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.  

A Chateau Under Siege

This book is the16th installment in Martin Walker's "Bruno, Chief of Police" series. Bruno is now a more senior officer in charge of his region and so when someone is apparently fatally stabbed in a nearby town's battle re-enactment, he is called in to investigate. Here is Publishers Weekly's review. I totally agree with their conclusion. 

"Benoît "Bruno" Courrèges returns in Walker's sturdy 16th cozy featuring the soldier turned small-town cop (following 2022's To Kill a Troubadour). When the French town of Sarlat hosts a reenactment of the Hundred Years War, its main actor, intelligence agent Brice Kerquelin, is stabbed during the performance and ends up in critical condition. Various government agencies scramble to solve the apparent assassination attempt, while Bruno is charged with protecting Kerquelin's adult daughters, Claire and Nadia. Before long, however, Bruno learns that the performance had not been going as planned, with Kerquelin pulling a series of unrehearsed moves just before the supposed assassination. The detective smells a rat, especially after he establishes a link between Kerquelin, a missing tech mogul, and a Taiwanese group monitoring France's interest in manufacturing new computer processing chips. As he digs deeper, Bruno uncovers a network of international espionage far more sinister than he first imagined. Fans will be happy to find all the hallmarks of the series: the pacing is brisk; Bruno's former flame, Isabelle, provides romantic tension; and his dog, Balzac, keeps the detective company while he cooks several decadent and vividly described meals. This is reliable, frothy fun." 

The Everlasting

In spite of the very positive reviews received for this book by Alix E. Harrow, I couldn't finish it, even after reading a third of the book. Described as " a moving and genre-defying quest about the lady-knight whose legend built a nation, and the cowardly historian sent back through time to make sure she plays her part-even if it breaks his heart..." (book jacket) the story sends historian Owen Mallory back in time where he finds a very different version of Sir Una Everlasting and together they try to rewrite a history that ends with her demise at the hands of a traitor. I made it through the first version of history but just wasn't engaged enough to continue with the next one. Library Journal, however, praised by saying "Her epic worldbuilding balances the intimate lives of remarkable characters to create another immersive novel." And Publishers Weekly calls this a "breathtaking chivalric fantasy..." and concludes "This impressively constructed plot keeps the pages flying on the way to a stunning finale. Harrow remains at the top of her game."  

Here is Kirkus' laudatory review and summary: "A patriotic historian in the grand nation of Dominion is sent back in time to make sure that events play out the way they’re supposed to in Harrow’s ambitious fantasy. As a historian, Prof. Owen Mallory’s area of focus—or, more accurately, obsession—is Una Everlasting, the legendary knight who bravely served Queen Yvanne and helped her form the great nation of Dominion. While working on a manuscript he hopes will get him a fellowship, Mallory receives an old book in the mail. As he translates it from an older version of Dominion’s language, he comes to suspect that it’s a firsthand accounting of Una Everlasting’s death, which, if real, would be an enormously significant finding. Before he can figure out if the book is genuine or who sent it to him, Mallory is summoned to the office of Dominion’s Minister of War, the imposing Vivian Rolfe, who reveals that she sent the book as a test to see if he’d sell it or if he’d respect and protect it. Satisfied with Mallory’s dedication to Una Everlasting (and therefore to Dominion itself), Rolfe asks Mallory a simple question: “Are you the man who will save [Dominion]?” When Mallory answers yes, Rolfe stabs her letter opener through his hand, and as he bleeds onto the book’s pages, he’s sent back in time to Dominion’s ancient past, where he comes face to face with the real Una Everlasting. Mallory realizes that the book is a magical object that can send anyone anywhere in time when they give it their blood. He also realizes that Rolfe doesn’t want him to translate a book about Una Everlasting—she wants him to write it himself. Harrow has set up a complex and deeply compelling world in Dominion, where Mallory’s devotion to his country is complicated by his fixation on the myth of Una—and his growing love for Una as a human being. Una is beautifully drawn as a real person struggling to live up to the weight of becoming a legend, and Rolfe is a great villain; with each appearance, her knavery becomes so much more fascinating and devious that readers will turn the pages just to see what she’ll do next. An epic time-travel fantasy about how stories from the past can shape our future."

The Bullet That Missed

This is Richard Osman's 3rd installment in the "Thursday Murder Club" series and there is no letdown in the pace of challenges and mysteries to solve by our intrepid quartet.  Publishers Weekly offers this favorable review: "Osman’s diverting third Thursday Murder Club mystery (after 2021’s The Man Who Lived Twice) delivers laughs along with a nicely woven plot involving fraud, murder, and life in the Kent retirement village of Coopers Chase. At the club’s regular meeting in the Jigsaw Room, the four members—Elizabeth, a retired but still well-connected British spy; Ibrahim, a well-meaning psychiatrist; Ron, a still-feisty activist for workers’ rights; and the unexpectedly shrewd Joyce, whose diary entries enliven the narrative—decide to tackle the cold case of Bethany Waites, a journalist for the local TV station whose wrecked car was found at the bottom of a cliff 10 years earlier. The police declared it a murder, surmising that Bethany’s body had been washed out to sea. The group’s investigation stirs up a hornet’s nest and leads to another death, a kidnapping, and blackmail. The pace is breezy, the characters are intelligent and varied in their interests and backgrounds, and the humor is often pitched to readers who understand the vagaries of getting older. Osman reliably entertains.  

Library Journal calls it a "character-rich mystery" with "...investigations into fraud, murder, and threats in a case that takes the group into prisons, TV studios, and danger; romance, humor, and a clever trap to catch a villain..." Booklist concludes, "Plenty of layers, but plenty of laughs, too." Kirkus also praises and ends their review "The mysteries are complex, the characters vivid, and the whole thing is laced with warm humor and—remarkably, considering the body count—good feeling."

The Last Devil to Die

This is the 4th in the "Thursday Murder Club" series by Richard Osman and the characters and plotting continue to fully engage me.  Joyce is pursuing yet another unavailable male who is in the throes of a romance scam, which the gang are determined to expose and bring to justice. Elizabeth is dealing with Stephen's increasing losses to dementia. Ibrahim is acting as therapist to a big time drug dealer, Connie, who is in prison and just occasionally serves as a source of information about bad guys for the Thursday Murder Club. Ron is still not making a commitment to Pauline but finds that, since their last spat and her radio silence, he misses her quite a bit. Then they learn that a long-time friend of Stephen's has been murdered and they are determined to find the killer. The victim was an antiques dealer who occasionally served as a transit station for illegal drugs coming into the country, so the friends quickly get involved in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with some pretty scary people.  The body count will continue to rise unless the gang solves the mystery or until the last devil is dead.  Library Journal says of this story that it's "a bittersweet mystery about the problems facing many older people: dementia, computer fraud, death. Humor does, however, alleviate the poignancy in this strongest, most emotional book in the best-selling series." 

Kirkus offers this brief plot summary: "In their last outing, they were helped by antiques dealer Kuldesh Sharma, an old friend of Elizabeth's husband, Stephen, and now they're devastated to learn that Kuldesh has been murdered, shot in the head while parked at the end of a dirt road. A missing shipment of heroin seems to have been involved. This gives the gang another chance to fearlessly poke their noses into places you wouldn't expect to find people their age .. ." and concludes their review by saying "Osman serves up another delightful mystery..."