Fox hunting, Mysterious Stamps, and Murder

 

It’s fall and the Jefferson County hunt is eager for the first fox hunt. Unfortunately, the fog is so thick they have to turn back after the first run. Two of the members think they saw a face in the fog, but decide it must have been an illusion. The next day, the illusion becomes a reality when the face turns out to be a murdered man tied to a chair just where the hunt would have found him on a good day. Then the stamp collection of one of the members is stolen. The collection is returned, but one stamp is found on the door of the hunt treasurer before he is attacked.

These incidents are the basis of the mystery, but since no one in the Jefferson Hunt is seriously pursuing clues the incidents fall flat. The main characters, Sister, Betty, Gray, Jane’s husband, and the others discuss the murder and the stamps, but it seems incidental to their talk of the upcoming hunts.

As usual, I enjoyed the animal characters: horses, foxes and dogs. Their lively banter is fun to read. The human characters are well drawn. I always enjoy their conversations about hunting as well as current events. The Virginia country side is beautifully described, and the fox hunts are exciting. However, the mystery seems a bit lacking. I kept waiting for characters to pursue clues instead of having incidents dropped in their laps. I recommend this book as a fun read, particularly if you like animals, but for me it lacked a focus on the mystery.

Thanks to the Random House Group and Net Galley for this review copy.

A 1930’s Glasgow Police Procedural

 

The depression in the 1930s hit Glasgow hard. The city was a morass of corrupt officials, rival fighting gangs, police unable to control crime, and terrible poverty. Into this mix, Percy Joseph Stilltoe is appointed Chief Constable. He selects teams to fight facets of this corruption. DI Jimmy Dreghorn and his partner, DS Archie McDaud are part of this select band.

When the body of Charles Geddes is found in the River Clyde, Dreghorn and McDaid are given the assignment of finding the killer. Geddes is the son-in-law of Sir Iain Lockhart, one of Glasgow’s wealthiest men, and Dreghorn has ties to the family, particularly Isla, the daughter of the family.

Pursuing the case Dreghorn and McDaid, move from the high society of the Lockhart’s to the dregs of the most poverty stricken and crime ridden areas of the city. The author does an excellent job of bringing both scenes to life. He doesn’t shy from the brutality which makes the book very dark in some sections. However, the author also shows the picturesque side of Glasgow giving the reader a taste of both sides of the city. He was able to make the background so real, I felt as if I were there.

The book is not fast paced, but moves at a tempo that keeps you reading. I also found the scenes of Dreghorn’s early life illuminating. It’s a good start if this is the first book in a new series.

I received this review copy from Net Galley and Random House.

Survival and Sisterhood in a WWII Japanese Prisoner of War Camp

 

As the Japanese closed in on Singapore, families had to make hard decisions. John and Nora Chambers sent their eight-year-old daughter, Sally, away with Norah’s older sisters and cousins. Norah and John stayed behind. John was ill with Typhus and Norah wanted to care for her aging parents. Soon conditions became more dangerous and John and Norah were also forced to evacuate. They were on the SS Vyner Brooke, one of the last vessels to leave Singapore.

Also on the SS Vyner Brooke were a group of Australian nurses returning home. Before they can reach safety, the ship is hit by the Japanese and sinks. The survivors get to Banks Island were they are captured by the Japanese and sent to POW camps. This is the story of the courage it took to survive.

In the camps, the men and women were separated. Norah and her sister Ena meet Nesta James, a tiny, courageous nurse who has taken over as leader of the nurses after Matron was killed. Together the sisters and Nesta form a strong bond. The women try to keep each other cheerful with music and an attempt to have a camp newsletter. Although conditions were very primitive with little food and water, the women were determined to survive.

The book is beautifully written. The description of conditions in the camps contrasted at times with the beauty of the tropical surroundings was very moving. The research is exceptional. There are so many stories. It was a bit hard at remember the roles of so many characters. However, it was worth the effort. I was very pleased that the author included notes at the end to tell the fate of each woman. I can highly recommend this book.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for this review copy.

