June Books

 The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao -- Kathryn is a postdoc chemist at Harvard, not very well liked amongst her peers, but she has an amazing boyfriend who appreciates her nerdy brain and enjoys that she knows a lot about the origin of idioms. When Kat decides to surprise Tucker mid week (not their usual days to see one another), she is in for a huge surprise: he's...proposing to someone else! What!?!  Come to find out, Tucker is a serial cheater with not just one, but a couple more girlfriends on the side. And when Kat, Olivia, and Elle find out about each other, they hang out and become friends. Pretty cute, quick read. 

Faithful of Heart by Tracie Peterson -- Book one in A Minnesota Legacy series, this was decent. Nothing special, but not terrible. It was a quick read on a day when I didn't have another library book.  Judith's grandfather was estranged from his son after the elder Mr. Ashton didn't care for his son's life choices. But when his heart is giving him trouble, he wants Judith to spend time with him so he appeals to her fundraising for widows and orphans. Thus Judith travels from her home in Philadelphia to Minnesota where her grandfather has built up the area and become very rich. 

Last One Out by Jane Harper -- Five years ago Sam disappeared on his 21st birthday, and each year since then his parents Griff and Ro plus his sister Della gather to remember him. This year is different as the mine has expanded and more people are gone. Ro (short for Rowena) is still looking for answers as to what happened to her son. 

The Alphabet Sleuths by Laura Jensen Walker -- Four older friends - Atsuko, Barbara, Claire, and Daphne - pool their talents in order to solve crimes - and possibly hide them. Pretty cute, quick read. 

The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman -- When Scott wins a trip to Fripp Island, Lisa suggests asking her childhood best friend Poppy and her family to join them. This book explores the points of view of the husbands and wives, plus the children: Rae, Kimmy, Ryan, and Alex. Pretty good. 

Want to Know a Secret? by Freida McFadden -- April runs a YouTube channel about the secrets of good baking. She also is puzzled by the neighborhood dynamics once Maria, Sean, and Owen move next door. Why is Maria, once so friendly, giving her the cold shoulder? Why is Sean avoiding her sweet treats? And why is her best friend Julie turning on her? 

How the Story Goes by Andrew Forrester -- When his wife Helen dies, Whit is shocked to discover from her lawyer that she wanted him to complete her beloved books series. Whit is an author, but he writes a totally different genre from the popular books his wife wrote. He decides to ask Merritt for help.

The House of Hidden Letters by Izzy Broom -- Skye is eager to leave England, so when she wins a lottery to buy and restore a house in Greece, she is ready for the adventure. She meets the locals and other lottery winners. Also, they discover some of the history of the island as it pertains to World War II. 

Killing Me Softly by Sandie Jones -- Freya and Charlie seem to have the best marriage until the night an accident changes everything for them. They suddenly move from London to a small village to start a new life. Freya makes a new friend Tess, yet finds herself hiding her outings with her. 

The Lumber Baron's Wife by Lynn Austin -- This story follows Hannah, the doctor's wife, and her friend Kate, who marries a lumber baron as the two live in the same town in Michigan. In modern times, Ashley tries to find out more about these women. 

Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer -- I thought this book was going to be about that "trend" in some households - hearkening back to those years when women willingly stayed at home, prepared made-from-scratch meals, all while bringing several children into the world. And it kind of starts out with that. Camille wants to be a trad-wife influencer on social media. She has her "king," Graham, who enjoys coming home to a spotless house, delicious meals, and a beautiful wife. When Camille struggles to get pregnant, she makes a deal with an... angel (or the devil), and soon after, Sweetheart arrives - and she's a very different baby!  Oh wow...I really wasn't expecting this type of book. As the blurb on the front of the book says, "Surprisingly tender - and stunningly stomach-turning." (credit to Clay McLeod Chapman for that.)  I kept reading because you have to see how a book like this ends, but yeah, I was kind of amused at how bizarre this book was. Maybe it's typical reading for some, but not me! 

The Star Society by Gabriella Saab -- This book features Ada and Ingrid, sisters who had been separated by the war, who reunited in the US where Ada is an actress and Ingrid works for the government. This is during the Red Scare era when the FBI targeted those they thought had favorable views of Communism. 

Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass --  A car bomb that kills someone, a bomb threat at school, a missing lady: not the typical life people expect in an affluent lake community. This is told from the perspectives of Andi, Sasha, and Regan, three friends who live there and are looking for answers. Easy read. 

Book of Forbidden Words by Louise Fein -- Charlotte is a printer in Paris asked to print a troublesome book. Four hundred years later Milly discovers the code and is able to read what Lysbette wrote that got her killed. 

The May House by Jillian Cantor -- Three sisters - Julia, Emily, and Nora - visit their grandmother Vera one year every May, and when she dies, they keep up the tradition. This book follows them through the span of about 40 years of visits. Pretty good. 

I Did Not Kill My Husband by Linda Keir -- This whole book is basically Cara being chased by the police and is told from both her perspective and Sheriff Jordan's perspective. It was a quick, pretty fun read! 

When We Were Brilliant by Lynn Cullen -- Wasn't sure I'd like this at first, but eventually I found it a pretty interesting look at Eve Arnold the photojournalist who befriended Marilyn Monroe. The novel is narrated by Eve mostly in light of "you" (Marilyn Monroe).   Here is a website the author mentions in the acknowledgments. In the book Eve mentions many interesting assignments. I'm glad to get a glimpse of a few of those online! 

The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh -- Carrie is a surgeon with the NHS - well, she took a six-year break after having twins - and she's going back if they'll let her. Years ago she was married for a few hours before her Swedish husband Johan was taken by Thai police. When he told her to forget about him, she went back to England heartbroken, always wondering what happened. 

May Books

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox -- Ana Leigh is a kindergarten teacher taking a summer break to her great aunt Cora's house in Bitter End. Come to find out Bitter End is now part of the Roan Mountain community in Tennessee so that's neat for me because I've been there. In fact, the hike at the top of Carver's Gap is among the prettiest bald hikes that we enjoy. In Bitter End, Ana meets Marilyn and Sam plus the couple who have a wedding van, and her summer turns into finding more history about her family plus joining some of the gang on their hikes and looking for birds. Pretty cute story. 

The Perfect Fake by Barbara Parker -- My mother in law died three months ago, and she left a few bags of books in her spare bedroom closet.  My FIL is getting rid of a lot of her stuff so I took the books. I already donated several of them to the Friends of the Library book sale, but I decided to keep a few to read between library books. This is the first and it was OK. Tom is on probation and asked to recreate a map that was damaged. To do this he has to travel overseas which is against his probation terms, but who cares, right? 

The Fair Weather Friend by Jessie Garcia -- When a popular meteorologist is murdered, Carol and her niece Olivia do a bit of sleuthing to find out who might have done it. This book alternates between several voices, and was a quick read. 

All the Little Houses by May Cobb -- This book ended so abruptly that I was glad to see the author mention a sequel. Perhaps then I'll see more about what happened to Nellie, Jane, Jackson, Ethan, and all those folks in a small town in Texas. 

No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done by Sophie Hannah -- DNF; I tried, but just couldn't get into the suspense of a dog having to go on the run due to false charges of the dog having bitten someone.  

Some Bright Nowhere by Ann Packer -- Eliot deals with his wife's upcoming death as she has "three to six months" left after her cancer spreads. Although it was different from my experience with my mother in law, it still brought back memories of those last three weeks with her. 

North Carolina Quakers: Spring Friends Meeting by J. Timothy Allen on behalf of Spring Friends Meeting; This is one of those Images of America books that I found at our local library. Recently I've been enjoying finding information about Andrew's family as looking through his mom and others' pictures and papers, made me curious about the Andrew, Zachary, and McBane families. They were Quaker settlers in the Snow Camp and Eli Whitney areas of southern Alamance County. I was thrilled to find this book as it mentions a bit about each of those families.  It is mostly told through images, but they have some informative and interesting captions. 

