The Heart of a Stranger

This memoir by Angela Buchdahl talks not only about her life circumstances but also about her inner journey to claim community with her father's Jewish heritage. Her mother is Korean Buddhist and never converted, but supported both of her daughters' participation in Judaic culture and practice. Angela became the first  Asian American rabbi in the United States and was eventually given the head office over one of the largest congregations in the world, streaming services to over 100 countries. She faced the usual issues of antisemitism, but also prejudices without the religious about her gender and her mixed parentage. 

The Washington Post calls the book "inspiring" and has this to say about its author: "She’s the rock star rabbi, the Beyoncé of the clergy set. She’s called upon to explain the Jewish holidays on network television, her online sermons draw more than 100,000 views and her name once was an answer on “Jeopardy!” Angela Buchdahl’s improbable rise from an early childhood in Korea to the pulpit of Central Synagogue in New York City, one of the leading Reform synagogues in the United States, all while deftly overcoming gender and racial barriers, is a story that begs to be told."They go on to describe her writing style as "warm and engaging" and have more to say about Buchdah's writingl: "She presents herself as both author and teacher, memoirist and evangelist. This unconventional structure will surely engage readers interested in but unfamiliar with Jewish history and precepts. " 

Kirkus praises "Buchdahl’s eloquent memoir braids a narrative of growth and discovery with sermonic reflections on biblical texts. This is a book about finding a calling, but it is also a book about inclusion..." and close their review with "An inspiring life story of believing and belonging, told by one of the most influential figures in modern American Judaism." 

Publishers Weekly concludes their glowing review by saying "In a moment of rising social division, racism, and antisemitism, this stirring call for unity resonates." You can find multiple interviews and videos of her sermons online. 

The Book of Magic

This is the conclusion of Alice Hoffman's "Practical Magic" series which is preceded by The Rules of Magic and Practical Magic. Although this book's storyline is about trying to reverse the ancestral curse on the Owens family that dooms any of their beloved partners to early death, it's also about love winning out over everything. The two orphaned sisters, Sally and Gillian, have kept themselves from falling in love to avoid the curse and have also hidden the truth from Sally's two daughters, Kylie and Antonia. Of course Kylie falls in love and her fiancee is seriously injured in a car accident which sets her on a path to discover the truth about the curse and to find a way to reverse it. Sacrifices will be required. 

The New York Times offers a fairly complete synopsis of the storyline and closes with this: "If the ending feels overly tidy, well, fairy tales don’t enchant with nuance so much as the sweep of their stories. And, like the witches who populate her stories, Hoffman certainly knows how to enchant." Kirkus commments "Ultimately, for better or worse, each Owens woman must face her fear of love. For all the talk of magic, the message here is that personal courage and the capacity to love are the deepest sources of an individual’s power."  Booklist calls this "a tale of finely wrought female relationships, magic, and love." Publishers Weekly concludes their review by saying, "Hoffman runs through the Owens family history over the centuries, and though the accounts of bloodlines and varied relationships can be confusing, the story brims with bewitching encounters and suspenseful conflicts revolving around good magic versus bad magic. Hoffman brings satisfying closure to the Owens saga." 

Evensong

I have not previously read anything by Stewart O'Nan. This is a story without a plot line, rather a series of vignettes revealing the inner and outer lives of 4 aging women who are key players in an organization called the Humpty Dumpties in Pittsburgh. Publishers Weekly offers this good summary and review: O'Nan...once again finds extraordinary resonance in the lives of ordinary people. In Pittsburgh, 89-year-old Joan Hargrove, leader of the Humpty Dumpty Club, a group of elderly women who help each other out, lives the "nightmare" they all share when she falls down a flight of stairs and breaks her leg. With Joan recovering in the hospital, it's left to other club members to fill the void: Kitzi delivers prescriptions to Gene and Jean Sokolov, brother-and-sister hoarders who live with a houseful of cats, and slowly becomes enmeshed in the siblings' lives; Susie, a divorcee, takes care of Joan's cat and finds romance with a retired postal worker who plays in a bluegrass band. Meanwhile, Emily, a recurring character in O'Nan's fiction, is having trouble with her sister-in-law, who is showing the first signs of dementia. The drama here is strictly low-key (a funeral is the emotional high point), but O'Nan proves that he has no peers when it comes to evoking the quotidian challenges and routines of daily life. It's a bittersweet celebration of the twilight years. " 

Kirkus closes their review with these positive comments: "This frank depiction of people nearing the ends of their lives might sound bleak, but O’Nan’s brilliantly rendered characters refuse to be pitied, matter-of-factly accepting loss and physical decline as they go about their days quietly sustained by their faith and commitment to service. Unsentimental yet deeply moving: more wonderful work from the versatile, masterful O’Nan." There are excerpts from multiple review sources here. 

 What left me dissatisfied was the difficulty in figuring out the relationships (besides HD membership) between the primary characters and between them and many of the secondary characters as well as the lack of resolution for some of the crises facing the group.  It was also a challenge at times to know who was speaking in the dialogue exchanges. Apparently there are previous installments that deal with the Maxwell family: Henry Himself and Emily Alone. Seems like it might be advisable to read these before tackling this one. That being said, the characterizations are poignant and rich, the characters' struggles all too real and familiar. His writing merits further investigation.

The Secret of Secrets

This latest (sixth) installement in Dan Brown's series featuring religious historian and symbology professor Robert Langdon is a wild ride. Not only is there a complicated plot but there are some big ideas being promoted here, namely nonlocal consciousness. At the close of their lengthy review, the New York Times says, "It may be best to read “The Secret of Secrets” as an artifact of a lost civilization, a misty evocation of vanished literary glory. It made me nostalgic for a golden age when a single written work could not only sell millions of copies, but also galvanize public opinion, spark furious debate and rotate history a few degrees on its axis." The Guardian effuses "Here’s a plot that starts thick and gets thicker. Every few pages brings a cliffhanger..." 

Kirkus opens their review with "...Robert Langdon explores the mysteries of human consciousness, the demonic projects of the CIA, and the city of Prague." And they continue, "But first—Langdon’s in love! Brown’s devoted readers first met brilliant noetic scientist Katherine Solomon in The Lost Symbol (2009)...It’s the night after Katherine has delivered the lecture quoted above, setting the theme for the novel, which features a plethora of real-life cases and anomalies that seem to support the notion that human consciousness is not localized inside the human skull. Brown’s talent for assembling research is also evident in this novel’s alter ego as a guidebook to Prague, whose history and attractions are described in great and glowing detail..." and they conclude, "There’s no shortage of action, derring-do, explosions, high-tech torture machines, attempted and successful murders, and opportunities for split-second, last-minute escapes; good thing Langdon, this aging symbology wonk, never misses swimming his morning laps. Readers who are not already dyed-in-the-wool Langdonites may find themselves echoing the prof’s own conclusion regarding the credibility of all this paranormal hoo-ha: At some point, skepticism itself becomes irrational. A standout in the series."

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.