The Survivors

This is Jane Harper's 4th mystery and it was one I started in one day and finished late at night. The title refers to a memorial statue to the survivors of an old shipwreck off the coast of Tasmania, but the reader will also realize soon enough that it refers to those who survived a much more recent trauma when a freak storm killed two young men in the small coastal tourist town of Evelyn Bay. On that same day, a 14-year old girl disappeared and was never seen again, although her backpack turned up on the beach several days later. Many in town hold Kieran responsible for the deaths of his brother and his best friend's brother on the boat that ostensibly came to rescue him from a dangerous perch above some caves that were only accessible during low tide. Kieran has failed to realize the severity of the storm that was approaching and got caught while he was trying to get back above the water line. Traumatized by guilt, Kieran moved away to Sydney where he graduated from university as a physiotherapist, parnered with a woman 4 years his junior, Mia, who was also from Evelyn Bay, and they now have a 3 month old daughter.  Kieran and Mia have returned to Evelyn Bay to help Kieran's mother, Verity, move her husband into a memory care unit and herself into a smaller house. Kieran's dad, Brian, has developed severe dementia and his occasional wanderings have made him a person of interest in a murder that occurs shortly after Kieran and Mia arrive in town. The other person of interest in the murder is Liam, the son of the other man who died in the failed rescue attempt. But as the police investigate the contemporary murder, questions about the earlier disappearance of 14-year-old Gabby also are renewed and the town begins to turn on itself. Mia was Gabby's best friend; Brian was the last person known to have seen Gabby alive; and Olivia, Gabby's older sister, has never revealed her involvement in the tragic deaths 12 years ago. When a police investigator from the nearest large town arrives to help with the investigation, new facts emerge that will totally change the narrative of what happened that fateful day.

Kirkus says Harper is a "master at creating atmospheric settings" and has created a "layered and nuanced mystery." Publishers Weekly says Harper creates a "distinctively Aussie array of stoic characters who are weathered, and in some cases warped, by their uncompromising environment" and "expertly weaves past guilts with present grief." The New York Times says "Evelyn Bay, utterly dependent on the sea, is a character of its own. As always, Harper skillfully evokes the landscape as she weaves a complicated, elegant web, full of long-buried secrets ready to come to light."

The Lamplighters

This is the debut novel of Emma Stonex under her own name, although, according to several sources she has published several novels under a pseudonym(s), which I was unable to locate. I felt like this book was a bit of a plod in terms of the pace of the storyline, but the writing is elegantly descriptive, atmospheric and evocative of the lives lived on such a remote fortress surrounded by the sea; character, relationships, and setting development kept me moving on. Part of the problem was that I didn't really like any of the characters, and a key character, the writer, is left an enigma until the very end.

The Guardian obviously liked this book a lot..."Inspired by the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers off the Hebrides in 1900, The Lamplighters is a whodunnit, horror novel, ghost story and fantastically gripping psychological investigation rolled into one. It is also a pitch-perfect piece of writing." I couldn't have summarized the plot line any better than did their reviewer: "On New Year’s Eve 1972, a boat arrives at the Maiden Rock lighthouse, 15 nautical miles southwest of Land’s End, to relieve assistant keeper and family man Bill Walker from a two-month tour of duty. But Walker, principal keeper Arthur Black and their junior Vincent Bourne have all disappeared without trace, leaving the door barred, the table laid and the clocks stopped at a quarter to nine. Twenty years later, in an attempt to solve the stubborn mystery, a young writer of maritime adventure stories comes to interview the women the lighthousemen left behind..." Likewise, Publishers Weekly gushes "Stonex’s spectacular debut wraps a haunting mystery in precise, starkly beautiful prose." The New York Journal of Books' reviewer delves more into the interpersonal relations that are explored in the book. And finally, here is a bit of an interview discussing Stonex's inspiration for this particular novel.

