June Books

Gone by Lisa Gardner -- Finishing up the last of these books at the local libraries. I think I have one to go. This one takes place in Oregon as former FBI profiler Quincy and his wife Rainie have moved back to her part of the US. After Rainie starts back drinking, Quincy moves out in order to give her some space. During that time her car is discovered running, door open, purse in the seat..but no Rainie. The local police along with Quincy and his FBI daughter and her boyfriend work to solve the case.

After the War Is Over by Jennifer Robson -- Charlotte Brown works to make life a bit better for people who've fallen upon hard times. Especially those in England affected by the War (WW2). This book almost seemed like a sequel to another book, but it was fine as a standalone as there were plenty of flashbacks to earlier days. A pretty good story.

Sonoma Rose by Jennifer Chiaverini -- an Elm Creek Quilts novel -- I took a break from reading these even though I had only this and one other book left. This story didn't focus as much on the Bergstrom family in Pennsylvania. Rather it took place in California. It's the story of Rosa and Lars who were mentioned in a previous books when a Bergstrom cousin, Elizabeth, and her husband went across the country to claim the ranch they purchased sight unseen. Well, Rosa became friends with Elizabeth, and Lars was part of the Jorgensen clan. It was good reading their story some of which was alluded to in that previous book. Also, this book shared an interesting perspective of wine-sellers in Prohibition times.

Promises and Primroses by Josi S. Kilpack -- first book of the Mayfield Family Series; after his wife dies and his governess marries the vicar, Peter interviews a few ladies to care for and educate his daughters. Julia is actually his last choice, but she ends up with the job. And she does a splendid job with the children - and even assists in Peter's dog business. A pretty good book.

Betrayed by Lisa Scottoline -- I figured I'd read another in the Rosato & Associates series; this book focused more on Judy Carrier, one of the attorneys who finds out that her favorite aunt is facing a double mastectomy -- in, like 2 days. Aunt Barb kept her cancer and chemo treatments a secret from her sister and niece.  Judy rushes to visit Barb, and meets her Mexican friend, Iris. Sadly, Iris is discovered dead later that day of an apparent heart attack. But when Judy starts putting together some clues, the death looks more like murder than dying of natural causes!

A Death of No Importance by Mariah Fredericks -- I enjoyed this mystery as told by the servant of Charlotte and Louise. Many years have past, so Jane Prescott is telling the truth about a murder that happened in 1910 when Norrie was killed in the family's library. A pretty good book.

Corrupted by Lisa Scottoline -- I really enjoyed this story from the Rosato & Dinunzio series; Bennie takes on a murder case for a young man she knew from 13 years prior when she worked to get him out of juvenile detention. Part present, part 13 year in the past, and part trial...a good read!

The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams -- A cute, easy read about a book seller and bibliotherapist Nora, and her friends in Miracle Springs, NC, who find themselves involved in solving a mystery when a stranger is flattened by a train. They are determined to prove he was murdered and who did this awful deed!

Daisies and Devotion by Josi S. Kilpack -- book 2 in the Mayfield Family Series; I read the earlier book in this series and figured this would be a good easy read while the kids were in town. Sure enough I read several pages in it while Sophie played at the park for hours while Zach was visiting Michael. In the book, Maryann is back in London for the Season and she meets up with her friend Timothy who is looking for a wife. He confides his list of the perfect wife to Maryann - a list of a lady who is pretty much nothing like Maryann, but she decides to help him find that match. A pretty cute and predictable book.

Montauk by Nicola Harrison -- After her brother died in a car accident, Beatrice marries well and lives away from her rural Pennsylvania family amongst the good society of New York City. One summer she and her husband Harry went to Montauk where Beatrice stayed to be pampered and entertained while Harry worked his job during the week with plans to join her on weekends. It ended up not always working out quite that way, and Beatrice ends up helping the lighthouse keeper when he is injured while she visits. A pretty good story.

The Summer Country by Lauren Willig -- Emily travels to Barbados from her home in England with her cousin Adam and his wife, her best friend Laura. Emily is curious about this plantation her grandfather left her as it was a surprise from his will. A good story from this island nation in the 1800s!

Damaged by Lisa Scottoline -- another in the Rosato & Dinunzio series; Mary is asked to represent a ten-year-old boy who has dyslexia and was recently in trouble for violence against a teacher's aide. Good story.

Almost Home by Valerie Fraser Luesse -- a decent book and easy read about boarders at Si and Dolly's house in Alabama during World War II. People from all over the country are headed to this area to work in munitions plants.

How to Listen to God by Charles Stanley -- This short book appeared in my mailbox in a bag with a note of thanks for supporting the ministry. It didn't have a mailing address/postage though I'm guessing it was just sent a different way. Anyway...figured God was sending me a message because I used to joke that I wished God would send me a letter and just tell me His will for my life. Since this appeared in my mailbox, I read it.  I always like the story about the disciples in Acts 4:13, "...and they realized they had been with Jesus."

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick -- a rather cute, easy read about a librarian, Martha, who is surprised one evening when a book dedicated to her is left on her door. The dedication was from her grandmother, Zelda, but the date was 1985, three years after Zelda disappeared from her life, supposedly dead.

The Friends We Keep by Jane Green -- Imagine making friends while in college - such good friends that you all lived together, going off to your separate ways, and then later in life coming back together again, as good friends and living together just like your college days! Only, not really because so many years have passed and things have happened. That's the story of Maggie, Evvie, and Topher, two Americans and one Englishwoman who met while in England, and later met up again. Pretty good story.

The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini -- an Elm Creek Quilts novel; finally!  I finally finished this series. Some books were better than others, but they are all kind of comfortable especially towards the end when you feel you know Sylvia and the crew through and through. Only this time, they have some quilters in for Quiltsgiving, a time after Thanksgiving when quilters come for a free week of quilt camp with the purpose of making quilts for a good cause.

The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard -- Although the characters are fiction, the town and what they did there in East Tennessee is true. The book starts with June Walker's grandfather being kicked off his land because the government wanted it for the war effort. June later gets a job at the newly-constructed "city" and later finds out they are helping create the atomic bomb!

Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner -- this, I believe, is the last of this author's books at my local libraries! And they were good. Well, some were really creepy and dark since they are crime books, but some aren't quite so bad. And this was one that wasn't so dark although still...violence. It's about Quincey and Rainie who are fostering a 13 year old girl, Sharlah, with hopes of adopting her later in the year. Sharlah's estranged brother goes on a shooting spree and the hunt is on to locate him!