Mystery Writers Tackle the Theme of a Stranger in Town

 

Anthologies are a good way to get a taste for a number of different writers. In this anthology from Mystery Writers of American, I was familiar with some of the authors like Dean Koontz, but others were new to me. I found at least one that I will look for again in longer works.

The theme of the stories is the idea that a stranger brings an element of danger and mystery simply because he or she is an unknown quantity. The stories ran the gamut of types from someone moving in next door to a victim showing up in an emergency room. My favorite, however, was by Lisa Unger. I liked the setting and was drawn to the main character. Some of the other stories were too creepy for my taste.

Short stories can be a difficult medium. Most were very well crafted, but several seemed better suited to a longer format and in a couple the ending seemed rushed. However, the total collection is well worth reading. One nice thing about an anthology is that if you don’t like one story, there are others to move on to.

I recommend this collection if you’re a mystery fan. It’s particularly good if you’re looking for new authors to follow.

I received this book from Harlequin for this review.

Women of the Gilded Age (1876 to 1908)

 

In the Gilded Age in New York, society was the province of women and they jealously guarded their prerogatives. They sought to enhance their position using extravagant parties, clothes and jewels. The men were at their mercy. As Caroline Aster, THE Mrs. Aster, thinks when angry with her husband. He will do what I want because he knows I can get him banned from all the best parties, boards, and from his clubs.

The two women at the top of this social pyramid were Caroline Aster and Alva Vanderbilt. Caroline was a member of the old money Knickerbockers. Alva was from the South, married to a new-money Vanderbilt. Caroline was confident in her control of society, but Alva was brash and determined. She wanted to be at the top of the heap also and was willing to do anything to achieve it.

This is a fascinating, in-depth look at two strong women. Because society was the only avenue where women, particularly wealthy women, could achieve, they used their talents as ruthlessly as any man to gain and keep control of their position. In spite of their wealth and prestige, not all was happiness in their families. Extra-marital affairs, rebellious daughters, and the constant fight to maintain position give the book plenty of action. They also show how these women grew and changed over the years.

One novelty of this presentation was the inclusion of the viewpoint of Society as a counterpoint of that of Caroline and Alva. I enjoyed those short excursions. It was almost like the Greek Chorus setting the stage to better understand the era.

I received this book from NetGalley for this review.

A Murder Suspect with Dissociative Identity Disorder

 

Penny was adopted by Grace and Arthur under unusual circumstances when she was a small child. Although Arthur seemed uncomfortable with the arrangement, Grace was determined to make Penny a part of the family and a sister to the boys, Jack and Ryan. However, there are things that Grace doesn’t know about Penny’s early childhood.

At sixteen Penny takes the family car to visit an unknown woman. Later that night, she’s found in the house, covered in blood with the dead woman. Penny is incoherent and appears to be suffering a dissociative state where other personalities emerge. The district attorney thinks he has an open and shut case, so Penny is locked in the Edgewater State Hospital to await trial.

Grace wants to save her daughter. She hires an attorney, Matt Navaro, who frequents her restaurant and offers a reduced fee. Grace also befriends Dr. Mitch McHugh, at the hospital. Together Grace and Mitch try to get to the bottom of Penny’s multiple personalities. Grace is convinced that her daughter didn’t commit the murder and the answer lies buried in Penny’s dissociative personalities.

This is a fascinating thriller. I particularly liked all the psychological details the author presented about Dissociative Identity Disorder. It was the best part of the book. The scenes at the trial and the state hospital were well done and very convincing.

I found some of the characters not so convincing. Grace seemed to be in her daughter’s corner, but she took incredible chances that could have turned out badly. I also found Grace’s sister-in-law, Annie, less than convincing. However, this is a clever thriller with lots of twists. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, this is a good one to read.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Publishing for this review.

A Family Copes with Alzheimer’s

 

Margarette, widowed three times, is preparing breakfast in her rambling house on the Maine coast. She leaves a frying pan with grease on the stove, goes upstairs, get distracted by a mouse, and when she returns to the kitchen it’s in flames. When she calls her daughter, Liddie, to confess the accident, Liddie realizes that her mother’s Alzheimer’s has reached a point where she can no longer live alone.

