A WWII Love Story

 

In 1929 Bettina, an artist, and Max, and architect, meet and fall in love. Although Bettina is German, and Max, Jewish, they plan to spend their lives together. It is not to be. With the advent of the Nazis, Max is sent to a concentration camp. He is a skilled artist and ends up at the porcelain factory at Dachau, a special project of Himmler.

In 1993, Clara Vogel is looking for the father she never. With her mother’s death, she feels its time to find out about her family. Buying some porcelain pieces at an auction, she traces their origin back to the porcelain factory at Dachau. Following the history of the figurines Clara begins to unravel her parent’s tragic story.

This is a beautifully written, if tragic story. Max and Bettina are wonderful characters. You can’t help admiring their courage under terrible circumstances. Clara is also likable for the dogged ways she pursues her quest to learn about the father she never knew.

One of the most interesting parts of the book was learning about the porcelain factory at Dachau. I knew nothing about the factory before reading the book. The author did an outstanding job of making it come to life in vivid detail. This is a sad story, but so beautifully told, I couldn’t put it down.

I received this review copy from Net Galley and the publisher.

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.