There is a membership list c. 1900 that showed some of the very people I'd been researching recently including Arka Zachary whom I've realized must have been a teacher in the area. I've got several pictures that were in her collection - probably passed down to her niece Verna Andrew Whitsell who lived with Andrew's family for a couple of decades before she died in 2000 at age 90. Unfortunately I don't know if Arka (also known as "Aunt Zach")'s stash of photos include one of her. I have so many great pictures, but 90% don't have any identifying information - ugh.  Also in this book I saw a map of the southern Alamance area near Spring Friends and its mother "church" Cane Creek Friends Meetinghouse, and I saw a JW Andrew listed nearby. I'm pretty sure that is Andrew's great-grandfather, Julius Weldon Andrew. It shows how close the various families lived to their meetinghouse (the Quakers tend to use this term instead of church.) 

 I want to give a huge shoutout of gratitude to my friend Myrna for looking up several interesting bits of information for me, and posting some things to several family members' pages at Family Search. A neat thing is that Myrna found out that she is related - very distantly, but still! -  to Andrew through his Zachary side.  That would be his maternal grandfather's mother's** side.  The common ancestors, sisters Elizabeth and Mary, trace back to Thomas Call (1597-1676) and his wife, Bennett Harrison (1599-1643) who were from Kent, England.  Whereas Myrna's ancestor, Elizabeth, went to Massachusetts; Andrew's ancestor, Mary, went to Virginia. Thank you again for your kindness and help, Myrna!

**  Andrew -----> Sarah ---->Jim Andrew ----> Nannie Iota Zachary 

Free Ride by Noraly Schoenmaker -- I finally read Itchy Boots' book telling about her reason for starting her journey that began in the Netherlands and India where she bought Basanti, her first motorcycle for traveling to various countries as a filmmaker.  She shared a few things about her life that we didn't know from watching her on YouTube. I bought this last year for our anniversary, and I just read it this month due to having other books to read from the library.  

Little Promises: Hope and Encouragement from Our Daily Bread compiled by Dave Brannon -- Andrew's dad is in the midst of purging things his wife had around the house. She had a lot of baskets, and he hates trying to vacuum around all the stuff on the floor. One basket near her chair had some devotionals and I decided to keep a few to read through. This was one of those. As the title suggests, this booklet contains sayings and verses meant to give hope and encourage folks.  So many are worth pondering. Here are a few I've come back to in recent days.

"Focusing on who God is rather than on what we think He should do will guide us to joy and satisfaction in Him." -- Jennifer Benson Schuldt  pg. 108

"Whatever storm we encounter today, we can be confident that all is not lost. Our Pilot can handle the storm. He will get us home." -- C.P. Hia pg. 109

"Stop and take a breath. Tune out the distractions, put away the restlessness, and reflect on the wonder of God's faithfulness. Get some real rest."  -- Poh Fang Chia pg. 78

Such a Clever Girl by Darby Kane -- I remembered liking her past books more than I appreciated this one. Hanna, Marni, and Stella unite to find out what happened years ago when several of the Tanner family went missing.  Now that their patriarch Xavier has died and the troublesome Audrey is back in town, they try to figure out what they are willing to tell others. 

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict -- An interesting look at Egypt around the 1920s when there were uprisings as the Egyptians wanted their independence from the English. Lady Evelyn joins her father and Howard Carter on archaeological digs. She's most interested in finding Hatshepsut's tomb. 

24 Hours by Greg Iles -- A doctor and his family are targeted in an elaborate kidnapping plot. Will, Karen, and Abby try to survive the evil of Joey and his accomplices.  This is one of the books from my MIL's stash. It was published in 2000 so it was kind of neat to read how things were back then and see how some technological things have changed in the last 26 years. 

The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton by Jennifer N. Brown -- This book took me a while to read because I've been focusing on some family tree research and sorting, looking through library books pertaining to Cane Creek Friends (family research on Andrew's side) and taking pictures of old photos and letters to send via text to Andrew's cousins,  plus watching WNBA games in some free time where I'd usually read. But this book was pretty good. It alternated between the times of King Henry VIII which is where Elizabeth Barton lived, and modern times when a researcher of Elizabeth Barton's life is at a workers' retreat in England. 

All Booked Up by Melody Carlson -- Riva is contemplating the sale of her home when she meets Windy who proposes that Riva take in boarders. Then Riva can keep her house and it will help those who need affordable housing. When she has four ladies living in her house, Riva enjoys the camaraderie yet it's still tough ... especially when Kitty comes into the mix. 

The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman -- A mystery about twenty-two missing ribeyes (yes, really!)  that features chapters on the busser, server, host, and other people who work at Aunt Orsa's Italian-ish restaurant. Different, but a cute, quick read. 

April Books

 Anna O by Matthew Blake -- Ben is a sleep specialist tasked with - hopefully - waking Anna Ogilvy who was found asleep beside two bloodied bodies. And she stayed asleep for over four years. With the help of the nurse Harriet and his ex wife Claire, Ben seeks to help Anna and the minister of justice because Anna needs to be held accountable for crimes she most likely committed. 

Huguette by Cara Black -- DNF; I read not quite half of this "novel of liberation" (think post-World War II), but didn't like it enough to keep reading. 

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen -- A book club of ladies who buy the books, but don't read them. Instead Polly, Sarah, Jamie, and Helen enjoy one another's company, their struggles (Polly realllly wants a baby) and such. Pretty good story about friends. 

The Bookbinder's Secret by A.D. Bell -- Lily is a bookbinder who discovers a partial letter hidden in a book, and she's determined to find out more. She struggles with her father's debts, her job, her lovelife, and the fact someone else is just as intent on discovering these books - and that person is willing to kill for those pages! 

The Secret Room by Jane Casey -- Last year I caught up with all the Maeve Kerrigan books in the library so that I was On Hold for the latest book which finally arrived for me this month. Maeve and her team are trying to figure out the murder of a lady who always booked a certain room in a nice hotel. Also Josh Derwent is in the hot seat when his It's Complicated girlfriend ends up in the hospital and accuses him of putting her there - yikes!  Maeve does her best to find out the truth concerning Melissa's accusations. This book has a "the readers asked for this" kind of ending. 

We Don't Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry -- As a child visiting her grandmother in Raleigh, Sydney finds old childhood dresses and a photograph of a teenage girl she never met. When she asked Grammy who the girl was, her grandmother said "we don't talk about Carol." Fast forward many years and Sydney is back in Raleigh cleaning out her grandmother's house with her mom and sister. This time, she delves into the mystery of Carol, her aunt who went missing at age 17. When she finds out a few other Black girls went missing around that time, Syd wants to revive the effort to find out what happened to them. 

My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney -- Birdy returns to her childhood hometown when she inherits her grandmother's house. There she helps solve the mystery of Eden Fox and an imposter pretending to be Eden. Pretty good. 

Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden -- A good revenge story, and a quick read. Debbie seeks to right wrongs done to herself and her family. Pretty cute. 

The Care and Management of Lies by Jacqueline Winspear -- The book starts with Kezia anticipating her upcoming wedding to her best friend's younger brother Tom. Meanwhile the best friend Dorrit who now wants to be called Thea is teaching and also marching for women's rights. All of this as the first world war impacts their lives. As Tom goes to France to fight against the Germans, Kezia manages their farm. She makes up dishes "for Tom" as she writes him, and his fellow soldiers enjoy thinking of the dishes Kezia makes. Tom wonders if she's really eating all those things, or is this just Kezia's imagination. 

