Thursday, October 28, 2021

The Last Flight and A Double Life
{books by Julie Clark and Flynn Berry}

Two of my library books came in at the same time. Naturally. Both have red covers and both have a main character named Claire. 

How weird is that? 


Starting with The Last Flight by Julie Clark

Claire Cook is the beautiful wife of politican Rory Cook.  He is handsome and dynamic, the son of a former senator whose shadow I suspect he lives in and never finds himself overcoming his mother's mystique.

Rory Cook is also an abusive and controlling husband. After enduring physical and mental abuse in her marriage as well as being in the public eye just about every moment of the day, Claire has the perfect plan to get away for good.

Her every movement is watched, her calender is public so she needs the perfect scenario to slip away and disappear.  With a new identity and stashed cash Claire is on her way to disappearing and becoming someone else. Months of planning are destroyed when Rory swaps the agenda and goes on the trip to Detroit where Claire's documents are waiting.  

An opportunity presents itself when a young woman offers to switch tickets with Claire at the airport.  Instead of boarding a flight for San Juan she heads to Oakland California. Eva has Claire's ticket and they both hope to start a new life elsewhere.  Lots of intrigue and you will reread the prologue when you finish the story, learning the identity of the person narrating in the beginning.




A Double Life by Flynn Berry

The story begins with Claire, a medical doctor living in London. Claire isn’t her true name as it’s been changed for her protection. About 25 years ago her father Colin attempted to murder her mother Faye.

Twenty plus years ago upper crust English gentleman Colin meets working class woman  Faye whilst on dates with other people. They leave the restaurant together and seem to hit it off. Faye finds Colin  is just a regular fellow and has no idea of his wealth or upbringing.

One evening Colin takes Faye to a friend's house for a dinner party. This is the first time she meets James and Rose. From her description it’s like arriving on a masterpiece theater or national trust property. In spite of the fact his friends are from a different social and class level than she has ever been involved in, they seem to except her and she has a good time.

Eventually Colin grows tired of Faye and leaves their home and their two children. One night, allegedly, he returns to their home armed with a pipe and beats the nanny to death then tries to murder Faye. Colin flat out disappears afterwards.  His car with blood covered searts is found abandoned near a cliff but no one can find him.

Afterwards Faye takes Claire and her infant son Robbie to Scotland to start a new life. There are hundreds of domestic violence cases and murders reported annually in the U.K. but as Colin was a Lord and policically connected, this particular murder and assault case stays in the news.  People blog about the details and wonder where Faye and her children went.  Did he do it or was it a burglar?  Naturally the family needed to disappear and start over.

So that was the backstory woven in but the focus is on how Claire and her brother Robbie handle their lives with so much tragedy in their backgrounds.  It seems to obsess Claire especially as she is contacted by police every few years with a "sighting of her father" and it dredges everything up again. The settings are London, Scotland and Coatia.

This is loosely based on a true story about Lord Lucan who disappeared in 1979 after a murder.  Same situation with an abandoned bloodied car and wrapped pipe. Hmmmm...

I loved Flynn Berry's novel Northern Spy so I thought I'd try another of her books.  I liked it better but I am now going to read her first novel Under the Harrow next.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.






Sunday, October 24, 2021

A Little Bird by Wendy James

 

Josephine "Jo" Sharpe is our main narrator in this Australian novel.  She returns home to the backwater town Arthurville with a bit of reluctance because of her family's past and also to help her father as he is in poor health. 

Mick doesn't blink an eye when Jo arrives at the unkempt home desite the fact that they haven't spoken for over two years. They rarely commmunicate and yet they coexist and skirt the big issue about her mother and baby sister disappearing over 20 years ago.

Jo was a journalist in a large city and her new job at The Chronicle has her writing fluff material such as the grandparent's day gathering and who won first prize for their crafting assignments. In the dilapidated newspaper office she comes across old newspaper clippings with a gossip column called The Little Bird.  Eventually Jo discovers her mother had a hand in this anonymous column which shared salacious community information such as who may be having an affair or who may have dented the fences in front of the drug store, all without naming names of course.  

