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."

Fan Service

Okay, I am rarely interested in romance novels but this one was well-written and I was a bit tired of heavy reading. Rosie Danan is the author of several other steamy romance novels. I agree with Library Journal's recommendation, "This quirky, humorous romance is well-written and plotted, and readers will quickly fall in love with its interesting characters." Booklist concurs, concluding that the book is a "well-written twist on the appealing fish-out-of-water trope. Even readers who don't normally enjoy paranormal romance will find it hard to resist Alex and Devin." Kirkus also offers a positive review, "The paranormal elements in this story are fun, and Devin’s wolfishness makes the spicy scenes extra delicious. These are flawed characters and the ways they become better because of their relationship is endearing...Both playful and thoughtful, with extra appeal to readers involved in fandoms."

The book jacket provides this storyline summary: "The only place small-town outcast Alex Lawson fits in is the online fan forum she built for The Arcane Files, a long-running werewolf detective show. Her dedication to archiving fictional supernatural lore made her Internet-famous, even if she harbors a secret disdain for the show's star, Devin Ashwood. (Never meet your heroes-sometimes they turn out to be The Worst.) Ever since his show went off the air, Devin and his career have spiraled, but waking up naked in the woods outside his LA home with no memory of the night before is a new low. It must have been a coincidence that an ultrarare Wolf Blood Moon occurred last night. The claws, fangs, and howling are a little more difficult to explain away. Desperate for answers, Devin finds Alex-the closest thing to an expert that exists. If only he could convince her to stop hating his guts long enough to help . . . Once he makes her an offer she can't refuse, these reluctant allies lower their guards trying to wrangle his inner beast."

 

The Change

Kirsten Miller is the author of a popular feminist YA series with Kiki Strike as the protagonist. This is her first book written for adults and, in fact, the three protagonists are all women of a certain age. Here is the summary and effusive review from Publishers Weekly:

"Miller... triumphs with her adult debut about three women who discover supernatural abilities during menopause, which they use to avenge murdered teenage girls in the New York beach town of Mattuck. Just as retired nurse Nessa James becomes fast friends with gym owner Jo Levison, Nessa realizes she can see ghosts again. When she was a child, her grandmother told her she had a gift, and that she'd be called upon later in life to use it, along with other similarly gifted women. Nessa intuitively seeks out unapologetic Harriett Osborne, a former ad executive who was pushed out of her career and now cultivates toxic plants like wolfsbane. Along with Jo, who can summon her fury and channel it into fiery strength, the trio attempt to bring peace to three ghosts Nessa encounters on the beach near Culling Pointe, where the billionaires live. After a client at Jo's gym starts leaving clues about one of the ghosts, the trio is let down by police detectives who make their own motives clear... Miller's book is that rare treat: a suspenseful story with great pacing, memorable characters, and an engaging voice. Fantastic in every way, this fierce anthem against misogyny is a smash."

Kirkus' version offers a slightly different perspective. "Menopause brings more gains than losses for three women in this entertaining thriller. When menopause arrives ... they don’t bother with estrogen therapy or worry about chin hairs. They develop superpowers. Harriett Osborne kicks her high-powered advertising career and her dweeby husband to the curb and lets her gift for botany flourish, growing plants for pleasure and for poison (and to really annoy the head of her homeowners association). Jo Levison is first alarmed by the rage that literally sets fire flowing from her hands—hot flashes with a vengeance—but she learns to channel it and starts a successful fitness and self-defense business. Nessa James’ emerging gift is a somber one that’s been handed down by the women in her family: The dead speak to her, but only the dead who need help...The response from local police is barely apathetic; the cops seem to be protecting someone, or all the someones who live behind gates at the high-priced end of the island. That just makes the trio push harder to find out what’s going on. What they uncover echoes the Jeffrey Epstein case and too many other cases of powerful men exploiting women and getting away with it—or maybe not. The novel takes on serious issues but doesn’t take itself too seriously; there’s plenty of mordant humor, a suspenseful plot, and mostly brisk pacing. Crime fiction, superpower fantasy, and sharp satire about sexism and ageism mesh for a satisfying read."

Booklist raves, “The Change is wry and clever, serious and exacting, and masterfully suspenseful in its conveyance of a deeply profound and feminist message.” The Guardian (U.K) seems to agree. “With a propulsive plot and characters that roar off the page, this is a novel that’s unafraid to take on societal misogyny while being satirical and even funny at the same time.”