It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara -- In a fit of irritation, Susan sends a scathing text to her sisters' WhatsApp group about a neighbor, only to realize a bit later that she accidentally sent it to the whole neighborhood group. Though she deletes it, the damage is done as her post was screenshot and widely shared. When people are murdered Susan wonders if someone were trying to target her. 

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James -- If you like stories about haunted houses, you might enjoy this book. Siblings Violet, Vail, and Dodie meet at their childhood house after their little brother Ben wants them to come back for him. Ben disappeared at age 6, twenty years prior, and the siblings have wondered about their beloved little brother ever since. Not my favorite. 

Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg -- Flo is 92 and has about a month to live, according to her doctor. She decides to write a letter to Ruthie, the girl who grew up beside her years ago. She reveals what certain things mean to her by telling stories of her marriage. Sweet book. 

In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka -- Gus gets a job with her former friend's parents, walking their dog. Meanwhile Mary is out there somewhere, and Jean, the therapist, is suing Mary's parents for defamation. This book alternates between the court case, plus some two years earlier when Gus met Mary in Rome. An OK book. 

HBD, SRFT! ;) LOL! 

March Books

 The Red Letter by Daniel G. Miller -- Another book featuring private investigator Hazel Cho. After the success of the case presented in the first book of this series (see last month), Hazel's expanded her company to include an assistant or two. Hazel and her team are asked to help a young man who was arrested for murdering a local priest. This book involves the poison one gets from puffer fish as well as people receiving red letters with Bible verses. There was a section in chapter 31 and 32 that brought me to tears as Hazel went through a great loss, and it just hit me hard as we traveled to the mountains on the first day of the month. 

The Women on Platform Two by Laura Anthony -- Such an interesting look at Irish women and their struggles before contraception was legal in their country. Really enjoyed this book featuring Maura and Bernie's friendship! 

Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli -- Imagine being a bus driver when your bus is detoured only to find out criminals forced you down this path. And you and the children are forced into an underground bunker while the criminals seek money.  This book is based on a true crime. 

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild -- Honor is desperate for another baby, and wants to find out if the surrogate they've chosen is pregnant. Meanwhile Tom is so tired of Honor talking about this topic. Can't you just enjoy Christmas with the lovely child you already have?!  When something life changing happens in Paris, Tom finds himself living for Henry - and looking for Grace. 

When I Kill You by B.A. Paris -- Elle was infamous in her young twenties so she changed her name to Nell and moved to another part of England. When she feels her past has caught up with her, she is determined not to be killed by her stalker. Thank goodness she has a few good friends, though she wonders if her boyfriend Alex is on the up and up. 

Seven Exes by Lucy Vine -- A more light-hearted book between a couple of thrillers. Esther is lamenting her lack of a partner while in a bar with her best friends. She sees an old copy of a magazine that mentions the seven types of relationships and realizes one of her exes fit each of them. She is determined to contact each of them to see if one of them was her true love that she let get away. 

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall -- Audrey is a search and rescue expert intrigued with missing girls, including her friend Janie. Did Janie leave town to start new or did something happen to her?  Meanwhile Stranger is trying her best to break away from someone who is keeping her locked away. How many girls has this monster destroyed?

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson -- My library recently got this first book of the Jackson Brodie series - it's from 2005, but since it was listed as a New Book, I put it on hold. I read a book featuring him a couple years ago, and didn't know the backstories so it was nice to be properly introduced to him. Brodie is a former police officer turned private investigator. In this book he helps sisters Julia and Amelia who want to find out what happened years ago to their little sister; he helps Theo who lost his daughter Laura to murder; and he helps a couple other people with their own mysteries to solve.  

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins -- Geneva runs her parents' inn, and welcomes August for a stay as he interviews (in)famous local Lo (short for Gloria) about why she was accused of murdering her boyfriend, Landon, forty years ago. This book deals a lot with hurricanes, and what storms can hide. 

What Boys Learn by Andromeda Romano-Lax -- Abby is a counselor at a private school. She's on soft suspension when two girls are found dead. Meanwhile she is concerned about her son, Benjamin, and his possible connection to Izzy and Sidney. When a former professor, Dr. Campbell, makes her acquaintance at the pool, she asks him to talk with Benjamin. Pretty interesting book! 

The Whispers by Ashley Audrain -- Pretty good story following the perspectives of neighbors, Rebecca, the ER doctor who desperately wants a child; Whitney, mom of three who seems to have a lovely life; Blair, a wonderful mom who has a straying husband; and Myra, the Portuguese immigrant who has been in the neighborhood the longest. 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett -- Stella and Desiree are light-skinned Black girls in a small town in Louisiana. When they finally leave their home for the big city, one decides to pass as white leaving her twin behind. This book follows their stories and their daughters Jude, who is very dark skinned, as well as Kennedy, who is fair-haired like her father. Interesting story. 

With Friends Like These by Alissa Lee -- Sara and her college roommates have this long-held tradition of playing a "killing" game. It starts around the first of the year, and this year Sara doesn't want to play. She thinks this tradition needs to be retired. When talking to her friends, they decide to do one final game because a decent amount of money is involved. I liked some parts of this book, but didn't really get this "killing" game and why it was even a thing. Heh. 

Served Him Right by Lisa Unger -- This book deals with flowers and herbs - medicine in the correct doses; poison if used differently. Vera is the older sister in charge of keeping tabs on her reckless little sister, Ana. When Ana's ex boyfriend dies and the detective (whom Ana met on an anonymous app) starts questioning them, Vera seeks to help. 

The Girl in HIs Shadow by Audrey Blake -- Nora is really good at medical procedures, but she lives in a place and time where it's illegal for women to do some of the things she's perfected. Thankfully she's a ward of a doctor who loves teaching her these things, but when another doctor joins the clinic, Nora isn't sure if he'll be okay with her doing these illegal acts of healing.  It's the second time I read this book. I thought the topic seemed familiar, but I'd forgotten so much of it that it felt like a new book..ha! 

Haven't Killed in Years by Amy K. Green -- Gwen is startled when she arrives home and finds a box waiting for her. Inside is an arm! Yes, a man's left arm. Worse than that, the box contains a note with her real name on it. But Gwen's name was legally changed when she was 9 years old and her parents were imprisoned. As she races around trying to figure out who knows her secrets, she tries to figure out who to trust. And is she even trustworthy? 

What Happened that Night by Nicci French -- When Tyler is released from prison after serving nearly 29 years, he wants to reunite with the friends who were with him the weekend that changed everything. Beatrice agrees to host the event though she's not optimistic how things will turn out. What gathers is a bunch of middle-aged folks and, well, one of them winds up dead. Dang. 

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino -- Imagine being so desperate for a house - because you were outbid eleven times already - that you'd sink to stalkerish behavior. Well, meet Margo who does a bit of that while trying to secure the perfect house for her and her husband. Pretty cute book.

The Clinic by Cate Quinn -- The author starts with a note about this being the first book she's written while sober, and this story follows Meg as she checks into a luxury rehab clinic where celebrities tend to go. She's trying to find out what happened to her famous sister Haley. 

February Books

 Whispers at Painswick Court by Julie Klassen -- Anne is a surgeon's daughter who is hired as a nurse for Lady Celia. There she meets with friends from her youth and such. 

My Other Heart by Emma Nanami Strenner -- A good story about Mimi who was on her way home when her baby daughter was stolen at a Philadelphia airport. The book follows Kit and Sabrina's stories along with perspectives from Sally and Mimi. I enjoyed Kit's travel to Japan to find out more about her origins, as well as Sabrina's perspective as the daughter of a single mother from China. 

Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury -- Final book in the Angels Walking series; It features all the characters from the first two books. Mary Catherine is headed to Uganda despite her health while Marcus wants her to marry him when she gets home. Meanwhile Lexy is struggling with her need to fit in the neighborhood gang. 