Northern Spy

This is the second book I have read by Flynn Berry (see post on Under the Harrow) and both have been about the relationship between two sisters. There is a tiny kernel of an author website for her. Also, in both novels, the protagonist/ narrator finds out that she knows less about her sister than she thought. In this book, Tessa is a news producer for the BBC affiliate in Belfast. The IRA has continued its agenda of terrorizing anyone and anything that they think will demoralize the Brits. When yet another news report of a robbery at a gas station hits the TV, Tessa is shocked to see her sister pulling on a black ski mask. She is of course questioned by the police who tell her that Marian is a member of the IRA. But Tessa is convinced this can't be true. They're close. She would have known. Beside Marian was on a vacation at the seaside. She must have been kidnapped and forced to participate in the robbery. They have talked about their opposition to the IRA's tactics on many occasions. And now Tessa is frantic about Marian's whereabouts and well-being. When Marian finally contacts her, confirming her years-long membership in the IRA, Tessa is furious at what she sees as a terrible portrayal. The only person Tessa loves more in the world is her infant son, Finn, and now Tessa fears he is at greater risk because ofTessa's involvement. Plus she will now have to lie to the police about knowledge of her sister's whereabouts. Then, in a twist, Marian says she has become an informer for MI5 and asks Tessa to help her in passing information on to her handler. Tessa digs in her heels at every step of the way but eventually agrees because Marian and her handler assure her that the government and the IRA are in secret peach negotiations. 

The book is very descriptive, highly atmospheric, and Tessa's struggles as she becomes increasingly enmeshed is very convincing. Like the earlier book, this one deals with obsessions, though of a political variety. And they both feel very dark. But then the situation in Northern Ireland casts a pall over life for much of the population there. Strongly reminded of Anna Burns' Milkman, although these characters feel much more accessible. I think I am done reading about the IRA for the time being, however. 

Kirkus calls this "a taut and compassionate thriller" but goes on to say, "This is not a book of action, though there is plenty, but instead a greater reflection on personal choice and consequence." Publishers Weekly also praises Berry's complex characters. "It’s a measure of the author’s skill that she never loses sight of the humanity of her characters." Likewise The New York Journal of Books applauds "The fiercely portrayed reality of life in a divided land and the costly choices everyone faces make this into a page-turner. Berry also excels at keeping her protagonists smart and even wise—so when things do go wrong, it’s not because of foolish mistakes."

Dead of Winter

I did not know author Stephen Mack Jones prior to this read, which is apparently the 3rd book featuring protagonist August Snow. Snow is a native of the Mexicantown area of Detroit and is an ex military sniper and ex Detroit PD officer; now he's a philanthropist. He apparently won a wrongful termination suit against DPD and now spends his time and money (millions) buying up properties in Mexicantown and reselling them. His goal is to support his community and help it prosper; he has no need for more money. When he is approached by the terminally ill owner of Authentico Foods--which has been an institution in Mexicantown for decades--to buy the place, August declines. He doesn't know the first thing about running such a business. But he does agree to investigate the anonymous offer for the business that has been presented to its owner. But his investigations stir up a hornet's nest of violence from international sources who care nothing about the residents of Mexicantown and want to bring dangerous people to live in the community. August and his godfather are both attacked and the owner of Authentico is murdered. But of course August is not going to walk away no matter the danger. This is a book that I really wish I had read the previous books in the series. The writing is very good, the characters are gritty and intriguing. I will look for the earlier books to get caught up on how August came to be who he is in this episode. Positive reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus. According to Michigan Radio, the series is set to be made into a TV series. In Michigan Radio's interview with the author, he "cites Robert B. Parker’s Spenser series as a key influence" and you can certainly see that, particularly in the relationship between Snow and his godfather, Tomas.

