The Closer You Get: A Novel by Mary Torjussen

The Closer You Get: A Novel. Mary Torjussen. She Writes Press. April 21, 2020. pb, 368 pp.; ISBN #: 9781984804587.

Ruby leaves her husband, Tom, on a Friday night.  She’s uptight about it but determined!  She’s determined and he’s cooperative.  But she’s in for a shock when she gets to her hotel and her lover, Danny, doesn’t show up.  It gets worse when on Monday she discovers she’s got no job.

As the story is told from two points of view, Ruby’s and Emma’s (the wife of Danny) one begins to find feelings of compassion for Ruby.  But really?  Tom is sending her notes throughout the weekend including that he’s left her some extra money in her bank account.  Really?  She doesn’t respond and say thanks until later but isn’t this the opposite of what you’d expect?

Emma is interested in breaking this woman who doesn’t think twice about breaking up a marriage.  She even says it, so we think it’s her when the notes and follow through, things start happening.  It’s a good premise, really, except are you sure? 

The notion that she’s now single and is being stalked isn’t so far from reality.  She certainly deserves no less, doesn’t she?  Pages and pages follow filled with elements of this stalking and she’s no less than one very afraid woman.

Anyway, she’s out of a job and heck, out of everything.  Now she’s being stalked.  There are notes that someone is leaving in her hallway and phone messages.  Who’s behind this?  You may think you’ve got this figured out but you’ll be wrong.

For a “who done it?” it’s a thriller.  By the end of the novel, you’ll wonder who is the stalker and who’s out for Ruby?   Interesting read and recommended!

Beyond the Ghetto Gates - A Novel by Michelle Cameron

Beyond the Ghetto Gates: A Novel. Michelle Cameron. She Writes Press. April 7, 2020. pb, 456 pp.; ISBN #: 9781631528507

The ghetto isn’t any nicer in the late 19^th century than it was later on.  This is the time when Napoleon’s French troops have invaded the Italian city of Ancona.  They’ve taken down the wall that separates Jews from Christian, but that’s about it.  Mirelle is the heroine of this novel and she’s got to make a decision that will have life changing ramifications. She’s a talented woman who is gifted in her father’s business.  But now she is told that she should not be working there because she’s a woman. Should she marry the older man who can give her everything or marry the Christian soldier who has made such a dashing appearance. 

There’s a picture of Mary that’s become everything to Italians.  It has been seen to be weeping, smiling, and when its gazing at Napoleon scowling.  Francesco, the wife of a man who is murdered for his hatred of Jews, is determined to steal the statue and blame them. What does it mean, vowing to stand by the theft of this picture?

Mirelle is a normal human being who loves being outside, who is happy being outside where she can smell the sea nearby.  But all of that changes when her father dies.  Her home is no longer hers but her aunt who hates her and her work.  How will she move past this barrier and both marry for love and keep her passion for business?

Beyond The Ghetto Gates is a book for women.  It raises this problem about woman in an age when things were mired in tradition.  Read it and celebrate! 

This is historical fiction that is memorable and life-changing!  It’s about the love that goes beyond words to bring change that is meaningful!

The Prisoner's Wife: A Novel by Maggie Brookes

The Prisoner’s Wife: A Novel. Maggie Brookes. Penguin Publishing Group. May 2020. pb, 400 pp.; ISBN: 9780593197752

A Czech farm girl, Isabel, meets a British Prisoner of War, Billy and it’s love sparked from the first look and touch.  Billy is a prisoner and they have to keep their love secret or the German guards would exact a horrible retribution on both of the lovers.  Isabel’s father and brother were taken away by the Germans and she is the only one to help her mother on the farm.  Billy begins to help her in so many ways but they know their relationship must change and it can’t be in their present conditions. However, they eventually escape and trek their way from the countryside until they are finally caught by the Nazis.  Isabel cuts her hair and dresses like a boy.  She acts as a mute would and they tell the soldiers that she was suffering from the results of a horrific battle at Tobruk. 

This novel is more than just a litany of horrendous prisoner of war conditions which are almost beyond belief.  Starvation, sickness, lice, and cruelty by captors are more than enough to break and even destroy the prisoners.  What truly stands out in this account, however, are the tremendous traits of compassion, loyalty and kindness by which men are bound and which they exert to protect Isabel’s female status.  Indeed, one of the men will die to protect Isabel’s life.  Billy sings and shares his musical harmonica talent to lift up the spirits of the suffering men. 

As the end of the war approaches, conditions begin to change as the Nazi soldiers fear retaliation if they are exposed to the Allies.  Billy and Isabel, however, are united in honoring and respecting men who treasured and shared books, meager portions of food and medical care, minimum as it was.  They all dream of returning to home and a decent meal.  One mourns as his fiancé married his brother but he still finds courage to go on for this loving prisoner couple.

