The Nowhere Man

This second installment in the "Orphan X" series by Greg Hurwitz turns the tables on our hero who becomes the victim rather than the rescuer in this episode. A very wealthy man with endless resources kidnaps Evan and demands access to the millions he has stashed away in a secure bank account. Meanwhile the calls for help from Evan impose an inexorable deadline on making his escape from the seemingly airtight and luxurious prison where he is being held. 

Library Journal concludes their short review by saying, "Though the loner-on-a-quest story line isn't new to thrillers, Hurwitz excels at writing smart characters and plots. His latest continues his track record. Fans of Jack Reacher will love Evan Smoak, a man who will do anything to aid the innocent..." Booklist gives this "brilliant sequel" a starred review and gushes with this praise: "Though the loner-on-a-quest story line isn't new to thrillers, Hurwitz excels at writing smart characters and plots. His latest continues his track record. Fans of Jack Reacher will love Evan Smoak, a man who will do anything to aid the innocent..."  Publishers Weekly also recommends this book, closing with these words: "Despite meticulous efforts to maintain his cover, Evan faces many enemies who wish him grievous harm. One of them is Charles Van Sciver, the most brutal of the Orphans, who’s now running the program and is on a mission to hunt down former members of the organization. Evan’s efforts to elude Van Sciver and company will keep readers on the edge of their seats, but it’s Hurwitz’s engaging, sympathetic characters who place this thriller above the pack."

The Mystery of the Crooked Man

This mystery by Tom Spencer (pseudonym for Tom Perrin) starts out slow but eventually pulls you into the twisty plot. The main character is a bit of an anti-hero and the ending is a surprise. Here is Publishers Weekly's review in full: 

"Spencer... serves up an affectionate homage to Agatha Christie that seamlessly blends satire and fair-play mystery. Crotchety archivist Agatha Dorn is an expert on Gladden Green, author of a bestselling mystery series featuring the Poirot-like Père Flambeau. After she's passed over for a promotion, Dorn discovers the manuscript of an unpublished Flambeau novella by Green. She convinces Green's publisher to let her write an introduction to the text, which she insists she's vetted, and quickly becomes a literary sensation. Her achievement is marred, however, when her best friend and ex-lover, Amy Murgatroyd, dies--ostensibly by suicide, but Dorn suspects foul play. Then the novella turns out to be a fake, and a disgraced Dorn starts catching glimpses of a shadowy figure who resembles a villain from another Green novel. Bruised and grieving, she sets out to solve the mystery of Murgatroyd's death. Dorn is a refreshingly acerbic and misanthropic lead, and Spencer ushers the plot through a series of wild swings without sacrificing plausibility. This witty whodunit will delight fans of Anthony Horowitz. " 

And here are excerpts from the New York Times short review: "Sometimes you know immediately that a book is going to get under your skin and stay there...Spencer’s tart debut... vaults the reader into the world of Agatha Dorn, an irritable archivist and passionate devotee of mystery fiction — particularly the work of Gladden Green (think Agatha Christie through a fun-house mirror.) ...Is Agatha 'a crazy woman, haphazardly but unmistakably drifting down and out, sick, unemployed, drunk, obsessed with solving a murder that had never occurred?' Or 'a maverick, pursuing truth and justice … even at the cost of [her] own well-being?' Maybe she’s both."

The Briar Club

This historical novel by Kate Quinn had me from the first chapter. I previously read her book The Alice Network, which was also based on some actual people as well as actual events-- the reason I love historical mysteries.  This one is set in Washington D.C. in the early to mid-50's, during the height of McCarthy's "red scare" terror campaign. Several women who live in a down-at-the-heels women's boarding house are converted from strangers passing in the night to a tightly knit group of friends by the actions of one woman, Grace March. We are provided chapters from each woman's point of view with information about their histories, their dreams and their insecurities. Nobody is fully who they appear to be and the characters are ones you will cheer for--for the most part. Also the two children in the house, Pete and Lina, mistreated by their mother and apparently abandoned by their father, are taken under Grace's and then everyone else's care. We know from the beginning that a murder or two has been committed--this current situation is being narrated by the house itself--and the rest of the book provides the backstory to the present events. Wonderful characters, rich settings, and a twisty surprise at the end. Highly recommended.

Here is Publishers Weekly's summary of plot and characters: "when widowed 30-something Grace March arrives at Briarwood. She meets Fliss, a harried new mother; Bea, a former pro baseball player; Claire, a file clerk for Sen. Margaret Chase Smith; Nora, an employee of the National Archives; and Arlene, a secretary for the House Un-American Activities Committee who’s fully embraced the hysterical rhetoric of her boss, Sen. Joseph McCarthy. As the women bond, clash, and pursue various romantic entanglements, they remain committed to holding weekly dinner parties in Grace’s room. As Quinn gradually steers the narrative back toward the violent opening scene, she elegantly explores issues of race, class, and gender, and brings the paranoid atmosphere of McCarthy-era Washington to vivid life."

