The Professor and the Thief

Dr. Voth, a recently jilted professor, finds a manuscript, Confessions of the Fox, about the life of Jack Shepard, a legendary eighteenth century thief. Voth becomes obsessed with researching the life of Shepard and annotating the manuscript.

P was a young, orphan girl initially sold to a maker of tufted footstools. She escaped and teamsedup with Bess, a prostitute, who introduces her to the dark side of London. P falls madly in love with Bess and begins her transformation into Jack Shepard, a notorious thief.

Dr. Voth is also a transgender man which explains some of his obsession with Jack’s story. Voth’s story is told through footnotes to Confessions of the Fox. The footnotes start out dryly academic, but as the work progresses they become more unhinged. In addition to his work on the manuscript, Voth is caught in an academic drama where a large pharmaceutical company is trying to take over the university.

If you’re familiar with Brecht’s Three Penny Opera, you will have a head start on understanding this somewhat arcane book. The story of Jack is the centerpiece of the novel, but as Voth becomes more upset, the footnotes threaten to take over. This is not an easy format to enjoy. You’re trying to keep two story lines going, but one is told only through footnotes. I think it would have been simpler to tell the two stories in alternating chapters.

This story will appeal to you if you’re interested in eighteenth century history, transgender roles, and academia. If you’re disturbed by overt sex, curse words, and slang terms for genitalia, you may not enjoy this book.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Conan Doyle Fights Injustice and Prejudice

In 1908, Marion Gilchrist, a reclusive, elderly woman, was murdered in her home in Glasgow. Oscar Slater, a German Jew and a gambler who lived with a prostitute, was arrested, tried and convicted. He had the misfortune to pawn a brooch resembling one that was stolen from Gilchrist. The police were having no success finding the real killer, so they fastened on Slater in spite of his having an alibi.

Conan Doyle was brought into the case because Slater managed to smuggle a letter out of prison in 1925 asking for his help. The obvious prejudice against Slater gave Conan Doyle the excuse he needed to take up the case. Although he didn’t personally like Slater, he continued to pursue justice until Slater was released.

The case itself is interesting, but the best part of the book is the detail about the criminal justice system in Britain in the early twentieth century. The book details the methods of criminal investigation and the role prejudice and dislike of outsiders played in dispensing justice. The horrific prison conditions in Scotland are also discussed at length.

This is not a book about Conan Doyle although his activities to proved Slater innocent are the main story-line. The book is a detailed expose of the criminal justice system in the early days of the twentieth century. It’s fun to read about Conan Doyle, but the background descriptions are invaluable.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

A Terrorist Attack Disrupts a Love Story

Julia and Michael love each other are loving parents to their two boys. Although both were career oriented: Julia with a government job; Michael working in baseball; they moved to a community in Pennsylvania that they believed would be a good place to raise a family. The move meant Julia had to give up her job and Michael had to find a new career, but they felt it was worth it because of the boys. They’ve had their problems, but Julia believes in the strength of their family.

It’s a beautiful day. The neighbors are getting together to watch the children and enjoy adult conversation when suddenly Julia’s world changes. She’s on the phone with Michael, who’s in Penn Station, returning from a job interview when suddenly the phone goes dead. There’s been an explosion in Penn Station. Julia is frantic, she wants to take care of the boys, but she also wants to find Michael.

Julia’s plight grabs you in the first pages and the tension never lets up. She loves Michael, but as the story unfolds, she questions whether she ever knew the person she was living with. The bombing and the political implications are timely. The book doesn’t hide the undercurrents that separate people on the political spectrum. Whether you’re conservative or liberal, this book is worth reading. It will make you think.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

A Tale of Two Sisters

Finn was a successful young stockbroker living in London working at his ex-roommates company when he met Layla. She was younger, not at all city wise, but she captivated him and changed his life. They moved from his city apartment to a country cottage in Devon, and he thought Layla was happy there.

Things changed. Returning from a ski vacation in France, they stopped at a remote rest stop. Layla was sleeping. When Finn returned to the car, she was gone. He was devastated. When he was able to move on, Finn invited Layla’s friends to a celebration of a bench he set up in her favorite spot. Her sister Ellen showed up.

Ellen was quiet and methodical, the opposite of the more flamboyant Layla. In spite of the differences, Finn fell in love with her, and they planned to marry, but at the wedding approached strange things happened making Finn wonder if Layla was alive and in the area. Wasshe trying to keep him from marrying Ellen?