The Girl in the Tower

 This is the 2nd book of the "Winternight" trilogy, a sequel to Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale, and I feel like it would have been good to read these in order. She does a decent job of filling in enough information to make this book stand alone, but it clearly draws on events, characters, and relationships introduced earlier. The trilogy is set in the frozen wilds of 14th C Russia and then in the citadel of Moscow. I have been on a kick reading books about witches or the suspicion of witchcraft lately, and our protagonist, Vasilisa (Vasya for short), does indeed have special gifts that have caused her to be branded as a witch. Vasya has been forced to leave home after a confrontation with evil spirits results in the death of her father and step-mother. She is disguised as a boy and rides a magical stallion named Solovey. She is also aided in several desperate situations by the frost king, Morozko, although his assistance may not be totally altruistic. A series of raids that result in burned villages and kidnapped girls grabs the attention of the Grand Prince of Moscow and serves as the vehicle to reunite Vasya with her older brother Sasha--a monk and close friend and advisor of the Grand Prince--and sister Olya--living in another Moscow palace and the mother of two with another on the way. Vasya's daring rescue of three kidnapped girls endears her to the Grand Prince, especially when he learns that s/he is the younger "brother" of Sasha. Unfortunately, this deceit puts both Sasha and Olya into a precarious and dangerous situation vis a vis the Prince. But it is the arrival of an unknown prince, who initially befriends Vasya, that catalyzes the climax of the book, for he is also a magical being who wants to overthrow Moscow's Grand Prince and has been behind the village raids. Vasya is forced to make some impossibly hard choices that endanger her siblings and even the entire populace of Moscow. Fantasy fans will love the elaborate world-building and rich characters. Reminiscent of Naomi Novik's books ( see my posts on Spinning Silver and Uprooted).

Booklist gushes, "Arden's lush, lyrical writing cultivates an intoxicating, visceral atmosphere, and her marvelous sense of pacing carries the novel along at a propulsive clip. A masterfully told story of folklore, history, and magic with a spellbinding heroine at the heart of it all." Kirkus agrees that the tale is a "compelling, fast-moving story that grounds fantasy elements in a fascinating period of Russian history."  Publishers Weekly claims "Fairy tales don't get better than this."

The third book in this trilogy was published in 2019, The Winter of the Witch.

Basil's War

Author Stephen Hunter is new to me but one I will now keep an eye on. Hunter was formerly the chief film critic for The Washington Post and even won a Pulitzer for his collections of film criticism. He is also a prolific author, having written 20 novels and several works of non-fiction. There are 12 novels in his "Bob Lee Swagger" series plus two related spin-off series. This newest work (2021) is a stand-alone. The protagonist of this WWII era (1943) mystery is British Army Capt. Basil St. Florian. He has been a failure at everything his father has set him to do up to this point, but it turns out that he makes a really good spy--when he's not seducing Hollywood actresses! He parachutes into France, steals identity papers, and heads for Paris, where he is ordered to locate and photograph pages from a rare 17th century religious tract. Apparently the text serves as the basis for a "book code"--i.e., both sender and receiver rely on the same book to send and decipher encrypted messages. He can't steal the book because then the Nazis would know their codes have been compromised. The higher ups in the SOE (Basil's bosses) believe this pamphlet is the book code "key." They are also sure there is a Russian spy working at Bletchley Park and they are trying to use him/her in a clandestine manner to manipulate the Russians into a certain military strategy which they hope will end the war sooner. Having the key will allow them to identify this spy. The German policeman in Paris who is tracking Basil is very sharp, not a fan of the Nazis SS, but committed to finding Basil and it is the cat and mouse game between the two of them that comprises the bulk of the storyline. Publishers Weekly lauds Hunter's writing style as "a breezy, boys’ adventure book style that complements Basil’s derring-do exploits." A quick and engaging read.

Prussian Blue

This 12th installment in the "Bernie Gunther" series from Philip Kerr starts out in 1956, on the French Riviera--what one website calls the "framing scenes"--but the main story line revolves around an earlier investigation Bernie was involved in during Hitler's rise to power in the week before Hitler's 50th birthday in 1939. This was my first exposure to the series and Bernie is described on the author's website as follows: "He’s sardonic, tough-talking, and cynical, but he does have a rough sense of humor and a rougher sense of right and wrong. Partly that’s because he is a true Berliner. Partly it’s the result of life experiences. He was a sergeant in the Great War (like Hitler, winning a Second-Class Iron Cross, but, as he says, “most of the first-class medals were awarded to men in cemeteries”). His wife died in the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918 and he’s had a roving eye for women ever since, but not much luck in long-term relationships – it’s hard to have long-term relationships in Nazi Germany when people keep disappearing. Yet that’s good for business, because he’s a private investigator, and a lot of his cases have involved tracing missing persons. And by extension, murder.