There are multiple narrators in this story and you will be taken back to the 1990's when Jo's mother Merry up and leaves with the baby Amy. Merry was from a weathy family and was destined for university in Sydney until she ran into Mick one day.  Mick is/was a working class man who would never have crossed paths with Merry in any social setting.  As it worked out, Merry became pregnant and all the big plans went up in smoke. Her family was....displeased.

You will go back and forth between the two time lines, mysteries are revealed and finally by the end of the book you'll discover what happened to baby Amy and Jo's young mother.

Overall it was a decent read but a bit slow here and there.  I was wanting more atmospheric details about the Australian setting but there is little of that.  There is the occasional mention of the extreme heat and dusty roads but that's it.

Publication date November 30, 2021 by Lake Union Publishing.  Genre: General Fiction and Women's Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine. 


A Note From the Publisher:

Wendy James is Australia’s queen of the domestic thriller. She is the author of nine novels, including An Accusation, The Golden Child―short-listed for the 2017 Ned Kelly Award―and the bestselling The Mistake. Her debut novel, Out of the Silence, won the 2006 Ned Kelly Award for first crime novel and was short-listed for the Nita May Dobbie Award for women’s writing. Wendy has a PhD from the University of New England, and she works as an editor, teacher, and researcher. She writes some of the sharpest, most topical domestic noir in the country.



Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Her Secret War by Pam Lecky

 

Sarah Gillespie is returning home after an evening out, worried she may not arrive before her unpredictable and violent father returns from the pub. 

Her younger sister Maura is waiting and frightened as German planes have been buzzing the area.  The time period is during WW II and Ireland is meant to be neutral but bombs are dropped and her home is destroyed. Sarah is in for heartbreak during the chaos of recovery, people are missing and presumed dead.

Sarah eventually moves to England to stay with her uncle and finds work to help with the war effort.  Her uncle gets her work at a Supermarine factory where Spitfires are manufactured. There are scenes from the countryside and London, espionage is inserted into the storyline but that's the only bit that doesn't seem believeable. 

I liked the characters and the ones you were meant to dislike were well written.  The ending was well done in my opinion and definitely sets it up so a sequel could be in the works.  That said, if it ended with this book you'd probably be satisfied and make your own conclusions about Sarah's future. I would seek out a followup book if there is one.

Publication date is October 14, 2021 by Avon Books UK.  Genre: General Fiction (Adult, Women's Fiction and Historical Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction challenge and Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.




Friday, October 15, 2021

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

 


No one even knew they were together. Now one of them is dead.

56 DAYS AGO
Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the same week COVID-19 reaches Irish shores.

35 DAYS AGO
When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests they move in together. Ciara sees a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends. Oliver sees a chance to hide who - and what - he really is.

TODAY
Detectives arrive at Oliver's apartment to discover a decomposing body inside.
Quoted from Amazon


This synopsis above is what drew me in and I can say I was not disappointed.  As with most mysteries there is that twist where you see how it will be played out but I can honestly say, I didn't see this one.  

Then, there is another twist and surprise to the story which I though was brilliantly woven in. What you'll find early on is both Oliver and Ciara have secrets.  The revelations are slowly introduced and my guesses for each secret was way off base.

When I first started reading it appeared it would be chick lit with budding romance and a simple mystery inserted. The interactions of Oliver and Ciara are a bit stilted at first but as the reader knows they have something to hide, it's understandable. Not chick lit or romance at all.

The storylines will change back and forth to the police investigation in present time then back to 56 days ago when Oliver and Ciara met, then move to 35 days ago as they are living together.  The perspectives and narrator changes as well.  You'll hear Ciara's side of things, Oliver's side and the detectives.

The author Catherine Ryan Howard is a crime writer from Cork Ireland and wrote this novel during the lockdown. 

My reading partner Loki.







Sunday, October 10, 2021

Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft

 

This historical novel transported me to Ilfracombe and London England, Malaysia and Australia. I will say I enjoyed every bit about this novel from the travel, the character development, the WW II setting and the heartwarming storyline.

The story begins in March of 1941 with our main character Rose headed to London to meet her family for her twenty-fifth birthday. Her parents are in Ceylon but she expects to see her Uncle Lionel and brother Joe.  The war time shortages are apparent with descriptions of mock eggs and chocolate cake.  The cake had prunes and beetroot but when the nation is rationing you celebrate how you can.