With her husband, Harry’s support, the family of four moves from Michigan to Maine. The move requires adjustments for each family member and living with an Alzheimer’s patient isn’t easy. Plus the Vietnam War is heating up. It activates Harry’s memories of being a conscientious objector in WWII and puts additional strain on the family.

This is the story of a family coping with problems: growing and changing throughout the book. It’s not an easy book to read. Many of the interactions are messy. However, it’s very realistic. Coping with difficult problems is never easy. The pace isn’t fast, but once you get to know the characters, it’s hard to put the book down.

I loved the setting in Maine. The author does a good job of using the setting to bring the story to life and amplify the lives of the characters. I recommend this book, particularly if you’re coping with a loved one with Alzheimer’s.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

Murder of a Barrister in Daniel Pitt’s Firm

 

When Toby Kitteridge is late for a meeting with Daniel, he is annoyed, but when he’s summoned to the morgue to identify a body, he’s terrified to find it’s his friend. This is reinforced when he sees Kitteridge’s coat hanging in the morgue room. However, when the sheet is pulled back he finds himself looking at another member of the firm, Jonah Drake.

Drake was a brilliant lawyer, but a taciturn individual who Daniel didn’t know well. What then was he doing with Daniel’s card in his pocket? Drake was found in the dangerous area of Mile End. What was a respectable lawyer doing there?

Toby and Daniel are tasked by Marcus fford-Croft, head of the firm, to find out what was going on to protect the reputation of the firm. This is a particularly critical task since Marcus can be of little help since his memory is going. Even so, Daniel and Toby worry that he knows more than he’s letting on.

The investigation touches people in high places including the owner of the shipyard Britain is counting on to build vessels to counter the German threat. Daniel’s father Thomas Pitt become involved because he is warned that his son should not pursue some areas of investigation. This puts Daniel and his father in a struggle with Daniel’s sense of justice.

I always enjoy Daniel Pitt novels. He’s a rather naive young man, but his sense of justice and perseverance make the pursuit of the mystery take a higher road than simply solving a crime. This was not the most well plotted book in the series. There was too much going over and over evidence and there were major leaps in the action. However, it was a good read. If you enjoy Victorian mysteries this is a good one.

I received this book from NetGalley for this review.

A Plot to Murder the Tsarevitch in Victorian London

 

The royal wedding of Victoria’s son George to Mary of Teck has the city in turmoil. Some are fascinated by the spectacle of a royal wedding, others think the money would be better spent feeding the poor. It’s a time when Europe was ripe for revolution. Wedding guests include the Tsarevitch along with his mistress as well other Russians.

The city abounds with plots either to attack the Russian heir, or perhaps George is the target. The country’s security forces are on the job, but Jim Hercules doesn’t think they’re sufficient. He’s a friend the Tsarevitch, and is employed by the Russian royal family, but has no official role in protecting the Tsarevitch.

Jim is American, an ex-boxer and a black man. He takes it on himself to visit Barker and Llewelyn to enlist their help. Interested by the unusual situation, Barker and Llewelyn take the case and find that it’s more dangerous than it appeared on the surface with numerous would be assassins loose in the city.

This is an excellent addition to the Barker and Llewelyn Victorian mystery series. As usual the pace is fast, and the characters interesting, including the several historical personages who make and appearance. The Afterward contains additional history on the real characters. I recommend reading it.

Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. If you enjoy historical mystery fiction with realistic background, this is a great book.

I received this book from NetGalley for this review.

A Strong Woman in a Dynastic Chess Game

 

In the years around 960 the Piast House ruled Poland. The Duke Mieszko was ambitious to increase his power and rule the entire area. One of his plans for this included his children, his son and three daughters. He planned to use marriage to his daughters to cement alliances and increase his scope.

