John Grogan, the author of the very popular book Marley & Me, has written a biography centered around his dying father. The utmost homage is paid to his dad while he regales his audience with flashbacks from his own life. He and his siblings were subjected to a strict Catholic upbringing. Several chapters of the…
It’s the last gasp of summer for Kim Larsen and her friends before they head off to college. They go for one last swim before heading home. Kim never arrives.Reminiscent of the Molly Bish and Natalee Holloway cases, the Larsens, their family and friends organize search parties, fundraisers, and online websites to help find their…
“Back when I was riding patrol you know that they called a killing that came down to simple street justice?” “What?” “The brass verdict” Mickey Haller, of The Lincoln Lawyer, is back in the attorney’s saddle again. He is , however, still running his law office out of his fleet of Lincolns. When high-powered…
Being a lover of coffee, I was anxious to read this book after reading a positive review. After about 30 pages, I found it not to be what I expected and put it aside. The cover continued to haunt me, however, and a few weeks later I gave it a second chance. It is a…
This is a work of historical fiction about two unlikely characters that meet during the seige of Leningrad in World War II. One is a young Jewish boy who had the misfortune of being the last one over the wall after he and his friends happened upon a dead paratrooper and decided to take some…
The author of IN THE WOODS has written another engrossing psychological thriller. A young girl is found stabbed to death in an abandoned cottage outside of Dublin. The character of Cassie Maddox returns to help in the investigation. The twist in the case is that the murdered girl bears a striking resemblance to Cassie. The…
I will admit that I did judge this book by its cover. The pup on the front looked so much like Seamus, my Bichon mix that I had to investigate further. The difference is however, that my rescue dog has four legs, while Baby, the dog whose story unfolds in these pages, has only three.…
This is the second novel written by the author of The Lobster Chronicles, The Hungry Ocean and All Fishermen are Liars. The main character, Jane Bunker (introduced in Slipknot) continues her role as an investigator for a maritime insurance company. She finds herself in the middle of a family feud, with one young man dead…
“Twenty years ago, three children walked into the woods. Only one returned.” So begins the blurb for this psychological suspense novel set in Ireland. Adam Ryan was the only child to return that day. He has no memory of what happened to his two friends, Peter and Jamie. He alone was found in a…
Written chronologically in reverse, this new novel by one of my favorite authors keeps the reader guessing. It begins with the wedding preparations of Allie a transplanted American in London. She’s invited her sister to be her maid of honor. Maddy has always been jealous of her sister, but agrees to be a part…
The author of Peace Like a River has written another well-crafted novel. Monte Becket is an author whose one book was a huge success. He is under great pressure to write another blockbuster, but has a severe case of writer’s block. His story starts in Minnesota in 1915 when a white-haired stranger rows by on the…
This book contains eight short pieces of fiction with a common theme. The characters are all immigrants from India living in the United States. Very smoothly written, the topics include dealing with aging parents, marital infidelity, breast cancer, alcoholism, family bonds and trust. Reminiscent of O’Henry’s stories, many end with a touch of irony.
Like his other books, this novel is wonderfully descriptive both in plot and character. The subject matter is very depressing, and true to form, the author depicts a very real picture of the horror of living in Nazi Germany. The storyline starts with the characters of a Prussian family and Scottish POW who are fleeing…
Jon Hassler, who “suffered from a longtime neurological disorder,” died Thursday at the age of 74, according to the Associated Press (via USA Today), which noted that, despite his deteriorating health, the author of Staggerford and other novels about small-town life “continued work on a book, Jay O’Malley, until his death.”In a 1995 AP interview,…
You’re the writer, but remember, I’m your author”. These words, spoken by the author’s mother, reveal the truth behind this memoir. Despite growing up in the shadow of a controlling, substance-abusing mother, Felicia manages to get into Fordham University, become a creative writer and secure a position at an up-and-coming dot.com company. Though she is…
April Newton has just reached her 5 year “cancer-free” mark. Her friends want to celebrate, her husband, a contractor, is building them their “dream house”, and her teenage daughter is growing apart from her. Dealing with all this and her mid-life crisis involves, sexy lingerie, getting a tattoo, and entering a lottery to buy a…
Before You Were Mine by Maribeth Boelts and David Walker A young boy is delighted with his new puppy that he adopted from a shelter. He muses on what the puppy’s life was like before he found his “forever” home : maybe the poor pup was mistreated and ran away, or abandoned because his owner…
Who wants to be a librarian??? After holding many diverse jobs, the author takes a Civil Service Test and is soon hired as a librarian. His definition of a library is a place you can “walk in off the street, pull books off the shelf without an employee looking nervously, and take them home. All…