If you enjoy this book, you might also consider When Women Were Dragons, Killers of a Certain Age, and/or The Bandit Queens.

Bellewether

Recommended to me by friend Anne Zald, Susanna Kearsley is a new author to me and a prolific writer of historic novels, often with a romance plot line to them. This is her most recent book (2018) and is told in alternating chapters by a contemporary museum curator, Charley, and by two of the historic figures she is researching, Lydia Wilde, and Jean-Philippe de Sabran, The setting is the north shore of Long Island in the present day and, alternately, in 1759, during the final stretch of the Seven Years War in the theatre of eastern Canada. Kearsley provides extended notes after the story detailing the actual historical figures upon whom many of her characters were based.
Charley has come to Millbank after her brother, Niels, suddenly died of a heart attack. His daughter, Rachel, although a young adult, was left the house and Charley has come to stay with her and taken a 2-year contract with a local group that's in the process of turning the historic  house belonging to the Wilde family into a museum. That means she's left behind her boyfriend, Tyler (who everyone else thinks is a jerk), and they are trying to maintain a long-distance relationship. You pretty much know from the beginning that it's not going to work out. The love interest in Millbank is the contractor who is rehabbing the house.
Jean-Philippe is a captured French officer who has been billeted in the Wilde household, along with another French officer, while waiting exchange. Lydia runs the Wilde house after the death of her mother. Her father and two brothers as well as a young black woman, Violet, also live there. The work seems endless to maintain the farm and Jean-Philippe soon pitches in to help with the manual labor. He falls in love with Lydia, who at first despises him because of the death of her fiancé in the war. The French are, after all, the enemy.
Charley wants to make the story of a doomed love affair between Jean-Philippe and Lydia part of the narrative of the museum, although other museum board members are adamantly opposed. The house and its ghostly inhabitants have a mind of their own and secrets are gradually revealed that tell a very different story about the  Wildefamily and the events that transpired.
It took me quite a while to get into this book, but in the end, it was worth the read. I am a fan of good historical fiction and appreciate the research that goes into grounding the stories. Brief but positive review from the Historical Novel Society, and a personal piece about Kearsley's own family history  that ties into the book in Publishers Weekly.

Desolation Mountain

I just read this recent installment (#17, published in 2018) of the "Cork O'Connor" series by William Kent Krueger. Over 5 years ago, I read the first book in the series, Iron Lake, and liked it well enough that I said I would follow up with sequels, which I did not do. Given what a compelling read this installment was, I think I will go back and pick up #2, Boundary Waters.
Cork's son, Stephen, has visions of things that come to pass--usually terrible things, such as his getting shot and crippled. A new vision comes to him repeatedly of a boy shooting an eagle out of the sky with an arrow. An egg drops to earth, and Stephen--the observer in the dream--feels a terrible menace approaching from behind, which he is too terrified to turn around and face. He is troubled that he does not understand what the vision means and consults his teacher in the healing arts, centenarian Henry Meloux. Henry also feels the evil approaching but can shed no light.
When a locally favored senator's plane crashes on the Iron Lake Reservation while she is en route to a town hall meeting in Aurora, Minnesota, the Native American first responders race to the scene. But they are quickly muscled out by the FBI and other unidentified federal agencies. When those who were first on the scene begin disappearing, Cork is convinced it is connected to the plane crash, and the urgency is heightened because his son-in-law, Daniel, was one of those first responders. Cork moves his daughter, Jenny, and his grandson, Waaboo, to a safer location, but Daniel and Stephen continue the investigation with him, along with an old acquaintance, Bo Thorsen, who Cork knows from his days as local sheriff. Although Cork trusts Bo, he is an outsider, and others are not so sure. Bo does indeed have divided loyalties, but is determined to find out who was behind the murder of the senator and her family.
This was a plot that gripped me right away. Characters are well drawn and the setting is immersive and as much a character as the people. Highly recommended. Positive reviews from Publishers Weekly, and NY Journal of Books, and an interview about the book with Krueger published in Booklist.