War often shows the world the worst in human beings but in Maggie Brookes’ novel it also shows the best human and superhuman qualities operating in the worst of wartime stress and difficulties.  Remarkable historical fiction that is a phenomenal read and highly recommended.  You won’t forget this novel for a very long time!

Who Rescued Who by Victoria Schade

Who Rescued Who. Victoria Schade. Penguin Publishing Group. March 2020. pb, 352 pp.; ISBN #: 9780593098837.

Elizabeth, aka Bess, gets fired from her high tech Silicon Valley job at Dutchess Games.  It also seems that she knows something about the top woman of her former social media company that said much about the bad nature of the product they were selling. For now, Elizabeth is overwhelmed and is taking a short trip to England to visit her father’s relatives.  These are not people she even knew were alive before now; however, it turns out she has inherited a piece of property.  It seems vague and complicated but she will find out the answers to the dozen questions she has.

Imagine her head in a whirlwind when she meets her Uncle, her father’s brother, who lives on lovely land and has amazing neighbors in Fargrove, UK.  Her father and Uncle parted over loving the same woman.  Uncle Rowan is an extremely talented artist as well as a sheep owner.  His wife Trudy is a warm, dynamic woman who is both understanding about the past and enthusiastic about the future.

Little by little Elizabeth becomes friendly with a beekeeper, a coffee shop owner, a brewery owner, and several gallery owners.  All are very dedicated to their business but unlike Elizabeth’s former colleagues are warm and inviting people who don’t put business over people. 

So who needs rescuing? It’s obviously Elizabeth or Bess and this is her story or her journey to discover what part of her past has meaning and what is just a way to push away what she can’t face from that past. Along the way she rescues a black and white puppy and loves her Uncle’s collie, dogs who are yearning for the same escape from loneliness and yearning for permanent, loving connection.  Pages and pages of beautiful descriptions demonstrate the delightful antics of these dogs who teach Elizabeth about the nature of true love. Could Fargrove be a similar end or the new beginning of a life for the rescuer of these charming canine friends?

The author uses this story to emphasize the depths of true love, friendship, trust, loyalty, and community.  This is contemporary fiction par excellence which is highly recommended warm, engaging and transformative fiction that promises to make readers cry and laugh out loud!  You won’t want it to end!

Act of Murder: A Doc Brady Mystery: A Medical Thriller by John Bishop, M.D.

Act of Murder: A Doc Brady Mystery. A Medical Thriller.  John Bishop M.D. Mantid Press. March 2020. pb, 281 pp.; ISBN #: 97817342511040.

In the spring of one year, a neighbor of Dr. Brady dies.  He’s hit by a car and that person doesn’t stop and acknowledge what’s been done.  The police detective says to the doctor that if he remembers anything, he should contact her.  He remembers a red car a few days later. 

This is the story of how the murderer is uncovered. It’s all tied in, the death of another twin.   A shared health problem.  The death of a doctor who could have been alive today had he been treated earlier.  The skills of his son, J. J. and his friend, who are computer whiz kids and are able to track bank accounts and people who just might be part of a connection. 

All in the middle of a busy orthopedic surgeon’s life. His practice is just as successful and he’s got a great relationship with his peers. He’s got a great wife and a talented son who helps him out in this case.  He’s unable to forget this case and it’s this linkage that keeps him going. 

What could a murderer do with what’s really a secret?  Not going to spoil this one but it’s upsetting to say the least!   

This is a great mystery and it’s done in a very realistic way that makes you keep reading! 

A medical thriller for sure!  Highly recommended reading!

Darling Rose Gold: A Novel by Stephanie Wrobel

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel. Simon & Schuster. March 2020. pb, 320 pp.; ISBN #: 9780593100066.

Rose Gold spent her first eighteen years of life as an ill child.  She had every disease one could think of, had to drop out of school because of the taunting of other children, and had the support and assistance of everyone in the neighborhood.  But it turned out that her mother Patty was just a really good liar and was responsible for her daughter’s ill health, now known as Munchausen disease.  It’s an illness that binds mothers to their children in a very sick way, literally. Patty was even quite good at spouting medical knowledge and suggesting solutions to doctors and nurses in offices and the local hospital.

Patty eventually serves five years in prison for her lies and has a plan for her daughter who is the one who turned her in to the police.  Meanwhile, Rose finally meets the father she thought was dead, the father with another wife and other children.  He says he wants her in his life but the reality turns out quite different.  Rose refuses to accept this. 

While all this is going on, even Rose’s good friends turn out to not be that loyal.  Rose deserves a break and the reader will definitely be rooting for something better to happen to her, not realizing how surprised they are about to be. At one point, there are some flashbacks in Patty’s life that make the reader feel a bit more compassionate about why she’s like she is.   This is definitely a very dark, stark and twisted tale.

Patty develops a complete plan by which she thinks she will have the last laugh over Rose and the snooty neighbors.  Patty, however, is not as sharp as she thinks because it’s really Rose who has a remarkable plan to get vengeance for her lost years of normal living.

