What are we Reading and Reviewing in February?

This is the place to let everyone know the books you are reading during february, and then to leave reviews of these books. You can put up a list of the books you are reading for the month or put a post about a book as you start it, or even both.

Don't worry we are not back at school a review can be something as simple as a sentence about the book or as comprehensive as you want to make it - whatever is good for you. This then allows people to discuss the book with you, and after all that is one of the main reasons we are all on here - to discuss books and our love of them.

Carol's Reads for February

Group Reads
✔Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard - 2/13/17 - 4.5 stars
✔The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry - 2/16/17 - 3 Stars
✔Natural Causes by James Oswald - 2/25/17/ - 4 stars

Blind Date With A Book
✔ The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - Treasure Trove - 2/1/17 - 4 Stars
✔In the Blood by Lisa Unger - Mystery & Suspense Group - 2/22/17 - 5 Stars

Mini Reading Challenge - Mystery & Suspense Group
✔Don't think Twice by Andrew Gross - 2/28/17 - 4 Stars
✔The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth Duncan - 2/17/17 - 3 Stars
✔The Furies by Mark Alpert - 2/18/17 - 3 Stars

Sub - Genera Challenge - Mystery & Suspense Extra
✔Deception Point by Dan Brown - 2/16/17 - 4.5 Stars

Others
✔A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer - 2/12/17 - 4 Stars
✔The Liar by Nora Roberts - 2/5/17 - 3.5 stars
✔Missing Presumed by Susie Steiner - 2/10/17 - 2 Stars
✔ Below the Belt by Stuart Woods - 2/4/17 - 3.5 stars
✔The Widow by Fiona Barton - 2/7/17 - 3.5 Stars
✔Cut and Run by Matt Hilton - 2/9/17 - 4 Stars
✔Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner -2/3/17 - 4.5 Stars
✔The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian - 2/24/17 - 3 Stars
✔Every Morning the Way Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman - 2/14/17 - 4.5 Stars
✔Fatal by John Lescroart - 2/20/17 - 3.5 Stars
✔The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston - 2/20/17 - 4.5 Stars
✔The Third Victim by Lisa Gardner - 2/26/17 - 3 stars

February 2017 Reads
✔★ ☊ ☞

Finished Reading
✔21. The Double Wedding Ring by Clare O'Donohue - 258 pg. - ★★★★ - 2/2/2017
✔22.☊1001 Books - The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery - 325 pg. - ★★★★★ - 2/3/2017
✔23. New Series - Robert Amiss Corridors of Death By Ruth Dudley Edwards - 186 pg.- ★★★★ - 2/4/2017
✔24. Next In Series - Speak Ill of the Living by Mark Arsenault -250 pg. - ★★★★★ - 2/5/2017
✔25. Next In Series - A Basket of Trouble #3 by Beth Groundwater - 293 pg. - ★★★★ - 2/7/2017
✔26. Group Read - Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard - 389 pg. - ★★★★★ - 2/8/2017
✔27. Early Reviewer Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan - 292 pg. - ★★★★★ - 2/10/2017
✔28. Next In Series Read - The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer - 485 pg. - ★★★★★ - 2/13/2017
✔29 ☊Historical Fiction The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - 440 pages - ★★★★★ - 2/14/2017
✔30. True Story - The Sky is Falling by Arthur Weingarten - 260 pages - ★★★★.5 - 2/15/2017
✔31.☊Planned Group Read #2 - The Charlemagne Pursuit #4 by Steve Berry - ★★★.5 - 2/17/2017
✔32. Next In Series The St. Valentine's Murders by Ruth Dudley Edwards - ★★★★ - 2/18/2017
✔33. New Author The Dry by Jane Harper - 328 pgs. - ★★★★★ - 2/19/17
✔34. New Series - But Remember Their Names by Hillary Bell Locke - 292 pg. - ★★★★ - 2/22/17
✔35. Next In Series Read - ☊ Shall We Tell The President by Jeffrey Archer - audio BCL - 326 pg.- ★★★★ - 2/27/2017
✔36. Mystery Sub-Genre Challenge - Operation Hail Storm by Brett Arquette - 291 pg. - ★★★★★ - 2/28/2017
✔37. Planned Group Read #3 - Natural Causes by James Oswald - 458 pg. - ★★★★ - 2/26/2017
✔38.Croatia - The Stone Fields: Love and Death in the Balkans by Courtney Angela Brkic - 336 pg. - ★★★★★ - 2/27/2017

Provisional list to choose books from in February:

Mystery and Suspense Group Reads
✔Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard : Starts Friday 3rd February (Ireland / Austria)
✔The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry : Starts Saturday 11th February (Denmark?)
Natural Causes by James Oswald : Starts Tuesday 21st February

Sub-Genre Challenge

Progressing Series
✔Death of a Hussy by M C Beaton
The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith (Botswana)
Agatha Raisin and the Days the Flood Came by M C Beaton
66 Degrees North by Michael Ridpath (Iceland)
✔The Wings of the Sphinx by Andrea Camilleri (Italy)
Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
The Mayan Codex by Mario Reading (Mexico)
Private Games by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan

Final Book in a Series
Signal for Vengeance by Edward Marston
The Rebels of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd (Ireland)
✔Churchill's Triumph by Michael Dobbs

New Series
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith (Russia)

Standalone
The Eyewitness by Stephen Leather (Bosnia and Hercegovina)
The Road to Gandolfo by Robert Ludlum (Vatican City)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (Wales)
✔Crusoe's Daughter by Jane Gardam 🎧
✔The Beachcomber by Josephine Cox 🎧 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/2/17

>4 Andrew-theQM:

I am curious as to your selection criteria for some these books. The only commonality I can see is most of the books are rated at 3.5 - 3.6 stars... which to me are marginal reads at best. The only books I would consider reading of this list are

1. The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith (Botswana) 3.91
2. Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear 3.89
3. Crusoe's Daughter by Jane Gardam 3.92
4. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith 3.98
5. Kingmaker - Winter Pilgrims by Toby Clements 3.86

and maybe

6. The Eyewitness by Stephen Leather 4.21 ( this book is highly rated but others by him are not so well received.)

One book - The Beachcomber by Josephine Cox rated at 3.17 - would never rate a glance by me. What is the attraction of such a lowly rated book????

Not meant as a criticism... just curious at what drives you to include some of these books in your reading list.

>5 Lynxear: Certainly didn't take it as a criticism 😊 and it is a very good question that has made me pause for thought.

Obviously three of them are Group Reads and the two that are already named, Robert Goddard and Steve Berry are favourite authors. Despite some variable ratings I am yet to find a Robert Goddard book I haven't loved, a master storyteller - do give him a try.

Some of the books on the list are books to progress or finish series off that I have already started and enjoyed. This is a major focus for me this year. I finished off 6 series in January! Others on the list are linked to a round the world challenge, with a particular focus on Europe during February so this is why I have chosen some books.

Interestingly the final book in a series trio are all historical fiction books. I have really enjoyed the one Edward Rutherfurd Saga I read and the Michael Dobbs' Churchill Series are all good reads.

Generally I don't let a rating of a book sway me, because others haven't liked it doesn't mean I won't. I will look at the blurb on the back, the cover and whether I've enjoyed that author previously. Just read Lie with Me which has some glowing recommendations and a rating of 3.86. I felt really disappointed by this book and it was lucky to get a 3.0 rating from me!

Rather than rating I go on my preferences, any challenges I am doing, recommendations from my friends on here or from my wife, favourite authors etc. Seems to work for me as my average rating in January was 4.08 over 20 books.

Have read one Stephen Leather book in the Spider Shepherd Series and enjoyed it. Although to be fair picked his book up from the library on Saturday as I knew his name and it visits Yugoslavia (as was) and was grabbed as I was walking out of the library without a lot of thought.

In relation to Josephine Cox, I have read a couple of her books in the past and enjoyed them as a palette cleanser and an occasional lighter read, and was passed to me by my wife in the pile of books she has read and I haven"t. There is also another pile in the house of books I have read and she hasn't. Great to have a shared interest! I wasn't even aware it had such a lowly rating. Sometimes I think ratings need to be treated with caution, some British books seem to have low ratings (e.g. Some Robert Goddard books) which is fully undeserved.

When I have checked ratings, most of the books I read do figure in the 3.8 - 4.2 area, but during the week in term time I like to read some lighter reads that may not rate as highly. Do like to mix it up and usually have great reading months.

Hope this helps clarify my thinking :)

>5 Lynxear: Gorky Park is a good example for me. Had waited to read that book for years and was really looking forward to it. It has a rating of 4.04. Read it as part of a group read which I led and just didn't enjoy it, too plodding amongst many issues for me and I gave it my lowest rating of the year last year of 1.5 stars. Doesn't mean others haven't enjoyed it but it just didn't work for me.

>5 Lynxear: Interestingly just noticed The Beachcomber is rated at 3.73 on Goodreads.

>6 Andrew-theQM:

Nice answer... having your feelings on the subject I will give you mine.

I don't usually go to a library for my reading material. Why? because if the novel is to my liking I want to own it. I have a personal library of I would estimate 1000 - 1500 books, far more than I show on this site. I don't want to waste money on books that I will give up on.

It is not perfect as you point out but I look at the rating consensus on LT as being very good. IT IS EXTREMELY RARE that a I find a 3.8+ rated book on LT to be not to my liking if it is in a genre that I like. So I do pay attention there.

I have several reading niches that I really enjoy... Napoleonic wars, historical fiction in general, American indians, mysteries especially historical ones, science fiction...not so much fantasy though, sailing ships of the line to name a few. So there is where I look for the most part and when I find an author I like, I read every book I can find in used book stores.

When I am in a bookstore, and I see something that looks interesting, I will read the first 2-3 pages and then thumb to the middle and read a couple more.... If I like the writing style and premise I will buy it. This is not 100% though as I have been fooled several times. Right now I am reading Stand into Danger... what looked promising in the above test is disappointing in the actual read. I am going to finish the book but holding my nose as I do...cliches, characters that are wooden and a story that is nowhere near the quality of CS Forrester or P. O'Brian... definitely one I will try to trade back to the store to recover some $ and save space on my shelves :)

That in a nutshell describes my approach.