 

Murder at Gull's Nest

This cozy mystery, set in 1954 along the southern coast of England, is a first in what will be the "Nora Breen Investigates" series by Jess Kidd.  Nora has recently left her vocation as a nun after 30 years in order to find out what happened to a novitiate that she cared for at her former monastery (not a convent according to Nora). She is dealing with the loss of structure that being a sister provided her as well as the overwhelming freedoms and choices presented by the outside world. Nevertheless, she has taken up residence at a run-down boarding house in Gore-on-Sea called Gulls Nest, which is where her friend Frieda last lived before apparently vanishing one night. Nora is convinced that Frieda would not have voluntarily broken her promise to write to Nora and wants the local police to treat this as a missing persons case, which they are unwilling to do. When a resident at Gulls Nest dies from strychnine poisoning, DI Rideout concludes it's a suicide but Nora and the deceased's wife are sure it was murder. Of course Nora is relentless in interviewing the motley assortment of boarders at the Gull's Nest and uncovers secrets that the police have missed. She gradually earns the respect of DI Rideout with her results and they develop a warm working relationship.

Kirkus opens their review by saying "An undercover nun tracks the fate of a lost friend and solves a dastardly murder in an English seaside town." and recommends this as "A delightful series kickoff in a cozy community primed for more murder."

Publishers Weekly calls this a "delightful series launch" and concludes their review by saying "Elegant prose, vivid characterizations, and a fascinating protagonist add up to a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Readers will be eager for the sequel." I totally agree.

How the Penguins Saved Veronica

I've read so many good things about this 2nd novel from Hazel Prior that I was pleased when one of my book groups picked it to be on our reading list this year. Also my sisterhood fellowship decided to read it together as well. It was slow to start but then you definitely come to care for the characters and, of course, for the Adelie penguins in Antarctica. Veronica McCreedy has hardened her heart after a life full of heartbreak and loss. She is financially secure thanks to a short earlier marriage but is now alone in the world with no known living relatives. When her housekeeper, Eileen, suggests she use a service to track down possible relatives, Veronica discovers she has a here-to-fore unknown grandson, Patrick. Who turns out to be a slovenly, shiftless, drug using disappointment--or so it appears upon their initial meeting. While watching her favorite nature show on the telly one night, Veronica becomes enthralled with the threatened existence of Antarctic penguis--the Adelies. She decides she will leave her legacy of several million pounds to the research and conservation effort but first wants to see first hand what she's giving her money to. Through Eileen, she lets the small science station on Locket Island in the Antarctic Shetlands know that she is coming to visit. And she does make the long arduous trip from Scotland, in spite of the scientists attempts to discourage her. She falls in love with the penguins "joie de vivre" and then falls particularly hard for an orphaned chick which she convinces the others to take in and care for.

Booklist closes their review by saying, "A charming journey of a stubborn old lady hoping to counter her many hardships with an altruistic act...Prior's done her homework on Adélie penguins and Antarctic research conditions, immersing readers in a captivating world that's otherwise hard to reach." Kirkus offers this: "Prior...has written a story about the importance of family and love and how memories might remain long buried but, once they surface, can be just as distressing or joy-inducing as when they first occurred. The narrative, partially told by Veronica, partially by Patrick, and partially via emails, blog posts, and diary entries, explores the complicated emotions that guide people’s decisions, in both good and bad ways. Drug use, addiction, and depression are touched on, but Prior ensures that readers understand the underlying goodness of her characters and their ability to survive despite loss. While some might view the story’s proselytizing about climate change and the redemptive love of animals onerous, others will agree wholeheartedly. A light but enjoyable, optimistic tale." 

Definitely an encouraging story in these dismal times.

The Angel of the Crows

This is the 3rd book I've read by Katherine Addison and I found it equally as satisfying as the other two (The Goblin Emperor and The Witness for the Dead).  This is set in 1880's London and is a take-off on the Sherlock Holmes body of work. However, in this alternate version of London, supernatural creatures are an accepted part of the culture and vampires and werewolves have long-standing treaties with the human population that allows them to function fairly normally in society--within their own limitations. Angels are commonplace guardians of buildings but the Holmesian figure is the Angel for the entire region of London since his building was destroyed. He is often called in to consult for the police. He has the wings of a crow and is called the same. His new flatmate is Dr. Doyle who has some significant secrets to hide but needs a living space he he can afford on a retired military doctor's stipend. Dr. Doyle quickly gets involved with Crow's cases, especially the murders of prostitutes in Whitechapel.

Library Journal says of this book, " A twisting, surprising Sherlock bend in a world of angels, hell-hounds, and other supernatural beings. Readers may know the names and the stories, but here is an original tale. ...Addison ... enthralls readers with her character-driven action, intriguing expressions of identity and sexuality, and a world set in an alternate 1880s London that captures the imagination. " Similarly, Booklist concludes, "Supernatural versions of classic Holmes stories take place alongside the Ripper murders, with Doyle and Crow in the thick of them. While very different in tone from her last work, Addison's adept characterization and world building elevate The Angel of Crows above the run-of-the-mill Holmes pastiche. Highly recommended for ... anyone looking to be immersed in a well-wrought alternate historical fantasy world."

Kirkus offers a favorabld review as well: "Supernatural versions of classic Holmes stories take place alongside the Ripper murders, with Doyle and Crow in the thick of them. While very different in tone from her last work, Addison's adept characterization and world building elevate The Angel of Crows above the run-of-the-mill Holmes pastiche. Highly recommended for fans of Kim Newman's Anno-Dracula (1993) and Ian R. MacLeod's The Light Ages (2003) or anyone looking to be immersed in a well-wrought alternate historical fantasy world." 

I reallly like Addison's characters and world building and will seek out anything else she has written.