Reviews by Becky M. (Crumpler, NC)

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Red, White, Blue
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 …more
Young Jane Young
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 …more
The Stars Are Fire
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, …more
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
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 …more
The Alaskan Laundry
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 …more
Girl Waits with Gun
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 …more
Little Black Lies
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 …more
The Paris Winter
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- …more
Through the Evil Days
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, …more
To the Moon and Timbuktu
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 …more
Her Last Breath
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 " …more
Fever
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 …more
Beneath the Shadows
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 …more
A Land More Kind Than Home
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 …more
Sister
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- …more
Bad Boy
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? …more
The Scent of Rain and Lightning
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 …more
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