A Peculiar Combination- Ashley Weaver (Electra McDonnell, Book 1) And books 2 and 3, below

A thoroughly enjoyable read! Ellie McDonnell has been raised since infancy by her widowed uncle Mick, a locksmith and a safecracker. It's London, August 1940, Britain is in the war and Mick's two sons have been called to duty. Ellie already is trained in both sides of the family business, when she learns her skills … Continue reading A Peculiar Combination- Ashley Weaver (Electra McDonnell, Book 1) *And books 2 and 3, below* →

The Consequences of Fear – Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs # 16)

Don't know about you, but a lot of times I find that as my favorite historical fiction series progress through the decades, I lose interest or the writing quality goes down. Not so with Maisie Dobbs. We've seen her through great tragedy and great happiness, over several decades and she never fails to be interesting. … Continue reading The Consequences of Fear – Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs # 16) →

Citizen Reporters: S.S. McClure, Ida Tarbell, and the Magazine that Rewrote America – Stephanie Gorton (Listened on Audible Audio)

This was a fascinating read about the earliest investigative reporters ("muckrakers"), the pressing topics of the time, and the turn of the 20th-century publication, "McClures" conceived and established by S.S. McClure. Over the years, Ida Tarbell turned up as a character in historical fiction I read. I welcomed this chance to learn about her in … Continue reading Citizen Reporters: S.S. McClure, Ida Tarbell, and the Magazine that Rewrote America – Stephanie Gorton (Listened on Audible Audio) →

Pastors and Masters – Ivy Compton Burnett (1925)

I came to this 1925 book because of John Waters' description of Compton-Burnett's writing in his 2010 book, "Role Models." He said to read any of her books and that they are a hard read, but witty and worth the effort. I went to Internet Archive and read her first. Waters and reviewers on Goodreads … Continue reading Pastors and Masters – Ivy Compton Burnett (1925) →

Role Models (Audio Read by Author) – John Waters

What can I say? I'm a fan and John Waters lets us into his brain here, describing his favorite people and sometimes the things his favorite people created (art, literature, pornography, music). I'm very happy I chose the audio CD. Prior to hearing Waters present at one of his spoken word events, I read a … Continue reading Role Models (Audio Read by Author) – John Waters →

Stan Lee: How Marvel Changed the World – Adrian Mackinder

This is a highly readable account of Stan Lee's involvement in the rise of comic books in the 20th century to superhero movies in the 21st century. Stan Lee lived from 1922 to 2018, carving out a highly visible role in comic book mythology. I am casually interested in Marvel and Stan Lee. The various … Continue reading Stan Lee: How Marvel Changed the World – Adrian Mackinder →

The Sundown Motel – Simone St. James

Carly is drawn to Fell, NY. Her 20-year-old Aunt Viv disappeared from there 35 years ago but her family would not talk about it. Viv was gone. Now Carly's mother has died and her restless curiosity takes her to Fell, where she gets a job at the never-changing Sun Down Motel, working the night shift … Continue reading The Sundown Motel – Simone St. James →

A Stranger at the Door – Jason Pinter

This is the strong second entry in the Rachel Marin series. DO read the first, "Hide Away" before you read this! In "Hide Away", Rachel, a brilliant mother of two, recalls what she did after her husband's gory murder and the ongoing danger to her family. To protect them she learned extreme self-defense, set up … Continue reading A Stranger at the Door – Jason Pinter →

The Story Collector – Kristin O’Donnell Tubb

A sweet historical fiction mystery that will capture any young bookie-monster's attention. We read this at story time to a very enchanted 7-year-old. Viviani Joffre Fedeler is 11 years old and lives in an apartment in the New York Public Library. It's 1917 and her father is the superintendent of the building with a ten-room … Continue reading The Story Collector – Kristin O’Donnell Tubb →

The Black Swan of Paris – Karen Robards

The Black Swan of Paris is Genevieve Dumont, a French singer based in Paris, who is the toast of Europe-- including the Nazi occupiers. Her manager Max, a Brit who speaks fluent French, also serves as the head of a cell of the French Resistance. Max has drawn Genevieve into this work through some subterfuge … Continue reading The Black Swan of Paris – Karen Robards →