This is a story of relationships affected by secrets. Finn has his past. Layla and Ellen have their family background. The background stories unfold gradually as the story progresses. It’s full of twists that will keep you guessing. The ending while foreshadowed is quite unexpected.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with well drawn characters, you will enjoy this book. It can give you chills.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

A Tangled Web of Family Relationships

Allie and Joseph were childhood sweethearts, but when he came home from his first tour in Vietnam he found her marrying his brother, Bobby. This is one of the many hurts that kept Joseph apart from people. For many years he’s lived alone with his dog Roscoe in a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina.

Things start to change for Joseph when he rescues Catalina and her two children from a Mexican drug lord. She’s an illegal immigrant, but she has a brother living in the Florida Panhandle not far from where Allie and Joseph grew up. When Joseph takes her and the children to her brother he hears about a terrible crash. A tractor trailer went out of control, hit the rocks, and exploded. Allie was married to the truck driver. Now she can’t forgive herself,, and Joseph senses she needs him.

This is the story of the difficult choices people make and how their lives are shaped by them. I found the early chapters hard to read. Allie seemed unable to find happiness and the scene of the death of her husband was devastating. The book is filled with difficult stories: Joseph’s, Allie’s and Bobby’s. At first the long ago relationships were unclear, but the author weaves them together for a satisfying ending.

The book is not strictly Christian fiction, but the story has an underlying message about faith that makes the book special. If you enjoy characters who grab your attention and won’t let go, you like this book.

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers fro this review.

A Dark Tale of Family Secrets

Lydia Fitzsimmons has an almost perfect life. Mistress of Avalon, the house she grew up in, she has a successful, hand-picked husband, Judge Andrew Fitzsimmons. They have one son, Laurence, the delight of his mother. The Fitzsimmons have their trials. They’ve lost most of their money through the machinations of Andrew’s accountant and golfing buddy.

The family is struggling to keep their impecunious position from the world. Then in a ploy to get their money back, Lydia and Andrew plan to meet Annie Doyle at the beach. She’s a heroin addict and appears to have been blackmailing Andrew. Unexpectedly, as Lydia watches, Andrew strangles her. Then the cover-up begins.

The killer in this story is no mystery. The plot revolves around the three Fitzsimmons and the effect the killing has on their ordered life. Probably the most disturbing relationship in the story is that between Lydia and Laurence, a tangled mother-son alliance that becomes more and more strained as the secret behind Annie’s death threatens the family.

This is a very dark tale. It’s not so much a murder mystery as a psychological description of a deteriorating family, particularly mother and son. The plot is filled with twists keeping you in a state of suspense. The ending is not a happy one. However, it fits the characters and the story.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

A Battle Between Goblins and Humans

The human army, Hanorians, is at the gates of Kiranok, the goblns’ stronghold, threatening to wipe them out and kill all of them. Billy, the reluctant goblin king, is worried about how he can save the situation. Billy with the help of his goblin commander, Hob, won the Goblin Crown, defeating General Sawtooth, but not all goblins are happy with the situation, so Billy is facing problems both from the Hanorians and from some goblins.

Billy’s friends, Lexi and Kurt, who arrived unexpectedly in the goblin kingdom along with Billy, are doing their best to help. Lexi’s magic continues to improve, and she fights a battle with the powerful wizard, Mig. While all these things are happening, the friends see a falling star. Falling stars are important to the goblins, so Hob and Kurt set off to see if they can find it.

This book is aimed at middle grade readers. The characters are well done for this age group. Billy and to an extent Lexi were outcasts in their school. Now they’re shouldering serious responsibility and protecting Billy’s subjects. Kurt was an insider but now that he is with the goblins, he has become a faithful supporter of Billy.

The book is an enjoyable fantasy with plenty of action, but also some philosophical questions that will make young readers think.

I received this book from Turner Publishing for this review.

A Plucky Heroine in a 1930’s Logging Camp

Lizzie had a sheltered childhood with he beloved father; however, the Wall Street Crash in 1929 caused him to commit suicide. Lizzie goes to live with an older sister who is struggling to provide for her own family and sees Lizzie as another mouth to feed.

