Madness and Motherhood

 

Alice, a young Mohawk woman, seems to have everything she ever wanted. She has moved from the reservation to a posh neighborhood in Toronto with the anthropologist husband, Steve, who studies the Mohawk culture. She has a new daughter, Dawn. However, things are not perfect. She struggles to connect with Dawn. Partly this may be do to the guilt she feels toward her own recently deceased mother. The neighbors are not openly friendly, in fact some are racist. She is also experiencing disorienting situations. She’s hearing voices and connecting with Pocahontas, who started coming to her as a teenager.

As Alice descends into madness, she holds to her desire to write the creation myth of Sky Woman as told to her as a child. As her madness deepens she believes she has found a portal to another time and world. In this world, she talks to her granddaughter.

I found the first half of the book very interesting and somewhat horrifying as Alice descends into madness. It was well written. I couldn’t help rooting for Alice as she faced passive aggressive behavior from racist neighbors. However, the last portion of the book was a jolt. The scifi section where she talks to her granddaughter didn’t work for me. It seemed too abrupt a change. However, I enjoyed the book. It gave an interesting glimpse of the Mohawk culture and an indigenous woman trying to integrate into a different world.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

Women Helping Other Women

 

In Chicago in the 1970s prior to Roe vs Wade, the availability of women’s health care, particularly abortions was severely limited and in respect to abortion, illegal. This is a fictional account of the Jane Network. It was established to help women offering reproductive counseling and illegal abortions.

The story centers around three women, Jane, the founder of the network, who when not Jane is Veronica, a wife and mother; Patty, one of Veronica’s friends, who has a traditional life style; and Margaret, a college professor, who volunteers in the network. These three women illustrate the options women chose during that period.

The book is timely since Roe vs Wade was recently overturned by the Supreme Court. It is very well researched. For those of us who lived through that period, it is a reminder. For younger women, it shows some of the problems their older sisters coped with.

The book is very informative and presents a good picture of life during the 70s. My only reservation is that to me the characters seemed more designed to illustrate the points being made by the author than more complex and realistic people. However, the story moves well. It’s beautifully written and easy to read.

I received this book from the Publisher and Net Galley for this review.

A Crime Set in 1944 California

 

A prominent politician with many enemies is murdered in the prestigious Clarement Hotel in Berkeley California. Homicide Dective Al Sulivan was having a drink at the hotel at the time and is one of the first police on the scene.The Clarement was the scene of another death ten years earlier that may be connected to the present tragedy. Iris Stafford, a ten-year-old girl a member of the wealthy Bainbridge family, was found dead having fallen down the laundry chute while playing hide and seek with her sister Isabella.

The investigation focuses on the remaining three Bainbridge heiresses, Isabella and her cousins Cassie and Nicole. Their formidable grandmother, Genevieve Bainbridge is also a part of the investigation. Her deposition is presented in segments throughout the novel. There is an aura of power and sex throughout the book. It was a time of economic disparity, racial tension, and the Chineese connection of Madame Chaing Cai-Shek.

This is a well crafted mystery novel set in an interesting and turbulent period of California history. The author does a good job of weaving the history, economic, and political issues throughout the story. My only reservation is that for some readers the historical sections may bog down the mystery. There is also the element of a ghost story which, although related to the plot, may be distracting.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

British Spy Thriller

 

Emma Glass works for a top secret agency in MI6. When on of their analysts is found murdered and locked in a suitcase in his apartment, Emma is assigned to go undercover to discover the identity of the killer and untangle the plot he was working on. The plot involved Russian oligarchs who were known to be involved in criminal activities, specifically dealing in chemical weapons sales to anti-Western groups. Emma goes underground on the super yacht of one of the oligarchs. This is an incredibly dangerous assignment, particularly when it appears that there is a mole in MI6 giving information to the Russians.

In this exciting spy novel, Emma faces danger at every turn. Any slip will end her in the same position as the murdered analyst. I enjoyed Emma’s character. She’s smart, gutsy, and fearless. She does make mistakes, but through the book, you can see her growing as an agent.

The background is delightful. The super yacht is cruising the waters of the Mediterranean. The author does an excellent job of bringing not only the gorgeous scenery to life, but also the interior of the yacht. The pace is fast with no dearth of exciting escapes. If you enjoy spy thrillers, this is one not to miss. It is also the second book in the series, but the author seamlessly weaves the history into the current book.

I received this book from the publisher and Net Galley.

The Horrors of World War II are Still With Us

 Milia Gottestein-Lasker is head of the Survivor’s Campaign, an organization founded by her family to bring Nazi war criminals to justice. She is trying to pass on the responsibility for running the organization, but when she is invited to be the keynote speaker at a Holocaust conference in Lithuania, she accepts. She is not eager to visit Lithuania and unsure of Dr. Darius Vidas, who invited her, but the invitation meshes with her personal agenda.

This is historical fiction based on a true story. It was well written, but I found it a hard book to read. I wasn’t familiar with the genocide perpetrated on the Lithuanian Jews. It was eye opening. The story as historical fiction highlights some of the personal tragedy that is obscured by an historical treatment. I thought it an excellent job.

The background was well described. I also found the information about the country interesting. I was less enthusiastic about the character of Milia. She opens the book angry and continues in that vein. It is understandable, but difficult to relate to. If you are interested in WWII and the scars that are still visible today, I recommend this book.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

 

A Seriously Creepy House

 

Sarah Slade, therapist, blogger, and influencer, purchased a Murder House. Because of the murders 40 years ago, the house has set empty and is quite deteriorated, but Sarah has plans. She’ll renovate the house; it will sell for a good profit, and she and Joe, her husband, will be rich. There are other potential rewards. While she’s renovating the house, she’ll be able to use the experience on her blog. She also envisions the renovated house acting a catalyst to heal her troubled marriage.

The house, however, seems to have different ideas. Things get done, but then something else goes wrong. There are footsteps in the attic. Joe is still sleeping on the couch, and the neighbors hate them. With her dreams evaporting, Sarah, herself, begins to feel crazy. Maybe the Murder House was for sale at a good price, but is it really worth all this anguish.

This is definitely a dark, twisty tale. I loved all the secrets about the house. The descriptions were good and I felt like I was there. I wasn’t as interested in the characters. Sarah seemed too driven. Joe was too meek. The plot pushed them along, but they never did become more likable. The ending was good. It wasn’t expected so that was a positive. If you like creepy old houses with secrets, you’ll enjoy the Murder House.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.