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Reviews by Becky M. (Crumpler, NC)

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Red, White, Blue
by Lea Carpenter

Something Can Look Chaotic (7/4/2018)

"Something can look quite still and be in a state of total chaos . . . something can look chaotic when in fact it is absolutely controlled"--a quote from Red, White, Blue which not only describes life in the Intelligence world but this novel as well. Told in a back and forth play between Q and A (You never hear the questions!) and the chronology of Anna's life, the reader experiences the awakening of a young woman who learns of her father's life in espionage along with details of the CIA and how it operates. As Anna confronts the untimely death of her father, she also struggles with her husband's success and entrance into politics. Yet her devotion to both her father and her husband lead her to come to terms with secrets, loss, and self-awareness. It took a while to adjust to the every-other-chapter approach, but now that I've completed the novel, I think it would be interesting to read the Q and A chapters consecutively, and then read Anna's story in the same way.

Young Jane Young
by Gabrielle Zevin

Takes a while, but then takes off (7/19/2017)

I found this novel hard to get into, but I'm glad I persisted. Written through points of view, Young Jane Young traces the story of a young woman's life--where an indiscretion in her youth comes back to haunt her later--as seen through the eyes of Jane's mother, Jane's daughter, and Jane herself. All three women are strong personalities, but it is Jane and her daughter who carry the story. The last portion of the book, through Jane's eyes, reads like those books of our youth when we could choose the ending we wanted. Except Jane chooses for us as we watch her story unfold. All in all, worth the read.

The Stars Are Fire
by Anita Shreve

Woman of Yesterday/Woman of Today (2/28/2017)

Anita Shreve has created a character who embodies the struggle of women in the past as the precursor for women of today. Set amid the historical fires of coastal Maine in 1947, Grace finds herself cast into a life of struggle, suddenly without a husband, parenting alone, with no home, no work experience, no life skills. But she is not daunted. She is the classic driven woman, determined to take care of her family and to re-invent herself. I could not put down this book, eager to see if life would equalize for her or defeat her--if love would elude her or find her. The reader roots for Grace, urging her to move forward, to give herself the good in life, and to follow her heart.

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
by Kathleen Rooney

A Walk with Lillian (9/29/2016)

The novel Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk begins slowly, as does "the walk" itself. But as Lillian moves about New York City on New Year's Eve 1984, the reader's interest increases and there is a need for the reader to find out the details of Lillian's life just as she has a need to complete her 10-mile trek around the city. Lillian Boxfish was a woman at the top of her field in advertising--a man's world she has conquered through wit and talent. The novel follows her career, her doomed marriage, her eventual breakdown, and her recovery.
Kathleen Rooney finds a way to embed nuggets of philosophy and life-lessons, requiring a studied reading so as not to miss a one. At the end, Lillian asks one of her new friends to stop by for a walk one day--as a reader, I wish I could take her up on that invitation.

The Alaskan Laundry
by Brendan Jones

Not the Alaska of Cruise Ships! (3/5/2016)

Gratefully, the title "The Alaskan Laundry" is explained twice in this debut novel by Brendan Jones though the reader must wait until halfway through the story to find it. And, it makes perfect sense. Tara Marconi heads to Alaska to escape the pain and guilt of her past and to find a redemption of sorts in the wilds (laundry) of this northern most state. She makes her way in a "man's world" of fishing, work crews, and native ruggedness. I admire Tara--she is tough and proud and eventually willing to admit her own failings while struggling to reunite with those she left back in the Lower 48. I must admit the book was often tedious--so much nautical and fishing detail that left me lost and eager to move on. The basic premise of the novel is engaging, and Tara is certainly a force to be reckoned with, but I grew weary of page after page of terminology and details that were alien to me. I wouldn't mind hearing more about Tara and her tugboat but not if I have to google every other word.

Girl Waits with Gun
by Amy Stewart

Tell me there will be more! (7/9/2015)

What a fun read! Girl Waits with Gun is the fictionalized story of one of the first women deputies in the country. Constance is imposing, strong-willed, and ready to take on obstacles that lesser women OR men would never tackle. But she must defend her family and home from aggressive and brutal men, and she will NOT back down. Based on newspaper accounts and family interviews, Amy Stewart replays history and creates a gripping story along the way. Please tell me this is the first of many in the Constance Kopp series!