Wanting to help, Lizzie jumps at the chance, to accept her uncle’s offer to be a governess to his children at a logging camp north of Vancouver, but when she arrives her uncle and his family are gone. Lizzie is now forced to make her way in a camp of rough men where the boss is not only ruthless but dishonest. Lizzie wants desperately to be accepted. She has one skill that is useful, climbing trees which she uses to gain respect from the loggers.

This is a delightful historical novel that will appeal to young teenage girls. Boys might also enjoy the setting, a logging camp in the 1939’s but the girls would be most likely to identify with Lizzie. Young teens want to be accepted in the adult world. Lizzie is not exception. She feels lost until she is able to use her tree climbing skills to gain acceptance.

I enjoyed the book. It’s well written and taps into the feeling of a young teen who has to use her wits to survive in a hostile environment.

I received this book from Turner Publishing for this review.

A Mistake Can Haunt Your Life

Geo, has it made. She’s a vice president at a Seattle pharmaceutical company, engaged to the CEO: her future is bright. Then the unexpected happens and her world comes crashing down.

Fourteen years ago Geo and Angela were best friends. One night after heavy partying, Angela disappears. Geo knows the truth of what happened, but she keeps quiet until, Kaiser, a friend from high school and now a detective with the Seattle PD, wants to know what happened. Angela’s remains have been discovered in the woods behind Geo’s childhood home. She was a victim of Calvin James, the Sweetbay Strangler. Calvin was a serial killer, but more than that he was Geo’s obsession. Now she’s entangled in his prosecution and looking at jail time herself.

This is a dark psychological thriller. There is plenty of violence both current and in the past. The plot is filled with twists. However, it’s easy to follow because the author gives hints so the twists don’t come out of the blue. I like that about a thriller.

The characters didn’t appeal to me. Geo was not a sympathetic character. Her best friend was killed. She had a hand in it, and she lived with that knowledge for fourteen years. The other characters seemed rather one dimensional. I did like Kaiser, the detective, but he seemed too much a stereotype for my taste. The story is told in flashbacks between present and past, but it’s easy to follow.

If you enjoy dark thrillers with lots of violence, you may enjoy this book.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Weather and Your Garden

How many of us discover the weather from the screen of our cell phone, or television. Wohllbean challenges us to look out the window. This is excellent advice. If you’re a gardener or farmer, you know that the weather five miles from where you are can be rain while you’re having sun. I have friends in Florida who live in an area they call the desert because they get so little rain while those of us ten miles away have a relatively good amount.

The only problem with Wohllbean’s discussion of the weather is that in he discusses European weather rather than what we experience in the US. However, what he says about where weather comes from can be translated usefully to the US. The book also has interesting information about pests in the garden and discusses aspects of the weather. I found the formation of hail particularly interesting.

Wolhllbean talks about sensitizing us to how what we do affects the environment. Most of us wouldn’t think about it, but painting your garden furniture with wood preservative means the stain will wash away if the furniture is left our during the year allowing the chemicals to seep into the soil. Chemicals in the soil will affect insects and worms some of which you want to foster in your garden. A better idea is to use natural pigments or more durable wood.

If you are a gardener, this is a good book. You may know or practice many of Wohllbean’s recommendations, but I’m sure you’ll find new interesting ideas.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

A Devastating Plane Crash Changes Lives

In July 1962 an Air France jet crashed at Orly killing over a hundred people, most of them the elites of Atlanta, Georgia. These were the art lovers of Atlanta: lawyers, doctors, architects, and their wives. The crash left children bereft and the city in shock.

The story is based on an actual event, but the characters are fictional. The story is filled with troubled characters: the Mayor of Atlanta, who must also care for his wife: Robert, whose mistress dies in the crash leaving him so guilt ridden he can hardly function; and Robert’s friend, Raif, whose parents were killed in the crash but he couldn’t be happier spending their money.

The book is a study in how people react to tragedy, grow, and change their lives. One of the interesting parts of the book involves Piedmont, a young black-man, and his interactions with the upper crust of Atlanta. Set in the Civil Rights era, it gives a perspective on how people viewed the intermingling of the races in that era.

I enjoyed the book. The historical perspective was compelling. However, I felt that too many stories were interwoven. The main one, for me, was between Robert, Lily, his wife, and Piedmont. I felt that their story was what the book was really about. The others characters were there for atmosphere.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.