>8 Andrew-theQM:

hahaha... perhaps that is reflective of Good Reads readership. That is unfair...but I have never been lead astray by LT's readers

Lynda and Oliver's February Reading Plan

Mystery

✔ Blue Murder by Emma Jameson - 3 Stars - 2/22/17
✔ Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry - 2.5 Stars - 2/17/17
✔ March Violets by Phillip Kerr
✔ Dead in the Water by Dana Stabenow - 4 Stars - 2/16/17
✔ Drop Shot by Harlan Coben - 4.5 Stars - 2/1/17
✔ Family Sins by Sharon Sala - 4 Stars - 2/9/17
✔ Ice Beneath Her by Camilla Grebe - 4.5 Stars - 2/19/17
✔ Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard - 5 Stars - 2/8/17
✔ Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue by Victoria Thompson - 4.5 Stars - 2/6/17
✔ Natural Causes by James Oswald - 4 Stars - 2/24/17
✔ Reunion in Death by J. D. Robb - 4 Stars - 2/13/17
✔ Something Blue by Emma Jameson - 3 Stars - 2/25/17

Other Than Mystery

✔ American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin - 1.5 Stars - 2/12/17
✔ Be Careful What You Wish For by Jeffrey Archer - 4.5 Stars - 2/11/17
✔ Best Kept Secret by Jeffrey Archer - 4.5 Stars - 2/5/17
✔ Cometh the Hour by Jeffrey Archer - 4.5 Stars - 2/20/17
✔ Commonwealth by Ann Patchett - 3 Stars - 2/4/17
✔ Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn - 4 Stars - 2/3/17
✔ Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory - 5 Stars - 2/18/17
✔ Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond - 4 Stars - 2/10/17
✔ Parrot's Perch by Karen Kielt - 3 Stars - 2/23/17
✔ Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks - 4 Stars - 2/21/17
✔ Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor - 4 Stars - 2/7/17
✔ These Is My Words by Nancy Turner - 4.5 Stars - 2/16/17
✔ Best Kept Secret by Jeffrey Archer - 5 Stars - 2/26/17
✔ Watership Down by Richard Adams - 5 Stars - 2/2/17

>2 Carol420: - I am really looking forward to Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner
>3 EadieB: - I can't believe you, Carol and I are all reading some Jeffrey Archer this month.
>4 Andrew-theQM: - I love the title "Death of a Hussy"
>5 Lynxear: - I admit I've never looked at a rating before selecting my books.

>12 Olivermagnus: There are some great titles in this series, e.g. Death of a Nag, Death of a Cad, Death of a Bore, Death of a Glutton, Death of a Dreamer.

The Double Wedding Ring by Clare O'Donohue - 4 stars
I started reading this series in 2011 and really enjoyed the setting of Archer's Rest located on the Hudson River in up-state New York. The characters are a bunch of fun-loving friends who grew up in this small town, went to school together and now work at the Someday Quilt store. Nell is dating Jesse, the chief of police, and they get involved in helping him solve some of the murders that happen in town. Jesse doesn't always want their help as he is afraid for their safety but the women don't always pay attention which leads to lots of fodder for Clare O'Donohue's Someday Quilt series. The books should be read in order as there are relationships which grow throughout the series. This is the 5th and last book in the series and hopefully not the last. I will anxiously wait the next book but in the meantime, I will read the Kate Conway Mystery series which Clare O'Donohue began in 2011 also. I would highly recommend the Someday Quilt series to those who love quilting and small town mystery books.

As I can't pick up the book from the library until Saturday, unfortunately I can't start the Group Read of Long Time Coming until Saturday instead of today. Apologies for that.

Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner
FBI Profiler series Book #7
4.5 Stars

From the Book:
Is he a hero?

Eight years ago, Sharlah May Nash’s older brother beat their drunken father to death with a baseball bat in order to save both of their lives. Now thirteen years old, Sharlah has finally moved on. About to be adopted by retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner, Sharlah loves one thing best about her new family: They are all experts on monsters.

Is he a killer?

Then the call comes in. A double murder at a local gas station, followed by reports of an armed suspect shooting his way through the wilds of Oregon. As Quincy and Rainie race to assist, they are forced to confront mounting evidence: The shooter may very well be Sharlah’s older brother, Telly Ray Nash, and it appears his killing spree has only just begun.

All she knows for sure: He’s back.

As the clock winds down on a massive hunt for Telly, Quincy and Rainie must answer two critical questions: Why after eight years has this young man started killing again? And what does this mean for Sharlah? Once upon a time, Sharlah’s big brother saved her life. Now, she has two questions of her own: Is her brother a hero or a killer? And how much will it cost her new family before they learn the final, shattering truth? Because as Sharlah knows all too well, the biggest danger is the one standing right behind you.

My Thoughts:
This is a book that you are either going to love or you're going to hate. There will be no straddling the fence here. The subject of child abuse is never an easy one to read about and more than likely it's probably not the easiest subject to write about.

Lisa Gardner's novels always seem to have a dark theme running through them and I thought that this one was not going to be an exception. However the further I read the more I found this one to be more sad than dark. It's not so much a mystery or a thriller but more of a drama and very character driven. I wished the Conner's had been more than a background filler but the book was very well written and well worth the wait for another Quincey and Rainie novel.

>16 Carol420: I think I'd be in the hate category. I can't read books about child abuse.

Elegance of a Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery - 5 stars
I found this book to be a beautiful well-written fable-like story. It was very unusual but at the same time clever and witty. The main characters are two intellectuals. Renee Michel is a 54 year-old concierge in a Parisian apartment house. She decides to become what society expects her to be. Paloma Jesse is a 12 year-old resident who merely wants to be average but she decides she's going to commit suicide on her 13th birthday because she thinks life is meaningless. When Kakuro Ono, a Japanese businessman, moves in their 3-way friendship causes Renee and Paloma to see life differently.

The book is mainly about relationships and having people in our lives that make us feel comfortable to be ourselves and not what other people expect us to be. It also teaches us to find those special moments that give us a reason to live. I found myself really enjoying the ending and would have to say that looking back on the book it was very thought provoking. I would highly recommend this novel to those who love books that make you think about the meaning of life.

Corridors of Death by Ruth Dudley Edwards - 4 stars
This is the first book in the Robert Amiss Mystery Series which captures the Machiavellian and homicidal world of the British Civil Service. I learned a lot about British governmental hierarchy within the complex bureaucracy of Whitehall. It's a social satire with engaging characters and a murder investigation under the direction of Detective Superintendent James Milton of Scotland Yard. Sir Nicholas Clark is dead and all the suspects clearly wanted him dead, including his wife. It's not until a very surprising ending do we find out what really happen to Permanent Secretary, Sir Nicholas Clark. I found this to be a page turner and can't wait to read the next book in the series. I highly recommend the book to those who like British police procedurals with satire and wit.

Below the Belt by Stuart Woods
Stone Barrington Series Book # 40
3.5 Stars

From The Book:
Newly ensconced in his Santa Fe abode with a lovely female companion, Stone Barrington receives a call from an old friend requesting a delicate favor. A situation has arisen that could escalate into an explosive quagmire, and only someone with Stone’s stealth and subtlety can contain the damage. At the center of these events is an impressive gentleman whose star is on the rise, and who’d like to get Stone in his corner. He’s charming and ambitious and has friends in high places; the kind of man who seems to be a sure bet. But in the fickle circles of power, fortunes rise and fall on the turn of a dime, and it may turn out that Stone holds the key not just to one man’s fate, but to the fate of the nation.

My Thoughts:
Thank you, Mr. Woods. Once again you have given us our "old" Stone Barrington and not the fast and loose playboy that he had been in some previous books. Good to have Stone back.

This one only received 3.5 stars from me...not because it wasn't interesting or well written...but because in places it had entirely too much politics. After our recent real election fiasco, I just didn't need anymore politics. There were some scary truths in the storyline though. The idea that a mega rich man could dare to think he could buy his very own President along with his own cabinet members while eliminating anyone that stood in his way...and nearly succeeding.

Like all of Stuart Wood's books it is a fast read and has absolutely no wasted words. He gets right to the point.

Finally got a hold of Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard for the Group Read so can now set up a schedule and start reading!

Saturday 4th February : One to Ten
Sunday 5th February : Eleven to Eighteen
Monday 6th February : Nineteen to Twenty-Seven
Tuesday 7th February : Twenty-Eight to Thirty-Six
Wednesday 8th February .: Thirty-Seven to Forty-Five

>21 Andrew-theQM:
Looks good Andrew! I got my book ready too!

The Beachcomber by Josephine Cox
Standalone
⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book has got some very mixed reviews, including some poor ones; I'm not sure why this is the case unless people picked the book up not knowing what type of book it was. This is essentially a romance book with an element of mystery in it. If you read it from this perspective it is a very enjoyable book! There are multi facets to the story, characters you like and are rooting for, and characters you just hate! It is quite a long story but as with this type of book you know it is going to come right in the end. If you are looking for a light enjoyable romance, with an element of mystery thrown in then this could be the book for you, if you are looking for a high brow classic that might win a prestigious award then I would say avoid this one! Overall I enjoyed it and will continue to read books occasionally by Josephine Cox.

>23 Andrew-theQM: That sounds like a fun read that I'd like for a change of pace. But my library doesn't have it so I'm putting it on my list of books to look for at the next library book sale. Even if I don't find it, it's fun to have books to look for.

>24 gaylebutz: That"s the real fun of book sales, it's like a treasure hunt and you never know what you are going to find.

It's not a Mystery or Suspense but I;m going to post the review here anyway because it's a darn good book:)

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
4 Stars

From The Book:
Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sister, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

My Thoughts:
Many of us have lived through these times. It's 1964, the year of the Civil Rights Act, in Sylvan, S.C. Lily Owens is 14 years old and not only fleeing her abusive father, T-Ray, but also the police that beat her motherly servant, Lily for defending her new right to vote.

The story and the characters speak so openly of how life was in that time and the hardships some had to endure. It is really hard to do the book justice without giving away so much of it. Let's just say that it is beautifully written. I loved the writing...the descriptions... and the humor sprinkled through the story. There was sadness and love, hope and forgiveness – but ultimately The Secret Life of Bees is the coming of age for a young girl who had more than enough tragedy in her life. I highly recommend this book

>26 Carol420: This book is on my radar, and feel free to post about books other than mystery and Suspense on here. There are many great books outside this genre.