The Bridesmaid by Cate Quinn -- Holly is a forensic scientist called to the site of a wedding where she has to figure out who killed a bridesmaid. Meanwhile Adrianna is determined that her wedding will go forward as planned. 

The Orphanage by the Lake by Daniel G. Miller -- I enjoyed this mystery featuring 30 year old Korean-American, Hazel, who lives in New York City with her childhood friend-turned-roommate Kenny. Hazel is a private investigator hired by Madeline to find out what happened to her goddaughter Mia who disappeared from a children's home by Lake George. 

The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter -- Shelby is stunned when she finds out at her grandma's will reading that she left just under half the shop to her former boyfriend Gray. Is Gram trying to reconcile them from the grave? 

Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell -- I wasn't sure about this book when I plucked it off the New Books shelf at the library, but I enjoyed it! Lexie wanted to be a therapist, but time and money held her back. Instead she started working for a startup company focusing on bringing folks together for love. Her boss put her in charge of an interesting group: those whose scores deemed them as psychopaths...wow.  

A Murder in Paris by Matthew Blake -- Olivia is a memory expert in London who travels to Paris when her Gran has some issues with dementia and confesses to a murder after the last world war. Pretty good story. 

That's Not How It Happened by Craig Thomas -- Imagine writing a memoir about your life as a mom to a son with Down's syndrome, and that book being made into a movie. That's what this book is about, and it features the perspectives of Paige, the mom; Rob, her screenwriter husband; and her children Emmett and Darcy. I don't often find myself chuckling out loud while reading, but there were a few places in this book where I did find myself laughing. It has a lot of language (I don't care for that), but overall the book is good and different.

Blade by Wendy Walker -- I found this a fitting book to read just after I watched quite a bit of figure skating at the Winter Olympics taking place in Milano Cortina. Ana is now a lawyer who specializes in defending children accused of committing crimes. When she's called to help Grace at a skate-training facility in Colorado, it brings back memories of when she was thirteen and dropped off there to live as one of the Orphans. This book alternates between the present day and her time there. 

High Season by Katie Bishop -- When Nina was five she witnessed something that made a former babysitter go to prison for ten years. Twenty years have passed, and Nina is questioning her memories. Was Josie wrongly accused of killing Nina's older sister, Tamara, during that long-ago summer in France? 

The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage -- Lexi's life changed drastically when her father and brother were killed on a skiing trip. Suddenly her life in Tasmania - where she was halfway through a residency as a medical doctor - is no more. She is needed back in England where she has to decide whether or not to become the next in line to the throne! 

HBD, DBFIII! I<3U! 

January Books

 The Mad Wife by Meagan Church -- Lulu is a 1950s housewife living the best life - or trying to. But the pressures of life get to be too much after the birth of her second child, Esther. When her husband tries to help, well...what do men know about the pressures of the stay-at-home mom? 

The Intruder by Freida McFadden -- Casey is hunkering down in her remote cabin in the woods when she thinks she sees a face outside. Later she finds a young teenager, Eleanor, who seems to be on the run. Alternating between Casey now, and Ella "then," this was a fast read on this pretty day in early January. 

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker -- A virus that puts its victims into a deep sleep runs through a small California town. This book explores how it affects certain people. I thought for sure this was written post-covid 19 pandemic, but it was published in 2019.

The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf -- Jamie returns to Nightjar, Wyoming, as an ATF agent and is called to a ranch after a gender-reveal party ends in disaster. Meanwhile the hosts Madeline and Wes are questioned about why someone would want them or one of their guests dead. Pretty good. 

Heart.Life.Music by Kenny Chesney -- I saw this in the new books section when I was looking for other books, and thought I'd give this memoir a read. I didn't realize he was from the Smoky Mountains (near Knoxville, TN). 

Hell by Eitan Bar -- "Uncover the true meaning of 'hell' by studying it in its original context!" This book is written by a Jewish Israeli who believes in Jesus as his Messiah. He explains how people back in the day would have understood phrases and words that we've made into this doctrine of hellfire, especially the one with eternal conscious torment. I got this book for Christmas after my friend Marcus told me he was listening to it. I've discussed it a bit with him. 

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall -- Years after their parents were killed, sisters Juliette, Emma, and Daphne are still estranged, but when Emma and her husband return to the old home place, the sisters see each other again. Emma is still under a cloud of suspicion which makes Nathan wonder about this woman he married...naturally. 

Angels Walking by Karen Kingsbury -- Recently my mom was cleaning her closet and returned several books that she said I'd given her to read a few years ago. There were a few I didn't recognize as having read so before I give them away, I decided to read them. I used to read a lot of this author's books, but hadn't in several years. This is part of the Angels Walking Series. Tyler skipped college in order to play baseball professionally, but a shoulder injury leaves him in dire straits. His former girlfriend Sami, meanwhile, is living a good life in California. A sweet, clean, predictable book, with a good reminder about God's grace. 

The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell -- If you enjoy time travel and magical hotels, this book might be a good read for you. Eve discovers these magical keys that allow her to travel back a few decades. Not my favorite type of book. 

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf -- Allison is released from prison early due to good behavior, but getting back into the world is tough. She really wants to reconnect with her little sister Brynn. Meanwhile Charm is taking care of her stepfather Gus, and they remember the little boy they saved years ago. 

My Sister's Daughter by Liv Constantine -- This and the next one are thriller novellas, part of the same book (222 pages total.)  When Ashley's sister is killed in an accident, she takes her daughter into her household. Strange things start happening. Is Serena causing this or is her daughter Luna acting out of jealousy? 

Silent Echo by Liv Constantine -- When Charlotte's little boy is part of a tragic school accident, she can hardly cope. Several months later she sees a photo online and is convinced Sebastion is still alive, but in another state! 

Chasing Sunsets by Karen Kingsbury -- This is part of the Angels Walking Series mentioned above. It's a pretty easy read during these weird days of Andrew's mom being under hospice care and spending time with his family and some friends dropping by. I've read bits of it most days recently. Mary Catherine and Marcus were in book one of this series though the focus was on their friends Sami and Tyler in book one. Well, this story focuses on them...surprise, surprise. 

December Books

 Fragile by Lisa Unger -- When a local girl goes missing, folks wonder if Char has merely gone to New York City to escape small-time life. Maggie isn't convinced - and her son, Char's boyfriend, agrees. Pretty good story. It's funny reading this book which is about 15 years old and seeing teenagers post on Facebook. At one point Ricky urges his mom to get on Facebook to reconnect with her old friends, and tells her about "status bar updates" which is where they look for clues about Char after her disappearance. 

Beneath the Surface by Kaira Rouda -- Richard is a ruthless business leader and father. He invites his children and their spouses for a weekend on his huge yacht. Paige is frightened of being out on the water, but goes along because she feels it's hers and Ted's chance to get in good and become the head of the company. John and Rachel have similar plans. Pretty good. 

Count My Lies by Sophie Stava -- As soon as Sloane introduces herself as a nurse named Caitlin to the handsome dad at the park whose daughter is stung by a bee, she continues the lies. But she admits that's what she does. After she meets Violet, mom to Harper the girl stung by the bee, she finds a true friend - and she seeks to dress and look more like her new BFF. Meanwhile Violet takes it all in stride, with kindness and helpfulness even. But is Violet lying as well?  Pretty cool! 

The Women of Oak Ridge by Michelle Shocklee -- An interesting story about a "secret city" within the US during World War II. The workers in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, didn't know they were helping enrich uranium that led to the atom bomb being dropped in Japan. This follows the story of Maebelle as she left her coal mining community in Kentucky to get one of these better-paying government jobs. Thirty years later her niece Laurel returns to Oak Ridge to interview folks in the community about their experiences and thoughts on what happened. 

Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose -- I've liked the other three books from this author so I gave this a try despite it having zombies in it. Uhhhh, thankfully it was a pretty-fast read, and I skipped over a few paragraphs because zombies aren't my thing. Not sure I'll read a book two of this type. 

A Mother Always Knows by Sarah Strohmeyer -- Stella was ten years old when she left a cult. Her mother was murdered, and Stella was unsure who killed her. Years later her family's story is back in the news and Stella is looking for answers. 

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce -- Four siblings - Netta, Susan, Goose (short for Gustav), and Iris - gather with their 70-something father in a noodle bar where he tells them he's getting married to Bella-Mae, an artist who is younger than the four of them. (She's 27.) Later the siblings travel to their family's villa on an Italian island where they discover more about Bella-Mae, each other, and themselves. 

The Unveiling by Quan Barry -- I heard this author interviewed on an NPR program so when I saw her book in the library, I decided to read it.  I enjoyed the trivia about Antartica, but I didn't really love the main character Striker who is scouting film locations. She's the only Black person among several white folks...except for Hector who is brown. Maybe I just didn't understand the book all that well. It wasn't terrible, but not one I enjoyed.

The Bachelorette Party Camilla Sten -- Tessa doesn't want to attend the bachelorette party for a childhood best friend, but when she hears it will be in a place where four friends went missing ten years ago, the possibility of solving a mystery ... well, suddenly she's OK with going to this event. She's always been a true-crimes fan, and now she needs to redeem herself so maybe she can figure out what happened to Matilda and her friends ten years ago. 

In the Time of Five Pumpkins by Alexander McCall Smith -- another story featuring Precious and Grace and other loveable characters from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. 

The Fault Between Us by Stephanie Landsem -- This was an interesting way to learn about living near and working at Yellowstone National Park in the 1950s and the Hebgen Lake Earthquake. The author draws upon real-life stories her mom and aunts shared about their experiences there. I enjoyed the upbeat message as well since I tend to read a lot of thrillers with less-than-upbeat themes. A couple of things I wanted to save for my own reflection: From the discussion questions on page 341: "Do you sense God's love through the wonders of nature?" and also from the last page of the story, "Courage arose out of fear, faith emerged from doubt ... and hope transcended despair" and as well as "...what they'd been given in their darkest moments. Holding on to hope." (pg. 336)

The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards -- Six friends from 1999 are brought back together 25 years later when the professor who tasked them with creating a new dating site, died and one of the couples hosts a dinner party. This book goes from now to back then telling the story of Lily, the genius who writes the code, as well as the narrator, Will, and the other pals, Rohan, Sophie, Georgina, Theo. Pretty good. 

The Highly Effective Detective by Richard Yancey -- First book in the Teddy Ruzak series...he's a pretty likeable guy, but I'm not sure I'll read more of these books as he's a bit too wordy for me at times. We'll see. He is hired to find who killed six goslings (yes, really), but that leads to something more serious. 

I Can See in the Dark by Karin Fossum -- This book is translated from Norwegian so it was kind of cool learning a bit about Norway just by the setting of the book. Riktor is a nurse in a care home for mostly elderly people. He has a fascination with death and he is a bit of an odd fellow. One day a police officer shows up and arrests him for a murder at the care home. Riktor maintains his innocence. 

The Resting Place by Camilla Sten -- A mystery/thriller concerning Eleanor who has prosopagnosia, the inability to recognize a familiar person's face, and her grandmother Vivianne's secret house. She travels to this remote location with her boyfriend and a lawyer and her aunt Veronika shows up. Weird stuff happens. Pretty good. 

November Books and a Movie!

 The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose -- Imagine your 2016 as a thirty-something adult who hasn't been able to land a permanent job, and somehow you wake up to your 2002 self as a college student. But instead of your body going back to that time, you are thirty-something you AND you meet yourself as that college student. What lessons could each of you teach the other? This is basically what happens to Alexis, and it was a pretty cute, fast read on this first day of November! 

The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredericks -- This is a mystery featuring Zelda Fitzgerald and Morris Markey told from the perspective of the latter as he seeks to find out what happened to Joseph Elwell. Eh...not my favorite. 

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley -- Jane and Dan are eating at a very expensive restaurant on a secluded hill when the restaurant is taken over by domestic terrorists. Oddly many of the details follow the novel Jane published many years back. This book isn't as scary as it sounds; thankfully the terrorists aren't very terrorizing, and it was actually a bit of a lighthearted book. 

Catch Her When She Falls by Allison Buccola -- Micah still lives where she grew up, but now she owns a coffee shop. Ten years after her senior year in high school, she revisits the past when her best friend was murdered by Micah's boyfriend. 

The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron -- This book goes back and forth from Kat during her time in France during World War II to a few years later when she returns to find her missing brother Gavin. 

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing -- I guess it's a sign of our aging population, but I've noticed an interesting "genre" the last several months: older women murders. And usually the books are actually funny in many ways. In this book Lottie tries to dissuade Plum (yes, Plum) from her docuseries about Lottie's life. When Plum insists she will make the docuseries with or without Lottie's help, wellllll, too bad for Plum. 

The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans -- Estella Emily Ecker who prefers to be called E or Dr. Ecker if you are one of her students, teaches English at a college, and she wants a better position, but you know how tough that is for women to achieve in a man's world such as 1940s USA. After her father dies, she explores her house to learn more about her family. Pretty good story. 

MIdnight Is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead -- Ruth is the good girl, preacher's daughter, shy and quiet. Things change the summer she and Everett become friends. He was always the outcast at school, the unchurched son of a drunk. This book flips between THEN and NOW telling of these two young people in southern Louisiana. 

The First To Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan -- Ellie is a reporter for a new news channel, and she's investigating a company linked to faulty medicine. Meanwhile Nora is going undercover trying to learn more from women affected by this medicine. Then there is Meg. This book was a bit confusing for a while, but I gradually got into the story. 

Four Wives by Wendy Walker -- Four women - friends to varying degrees - Janie, Love, Gayle, and Marie come together to plan a gala,and deal with various issues in their own lives and families. Pretty good. 

My Beloved by Jan Karon -- I've not read one of the Mitford books in many years so I would have enjoyed this a bit more if I remembered more of the backstories, but it was a sweet book. I especially enjoyed around the 287 page mark when Pauline visited Cynthia. There was some tough love, but some grace and kindness, too. And this book title speaks to me as well. Sadly, the author mentioned losing her only child to pancreatic cancer and how that impacted her for quite some time. My heart goes out to her. 

Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton -- Kiki, a reporter, and Elise, a police detective, search for answers when a lady named Karen is found dead in the woods. This book deals with dating apps and disastrous outcomes. Good mystery-type book!

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben -- Maggie is a former surgeon - she lost her medical license after she took too many pills to dull the pain - and she's intrigued by a former mentor's offer to meet with her in New York City. There she is hired to fly somewhere to perform surgery for a billionaire. Intriguing, right? 

MOVIE ALERT:  I so seldom watch movies that it's noteworthy enough to report that Andrew and I watched  A Walk in the Woods on YouTube "free with ads" on Wednesday. We read this book years ago, and I think I watched this movie already, but I watched it again. It's about Bill Bryson's walk on parts of the Appalachian Trail. 

Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf -- When Cora ends up by the train tracks, stabbed, her family wonders what happened. Were Jordyn and the new girl Violet involved? The reader hears from Violet's mom's perspective as well as the psychiatrist and excerpts from Cora's journal and an online chat she had with an unknown someone. Pretty good. 

October Books

 The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose -- This is the book I should have read before reading The Perfect Divorce a few weeks ago. Because I read them out of order, I knew most of what happened, but it was good to read how they got there. Sarah's husband was cheating on her, and when his mistress is found dead, he is charged with her murder. Sarah is the best defense attorney around, but will she (or should she) defend her cheating spouse? 