The Hiding Place

This psychological thriller/ mystery--with a hint of the paranormal --rom C.J. Tudor comes on the heels of having listened to One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline, which shares one of the opening moves of this book. Joe Thorne takes a teaching job in his home town of Arnhill, a former coal mining district, under false pretenses. He really is a teacher, but he's come back for another reason altogether. After his younger sister Annie went missing and then returned as a very different person, Joe was traumatized. When she died in a car accident, it was almost a relief. But things went from bad to worse when one of his schoolmates allegedly committed suicide. As an adult, Joe was a reasonably successful teacher, but then became addicted to gambling, tried to steal money from the school where he worked and has not only lost everything, but owes a ridiculous sum to The Fat Man, who has sent someone to break his bones and eventually kill him if he does not pay. People who were involved in his sister's initial disappearance and its cover up are not happy to see Joe back in town, so he is being threatened from all sides. But Joe received an anonymous email, "I know what happened to your sister. It's happening again."  Joe feels he has to stop it. Eventually the back story of Annie's disappearance is revealed as are the roots of Joe's strange behavior and even weirder imaginings. But the circumstances of her reappearance are shrouded in a sort of magical or cursed idea of eternal life for children who have died. Although Joe does eventually resolve his monetary issues and goes back to his "normal" life, it does not feel like a clear resolution. People are portrayed as largely cruel and manipulative with some exceptions. This is a dark book about a dark place. Positive review from Kirkus, and from Publishers Weekly.

School for Psychics: Book One

This book by K.C. Archer (a pseudonym) is obviously intended to be a multi-installment work as indicated by the subtitle, and the open ending--loaded with numerous mysteries still unsolved--makes that obvious as well. Although the cast of characters are all supposed to be in their 20's, I would agree with Kirkus' review that this "novel reads like it's written about teens for teens." That being said, if you like YA novels, this one is fun.
Teddy Cannon, adopted by a loving couple after her parents were ostensibly killed in a car crash, has failed at just about everything--except being an outsider and gambling. Unfortunately, her family lives in Las Vegas and Teddy has managed to accumulate several hundred thousand dollars in debt to a loan shark. Moreover, because Teddy has often beat the house, she has been banned at all the casinos on the strip, leaving her no opportunity to win back the money she needs. Teddy does not cheat, but she does read people's non-verbal behaviors really well; at least that is what she thinks. She also thinks she suffers from epilepsy, although the medications prescribed for her don't seem to help much with the "episodes." When she dons a disguise and sneaks back into the Bellagio, she is nearly caught by both casino security and the loan shark, but is inexplicably rescued by someone who is obviously a cop. He offers Teddy a way out of debt and a way into being accepted for who she is, which, he claims, is an undisciplined psychic. He offers her a chance to attend the Whitfield Institute for Law Enforcement Training and Development, where psychics are trained to help law enforcement officials at all levels. Desperate to save her adoptive parents the grief of losing their savings--which she "borrowed" from in order to gamble--and seeing her in trouble again, Teddy decides to accept the offer. At Whitfield she falls in with the self-described "misfits" who are pitted against the other first year students, the "Alphas," by one of the instructors. Her colleagues include an ex-cop who can start fires, her room mate who communes with animals, someone who is telepathic, and another who can foresee people's deaths. Teddy has to train her body as well as her psychic skills;  her occasional uncontrolled bursts of astral telepathy shock both fellow students and instructors. Teddy discovers that Clint, the head of the school, is keeping information from her, and when two of the senior students disappear, Teddy begins to unravel a conspiracy to pervert the mission of the school. She will have to overcome her lifelong habit of being a loner and learn to trust her fellow misfits if she is to not only reveal the conspirators, but also survive. I stayed up late to finish this one, which I haven't done in a while and I will definitely read the sequel when it comes out. Additional review from Publishers Weekly.

Grave Surprise

Although I have friends who really like the Sookie Stackhouse series ( the basis of the "True Blood" TV series I think) by Charlaine Harris, I haven't read them, but since I was familiar with her name, I grabbed this audiobook from another series of hers. The protagonist, Harper Connelly, was struck by lightning as a teen and has, ever since, been able to "read" the dead. That is, when in proximity to a dead body, she knows who it is (was) and what killed him/her. She is a "consultant" of sorts, often brought in to find the missing or known dead. Accompanied by her brother and manager, Tolivar Lang, she is now in Memphis to do a demonstration of her abilities for a college class on the paranormal. While "reading" a very old graveyard, she encounters a new body; in fact, it is the body of a young girl she was brought to Nashville to search for the previous year and never found. Needless to say, that connection places Harper and her brother high on the police's list of persons of interest. The premise behind this particular protagonist's talents are somewhat unusual and the aftereffects of her experience and subsequent dealings with people's skepticism are dealt with matter of factly, although it is clear what an emotional price she pays. Competently written with well-developed characters and setting, I would definitely seek out more of this series to find out how Harper and Tolivar are getting along.