All the appearances of “darling” are just that, appearances.  For those who love thrillers, this is your book.  Quite a contemporary fiction creation!  Enjoy!

Above the Bay of Angels by Rhy Bowen

Above the Bay of Angels. Rhys Bowen. Amazon Publishing. February 11, 2020. pb, 348 pp.; ISBN #: 9781542008259.

Queen Victoria is older and Albert has died.  Isabelle Waverly’s father life is slowly dulling because he drinks too much.  His two daughters will be all right; one will marry and the other one has unbelievable luck.  For she sees a woman die from being hit by a truck and she assumes the identity of this woman who has been invited to Buckingham Palace.  She has the background and becomes Helen Barton.

The position is hers and she works so very hard at becoming a junior cook.  Luck seems to follow her.  Despite the mockery of Roland Barton, she gets him a job as a follower of the Queen’s son.  Others try to push her but she holds off many, telling each she will not bed them as she is committed to honesty and integrity that go with marriage.  This makes for many tight moments!

Then one year the Queen decides to go to Nice in France!  There she pleases the Queen with her scones and her honesty.  The beauty and food of this locale please Helen and she learns to cook them via the French chef who becomes a friend.  She is challenged by the death of a German prince and is judged guilty of murdering him with a mushroom.  She manages to find the guilty party who did commit this horrendous crime and in so doing earns the care of her peers. 

Thus she agrees to marry the French chef, Jean-Paul Lepin and open their own French restaurant.  Alive and moving beyond its borders, this novel will satisfy you and also satisfy the mystery.  It’s a tale told in simplicity and honesty. 

It’s good, solid historical fiction that this reviewer highly recommends!

And They Called It Camelot: A Novel of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis by Stephanie Marie Thornton

And They Called It Camelot: A Novel of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. Stephanie Marie Thornton. Penguin Publishing Group. March 2020. pb, 480 pp.; ISBN #: 9780451490926.

Welcome to the world of Jack and Jackie – a romance beyond romance!  It’s a world where we see Jackie’s sense of humor and mostly grit.  She knew what she was marrying into but she married Jack Kennedy anyway. She knew he was a womanizer but he swore she was his only woman and proved it. It reads like an intimate memoir.  It brings the reader to share in her tears and deepest fears.

She met his family and got along with everyone of them.  She had miscarriages and trials but kept her chin up until she had her children, Caroline and John.   When she drives through Texas with Jack, we know how mind-numbing his assassination is and what it does to her.  It takes her to levels of grief and yet it is her family and his that offer the support that keeps her going.  Yes, it is Bobby who is there for her and gives her strength that she takes time to turn into her own.  From then on, her stoicism guides her through the tragedy of Bobby’s assassination. 

From then on, she gets to raise her children and decides to travel to Greece.  There she eventually marries Aristotle much to the chagrin of the Kennedy clan and Aristotle’s children.  She does this for her children’s safety and it works.  But marriage to Ari isn’t what she had hoped and she is hopelessly entangled in a stay at home, European style marriage and it isn’t until his death that she feels free. 

She then has the money and the dreams to become an editor, a successful one at that.  Jackie has been married three times and spends the rest of her life doing what she loves.  Throughout the book she shares her love of poetry and prose in small ways with each of her families, but only after life has taught her through joys,  pain and trials does she celebrate her literary life with the world.

Many readers do not know Jackie’s life but now they can get to know her intimately in a way that gives her reality a way to remember the days of Camelot – and beyond.  Wonderful historical fiction!

A Murderous Relation: A Veronica Speedwell Mystery #5 by Deanna Raybourne

A Murderous Relation: A Veronica Speedwell Mystery #5. Deanna Raybourn. Penguin Publishing Group. March 2020. pb, 320 pp.; ISBN #: 9780451490766.

Veronica Speedwell is asked to recover a beautiful piece of jewelry that has been given to a rich courtesan in a high-class bordello for the aristocracy.  The jewelry is to be used to unite a Prince of the British Kingdom to a woman he admires.  However, the Royal Family has other plans for his future marriage.  Left alone the passing of this jewelry will cause a scandal that would destroy the monarchy.  Veronica, as the unrecognized daughter of the ruling Prince, agrees to carry out this task.  She protects the Kingdom even if her shameful status remains unacknowledged.

The pages that follow will put the life of Stoker, a natural history colleague, and Veronica at risk since they are kidnapped as part of a plot to remove the remaining Germanic people from the Royal Family and begin a new reign supposedly ruled by Veronica but in reality dictated by a failing police officer and an anarchist. 

In the process readers will meet some of Stoker’s dead animals ready to be mounted, will see how Stoker and Veronica will survive being wounded several times, and will meet Eddy, a Prince, who is spoiled but wants to leave a good mark on the people of his Kingdom but is clearly unprepared to do any ruling. 

