Reviews by Pam S. (Wellesley, MA)

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Our Missing Hearts
Our Missing Hearts: A Novel
by Celeste Ng
A cautionary tale (10/3/2022)
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is a terrifying and all too believable fable that imagines a not-too-distant future America where a law has been passed that protects "American Values." The first part of the book is told from the perspective of …more
The Paris Bookseller
The Paris Bookseller
by Kerri Maher
Paris in the 1920s and the bookshop at its center (12/16/2021)
Kerri Maher has written a fascinating novel about Sylvia Beach, the American who opened Shakespeare and Company book shop in Paris in 1919. The store became a mecca for writers who flocked to Paris in the years between the world wars. Although I knew a little about Sylvia …more
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
by Marie Benedict
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie (11/13/2020)
In 1926, Agatha Christie mysteriously disappeared for 11 days leaving her husband and small daughter behind. England was riveted to the investigation and thousands of citizens joined in the search for the famous author.
Marie Benedict has re-imagined this story as a battle …more
The Woman Before Wallis
The Woman Before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
by Bryn Turnbull
The sad but fascinating lives of the rich and famous (7/22/2020)
This book is a must read for anyone fascinated with British royalty and the aristocracy during the period between the two world wars. There are three interwoven stories - that of Lady Thelma Furness who was the mistress of Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), the wild …more
Afterlife
Afterlife
by Julia Alvarez
Life goes on after retirement and death of spouse (3/8/2020)
I loved this novel which explores a year in the life of Antonia Vega, recently retired English professor, following the sudden death of her beloved husband. After months of grief, her life begins again when two events occur that bring her out of her solitary misery. Without …more
The Swans of Fifth Avenue
The Swans of Fifth Avenue
by Melanie Benjamin
The Swans of Fifth Avenue (11/4/2015)
This book is for anyone who was fascinated by the cultural and social world of mid 20th century Manhattan. It is a work of historical fiction that imagines the lives of Truman Capote and his "swans," the beautiful wealthy women who dominated NY society in the 50s and 60s. …more
Circling the Sun
Circling the Sun: A Novel
by Paula McLain
A breathless adventure (6/23/2015)
This was one of those books that you can't stop reading. Beryl Markham was an amazing woman whose fierce independence and bravery predated the woman's movement by more than half a century. Her story, as told by Paula McLain, was both poignant and empowering. The setting in …more
How the Light Gets In
How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel, #9
by Louise Penny
Surprising how interesting a little Quebec village can be! (7/30/2013)
Although this is the eighth in the author's series of mysteries set in rural Quebec and featuring Montreal homicide detective Armande Gamache, it was the first of the series that I have read. The story was interesting, fast-paced and complicated in the best possible way. …more
The Art Forger
The Art Forger
by B. A. Shapiro
The Art Forger (10/24/2012)
This debut novel set in current day Boston was a fun interesting read.
The main character – Claire Roth – is a talented artist who because of a scandal early in her career has turned to copying masterpieces for a living. She is asked by a prominent gallery owner to copy a …more
Sacre Bleu
Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d'Art
by Christopher Moore
Sacre Blue (3/8/2012)
Sacre Bleu is comic historical fiction about the post impressionist painters of the late 19th century. Toulouse Lautrec is one of the main characters. Fiction about art and artists is one of my favorite types but this book took me awhile to get into because of its totally …more
Adam & Eve
Adam & Eve: A Novel
by Sena Jeter Naslund
Interesting concept - disappointing execution (9/28/2010)
Although I had high hopes of an unusual and interesting story that re-imagined the story of Adam and Eve and dealt with issues of Biblical literalism and scientific knowledge, I was disappointed with Sena Jeter Naslund’s new novel Adam and Eve.
The story just didn't make …more
The House at Riverton
The House at Riverton: A Novel
by Kate Morton
The House at Riverton (5/7/2008)
Told in flashback by Grace, a loyal family servant, this debut novel tells the story of the Hartford family and Riverton, their English country estate, during the first quarter of the 20th century. This book has it all – the charmed but tragic lives of the landed gentry, …more
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