THE MISREMEMBERED MAN by Christine McKenna is an excellent read.
Ms. McKenna has a wonderful voice and does a wonderful job defining her characters. I know them as well as I might know my neighbors. I can see the Irish setting, hear the lilting speech patterns, visualize even the minor characters...all from her writing.
There were terrible parts of the story I didn't enjoy. Such places as the horrific orphanages Ms. McKenna writes about actually existed, and the ugliness of that reality isn't easy to learn about. But to balance things out, the characters got into situations where I laughed out loud.
When farmer Jamie becomes depressed after being left alone with his farm and its animals to care for, his friends decide he needs a good woman.
When schoolteacher Lydia gets out for the summer, her friend gives her something to look forward to besides remaining at the beck and call of her widowed, ailing mother.
This is not a romance, even though it sounds like the beginnings of one. It's a reminder of how inhumane caretakers of children can warp lives. It's also a portrait of how hope is an integral part of the human character. It's also a story of how strange life can sometimes be.
Great book.
Showing posts with label good read. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good read. Show all posts
Monday, December 19, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
EVERY SECRET THING
A nice story by Joanna Kearsley/Emma Cole, with more suspense than romance, that interwinds events of World War II with today.
Journalist Kate is covering a trial in England when an old man approaches her. He's trying to get justice for someone murdered long ago, he says, and he has a report about it he wants to give her. Busy, she puts him off. He leaves, but mentions she has her grandmother's eyes. Surprised, she watches him go, sees a car run over and kill him.
That's the beginning of this engrossing mystery. More murders follow, one close to Canadian Kate's home, others of people who knew the old man. When she realizes someone thinks the old man gave her his report and she knows what happened, she runs. She has to uncover his story to find out who's after her.
Kate's portion, in first person, chronicles her attempts to uncover the murder and murderer.
Facts of the old man's life unfold in third person narrative from him and people who knew him, including Kate's grandmother.
A bit kitschy at times, but if you like a good story with a sprinkle of romance and a quick lesson in Canada's part in training spies for WWII, this one's for you.
Journalist Kate is covering a trial in England when an old man approaches her. He's trying to get justice for someone murdered long ago, he says, and he has a report about it he wants to give her. Busy, she puts him off. He leaves, but mentions she has her grandmother's eyes. Surprised, she watches him go, sees a car run over and kill him.
That's the beginning of this engrossing mystery. More murders follow, one close to Canadian Kate's home, others of people who knew the old man. When she realizes someone thinks the old man gave her his report and she knows what happened, she runs. She has to uncover his story to find out who's after her.
Kate's portion, in first person, chronicles her attempts to uncover the murder and murderer.
Facts of the old man's life unfold in third person narrative from him and people who knew him, including Kate's grandmother.
A bit kitschy at times, but if you like a good story with a sprinkle of romance and a quick lesson in Canada's part in training spies for WWII, this one's for you.
Friday, August 5, 2011
DEATH OF A TROPHY WIFE
This is the first Jaine Austen mystery by Laura Levine that I've read, but it won't be the last. Jaine is a wonderful heroine who scoffs at designer clothes and health food. She'll keep her elastic-waisted pants, thank you very much, and chomp her way through fast food places without regret.
In this book, her neighbor and friend, the gay Lance with impeccable taste, is latched onto by the universally disliked Bunny. Bunny loves his fashion expertise and she has money to support his style advice. Of course, she got it when she snagged her rich husband by convincing him to leave his wife of thirty years. Now she's busy spending his money and lording it over the peons. The ex-wife hates her, her stepdaughter hates her, her cook hates her, and a woman whose boyfriend she stole hates her. Oh, and she's having an affair with her step-son-in-law.
Pretty evil person.
Then someone murders her and Lance is accused. On leave from his job till the murderer is found, he cooks healthy meals for Jaine that she's forced to eat and donates her clothes to a thrift store that makes her buy them back.
She's got to find out who murdered Bunny and fast, before she starves to death and her clothes disappear forever.
Adding to the fun is her snobby cat,Prozac and a suitor from Uzbekistan who thinks she's the next best thing to his goat.
Very entertaining book. I didn't see the ending coming. Nice cozy for anyone who likes their mysteries with a dab of humor.
In this book, her neighbor and friend, the gay Lance with impeccable taste, is latched onto by the universally disliked Bunny. Bunny loves his fashion expertise and she has money to support his style advice. Of course, she got it when she snagged her rich husband by convincing him to leave his wife of thirty years. Now she's busy spending his money and lording it over the peons. The ex-wife hates her, her stepdaughter hates her, her cook hates her, and a woman whose boyfriend she stole hates her. Oh, and she's having an affair with her step-son-in-law.
Pretty evil person.
Then someone murders her and Lance is accused. On leave from his job till the murderer is found, he cooks healthy meals for Jaine that she's forced to eat and donates her clothes to a thrift store that makes her buy them back.
She's got to find out who murdered Bunny and fast, before she starves to death and her clothes disappear forever.
Adding to the fun is her snobby cat,Prozac and a suitor from Uzbekistan who thinks she's the next best thing to his goat.
Very entertaining book. I didn't see the ending coming. Nice cozy for anyone who likes their mysteries with a dab of humor.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR
I just read this book by a couple writing as Nicci French, and I will read more. This one held my interest, from the opening moment when the Main Character looks around the room where her lover lies dead. You're not sure who her lover was right away but, as the story unfolds, there are several possibilities laid out in the backstory.
The way the backstory comes out is the main thing I didn't like. There's a current storyline called After (the death), then in different type a Before storyline, where what happened before the death is told. The After and Before shifts occur throughout the story, sometimes just a page or two and sometimes more. I found it hard to skip back and forth but others may not have that problem.
As I said, it was a good read, where new info kept developing throughout the story. Oh, and I did suspect what happened from the beginning which usually I don't do. I like mysteries but I'm usually clueless as to whodunnit or whathappened.
The way the backstory comes out is the main thing I didn't like. There's a current storyline called After (the death), then in different type a Before storyline, where what happened before the death is told. The After and Before shifts occur throughout the story, sometimes just a page or two and sometimes more. I found it hard to skip back and forth but others may not have that problem.
As I said, it was a good read, where new info kept developing throughout the story. Oh, and I did suspect what happened from the beginning which usually I don't do. I like mysteries but I'm usually clueless as to whodunnit or whathappened.
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