➡ ✔ ★ ♥

📚 Library books
🐾 Graphic Novels
☊ Audio books

Group reads
✔ Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard - 4 stars
I'll sit out The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry
✔ Natural Causes by James Oswald - 4 stars

✔ PBT monthly tag - quirky - Pyramids by Terry Pratchett - 3.4 stars
✔ 1001 Labors of Herkules - Le noeud de viperes by Francois Mauriac - 5 stars
✔ SFF Kit - space travel - A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs - 3.4 stars
✔ AwardsCAT - Canada Reads / The Morning News Tournament - 🐾 Essex County by Jeff Lemire CBC Canada Reads for People's Choice (2011) - 5 stars
✔ CultureCAT - Medicine & Public Health / CATWoman - Debut books- Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt - 5 stars
✔ M&S sub genres - techno thriller - Gideon's Sword by Preston/Child - 3 stars
RandomCAT - Mine, Yours and Ours - My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
1001 - Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga

Backlog
✔ The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza - 4 stars
✔ CultureCAT - Ethics in Science - Capitalism by Garry Leech - 3.4 stars
✔ CATWoman - Classic - ☊ The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side by Agatha Christie - 3.6 stars
AwardsCAT - Costa Award - H is for Hawk by Helen McDonald
M&S sub genres - young adult - The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Other reading
✔ Booked for Trouble by Eva Gates - 3 stars
✔ 🐾 Patience by Daniel Clowes - 3.6 stars
✔ 🐾 Summer Blonde by Adrian Tomine - 4 stars
✔ Le mani insanguinate by Mauricio di Giovanni - 4 stars
✔ ☊ Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan - 3.6 stars
✔ ☊ Allmen und der rosa Diamant by Martin Suter - 3.6 stars
✔ The Return : fathers, sons, and the land in between by Hisham Matar - 5 stars
✔ ☊ Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik - 4 stars
✔ Ensel und Krete by Walter Moers - 3.4 stars
➡ Ghostheart by R.J. Ellory

The Liar by Nora Roberts
4 stars

From The Book:
Shelby Foxworth lost her husband. Then she lost her illusions…

The man who took her from Tennessee to an exclusive Philadelphia suburb left her in crippling debt. He was an adulterer and a liar, and when Shelby tracks down his safe-deposit box, she finds multiple IDs. The man she loved wasn’t just dead. He never really existed.

Shelby takes her three-year-old daughter and heads south to seek comfort in her hometown, where she meets someone new: Griff Lott, a successful contractor. But her husband had secrets she has yet to discover. Even in this small town, surrounded by loved ones, danger is closer than she knows—and threatens Griff, as well. And an attempted murder is only the beginning.

My Thoughts:
The first part of this was fascinating. Shelby discovering that her husband was never even close to who or what she thought he was and consequently the entire four and a half years of her life was one gigantic and dangerous lie. The only good thing that came from the marriage was three year old Callie Rose. How she went about getting herself out from under over three million dollars in debt while discovering more and more deception at every turn, would have by itself have made a excellent book. The story, for me at least, began to break down when she and Callie Rose returned to her family in Tennessee. Everyone was just too sweet to be believable or digestible for very long. I'm from the south and I know that family is everything but this felt way over the top. It was however a good story and picked up when the private detective tracked her down and became involved again. It earned the 4 stars.

Drop Shot by Harlan Coben - 4.5 Stars

Drop Shot is the second book by Harlan Coben featuring Myron Bolitar, a former basketball phenom, now working as a sports agent. Drop Shot opens with Myron watching his client, tennis star Duane Richwood, make it to the finals of the U. S. Open. Former tennis legend, Valerie Simpson, has been trying to get in touch with Myron all day but he's been unable to return her calls. During the match, a gunshot is heard and Myron finds out that Valerie has been shot dead in the Food Court.

The police want to question Duane as a possible suspect because Valerie's phone records show she called his house several times. His alibi seems to be airtight since he was playing tennis in front of millions at the time she was shot. Myron feels some guilt about Valerie's death because she was on her way to see him, so he and his best friend, Windsor “Win” Horne Lockwood III, decide to investigate the murder.

Myron's banter is quick and funny, and the secondary characters are very well developed. Myron is quirky and a real master of the one liner, especially during times of stress. Win is one of the most interesting characters I've ever encountered, as is Esperanza Diaz, Myron's associate and a former wrestler with the Fabulous Ladies of Wrestling. I'm becoming a huge Myron Bolitar fan and plan to read the rest of the series throughout the year.

Best Kept Secret by Jeffrey Archer - 4.5 Stars

The third book of the Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer follows Harry and Emma Clifton, their son, Sebastian, and Emma's brother Giles into the 1950s and 1960s. It picks up immediately after the events of Sins of the Father. And I do mean immediately. Giles and Harry are waiting to find out who will inherit the Barrington family fortune. As in all family sagas, some of the characters we loved in the first books, like Harry's mother, are neglected so we can start to focus on the next generation of the family.

Harry has become a successful author, Giles is now a Labour party MP, and Emma is getting more involved in the family shipping business and trying to find out what happened to the baby girl found in Sir Hugo Barrington's office on the night of his death. She discovers the baby, now called Jessica, is in fact her half sister and will leave no stone unturned to find and adopt her. One of the best things about Jeffrey Archer books is the over-the-top evil characters, like Alex Fisher. This book introduces the reader to Lady Virginia Fenwick, who will turn out to be one of the most manipulative women in fiction, and who coincidentally is Giles Barrington's fiancee. Sebastian heads off to school and becomes best friends with Bruno Martinez, whose mysterious father is a wealthy entrepreneur of dubious deals.

This is a compelling potboiler of drama, intrigue and revenge. While this might not be the best book of the three Clifton Chronicles I've read, I am completely hooked on the series. Archer could probably have cut out a number of pages in the book and it wouldn't have affected the flow of the story. Be warned that each and every one of these books seems to end in a cliffhanger and is essentially one long book (there are seven in total). I've been listening to the audios, narrated by Alex Jennings, who does an exceptional job.

Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley
Standalone
⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was another good book by Susanna Kearsley, but not in the league of my favourite one by her - Mariana - which would make my favourite books list. There was a good story in this in the current time frame and a good and interesting group of characters had been pulled together; however whilst the back story had good connections to Merlin, Henry Tudor and Owain Glyn Dŵr there was not enough of the historical element in this book for my liking. A very light touch connection compared to what I was expecting and this is why the book is not rated higher, even though I did enjoy the story and there was a surprise at the end of the book.

Speak Ill of the Living by Mark Arsenault - 5 stars
This is the 2nd and last book in Mark Arsenault's Eddie Bourque Series. I read the first book in the series called Spiked about 3 years ago. I enjoyed it so much that I contacted Mark Arsenault, a journalist from Rhode Island, and asked him when he was going to write more books. He said that he has a wife and 3 children and needs a steady job to support them and that he would write more books in the future. I've been holding off reading this last one as I have been cherishing it and have finally succumbed. I must say that I am not disappointed in Mark Arsenault's writing as I have found it to be a fast-paced, humor-filled page turner just like the first book.

I love the main character, Eddie Bourque, who is a hard-nosed freelance reporter and a great mystery solver too. He's smart, intuitive, stubborn and never quits when he is on track chasing down the baddies. I found all the characters to be well-drawn and very unique. The plot was tense and the ending was very suspenseful. I am now looking forward to that time in the future when Mark will once again take up his writing skills and turn out more Eddie Bourque novels. I highly recommend his books to those who love mystery books that are witty and humor-filled.

Fly By Wire by Ward Larsen (1st in the Jammer Davis Series}
4.5 stars

Amazon Description.

With its revolutionary fly-by-wire technology, the C-500 had become the freight airframe of choice. Until a routine delivery goes horribly wrong. Falling like a stone from six miles up, a brand new C-500 crashes in central France, killing two pilots aboard. When French officials take over this highly public investigation, they call in the best there is: they call Frank Jammer Davis. A retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, Davis is part of the NTSB's go-team. With a reputation for getting things done-and for steamrolling anyone who gets in his way-Davis starts to dig. But just as Davis starts his investigation, news of the crash is overshadowed by a more spectacular disaster: suicide bombers attack oil refineries worldwide, sending governments and financial markets into a tailspin. A relentless Davis keeps investigating, but uncovering the cause of the crash, and its terrifying connection to this worldwide disaster, reveals a conspiracy of unthinkable proportions-a conspiracy he might not be able to stop. Jammer Davis won't stop until he gets answers-or until somebody stops him from getting answers.

Review.

I like books that grab you from the first page, and then hold on to your interest so much that it seems to be no time at all before you have finished the book. This is one of those books for me.
The plot is logical, steers clear of developing into scenarios that are not believable and contains some surprises along the way. I was interested in Larsen’s knowledge of aircraft mechanics and development, which is not surprising knowing his background as a military pilot, and he always managed to keep such content interesting.
The idea of such a conspiracy as the one behind this story is quite terrifying, but Larsen never allows it to go too far as to make it incredible. I look forward to the next in the series.

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer - 3.5 stars

From Amazon.com:
The epic tale of Harry Clifton’s life begins in 1920, with the words “I was told that my father was killed in the war.” A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father and expects to continue on at the shipyard, until a remarkable gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys’ school, and his life will never be the same again...
As Harry enters into adulthood, he finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question: Was he even his father? Is he the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore, or the firstborn son of a scion of West Country society, whose family owns a shipping line?

This was an enjoyable story about the struggles of Harry Clifton and his family told from the perspectives of many of the characters. As each character told their side of the story, new pieces of information were revealed. The first half of the book was similar to other stories I've read but the second half had a number of surprises and a big cliffhanger of an ending. Overall, I liked it, found it very easy to read and plan to read the next book in the series.

This series seems to be very popular right now. For this one and the next in the series, there was/is a longer than normal number of people on the waiting list at the library. I also see that several people in this group are reading the series.

>35 gaylebutz: - I'm totally hooked on the series. I'm on #4, Be Careful What You Wish For. I'm looking at it as one long book because they all end in a cliffhanger. Fortunately they are all published (there's seven in total) so I won't have to wait to find out what happens.

>34 Alan1946: - I have this book but it keeps falling lower and lower on my TBR. It fits a challenge for me so maybe I'll dig it out thanks to your great review.

>35 gaylebutz: >36 Olivermagnus: Agree loved this series and the last book had me in tears!

>35 gaylebutz: >36 Olivermagnus: I currently have Only Time Will Tell on hold w/Overdrive.

>38 Andrew-theQM: Uh oh... my wife always makes fun of me if I blubber while reading...

Looking forward to this series; I read a couple of Archer books in my teens and Kane and Abel was one that really stuck with me. He writes sweeping epics in rather spectacular fashion.

>39 ScoLgo: Books are meant to move us emotionally, this one did!

Loved Kane and Abel but Read It over 30 years ago!

>39 ScoLgo: >40 Andrew-theQM: I had forgotten about Kane and Abel. It was the first Archer book I read and it probably has been at least 30 years ago. Times flies when you're having fun. Doesn't everyone laugh and cry when they read? Someone pass the box of tissues:)

>41 Carol420: I would if I could see them but I can't for the tears!

The Widow by Fiona Barton
3.5 Stars

From The Book:
There’s a lot Jean hasn’t said over the years about the crime her husband was suspected of committing. She was too busy being the perfect wife, standing by her man while living with the accusing glares and the anonymous harassment.

Now her husband is dead, and there’s no reason to stay quiet. There are people who want to hear her story. They want to know what it was like living with that man. She can tell them that there were secrets. There always are in a marriage. The truth—that’s all anyone wants. But the one lesson Jean has learned in the last few years is that she can make people believe anything…

My Thoughts:
Jean wanted nothing more in life than to be a mother. It became an obsession to her and her husband's seeming lack of enthusiasm only added to her misery. Jean had been taught to support her husband in all things but the more she learned about his secret life...the more she questioned that idea. The question became...just what would Jean do to have a child and just how far would Glen go to provide her with her fondest wish? That question has become almost three years old for DCI Bob Sparks and he needs to find little Bella Elliot, who was taken from her garden... and/or make an arrest for her kidnapping.