Rose is still experiencing grief from a loss and her American fiance Xander isn't exactly the epitome of loving support.  Reading a discarded newspaper on her train to London, Rose, on the spur of the moment, answers an advertisement regarding a young boy who is need of a chaperone to Australia.  Walter aged four is a lonely but bright little fellow and you'll fall in love with him. Rose goes to the house in London to meet the child and this dramatically changes her life. Walter's mother was from Australia and was recently killed in an accident.  

The ship voyage, the strengthening bond between Rosie and Walter and the new family in Australia had me riveted. I loved this book and actually hope the author will add a second book to follow up.  I don't want to see these characters go away! The storyline could be picked up with Rose's life, I'd love to know what happens to Walter and so much more.

Publication date March 15, 2022 by St Martin's Press.  Genre: Historical Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction challenge and Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.






Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Nanny Dearest by Fiona Collins

I'm usually down for a psychological thriller with a good mystery twist but sadly this book seemed to drag for me. I see many 4 star reviews but this wasn't my cuppa tea.

The premise is the young toddler Suzy is left to be reared by her nanny Annaliese.  Suzy's mother dies when she is young and Annaliese is the mother and rock for the little girl.

The story is told from two perspectives. As an adult Suzy runs into Annaliese and connects with her again.  Suzy's father had died recently and she was feeling alone in the world. The former nanny inserts herself into her life, giving Suzy a feeling of love and protection which she was missing. Before long Suzy abandons her friends and other interests, including her job.


The characters didn't connect with me at all and I felt zero empathy. After a while I skimmed and had it not been the obligation of a review in exchange for this complimentary copy, I'd have moved on. Again, lots of folks seemed to like this book but I was not one of them.
 
 Publication date November 30, 2021 by Harlequin. Genre: General Fiction Adult, Mystery and Thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.



Saturday, September 25, 2021

Be back soon...........

  I will be taking a short hiatus from both blogs but will return soon.


Thursday, September 23, 2021

Billy Summers by Stephen King

 


Billy Summers is going to go on my favorite-books-of-the-year list.  As I'd mentioned in previous posts I am definitely not a fan of the horror genre so I've never read anything except Pet Sematary by King in years past. Then he switched gears and wrote 11/22/63 which was amazing and I now look forward to his crime novels.

Totally engaged - Stephen King had me with the first chapter of this book about Billy Summers, a sniper/hit man who only kills bad guys.  He puts on the dumb act with the nefarious Nick Majarian as he accepts what is he says is his last job.  There is a huge payout and Joel Allen, the intended victim, is a very bad guy.

Nick sets Billy up in a suburban working class neighborhood in an unspecified southern state.  It's here King excels at writing about a typical blue collar neighborhood, playing monopoly with families, having a few beers and BBQ dinners with the neighbors.  He puts you right there, you are in that party, playing that game.  It's so real.

Anyway, Billy (aka struggling author David Lockridge) successfully blends in with the neighbors and  pretends he is an author.  As a writer he keeps erratic hours and rents office space in building across from the courthouse where Joel Allen will eventually be tried for murder.  Once he is brought out of the police van Billy will have his shot and disappear.   Sounds simple but the detailed complications and an obvious setup has Billy making his own plans for disappearing. Nick has a great plan to get Billy out of the area and sent to a safe house but something gets Billy's spidey sense activated.

Billy Summers is the "bad guy" you'll be rooting for, wanting to see him put one over on all the hooligans who decide his dumb act is real. He was a Marine and learned to take care of himself and his fellow Marines; that in itself is a story within a story in this novel. His background story has some heart breaking moments and you find yourself liking Billy from the first chapter.

A complication comes along in the form of one Alice Maxwell, a young woman who was assaulted by several men and dumped out of a van.  Billy intervenes in more than one way and Alice becomes a character you will like. Wish I could go on about the plot but it would be better to read the story and have your own surprises.  Here's hoping  a mini series is inspired from this story.  

For what it's worth, King expressed his desire to see Jake Gyllenhaal perform the role of Billy Summers and after reading that, Jake is who I pictured as I read.


Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino

 

If The Devil Wears Prada and Bridget Jones Diary had a baby it would be this book. I’m loving this book, the dialogue and most of the characters. Four friends in entry level positions in New York City work as assistants in various industries. All four women want to climb the ladder within their respective fields and have a successful career. 

