A Thousand Steps – T. Jefferson Parker

This is a slightly quirky, dysfunctional family, mystery set in 1968 Laguna Beach California. Matt Anthony is the strangely stable kid with a brother fighting in Vietnam, soon to come home, and an older sister Jazz who is still in high school. At sixteen, he can drive his Mom's van but usually travels by bike … Continue reading A Thousand Steps – T. Jefferson Parker →

When You are Mine- Michael Robotham

Philomena McCarthy, daughter of a highly successful mobster is a rebel and, against all odds, has made a career with the Metropolitan Police force in London. During a domestic violence check, she meets Tempe Brown, a woman who was a few years ahead of Phil in school. Unfortunately, the man who is violently abusive to … Continue reading When You are Mine- Michael Robotham →

The Mitford Vanishing; and The Mitford Secret – Jessica Fellowes

The Mitford Vanishing -2021 For all of you who already have read Jessica Fellowes' five Mitford family murder mysteries featuring former nurserymaid turned sleuth, Louisa Cannon, why didn't somebody tell me about them?! The Mitford Vanishing finds Louisa married to former D.I. Guy Sullivan and mother to their baby Maisie nearing a year old. Louisa … Continue reading The Mitford Vanishing; and The Mitford Secret – Jessica Fellowes →

The Sisters Sweet – Elizabeth Weiss

This captivating story unfolds as an oral history of a family, a mother, Maude Foster Szasz from Ohio, father, Lenny Szasz, a Jew from Eastern Europe and their twin daughters Harriet and Josephine. The story hopscotches from as early as 1889 to the mid-1930s, but not in a linear fashion. Nor is it confusing. The … Continue reading The Sisters Sweet – Elizabeth Weiss →

The Lincoln Highway – Amor Towles (Audible)

Yes, it took me a month to listen to all 16.5 hours of this beautifully produced and cast audiobook, because I limited my listening to long car trips. For once, flying through this engaging, mesmerizing story was not as good as putting it aside for a bit here and there and chewing over what I … Continue reading The Lincoln Highway – Amor Towles (Audible) →

Bryant & May: London Bridge is Falling Down – Christopher Fowler

The Peculiar Crimes Unit is finally biting the dust for real. We know it's true, because the Met has taken all government property from the ramshackle building on Caledonian Road and plans to make some money in the process, since the neighborhood is gentrifying fast. How will Arthur Bryant --keeper of arcane facts of London … Continue reading Bryant & May: London Bridge is Falling Down – Christopher Fowler →

Winter Water – Susanne Jansson

This is a sad story about a house near a small seaside tourist island in Sweden, about loss, about grief, about breakdowns, about friendship. It is extremely difficult not to give away the parts of the story that matter. in a review. Martin and Alexandra, their three year old son Adam and infant daughter Nellie … Continue reading Winter Water – Susanne Jansson →

Somebody’s Daughter – Ashley C. Ford

"I decided to pretend to be good, the kind of good that seemed to be best. The silent kind." Ashley Ford navigated through a complicated, loving and abusive childhood and beyond, knowing her father was in jail but not why. She was four when he was imprisoned, old enough to have cloudy memories but too … Continue reading Somebody’s Daughter – Ashley C. Ford →

19 Yellow Moon Road – Fern Michaels

19 Yellow Moon Road is a Sisterhood Novel about twin brothers born to great wealth, Noah with a greater need for that lifestyle to go on and Liam who is more interested in the human condition. Eventually they establish a spiritual retreat, The Haven, with Noah handling the business side and Liam the teaching/spiritual side. … Continue reading 19 Yellow Moon Road – Fern Michaels →

Solitaire- Niels Krause-Kjaer

Solitaire is a story of political intrigue that takes place in Denmark. Early on, a tragic accident puts the Democratic Party leadership in the sites of two very different men. (Note: the Danish Democratic Party is not liberal) As 32 year party leader Aksel Bruun, lies in a near=death coma after a car accident, the … Continue reading Solitaire- Niels Krause-Kjaer →