hatshepsut and her stepson/co-pharaoh Thutmose leads to court intrigue, politics, and espionage, which Hatshepsut's daughter Neferura gets involved in as she tries to make her own path between the two powerful figures. Part coming-of-age story, part political period drama, the novel bear accurate and interesting politics and historical details, while Hatshepsut's personal journey is compelling enough to draw in readers who may be leery about such a long-ago time period. VERDICT The combination of court intrigue, a light romance, and a feminist focus means that YA readers looking to jump up to adult novels will find this an accessible read, while historical-fiction fans who miss the heyday of royal novels full of court intrigue will be glad to see this book... (Library Journal). 

Publishers Weekly opens their laudatory review by saying, "Historian Evans ...channels her knowledge of Egyptology into a gripping political drama of Egypt's 18th Dynasty..." and concludes " Evans seamlessly integrates vivid period details into the clever and tense plot..." Similarly, Booklist praises, "The narrative is filled with murder, intrigue, and scandal, presenting Neferura with the dilemma of choosing between familial loyalty or carving out her own path, mirroring the strength and power her mother showed to become pharaoh. Evans infuses the novel with rich and historically accurate details that will transport readers to ancient Egypt...."

Now or Never: Thirty-One on the Run

I've missed several installments in  Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" series but picked this up at the library for a little light reading. Entertaining as always and a few changes from the normal formula. Her car doesn't get blown up for a change and she has finally decided to learn how to use her gun and to buy some bullets for it; she shoots someone for the first time ever in the series. Stephanie has accepted two marriage proposals--from both Ranger and Morelli. What was she thinking?! Not only that, but she "celebrated" the engagements with each beau and now she thinks she might be pregnant. She'll keep you guessing until the end. This time, her FTA's include a mob boss and a man who thinks he is a vampire and appears to to have serially murdered several women. He is after Stephanie who is, apparently, still recovering from someone fire bombing her apartment. She has also picked up another admirer, an old school mate who now continually does nice things for her and ignores Stephanie's assertions that she is engaged so would he please desist. Lula is her usual sassy and over-the-top --literally--self, as is Grandma Mazur; characters are well developed and the plotting is fast-paced. An easy read for a tired mind. 

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think

This is an amazing book. It's not a long book, about 255 pages--not counting over 20 pages of notes and 26 pages of sources--and it is written in a very accessible style, but it calls for slow thoughtful reading. Also the data is  a few years old; it was published in 2018. But I would recommend this book unequivocally for what it says about how we mis-interpret the state of the world and what we can do to be better informed and more data based decision makers. That information is timeless. In a very condensed version of the  reasons we get things consistently--and negatively--wrong are these instincts:  dividing things into groups (gap, e.g., us vs. them), believing trends will continue in a certain trajectory (straight line), not putting things in proportion (size), not recognizing slow change (destiny), blaming, negativity, fear, generalization, having a single perspective, and a sense of urgency. The author, Hans Rosling, offers fabulous charts, graphs and photos (all backed up by numerous data sources) that show the world is gradually--and sometimes rapidly-- getting better, which is a hopeful message in such seemingly dire times. He does not ignore the problems; in fact he identifies 5 major problems that could bring global disruption if not addressed: extreme poverty, financial collapse, WWIII, climate change, global pandemic. But by pointing out how things have improved, he advocates for using both historical and up-to-date data to take thoughtful and effective steps towards fostering trends in positive directions. Each chapter focuses on one of the ten instincts that hamper our understanding of the world and offers summary suggestions at the end to avoid falling into these traps.  Here's one example with regard to dividing the world into separate groups.

Recognize when a story talks about a gap (as if there are 2 separate groups rather than a continuum) and remember to look for the majority. 

Beware comparison of averages. If you look at the full range of data, groups overlap.

Beware comparison of extremes. In all groups of people, there are some extremes but the majority usually falls in the middle--right where we expect a gap (e.g. developed vs. developing countries).

Think about where you stand in relation to the data. Looking down from above distorts the view. Everything looks equally short, but it's not.  

The authors: Hans Rosling was a medical doctor, professor of international health and renowned public educator. He was an adviser to the World Health Organization and UNICEF, and co-founded Médecins sans Frontières in Sweden and the Gapminder Foundation. His TED talks have been viewed more than 35 million times, and he was listed as one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. ...
Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund, Hans's son and daughter-in-law, were co-founders of the Gapminder Foundation, and Ola its director from 2005 to 2007 and from 2010 to the present day. After Google acquired the bubble-chart tool called Trendalyzer, invented and designed by Anna and Ola, Ola became head of Google's Public Data Team and Anna the team's senior user experience (UX) designer. They have both received international awards for their work 

 

The Oregon Trail: A New Adventure

I listened to this book written and narrated by Rinker Buck several years ago on a drive from Bend to Albuquerque, NM, and, although I was skeptical at first, I was quickly engrossed and have recommended this book to many, especially the audio book as Buck's reading really made the trip come alive. 

Library Journal offers this summary and recommendation: "Buck ...recounts his four-month journey following the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail in a covered wagon pulled by mules, accompanied by his brother, Nick, and a dog named Olive Oyl. Peppered with reminiscences of the covered wagon trip his family took when he was a child, this adventure highlights the difficulties of travel without mechanization and often without communication. The author narrates the book himself, and ...Buck's low-key humor will pull listeners into the scenes as he describes chasing his runaway mules and repairing broken wheels. The author does an excellent job balancing discussion of the historical impact of the Oregon Trail with a current-day travelog about the people and places he encountered. VERDICT For fans of travel reads, those who love the Old West, and history buffs." I have to say that I am none of the above and I still enjoyed this book immendsely. 

Likewise, Publishers Weekly also praises this combination of history and personal experience: "The ensuing tale combines the brothers’ personal narrative with the remarkable history of the trail, including written accounts from the pioneers who braved it. What could have been a set of rote diary entries is anything but, as Buck’s enthusiasm for the often arduous trip, coupled with his honest assessment of poor judgments and mistakes along the way, makes for an entertaining and enlightening account of one of America’s most legendary migrations. Even readers who don’t know a horse from a mule will find themselves swept up in this inspiring and masterful tale of perseverance and the pioneer spirit.