Cate is an assistant to the head of a huge book publishing company.  He  requires her to do the administrative as well as personal jobs for him.  Keep his calender but also get cupcakes to his son's school for a party, pick up dry cleaning, open his home in Vermont for his vacation.

Max is an assistant at a news station with goals to be a journalist.  She is sexually harrassed by the lead news anchor and does all the running for coffee and other minor tasks.  Her male counterpart Charlie is never subjected to demeaning comments or asked to run out on errands.

Lauren dreams of being a script writer one day.  She is an assistant to Pete and gets harrassed by one of the writers on the show. Go get the coffee and keep your mouth shut.  Until she has enough of that treatment.

Olivia is an actor's assistant and has some of the same demeaning tasks as her friends.  Go to a smelly unairconditioned warehouse to search for a sofa he wants delivered;  try and take notes and keep his calendar while he is doing yoga naked. The B list actor Nate always dangles the idea of passing on a screen test of hers to someone who can help.

The ladies meet Thursdays to drink margaritas and unburden themselves to one another, the only people they can trust.  Then they take the napkins with the written out grievences and burn them at the end of the night.  One night they decide to start a website called Twentysomething and write out their stories anonymously.  Thanks to the NDA (non disclosure agreements) they must use names like The Bossy One, The Emotional One, etc.  Then it takes off.  More women are telling their stories and the website becomes a sensation. People start to wonder, who are these women behind Twentysomething as it becomes newsworthy.

This book has sexual references and the occasional F bomb.  This doesn't bother me but I know it does for some. The stories are believable as are the friendships and struggles.  This is a story about women being impowered by one another and getting tired of being passed over for promotion and treated differently than their male counterparts.

I will definitely be looking for more by Amanda Pelligrino  in the future.

Publication date December 21, 2021 by Harlequin.  Genre: General Fiction Adult and Women's Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.




Monday, September 13, 2021

The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy

 

The story starts in 2010 immersing you in Morocco's severe heat  and exotic locale. Our narrator Zoe is just getting settled as her husband’s company posted him to Casablanca. She is a bit overwhelmed by the welcome wagon talk from one of the wives posted there.

Zoe is looking around her new home when she discovers a loose board in the floor causing her to investigate. She pulls  it up and discovers a dusty box and a diary from 1941. The diary is written by 13-year-old Josie. With such an exotic setting and the chance to read somebody’s diary, a glimpse of the past,  I just had to read this book.

In present day there are uncomfortable social situations for Zoe as well as some marital woes. She immerses herself into Josie’s life while trying to fit in with her life in Casablanca and misses England more every day.

Both timelines have some sad stories. I think I was expecting it to be sad in the 1941 narrative but was surprised at what Zoe was going through in present day. There is nothing objectionable in this book, no poor language, just a nice story that may put you in mind of Nicholas Sparks novels.

Fiona Valpy writes about strong female characters and obviously does detailed historical research.  If you like historical fiction you will enjoy this author.  This book has a genre tag for romance but I would not have classified it as such.  I do agree on it being women's fiction and historical fiction.

More about the author HERE. 

Publication date September 21, 2021 by Amazon Publishing UK.  Genre: General Fiction Romance, Women's Fiction and Historical Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction challenge and Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.





Friday, September 10, 2021

The Maid by Nita Prose

 

Molly Gray is a maid. Yes, the pun Molly Maid is mentioned a few times in this book.  She is a very competent maid and you'll realize she has some OCD going on, a socially awkward woman who doesn't understand how to connect with people. Molly sees everything situation in black and white and doesn't realize when she's being used or made fun of.

Molly makes her rounds cleaning at the Regency Grand hotel, enjoying her job and speaking to some of the guests. When she enters the suite of Mr and Mrs Black she discovers Mr. Black is dead

This was more of a cozy mystery, a completely PG 13 rated plot. As a reader you know which characters are bad and who is being used.  You will also discover Molly's resourcefulness discerning facts helps with the murder case.

Publication date January 4, 2022 by Random House Publishing - Ballentine.  Genre: Mystery, Thrillers and Women's Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

First book of the year hosted at Book Journey

 I'm joining in on the First Book of the Year hosted by Sheila at Book Journey .  Check out the link HERE and join in if you like. It...