Little Black Lies
by Sharon Bolton

Hooked from the start (4/16/2015)

I knew that I couldn't possibly have this mystery figured out from the start, and the technique of having three speakers, with three motives, certainly proved that to be true. Whenever a novel deals with missing children, the tension is high, and the desire to find them an impetus to continue reading. Bolton weaves a psychological drama which will keep the reader guessing--and even when the solution is revealed, mysteries abound. An added plus is the setting--the Falklands--to the average reader a place a little vague whose history sits at the edge of your memory but whose details are hard to remember. Sharon Bolton is a new writer for me, but I've already looked up other books by her and have them on my to-be-read-soon list. You won't be able to put this book down!

The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson

Slow Start Leads to Interesting Conclusion (7/9/2014)

I had to struggle to stay with this novel, but I was rewarded about a third of the way through. At that point the plot began to pick up, and I began to sense a direction. This turns out to be a story of misplaced affections coupled revenge hidden within the turn-of-the-century art world of Paris. I enjoyed the allusions to artists who later became widely known in the twentieth century and the darker sides of the Parisian streets and people who lived there. Woven in the story is the plight of women a century ago in a world dominated by men in Parisian society. I recommend this novel, but the reader needs to be encouraged to read beyond the slow start.

Through the Evil Days: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery
by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Even better than the last (9/12/2013)

I have read all the books in Fleming's Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series, but this effort is by far the most compelling. With every twist and turn, the story plows forward to its thrilling and unexpected end. Of all the books, this has the best "nail-biting" factor, leaving the reader to wonder just when will the characters re-connect and how will they answer the puzzle laid out before them in the first pages. Even the conclusion is not a conclusion . . . a cliff-hanger of sorts as favorite characters wrestle with life issues and monumental decisions. A must-read if you are a fan of this series.

To the Moon and Timbuktu: A Trek through the Heart of Africa
by Nina Sovich

A Trek Through the Heart (6/28/2013)

The subtitle of To the Moon and Timbuktu is "a trek through the heart of Africa", but it seems to me that it could just as easily read "a trek through the heart." In this memoir, Nina Sovich carries us with her to the deserts of Africa as she seeks to find what is missing in her life. Not content to be a wife and professional journalist in Paris, she journeys to the regions of Africa least visited by whites, and certainly by white women traveling alone. The reader experiences not one, but three separate trips with her as she seeks to define her life as someone other than an American living in Paris. We taste the dust, feel the heat, long for water, swat the insects ... all as we sojourn in the Sahara with her. As Sovich makes peace with herself, so then do we make peace with her restless heart. A good read when all is said and done.

Her Last Breath: A Kate Burkholder Novel
by Linda Castillo

The Best Yet (5/1/2013)

I have read Linda Castillo's previous four books in her Amish thriller series, and Her Last Breath is the best yet. I tried to decide why I feel that way and have determined that it has more to do with her empathy and insight into human nature than it does with the "thriller" aspect. The novel did keep me guessing until the end, that is for sure. But I was especially moved by Castillo's depth of thought and her honest approach to the conflicts that exist in the hearts of the Amish people.

The plot is enhanced by the unfinished business of previous novels, so I would recommend that the reader be familiar with the stories that precede this novel. The new mystery is resolved, but the fallout from the earlier story will only make the reader more anxious for book six ... not a bad tactic on Castillo's part.

Fever
by Mary Beth Keane

Not your average historical fiction (3/5/2013)

Normally, I do not read historical fiction, because it is, after all, history--which I find difficult to read--and fiction--which sort of negates the history aspect. But I was intrigued by the topic, Typhoid Mary, and the fact that I knew so little about a woman whose name I had heard all my life. Fever captured my interest immediately and held on to it throughout the novel. Mary became more than a well-developed character. She became, instead, a woman of intrigue and conflicting emotions. There were elements of her personality which will resonate with most women--the need for independence, love, and respect. The fact that she lived 100 years ago only added to her appeal. Keane has melded the facts of that frightening time with the humanity of her characters and the quickly changing ethics of the early twentieth century. Still, Keane does not succumb to flippant fictional techniques and instead manages to write history in a serious, direct way while allowing her imagination to create believable scenarios and characters of depth.