Meanwhile Veronica has finally realized how much she loves Stoker and is resolved to be united with him but is stymied by circumstances which leave the two closer to dead than alive and passionately connected.  However, determination may eventually pay off which would definitely change the nature of their future sleuthing activities.

You will also meet a journalist and the head of police who care about the poor and homeless individuals who wind up in lives of prostitutes and thieves.  The social connection is touching although these characters seem powerless to change the lives of those they most pity.  This situation makes the Jack the Ripper murders to which their plight is connected all the more devastating!

A Murderous Relation… is a fun read, full of adventure, danger, mystery and passion! Enjoy the great read!

Where the Sun Will Rise Tomorrow by Rashi Rohatgi

Where the Sun Will Rise Tomorrow. Rashi Rohatgi. Galaxy Galloper Press, LLC. March 2020. pb, 270 pp.; ISBN #: 9781733233293.

In 1905 Nash returns home to India after having spent time studying engineering in Japan, which has just won a war against Russia.  India is now feeling they will unite and so have Great Britain leave their country.  So it’s a time for protests and petitions to local and national politicians to win battles against segregation. Nash asks his fiancé Leela to get signatures for the petition ending segregation in Chadrapur’s local schools, Leela needs to take time to process such an action.  She is definitely for the old ways and somewhat up for change into new ways.  For now she is obsessed with her love for Nash and how his occasional kisses spark her love and desire for more.  She wonders how such changes will affect families.

Things, however, are complicated.  Nash and Leela are expected to marry and live in Nash’s small village.  Nash however now wants to become a lawyer and not an engineer.  Leela’s sister, Maya, has fallen in love with a Muslim, a union that would be forbidden and ostracized by their present neighbors.  Maya believes that such a change must happen along with all of the other changes that are hopefully looming in the near future.  Love to Maya is stronger than prejudice and segregation of religions.

There are multiple scenes where Leela, Maya and their father meet with Nash’s family.  During these visits, much is mentioned that gives Leela and Maya food for thought and discussion.  However, discussions never seem to resolve in a shared agreement about the future.  Leela and Maya read many books as they prepare to teach in a local school.  However, no one fully expects them to teach once they are married for social norms put marriage and becoming a parent over and above being a working woman. 

This is a novel about the journey to change.  Leela will commit an act at the end that totally changes her world and mandates she must embrace change even if she acts like it is all accidental and not part of a revolutionary plot.  Reference is made to Buddhism and the beginning teachings of Gandhi. 

Interesting historical read that contemplates how change demands different thought, feelings and actions in the midst of a traditional society.  Fascinating reading!

No Truth Left to Tell by Michael McAuliffe

No Truth Left to Tell. Michael McAuliffe. Greenleaf Book Group Press. March 2020. pb, 320 pp.; ISBN: 9781626346970.

Adrien Rush is a federal civil rights prosecutor and is called to investigate and prosecute the criminals responsible for burning crosses on the lawns of private and public citizens in Lynwood, Louisiana.  The Ku Klux Klan is responsible and is proud of their actions.  However, one elderly lady, Nettie Wynn, suffers a heart attack on the night of the attack on the front lawn of her home.  She lives in an area of Lynwood that is home to a predominance of people of color.

Rush and an experienced FBI investigator, Mercer, continue their work and after a local police detective brings in one of the responsible persons, they manage to have the perpetrator judged guilty by a grand jury.  Nettie’s nice and Rush hit it off but their relationship is about to become complicated by the crime’s process. 

What happens if the means by which evidence is obtained turns out to be tainted?  Does that mean the rights of the accused become more important than the commission of a crime?  Such is the dilemma posed in this tense, controversial plot. 

It will leave readers with many confusing and complex questions about justice’s processes and the results obtained.  Who or what is the victim of such civil rights crimes and violations?  Who deserves a “fair” trial?  How are rights protected and guaranteed?  What will it take for prejudice and civil rights crimes to be abolished forever?  When does the behavior of police become excusable or inexcusable?  How many innocent people are sitting in jail because of a perversion of justice?

Rush is a cop with integrity. It’s because of that sense of fairness that the simple plot becomes so fraught with problems that challenge his relationship with both the people in town and the families of victims.  There also seems to be a well-known tension between federal and civil authorities.  Everyone wants to be top man on the totem pole and somehow justice and fair play are in danger of being obliterated.

No Truth to Tell is a fascinating read that is sure to please those who love crime novels and the stories therein.  Nice writing, Michael McAuliffe!  Look forward to more of same!

Who Slays The Wicked? by Sebastian St. Cyr C. H. Harris

Who Slays the Wicked? – Sebastian St. Cyr. C. S. Harris. Penguin Publishing Group. April 2019. pb, 352 pp.; ISBN #: 9780399585654.