The Widow was a first book for Fiona Barton. The story is magnetic in it's ability to keep you glued to the book reading just one more chapter and then just one more, and one more. The characters are so diverse in their personalities and produce so many different emotions while telling their stories. If the reader has read any other novels with a similar plot, will find that they will eventually figure out who was guilty... but it takes almost the entire book. Good job Ms. Barton.

A Basket of Trouble by Beth Groundwater - 4 stars
This was not my first book by Beth Groundwater. I have read all of her books from her RM Outdoor Adventure Series to this her last book in the Claire Hanover Gift Basket Series. Her books are always quick and easy reads with believable characters and interesting dialogue. The plots are fast-paced with lots of adventure, mystery and suspense. This book features Claire Hanover's brother, Charley, and his new riding stable business. One of the stable hands has been found dead and Claire is determined to help the police find the killer before her brother's new business is ruined.

An important issue of immigration reform is a center point in the novel and the reader gets both sides from the employer to how it also impacts the immigrant. There are many twists and turns in the story until the very surprising ending. If you decide to read her books, I would suggest you read them in order, so as not to feel left out when past happenings are mentioned. I would highly suggest these books to those who love mysteries with lots of outdoor activities.

Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard - 5 stars
Robert Goddard is the master of complex plots with lots of twists and turns, surprise endings and plenty of interesting history mixed in. This book takes us to England, Ireland and Belgium. The chapters switch back and forth from 1940 to 1976. Eldritch Swan was in an Irish prison for 36 years and his nephew, Stephen Swan, has been asked to help Eldritch repair the wrongs from the past which include forged Picassos, IRA terrorists and lots of secrets. It's a tale of revenge, redemption and justice which keeps you riveted and pages flying until the very end. I am now looking forward to reading the rest of my Goddard books, as he is one of my favorite writers. I would highly recommend his books to those who love well-written mystery books with lots of intrigue.

>43 Carol420: I'm planning to read this one soon. I was hoping it'd be picked for the February read. Your review sounds good.

Festive in Death by J.D.Robb
3 1/2 ⭐️s

Eve Dallas and Roarke are getting ready for a huge Christmas party at their home. However, in the middle of the night Eve is called to a homicide. A personal trainer with his head bashed in and a knife in his heart was found by Eve's beauty technician, Trina. Trina and a friend, recently dumped by the deceased, had sneaked into his apartment to put itching powder in his body cream, drunken payback time. The personal trainer was known for his womanizing, so there are plenty of suspects. Eve and Peabody really need to solve this by Christmas. Not as many twists and turns as found in many of this series. However, there was a fair amount of humor. A decent entry into the series.

Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard
5 Stars

I want to start out by saying this is my first Robert Goddard read and I was totally blown away by this book. The setting switches between 1940 and 1976 in Europe, primarily in London, Belgium, and Ireland. I like to look up facts about places and events mentioned and this book is loaded with those.

The story begins with an old man named Eldritch Swan being released from a prison in Ireland after 36 years. He shows up at the door of the only family he has left, his nephew Stephen and his sister-in-law, Stephen's mother. Stephen Swan had been told his whole life his uncle was killed by the Germans in a London air raid in 1940. So when he shows up alive he wonders what is going on??

Stephen soon finds out he is not going to get many answers from his uncle. As his uncle claims it was part of his prison release that he never disclose why he was imprisoned all those years. Naturally Stephen is leery of his long lost (dead?) Uncle Eldritch.

So through many twists and turns the story goes...trying to find out what really happened to Uncle Eldritch all those years ago and why it still has to be such a secret now. The author did a great job of drawing you in right off the bat and wanting you to keep reading. This was a hard book to put down at night. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves a good mystery mixed with some historical fiction.

Cut and Run by Matt Hilton
Joe Hunter series Book #4
4 stars

From The Book:
An assassin with Hunter’s face launches a terrifying murder spree intended to frame his adversary—forcing Hunter to run from the pursuing law and his vengeful adversary alike, with no one to turn to for help and nowhere to hide.

My Thoughts:
The story begins with a nice twist right off the bat...one that I have to admit that I fell for even though it was so "unjoe". Someone has taken a great deal of time and effort to frame Joe for the murders of several cops in Tampa. It seems that Joe has no where to go that this assassin can't find him. With the help of his best friend and a former CIA agent he begins the journey to save the sister of a victim he feels he has failed and to put his life back together.

The only thing that was a little offsetting was that I don't believe that the author has ever visited Tampa or Florida for that matter. Some of the things he used in his scenes just don't exist there. But that was something that didn't really effect the story at all. Cut and Run was a fun, brutal, fast paced thriller. If you like a book full of constant action then this series is for you.

Schedule for Group Read of The Charlemagne Pursuit, book 4 in the excellent Cotton Malone Series.

A longer read than usual. The first section is the longest section in order to take us to the end of part one.

Saturday 11th February : Prologue and One to Fifteen
Sunday 12th February : Sixteen to Thirty
Monday 13th February : Thirty-One to Forty-Two
Tuesday 14th February : Forty-Three to Fifty-Eight
Wednesday 15th February : Fifty-Nine to Seventy
Thursday 16th February : Seventy-One to Eighty-Two
Friday 17th February : Eighty-Three to Ninety-Four

Missing Presumed by Susie Steiner
DS Manon series Book #1

From The Book:
At thirty-nine, Manon Bradshaw is a devoted and respected member of the Cambridgeshire police force, and though she loves her job, what she longs for is a personal life. Single and distant from her family, she wants a husband and children of her own. One night, after yet another disastrous Internet date, she turns on her police radio to help herself fall asleep—and receives an alert that sends her to a puzzling crime scene.

Edith Hind—a beautiful graduate student at Cambridge University and daughter of the surgeon to the Royal Family—has been missing for nearly twenty-four hours. Her home offers few clues: a smattering of blood in the kitchen, her keys and phone left behind, the front door ajar but showing no signs of forced entry. Manon instantly knows that this case will be big—and that every second is crucial to finding Edith alive.

The investigation starts with Edith’s loved ones: her attentive boyfriend, her reserved best friend, her patrician parents. As the search widens and press coverage reaches a frenzied pitch, secrets begin to emerge about Edith’s tangled love life and her erratic behavior leading up to her disappearance. With no clear leads, Manon summons every last bit of her skill and intuition to close the case, and what she discovers will have shocking consequences not just for Edith’s family but for Manon herself.

My Thoughts:
I can't really say that I liked this book or that I will continue the series...although I do like to give both a fair chance. Maybe because it's a first book in a new series for her but I found the book to drag from the very start. I didn't care about her love life...at least not two full chapters of who she was taking to bed and why. I guess it boils down to that the book is full of characters that I couldn't care about and were mostly totally unlikable.

Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan - 5 stars

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
This book is an atmospheric thriller about six college students who visit the dilapidated ruins of Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary in August 1980 and before the night is over one of them is missing. This event will haunt their lives until 2015 when remains are finally found. One of them will be charged with murder while the one who can testify to his innocence is protecting secrets of her own which will sacrifice her present situation if she comes forward to testify. This novel explores the meanings of identity, loyalty, love and shows how people are more deserving of forgiveness than judgment. We are given a chance throughout to analysis the characters and how the disappearance of one of their friends has affected them.

I found the characters to be well-drawn and very interesting. The plot is one that hooks you from the beginning and doesn't let go until the last page is turned. There are lots of twists, turns and emotions flowing throughout. The timeline switches between 1980 and 2015 and the author does this very well. I was born and grew up in Philadelphia so I enjoyed the many references to buildings, area descriptions, happenings, art, literature and music from the 1980's and the present.

I now look forward to reading more from this author and would highly recommend this book to those who liked The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer
4 ★'s

From The Book:
If Danny Cartwright had proposed to Beth Wilson on any other day, he would not have been arrested and charged with the murder of his best friend. But when the prosecution witnesses happen to be a group of four upper-crust college friends―a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat, and the youngest partner in an established firm's history―who is going to believe Danny's side of the story?

Danny is sentenced to twenty-two years and sent to Belmarsh prison, the highest-security jail in the land, from where no inmate has ever escaped. But Spencer Craig, Lawrence Davenport, Gerald Payne, and Toby Mortimer all underestimate Danny's determination to seek revenge―and the extent to which his fiancee Beth will go in pursuit of justice.

My Thoughts:
The result of the intriguing trial...which sees a novice defense lawyer against a well seasoned and skilled prosecutor...is a 22-year sentence for Danny. However Danny is lucky enough to share a cell with Sir Nicholas Moncrieff, who teaches him the ins and outs of surviving prison life. Danny learns well and begins to plot a scheme to enact his pound of flesh on the three men responsible not only for the death of his best friend but in a large part to Danny's 22 year sentence for a crime that all readers know....he didn't commit. Just when you think you have things figured out...Archer throws us an ending you just won’t see coming. Anyone that thrives on courtroom dramas will find this book irresistible.

Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard
4.5 stars

From The Book:
Stephen Swan is amazed when he hears that the uncle he thought had been killed in the Blitz is actually alive. For nearly four decades, Eldritch Swan has been locked away in an Irish prison and now, at last, has been released. Shocked and suspicious, Stephen listens to the old man’s story and is caught up in a tale that begins at the dawn of World War II, when Eldritch worked for an Antwerp diamond dealer with a trove of Picassos—highly valuable paintings that later disappeared. Stephen, who finds his uncle by turns devious, charming, and brazen, then meets Rachel Banner, a beautiful American who may have inherited the Picassos—and is determined to see justice done for her family. But in this tale of revenge and redemption, justice is the ultimate illusion. Eldritch, Stephen, and the woman Stephen has fallen in love with soon find themselves fighting for their lives—against sinister forces still guarding a secret that must never be revealed.

My Thoughts:
A stolen trove of Picasso paintings and a bit of Irish history... that in a nutshell is what Robert Goddard's standalone novel A Long Time Coming is comprised of.

It's 1976. Eldrich Swan has been released from a Irish prison after 36 years imprisonment. He returns to England and is recruited to recover the Picasso's which is currently the property of an American tycoon and on exhibition at the Royal Academy of London. His nephew Stephen and the granddaughter of a Jewish diamond merchant... his former employer and owner of the art... help in the recovery. The paintings had been stolen from a vault of a London art dealer in the early days of World War II.