Tilt by Emma Pattee -- Annie is in IKEA looking at cribs for her first baby when an earthquake changes her plans. Without a phone or transportation, she decides to walk to look for her husband. Along the way, she tells Bean (her unborn child) some of her story. 

The Death of Us by Abigail Dean -- This book alternates between Edward and Isabel's perspectives. Years ago, they were happily married when an intruder did unthinkable things. Years later he was caught and the couple (now divorced) are part of a group confronting him by telling him what he took from them. I enjoyed the dry humor though this book's subject was hard. 

Ruth Run by Elizabeth Kaufman -- Ruth is a hacker who has been found out. Mike is the guy she's trying to elude. This book is told from both of their perspectives, and was a fast, somewhat-interesting read.  

The Expat Affair by Kimberly Belle -- I enjoy her books because, although she's American by birth,  she lives in Amsterdam, and I learn some cool stuff about the Dutch in her books. Noraly of Itchy Boots fame is also Dutch so I often think of her. In this book two American women meet. Willow is married to a Dutch gemologist, and Rayna is a travel journalist trying to find her way in a new country.  When Rayna ends up with a guy who is murdered, Willow tries to figure out what happened to Xander. Is Rayna involved in his murder or is she innocent? 

Picking Cotton: A Memoir of Injustice and Redemption by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino, Ronald Cotton, and Erin Torneo -- In the mid-1980s an Elon College student was raped in her apartment at knifepoint. The composite the police drew put suspicion on Ronald Cotton who went to the police station to clear himself. Instead he was arrested and Jennifer picked him out of photos and a lineup.  He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.  Ronald declared his innocence throughout all of this, admitting he wasn't perfect, but had not raped anyone!  This all took place in the county I've lived in since I was five or six, and I remember reading Ronald Cotton's name over the years. 

"As of this book's writing (it was published in 2009), 223 people in the United States have had their convictions overturned by DNA evidence: Ronald Cotton was number 23. Over 75 percent of these cases involved mistaken eyewitness testimony, making it the leading cause of wrongful conviction." (pg. 283)

The reason I read this memoir now is because my friend Marc saw it in Goodwill, and asked if I'd read it. He highly recommended it so I got it the next time I was at the library. It was a quick read this weekend (Oct. 10,11), and I "liked" that I recognized so many names and places since the events took place where I live. 

Welcome to the Honey B&B by Melody Carlson -- Jewel and her daughter Cooper decide to move to the farm where Jewel grew up in order to help Jewel's mom take care of her dad who has FTD (not a florist). Cooper doesn't want to leave her friends and the city life, but she's dragged along because she's only thirteen. This was an easy read and lighter and wholesome as this author's books tend to be.  

If You Believe by Kristin Hannah -- My library must have gotten some new old books because this one was on the New Books page online, but then I see it's from 1994. Anyway, it was more of an old fashioned romance book. Mad Dog is a drifter who fights and then hunkers down at a job for a while before drifting off again. When he sees an offer from Erasmus "Rass" about helping at his farm, Mad Dog meets Rass and his spinster daughter, Mariah. Also, there is Jake the teen who has been following Mad Dog from place to place. 

A Stranger in the Family by Jane Casey -- Well, I kept at it and have caught up in this series. The library has the newest book On Order, and I have none left to read before then.  In this book Maeve and Josh and the team investigate the murder of a couple whose daughter disappeared 15 years earlier when she was only 9.  

With A Vengeance by Riley Sager -- Anna and Seamus have a plan to get together the six people they blame for killing their family members. It involves Anna buying out all the train's tickets and... well, it's one of those thrillers where everyone is at a secluded cabin during a big storm, only it's a train...choo choo! 

All This Could Be Yours by Hank Phillippi Ryan -- Tessa is on a book tour for her bestselling novel. Everything is going great, until she starts having too many personal questions about her childhood. And then there are indications that folks have gotten into her room and her luggage is missing. Pretty good story. 

A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen -- The final book in the Devonshire Shores series. This book features Sarah and Georgie as they prepare their home for a festive Christmas season. Callum Henshall and his stepdaughter Effie join the family having traveled from Scotland. I often wish I recalled details from previous books better, but I remembered enough and there was some background info that helped. 

The Wedding People by Alison Espach -- Phoebe is escaping her failed marriage, her failed life and checks into a fancy place where she hopes to enjoy one last good meal and then end her life. She doesn't count on the place being fully booked by Lila and Gary's wedding party. When Lila finds out about Phoebe's plans, she insists Phoebe not spoil her wedding week by offing herself. What results is a friendship where Lila and Phoebe confide in each other - strangers who end up friends, of sorts. 

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson -- When Jet is attacked in her house, her childhood best friend Billy is the one who found her. She's relieved to wake up in the hospital because, hey, she thought she was dead. But then she is met with the bad news of how serious her condition is. She has about a week left to live and wants to solve her own murder. Yes, really. Pretty cute book. 

The Love Haters by Katherine Center -- Katie is sent to Key West to create a promo video for the Coast Guard's rescue swimmers. There she is supposed to trail Hutch - her colleague's brother. Cole didn't want to go to Florida to highlight his perfect brother so he talked Katie into doing it in order to save her job. Her books are pretty cute Rom-Coms if you like those! 

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead -- While grieving the unexpected loss of her father, Jane finds herself drawn into true crime threads online - and getting involved in solving murders. She finds herself with a knack for it, and joins an exclusive club, of sorts. Enjoyable story! 

In real life the author is also grieving the sudden loss of her father, and I wanted to note this from her.

"Jane may not be able to hug or speak to her father, but nothing, not even death, can diminish the love they shared. Death transfigures a relationship; it does not end it." (pg. 453)

The Ascent by Allison Buccola -- Ophelia, now often known as Lee, grapples with her past - she was the only "survivor" when a cult she lived with disappeared twenty years ago when she was twelve - and she deals with being a wife and mother to a baby who refuses to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time. Pretty good story! 

This Promised Land by Cathy Gohlke -- Ginny Dee is weeks away from leaving for an adventure in England when she gets a letter about her brother's death and her need to return to Virginia in order to straighten out some affairs. Thinking she can wrap all this up before her trip, she heads to the Christmas tree farm where she grew up. A sweet, cute story. I like the reminder of the prodigal son story, too. 

The Break-In by Katherine Faulkner -- While hosting a playdate, an intruder meets his end when Alice is desperate to protect everyone and hits Ezra with a stool. As she comes to grips with her killing this troubled teen, she meets Ezra's mom and twin sister. Meanwhile her child's longtime nanny puts in her notice and ... everything is just a bit weird. This was a pretty good story to end the month.

September Books

 On Her Game by Christine Brennan -- "Caitlin Clark and the revolution in women's sports" -- that pretty much sums it up. Interesting, quick read focusing mostly on Caitlin's rise to fame in her college years at Iowa and her first year in the WNBA. It's a little weird reading this now since the Indiana Fever have a new head coach, Caitlin's been out much of the season with injuries, and several of the teammates mentioned are no longer on the team although the author did touch on these things towards the end of the book.  

Cruel Acts by Jane Casey -- another in the Maeve Kerrigan series; In this book Maeve, Josh, and the team investigate someone released from prison because a juror wrote a memoir claiming he and another juror broke the rules so this prisoner gets another chance to be tried. Did the team get the wrong guy all those years ago? If not, can they convict him again? 

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware -- Finally the author was convinced to bring back characters from a previous book - the one that made her into the writer she is today. The Woman in Cabin 10 featured Laura "Lo" Blacklock and Carrie among others who were aboard a ship. In this book Laura is living in New York with her husband Judah and their young son when she gets invited to a fantastic resort in Switzerland. Judah convinces her to go as she's trying to get back into journalism, and she's shocked to find people from that trip a decade ago on the Aurora.  Interesting to see what Carrie is up to these days! 