A very evil nobleman who is married to Sebastian’s niece, Stephanie.  This quickly turns into a “was” married when he is found murdered in the most foul manner possible.  Years ago, he was responsible for a string of murders of young boys.  Lord Ashworth has some deviant sexual habits and is a very nasty individual with a habit of not paying his bills and sneering at those who demand payment.  When Sebastian asks who would want Lord Ashworth dead, the answer is obviously anyone and everyone who knew him. Although this is the 14^th St. Cyr novel, it’s a stand-alone that’s so very well worth reading.

So does one go after the poor vagabond prostitutes in the neighborhood or the other noble lords and ladies in London, especially quite a few from Russia here to encourage and celebrate a wedding of their own arrangement?  All have a reason to hate Lord Ashworth’s dead or alive guts.  The size of a blood stain even suggests that a small woman committed the gruesome deed, maybe even his wife Stephanie whom the Lord had married only to get an heir or he would have been cut off from the family money. 

What’s most interesting about this novel are the potentially guilty characters who carry an obvious hatred of the dead victim but also have a coldness about them that wouldn’t think twice about killing a person.  Motives boil down to they would just plain like to do it and no you wouldn’t get a smile with that verbal admission.

There’s a double whammy message here about how the aristocracy couldn’t care less about the suffering and cruel circumstances of the poor beggars, prostitutes, and local ragpickers, of whatever age.  St. Cyr has an obvious caring heart and this makes him sensitive to the suffering around him, a trait his beloved wife also shares.

One also gets a good picture of the politics of the time.  Politicians are out for money and not the good of their constituents.  Covering up evil deeds is par for the course.

This is a grand read with plenty of rumors, hints, scandals, etc. for those trying to figure out the mystery before the main character does.  Fine crime novel that will keep you enraptured for hours and hours – enjoy and then go for the other St. Cyr novels – all masterfully crafted!

Red Letter Days by Sarah Jane Stratford

Red Letter Days. Sarah Jane Stratford. Penguin Publishing Group. February 2020. pb, 400 pp.; ISBN: 9780451475572.

In the late 1950s Senator Joe McCarthy began what came to be known as the “Red Scare.”  Halfway through that period, even after Senator McCarthy had to withdrawn from the HUAC or House of Un-American Activities Committee, the Committee was still holding trials of those who were blacklisted for an association with either the Communist or Red Party others associated with the same party.  The source of most of their information were lists of people who named others so that they would be released and cleared of being a Red.  This is the story of two women writers who were blacklisted, one (Phoebe Adler) of whom had escaped a subpoena by fleeing to England.  Phoebe must work as a script writer in order to financially support her very ill sister living in a health sanitarium.  After she gets blacklisted based on someone else’s false confession, she leaves for England and begins, thanks to the helpfulness of Hannah, a woman who has hired several blacklisted writers and producers.  The choice was this escape or trial and jail plus heft financial fines. However, note that Phoebe and Hannah are very good writers!

The travesty of those who did not escape is that their careers were totally ruined.  But thee exiles got a second chance.  Eventually some were arrested in England, brought back to American and made to appear before the HUAC.  Some thanks to strong supporters made it through and returned to England but the story still needed to be told because of the hell they went through, like Phoebe, in the long anxiety-producing, fearful process or journey.  Sarah-Jane Stratford has certainly done a great deal of research and this novel is a poignant account of that experience for far too many writers, actors, producers and directors accused of being Communists.

There is also a subplot of the role of married women who chose to work after the war and who therefore were considered to be unfeminine.  Some stuck it out; some wound up divorced.  These women were assuming roles for the first time that Americans were not always willing to accept.  The novel also contains some very funny moments as scripts are being prepared for the TV production of Robin Hood and another for The Legend of Lancelot.

Remarkable, intelligent, adventurous, and engaging historical fiction that is well-crafted, fascinating and highly readable.  A must read! Enjoy!

The Antidote for Everything by Kimmery Martin

The Antidote for Everything. Kimmery Martin. Penguin Publishing Group. February 2020. pb, 384 pp.; ISBN: 9781984802835.

Dr. Georgia Brown is a urologist and Dr. Jonah Tsukada is a family medicine physician.  Both work in a hospital in Charleston, South Carolina.  The journey both are about to begin is a very painful one as the Director of the hospital and a group of local citizens have decided that Jonah’s treatment of LGBT patients is immoral and therefore unacceptable as hospital policy.  So he is accused of that and also of stealing drugs from the hospital pharmacy.  Georgia stands by his side through the thick and horrendous journey of these accusations as well as when he is fired.  At the same time, Georgia has finally met and fallen in love with a businessman, Mark.  All three of these characters have experienced devastating loss and know what it takes to survive and even surpass these tragedies.  Their friendship is engaging and admirable to the uppermost degree.

Unfortunately, Jonah makes a choice that puts his life in jeopardy.  It is while he is suffering from that choice that the truth about the whole hospital situation is exposed, through the work of a very savvy lawyer and the confession of an addictive physician.  Georgia had contemplated doing something wrong in order to make the situation right but never implements that plot.  During that time of innocence, all come to understand what they want to do in medicine and make new decisions to honor that dedication.  They are stronger for the experiences.