Like most of Goddard's novels, there is yet another story at the heart of this one also. It's the dawn of World War II and the neutrality of Ireland featuring some real-life characters. Eamon de Valera...a hero of the Easter Uprising of 1916... is Tsoiseach of the Irish Republic having served as early President of the Irish Free State. It's June , 1940 and Malcolm MacDonald of the British Legation is in Dublin to try and persuade Eamon de Valera and Ireland to join the war effort. Also in Dublin is the fictional Eldrich Swan searching for a master forger named Desmond Quilligan.

Goddard takes the reader back-and-forth from 1940 Dublin to 1976... and then to Belgium where the matter of the stolen art is finally resolved. It was another truly fascinating Robert Goddard adventure.

>53 Carol420: That sounds like a good one. I've just recently discovered Jeffrey Archer after reading the 1st book of the Clifton chronicles. By the way, Archer actually did do 4 years of prison time so he knows firsthand about life in prison!

>53 Carol420: >55 gaylebutz: Yes and a VERY high profile case at the time, given atvone time he was an MP and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party!

He did write some prison diaries about his time inside.

Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard
Standalone Thriller
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❤️

What do you say? Robert Goddard is the master story teller, he paints a picture and takes you there, unravelling the story one layer at a time rather like the layers of an onion. He is one of my favourite authors and has never let me down, and this is one of his best stories. This book is filled with intrigue, betrayal, espionage, political machinations and a mystery element that is not revealed until the end. What more could you want? What are you waiting for? Read this book! You will not be disappointed. ❤️

Crusoe's Daughter by Jane Gardam
Standalone - Historical Fiction
⭐⭐1/2

This book has good reviews and has a good literary feel to it, but I'm afraid it just wasn't for me. There just seemed a lack of detail and of connection to historical events to keep me fully engaged in the story. There were points in the story where it started to engage me, like when she first taught a class, but these weren't developed and subsequently I lost interest. It is a good book but just didn't do it for me.

The Eye of Shiva by Alex Lukeman
#8 in the Project Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another very enjoyable book in what appears to be this little known Project series. This one revolves around the Legend of the Eye of Shiva, and the friction between India and Pakistan which is exploited by terrorist groups. An enjoyable and quick read but in the matter of personal affairs I wish Nick and Selena would sort themselves out, they need their heads banging together! Perhaps in the next book!

Wings of the Sphinx by Andrea Camilleri
#11 in the Inspector Montalbano Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love this series and love Inspector Montalbano, not many books translate well but these ones do. A great little group of characters that have been pulled together with always some interesting crimes or murders for him to solve. Good, light, fun reading and I look forward to continuing with the next book in the series. Although I do have to say he needs to sort out his love life before it is too late! Haven't read these? Do give them a try.

Crescent Dawn by Clive Cussler with Dirk Cussler (21st in Dirk Pitt Series)
4 stars

Amazon Description.
An ancient cargo long thought lost is found. With terrible consequences . . .
Dirk Pitt is surveying in the Middle East when a stroke of luck reveals an Ottoman wreck with a very curious cargo. While investigating the find, he foils a night raid on Istanbul's Topkapi Palace Museum. This puts Pitt at the centre of a race to acquire a series of legendary artefacts.
Meanwhile, the region is being pushed to the brink of war by a series of explosions across Turkey and Egypt. Finding that his search for the artefacts is linked to the attacks, Pitt must prevent a deranged brother and sister's fanatical plans succeeding...

Review.
Another Cussler book in which my attention was grabbed right from the very start. I think that it must be something to do with the historical introductions that the Cusslers use to create an interest. However that may be, it certainly worked.
On this occasion we have a distinctly Turkish interest with siblings Celik and Maria trying to reassert their “inheritance” to the Ottoman Empire. Additionally there are others who are seeking the wreck for financial rather than political purposes. Include in the developing plot the death of Lord Kitchener on the HMS Hampshire in 1916, something in which the Church of England may or may not have had a hand, and his apparent ownership of a mysterious document called The Manifest, the revelation of which could have great repercussions throughout the religious world, and you have a Cussler plot that can hardly go wrong. The pace is almost frenetic, but I am beginning to lose count of how many times Dirk saves the world, although not tiring of reading about him doing so. Al Giordino and Dirk’s twins, Dirk and Summer, also have their parts to play with the characters of the twins developing with each story.
Now looking forward to the next one – Poseidon’s Arrow.

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
Novella
4.5 Stars

From The Book:

It's an exquisitely moving portrait of an elderly man’s struggle to hold on to his most precious memories, and his family’s efforts to care for him even as they must find a way to let go.

With all the same charm of his bestselling full-length novels, here Fredrik Backman once again reveals his unrivaled understanding of human nature and deep compassion for people in difficult circumstances. This is a tiny gem with a message you’ll treasure for a lifetime.

My Thoughts:
It is amazing how Backman managed to capture so much emotion so perfectly. It's a story about love and tenderness and letting go and remembering and legacies and family. I believe that Frederick Backman said everything that needs to be or can be said about this little gem. So with a heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Bckman for sharing his story...here is his quote.

"This is a story about memories and about letting go. It's a love letter and a slow farewell between a man and his grandson, and between a dad and his boy. I never meant for you to read it, to be quite honest. I wrote it just because I was trying to sort out my own thoughts, and I'm the kind of person who needs to see what I'm thinking on paper to make sense of it. But it turned into a small tale of how I'm dealing slowly with losing the greatest minds I know, about missing someone who is still here, and how I wanted to explain it to my children. I'm letting it go for now, for what it's worth. It's about fear and love, and how they seem to go hand in hand most of the time. Most of all, it's about time. While we still have it." ... Frederick Backman

The Sky is Falling by Arthur Weingarten - 4.5 stars
This is a true story of a B-25 bomber which crashed into the Empire State Building in New York during dense fog on July 28, 1945. The pilot, Colonel Smith, was a Navy pilot and a decorated war hero. He took extraordinary risks in flying the plane from Boston MA and trying to land at Newark NJ airport. All three crew members were killed and 11 people in the building died in the fire. An elevator operator plummeted 78 floors when the cables were severed by the plane and actually survived. I found this book to be a fascinating and detailed account by Arthur Weingarten who was 10 years old at the time and visiting New York with his father. He wrote the book in 1977 but was unable to get an official report from the Navy as it was classified and lost in a fire where files were destroyed. Weingarten has since interviewed many eyewitnesses and got first-hand information. I found the book hard to put down and I would recommend this novel to those who like books about epic historical events.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannan - 5 stars
This is a beautiful but heartbreaking novel written about German-occupied war-torn France during WWII. It takes place in Carriveau and is mainly about two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac. Isabelle is rebellious and 18 years old when she falls in love with Gaetan. When he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and becomes known as The Nightingale while risking her life to safe others. It is a story of survival, love and freedom and shows Isabelle's courage during this epic period of war. Kristin Hannah has done an excellent job of portraying the durability of the women who were left behind to take care of the family and were often raped by the German soldiers who took over some of their homes. I found parts of this story to be highly emotional and hard to read but I do look forward to reading more books by Hannah.I highly recommend this novel to those who like books that show the resilience of the human spirit.

The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer - 5 stars
Jeffrey Archer's family saga of Kane and Abel continues in this 2nd book of the series. Richard Kane is a banking magnate who is successful, handsome and determined to build a future with the woman he loves. Kate Rosnovski is that woman and her family are Polish immigrants with a love of America and a dream for the future. Kate's dream is to become the first female President of the United States. This book tells how she fulfills that dream. I enjoyed this book as much as the 1st book in the series and I now look forward to reading the 3rd book and last of the series. I highly recommend this series to those who love family sagas.

>63 EadieB: >64 EadieB: >65 EadieB: A productive day!

>66 Andrew-theQM:
Nightingale was audio. The Prodigal Daughter I've been reading for the past week. One of the postal workers at my post office asked if I could find her The Sky is Falling and I traded a book for it so I read it this afternoon. It was a very quick read because it had a lot of pictures in the book.

The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri
#1 in the Inspector Montalbano Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is actually the first book in the series, but it is the ninth one I've read. It was interesting how they introduced Montalbano and having read the others I can see how the group of characters have been developed. A good introduction to the series with a very intriguing mystery, and an interesting outcome at the end of the book. One of my favourite series.

>68 Andrew-theQM: - I have this book and hope to start it soon.
>64 EadieB: - I listened to the audio of The Nightingale too. It was do well done and I gave it a 5 too.

>68 Andrew-theQM: >69 Olivermagnus: I have this one, too: it's next on my list, (for when we finish 'The Charlemagne Pursuit').

>45 EadieB: Eadie, your touchstone for 'Long Time Coming' leads to the wrong book.

>57 Andrew-theQM: So does yours, Andrew.

>71 Sergeirocks:
It's fixed now! Thanks Sergei.

>71 Sergeirocks: Frustrating, this one keeps leading to the wrong book. Grrrrrrrr......

>70 Sergeirocks: You will enjoy it Sergei and it is a quick read.

Deception Point by Dan Brown
4.5 Stars

From the Book:
When a new NASA satellite spots evidence of an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory...a victory that has profound implications for US space policy and the impending presidential election. With the Oval Office in the balance, the President dispatches White House Intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton to the Milne Ice Shelf to verify the authenticity of the find. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic academic Michael Tolland, Rachel uncovers the unthinkable: evidence of scientific trickery—a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy.

But before Rachel can contact the President, she and Michael are attacked by a deadly team of assassins controlled by a mysterious power broker who will stop at nothing to hide the truth. Fleeing for their lives in an environment as desolate as it is lethal, their only hope for survival is to find out who is behind this masterful ploy. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all.

My Thoughts:
It started out rather slow but by the fourth chapter had started to really pick up the pace...and from there the story moves very fast and is full of twists and turns. It has a very clever plot in which you are never completely sure just who is 'the good guy". I loved that I was never completely sure what was going to happen or what I really wanted to happen. I can't say too much more without giving away the next reader's joy of immersing themselves in this very entertaining book. I did think that the author did a marvelous job of tying up the story lines into a very well done ending. The only thing that was missing in this one was all the puzzles that readers have come to associate with Dan Brown books.

The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry
Cotton Malone series Book #4
3 ★'s

From The Book:
As a child, former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone was told that his father died in a submarine disaster in the North Atlantic. But what he now learns stuns him: His father’s sub was a secret nuclear vessel lost on a highly classified mission beneath the ice shelves of Antarctica.

Twin sisters Dorothea Lindauer and Christl Falk are also determined to find out what became of their father, who died on the same submarine–and they know something Malone doesn’t: Inspired by strange clues discovered in Charlemagne’s tomb, the Nazis explored Antarctica before the Americans. Now Malone discovers that cryptic journals penned in “the language of heaven,” conundrums posed by an ancient historian, and his father’s ill-fated voyage are all tied to a revelation of immense consequence for humankind. As Malone embarks on a dangerous quest with the sisters, he will finally confront the shocking truth of his father’s death and the distinct possibility of his own.