How Cats Communicate with Us and Each Other

 Dr. Sarah Brown is a respected scientist who has studied the behavior of cats for thirty years. In this book she condenses her research for the general public, particularly cat lovers. She discusses the history of cats from their background as wild cats in North Africa to today’s feral cats and those lucky domestic cats living in loving homes.

I was fascinated about how cats use their tails to communicate. Dr. Brown also goes into other forms of communication such as their vocalizations and ear movements. The fact that cats use their meow which mimics the cry of a baby to communicate with humans was fascinating.

In addition to her scientific research, Brown has amusing anecdotes about her cats and those she’s studied. This book can be very helpful in understanding cat behavior. The science is understandable and the antics of her cats are fun to read about.

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

 

An Australian Murder Trial

 

Robert Farquharson was returning with his three sons from a Father’s Day outing. He and his wife were separated, but he had the three boys on authorized visits. This visit ended in tragedy. Robert’s car swerved of the road ran through a chain link fence, across a field and crashed into a dam. As the car filled with water, Robert was able to escape. He swam to safety, but the three boys perished. Robert was arrested for murder.

This is the story of the two trials that decided Robert’s fate. Helen Garner attended both trials. She an excellent listener. She reported the attorney’s examination of witnesses and even was able to learn what happened in sidebars between the judge and the attorneys. It’s an excellent job of reporting.

The story itself is gut wrenching. It’s hard to believe that a father who loved his children was able to kill them. The trial explored several theories of his state of mind. Was he incapacitated when the car swerved? Was it a planned murder-suicide? Was it a revenge killing aimed at his wife? All these ideas are explored during the trial.

I found the book emotionally very hard to read. It is well written. The style is more literary than I am used to in true-crime stories which makes the pace a little slower. It is worth reading for the look at the Australian criminal justice system. The trials resolved the issue from the state of the Australian justice system, but reading the book you have to decide for yourself what to believe.

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

A Surgeon’s Thoughts During the Covid Epidemic

 Doctor Smith, Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, had a busy life leaving early every morning to go to the hospital where he performed heart surgery. His life seemed much the same. Then came the Covid epidemic and surgery was stopped cold. He was relegated to his office. This is when he started to write.

The book discusses the early life experiences that pushed him in the direction of medicine, and gives a glimpse of some exciting surgeries like the quadruple bypass performed on Ex President Bill Clinton. I found both of these threads interesting, but perhaps his most intense thoughts came when he talked about how the pandemic affected the hospital and it’s employees. Some of it was very difficult such as the suicides of two doctors at the hospital.

I found the book interesting. It’s not a cohesive account of the life of a busy surgeon. It wanders a bit and contains philosophical musings that are more or less interesting depending on your perspective. If you enjoy learning more about how a surgeon approaches his experience, this book may be perfect for you. However, it is a bit fragmented covering diverse topics.

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

 

Civility: A Cohesive Factor in Society

 

This book takes a comprehensive look at civility from ancient to modern times and discusses how it affects society. The author draws a comparison between civility and politeness. If I thought about it, I would have said the two words were basically synonymous. However, the author points out the distinction, and it’s important.

Politeness is external. It is a show of good manners. Politeness allows a person to appear tolerant even though politeness can be used to distance oneself from the issue, to be manipulative, and to be condescending. Civility is internal. Civility is a desire to understand another person’s viewpoint, to interact with the person in a way that allows both people to express themselves without vitriol. It is being open to understanding other perspectives.

The author did an excellent job explaining civility from it’s roots in ancient philosophers such as Epictetus to modern thinkers like Martin Luther King whose writings showed the author that there is a moral foundation for civility. However, these were not the only thinkers discussed in the book. One of the things I liked best was the way the author sprinkled quotes from important thinkers throughout the text.

I found this book very helpful in understanding what is wrong and right with interactions between people today. I highly recommend it.

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

The Erratic Genius Behind the Development of Dada Fusion

 

Hank Asher, a man you probably never heard of, was a pioneer in the development of data fusion technology. This technology is ever present in our lives from targeted marketing ads to data collected by our health care providers, the IRS, and law enforcement.