The Antidote for Everything will leave readers thinking about opinions and prejudices.  It will also hopefully make readers think twice about the quick judgments the public and individuals make after accusations are published or splashed through the news.  The plot condemns the notion that once alleged means guilty.  It also invites readers to see all patients as equal and deserving of fairness and compassion.

This is finely crafted contemporary fiction with real characters worthy of respect and honor.  Nicely fashioned, Kimmery Martin and highly recommended reading!

One Minute Out: A Gray Man Novel #9 by Mark Greaney

One Minute Out: A Gray Man Novel #9. Mark Greaney. Penguin Publishing Group. February 2020. pb, 512 pp.; ISBN: 9780593098912.

Court Gentry, the Gray Man, is a hired assassin whose initial job is to take out a former criminal responsible for war crimes that destroyed hundreds of families.  However, as this job is panning out, he discovers that this criminal is involved with something much worse, that of trafficking sex slaves. This reviewer has a tough time with this subject as these young women are stuck in a situation that is horrific to say the least.  Anyway, Gentry knows he has a problem with a soft conscience but that means he can’t let this go.  So he starts out by killing the leader and many of his so-called guards.  Then he gets information on the fact that this business is far bigger than he had imagined.  In fact it’s world-wide.  We meet many of the leaders in the plumbing line, men who are interested in cruelty to these young women and beyond greedy for the millions they are making for their small part in planning and organizing the movement of this “product” as it’s called.  Add to that that each leader has no idea who the others are or from where they are operating.  This keeps the secret under wraps, but they are not used to the “Gray Man” who keeps showing up in the places where the product is being shipped. 

Some may say the girls were partially responsible for being snared into this hellish trap but one has to find this unacceptable when realizing how they are now living.  Add to this garbage the fact that the CIA, with whom Genry doesn’t have the greatest relationship, has an active interest in this group because they are also an active terrorist threat and so don’t want him near the top man of this trafficking organization known as the Consortium.

Two things work very well in this international crime novel.  One is the fact that Gentry is one wild agent whose fighting abilities are the best you’ve ever encountered.  The next is that he thinks everything out and really cares what happens to thee young women, wanting them to get to live a normal life that has no connection to sex trade.  He also acknowledges that he has dark secrets in his past and so can excuse a certain amount of same when he meets in these women individually. 

The novel doesn’t have a perfect ending but it’s a satisfactory one for the young girls and we learn that the CIA has an even “bigger” job coming up soon.  So stay tuned for another action-packed international crime thriller!  Mark Greaney has the plots ready and adds some very human elements that make this a huge success.  Yes, it’s somewhat stereotypical but so are most of the books and movies of the same nature.  It’s a good, adrenaline-pumping story that one could envision in film form!  Nicely crafted, Mark Greaney!

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

The Sun Down Motel. Simone St. James. Penguin Publishing Group. February 2020. pb, 336 pp.; ISBN #: 9780440000174.

In upstate New York in 1982, Vivian Delaney takes a job as a night clerk at the motel in the small town of Fell after leaving home and her disagreements with her family.  She intends this job to be temporary as she plans to make enough money to go to New York City to become an actress.  However, this turns out to ghostbe a very complicated position.  There are ghosts in the motel, all connected with disappearances, murder and other trouble.  Years later, Vivian’s niece, Carly, travels to Fell determined to find out why and how her aunt disappeared.  Carly is an untrained but intelligent young woman who uses her skills to track the past problems.

Carly finds the job at the motel to be as creepy as her aunt did years ago.  At certain moments she smells fresh cigarette smoke but never finds out the source of that smell.  Doors in the motel randomly open and then slam shut.  She sees an appearance of a woman that she knows is a ghost.  There’s also a trace of a young boy who supposedly fell into the empty pool and died from the fall. 

The novel switches between Viv’s and Carly’s accounts, past and present.  There’s a salesman who frequently stays over who signs a different name every time he appears.  There’s a photographer who takes strange pictures that just might provide clues of a serial killer.  There’s a policewoman who tries to get both women to stop playing amateur detective.  There’s a man who’s trying to work through his very troubled past that involved his family’s violent past but who is very appealing to Carly.

This novel will keep readers awake long past bedtime.  It has ample eeriness, tension and mystery to hold any mystery lover’s interest.  And most of all, it maintains a very credible ambience that makes the supernatural seem real but not frighteningly so!

Nice read that’s well-crafted and highly recommended!

Gilded Dreams (Newborn Gilded Age Book Two) by Donna Russo Morin

Gilded Dreams. (Newport Gilded Age Book Two). Donna Russo Morin. Magnum Opus: Sold by Amazon. June 2020, 325 pp.; ASIN: B084GM8DC4.