In a mere 146 pages, Stewart O’Nan has managed to capture the essence of the working person. For all of us who have ever worked in retail or the food industry, there is much in this short novel to relate to. Manny DeLeon is the manager of a Red Lobster restaurant that is slated to…
Holly Winter and Kinsey Millhone are back again in their latest. Both deal with the issue of identity theft. ALL SHOTS by Susan Conant finds dog owner/trainer Holly Winter in search of the murderer of the “other” Holly Winter in town. While investigating, she learns of the existence of a third Holly Winter. Her advice…
This novel came to my attention from a very unlikely source. It is an eclectic mix of several genres, including mystery, suspense, historical fiction, and the occult. The title refers to the art of “lace reading”, a method of fortelling the future. Some historical references to the Ipswich lace industry are made at the beginning of…
If you haven’t read GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Charles Dickens, this short novel may move you to do so…or not. It is told from the viewpoint of Matilda, a 14 year old girl living on a fictional island during a civil war among the soldiers and rebels. Only one white person remains, a man named Mr.…
Tip and Teddy Doyle are the adopted sons of the former mayor of Boston and his late wife. They know nothing of their African American parentage. One evening, while attending a lecture with their father, Tip’s life is saved by an unknown woman who darts in front of an oncoming car. This act tips the…
If you loved Empire Falls, you’re in for a treat. Richard Russo’s latest is another peek into a small town and its collection of quirky inhabitants. The story is told as a biography of the main character, “Lucy” (Lou C.) Lynch, the only son of a milkman and part-time bookkeeper. The storyline develops as the…
I’m not a football fan, but in this case, I’ll make an exception. Most everyone was inspired by Tedy Bruschi’s amazing comeback from a stroke to play football again. This biography, co-authored with Michael Holley details the severity of the Patriots player’s attack precipitated by an undetected heart condition. His perseverance and courage in the…
Madeleine LEngle, author of “A Wrinkle in Time” has died. Many of us will remember reading this Newbery Medal book. Not a big fan of fantasy and science fiction, this is one of the few in that genre that I have read and enjoyed. In my earlier days as an Asst. Children/Young Adult Librarian, I…
If you’re looking to read something a little different, try this novel. The main character is Tessa Riley, a 12 year old girl living on a farm in Kansas. She just can’t seem to fit in. She is unusually petite, which makes her farm chores more difficult. Her family has very little use for…
An eight year old girl is abducted from a soccer field after a game. What appears to be a simple kidnapping turns out to be much more. The author of The Color of Law has written another novel that will keep you guessing and reading through the night.
I was very excited to discover this author. He has written a very suspenseful legal thriller about a lawyer that puts his highly successful career and affluent lifestyle on the line to defend a black prostitute. She has been accused of murdering the son of a prominent Senator who is considering a run for the White…
This author of Ten Hours Until Dawn has written another compelling account of a disaster at sea. Two small fishing boats set out to Georges Bank in November 1980 on what marine forecasts lead them to believe is typical fall weather for that day. Due to a malfunctioning weather buoy, both vessels encounter a storm…
A fictionalized account of the life of Marie Antoinette, this novel begins with Marie as a fourteen year old girl who marries the heir to the French throne. In rich detail, we follow her journey from a much-loved queen to her eventual death at the guillotine. I found this as equally engrossing as Naslund’s AHAB’S…
Fans of William Martin will love his newest. If you haven’t read any, this is is a good one to start with. Historical fiction is intermingled with a present-day quest for an annotated draft of the Constitution that has been lost/stolen for many years. Popular venues of the New England States are highlighted in this…
This is another fun novel from the author of The Love Letter. Her characters all live in the same neighborhood in New York City. They are introduced one by one and soon their lives become intertwined and their relationships defined by the dogs in their lives.
The title and premise of this book really intrigued me and promised to be interesting reading. It was not a riveting read, but did keep my interest. This is a fictionalized account of an actual bookmobile that delivers books via camel to a community in Kenya. The focus is on several characters and their…
Walking on Eggshells by Jane Isay is a must read for any parent who has ever had trouble relating to their older offspring and their significant others. Some topics : how to deal with an empty nest, how to get along with your daughter/son-in law, how to be a good grandparent. She includes stories from…
I already had extreme respect for this baseball player. Reading his biography only increased this respect. He gives credit to his family, especially his dad, who taught him to overcome disappointments by working harder. He is a genuine nice guy who still can’t believe his success.