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown -- Naomi and Maya are sisters who attended Princeton about ten years apart. When something happens to Naomi just before graduation, Maya looks for clues and realizes they were both part of a secret society. 

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova -- Sarah has a busy life as a consultant, wife, and mother of three. One day she takes her eyes off the road for a flash, and ends up in the hospital. She has to learn to deal with life with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and her son Charlie is diagnosed with ADHD. I like learning about brain "issues" from this author. 

The Tenant by Freida McFadden -- When Blake suddenly loses his job with no chance to explain himself, he's stuck at home hoping to find some work. His fiancée Krista suggests that they rent out the upstairs room so reluctantly, they get a tenant. At first Whitney is the ideal renter, but when Blake finds she eats his favorite cereal and uses all his soap, he confronts her at her work. He admits this might have been a step too far, but suddenly Whitney is the tenant from hell. Quick read! 

Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh -- After Lindsey left her university after two years, she taught in Beijing with her boyfriend Zach. Unbeknownst to her parents in Massachusetts, she ends up in Shanghai where she was struck by a car. When her mom and dad, who are divorced from each other, arrive, they are puzzled why their daughter is in a city 800 miles from where she taught. Meanwhile Lindsey's little sister Grace is at camp back in the States wondering what is going on. 

Jill Is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda -- Jack and Jill are married, but Jack is wanting out of the marriage. Jill doesn't want Jack to leave, and starts reading to him from the notebook she's kept of all the things he's done. A fast read.

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter -- After several fast reads, this was not. The first in a new series, North Falls, this book features Sheriff Gerald and his Chief Deputy who is his daughter Emmy.  The police investigate the case of two missing fifteen year olds. Then the book skips ahead a dozen years, when another girl goes missing. An OK book. 

You Deserve to Know by Aggie Blum Thompson -- Three couples live in a cul de sac just outside of D.C.  Gwen and Anton are the new arrivals, and Lisa feels threatened by Gwen's friendship with Aimee. Afterall, Lisa and Aimee were friends first. Gwen is hiding secrets, and Aimee just wants to figure out how to help her daughter Noa who is struggling in school. Good, fast read. 

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel -- Colette's mom is a descendant of Robin Hood, or so the story is told and passed down through the generations. Her mom trains her to steal jewels - not from just anyone, but from those who have victimized others or support unworthy causes (like the Nazis.) In this way, Colette has founded Holocaust Remembrance centers and such, and her mom funded the French resistance during World War II.  Pretty interesting story! 

The Close by Jane Casey -- Somehow I skipped the next book in the Maeve Kerrigan series and got this one instead. I realized my mistake when the first pages alluded to something that had happened to Maeve that wasn't familiar to me. In this book Maeve and Josh work undercover by living together in Jellicoe Close. They are posing as a couple taking care of a friend's dog and house while the friend is on an extended trip. 

Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden -- After Quinn kills her husband in self defense, she flees during a snowstorm and makes it to a shady motel where she gets a room. Thankfully the owner Nick is helpful and she meets Greta, the long-term resident. Perspectives from Claudia, the sister, and Rosalie, Nick's wife. 

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda -- Beckett is upset when she learns her daughter applied to the college she attended and place where she grew up. Delilah was never told why her mom didn't enjoy going back there as Beckett chose to keep those reasons secret. When Delilah goes missing one night, Beck returns in order to find her daughter. 

Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza -- Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college, but when Bex married, suddenly she didn't want anything more to do with Lizzie.  Years later, Lizzie is contacted by Bex, now Rebecca who has a big following on Instagram as an influencer. Lizzie agrees to meet Rebecca at a mom conference out west, and comes into a bit of a mystery. 

The Hospital by Leslie Wolfe -- Emma finds herself in a hospital, and struggles to remember how she ended up there. Eventually snippets of her memory return as she tries to piece things together. 

The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger -- Mia and Daniel are getting a divorce, and Mia has hired Sophie, a criminal attorney who did the intake for the firm's divorce attorneys. (They were busy.)  This book consists of emails and memos, case studies, and more correspondence between the parties. This is how you learn about everyone's backgrounds, settlement issues, and so forth. Different! 

Every Note Played by Lisa Genova -- This author informs readers about neurological disorders in novel form, and this one focused on ALS aka Lou Gehrig's disease. Richard is a world-famous pianist in his mid-forties when he starts experiencing symptoms of this terrible disease. The book follows this quick progression.  A former teacher's father had ALS, and lived much longer than expected - and with joy and accomplishment, but what a journey. This book is informative and interesting. Not my favorite of hers, but good nevertheless. 

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen -- Mandy is starting her day when a phone call from a public defender changes her life. He knows she is adopted - not a big secret, but one she doesn't tell everyone - and says her sister wants to see her. Her sister whom she's never met, and even more surprisingly, her twin.  Even better. that twin sister is locked in a psych ward at the hospital after being accused of murdering someone. Georgia claims her innocence, but isn't that what they all say? 

The Cutting Place by Jane Casey -- I went back and read that Maeve Kerrigan book that I'd skipped. Maeve recently got a new boyfriend, Seth Taylor, who plays a role in this book. Also, the team is looking into a club for men after a journalist's body is found along the Thames. 

August Books

 The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- Sometimes after reading a couple of thriller/mysteries dealing with murders, you need something light and uncomplicated. This first book in the Cape Cod Creamery series talks a lot about ice cream, one of my favorite foods. After Dawn's wedding is called off, she takes her mom with her to Cape Cod where her impulsive mother, Marnie, decides to buy a filthy, run-down ice cream shop. Pretty cute story! 

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox -- It's Sophie's sweet 16 birthday party, and her dad and stepmom are hosting it at their huge house known to the locals as the haunted house. This follows the perspectives of Sophie's mom and stepmom, the nanny, and her best friend. Pretty good. 

Retreat by Krysten Ritter -- When Liz is hired to oversee the installation of a painting in Mexico, she is grateful for the week away where she can take a break from the con jobs that have her a bit worried. When she gets there, she decides for just one week she can be the owner - they resemble each other enough. Therefore, Liz becomes the ultra-wealthy Isabelle. What could go wrong? 

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day -- Three friends met at their lake houses when they were kids. Now that they are adults, they return each summer for two weeks - and they bring along their families. This year marks 30 years since a young lady disappeared. This happened before and the local lore is that the lake takes them. Will the pattern repeat? 

The Secret to Happiness by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- This is the second book in the Cape Cod Creamery series which I started earlier this month. Callie visits Cape Cod to live with her Aunt Marnie and cousin Dawn for a few weeks. I really liked the reminder of looking for the good in every day, and how we can rewire our thoughts and outlooks on life. Chapter 21 had some meaningful things to me: good reminders about God being with us in the scary places and times, Him not leaving us alone, and how He is completely faithful. The "confident peace" we can have because we can rest our minds on His presence. That chapter also challenged us about fear and its consequences. This was actually quite a light-reading book, but Callie had some deep-seated fears that were impacting her life, and a friend was helping her through this. 

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline -- Not too long after Julia's husband is killed, she decides to go to Italy because she inherited a villa. This book had a bit too much astrology for my tastes, but it was OK. I prefer some of her other books. 

Don't Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine -- Only one of the Constantine sisters wrote this book (Lynne)....they use this name (Liv) as a pseudonym.  Anyway, Annabelle starts having these disturbing, vivid dreams and aspects of her dreams keep coming true so much that she tries to alter her days so that such and such won't happen. When she goes on a work trip with a new client, she tells him about this aspect of her life, and finds a willing listener who takes her seriously.  Pretty good story...fast read. 