My Thoughts:
It's not a bad book by any means...but certainly is not the best of this series. If I had depended on the description alone in choosing the book it would have rated very high as the subject was something that I am very interested in. As it turned out the characters were very hard to keep up with since the author jumped around in the time elements as well as what was taking place with each character in so many different localities. The usual team that Cotton works with were nearly all absent except for Stephanie and she was scarce and really wasn't working with Cotton. If this had not been a group read...which always adds so much to a book...I have to confess I probably wouldn't have finished it.

>64 EadieB: I am glad to see that you rated The Nightingale so highly - it's been in my TBR stack for awhile, along with a couple others of hers, and I hope to get to them soon.

The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth Duncan
Penny Bannington series Book #1
3 Stars

From The Book:
The picturesque North Wales market town of Llanelen is shocked when Meg Wynne Thompson, a self-made beauty who has turned out to be something of an unpopular bride, goes missing on her wedding day--and turns up dead.

The last person believed to have seen Meg alive is local manicurist Penny Brannigan, who vows to find the killer. Seems that several people--including those on the guest list--had reasons to wish Meg dead. But when the trail leads Penny to the groom, a red-hot secret threatens to shake the small town to its very core.

My Thoughts:
I picked the book for a challenge that I was participating in. I knew it was a cozy and they are not my favorites...so I really don't want to pick the book apart. I can only say that it was okay. It was too easy to figure out who one of the guilty parties was and the second person was someone who was in your face obvious once the author revealed the twist in the story. I didn't get the motive for the murder even after the author revealed it. Reading about changing appointment times and canceling appointments became rather mundane and repetitive stuff after the first few times of Penny re-scheduling clients so she could go off investigating just wasn't my cuppa tea. Those that really like cozy mysteries will probably like it a lot more than I did.

>76 Darth-Heather:
Nightingale was really good. I listened to the audio.

Raven Black - 3.5 stars

From Library Description:
The murder of teenager Catherine Ross sends shockwaves through a small Shetland community, and most of the fingers of blame point to loner and simpleton Magnus Tait. But Catherine's vicious and sudden demise has thrown a veil of suspicion over everyone who knew her, and one local detective is keeping all options open.

Much of the story focuses on various characters, their thoughts and their lives including Detective Jimmy Perez, who grew up on the island, and is working on the investigation. The pace is slow and the tone is a bit dark but it fits with the story. I liked it and will read more by this author.

>79 gaylebutz: We did this series as group reads, they are great books and only get better.

>74 Carol420: I've read Deception Point and thought it was an entertaining adventure too.

This book isn't mystery and Suspense but still thought I'd share it:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Standalone
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm not sure how to categorise this book or even how to describe it. I think it was more like an experience than a book, and I have to admit I was carried away and totally captivated by the whole thing. In short I loved it. Not the best story you might ever read but it just had that je ne sais quoi! I can see how it would be a book you'd either love or hate with not much middle ground. I listened to this on the commute and Jim Dale did an excellent job with it. Couldn't wait at the end for the next commute and had to just keep on listening! A magical book on a magical theme!

>82 Andrew-theQM:
It was a great book! I enjoyed it very much too! A magical fantasy!

The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry
#4 in the Cotton Malone Series
⭐⭐⭐

After the first few books in the series this one was a great disappointment! It seemed too long and too disjointed. The usual characters were missing (and were a big miss) and I didn't like the central characters in this book. Even Cotton seemed to show poor judgement and to be acting out of character. Hopefully they get back on track with the next book.

>83 EadieB: Pleased to hear it wasn't just me.

>83 EadieB: I'm pleased to hear it too - I bought a copy but haven't read it yet. So many books, so little time :)

>82 Andrew-theQM: I read The Night Circus a couple of years ago. While 'Magical Realism' is not usually my favorite genre, this book really worked for me too. Not exactly a barn-burner for action but very atmospheric. I found myself fully immersed and turning the pages, (flipping e-screens actually), at a rapid pace.

The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry - 3.5 stars
I was a little disappointed in this book as it was not as good as the first three in the series. It started out as an interesting concept about finding out what was going on in Antartica but too much was going on with the other stories and made the book too choppy. I liked learning about Charlemagne and all the history but was spoiled by the weird sisters and their mother being involved. I thought the ending was a bit anti-climatic because there's no way I believe what they found and too many people died in this story. It didn't seem like Cotton needed to be involved with that family. They were a waste of his time and energy. Here are a few points in order to make the next book better:
1. Steve Berry needs to write his own books as I can't believe he wrote this one.
2. He needs to pick one event in history and write a story about that instead of having too many storylines going on at the same time.
3. I like when Vitt and Thorvalsen are in the story and it worked before so don't change that.
4. Never have weird people in your book again, Steve, we don't like them.
I don't think this book was a total disaster but it was a bit long when you are not really enjoying all the people in the story. I will continue with the series as I think this book may be a bump in the road and things will smooth out in the future.

>88 EadieB: Agree with this totally!

>87 ScoLgo: Agree with your thoughts ScoLgo.

The Furies by Mark Alpert
3 stars

From The book:
For centuries, the Furies have lived among us. Long ago they were called witches and massacred by the thousands. But they're human just like us, except for a rare genetic mutation that they've hidden from the rest of the world for hundreds of years.

Now, a chance encounter with a beautiful woman named Ariel has led John Rogers into the middle of a secret war among the Furies. Ariel needs John's help in the battle between a rebellious faction of the clan and their elders. The grand prize in this war is a chance to remake the human race.

Mark Alpert's The Furies weaves cutting-edge science into an ingenious thriller, showing how a simple genetic twist could have inspired tales of witchcraft and sorcery, and how the paranormal could indeed be possible.

My Thoughts:
I'd like to give the author the credit he deserves for creating a story and a universe that is not only interesting but very diverse. He has taken historical events and woven them into quiet an adventure. I believe...at least for me...it would have been worthy of another star if he had woven the story more around that parallel universe. The story strives for scientific plausibility...but it is too eager to explain things thus bogging the reader down in half formed theories.

The idea of "witches" existing in their human forms through the centuries and never ageing is an interesting concept and this should have been what was built on throughout the book.

>91 Carol420: This is the problem with some books, they spend too long explaining things rather than weaving it through the plot which stops the flow and Suspense within the story. For me Dan Brown is a prime example of this, and it has got worse with his recent books.

>91 Carol420: >92 Andrew-theQM: Sounds as though Alpert may have been absent the day they covered the 'show, don't tell' lesson in creative writing class... ;)

It's too bad when a really great premise gets bogged down by writing style.

St. Valentine's Day Murders by Ruth Dudley Edwards - 4 stars
While working at the British Conservation Corporation Robert Amiss ends up trying to help Jim Milton find out which of Robert's co-workers is a murderer. Boxes of chocolates were sent to the co-workers' wives by the murderer and a few deaths occurred as the chocolates were laced with strychnine. The plot was interesting and unfolded with a few twists and turns that keep interest high with pages turning quickly. I enjoyed Ruth Dudley Edwards' dialogue as there are lots of funny moments dealing with her cast of well-drawn characters. I look forward to reading the next in the series and recommend this series to those who like quick enjoyable mystery reads.

>93 ScoLgo: LOL! He said he got the idea for the story from a school paper his son had written. Maybe he should have let his son write the book.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
#4 in the Sherlock Holmes Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Although not a great fan of short stories, this was a good collection of cases involving Sherlock Holmes. Most of them left you wanting more. Interesting this early in the series of books to finish with Holmes and Moriarty at The Reichenbach Falls - also intriguing how this last scene wasn't told by Arthur Conan Doyle. Will always leave you wondering exactly what happened.

Black Rose by Alex Lukeman
#9 in the Project Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

This is a very enjoyable series and I felt this was one of the best books so far, focusing around a Plague having been stolen from North Korea and an attempt to use it on targeted countries. Some good intrigue and counter intrigue, and also took Selena's story forward. Pleased to see things improved between Selena and Nick. Things are about to change for the Group! Certainly can recommend this series, especially if you enjoy authors such as Vince Flynn, Daniel Silva, Brad Thor etc...

The Dry by Jane Harper - 5 stars
This book was set in rural Australia during a drought. Jane Harper has created a novel with great sense of place as I could actually feel the heat and dust in my throat while reading The Dry. The characters were believable and I especially loved the interaction between Falk and Raco, the two police investigators. The excellent plot moved very well with great use of flashbacks for telling the back story from 20 years ago. There were many twists and turns that kept me changing my mind about who the murderer could be. This is a fabulous debut from Jane Harper and I hope to read more books by her in the future. I would highly recommend this book for those who enjoy complex murder mysteries.

Fatal by John Lescroat
Standalone
3.5 Stars

From The Book:
Kate loves her life. At forty-four, she’s happily married to her kind husband, Ron, blessed with two wonderful children, and has a beautiful home in San Francisco. Everything changes, however, when she and Ron attend a dinner party and meet another couple, Peter and Jill. Kate and Peter only exchange a few pleasant words but that night, in bed with her husband, Kate is suddenly overcome with a burning desire for Peter. What begins as an innocent crush soon develops into a dangerous obsession and Kate’s fixation on Peter results in one intense, passionate encounter between the two. Confident that her life can now go back to normal, Kate never considers that Peter may not be so willing to move on.

Not long after their affair, a masked man barges into the café Kate is sitting in with her best friend, firing an assault weapon indiscriminately into the crowd. This tragedy is the first in a series of horrifying events that will show Kate just how grave the consequences of one mistake can be.

My Thoughts:
John Lescroart is an excellent writer and his courtroom series with Diz and Abe is one of the best to come off the press. While this one had good characters it somehow missed the mark in the plot department. Nothing that Peter...the dead guy...did to become dead... made any sense what so ever. Why would a successful attorney jeopardize his entire life as he knows it to have a two hour fling with a woman he barely knows, and why would he change his personality so drastically because of it? I'm sure it probably could and does happen but the reader is left in limbo. It's never successfully explained enough for the reader to buy into it. Please go back to the wonderful novels with all the courtroom drama that are so exceptional.

Schedule for Group Read of Natural Causes by James Oswald, #1 in the Inspector McLean Series.

Tuesday 21st February : 1 - 11
Wednesday 22nd February : 12 - 23
Thursday 23rd February : 24 - 38
Friday 24th February : 39 - 51
Saturday 25th February : 52 - 65 and Epilogue

The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston
Non-Fiction
4.5 Stars

From The Book:
Since the days of conquistador Hernán Cortés, rumors have circulated about a lost city of immense wealth hidden somewhere in the Honduran interior, called the White City or the Lost City of the Monkey God. Indigenous tribes speak of ancestors who fled there to escape the Spanish invaders, and they warn that anyone who enters this sacred city will fall ill and die. In 1940, swashbuckling journalist Theodore Morde returned from the rainforest with hundreds of artifacts and an electrifying story of having found the Lost City of the Monkey God-but then committed suicide without revealing its location.