Asher’s career spanned a stint as a pilot running drugs in the Bahamas, founder of a house painting company, and finally a computer genius who developed data fusion technology. His story is fascinating. Funk’s presentation is like reading a thriller, but it’s a true story.

Data fusion relies on the ability to see patterns within and across data sets. Asher was a master of this and it was this ability that led him to develop the computer applications to use this technique on a commercial scale.

I was very impressed with Funks’ presentation. He’s able to give the general reader enough understanding of computer technology to make what Asher did understandable. He also presents the uses of this technology today and the privacy concerns it raises. Although Funk is a critic of the uses this technology has been put to, he acknowledges that it has helpful as as well as harmful applications. One of the helpful applications is finding groups exploiting children through child pornography.

I enjoyed the book. If you’re interested in privacy issues it’s a good source of information as well as being an entertaining read.

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

WWII Cozy Mystery

 

It’s 1940, Evelyn Redfern, known and the Parisian Orphan, is doing her part for the war effort working in a munitions plant. The work is boring, so when Mr. Fletcher, one of her father’s friends, recruits her to work in Winston Churchill’s war rooms she jumps at the chance. Fletcher coaches her to look for a suspected leak, but when one of the other secretaries is found dead she transfers her attention to solving the mystery.

In her investigation she’s helped by a reluctant colleague, David Poole. At first he seems determined to keep her from investigating, but when she discovers that he is also looking for the suspected leak, they team up.

Since this is the first book in a new mystery series, it’s reasonable that the first quarter of the book gives Evelyn’s background. In the next section of the book, the mystery heats up and we’re introduced to the myriad characters working in the tunnels of the war room. At this point, I found the number of characters a bit overwhelming. However, as the story progresses the characters fit into place and it’s easy to figure our what’s happening. I was pleasantly surprised by the twist at the end.

I loved Evelyn’s character. She determined and spunky, but with a clever mind and quick repartee. The amusing dialogue kept the story moving. David is a good foil for Evelyn. At first, he’s very standoffish and tells people she’s just taking notes for him, as their relationship develops he becomes more accepting of her help.

This is a great cozy mystery with well researched background on the Churchill war rooms. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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

A Fast Paced Legal Thriller

Madison Rivera, a top Harvard law student, is thrilled to be offered an internship by Federal Judge Kathryn Convoy. Convoy has been an inspiration to Madison and is one of the reasons she chose law.

There is a problem, however, Madison’s younger brother, Danny has been arrested on a federal drug charge and Convoy is the judge. Unwilling to give up the intern position, Madison hides the fact from the judge.

Madison’s position is complicated by the fact that her mother is pressuring her to help Danny. Then Danny disappears after being forced to plead guilty and accuses the judge of corruption. Madison is now faced with a dilemma. Is Judge Convoy corrupt? What is at the bottom of Danny’s case?

This legal thriller is fast paced and filled with tension and suspense. It’s hard to put down. The story is told from two points of view: Madison and Convoy. I liked having both women tell their own stories. You can see how Madison and particularly Convoy grow during the novel. My only criticism is the number of characters. Reading fast, I sometimes found it hard to remember how all the characters fit into the story. However, the book was a great read.

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

Attractive Coloring Book

 

Easy to color pictures of Trixie and Katya if you feeling like expressing your artistic bent with a bit of coloring. The drawings are well done. The paper is thick enough to keep all but the wettest colors from seeping through. In addition the drawings are on only one side of the page to assure any seepage will not ruin the book.

Thanks to the publisher for this review copy.

A Kingdom of Exotic Creatures

 Wondrous Creatures by Kirby Rosanes

Intricate drawings of fantastic animals to color makes this a special coloring book. Although some of the pictures have been published before, it’s fun to try different colors on the pictures. The intricacy of the drawings calls for care in applying the colors. Although it can look daunting to fill the tiny spaces, you can make larger swaths of color. The pictures come out beautifully either way.

I love Kirby Rosanes coloring books. You can lose yourself for hours applying colors. The pages are heavy paper so unless your colors are very wet, you don’t have to worry about them soaking through. I particularly love the ocelot and the beaver with the bug on his head.

Thanks to the publisher for this review copy.