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell -- After her father Paddy dies, Ash's mom receives a lovely condolence card and gift from Nick. She gradually gets to messaging him and he comes to visit. While he's charming and kind, Ash is suspicious. Meanwhile Martha is wondering why her husband Alistair keeps disappearing for days on his business trips. And Tara, too, wonders about Jonathan's work schedule. Pretty good. 

She Didn't See it Coming by Shari Lapena -- Sam is called at work when his wife is late picking up their daughter from daycare. He goes home and her purse, cell phone, and car are still in their condo, but where is Bryden? 

Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner -- This book features Frankie Elkin, the lady who looks for lost people. She's in other books by this author.  This book had a different twist in that she was asked to locate a missing Afghan refugee. The book alternates between Frankie's search and the refugee, Sabera's, story. Fun bit is Frankie's pet-sitting gig with Petunia, an iguana; Marge, the ball python; and the baby pythons...yay. 

Love on a Whim by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- the last of the Cape Cod Creamery series. In this book Dawn's best friend, Brynn, comes to stay with them after she makes a rash decision and needs to think through things. While there she helps at the Creamery and also helps the Dixon family prepare for Linc's daughter's wedding. Linc's ex-wife is in charge and keeps changing things; that makes it all so challenging. 

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones -- Nicole lives in California where she advocates for seals, and is shocked when a lady comes to visit asking to interview her about her life in England. She often thought that her past would catch up with her, but is unprepared for it finally happening. Back then she was friends with Ben, the lead singer of a rock group.

A Lesson In Propriety by Jen Turano -- First in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series; it's not terrible, but a DNF for me after about 90 pages. It has nearly 350 pages, and I just didn't find it all that interesting and wanted to start something new. 

Let the Dead Speak by Jane Casey -- In between new library books that I had on hold, I'm still reading about Maeve Kerrigan and her team as they solve crimes in London. This one starts with Chloe arriving home and finding blood everywhere, but her mom is missing. Maeve, Josh, and the team try to piece together where Kate could be (or where her body is if she's been killed.) 

Jenny Cooper Has a Secret by Joy Fielding -- While 76 year old Linda Davidson is visiting her best friend Carol in a memory care home, an older lady calls her over. She introduces herself as Jenny Cooper and tells Linda that she has a secret: she has killed people. Linda isn't sure whether or not to believe someone in a memory care home, but during subsequent visits to see Carol, she also talks with Jenny to hear more of her story. 

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose -- Sarah and Bob are at odds: Sarah wants to divorce him for cheating on her, and Bob is trying to reconcile. You get to read both of their perspectives, and also the sheriff and a few other characters. A pretty fast read. Although this is listed as one of her standalone novels in the front of the book,  I realized  later that this is a sequel to another book which I now have on hold. 

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans -- This book features 70-something Sybil and letters and emails to and from friends, authors, and so forth. Through emails, Sybil becomes friends with a customer service rep at a DNA website; she corresponds with a troubled teen; she writes to her best friend who is also her ex-sister in law. It sounds a bit complicated to keep straight perhaps (and I did flip back pages a few times to remind myself of something), but it was a really cute book which I greatly enjoyed reading on this pretty afternoon - unseasonably cool with low humidity -  in late August! 

July Books

 The Kill by Jane Casey -- The library doesn't have the book just before this one in the Maeve Kerrigan series, but I followed most everything fine in this story dealing with police officers being targeted for killing. Maeve and her partner Derwent work together to figure things out. 

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers -- Jenna and Nic have something in common. Both of their sisters went missing from the same region a few years back. Jenna contacts Nic about pooling their resources and seeing if they can find anything new about what happened to Jules and Kasey.  

The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz -- Abby goes to a tiny island off Mexico's coast in search of answers. She is curious about the final days of her fiancée Eszter who died of anaphylaxis.  She meets a few expats and enjoys the company of those who knew Eszter. 

No Place Left to Hide by Megan Lally -- Brooke is celebrating her acceptance to Yale with her best friend Jena when she's confronted by Brandon, the brother of a former friend who died. On the way home from the party, Brooke and Jena are nearly run down by a Bronco and Brooke thinks Brandon is trying to kill her. This was a mean-girl thriller, and not my favorite, but OK. 

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin -- Lenni and Margot meet in a hospital in Glasgow, both are life-limited aka terminal. The two meet by chance, but form a friendship in the art therapy room. When Lenni realizes she's 17 to Margot's 83, she has an idea to paint and write about their combined 100 years. 

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman -- This book featuring Mrs. Blossom seems to be a spinoff from a long-running series featuring private investigator Tess Monaghan. Though I've read a handful of other books from this author, it seems I have not read that particular series. Anyway, Mrs. Blossom aka Muriel is headed to Paris for a weeks-long stay before taking a river cruise with her friend Elinor. She meets a charming man on the flight who gives her a promise that they'll meet up one day when they are both back in the States. But then something happens that makes this impossible, and, well, this was a pretty cute book. I rather liked Mrs. Blossom as the main character, and may look for other books with her in them. 

The Nature of Disappearing Kimi Cunningham Grant -- When her former best friend Janessa disappears during a vanlife social media journey, Emlyn is contacted by Tyler, and that brings back a host of memories. I like the idea of HOPE mentioned in this book, and found the description of Tyler's ability to feel no pain and have loads of energy while taking a prescription pill (oxy) of interest. 

The Sisters of Summit Avenue by Lynn Cullen -- Told from the perspectives of sisters June and Ruth as well as their mother Dorothy, this book explores envy and favor amongst siblings. 

Girl A by Abigail Dean -- Alexandra and her siblings were brought up in an unusual household. At one point her father chained them into their beds at night, but later Lex somehow escaped. In this book, she revisits memories of living with her family interspersed with the present where she meets up with her siblings - how are they doing these days? How is SHE?

The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg --  Instead of gathering to discuss books, these friends meet up and "confess" to things that they've done. Also it follows the stories of Iris and Maddy as well as the homeless man John who comes to town. An easy, fast read. 

All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett -- Anna has always wanted to live in London, and has the perfect opportunity during her junior year of college. Until her mother - who suffers from complications of diabetes - gets really sick and Anna decides not to go. A few years later, she gets her chance, and as a tutor, she meets some very rich families. When one family takes her under their wings, Anna is living the good life, hanging out with rich peers, and really, really wants to fit in. (Who doesn't?)  Enjoyed this one! 

After the Fire by Jane Casey -- Maeve Kerrigan and her team are working on a case involving a fire that killed a well-known MP. What was he doing at the Murchison place to begin with? And was he the target of this suspicious fire? 

Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs -- Mairin Patricia O'Hara is a hard-working, fun-loving teenager until her mom decides to send her to a school that is more like a prison. There she meets Angela, Odessa, Kay, Janice, Helen, and others who become friends - some more bent on escaping than others. A good story! 

Once More from the Top by Emily Layden -- Dylan Read is a superstar singer whose best friend Kelsey disappeared fifteen years ago. When Kelsey's body is found, Dylan reflects on her past and her rise to fame. 

The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers -- After Maddie's father dies, her mom drops her off at her great-aunt Etta's place in Bright Leaf, North Carolina. Aunt Etta makes gowns and dresses for the wealthy and merely rich wives of those who own Bright Leaf Tobacco. When Maddie accidentally learns disturbing facts about tobacco as related to premature babies, she is torn on what to do. This book is part of an Alamance Reads program as the local libraries have multiple copies, and I decided to check it out. Pretty good story. 

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson -- Thom and Wendy have a huge secret, and this book starts out with Wendy contemplating Thom's murder. Then it goes backwards in time to see how they got to that place. Fast read, but not my favorite of this author. 

Writers and Liars by Carol Goodman -- A group of writers are invited to an island in Greece fifteen years after they met there before. I would appreciate this book better if I knew more about Greek mythology, I'm sure. 

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5 years today, DAFR -- not forgotten