His youngest daughter, Swietoslawa or the bold one, understood her father’s plans, but she had plans of her own. She didn’t want to be a pawn in a man’s world. She wanted to rule in her own right and was willing to do whatever it took to reach that position. This book is primarily her story, but it also involves the other family members and the areas they rule.

The story is complex and requires you to keep the genealogy straight. This can be challenging at the beginning of the novel. Another interesting aspect of the story is the relationship between Christianity and the pagan religion. In order to gain more power, the Duke allied himself with the Holy Roman Empire and forcibly converted his country to Christianity. I found this one of the most interest parts of the book.

This book is the first in a series that will trace the Plast House through the era. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a good book in an interesting era. The next book will be available in 2022.

I received this book from NetGalley for this review.

Emotional Support for Rejection

 

Rejection happens to everyone. It can be very painful when you lose the job you thought was made for you, or the promotion goes to someone else, or the article you worked on for weeks is rejected. These are painful experiences that can make you question your abilities. Your self-esteem may take a serious hit, but it’s not the end of the world. It helps to have someone to share your pain with and to learn about how they recovered from a setback.

This book is perfect for those times when you need to know that other women have gone through a rejection and come out of it stronger and more resilient than before. It also helps to know that sometimes a better opportunity is right around the corner.

The author does an excellent job interviewing women from a variety of professions and backgrounds. Each of them has a story to tell and at least some of them will be right on point to help you see the way ahead. I highly recommend this book to read now and have on your shelf for support when your turn for rejection comes.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

Tragedy and Romance in a Historic Boston Hotel

 

The Seafarer Hotel is a Boston Landmark. Now it’s being refurbished and guests are eager to experience the lovely setting. Weddings can be especially lovely at the hotel. Riley and Tom aren’t sure, but his mother wants their wedding to take place at the hotel The three are meeting with the wedding consultant when a crash is heard outside and the body of a woman hurtles to the terrace quickly disrupting the meeting and creating chaos.

The death presents problems for the new manager, Jean-Paul. He and his wife have recently moved from Paris so he could take the job, but it’s turned out to be more challenging than he thought. His wife has recently given birth to a girl and is finding motherhood hard to adjust to. Lack of sleep is making Jean-Paul’s life particularly difficult.

Gwen and Jason are at the hotel to celebrate his birthday. However, Jason’s personal problems and explosive temper are causing great difficulty in the relationship.

Claire, sixty-one and recently widowed, has come to the Seafarer to recreate a lost love. She’s journalist on leave from her job because of an article she wrote. It seems to her a perfect opportunity to contact her former lover.

Although multiple stories can be difficult to handle, the author does a good job keeping you interested in what is happening to each one. The deft use of romance and mystery keeps you wanting to know how each story will end.

The story moves quickly and makes this a good choice for a summer read at the beach.

I received this book from Harper Collins for this review.

Dorothea Lange’s Early Bohemian Life in San Francisco

 

Growing up in Hoboken, New Jersey, Dorothea Lange wanted to see more of the world. Paris was too expensive, so with her meager savings and her precious camera, she traveled to San Francisco. Her first encounter in the beautiful city was not happy. She was robbed of her small savings. Having no where to go and no money, she meets Caroline Lee, a Chinese American girl who befriends her.

Caroline introduces Dorothea to the Monkey Block, the heart of San Francisco’s bohemian art colony. The girls’ friendship blossoms and their portrait studio becomes famous. Then a disaster strikes and Caroline disappears leaving Dorothea bereft.

The heart of the story is the friendship between Dorothea and Caroline. With Caroline’s Chinese ancestry, the girls are caught up in not only the art scene, but also the politics and corruption in San Francisco in addition to the plight of the Chinese immigrants.

This story is beautifully told. The author has a knack for bringing the bohemian era at the end of WWI to life. Dorothea witnesses the problems of immigration and the shortage of jobs for the returning soldiers. She realizes that her photos can make a significant contribution making people see the problems of the poor. Her photographs are still recognized as important today.

I highly recommend this if you enjoy historical fiction.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.