Three quarters of a century later, bestselling author Doug Preston joined a team of scientists on a groundbreaking new quest. In 2012 he climbed aboard a rickety, single-engine plane carrying the machine that would change everything: lidar, a highly advanced, classified technology that could map the terrain under the densest rainforest canopy. In an unexplored valley ringed by steep mountains, that flight revealed the unmistakable image of a sprawling metropolis, tantalizing evidence of not just an undiscovered city but an enigmatic, lost civilization.

Venturing into this raw, treacherous, but breathtakingly beautiful wilderness to confirm the discovery, Preston and the team battled torrential rains, quickmud, disease-carrying insects, jaguars, and deadly snakes. But it wasn't until they returned that tragedy struck: Preston and others found they had contracted in the ruins a horrifying, sometimes lethal-and incurable-disease.

My Thoughts:

“There was once a great city in the mountains,” he writes, “struck down by a series of catastrophes, after which the people decided the gods were angry and left, leaving their possessions. Thereafter it was shunned as a cursed place, forbidden, visiting death on those who dared enter.”

It reads like a dark fairy tale…but in 2012, Douglas Preston was present as the expedition team attempted to use light detection and ranging technology to identify the city’s location in the uncharted wildernesses of Honduras; they shot billions of laser beams into a jungle that no human beings had entered for perhaps five hundred years....and with good reason. They succeeded in locating two large sites, apparently built by the civilization that once inhabited the Mosquiteria region. A return trip took place in 2015 to explore the sites on foot, an experience that was easier said than done but resulted in remarkable archaeological finds.

It’s not Douglas Preston's usual Agent Pendergast novel or one of his wonderful technological offerings …it’s a true adventure that the reader as well as the explorers may many times wonder if it may not have been best to just “let sleeping dogs lie.” An exceptional, entertaining, and educational read.

>101 Carol420: I've read several of Preston's books and enjoyed them. This book sounds like it could be one of his fiction books even though it's a true story. Sounds very interesting.

>102 gaylebutz: Odd but I thought the same thing. Sounds just like something he would write. I had a hard time convincing my mother that it was really non-fiction. It wasn't until she saw him on one of the recent news shows talking about the trip and the book that she became a believer.

In the Blood by Lisa Unger
5 Stars

From The Book:
Liar, liar, pants on fire . . . College senior Lana Granger has told so many lies about her past that the truth seems like a distant, cloudy nightmare. But she meets her match when she begins babysitting for a volatile, manipulative eleven-year-old boy. Soon after Lana takes the job, her close friend Beck mysteriously disappears. Lana instantly begins fabricating stories - to friends, to police, to herself. Why doesn't her account jibe with those of eye-witnesses? Lana will do anything to bury the truth about that night ... and about her life. But someone else knows her secrets. And he's dying to tell.

My Thoughts:
You won't get very far into the book before you know that you have a winner in your hands and you might as well prepare for late, late nights of reading. Well we all have to make sacrifices you know:)

This author is a master at creating psychologically damaged characters....and Lana is no exception. Narrated from Lana's perspective... we soon learn that she is seen as a compulsive liar. By her own descriptions of events it soon becomes clear that she can give "mentally unstable" a completely new meaning... and It doesn't stop there. Many of the other characters fall into the "unstable" category. Luke is eleven years old and is way beyond his age with the knowledge he would be expected to have... and his behavior is so off the wall that he has been asked to leave almost every school he has attended. If two aren't enough for you we have Professor Langdon Hewes. He comes across at first as kind and caring but before long the hairs on the back of your neck let you know that all is not as it seems. Even the missing girl is manipulative and abrasive.

It's a book that will remain with you long after the last page is read and these psychopaths are once again safely enclosed between the covers of the book.

But Remember Their Names by Hillary Bell Locke - 4 stars
This was an excellent debut of a legal thriller by Hillary Bell Locke and I enjoyed it very much. The author is a graduate of Harvard Law School and one of the points she makes with this novel is "you go to law school to learn law but not justice." The protagonist learns this by defending her client who by the end she knows is guilty but is put in a position that if she decides to prosecute her client, it would break the client/lawyer relationship. It was a complex plot with interesting characters that kept the pages turning. The title comes from a quote by Robert F. Kennedy: "Forgive your enemies but remember their names." I will definitely read more by this talented author and I would highly recommend this book to those who love legal thrillers.

>105 EadieB: I like legal thrillers and your review sounds good. I put this on my TBR list.

>103 Carol420: I put the Preston book on my TBR list too.

Watchman by Ian Rankin
Standalone
⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was an interesting early book written by Ian Rankin that he was planning during his honeymoon! At first moving along quite gently and you are trying to work out who is behind things and why, but when it moves to Northern Ireland and Ireland it really takes off, grabs you by the threat and doesn't let you go until the end. Also one or two good links in the book to the Rebus series. Very glad I read it, and I think he would write some more espionage books.

Death of a Hussy by M C Beaton
#5 in the Hamish Macbeth Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another very enjoyable visit to Lochdubh, but it doesn't start off well for Hamish - they have shut the village Police station down and sent him to work in a nearby town. If you ever go to Lochdubh make sure you behave yourself, as anyone that is not nice gets murdered. Once again Hamish comes to the rescue in finding the murderer. An interesting ending to the book which may set it up for future books. Always feel refreshed following my all too brief visits!

The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian
3 Stars

From The Book:
When Kristin Chapman agrees to let her husband, Richard, host his brother's bachelor party, she expects a certain amount of debauchery. She takes their young daughter to Manhattan for the evening, leaving her Westchester home to the men and their hired entertainment. What she does not expect is that the entertainment—two scared young women brought there by force—will kill their captors and drive off into the night.

With their house now a crime scene, Kristin's and Richard’s life spirals into nightmare. Kristin is unable to forgive her husband for his lapses in judgement, or for the moment he shared with a dark-haired girl in the guest room. But for the dark-haired girl, Alexandra, the danger is just beginning.

My Thoughts:
I have always enjoyed novels by this author and found them easy reading with interesting themes. This one somehow just didn't live up to the standards of the others. I don't know if it was the topic of human slavery and the Russian mob or if it was the sleazy actions by the guests at the bachelor party...but it just lacked something. So I would have to say the book was just "okay". I didn't hate the book. It had promise from the description... but I found it tedious and was glad when it ended.

Churchill's Triumph by Michael Dobbs
#4 in the Winston Churchill Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

A very interesting book that brought this excellent series on Churchill to an end. It covers the week long Yalta Conference which outlined the creation of the United Nations, what post war Europe was to look like and how Russia was going to be brought into the war against Japan (and the cost of this). This certainly set the tone for the European scene over the next 40 - 50 years and more.

Throughout proceedings Stalin seemed to have the upper hand, including the Conference taking place in Crimea! If this is an accurate record it appeared to me that Roosevelt wasn't well enough to play his full part and this led to some appeasement towards Stalin, and almost betraying Churchill and Poland. As Roosevelt died a couple of months later it is clear he wanted to ensure above all else that the United Nations was set up to ensure lasting peace (at least in his eyes) and even gave Stalin three votes in the United Nations to ensure this. Obviously this is historical fiction so may not be a fully true record but does feel rooted in quite a bit of fact. It does make me want to go away and research events at this time more.

It is clear Churchill didn't trust Stalin and was proven right with events that happened over the next few months and years. I feel really that the die was already cast, so really the Conference was a bit of a Lame Duck Conference.

I particularly like the way the author weaved in the events of one Polish man and his 'adopted' family into the events in the book. Very readable and I do recommend the whole series.

>109 Carol420: I've read 4 of Bohjalian's novels and I liked them and found them to have interesting topics with a twist at the end. I haven't read The Guest Room. I may feel the same way you did about the subject. I know there are some others that I haven't read yet but want to so I think I'll leave The Guest Room for last, if at all.

>111 gaylebutz: Please don't not read the book because I was put off on the subject and the characters. Like you, I have found all his other books interesting, well written. I guess you can't win'em all:)

Natural Causes by James Oswald
Inspector McLean series Book #1
4 Stars

From The Book:
A young girl's mutilated body is discovered in a room that has lain sealed for the last sixty years. Her remains are carefully arranged in what seems to have been a macabre ritual.

For newly appointed Edinburgh Detective Inspector Tony McLean, this baffling cold case ought to be a low priority, but he is haunted by the young victim and her grisly death. Meanwhile, the city is horrified by a series of bloody killings—deaths for which there appears to be neither rhyme nor reason, and which leave Edinburgh's police at a loss.

McLean is convinced that these deaths are somehow connected to the terrible ceremonial killing of the girl, all those years ago. It is an irrational theory. And one that will lead McLean closer to the heart of a terrifying and ancient evil

My Thoughts:
This story of crime and mystery, set in Edinburgh, reminds us that the city has some dark deeds in its past. This story adds one more element of “dark” and “evil” to the mix.

The story moves very quickly for the most part and the bodies keep piling up, Detective Inspector McLean meets with resistance from some team members, however the scenes in the police station are well done, and the variety of characters throughout are well portrayed. Of course Oswald throws in one for us to hate. There is a hint... almost like a small dusting... of a supernatural element... that allows the reader to form their own opinion as to it’s authenticity. Over all a great first book and I look forward to the second one.

Doll House by John Hunt
4 Stars

This was a good one!! The story begins with Olivia getting ready to go off to college. The very day she is dropped off by her dad, she is kidnapped and held prisoner by two very dark, sick, twisted and tortuous men. These men are known to Olivia as Gorilla and Jackal by the masks they wear when they enter her room.

For five years Olivia is held in this same room. It is unreal what she goes through at the hands of these two sickos. The graphic torturing events in the story were hard for me to read so if this is something that bothers you I would not read. Eventually Olivia is able to escape along with two other girls who also had rooms in this warped “Doll House”.

After Olivia’s escape she returns to live with her father who has become an alcoholic during her years of captivity. I did find myself getting irritated at Olivia’s dad, Harry, when Olivia had to take care of him and his alcohol problem after she had been through so much.

The author takes you through the thoughts, emotions, anxieties, and fears of Olivia’s post-captivity life. Olivia and Harry have so much emotional baggage to carry around after this set of horrific events. They both feel guilty and at times blame themselves for what happened.

The point of view switches throughout the story mostly between Olivia and the Jackal, who by the way was never captured and is still out there somewhere. The best part of the story for me was trying to figure out the identity of the Jackal. The police find out after interviewing all of the girls that the Jackal did things different when it came to Olivia. They believed the Jackal may be someone Olivia knew since he never spoke to her but he did the other girls.

The action rises towards the end…just wait until you find out the identity of the Jackal. Overall this is a great book…I give it 4 stars.