He served eleven years as a homicide detective in Kripo (Berlin’s criminal police) and saw just about every form of deviance, corruption, and gratuitous violence before he jumped ship in ’33, when the National Socialists took over and began purging the force of all non-party members. He was a Kriminalinspektor with a serious reputation before he quit, and he never lost the contacts he made. They have been useful in his new, private role....He drinks too much, smokes excessively, and is somewhat overweight (but a Russian prisoner of war camp will take care of those bad habits). He’s a hero for our time just as he was in these thrillers. Beginning in Germany in the thirties, the ...Gunther novels have reached beyond the horrors of the Nazi regime, when the lunatics were running the asylum, through the viciousness of the Eastern Front, to the postwar world of starvation and exploitation, and on to the Cold War’s double dealing and ruthless disregard for morality or human life. Bernie is an equal-opportunity hater: the Ivans, the Frogs, the Brits, the Amis, and certainly the Krauts-because he’s seen them all in action and knows the blackness of their souls. He’s also a brave man, because when there is nothing left to lose, honor rules."

 The books are apparently not written in chronological order, so I'm not sure how critical it is to have read the earlier books to appreciate this one; I didn't find my lack of previous acquaintance with Bernie to be a detriment to my appreciation of this book. 

Bernie is initially confronted by an old enemy, Erick Mielke, acting through Bernie's former colleague in Kripo, Friedrich Korsch, who is now a Stasi enforcer. Mielke has tracked Bernie down and demands a task from him that Bernie is unwilling to take on. But failure to complete the assignment will result in dire consequences not only for Bernie, but for his estranged second wife. Bernie is to take a train to London and poison a double agent with thallium (the antidote to which is a painting pigment called Prussian blue), and although Bernie hates the target for her treachery towards him in the past, he will not sink to murder. He goes on the run, chased by Korsch, and it is his recollection of an earlier case with Korsch that is the main story. 

The New Yorker has a thoughtful and detailed review of the book as well as a thought piece on why readers find this character so compelling;  I highly recommend it. The Historical Novel Society calls it "a wonderfully well written and absorbing novel, full of fascinating historical detail." I would certainly read any other book in the series.

Under the Harrow

Flynn Berry's debut publication received an Edgar Award for Best First Novel. It is a twisty psychological thriller that explores both the complex relationship between narrator Nora and her sister Rachel and the depths of obsession that love and guilt can lead one to. The book opens with Nora, who is heading for a semi-regular weekend visit with her sister Rachel. Nora lives in London and Rachel lives alone in a farmhouse with her dog near a small town outside London. But instead of finding Rachel in the kitchen preparing dinner, she discovers her body, stabbed multiple times and Rachel's dog hanging from the stairway banister. When they were teens--fairly wild ones based on flashbacks--Rachel was attacked and brutally beaten on her way home from a party. The police never took the case seriously and never found the attacker. For years afterwards, Rachel and Nora went on their own vigilante hunt for the perpetrator until Rachel finally called it quits. Now Nora wonders if the earlier attacker has somehow tracked Rachel and killed her. Based on their earlier experience, Nora has no faith that the police will solve this crime either and so, once again, she undertakes her own investigation, managing to alienate almost everyone that Rachel knew in the process. She becomes so obsessed that she sublets her London flat, distances herself from friends, takes up residence in the small town's hotel, and cultivates one of the detectives assigned to the case. As the backstory is revealed, we realize that Nora is less than a reliable reporter.  And it turns out that Nora knew less about her sister than she thought she did. The ending is definitely a surprise.

The New York Times say of her writing, "Such precise sentences call to mind Hitchcock’s meticulous storyboards and enrich the work with a cinematic scope." Kirkus concludes, "Berry accomplishes the rare feat of making the victim come alive on the page without ever sacrificing the deep, all-encompassing loss felt by those left behind." The Washington Post calls this an "exquisitely taut and intense debut thriller."