For the last eight years, the women’s rights movement for suffrage is raging.  Donna Russo Morin brings us into Pearl’s Newport world. Beginning with a terrible tragedy, Pearl loses her father on the Titanic.  That awful event brings the reader to the event as she is forced to identify her father, the last member of her family, and the horrors she has to experience.  That loss makes her realize that she has lost everything as her husband inherits everything. She can inherit nothing as she’s a woman.  It is here that she sees the need for a women’s rights law. 

She finds her world as a novice suffragette as she meets the women involved in this far off fight. She continues to forge on, being a mother of two and drawing fashion and agreeing to do little things at the Newport level.   She and Ginerva are together through the thick and thin of it all. WWI is begun and she is separated from her beloved husband, Peter.  The hero he was emerges as she hears of his heroic action which saved the lives of hundreds.

Her world dissolves with the death of Peter and we experience it with Pearl.  A crisis develops and she must come up with the will of Peter which she does after much searching and worrying.  Who will inherit in this mess when a wife cannot inherit anything? 

The world is winding up the war.  During this time we meet the other upper echeleon of women’s rights supporters, such as the Lady Astor Brooke, whom Pearl supports.  Night and day is the picture of this lady.

Late in the novel, Pearl and Ginerva become opponents.  This is totally unexpected and shocks readers but doesn’t prevent the goal of achieving women’s rights which are signed into law. 

There are dozens of pages in which supporters help Pearl become the women she rises as she rises from little known Pearl to the leader of the Newport campaign.  She is a woman who reads a great deal and is a wise leader in sharing her knowledge. 

Donna Russo Morin is great writer who has done her research well and presented a lively and dynamic story.  This is historical fiction at its highest and all should enjoy the story!!!

Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau

Dreamland. Nancy Bilyeau. Endeavour Media Ltd. January 2020. pb, 386 pp.; ISBN: 9781911445968

In 1911 Peggy Batternberg spends a summer at Coney Island, one of the world’s favorite playgrounds, a method her famous, rich family is using to curb her lower class desires and dreams.  Up to that summer she was allowed to work in a bookstore, a job she loved because it opened up her world to famous books, art and people who have global perspectives and style.  She was to marry but her almost fiancé turned out to be out of Peggy’s taste.  Later she will be proven correct in her estimation.  Her family’s Jewish heritage is problematic at times but doesn’t stop them from flaunting their wealth and gaining what they want, including what is shameful.

At Coney Island, she breaks away from her family one late afternoon and meets a young, talented artist whose taste in art moves Peggy to tears.  Soon she realizes that she loves this Serbian artist, Stefan.  The author is adept at catching every tantalizing look, smell, taste and touch to do with Coney Island, including the famous exhibit called “Dreamland.”  However, the law is not so admiring of immigrant artists and have investigated Stefan, believing he is an anarchist come to America to bring violence and trouble. He therefore is considered worthy of watching especially in light of the death of two young women right on the beach. 

During this time, Peggy will discover some real culprits who are guilty of criminal acts.  The ending of this book may not satisfy everyone but reflects a reality where the world characterized and judged those in different classes; the reader becomes exposed to more like the true reality in and around Peggy Batternberg’s family and neighborhood.

Coney Island was famous for Nathan’s hot dogs, freak shows, ice cream, lemonade and cotton candy  In every “fun” spot are some shadows, however, and Nancy Bilyeau is to be commendable to show the famous, loved spot in all of its shapes, shades, illusions and realities.  Great historical fiction and a great read!!!

The Girl with the Louding Voice: A Novel by Abi Dare

The Girl with the Louding Voice: A Novel. Abi Dare. Penguin Publishing Group. February 2020. pb, 384 pp.; ISBN: 9781524746025.

Adunni wants to become educated, to learn and share that learning so that she will be known before she is seen.  This advice came from her mother but was cut off when her mother died and the family could not even afford the rent of their home.  However, Adunni goes on teaching her siblings to read and write and do simple math problems.  Her father had promised her mother this would continue but he breaks his promise and arranges a marriage for Adunni at the age of 14.  The dowry money sets her family up for comfort and Adunni marries a man with one goal, to have Adunni give birth to a boy.  Adunni is absolutely devastated. 

An unpredictable and devastating tragedy occurs and Adunni knows she will be killed unless she leaves her small town in Nigeria.  So, she escapes by running away to Lagos, a large city full of millionaires and successful merchants.  There she works for an entrepreneur who is not only very rich but also very cruel.  She regularly beats Adunni, whose only comfort are the books in her master’s library.  Unfortunately, the lady’s husband is a playboy whose behavior caused the loss of the last housemaid in Adunni’s position. 