Beneath the Shadows
by Sara Foster

A good start (5/28/2012)

I've struggled with writing this review because I liked the story, I really did. I didn't figure out the ending which is always a good thing when it comes to mysteries. The setting proved to be a character in itself; that's a plus in my book. But the narrative lacked a sophistication I've come to expect in a British mystery. I'm sure experience is the key to improving this. Conversation seemed a little simplified and didn't flow in a way that felt normal or expected. The plot headed in the right direction but sometimes seemed filled with gaps--a little more exploration into personalities and details would have enhanced the read. Still, the basic premise was intriguing and I wanted to finish the book, so I lean on the positive side of a 3 for this debut novel.

A Land More Kind Than Home: A Novel
by Wiley Cash

A Sublime Tragedy (3/11/2012)

As a resident of the mountains of North Carolina, I was drawn to this novel through curiosity. Add to that the facts that the author is from North Carolina and the style is one of changing point of view . . . well, I was hooked. And I was not disappointed. Included in the mix -- snake handling, a church closed off to the public by paper on the windows, a child caught in the midst of adult drama, and a sheriff fighting demons of his own. Wiley Cash is able to create a tension that both enthralls and exasperates. How can a town be so mesmerized by a power-hungry preacher? Not a new phenomenon--we've seen it before. How can parents ignore the needs of their children? We've seen that before, too. How can the weak be preyed upon? Yep, that's not new either. But Mr. Cash is able to bring these human weaknesses together in a story that has elements of mystery, fascination, and sheer dread. A fine read and a promising new author on the scene.

Sister: A Novel
by Rosamund Lupton

Mystery of haunting beauty and compassion (5/31/2011)

This reader was engaged from the start of this hauntingly beautiful and compassionate mystery. With its gripping complexity and heart-wrenching passion, the story had about it the same unforgettable intensity of "The Lovely Bones". While the mystery itself creates a page-turner, the poetry of the love between sisters is even more dominant. Lupton's language adds depth and captures the sense of profound loss throughout the novel. When the narrator states, "grief is love turned into an eternal missing", the reader experiences the pain she feels at the loss of her sister. And at that point, there is no rest until the murderer is found or the last page ends.

Bad Boy: An Inspector Banks Novel
by Peter Robinson

Personalities over Plot (7/17/2010)

How can I get across that this was a good novel, but not great; that I like the direction Robinson is going with his characters, but I'm not invested in them; that I enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot, but it wasn't hard to put the book down for several days at a time? Robinson is leading us away from Alan Banks--but maybe that's not so bad. Daughter Tracy and ex-lover/partner Annie are intriguing characters, and in their own way, add texture and dimension to Banks. I DID enjoy the complicated nature of Banks's relationship with Tracy and the emerging revived affection for Annie. Do you get the gist--that what appealed to me most were the personalities, not the story? I won't downplay the drama of the chase, the unique approach of the UK to gun control, and the surprise of the final showdown. But Robinson has written better Banks thrillers, and I'll be waiting for the next one.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning: A Novel
by Nancy Pickard

The Scent of Rain and Lightning (1/27/2010)

I love a good story. Even more, I love a good mystery. But, I confess, I'm a snob. Not only do I expect a page turner but also a novel that is well-written, an intelligent endeavor that anticipates intelligent readers. Nancy Pickard's The Scent of Rain and Lightning fulfills my expectations. This novel wraps a plot of twists and turns around characters that are alive with complications and nuances. These characters are themselves a collection of stories, embodying the good and evil that exists in all of us. The plot weaves its way across the pages as electrically as the storms that advance towards Rose, Kansas, bearing with them the heat of passion, the violence of revenge, and the rains of love. I have not read Pickard before, but I'm on the way to the library for more!

Reviews by Becky M. (Crumpler, NC)

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