Author: Emily Leader

I have been an avid reader since Dick and Jane met Sally. At age 7, I read my parents' first edition of "To Kill a Mockingbird." I am a retired lawyer and so read almost only fiction for pleasure. I'm adding in nonfiction these days, largely on social justice matters but also history, biography, and weird topics that catch my imagination. I used to read only serially, one book at a time. Presently, I read paperbacks, hardcovers, listen to audible, listen to CDs and read online through Net Galley. Covid-19 has caused me to read a lot so I have re-upped my Goodreads challenge for 2021 and am starting to review at least my favorite finds annd, perhaps, some stinkers.

Death and Hard Cider – Barbara Hambly (Benjamin January #19)

I am a long time fan of the Benjamin January series and all of the continuing characters --who are present and very satisfying in this installment. There are a couple of well-plotted mysteries and plenty of intrigue. The setting remains set in New Orleans and surrounds, this time, with no one traveling. Henry Clay comes … Continue reading Death and Hard Cider – Barbara Hambly (Benjamin January #19) →

An Olive Grove in Ends – Moses McKenzie

WHOA! This novel is an amazing coming of age story about dreams, values, love, family, organized religion, crime and figuring things out for yourself against many differing backdrops and options. The Ends is a neighborhood in Bristol, UK. The first thing you see after the table of contents is the Hughes family tree: Sayon is … Continue reading An Olive Grove in Ends – Moses McKenzie →

The Fall of White City – Nancy S. Wikarski: Victorian Chicago Mystery Series #1

Having been a mystery buff for over fifty years but a historical fiction buff for less time, I never read the Gilded Age Chicago Mysteries. I'm delighted that this was reissued and that I chose to listen to it recently. Evangeline (Engie), a wealthy single woman of marriageable age, teaches at Hull House and has … Continue reading The Fall of White City – Nancy S. Wikarski: Victorian Chicago Mystery Series #1 →

Lessons in Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus (Audible)

There are lots of unconventional, true to themselves people in this world and you may never want to get to know them. If nothing else, Elizabeth Zott should convince you it's a worthwhile venture to try. In 1959, as she is completing her Masters degree and planning on pursuing her doctorate, Elizabeth runs afoul of … Continue reading Lessons in Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus (Audible) →

The Sweetness of Water – Nathan Harris (audible version)

This (just) post-civil war novel brings together George Walker, an aging gentleman who lives in two-story "cabin" outside of Old Ox, Georgia, and brothers Prentiss and Landry - formerly enslaved by George's neighbor, Ted Morton, now camping on George's land. George is wealthy by local standards as he inherited a lot of land. He's a … Continue reading The Sweetness of Water – Nathan Harris (audible version) →