The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

THE EXILES by Christina Baker Kline (The Orphan Train) is another wonderful work of historical fiction, offering the story of the beginnings of Australia through the eyes of two convicts, Evangeline and Hazel, and those of Mathinna, daughter of an indigenous chief. The novel begins in London with Evangeline, a young, naïve governess, who is unfairly sent to Newgate Prison and weaves in the story of Hazel, sentenced for stealing a spoon. The two are exiled to Australia and much of the novel concerns their difficult ocean passage, circa 1840. Readers will feel both anger and compassion for the young women who are transformed by their circumstances. Kline describes Evangeline by saying, “She’d learned that she could withstand contempt and humiliation – and that she could find moments of grace in the midst of bedlam.” Mathinna, too, struggles with separation from her tribe and draws on inner strength and memories of her deceased mother who told her, “You carry the people and places you cherish with you. Remember that and you will never be lonely, child.” Kline does an excellent job of drawing in readers – not just to the time and place, but also to issues of women’s rights and social justice.  In the author’s notes, she explains, “three disparate strands of my own life history [helped] to tell the story: a transformative six weeks in Australia in my mid-twenties; the months I spent interviewing mothers and daughters for a book about feminism; and my experience teaching women in prison.” THE EXILES received a starred review from Kirkus.

The Growing Season by Sarah Frey

THE GROWING SEASON by Sarah Frey (“America’s pumpkin queen”) was for me a surprisingly inspirational read. Frey tells the story of growing up in Southern Illinois with a dysfunctional family amidst extreme poverty. There were so many times when I would have given up – yet, she somehow found the inner strength to continue on. Examples include how isolated she and her siblings were and how hard they had to work on the family farm as well as several amusing anecdotes (“Who needed guard dogs when you had Baa-Baa the ram?”). One especially vivid memory concerns a dangerous snapping turtle that her father ordered her to capture; while some readers may find that they question the credibility of a few events like that one, they will certainly be entertained and encouraged by Frey’s account, subtitled “How I Saved an American Farm--and Built a New Life.” Fans of memoirs like Walls’ The Glass Castle and/or stories of entrepreneurial success will find much to enjoy in THE GROWING SEASON which received a starred review (“A must-read”) from Library Journal. Highly recommended.

The Last Mrs. Summers and more mysteries

I have been reading mystery stories by Agatha Award winner Rhys Bowen for decades – starting with
the Evan Evans series which is set in Wales. Her latest, THE LAST MRS. SUMMERS, takes place mainly in Cornwall and features Lady Georgiana and her good friend from the Her Royal Spyness series, Belinda. This time, the duo are exploring a poorly maintained cottage that Belinda recently inherited. Desperate for a place to stay, they end up at the nearby estate of a former classmate and find the atmosphere there to be unsettling indeed. In this mystery, Bowen offers numerous references to DuMaurier’s Rebecca, including an unfeeling husband married for the second time, a suspicious and manipulative housekeeper, and a sense of a haunting presence. The story is rather involved with several subplots and some Cornish smuggling, too. While not her best effort, Bowen’s many fans will find THE LAST MRS. SUMMERS to be enjoyably diverting.

COZY CASE FILES, A COZY MYSTERY SAMPLER contains selections by Carolyn Haines, Ashley Weaver, Ellie Alexander, Jane K. Cleland, Donna Andrews, Vivien Chien, Elizabeth Penney, Diane Kelly, Cate Conte, Susan Cox, and Ellen Hart.  If you are looking for a new series for a quick “cozy” read or simply a chance to appraise the writings of these mystery authors, pick it up. Containing the beginnings of new books due out in Fall, 2020, there’s a story for all cozy fans, including one about finding the body of a missing student right before his class’ 20th high school reunion (In a Midnight Wood by Hart) and another which focuses on the aftermath of a car accident witnessed by the owner of a Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio (Killer Kung Pao by Chien). Both full mystery novels will be reviewed here shortly.  Hopefully, this sampler (10th in the series) will help you to find some new authors to explore in addition to current favorites, too.

The Switch by Beth O'Leary

THE SWITCH is the title of the soon-to-be released novel from Beth O'Leary, an author labeled “the new Jojo Moyes” by Cosmopolitan UK. This light, uplifting story is sure to please the many fans they share. At the center is Leena and her grandmother, Eileen.  Leena is burned out and heads to the rural English countryside to gain some perspective.  Eileen, on the other hand, is seeking new challenges and the “switch” seems like an ideal plan. Leena takes over her grandmother’s responsibilities and learns about dog walking, village committees, and local customs while Eileen meets a new man and then discovers a hidden admirer. There’s romance, comedy, and self-reflection all wrapped up in this easy-to-read, summer offering. Escape and enjoy! THE SWITCH received a starred review from Booklist and was a LibraryReads selection for August.

The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavesi

THE EIGHTH DETECTIVE by Alex Pavesi is often and aptly described as inventive. It is a terrific set of murder mysteries within a mystery and will appeal especially to fans of Anthony Horowitz (The Word is Murder and The Sentence is Death) or of the debut novel, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton. In Pavesi’s work, readers meet the main characters, Julia Hart (an editor) and Grant McAllister (a writer) after having already been entertained and surprised by a short story involving murder at a villa in Spain. McAllister is a mathematician who many years ago had self-published a collection of short story murder mysteries, each intended to illustrate his theories about the permutations of detective fiction. Julia is an editor working to get some background prior to a forthcoming wider publication of the stories. After each story is read, she asks several probing questions and Grant attempts to explain his thinking.  The stories themselves are suspenseful and intriguing, often paralleling the features (locked room, detective as killer, etc.) used by famous mystery writers such as Christie or Conan Doyle.  However, there are some inconsistencies in the stories and a sense of menace increases as they become darker (a woman falls to her death, another is drowned in the bath, a grandmother is smothered). I definitely enjoyed the mystery aspect, but also found much to appreciate in Pavesi’s descriptive writing style and his use of frequent similes. I am highly recommending THE EIGHTH DETECTIVE which received a starred review from Booklist. 

What You Wish For by Katherine Center

WHAT YOU WISH FOR by Katherine Center (How to Walk Away) is a light summer read which was selected as a LibraryReads choice for July. Set on the Texas Gulf Coast, a main character is Samantha (Sam), a librarian who has changed schools and re-imagined herself as a colorful, fun-loving, caring professional. She works at a private school whose new principal, coincidentally a former co-worker, is named Duncan and has evolved into a rule follower after a trauma in his life. Together, the two struggle to find a common ground that provides both safety and a free, innovative atmosphere (“never miss a chance to celebrate!”) which is so integral to the culture of the Kempner School.  There is an uplifting, feel good sense to this book: “‘Joy is an antidote to fear. To anger. To boredom. To sorrow.’ ‘But you can’t just decide to feel joyful.’ ‘True. But you can decide to do something joyful.’” Recommended for fans of JoJo Moyes, WHAT YOU WISH FOR received a starred review from Kirkus (“timely… filled with quirky characters and comforting warmth”).