Cruising for Murder by Susan Sussman 3 stars

From Amazon:
Dancer/singer Morgan Taylor impulsively accepts a gig on a Caribbean cruise ship, anticipating three weeks of show tunes and suntans -- not a stage set for murder. Her friend Kathy, the show's production director, neglected to tell Morgan that the entertainer she's replacing died under mysterious circumstances. And when Morgan's beautiful, backstabbing roommate is found floating in the turquoise waters of the Bahamas -- neatly zipped into a garment bag -- things look ominous indeed.

This was a light, easy to read story with a bit of humor, tidbits about being an entertainer and the operations of a cruise ship. The main character, Morgan Taylor, is very likeable and mostly tries to get her job done and enjoy the cruise despite a murder or two. But she did take a couple of silly risks trying to find things out and the ending was a bit over the top. Although the first book in this series, Audition for Murder, was better, I still enjoyed reading about Morgan.

The Third Victim BY Lisa Gardner
The FBI Profiler series Book #2
3 Stars

From The Book:
An unspeakable act has ripped apart the idyllic town of Bakersville, Oregon, and its once-peaceful residents are demanding quick justice. But though a boy has confessed to the horrific crime, evidence shows he may not be guilty.

Officer Rainie Conner, leading her first homicide investigation, stands at the center of the controversy. It's hitting too close to home, bringing back her worst nightmares, threatening to expose her secret sins. But with the boy's life at stake, she won't let anything stop her from finding the real killer.

With the help of FBI profiler Pierce Quincy, Rainie comes closer to a deadly truth than she can imagine. Because out there in the shadows a man watches her and plots his next move. He knows her secrets. He kills for sport. He's already brought death to Bakersville and forever shattered the community. But what he has really come for is Rainie -- and he won't leave until he has destroyed her.

My Thoughts:
It's almost like history repeating itself for Raine as she struggles to come to gripes and believe that 11 year old Daniel O'Grady shot n d killed a teacher and two young classmates. Raine herself has nightmares about being accused of killing her own mother fourteen years ago. Supervisory Special Agent Pierce Quincy from the FBI enters the turmoil to study child killers and to offer assistance to a small police force that up to now the largest crime they have investigated is a traffic accident. The two start out cautiously but eventually find they work well as a team. As anyone can guess that has read books of this type...they are probably destined to be more than just a "team".

I have a measure of hope for this series. I'm not a big fan of romance books and usually skip them all together but I will wait to pass any real judgment on the series. Perhaps it will turn out to be as good as Gardner's D.D. Warren series.

Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle.
#5 in the Sherlock Holmes Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

A veritable classic, what more can you say! Despite the course of time this is still a great story. After all the collections of stories about Sherlock Holmes I really enjoyed the greater depth that a novel allowed with a very intriguing story and some great inventiveness in the writing! I wish he'd written more as extended novels. Definitely should be read by everyone.

Natural Causes by James Oswald
#1 in the Inspector McLean Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐

I read this as a Group Read and as an author new to me, based around a newly promoted detective in Edinburgh. I have to say I think I have found a new and good author who put together an excellent story, with bodies dropping all over the place based on events in the past. It had all the markings of a 4.5 star rating or higher, and halfway through the last section of the book I still wasn't totally clear what was going on. However the ending with it's supernatural element just let it down a touch for me. I don't mind supernatural but the book wasn't really advertised as such so this cost it half a star for me. However it was still a very good read and I will be continuing with the series.

The Russian Deception by Alex Lukeman
#11 in the Project Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a cracking read, Cold War in the 21st Century! There has been a coup in Russia and they are planning a great deception to rise to their former glories. This book grew on me more as the story developed. I would however suggest ensuring you read these books in order as one sub-plot in this book would have provided a big spoiler to the previous book. I do love how these books are put together and great to see a large part of the story take place in lesser known countries , Macedonia and Albania. Do give this series a try, at the last time of checking book 1 is still free on Amazon.

The Voynich Deception by Michael Lancashire
#1 in the Architect Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Found this book free on Amazon and read it as part of a challenge. I quite enjoyed the set up of this book, although it took a bit to get going. Not the best writing I've ever read but did really enjoy the plot and was going to give it 3.5 stars but really enjoyed the twist at the end and so this raised it up to 4 stars. Will be interested to see how this series and writer develops.

Natural Causes by James Oswald - 4 stars
James Oswald is a new author for me and I found his writing to be very easy to read. His characters were very well-drawn and by the end of the book, I felt like I knew them very well. The plot had more supernatural aspects then I am used to reading with the mystery suspense genre which made the book feel more like horror. I was glad to see that the supernatural aspects were fully explained and plausible in the end. The storyline was well-paced and hard to put down. There were many twists and turns which keep me guessing until the very end. The only thing I can complain about is that there were some loose ends and questions not answered at the end of the book but, hopefully, they will be answered in the next book. I look forward to reading book 2 of the Detective Inspector McLean series and I highly recommend this book to those who like mystery suspense with a touch of the supernatural.

The Stone Fields by Courtney Angela Brkic - 5 stars
Courtney Angela Brkic describes her personal experiences as an anthropologist exhuming genocide victims at Srebrenica and the book helped me to better understand the trauma from the war in Bosnia.The story is beautifully written and provides interesting insights into the lives of people from a different culture and of the tensions that eventually led to the tragedy at Srebrenica. By also including her grandmother's story from Nazi occupied Yugoslavia it also helped show how many struggles this region has gone through. The most heartbreaking part of the story is the deep, abiding affection between Ms. Brkic's Catholic grandmother, Andelka, and her Jewish lover, Joseph, who died in a Nazi concentration camp. I look forward to reading another of Brkic's works as I find her prose to be very poetic. I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in reading about the Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina conflict.

Shall We Tell The President? by Jeffrey Archer - 4 stars
This is the 3rd book of the Kane and Abel series. Shall We Tell the President? is a 1977 novel by English author Jeffrey Archer. A revised edition was published in 1986. In the first edition, a plot to kill the President of the United States, Edward Kennedy, is foiled by a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent working with the head of the FBI. A love story complicates the plot. The book includes descriptive details of official Washington, for which the author lists sources. After the success of Kane and Abel and The Prodigal Daughter, in the revised edition Archer replaced Kennedy with the fictional character of Florentyna Kane, and original Vice President Dale Bumpers with the real-life Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey. The author makes frequent references to William Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar.
I found this book a little weaker than the first 2 in the series. My only real complaint is its lack of major plot twists which I've come to expect from Archer's novels. The ending does have a surprise twist which was rather enjoyable. I look forward to reading more books by Archer in the very near future. I highly recommend this book to those who love political thrillers.

Don't Look Twice by Andrew Gross
Ty Hauck Series Book #2
4 Stars

From The Book:
A drive-by shooting rocks an affluent suburb, leaving an innocent man dead. A witness to the madness—along with his terrified teenaged daughter—Detective Ty Hauck launches an investigation into what looks like a vicious case of family retribution. But Annie Fletcher, the owner of a hip café who's attempting to rebuild her life, saw something that does not fit the bloody scenario. And the truth is a gathering storm of secrets and corruption that could tear through the mansions of the town's most powerful—ravaging a family . . . and pitting Hauck against his own brother.

My Thoughts:
I first read this author when he began co-writing books with James Patterson and thoroughly enjoyed his writing style and how easy he was to read and hold the readers interest with an easy to follow plot. This...his second book in the Hauck series... is no exception and if anything better than his co-written books.

The only "problem" that I had with the story was that it didn't seem that the "Why" was ever fully explained. I believe if the author had told us why things occurred as they did I could easily have given the book another star. In spite of that it was a fun book that should appeal to all mystery fans. I'll certainly continue this series.

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer
Book 1 of The Clifton Chronicles
⭐⭐⭐-1/2

From the book:
"This is the number one bestselling first book in The Clifton Chronicles, a multi-generational family saga. The epic tale of Harry Clifton's life begins in 1919, in the backstreets of Bristol. His father was a war hero, but it will be twenty-one tumultuous years before Harry discovers the truth about how his father really died and if, in fact, he even was his father. Only Time Will Tell takes a cast of memorable characters from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take his place at Oxford, or join the fight against Hitler's Germany. In Jeffrey Archer's masterful hands, you will be taken on a journey that you won't want to end, even after you turn the last page of this unforgettable yarn, because you will be faced with a dilemma that neither you, nor Harry Clifton could ever have anticipated."

My thoughts:
Compulsively readable. A sprawling epic with a large supporting cast. Sure, there are issues with plot and characterization but that stuff simply does not matter. The only thing that does matter is turning the page to see what happens next. Archer is a master of this type of tale and this first installment quickly draws the reader in and, at the end, leaves them wanting more, (drums fingers on arm of chair while waiting for library hold on books 2 and 3).

This Was a Man by Jeffrey Archer - 5 Stars and 💕

This is the seventh and final book in the Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer and ties up all the loose threads that still remain. Harry and Emma Clifton still have a strong marriage after more than fifty years. Harry, fulfilling his mother's last request, is working on his novel and Emma has taken a surprise job offer from new Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. They will both finally find out who Harry's real father is, when the Maple Leaf arrives at the shipping yard to be dismantled.

I can't really write any sort of synopsis of the book without revealing spoilers. The entire series was done with such an attention to detail and with a very smooth writing style. I definitely don't recommend this book as a stand alone novel. I highly recommend the entire series starting with Only Time Will Tell to anyone who has an interest in an English based family saga that starts in the 1920's and ends in the 1990's.

I was totally hooked on this mesmerizing series and have listened to all of them in audio, narrated by the brilliant Alex Jennings. I'm going to really miss these characters, especially Harry and Emma, and believe Jeffrey Archer couldn't have done a better job with this epic tale.

>125 ScoLgo: - I found the whole series incredibly addictive. Just finished the final book and am desolate that I cannot immediately start another.

>127 Olivermagnus: Oh, I know that feeling! Have you read any other Archer? If you've not read it, I remember Kane & Abel being very good as well. I read that book back when it was published but never did get around to reading the sequels. Hmmm.... I might have to re-visit & read through that series after I finish The Clifton Chronicles...

>128 ScoLgo: - I think I read it when it was published but I can't remember a thing about it. I'll have to think about it after I finish my Clifton bereavement.........

Operation: Hail Storm by Brett Arquette - 5 stars
I was sent a copy of this book for a honest review.
Marshall Hail's family was killed in a terrorist attack 2 years ago and he is out to avenge their murders. With the help of his MIT colleagues, he has ships with the latest technology to help him in his quest. He has adopted teenagers whose parents were victims of terrorism and they are using their gaming skills to send drones into countries undetected in order to kill terrorists. I found this unique action-packed book to be very easy to read with interesting characters and a well-paced plot. There were twists and turns towards the end which kept the pages flying. I especially enjoyed the interaction between the two main characters, Marshall Hail and CIA member, Kara Ramsey. I look forward to reading more of Brett Arquette's books and I would highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy Clive Cussler or paramilitary stories.