Hour of the Witch

This is the 2nd novel I have read by Chris Bohjalian; see also my post for The Red Lotus for a little more info on the author. This was a very well-researched historical novel, set in 1662 Boston. This was apparently a town largely comprised of immigrants from England (Puritans) who felt the English church had become too corrupt and were, therefore, seeking a more unadulterated form of worship. Quakers were routinely flogged in the public square as were drunks, adulterers, and anyone who got above themselves. Protagonist Mary Deerfield is a married 24-year old woman who came to the colonies with her parents when she was 16. Her father is a wealthy merchant trader and her older husband, Thomas Deerfield, is a successful miller. He is also physically and emotionally abusive. They have never been able to have children and, since Thomas had 3 children from his previous marriage, they both assume that it is Mary who is barren. Although Mary is a faithful church goer, she is more open minded than many of her neighbors and her actions seem to arouse a fair amount of resentment and suspicion. For example, she consulted a woman herbalist about her inability to conceive. She stopped children from throwing rocks at an elderly Quaker man who had been whipped. She offered herbs to the indentured servant of a neighbor to relieve his suffering from a fatal disease. Mary has never revealed to anyone the abuse and cruelty she endures, and the town considers Thomas an upstanding citizen and godly man. Thomas' abuse seems to be escalating and, when he stabs her hand with a fork, breaking the bones, she begins to fear for her life decides to file for divorce. Such physical abuse is illegal in Massachussetts but it's her word against his that he attacked her, and their servant Catherine swears she has never heard a cross word or seen any abuse from Thomas towards Mary. But being forced to live with Thomas may be the least of her problems as someone seems to be trying to conjure evil forces against her. It is a stark picture of sanctioned misogyny in this period of our history. I have to admit that the book was slow to start, and I was so convinced from the outset that things would turn out badly for Mary that I read the last chapter before deciding to continue. It is well written with well-developed characters and lots of historical detail. 

There are plenty of glowing reviews. The Washington Post calls it "a thriller in structure, and a real page-turner, the ending both unexpected and satisfying." While Kirkus notes the book "Illustrates how rough justice can get when religion and institutional sexism are in the mix."

Say No More

This is the latest (5th) installment in the "Jane Ryland" series by Hank Phillippi Ryan, an author I had not previously read.  Ryan is "the investigative reporter for NBC's Boston affiliate and has won thirty-three Emmys and fourteen Edward R. Murrow Awards for her groundbreaking journalism.She has also won multiple awards for her bestselling crime fiction, including five Agatha Awards, and the Anthony, Daphne, Macavity, and Mary Higgins Clark Awards. Ryan is a founding teacher at Mystery Writers of America University and past president of Sisters in Crime." (from the book jacket) That makes me tired just to read it! Not surprisingly, this was a compelling read that I had to tear myself away from at night. 

Protagonist Jane Ryland has been an investigative reporter for Channel 2 in Boston but recently decided to leave that role and take on documentary stories for the same channel. This is primarily because her reporter role has often put her into conflict with that of her partner (and now secret fiancé ) homicide detective Jake Brogan. She has just started working with a producer on an exposé of sexual assaults on college campuses. Returning from an interview with a local college administrator, they witness a car slam into the back of a take-out food delivery truck. Jane rolls down her window as they approach the scene and clearly identifies the offending car (writing down the license plate number) and gets a good look at the driver. When the driver then speeds off, Jane feels compelled to report the hit and run to the police. Little does she know what a can of worms she has opened. When an assistant district attorney commands her to appear in his office, Jane gets worried and no support seems forthcoming from the station higher-ups. 