Adunni has two good friends whose help will enable her to attain her dream of becoming a teacher.  This is the story of her journey to become a “louding voice,” replete with all of her challenges.  Adunni’s personality is the most captivating part of this story.  She has all the normal fears and sorrowful reactions to the cruelty around her but refuses to be daunted by them.  Others are thrown by her incessant questioning and curiosity but she survives their mockery and disbelief.  Some additional attention goes to Nigeria’s political condition which is on the verge of either democracy or a military dictatorship.  Adunni marvels at the wealth Nigeria has attained and its prominent place in the world economy.

The Girl with the Louding Voice… is a memorable read about the difficult but promising world of visions and dreams, about the need to move beyond superstition and prejudice, about the role of faith in which to center one’s life.  Remarkable and highly recommended read!  Great writing, Abi Dare!

The Girl in the White Gloves: A Novel of Grace Kelly by Kerri Maher

The Girl in the White Gloves: A Novel of Grace Kelly. Kerri Maher. Penguin Publishing Group. February 2020. pb, 384pp.; ISBN #: 9780451492074.

“And someday you’ll realize that what you’ve got isn’t worth trading. I think I’m starting to see your point, she thought. I just hope it’s not too late.”  Grace Kelly’s dream was to become a Broadway actress. Then she learned about the power of Hollywood.  In the early stages of her career, her parents were not supportive.  Criticism was the norm but Grace’s love of acting overcame the fiercest opposition from family and critics.  Her physical appearance made her the white-gloved Cinderella model in acting.  However, she possessed characteristics that called for grit to survive the rougher aspects of her chosen career.

Maher loosely depicts the love affairs Grace had in her rise to success – Don Richardson, Alfred Hitchcock, Oleg Cassini, Clark Gable and others – momentary flings that failed to satisfy that empty yearning she so frequently knew.  What truly thrilled her was totally immersing her in someone else’s character.  In a world where Grace takes pride in her independence and strength, where can she turn when others expect her to be meek and obedient?  

The narrative plot of Grace’s life story cascades back and forth between her youth and her final years in Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier.  The reader will frequently question whether all the glitz and glamour are worth the sacrifices that were mandatory in the world of acting with its ever-present high expectations. It is fascinating to see the relationship she formed with directors, agents and producers in the trade.

At the same time one can sense her star-struck haze when she finally is awarded an Academy Award.

Overall, however, this account is a glitzy account of Grace Kelly’s life.  Insecurity and a yearning for approval dominate most of her thoughts, feelings and relationships. Her marriage contract paralleled her demanding Hollywood contracts. Her marriage to Prince Rainier is ultimately disappointing and full of mainly the “image” royalty was bound to present to Monaco and global subjects.  Her rise to the life of a Princess was costly indeed, including a diminishing role as a mother of lovely children whose father vied for the children’s attention and love.

Kerri Maher provides a realistic, stark portrayal of the life and times of Hollywood actors and actresses, Broadway shows, movies and their effect on the public audience who never stop craving more of stars’ “stage life.” 

Fascinating historical fiction recommended as an intriguing and wonder-full read!

Wildfire by Carrie Mac

Wildfire. Carrie Mac. Random House. January 2020. pb, 272 pp.; ISBN: 9780399556296.

Pete and Annie have been best friends for years.  In that time their mothers have died and Annie’s beloved grandmother, Gigi, died of cancer.  While Gigi was dying, choosing to starve herself to death rather than be put in a hospice or nursing home, Annie stopped going to school and is determined not to return.  Pete wants her to go back as does her father but finally they accept Annie’s decision.  Instead Pete and Annie set off on a ten-day backpack hiking trip through the Washington mountains, their goal a Fire Camp.  The latter is very real as there are multiple wildfires spreading throughout Washington, some close enough to cast fear through these teens’ most optimistic plans.

During this trip, they both speak of past important events including the coming and going of Annie’s Mom as well as her mother’s death which might have been an accident.  Now on this trip Pete has an accident in which his leg is severely gashed.  They do the best they can to clean it and bind it up in a bandage but the outcome very quickly turns deadly as septicemia spreads beyond their ability to cope.  Annie begins to realize she has more than just friendly feelings toward Pete but she never gets to act on that attraction.

There’s not much depth of characterization in this story but the adventurous nature of Peter and Annie’s hiking, camping and discussions makes up for it.  They both begin to realize that dreams and plans are made not only to think and plan about but to actually act on.  Although the end of the story is tearfully poignant, Annie realizes she is responsible to carry out her dream based on her love of mountain climbing and nature.  Preet, who was really Pete’s girlfriend, is sort of a third wheel apparition who enters at the right moments to help Annie make sense out of the chaotic journey and help Annie cope with a funereal ceremony to honor Pete’s life.  Only then doe Annie realize she could love Preet. 

This story is timely given the dangerous wildfires raging in the Wester part of the United States.  Far beyond that obvious tragedy, however, lies the deeper theme of resilience, love and determination in the midst of and after loss.  Strength comes from deep within which is honored and celebrated in this coming of age story. 

Nicely crafted, Carrie Mac!