In the meantime, Jake and his partner DeLuca are called in to investigate an "unaccompanied death" of a college visiting professor, found in the pool of her home as the result of an anonymous 911 caller. Although they track down the caller, she is unwilling to say anymore than that she saw a body in the pool of the house behind hers. She clearly has secrets and debilitating fears of her own. There's a 2nd murder, the wife of an organized crime boss, a young woman who is struggling with whether or not to reveal her own sexual assault to Jane, and multiple other story threads that of course get tied together at the end. Each chapter is told from the POV of one character, but in spite of the complexities, the reader never feels lost. It would probably be worthwhile to read this series from the beginning, but this book can absolutely stand alone. I'll add this author to my list of favorites.

Positive reveiws from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, and Booklist concludes it's a "compelling entry in a series known for wrapping timely social issues in realistic danger."

A Small Death in the Great Glen

A. D. Scott is a new author to me but she has written six or seven books in the "Highland Gazette" series which features Joanne Ross as the protagonist. This is the first book in the series. Scott was born and raised in the Highlands of Scotland so her descriptions of towns, geography, weather, and the people are rich and evocative. The setting is a smallish town in 1956 which is still overshadowed, to an extent, by the losses of WWII. This means that outsiders, whether they are the Italian family that now runs the chip shop or refugees fleeing the strictures of Communism in Poland, are "outsiders." So when a young boy is found in the canal, and it is determined that he was dead before being found in the water, suspicion is easily directed towards those outsiders by a bigoted DI Tompson. Joanne's two daughters were the last to see the boy alive but they are reluctant to talk given that the older daughter had coerced the boy into a forbidden prank of ringing doorbells and running away. All they will say is that he was taken away by a "hoodie crow"-- large black birds signifying evil in children's tales--and their story gains no traction. But when the youngest sees the local Catholic priest, Father Morrison-Bain, at a town festival and shrieks in terror "hoodie crow," at least some people being to suspect his involvement. Joanne is "just a typist" at the Highland Gazette, the local paper, and it is against the express wishes of her verbally and physically abusive husband.  She would like to be a real reporter, though, and have a life of her own, so she is constantly trying to keep her husband (and his parents) appeased by playing the good wife and mother while still doing a little investigating on her own. She enlists the help of other newspaper staff and her friends in town and, collectively, they begin to accumulate a less than savory history on the good priest, even though the thought of his involvement is anathema to the townspeople, especially once it's revealed that the child was "interfered with." Still it isn't as straightforward as it would be in today's environment of huge scandals around sex abuse in the Church.

In spite of the dark subject matter, Kirkus concludes by saying  the book is "A rollicking, cozy escapade, too lighthearted to call Tartan noir." The Historical Novel Society lauds her character development, authentic voice and her ability to "tie up the many ends of her introductory tale with aplomb." Booklist calls it "captivating on every level." I'm looking forward to reading more.

Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All

I didn't realize when I recommended this book to my book group that is was a YA book--and, having read it, I'm a little surprised, given all the sex and violence. But maybe that's par for the course these days?! This is done by a variety of YA authors, each taking the perspective of one of Henry's six wives, and M.T. Anderson taking the perspective of Henry--whose musings are interspersed between his wives' stories. One can only conclude that he was a man who not only demanded male children, but also demanded absolute loyalty and adoration. His various advisors used this to their advantage and often to the disadvantage of both Henry and his wives. Cromwell, among others, creates evidence to get rid of inconvenient or non-compliant wives, starting with Anne Boleyn. With the exception of Jane Seymour, who apparently didn't live long enough to piss off any of Henry's advisors or long enough for Henry to grown bored, they all were poorly treated. The only one to prosper was Anna of Cleves, who Henry found so unattractive that he never consummated the marriage and, instead, bought her off with an annulment, property and money. Kateryn Parr is the only one who outlived him. Of course in the process of invalidating various marriages, he also turned his back on his non-male children, Mary (daughter of Katharine of Aragon) and Elizabeth (daughter of Anne Boleyn); neverthless, after their half-brother Edward (son of Jane Seymour) died on the throne at the age of 15, they each succeeded to the throne, Mary for just a few years and Elizabeth I for several decades. These award-winning authors bring the wives to life as individuals and not just as pawns in Henry's constant quest for power. Well worth a read.

The book gets positive reviews from Kirkus,  Publishers' Weekly, and the Historical Novel Society.